Bearing the Image of God

We had a wonderful service of worship and renewal at church today. Our pastoral intern and Deacon, Jeremy Sexton, gave the sermon. The topic was "What does it mean to be human?" Here are some of my notes:

The Scripture teaches that man is the highest creature God made and he has been crowned with God's image....It is NOT our ability to reason or any inate ability to tell right from wrong that makes us in "the image of God." Bearing the image of God is born out fully only in communal activity. Just as God lives in "community" (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), so we are made to live in community and in so doing we reflect the image of God. We have to live in community with others, specifically with God's bride---His church---He gave the example of God making Eve for Adam because it was not good for man to be alone. Adam without Eve was not fully relfecting the image of God. The church is the bride of Christ. God wants us to bear his image in service to the world. He empowers us in worship as we eat and drink with HIM. The plural God (3 persons) created us for community and the NT is full of "one anotherings." Our image bearing activity is about serving the world by laying down our lives for our neighbors...are we praying, talking good about them, seeking opportunities to help the widows and orphans? The LORD Jesus does these things perfectly---he gives us grace and strength to do them and in community He has given us the power and ability to serve the world and in this way He will build HIS kingdom which will one day fill the whole earth.... Lord's Day worship is the fountain-head of our calling and in worship we are in battle against sin....praise the LORD for His renewal, grace and strength. May we go out, serve and bear His image!