Why Am I Here

Why Am I Here? (Gen. 1:1-4, 26-31; 2:1-3) God is our father (creator) His Word/Command Gives Form(Ps. 33:6 & 9; 148:5) His Breath/Spirit Gives Life (Ps. 33:6; 104:30; Gen. 2:7; Job 33:4; John 20:22)

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The name used to described God in Genesis Chapter 1 is 'Elohiym {el-o-heem'}, Heb. = Real, living, mighty, divine rulers who are worthy of honor and reverence (Note that it is plural!; Gen. 1:26 also says “Let Us make man in Our Image.” See John 1:1-3 (The Word was God). The “Spirit” (Ruwach {roo'-akh}, Heb. = Wind, breathe, mind, energy) of God hovered over the surface of the waters.

Ps. 8 reflects back upon Genesis 1. “The word majestic is a royal attribute denoting his victories (Ex. 15.6), his might in judgment (1 Sam. 4.8; Ps. 76.4), his law (Isa. 42.21), and his rule over creation (Ps. 93.4)” Only God truly creates, we can merely transform that which He has already created. God’s wisdom/creative design is revealed in nature (Ps. 104:24, Rom. 1:20) Meticulous creation = passionate concern His Spirit creates and renews (Ps. 51:10, 104:30, Isa. 40:31, 65:17, Rom. 12:2, 2 Cor. 4:16, 5:17, Col. 3:10, Eph. 4:23, Titus 3:5) What/whom he creates, He sustains (Gen. 1:29-31) God has a big plan, and individual plans for each of us (Jer. 29:11-12; Eph. 1:11; 2:10) God knows each of us completely and intimately, He knew what we would be like before we were even conceived and He has a good purpose for which he formed us and caused us to be born. (Ps.139:1-16, Jer. 1:5, Jer. 29:11, Eph. 2:10) What God has purposed will come to pass (Isa. 14:24) God’s purpose for mankind in general is revealed in His word. (Ps. 8:5-6) God uses both the righteous and the unrighteous to accomplish His will. Like he used the Chaldean army as an instrument of judgment against the Judeans. Like he used Pharaoh (Rom. 9:17)

Our significance comes from God Mankind is God’s special creation, and each of us is unique. God created us in His image (Gen. 1:26-31, 5:3, 9:6, Ps. 139:13-16, 1 Cor. 11:7) Image (Greek, eikon): reflection, representation, likeness, embodiment When people see you, do they see the Father? Jesus is also said to be in His image (Col. 1:15 & 17; Isa. 7:14; Matt 1:22-23, John 1:14-18; 14:9, 2 Cor. 4:4, Heb. 1:3) Christian’s are to patterned after the image of Jesus (Rom. 8:28-30, 1 Cor. 15:42-49, 2 Cor. 3:16-18, Col. 3:10) When people see you, do they see Jesus? God first created the earth and its atmosphere. Then He created all living creatures that live on earth, in the seas, and in the air above. God appraised this part of His creation by saying that, "it was good.” On the 6th day He created Man whom He called “Very good.” God didn't just speak us into existence as He did everything else, He MADE us. Genesis 2:7 says, “God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breathe of life, and man became a living being.” God did not "breathe the breathe of life" into any other creature but man. Man was made to be a little lower than God. The King James version says, "a little lower than the angels." But it was the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, that used the phrase "the angels." The Hebrew, In Psalm 8, actually says "a little less than Elohim," i.e., a little lower than God. Man is like God in that we have personality, intelligence, emotion and a free will. We also have a moral concept. We also have a spirit that can communicate with God. source in for

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Human Dignity is “the intrinsic worth that inheres in every human being. The of human dignity is rooted in the concept of Imago Dei, in Christ’s redemption and our ultimate destiny of reunion with God. Human dignity therefore transcends any social order as the basis for rights and is neither granted by society nor can it be legitimately violated by society. In this way, human dignity is the conceptual basis human rights. While providing the foundation for many normative claims, one direct normative implication of human dignity is that every human being should be acknowledged as an inherently valuable member of the human community and as a unique expression of life, with an integrated bodily and spiritual nature. Because is a social or communal dimension to human dignity itself, persons must be of, not in overly-individualistic terms, but as being inherently connected to society.” - from the Ascension Health Code of Ethics.

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In Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, Jean Valjean learns from hard experience “the that once was spoken, ‘to love another person is to see the face of God.’” Because makes us in God’s image, we must see each person as loveable—capable of love. Far too often, we Christians retain the image of God for ourselves and God stamps it on every human face. We are more than mere animals Modern humanistic culture reduces us to little more than mere animals who are helplessly enslaved to urges and instincts. But the Bible gives us this incredible dignity of being a little less than God. We do not have to live in the gutter. We were created for positions of honor and greatness. We were created with needs, hungers and even passions, but we do not have to let them rule us, we are to rule over them. They are good things, and when we channel these needs and passions in line with God’s original design and intent for us, they become a source of great blessing.

God had/has a purpose/plan for mankind The purpose of an “image” is to express the inward quality of a person. By being created in His image God wanted us to manifest His glory and excellent virtues. Man was given the responsibility to exercise dominion over the whole earth (Heb. 2:57) God knows each of us completely and intimately, He knew what we would be like before we were even conceived and He has a good purpose for which he formed each of us and caused us to be born. (Psalm 139:1-16, Jer. 1:5, Jer. 29:11, Eph. 2:10) Jesus Christ became a man in order to help us recapture our lost destiny We become “Sons of God” through our faith in Jesus, receiving God’s Spirit in our hearts (John 1:12, Gal. 4:6, See Rom. 8:14-16) Paul says in Chapter 8 of Romans that the whole creation is eagerly looking forward to the day of the manifestation of the “sons of God.” That makes us seem pretty significant! Christ considers us his brothers (Heb. 2:11) We are called a chosen people, kings and a royal priesthood who will be serving/ ruling along with Jesus (1 Pe. 2:9, Rev. 1:6) Jesus dignified man by taking human form What an enormous compliment that God would become human! (Phil. 2:6-8, 2 Cor. 8:9)

Jesus served as the perfect sacrifice by becoming human The Bible explains how Christ being both God and man fulfilled the purposes of God: “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:17) Jesus also came to be an example for us Jesus said, "It is not I who do the works; it is the Father who dwells in me, he does the works," (John 14:10). When he broke the loaves and fishes and fed the five thousand he did it not as God but as a man exercising dominion over creation, empowered by God. A man fulfilling the original intention of God for man. The writer of Hebrews says, "We see Jesus" (Heb 2:9), meaning He sets the example for us. Jesus really was the perfect man. He stood against the powers of his day, both religious and political. He stared death in the face and did not back down. He endured beatings, and willingly stayed on the cross through unimaginable suffering. Yet he was one of the most sensitive men alive. He was gentle. He touched lepers. He wept over lost people. He took children into his arms to bless them. He ministered to hurting people and spent long hours teaching and healing them. He stayed up all night praying. He died, then broke the grip of death in his resurrection. He lives forever as that part of God who can never forget what it is like to be human (Heb. 4:14-16) Athanasius (295-373) wrote: “He became what we are that he might make us what he is.” “If we judge by Scriptural representation of things, we have reason to suppose, that Christ took upon him our nature, and dwelt with us in this world, in a suffering state, not only to satisfy for our sins; but that he, being in our nature and circumstances, and under our trials, might be our most fit and proper example, leader and captain, in the exercise of glorious and victorious virtue, and might be a visible instance of the glorious end and reward of it; that we might see in him the beauty, amiableness, and true honor and glory, an exceeding benefit of that virtue, which it is proper for us human beings to practice; and might thereby learn, and be animated, to seek the like glory and honor, and to obtain the like glorious reward ..." (Jonathan Edwards, Works (Yale), 1:291) Christian’s are to be patterned after the image of Jesus (Rom. 8:28-30, 1 Cor. 15:42-49, 2 Cor. 3:16-18, Col. 3:10)

Our Responsibility as Caretakers of God’s Creation: Sustainability - the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (see Phil. 2:4) Gen. 2:15 (“Dress & Keep”) Dress(abad, Heb.) = Work, Serve, Labor for Watch

Keep (shamar, Heb.) = Keep, Guard, Treasure, Preserve, Protect, Retain, Save, Over, Celebrate

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Jewish prohibition known as bal tashhit, 'do not destroy' is based by the Rabbis on biblical injunction not to destroy fruit-bearing trees (Deut. 20: 19), but it is extended them to include wasting anything that can be used for the benefit of mankind. See also Ezek. 34:18, Anti-pollution scripture? Takes into account the moral principle of stewardship/trusteeship (see Lev. 25:23-

24). We are accountable to God for how we us, or misuse, His creation worship

We are to care for God’s creation, but we are not to worship it (Ex. 20:4). Our is reserved for the Creator.

What does it mean that God “rested” on the 7th day? Shabath {shaw-bath'}, Heb. = ceased, stopped, finished God does not grow tired (Ps 121:4; 2 Pe. 3:8) Jesus explained that the Sabbath was created for man (Mark 2:27) To be rest and be refreshed (Ex. 23:12) To honor God (Isa. 58:13) To reflect on the fact that God saves his people (Ezk. 20:12)