Consider one another as created in God’s Image

[Preached at Luther College Focus - August 29, 2021]

Genesis 1:26-28

Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."
 27So God created humankind in his image,
   in the image of God he created them;
   male and female he created them.
28God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." 

Genesis 2:4b-7

In the day that the Lord GOD made the earth and the heavens, 5when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up — for the Lord GOD had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; 6but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground — 7then the Lord GOD formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. 

Ephesians 2:8-10
8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God — 9not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

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“In the beginning”

Seems appropriate for tonight, the start of a new academic year, the start of many of your time at Luther...

As the story goes...

God created light and dark….and everything in-between...and said, “this is good!”

God created day and night...and everything in-between, dusk and twilight and dawn...and said, “this is good!”

God created the skies and the depths...and everything in-between...and said, “this is good!”

God created the land and the seas...and everything in-between...and said, “this is good!”

God created the birds of the air and the creatures of the sea and the animals of the land...and everything in-between...and said, “this is good!”

God created things that grow and things that blossom and things that bear fruit...and everything in-between...and said, “this is good!”

Take a look around - everything that you see is grounded in the love of our creator. It’s the foundation of it all.

But that wasn’t the end of the story. God look around and then-THEN!-after all the rest of things had been created, in all their uniqueness and diversity and beauty and function and whimsy…

God said, “let us create humankind in our image and likeness.” And so God created male and female...and everything in-between...in the image of the divine creator...and said, “this is very good.”

I can’t think of a better way to bless you tonight...or ever, really...than by saying, “you, in your wonderful diversity, your wonderful uniqueness, your wonderful beauty, are created in the image of God and you are very good.”

Thinking about what we bring into this space/what identities we carry:

How many times have you been asked your name, your major, your hometown/home nation, your residence hall?

Coming in as what we put on our applications: athlete, musician, volunteer, tech genius, math whiz, artist;

Coming in as our families of origin: two parents, one parent, siblings or not, good relationships with our families or not, extended families, cultural traditions;

Coming in as the part of us we curate for social media - the best, prettiest, funniest, most opinionated parts of us;

Coming in as the parts of us that we hope nobody sees…

I’m not going to say that none of that matters. Because all of it matters. It makes you who you are. It shapes who you will become. It is alllll part of you.

But what holds all of it together, and what holds all of us together, is the image of God that we all bear.

Before you do anything: you are loved.

Before you could ever earn your worth: you are blessed.

Before you knew yourself: you are known by God.

No matter what else, this identity cannot be taken from you.

You are made in God’s image. You are created in God’s likeness. You are very good. You are beloved.

Genesis 2: God created the first human out of dirt and then breathed life into its lungs.

That is how we carry God with us - by the Spirit inside of us, the holiness inherent in each of us from the inside out, the breath of God that animates us, or, as Paul says in Acts, the one by whose spirit “we live and move and have our being”

And it’s true of all. of us.

Take a look around - everyone sitting here, and everyone who you have met, and everyone you have yet to meet - everyone is made in the love and the image of our creator. It is the foundation of our humanity.

1 John 3 - See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.

We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?

Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.

We are part of a shared humanity. This means:

Seeing the image of God in one another…

…and treating them accordingly.

The Bible is ALL OVER this.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

Love your enemies.

Bless those who curse you.

Jesus, saying “just as you did it to the least of these you did it to me.”

This is what Paul means when he says in Ephesians, “We are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.”

We have the image of God. And so does every other human being walking the face of this earth.

You know what is lousy in our world right now?

Politics.

Racism.

Sexism.

Classism.

Gender-based violence.

Intolerance.

War.

You know what is missing in all of these things?

The shared commitment to seeing the image of God in one another.

This is how our faith can and will transform the world: by showing, in word and in deed, that we honor the image of God in our neighbors. We love them and serve them. We work for their good. We advocate for them. We show. up.

So this is your comfort tonight and your calling.

You are created in the image of God. Nothing can take that away from you. Nothing can separate you from God’s love. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

But you were also created for good things, overflowing with the grace of God that is within you. You were created to recognize and honor the image of God in others. So that they know that they, too, are loved. And cared for. And accepted as part of God’s expansive and unlimited family.

Be blessed, dear ones. You are beloved. You are better than good. You are God’s. Go forth to live and move and have your being for the sake of God’s love for you, for all people, and all this good and beautiful creation.