March 31, 2009 — 4:00 PM
In the image of God
Mark 1:35-39
Matthew 5”7-8
Genesis 1:27
Let us pray: Spirit of God, come and move among us now. Open our ears that we may hear your word for us today. Open our hearts so that we may be renewed for the work that you are calling us to. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
“So God created human beings in God’s own image,
in the image of God he created them,
male and female God created them.”
Powerful words. Words that have held great meaning for human beings throughout the centuries. Words that speak to the awesome creative power of God. And, at the same time, words that set humanity apart from the rest of God’s good creation. These words bestow a special place upon the human race and with it a special responsibility.
But what do these words mean? As soon as these words were first uttered, human beings were left to figure out how to answer that question. What does it mean to be created in the image of God? What is it about us that reflects God’s image that isn’t present in anything else in all of creation? How are we, creatures and created beings, different than all that surrounds us? How do we reflect God’s image to the rest of God’s creation?
There has been no shortage of speculation around these questions since they first arose. And there are several favorite theories that seem to surface anytime this subject arises. I would like us to take a few minutes this evening to contemplate this very subject. This is one of those cases where we sure could use a little more clarity from our sacred Scriptures. If only there had been a line or two more added after this verse to give even a glimpse as to what this phrase “in the image of God” is really all about.
I invite us all now to take a minute of silence to think individually about how we would answer the question: What does it mean to be created in the image of God? Following our time of silence I will invite people to share as they feel comfortable.
[silence]
So? What do you think? What does it mean to you to be made in the image of God?
[get answers from people]
• capability to know right from wrong – our morality
• capability for higher knowledge – although some other creatures show this as well
• capability to develop a rich spiritual life – our souls
• dominion over the rest of creation – although some question what that really means
These are all great theories about what that phrase might possibly mean. But we really can’t say for sure if any of them are the right one. Or if there is only one right one.
But there is one thing we can say for sure is not the meaning of this phrase. We know that it is not our humanness, our form, that is the image of God. We know this because the New Testament witness tells us that Jesus humbled himself to become like us taking on human form. He had to give up some of his God-ness in order to take on some of our humanness – to be Emmanuel, God with us.
And we can push that point a little further. If our form is not what makes us created in the image of God, then neither is it about being a specific type of human – male or female, of one ethnic background or another, etc. Being created in God’s image applies to all humans. Across the board. No matter what.
So then, what is it about us that reflects the image of God? It must be some characteristic or combination of characteristics. But which one or ones remain a mystery. I’m afraid that this is one of those questions for which we will not have an answer on this side of the grave.
While Scripture doesn’t tell us clearly what it means that humans are created in the image of God, it does give us hints as to its meaning. I think today’s first beatitude is one place where we catch a glimpse of what it might mean to be made in the image of God. Jesus said:
“Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.”
Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures the adjective merciful always applies to God. It is a word used to describe God and God alone. It is seen as an outgrowth of God’s steadfast love – a very important characteristic of God for the Hebrew people.
Again and again in their stories the Hebrew people praise God for, remind God of, and call on God to make known God’s steadfast love. They, the people of the covenant, the ones God has chosen to call God’s own, have experienced ups and downs in their journey with God. From slavery in Egypt, to wandering in the desert, to dwelling in their own land, to being conquered and living in exile, they have been through a lot. They have experienced both close communion with God as well as a very real sense of God’s absence. And through it all they have continued to affirm that this God is the God of steadfast love.
They have known that love personally. They know that their ancestors knew that love personally. And they are confident that their offspring will know that love personally. They know this because of God’s merciful acts to them and their ancestors. God’s mercy makes known God’s steadfast love in very concrete ways.
Now here in the middle of the Beatitudes Jesus takes that characteristic that had only been applied to God and applies it to human beings. Jesus says that there are people who are merciful. And these people will be shown mercy. This is how we show the image of God in our own lives. As God is merciful to God’s creation, we are also to be merciful to God’s creation. And when we reflect God’s character by being merciful to others we will experience God’s steadfast love in our own lives.
So that’s what it means to be made in the image of God. Great. Glad we’ve settled that.
Oh. But, I guess I’m left wondering what does it mean to be merciful?
We have this word that seems so commonplace because we hear it all the time – especially in church. But I’m not so sure it’s all that clear. What is mercy? How does one go about being merciful?
Again, I’d like us to take a minute for quiet contemplation before we share with one another our thoughts on what mercy is. Have you experienced acts of mercy from others? Have you had opportunities to be or to act in merciful ways towards others? What does mercy look like?
Let’s take a moment of silence. [silence]
What does it mean to you to be merciful? Would anyone like to share?
[get comments from people]
Is it more than just doing kind things for people? Is there some specific kind of attitude that should accompany the acts that are done? How do we know if the acts that we are doing are really in line with the merciful acts that being images of God calls us to do? I believe that our next beatitude can help us here. Jesus says:
“Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.”
This idea of being “pure in heart” can be thought of as having harmony between our inward thoughts and our outward actions. It’s a matter of intention – that of wanting to do God’s will. When we do God’s will we will naturally be engaged in acts of mercy. And when we do this we are living up to our responsibility of being created in the image of God.
This beatitude is about having our inward focus so set on God and following God’s will for our lives that we can do no less than be merciful as God is merciful.
That sounds really hard, doesn’t it?! I mean, really!
How many times have you set off to do something with the best of intentions only to realize – maybe part of the way through it or possibly much later – that your actions aren’t actually glorifying God and maybe aren’t at all helpful? Reformed Theology says this is caused by our total depravity – our humanness gets in our way of reflecting the image of God. We try to do something good or something right but we lose our focus on God and we end up missing the mark.
Knowing how to discern God’s will and then how to follow it in our daily living takes lots of practice. And that practice will not be perfected until God comes and brings the new heavens and the new earth.
Ooof! That’s a bit disheartening, no?! To hear that for all the practicing we’re doing at following God’s will in our lives we will never arrive at mastering it until God’s realm has come? Hmmm. Might make us want to stop trying.
But God calls us to keep at it. Keep trying to find God’s will for our lives. Keep trying to reflect God’s image to the rest of God’s creation. Some days we will be closer to doing just that than others. And on the days when we are able to more fully live into the image of God that God has created us to be, then we will know God’s mercy in our own lives. On the days when we are able to find harmony between our inward focus on God’s will for our lives and our outward actions, then God’s presence will be real in our lives. And these days, whether they come often or maybe fewer and farther between, give us glimpses of what living in God’s new heavens and new earth will like.
God calls us to be disciples – striving to be like those Jesus describes as blessed in the Beatitudes. How will we answer God’s call?
I would like to leave you with a short poem by Ann Weems from her book Kneeling in Jerusalem. It is entitled, “The Disciples.” There are copies of it spread around the sanctuary. It reads:
Hurting, they came to him.
Healed, they followed him.
Grateful, they gave to him
what they had and what they were.
Blessed, they became a blessing
and went out to all the world
in his name.
Those who are hurt
and healed
grateful
and blessed
still move among us
in his name.
Let us pray: Amazing and creating God, you have made us in your image but we have to admit that we aren’t always sure what that means and probably more often than not, we aren’t very good reflections of you. Help us to be good disciples who are pure in heart so that we can be merciful as you are merciful to us. We pray in the name of your precious son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
