Seeing the Image of God
Rainier Avenue Church | Sunday Service | February 9, 2020 Passage: Genesis 1: 26-27
This sermon included so many of my favorite things; beauty, brokenness, James Baldwin, nativity sets, Ava Duvernay, Brandan “BMike” Odums, Black people, vulnerability, me, you and lots of grace and truth. Here is the summary:
At the beginning of creation, God clearly indicates that humans (male and female) were created in the image and likeness of God. This message is consistent throughout all the scripture and not contingent on the activities, experiences, or cultures of any specific being. All are included and no one should be excluded. Given this, understanding the image of God in our own cultural likeness is appropriate given we are all diverse and yet all reflect the image of God. This appropriation is right and holy. But there are times when the image of God is MISappropriated and it can present real challenges; when we believe our view of God is right and it is to the exclusion of others. This manifests in two ways: 1) not seeing the image of God in others and 2) not seeing the image of God in ourselves.
Not honoring the image of God in everyone has been to the detriment of many that have been ‘othered’—we see this acutely in the African American community throughout all of history and all into present day.
Not honoring the image of God in ourselves also limits our own ability to be the light we are invited to be for the world. When we show up and allow ourselves to be truly seen, our light transforms our own way of seeing and the way others can see and experience the image of God through us.
Reflection Questions:
1. What was the first image that you had of God growing up? Where did it come from? Has it changed over time?
2. We all have people in our family, community or the broader culture that rub us the wrong way or that you even strongly dislike. How might you engage or consider those individuals differently when you think about them being made in the image and likeness of God?
3. In what areas of your life do you believe you might have a ‘marred’ self-identity? Are there experiences, situations, disappointments or missed expectations that you have impacted how you view the proximity of God to you and/or you as an image-bearer? When you reflect on the truth that being created in the image of God is not conditional but rather a part of your fundamental constitution- do you feel any differently about yourself?
4. Make a list of what you think are some of the attributes/characteristics of God that reflect God’s image and likeness. When you think about that list, do you think about those traits existing in your own image or likeness? Why or why not?
5. As bearers of light (Matt 5:14-16), we understand that light is not so much what we see- but that by which we see everything else. We have a unique opportunity to allow others to see God when we show up as our most authentic selves. What is the “image of God” that you can show the world based on your experiences and even your brokenness? How can you better show the world more aspects of what God by putting your light on a lamp stand/ being your true self?
