image bearer

This Sunday, we continued our sermon series on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus with Ephesians 4:1-16. Co-lead pastor Ricky walked through what it looks like to live out the family of Christ. When we are saved from sin, Jesus doesn't just save us into eternal life with him—but into eternal life with his God's communal people! In these verses, we learned the foundation of family in Christ, the fight for family and walking in humility and the fruit of family as we grow into spiritual maturity. 

Praise God! We are not designed to live alone as we pursue Jesus, but to pursue him in beautiful unity with the body of Christ. Thank you, Lord, for the incredible family of believers you put around us.

We are all image-bearers of God.

Genesis 1:27
God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female. 

In this week's passage from Matthew 22:15-22, Jesus is tested by the Pharisees and the Herodians to pick a side between the Jews and the Romans. But, Jesus chooses to submit His life to God alone. Alex preaches on Jesus's words to give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and give to God what is God's, by reminding us that we are first and foremost God's image bearers, before we are any opinion, group or party.

As God’s image-bearers, we should be faithfully representing him in all that we do and say.

Please visit coreofthebible.org for hundreds of Bible articles, along with other podcast episodes, and videos!

MORE INFO:

Visit the blog articles and full podcast archive at: coreofthebible.org

Email questions or comments to Steve at: coreofthebible@gmail.com

MUSIC:

All music in today's episode: "Brittle Rille" by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3460-brittle-rille

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Our first episode! We start laying the groundwork and foundation for our future conversations around what it means, and what it takes, to be a Man Of God who leads his team, marriage and family for God's glory.

Being our first episode, there are lots of "ums", background noise and mis-matched volume...we decided to keep it "raw" and unedited just so we can look back some day on how far we've come!

The purpose of our podcast is to help each other be better leaders, husbands and fathers for God's glory. Our discussions are based on elements from the  Men's Ministry at Hillcrest Christian Reformed Church in Hudsonville, MI. For more information about us, check our website and hillcrestcrc.org.

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Quiet Time passages: 1 Peter 4:8, Proverbs 21:30, Joshua 1, Psalm 121
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Book The Intentional Father: A Practical Guide to Raise Sons of Courage and Character by Jon Tyson, 2021 Baker Books.  His definition of a man: an image bearer and son of God entrusted with power and responsibility to create, cultivate, care and defend, for God's glory and the good of others. (p. 37)

Again, from Tyson's book, he suggests there are 5 Types of Fathers, only partial definitions below (p. 32-33)
Irresponsible father ...no involvement, no responsibility, no support.

Ignorant father ...doesn't know anything about being a father, doesn't try to learn or improve.

Inconsistent father ...has the capability to do better, but prioritizes other things, bounces  between selfishness and attempts to invest as father, but no stable sense of security or identity is passed down to his children.

Involved father ...does a lot of things right, but because of the business of life and the failure to ask the right questions, he never seeks to understand specifically who his children are and why God gave them to him.

Intentional father ...deeply invested in discovering who his children are and how he can help them reach their redemptive potential. He seeks to understand the children God has given him and wants to form them into young persons who can fulfill their purpose. He sees parenting as central to his call before God and does it with all his might. This kind of father leaves multigenerational blessing in the lives of his children.

"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Do everything in love.."
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 ESV

In today’s conversation, they discuss the imprint on someone that leads us to then to value what is inside and treat them accordingly. Learn about the imago dei—the image of God—and the far reaching implications this reality has for all of creation. Humans are beings, not “doings”, and we are called to image and reflect God in such a way that points attention to the glory of God. While the image of God in man was not destroyed at the Fall, it was defaced and marred.

The conversation shifts as they discuss the implications that an evolutionist perspective has in considering man’s value. What influence does evolution have in the abortion movement? While man might have instrumental value, find out what this view is missing. They discuss the value that George Floyd had intrinsically, that was missed by many who simply saw him for his instrumental value based on race.

They take a moment to step back and lay a foundation of what it means to be an image bearer. Taking a look at Genesis 1:26-27, listen to how man is called to reflect God’s image like a mirror. While this aspect is crucial to explaining what it means to be a human being, there is also necessary grace from God to renew us. Learn this implications this has on accurately understanding things like murder, child labor, justice, equality, abortion, and many more issues of honoring humans. Life is not all about the value someone has because of what he or she does or produces.

Breaking down what it means to be in God’s image, Ray addresses the constant need to always be gospel centered. It is hard to love people, but we must love the image of God in them. “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you” ― Corrie ten Boom. Lean in to understand the practical ramifications of being made in God’s image mentally, morally, and socially, and why we cannot accept evolution in Genesis.

Evolution is a “fairy tale for grownups”, and there is a constant call to discover and define yourself in this world, but God’s way is different. The intrinsic value our Creator gives us is far better than anything we could ever deserve from achievement—it is an immutable value. Do not be deceived like Eve into believing that you can go out and define yourself, and therefore be like God—you are already created in his very image!

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Links:
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Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!
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Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.

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Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (“E.Z.”) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

Dr. Kristin Beasley  has served in so many capacities, but I'm going to let her give you the list in this episode. All of her careers and positions serve her mission to help women identify who they are in Christ. Christ loves you and created you for a purpose. But how can we know what that is and live it out? Well we discuss just that!

Show Notes

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Today’s episode is going to be a special episode where we go back to the beginning of the Story — to the first 3 chapters of Genesis to unpack God’s design as He created Man male and female, and come to understand the distinct roles that He created each for.

Continuing in the parables of Luke 15 we discover a woman who discovers a thing of great value picturing to us How God sees you and I - the sinner. Our intrinsic value is not diminished by lostness but it does compel a heavenly search!

Exodus 20:3 - Commandment 2 - Priority - God makes it very clear that he wants to be the authority in your life and have first priority in your affections.  He does not want you to accept substitutes, or add other "gods" to your life.  He wants to be central in all you do and He desires for you to reflect His image to those around you.  

Exodus 20:3 - Commandment 2 - Priority - God makes it very clear that he wants to be the authority in your life and have first priority in your affections.  He does not want you to accept substitutes, or add other "gods" to your life.  He wants to be central in all you do and He desires for you to reflect His image to those around you.  

Episode Summary 

We're back. We were all created in the image of God. 

Show Notes: 

 Ships sailed: 

• Relationship 
• Sonship 
• Workmanship 
• Craftmanship 

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• Prayer requests: https://bit.ly/shipsonfireprayer 
• Email us at: relationshipsonfirepodcast@gmail.com 

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Scripture Reference: 

Genesis 1:26-27
Romans 3:23
Ezekiel 36:26
1John 3:2
Mark 12:13-17

Human beings have always had big questions on their hearts: how did we get here? Why are we here? What are we supposed to do? Why do we all feel that the only world we've ever known isn't the way it should be? Why do we long for a different world that we've never experienced? Since very early times, right up until today, human beings have tried to construct a narrative, a story that attempts to answer these questions and make sense of the universe, our lives, and our longings as they are. God's Word (the Bible) tells us the one story that makes sense of everything: it's the story of a good God who made a good world for his good people. 

• In this first episode in The Story, we’re going to see how God brings order to Creation and fills it with Life, and then creates man, male and female, to continue that work as His representative. As we watch this play out, we will get a glimpse of the Fellowship God intended to share with His representatives, and encounter what I believe is a fundamental question that will guide us in our understanding of the Story.