The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 1 Image of God Week 2 Sermon Outline
How to Use This Outline The emphasis of this outline is on the exegetical material for the chosen passage. The emphasis of this sermon is on the following issues:
Sin distorts the image of God
Jesus is the Image of God
Jesus is the beginning of a new humanity
The outline will need to be customised and contextualised by each Corps Officer for the congregation to whom the sermon will be preached:
Adding appropriate illustrations that will connect with the specific congregation
Modifying language to be appropriate to the socio-cultural setting of the Corps
Modifying sermon style if you prefer a topical rather than expository sermon style
You may also wish to make the application more specific to your context.
PowerPoint slides have been provided for the following:
1. Title Slide – Introducing the Sermon
2. Scripture Slide – Genesis 3:17-19 (highlight verse)
3. Scripture Slide – Genesis 3:15 (highlight verse)
4. Scripture Slide – Colossians 1:16, Genesis 1:28 (highlight verse)
5. Scripture Slide – Romans 5:17 (highlight verse) The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 2 Image of God Week 2 Sermon Outline
Scripture
Colossians 1:15-20 (TNIV) 15The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Romans 5:12-21 (TNIV) 12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
13To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
18Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 3 Image of God Week 2 Sermon Outline
Sermon Outline
Introduction 1. Last week we talked about how we are all made in the image of God, that God made us for a purpose, on purpose. This means that we have great value. However, I’m sure we can all say that sometimes this is hard to see… both in ourselves, and in others. Sometimes, the image of God shines out of a person, sometimes it is really, really difficult to see.
2. Many of us have been hurt by other people. We instinctively know that we should be able to look at another person and see God in them. So when we are betrayed or let down, it can challenge our faith in God, as much as it challenges our belief that the other person cares about us. How many of us have heard non- believers say that if God is like Christians then they don’t want to know Him? How many of us can really blame them, sometimes we don’t live up to the high calling of being God’s representatives on earth very well at all. The crusades were one example of that. Similarly, people who have been abused by a religious person are not very likely to care for the God the abuser claims to serve. So what has happened to the image of God that we carry? And, what has God done about it?
Sin Distorts The Image of God 1. Most of us would be familiar with the story of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit. God had given them the entire garden to enjoy, placing a restriction only on eating the fruit of the one tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But when the serpent tempted Eve with the promise of becoming like God, Eve ate the fruit and gave some to Adam as well.
2. The result of Adam and Eve’s sin was that they experienced shame for the first time, and tried to hide from God. The authority that they had been given by God was revoked, where the earth was previously under their authority, it would now be difficult to work, “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food” (Genesis 3:17-19 TNIV). God shut them out of the garden so that they could not also eat from the tree of life.
3. Sin has distorted the image of God that we bear. Since Adam and Eve sinned, the disfigurement of sin has passed on down the family line. We are born into a world shaped by God, but also misshapen by sin. We learn what is good, but we also pick up a fair amount of evil along the way. This is the reality of the world we live in today. It was made good by God, but has suffered damage through the choices of humanity. We were made good, in the image of God to rule over the earth on God’s behalf. But through sin our authority as image-bearers was impaired.
4. However, from the time of the curse, God planned a way to redeem the image of God that He had placed in humanity and to overcome the forces of evil in the world, restoring the authority of humanity. Speaking to The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 4 Image of God Week 2 Sermon Outline
the serpent God said, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15 TNIV).
Jesus Is The Image of God 1. Read Colossians 1:15-20
2. Paul tells us that Jesus is not just “made in the image of God”, but that He IS the image of God. We were made to be similar to God, to be like God. Jesus is God Himself “reimaged” so we can see and understand Him. When we look at Jesus we see what humanity was always supposed to be. If humanity was created to be like God, Jesus was God made to be like humans, who were always supposed to be like God!
3. In the account of God creating humanity which we looked at last week, the writer of Genesis emphasised the authority that humanity was given as image-bearers. Here in Colossians, Paul makes it clear that Jesus’ authority goes back to before creation, because “in Him all things were created” (Colossians 1:16). Jesus was the image of God before we were made in His image. Our authority over the “over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Genesis 1:28 TNIV) is delegated from Jesus’ greater authority over all things in heaven and earth (Colossians 1:16).
4. Paul deals with the problem of our alienation from God reminding us that “he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Colossians 1:22 TNIV). The problem has been dealt with. God has reconciled us to Himself, and restored our authority over the earth as image-bearers. We see this also in the book of Romans…
Jesus Is The Beginning of a New Humanity 1. Read Romans 5:12-21
2. Romans tells us that death entered the world because of the sin of one man, Adam. It compares the death caused by Adam’s sin, with the life brought by the grace and righteousness of Jesus. If Adam lead the human race to death and decay, Jesus leads us to life and wholeness. Jesus has established a new creation, a new humanity. What was lost in the fall has been more than restored by the atonement. “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” (Romans 5:17 TNIV).
3. In Jesus the image of God is restored to us. We are able to reflect God into the world again, by being in Christ. As Adam was the first of the old humanity and lead it into the way of sin and death, so Jesus is the firstborn of a new creation, that through “God’s abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through ...Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17). What was distorted and stolen by sin has been restored in Jesus. The Salvation Army: Australia Southern Territory 5 Image of God Week 2 Sermon Outline
4. Have you experienced the new life in Jesus? Perhaps today you’ve come to realise that you were made for a high purpose, and that the sin in your life has held you back from being who God created you to be. Today is the day to come “into Christ”. In Christ you will become a new person. You won’t inherit Adam’s mess, you’ll inherit Jesus’ life instead. Today is the day to receive “God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness [so that you can] reign in life through... Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17 TNIV). Invite people to the Mercy Seat / Response.