God Wants Us To Value Everyone
Gen 1:27; 9:26; Matt. 5:21-22;
22:36-40 Jan. 20, 2008
Introduction
God gives only one life to every human being
and life becomes valuable because of that fact. Many
people make their lives more attractive by following Him, and trying to
work with Him to perfect
His will in their lives. All of us have known people with handicaps or
a lack of skill who never-the-less made a
very good contribution to their community and country. Because of the
truth in these thoughts God Wants Us
To Value Everyone.
1. Value Everyone Because Of
God's . . Creation. Ge 1:27; 9:6
A. Value Life Because God Created A Male Kind Of Life.
1:27a
". . . So God created man in His own image;. . ."
HCSB
B. Value Life Because God Created A Female
Kind Of Life. 1:27b
". . . He created them male and female." HCSB
C. Value Life Because God Created Life In
His Image. 1:27 & 9:6
"So God created man in His own image; He created him
in the image of God; . . ."
Ge 9:6 Whoever sheds man's blood, his blood will be shed by man, for
God made man in His image. HCSB
1. The . . Rampage Or Rage Of Shedding Blood. 9:6a
Whoever sheds man's
blood, . . ." HCSB
2. The . . Requirement For Shedding Blood.
9:6b
". . . his blood will be
shed by man, . . ."
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3. The . . Reason For The Requirement. 9:6c
". . . for God made man in His
image."
If you believe the biblical
record then you trust that God created male and female life. It seems
our world
forgets both of us were created in God's image. It seems to me that
those who believe the theory of evolution
diminish or eliminate the idea of God's image being in every person.
Many of us who hold the Bible above the
theories of science also want to hold high the value of human life.
When a person goes on a rampage and sheds
the blood of another human God states his/her life should be taken. The
reason behind this statement in our text is man being created in God's
image. We must hold our fellow human beings in high
esteem.
2. Value Everyone Because Of
God's . . Condemnation. Matt. 5:21-22
A. God's Condemnation Given To Our . . Ancestors Before
Christ. 5:21
21 "You have heard that it was said to our
ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be
subject to judgment.
B. God's Condemnation Given To Our . . Advancement After
Christ. 5:22
22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his
brother will be subject to judgment. And whoever
says to his brother, 'Fool!' will be subject to the Sanhedrin.
But whoever says, 'You moron!' will be
subject to hellfire. HCSB
1. In Christ . . Causeless Anger
Is Condemned. 22a
2. In Christ . .
Contemptible Anger For The Head Is Condemned. 22b
3. In Christ .
. Contemptible Anger For The Heart Is Condemned. 22c
The people of the text
knew what the Old Testament said about anger. Their ancestors passed
them down
and the male children were required to memorize the words. Jesus did
not do away with these words but
increased the application of how to obey them. We can say Jesus
advanced the manner in which these words
would be kept. The Lord went after the cause of murders etc. with His
words, and actually got at the root of
these crimes. If we eliminate anger a great number of crimes will
cease. The King James Version has the
phrase about anger that includes the words, "without a cause." So we
may say causeless anger is condemned. Some say Jesus expressed anger
when He cleansed the temple. Changing that by calling it "righteous
indignation," may help, but Jesus did have a cause behind this action.
The word "fool" (HCSB), or "racca"
(KJV)," seems to refer to a contempt for a person's
head, while "moron"(HCSB) or
fool"(KJV)," has more
of a contempt for the heart. Both are condemned but contempt for the
heart carries more eternal significance.
3. Value
Everyone Because Of God's . . Commands. Matt. 22:36-40
A.
The Command To Love . . God. 22:36-38
36 "Teacher, which commandment in the law
is the greatest?" 37 He said to him, "Love the Lord your
God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38
This is the greatest and most important commandment.
B. The Command To Love . . Mankind. 22:39-40
39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as
yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two
commandments." HCSB
Most biblically literate people
know the great command tells us to Love God. This love must be
expressed in heart, soul, and mind. If we obey that command we will
know God loves the people he created. To disdain
human beings is to shun the God who created humanity. However if we
love God properly we will love His
creation, and place a high value on them because we will know God
Wants Us To Value Everyone. Amen? Amen!
