Ep. 51 | Made for More | Genesis

Listen in as Pastor Eddie Blalock shares today’s daily devotional featuring Genesis 1:26-31. Let’s be Formed by The Word together!

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Every story has a beginning. And if you don't understand the beginning, you'll likely misunderstand everything that follows. Welcome to Formed by the Word. Currently, we're going back to the very beginning as we look together at the first 11 chapters of Genesis. These chapters explain our world, our struggles, and much about ourselves. We'll see beauty and brokenness, purpose and pride, judgment and grace. We'll watch humanity fall and see that God already had a plan to restore his relationship with us. The Bible doesn't start with a problem, it starts with a perfect God, and that changes everything. So, wherever you're listening, whether you're driving, working out, or just scrolling for something meaningful, lean in, open your heart, because the God who spoke in the beginning is still speaking today.

SPEAKER_01 0:56

The account of the creation of humanity sets the tone for what we read over and over again in Scripture. You were made on purpose in his image and for his glory. In 2002, Rick Warren published the bestseller, The Purpose Driven Life. What on earth am I here for? The book's core message is captured in its opening line. It's not about you. Warren suggests that true meaning, fulfillment, and reduced stress come not from self-help or personal agendas, but from understanding and living out what God has created you to do. Life is viewed as temporary, a temporary test and a preparation for eternity with the ultimate goal of bringing glory to God. The creation account serves as a good reminder that you're not an accident. Your purpose starts with God, not self-discovery. Your life on earth is brief compared to eternity, and challenges like suffering or busyness can actually draw you closer to God when viewed through his perspective. The final verses of Genesis 1 set the foundation for our lives. In this very brief account of the creation of man, we observe at least three very important facts about each of us. First, you bear the image of God. That is so important because this speaks to our identity. Secondly, you have an assignment from God. How exciting is that? This speaks to our purpose. And third, you have a promise of God's provision. God speaks his blessing on mankind. He speaks to blessings in your life. What an incredible, incredible moment. So we're going to pick up reading in Genesis 1, verses 26 through 31, where we read these words. It says, Then God said, Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth. So God created man in his own image. He created him in the image of God, he created them male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth. God also said, Look, I've given you every seed bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This will be food for you, for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls in the earth, everything having the breath of life in it, I have given every green plant for food, and it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. It was very good indeed. Evening came, and then morning the sixth day. Ah, so many observations we can make in this passage, and a few come to mind. First of all, notice as we begin this section, the verses, that we see that we are made in God's image. The writer says, Let us make man in our image according to our likeness. Now up to this point, all of creation is building to this moment. This is the pinnacle of creation. After speaking everything else into existence, God now pauses and speaks with intention and intimacy. Let us. We must notice first here the plural, right? Serious scholarship agrees this reveals a glimpse of the Trinity. Let us make man in our image. In theology, this is often called email or emo day. Both male and female equally and uniquely reflect God's image. Unlike animals, humans think morally, relate personally, create purposefully, and reflect spiritually. Now let's observe here that your value is not based on your performance, your success, or your status. It's rooted in who made you and whose image you bear. This means that every person has dignity, from the unborn to the elderly. We treat others differently when we see God's image in them, and when we recognize that they are God's precious creation. The second thing I observe is that we have a purpose in life. He says, Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, have dominion. Notice we have a God who didn't just create humanity, he gave each human an assignment. This is often called the creation mandate. God told the man to be fruitful, that is, to expand life, to multiply, that is to build generations after him, to subdue and rule, that is, to steward creation, not exploit it. By the way, we should note that dominion is not domination. It's responsible stewardship under God's authority. Here's another foundational principle that I think helps us understand many teachings in Scripture. Here it is. We are not owners, we are managers of what belongs to God. Your work really does matter. It's part of your calling. Leadership is stewardship, not control, and how you handle this responsibility reflects your understanding of God as owner. So you're not only a person, you're a person with a purpose. The last thing I'd observe here is this God has blessed us with the basic needs of life. The writer says, Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed. This will be food for you. God provides everything humanity needs before they even ask. He provides oxygen to breathe and light to see. He provides water to drink and food to eat. Notice here that God's provision is an expression of his goodness, not a response to our worthiness. Gratitude grows when you recognize what's already been given to you before you ever knew you had a need. God already had a plan to meet it. And then finally we're told that God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. This is the only time in Genesis 1 where creation is called very good. Why? Perhaps because now creation is complete. Humanity is present, and God's image is reflected to his glory. Maybe because now there's a harmony between God and humanity, and between humanity and creation. So in this early, early text, we learn another foundational lesson here. God's original design is not flawed. It was man's sin that fractured what was originally very good. More about that in a few days. Also, God's design for your life is good. It's sin that distorts it. But the good news is that redemption in Christ restores what sin damaged. You are part of something God called very good. Now here's a little gospel in Genesis moment to notice, where Genesis 1 shows the image of God given. The New Testament shows us, the gospel shows us that this image is restored through Christ. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3 18, so all of us who have had the veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord, who is the Spirit, makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image. Well, a couple of closing thoughts to apply. First of all, maybe just a closing challenge. Maybe it would be well this morning, this afternoon, this evening, to ask a question. Am I living from my identity in God's image, or am I chasing identity elsewhere? Is that why I can't find satisfaction? Am I stewarding what God has entrusted to me, or am I acting more like a greedy owner? Some questions worth asking. I want to close today with the lyric of a song Josh Baldwin writes, one of my favorites. It's called Made for More. Here's what he says. He says, I know who I am, because I know who you are. The cross of salvation was only to start. Now I am chosen, free, and forgiven. I have a future and it's worth the living. I love this part. He says, because I wasn't made to be tending a grave. I was called by name, born and raised back to life again. I was made for more. So why would I make a bed in my shame when a fountain of grace is running my way? I know I am yours, and I was made for more. Wow, what a song. So, my friends, the takeaway for today is this you weren't created to just drift through life. You were designed to reflect God's image and walk in his goodness. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for your amazing grace. Thank you for making us in your image, and thank you for making us not randomly, but with a specific purpose in mind. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 9:50

Thanks for joining us today. We are so glad that you chose to spend a few moments with us in God's Word. If this episode has encouraged you, we ask that you leave us a review or maybe share this episode with a friend. Also, would you consider sending us a note to let us know what God is doing in your life? Pastor Eddie would love to hear from you. You can find this email in the show notes. Until next time, stay in the scriptures, keep following Christ, and allow your life to be formed by the Word.