You Are Special

January 27, 2008

Introduction

What is the value of a life? What is it that makes human life so special? We are special because we are a special creation of God. (Gen 1:26-28 NKJV) Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." {27} So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. {28} Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Body

I. Man was made in the image of God.

A. He is more than just an animal.

"Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;”

B. He is a spiritual being who is to love, worship, and serve his creator.

C. He is given certain power and authority.

let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

D. He is to have a wife.

1. It is implied in Genesis 1:27 “male and female He created them.”

2. It is elaborated further in Genesis 2

(Gen 2:20-25 NKJV) So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. {21} And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. {22} Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. {23} And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." {24} Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. {25} And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

II. Man was to be a higher being. More than just an animal.

A. Satan has always been intent on bringing man down.

1. Take God out of the picture.

(Gen 3:1-6 NKJV) Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" {2} And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; {3} "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" {4} Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. {5} "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." {6} So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

2. According to Satan, man can do better without God’s restrictions.

Gen 3:4 ‘Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.”’ {5} "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

(a) Satan doesn’t go into the details of being like God except “knowing good and evil.”

(b) 3045. yada', yaw-dah'; a prim. root; to know (prop. to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, fig., lit., euphem. and infer. (including observation, care, recognition, and causat. instruction, designation, . . . discern, discover, . . . (can) tell, understand, have [understanding],

B. In Genesis 6, he brings men down.

(Gen 6:1-3 NKJV) Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, {2} that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. {3} And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."

1. Let me translate, for he is indeed flesh; --namely, he is just an animal.

2. He now makes his own rules and throws God’s rules overboard.

3. I must tell you again the story of my younger brother-in-law Robert.

When Robert was just about five, I was visiting in his home and I was flying a kite for Robert. I was called in to eat, so I tied the string to the water faucet and went into eat. In a few minutes, Robert came in and said, “Harley . . .” and his voice had a concerned expression to it. I said, “Let me guess. You untied the kite, didn’t you?” “Yeah.” “You thought it would go higher didn’t you?” “Yeah.” “It didn’t did it?” “No.”

4. Many people are just like Robert with his kite when it comes to living by God’s laws.

(a) They are convinced that they can fly higher and have more fun by getting rid of God’s laws.

(b) Sooner or later, their lives crash. So many things go wrong when God is left out.

III. God gave us many rules for flying higher. Some great principles are in the Sermon on the Mount.

A. The beatitudes contain important attitudes.

(Mat 5:6-8 NKJV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. {7} Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. {8} Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

B. Paul told Timothy:

(1 Tim 5:22 NKJV) Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure.

C. Paul taught the importance of keeping the body pure.

(1 Cor 6:18-20 NKJV) Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. {19} Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? {20} For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

D. Paul also spoke of viewing out bodies as a living sacrifice.

(Rom 12:1-2 NKJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Conclusion

I. We fly higher when we keep ourselves pure and live by God’s laws.

II. We do not know the rules that are best to live by.

(Jer 10:23 NKJV) O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.

III. Will you submit to God’s will and go God’s way?

Sermons I have Preached Bible Study with Harley

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