Teaching Series
Broken: Understanding Man's Potential and God's Purpose in the Midst of Pain
Genesis 1-2

Series: Broken 
Message: Purpose 
Preacher: David Smith
Daily Walk: David Smith

Refresh: Open with prayer. Read or listen to Psalm 76:7-12.

Read: Genesis 1-2 (NIV). As you read the New International Version, note 1-3 insights.

Reflect: 

  Much can be said of the value that is bestowed upon humans in the creation account. First there is the amount of text devoted to the description of man’s creation. In Genesis 1, roughly a quarter of the text is dedicated to God discussing, creating, and speaking to man. For every other part of creation, God simply chooses to create but when God creates man, he has a discussion about how to create man. For every other part of creation God speaks things into existence but in Genesis 2 we learn that God forms man out of the ground. And once man is created, God clearly elevates him above all other creation by telling him that he will have dominion over it. 
Yet of all the things that speaks value into humanity, nothing compares to the idea that we were created in “the image of God”. Even as I type that phrase, I must admit that I don’t fully know what it means. There isn’t a robust, unified definition that scholars have agreed upon. However, it’s generally assumed that it has something to do with our creativity, relational and spiritual tendencies, and our ability to think and have self-awareness. But are these attributes what the author had in mind? Is there more to it that we have yet to understand? It’s hard to know. What we do know is that it tells us that we are valuable, that we have potential, and that we will forever have a special connection to our Creator. 


Recalibrate: ​ 

  1. How do you see the “image of God” in others around you? 
  2. How can you look at the creation story to understand your own personal value? 

Respond: Pray for God to continue to form you in His image. 

Research: What are some other possible explanations of what “image of God” means? 

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