WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.120 Well, this evening we are going to continue our study which is called No Ordinary People, 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:12.960 which is looking at the amazing truth that the Bible reveals on its very first page the 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:17.160 fact that humanity is made in the image of God. 00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:22.120 We're going to touch on the two passages that we read, but we can read again actually 00:00:22.120 --> 00:00:25.440 from Genesis 1. 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:31.960 These wonderful words from verse 26 to 28, when it's where we read, then God said, 00:00:31.960 --> 00:00:37.280 Let us make man in our image after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish 00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:41.520 of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:44.799 and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:51.200 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female 00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:52.960 he created them. 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:54.880 And God blessed them. 00:00:54.880 --> 00:01:00.280 And God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:05.159 dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living 00:01:05.159 --> 00:01:10.280 thing that moves on the earth. 00:01:10.280 --> 00:01:16.719 Page one of the Bible makes it absolutely clear that there is something incredibly special 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:18.280 about humanity. 00:01:18.280 --> 00:01:28.000 And that of course means that there's something incredibly special about you. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:32.680 So we are looking over a few weeks in our evening services at what it means to be image 00:01:32.680 --> 00:01:33.680 bearers. 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:38.760 In each of these we are recognizing that when the Bible says that we're made in God's 00:01:38.760 --> 00:01:43.840 image, it means that as humans we resemble God. 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:50.040 So that means when you look at a human, you see something of what God is like. 00:01:50.040 --> 00:01:53.159 But it also means that we represent God. 00:01:53.159 --> 00:01:58.079 We are given a unique position and role in his creation. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:01.320 We resemble him and we represent him. 00:02:01.320 --> 00:02:07.080 And what I hope that will show you over these weeks is that so many of the things that really 00:02:07.080 --> 00:02:12.879 matter to the human race, the things that people would regard as absolutely crucial 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:19.199 and non-negotiable, can be traced back to this truth, to the fact that we're made in 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:23.599 the image of God, even though a lot of people may not realize that or make that connection. 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:29.359 So for example, if you asked anyone today, does equality matter? 00:02:29.359 --> 00:02:32.159 They will say absolutely. 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:38.199 And as we saw in the first sermon two weeks ago, the biblical teaching about the image 00:02:38.199 --> 00:02:48.679 of God is telling us that everyone, absolutely everyone is precious. 00:02:48.679 --> 00:02:52.359 Everyone has the same worth and value. 00:02:52.359 --> 00:02:56.399 And it's because we're made in the image of God. 00:02:56.399 --> 00:02:59.560 Now, you could go out into the streets of Edinburgh. 00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:03.439 I don't think you'd find anybody who would deny that we have equal worth. 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:09.439 But without the doctrine of the image of God, it's very hard to say where that worth comes 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:11.520 from. 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:14.120 Today if you were to ask anyone, do relationships matter? 00:03:14.120 --> 00:03:15.840 They would say absolutely. 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:20.079 And last week, John explored how relating to one another is such a crucial aspect of 00:03:20.079 --> 00:03:21.800 who we are as humans. 00:03:21.800 --> 00:03:24.759 We need each other for so many reasons. 00:03:24.759 --> 00:03:28.400 But the way that we relate to one another needs to be within appropriate boundaries. 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:34.439 And again, nobody would deny that boundaries are essential, but without the doctrine of 00:03:34.439 --> 00:03:38.400 being made in the image of God, it's hard to know where to put them. 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:47.200 Tonight, we're thinking more around the question, does what you achieve matter? 00:03:47.200 --> 00:03:49.960 Does what you do in your life matter? 00:03:49.960 --> 00:03:54.840 So you think of the stuff that you put your energy into over the past week, your job, 00:03:54.840 --> 00:04:00.759 your studies, your research, your interests, your talents, your skills, your efforts. 00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:02.560 Does any of that matter? 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:08.240 Well, I think everybody would say, yeah, it does. 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:12.080 But are we able to explain why? 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:19.519 The Bible's explanation for why it matters is because we are made in the image of God. 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:30.079 And when God made you in his image, he made you a human with huge potential for doing 00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:32.599 awesome stuff. 00:04:32.599 --> 00:04:36.159 And so that's our title tonight, Huge Potential. 00:04:36.159 --> 00:04:42.560 And we're going to think about it under three headings, Huge Potential Created, Corrupted, 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:46.759 and Reclaimed. 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:50.959 Just the heart of the doctrine of the image, the fact that we're made in the image of God 00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:55.959 is the fact that there's a correspondence between what we are like and what God is like. 00:04:55.959 --> 00:04:58.039 That's just what it's saying at a very basic level. 00:04:58.039 --> 00:05:04.199 So that means that to understand what we are like, we need to recognize what God is like. 00:05:04.199 --> 00:05:08.199 Accurate anthropology is impossible without robust theology. 00:05:08.199 --> 00:05:12.000 And of course, there's so much we could say, and we are only going to scratch the surface 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:13.000 of this this evening. 00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:18.839 So when we're thinking about potential, when you look at God, there's many things we could 00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:21.560 say, but there's four that I want to pick out. 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:29.600 We could say that God is rational, communicative, capable, and creative. 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:35.480 And I want to just unpack these very briefly because they're all evident in Genesis 1 and 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:36.720 throughout the rest of scripture. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:37.800 So rational. 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:43.439 When you read Genesis 1, you're immediately struck by how orderly and coherent everything 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:44.439 is. 00:05:44.439 --> 00:05:49.280 There's separation, progression, order, structure. 00:05:49.280 --> 00:05:53.759 It's so clear that God is rational and methodical. 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:58.160 In fact, there's a big contrast in Genesis 1 between the kind of chaotic void of verse 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:04.800 2 and the beautifully ordered universe that gets created in the rest of the chapter. 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:07.360 Everything is in its right place. 00:06:07.360 --> 00:06:09.600 Everything is according to its kind. 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:15.080 And of course, that incredibly fine tuned life supporting balance that exists in the 00:06:15.080 --> 00:06:20.199 universe has fascinated humanity ever since. 00:06:20.199 --> 00:06:26.520 And that rational coherence is especially evident in the creation of humanity where God pauses. 00:06:26.520 --> 00:06:31.520 And as you can see, says, let us make man. 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:38.159 And at that moment, we're just given the briefest of glimpses into the thinking and planning 00:06:38.159 --> 00:06:43.000 that takes place in the mind of God. 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:44.359 God is also communicative. 00:06:44.359 --> 00:06:46.759 Genesis 1 is recording the speech of God. 00:06:46.759 --> 00:06:50.519 In fact, the whole of the Bible is the speech of God. 00:06:50.519 --> 00:06:53.079 In a sense, so too is the universe. 00:06:53.079 --> 00:06:56.399 It's a general revelation of his character. 00:06:56.399 --> 00:07:00.039 And the key point in all of that is the fact that God communicates. 00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:05.280 He speaks, he conveys information, he reveals himself. 00:07:05.280 --> 00:07:08.319 He's not a stone or a machine. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:13.240 He's personal and he communicates. 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:14.520 God is also capable. 00:07:14.520 --> 00:07:18.960 If you look at Genesis 1, God only needs to speak. 00:07:18.960 --> 00:07:27.800 And all the mass of energy and complexity and diversity in the universe comes into being. 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:31.720 It's an astonishing display of capability in creation. 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:38.120 And ever since creation, God shows his capability in sustaining and upholding the whole of the 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:39.680 universe. 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:42.199 So God is rational, communicative, capable. 00:07:42.199 --> 00:07:45.720 All of these combine to show us that God is creative. 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:51.480 Now that, of course, seems obvious if he's creator, then of course he's creative. 00:07:51.480 --> 00:07:57.240 But the thing that I want to highlight is that if you look at the world around you, if 00:07:57.240 --> 00:08:03.199 you look at the universe, all the beauty and majesty and wonder that you see is showing 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:07.560 us the phenomenal creativity of God. 00:08:07.560 --> 00:08:11.560 I was trying to back this up with a bit of evidence, so I took the extremely scholarly 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:15.600 approach of Googling awesome photos. 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:17.360 And so I did that. 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:23.840 And what came up was a picture of a stunning star, some big, massive, I don't know what 00:08:23.840 --> 00:08:24.840 you call it. 00:08:24.839 --> 00:08:31.839 You see these massive, awesome star, cloudy, explosiony things in space. 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:36.279 Beautiful landscapes from across the world. 00:08:36.279 --> 00:08:39.240 Amazing animals and plants. 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:41.559 And even a photo of someone's iris. 00:08:41.559 --> 00:08:45.399 And that was possibly the coolest photo of all. 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:47.600 Somebody's iris. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:55.759 And every one of them is showing the astonishing creativity of God. 00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:59.040 All of that's reminding us that God is amazing. 00:08:59.040 --> 00:09:07.800 But if you are made in the image of God, it means that you are like him. 00:09:07.800 --> 00:09:14.600 And the Bible makes it very clear that all of these things are through of you as well. 00:09:14.600 --> 00:09:18.680 Now that doesn't mean that you're at God's level, none of us are, but it does mean that 00:09:18.680 --> 00:09:23.000 you are created with huge potential. 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:25.360 So as humans, we are rational. 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:30.840 That means that you have a level of understanding whereby you can recognize order, you can make 00:09:30.840 --> 00:09:35.680 observations, you can formulate theories, you can establish logical connections, you 00:09:35.680 --> 00:09:37.680 can make and implement plans. 00:09:37.680 --> 00:09:41.399 In other words, you're able to think. 00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:46.799 And that ability to think and the rational coherence that you have is higher than in 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:50.679 any other part of creation. 00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:56.879 Humans are able to communicate so you can speak, you can listen, you can give and receive 00:09:56.879 --> 00:10:01.559 information, you can laugh, you can persuade, you can relate, you can express yourself, 00:10:01.559 --> 00:10:05.840 you can reveal who you are. 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:12.840 Humans are capable, so think of everything that humanity has achieved in science, mathematics, 00:10:12.840 --> 00:10:19.960 technology, exploration, learning, harnessing the earth's resources, inventions, advancements. 00:10:19.960 --> 00:10:24.680 Humanity is so, so capable. 00:10:24.680 --> 00:10:29.000 And humans are creative. 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:39.759 So think of art, music, drama, architecture, literature, song. 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:45.440 There's amazing creativity in humanity. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:50.519 And in all these areas, we're seeing that humanity has been created with huge potential. 00:10:50.519 --> 00:10:55.840 And even after thousands of years of human civilization, there's still the potential 00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:59.519 for so much more. 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:07.480 And it all makes perfect sense because the God who is rational, communicative, capable 00:11:07.480 --> 00:11:16.000 and creative has made us in his image and after his likeness. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:20.400 And that of course is one of the key things that makes humanity unique. 00:11:20.400 --> 00:11:23.440 And we see that when we compare ourselves to the world around us. 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:29.360 We can think and speak and achieve and create in a way that no other part of creation can. 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:36.080 This probably sounds like a rather almost, it's almost so stupid. 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:40.160 It's not worth saying, but I've never seen a stone design a house. 00:11:40.160 --> 00:11:42.400 I've never seen a mountain make a speech. 00:11:42.400 --> 00:11:44.760 I've never seen a tree do algebra. 00:11:44.760 --> 00:11:50.440 I've never seen a sheep paint a masterpiece. 00:11:50.440 --> 00:11:55.120 Humanity is full of evidence to confirm this. 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:59.680 So whether you go back to the great mathematical discoveries of Pythagoras, whether you think 00:11:59.680 --> 00:12:05.120 of the cities and wonders of the Greek and Roman empires, you think of the explorations 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:10.400 of Columbus, the music of Mozart, the writings of Shakespeare, the paintings of Rembrandt, 00:12:10.400 --> 00:12:16.160 all the way to the laptops and phones that are made by Apple, but all amazing examples 00:12:16.160 --> 00:12:19.240 of the potential in humanity. 00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:26.360 But the Bible is also full of examples of this as well. 00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:33.320 And throughout scripture, you see the potential of humanity being realized in many wonderful 00:12:33.320 --> 00:12:34.320 ways. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:42.519 But one of the best examples in scripture is the Tabernacle and Temple, which is what 00:12:42.519 --> 00:12:44.600 we read about. 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:50.600 So the Tabernacle Temple served as the center point for Israel's religious life. 00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:55.560 It's the place where God's presence dwelt, where the tablets, where the Ten Commandments 00:12:55.560 --> 00:12:57.040 were kept. 00:12:57.040 --> 00:12:59.879 It's where the people worshiped God. 00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:02.680 And when we read about the Tabernacle, we hear about the Tabernacle being described 00:13:02.680 --> 00:13:05.840 as a tent, and we hear of the temple being built. 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:09.720 And it's easy to maybe imagine, well, you think of a tent, you could maybe think of a 00:13:09.720 --> 00:13:16.279 rather kind of yucky marquee that you have at a festival or something, not like that 00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:20.680 at all. 00:13:20.680 --> 00:13:25.240 These buildings were remarkable. 00:13:25.240 --> 00:13:30.960 The Tabernacle, as we said, functioned as a movable tent, but not like something you'd 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:35.680 see at a car boot sale. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:41.839 The temple was a permanent building in Jerusalem, but both served the same purpose. 00:13:41.839 --> 00:13:47.519 And in the building and in the functioning of the Tabernacle and Temple, we see wonderful 00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:52.759 examples of the huge potential that humanity has been given. 00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:57.519 So we read in Exodus 35, when plans were being made to build the Tabernacle, God gave the 00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:03.879 command, let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded. 00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:08.200 And in that chapter and in the chapters around it, the whole narrative of the Tabernacle 00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:11.960 being built, you see all the things that we've been talking about. 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:15.799 You see meticulous planning plans are given by God. 00:14:15.799 --> 00:14:17.279 There's careful measurement. 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:22.159 There's precise shapes and sizes, a clear orderly design. 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:28.559 There's a vast range of skills involved, construction, metalwork, embroidery, engraving, carving. 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:33.000 There's a wonderful harnessing of resources as people share their wealth and bring their 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:35.320 wood and their precious stones. 00:14:35.320 --> 00:14:39.519 And the same is seen in the construction of the temple, later in the Old Testament, only 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:41.279 it's on an even bigger scale. 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:46.639 But it's not just in the building of the Tabernacle and Temple that we see the potential of humanity 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:48.080 being displayed. 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:53.200 It's also in the ongoing serving and life of these things, which is what we read about 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:55.519 in First Chronicles. 00:14:55.519 --> 00:15:01.440 We read about all those who were involved in the service of the house of the Lord, in 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:06.720 the music of the house of the Lord with symbols, harps, liars, and the number of them who were 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:14.280 trained in singing to the Lord, who all who were skillful was 288. 00:15:14.280 --> 00:15:21.320 All of this is telling us that if you could step into the Tabernacle or the Temple, you 00:15:21.320 --> 00:15:26.040 would be looking at a work of art. 00:15:26.039 --> 00:15:33.079 Prep design, stunning craftsmanship, beautiful furnishings. 00:15:33.079 --> 00:15:40.439 And you would also hear a astonishing talent. 00:15:40.439 --> 00:15:46.000 Outstanding musicians, phenomenal singers, and all the beautiful poetry of the Psalms. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:52.599 It's all a brilliant example of the huge potential of humanity made in the image of God. 00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:58.840 And it's reminding us that when God created humanity in Genesis 1 and 2, He created us 00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:01.519 to thrive. 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:10.879 And that's our huge encouragement for us all to remember what we're capable of. 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:22.600 But Genesis chapter 3 tells us that that's not the whole story. 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:28.639 The huge potential that we're created with has also been corrupted. 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:32.360 So when humanity sinned against God, it didn't mean that we stopped bearing the image of 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:37.000 God, but it did mean that that image has now been damaged and marred. 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:41.360 And as we often say, humanity is now beautiful and broken, and you only need to pick up a 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:46.080 newspaper to know that that's true in both directions. 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:51.600 And this applies to every aspect of being image bearers, and it definitely applies to 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:54.519 the huge potential that we have. 00:16:54.519 --> 00:17:01.080 Because of our sinfulness, the fact that we've rejected our created, it means that not only 00:17:01.080 --> 00:17:09.840 do we have the potential to thrive, we also have the potential to harm. 00:17:09.840 --> 00:17:15.000 So in terms of our rationality and our thinking, people can take that great potential for thinking, 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:22.799 planning, organizing, and they can use it to commit terrible crimes, to mercilessly exploit 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:33.759 others, to satisfy appalling greed, lust, and selfishness. 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:41.740 In terms of our communication, we can say the most awful things. 00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:45.599 We can laugh at people's suffering. 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:53.319 We can use our words to deceive and manipulate. 00:17:53.319 --> 00:18:02.079 In terms of our capabilities, all too often, our advancements contribute to warfare, pollution, 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:07.879 exploitation, and the destruction of natural resources. 00:18:07.879 --> 00:18:13.879 And in terms of creativity, you can look in books, in music, in art, in drama, in poetry, 00:18:13.880 --> 00:18:20.400 and find grotesque immorality. 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:25.240 And very often it's actually glamourized. 00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:30.640 The potential for harm has affected every aspect of our humanity. 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:38.240 And I want to say that I think that as Christians, we have been at risk of misunderstanding this 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:40.600 over the years. 00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:46.759 Because often this recognition of the sinfulness and the potential for harm in human behavior 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:53.439 can lead us to make very definite categories of good stuff and bad stuff. 00:18:53.439 --> 00:19:01.719 So we'll maybe see sin in one aspect of our culture, and so we'll label that area as bad. 00:19:01.719 --> 00:19:06.559 So if we hear of an immoral TV program, then TV is bad. 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:14.200 Same for the internet, same for movies or Facebook. 00:19:14.200 --> 00:19:16.799 Something bad's happened, so that's bad. 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:22.279 It's the same for going to a pub or even playing football or a different sport. 00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:28.519 Often we can categorize these things as bad because there's bad aspects of them. 00:19:28.519 --> 00:19:30.839 It's a good example of that today. 00:19:30.839 --> 00:19:35.799 This afternoon Manchester United fans forced their way into their stadium and they're 00:19:35.799 --> 00:19:42.240 protesting and they're going beyond appropriate behavior in terms of protesting. 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:50.240 So you could say, well, football is bad because that kind of thing happens. 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:53.879 But it's not just stuff like that, we might even do it with churches. 00:19:53.879 --> 00:20:00.000 So you look at a church and you see, well, they're not maybe on the right page about 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:01.000 some issue. 00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:02.000 They're bad. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:05.720 We'll keep away. 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:08.319 We might even just do it with people. 00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:10.920 So they're socialists, they're bad. 00:20:10.920 --> 00:20:13.640 They're Tories, they're bad. 00:20:13.640 --> 00:20:16.000 They work in the oil industry, they're bad. 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:19.720 They're gay, they're bad. 00:20:19.720 --> 00:20:22.200 Donald Trump actually did that very effectively. 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:31.000 He labeled the other side not as political rivals, but as people who were evil. 00:20:31.000 --> 00:20:37.119 And that kind of categorizing things as good or bad. 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:46.920 It's very tempting, but it's very simplistic and it is definitely not biblical. 00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:53.079 Because the impact of sin doesn't mean that there's some good stuff and some bad stuff 00:20:53.079 --> 00:20:55.599 in very definite categories. 00:20:55.599 --> 00:21:00.160 And it doesn't mean that we have to kind of retreat into one and make sure that we avoid 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:02.960 the other at all costs. 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:04.759 The impact of sin does not mean that. 00:21:04.759 --> 00:21:14.360 The impact of sin means that in everything, there's a mix of good and bad. 00:21:14.360 --> 00:21:15.640 So take books. 00:21:15.640 --> 00:21:17.740 Some books are masterpieces. 00:21:17.740 --> 00:21:24.519 Some books are the most important words ever written. 00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:28.340 Others have inspired some of the worst crimes in history. 00:21:28.339 --> 00:21:33.000 Take music, some music is mind blowing in its majesty and beauty. 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:36.959 Some music is desperately dark. 00:21:36.959 --> 00:21:40.679 Laboratories can discover the cures to awful diseases. 00:21:40.679 --> 00:21:47.319 They can also produce the drugs that leave millions of people in desperate bondage. 00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:52.159 Governments can build great nations and maintain stability over huge civilizations. 00:21:52.160 --> 00:22:00.400 They can also ruthlessly exploit people and mercilessly destroy the lives of enemies. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:05.120 The internet's a doorway to discovery and to contact with friends and loved ones. 00:22:05.120 --> 00:22:11.320 It's also the theater for almost every sin imaginable. 00:22:11.320 --> 00:22:15.120 And even churches. 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:25.000 Many examples of truly awful behavior can be seen in the history of the church. 00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:28.519 And it still happens today. 00:22:28.519 --> 00:22:31.359 And I could go on with examples from any area of life. 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:39.919 The key point is that the effect of the fall is total, not partial, not selective, total. 00:22:39.919 --> 00:22:44.479 It's not that there's some categories of things that are good and others are bad. 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:48.519 Every area of life has been affected by sin in every area of life. 00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:51.640 There's potential for great harm. 00:22:51.640 --> 00:22:57.240 And perhaps the hardest thing for us to recognize is that the problem is not music or books 00:22:57.240 --> 00:23:00.920 or the internet or the markets or politics or religion. 00:23:00.920 --> 00:23:06.200 The problem is humans. 00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:09.880 And that includes us. 00:23:09.880 --> 00:23:14.319 And that gives us the sober reminder that even in the best things of life we have potential 00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:16.079 to do harm. 00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:18.039 And sometimes we do it even without thinking. 00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:22.519 It's so easy to snap at our children, to moan about our colleagues, to gossip about someone's 00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:28.559 mistakes, to be happy to see someone fail or to be nice to someone just to get them to 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:31.599 do what we want. 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:43.599 And so a moment ago we said that remembering what we are capable of is a huge encouragement. 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:57.039 At the very same time, remembering what we are capable of is a huge warning to us all. 00:23:57.039 --> 00:24:03.399 But at the heart of the Bible is the message that God is not going to leave things this 00:24:03.399 --> 00:24:04.399 way. 00:24:04.399 --> 00:24:11.839 And so huge potential is created, huge potential is corrupted, but huge potential is reclaimed. 00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:17.079 The message of Christianity is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has come to undo the 00:24:17.079 --> 00:24:25.079 damage of sin, to restore creation and to reclaim and renew humanity as God's image 00:24:25.079 --> 00:24:26.439 bearers. 00:24:26.439 --> 00:24:31.639 That means that even in the midst of all the damage that sin has caused and even in all 00:24:31.639 --> 00:24:37.879 the mess of humans' failures, God has never forgotten the extraordinary potential that 00:24:37.879 --> 00:24:40.159 he created us to have. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:43.920 And this is where it's very important for us to remember that if you are a Christian 00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:52.560 or if you become one, you must not forget that God's goal for you is not the forgiveness 00:24:52.560 --> 00:24:55.640 of your sins. 00:24:55.640 --> 00:24:57.160 Often we think that that is the goal. 00:24:57.160 --> 00:25:00.480 We need to have our sins forgiven so that we can get to heaven. 00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:08.640 But that is not God's goal because God's goal is way bigger than that. 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:13.480 So yes, forgiveness of sins is part of it, but it's only part of it. 00:25:13.480 --> 00:25:16.240 It's not that God wants to be like, oh yeah, that person's sins are forgiven. 00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:18.759 Well, I'll forget about them until they die and then I'll let them in because they've 00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:19.759 got the ticket to heaven. 00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:24.720 That is not God's goal and that's not how Christianity works because God's goal is 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:27.080 bigger and way better. 00:25:27.080 --> 00:25:35.759 God's goal is to restore you to his image. 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:43.119 And the way in which he does that is to conform you to the image of his son, Jesus Christ, 00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:46.279 the perfect image of God. 00:25:46.279 --> 00:25:50.240 God's goal is to completely renew you. 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:54.799 That's why Paul says in Ephesians 4, for us to put off our old self which belongs to 00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:59.519 your former man of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires and to be renewed in the 00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:06.440 spirit of your minds and to put on the new self created after the likeness of God in 00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:09.680 true righteousness and holiness. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:16.759 God's goal is to completely renew us, to reclaim us back from all the brokenness of 00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:20.960 sin, to make us into the people he created us to be. 00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:27.240 In other words, what God wants for you is that you'd fulfill all the amazing potential 00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:29.880 that he's given to you. 00:26:29.880 --> 00:26:37.960 And this is so important because very often in life all we can see is huge problems. 00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:40.279 So we look at the world around us, we see huge problems. 00:26:40.279 --> 00:26:42.400 We look at the week ahead, we see huge problems. 00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:45.839 We look at ourselves, we see huge problems. 00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:51.559 And it's true, there are many problems around us, ahead of us and within us. 00:26:51.559 --> 00:26:57.599 But at the same time, what does God see? 00:26:57.599 --> 00:27:03.960 When God looks at the people around you, when God looks at the week ahead of you, when God 00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:09.000 looks at you, what does he see? 00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:13.639 He sees huge potential. 00:27:13.639 --> 00:27:18.359 And that makes perfect sense because he's the one who made you. 00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:22.279 He's the one who knows what humanity is capable of. 00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:27.279 I often think of this, I don't know, I've got a computer at home, it's a Dell, something 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:28.559 or other. 00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:32.959 It was one of the kind of top of the spec computers. 00:27:32.959 --> 00:27:37.159 I like to think of a very kind of patient person in life, but with computers I'm not. 00:27:37.159 --> 00:27:43.399 So if my computer doesn't work, I get annoyed in about one second, potential for harm. 00:27:43.399 --> 00:27:46.639 So this is probably not the way to shop, I wouldn't recommend this. 00:27:46.640 --> 00:27:51.400 When I had to buy a new computer, I went into the shop and said I want the fastest and most 00:27:51.400 --> 00:27:55.040 reliable computer you've got and I don't care how much it costs. 00:27:55.040 --> 00:27:56.720 Which isn't the best way to do it. 00:27:56.720 --> 00:28:02.040 But I did end up with a good computer and I love it, it's worked really well. 00:28:02.040 --> 00:28:07.759 But if the person who made that computer came and sat beside me, he would be like, you're 00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:10.080 such an idiot. 00:28:10.080 --> 00:28:16.120 You've got no idea what this machine is capable of because I probably use about 2% of what 00:28:16.119 --> 00:28:18.719 it's able to do. 00:28:18.719 --> 00:28:22.679 And if the person who made it sat beside me, he'd be like, look at what I can do. 00:28:22.679 --> 00:28:24.919 Look at the potential this machine has got. 00:28:24.919 --> 00:28:28.919 I sometimes think that must be how God feels when he looks at us. 00:28:28.919 --> 00:28:35.639 He's like, look at the potential that I've placed in you. 00:28:35.639 --> 00:28:40.239 He's the one who knows what humanity is really capable of because he's made us and he sent 00:28:40.239 --> 00:28:46.000 his son to rescue us, to restore us, to reclaim what is rightfully his. 00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:54.680 Humanity has huge potential and that potential should be used to honor and glorify the one 00:28:54.680 --> 00:29:00.000 who gave it to us in the first place. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:04.119 And all that raises four important lessons that I want us to conclude with. 00:29:04.119 --> 00:29:09.480 Lesson number one, God is not boring. 00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:13.880 And if you think he is, then you know absolutely nothing. 00:29:13.880 --> 00:29:20.680 Number two, God is not looking for the finished article. 00:29:20.680 --> 00:29:25.280 So often in life and even in church, we're looking for people to work with us. 00:29:25.280 --> 00:29:29.680 And as we do so, we look for people who are the finished article or not far off it, people 00:29:29.680 --> 00:29:34.480 who are capable, strong, reliable and stable. 00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:42.080 Where would any of us be if God did that to us? 00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:46.119 God does not look for the finished article. 00:29:46.119 --> 00:29:51.199 Instead he sees the potential. 00:29:51.199 --> 00:29:55.399 And God grant that with our colleagues, our friends and our churches, we would always 00:29:55.399 --> 00:29:56.399 do the same. 00:29:56.399 --> 00:30:04.519 And God forbid that we forget how important it is to give people a chance. 00:30:04.519 --> 00:30:10.720 Number three, God deserves more than mediocre. 00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:16.120 We said earlier that in the Old Testament, one of the greatest, if not the greatest example 00:30:16.120 --> 00:30:19.440 of human potential was in God's tabernacle and temple. 00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:25.000 That's what you saw, the very best art, music, engineering, craftsmanship and study, all 00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:26.799 happening. 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:29.640 But obviously that's the Old Testament. 00:30:29.640 --> 00:30:30.640 What about today? 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:36.400 Where should the great potential of humanity be seen most today? 00:30:36.400 --> 00:30:39.920 So if you entered the Old Testament, you said, well, where are we going to see humanity's 00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:40.920 potential? 00:30:40.920 --> 00:30:43.039 You said, well, here in the temple and in the tabernacle. 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:44.320 But what about today? 00:30:44.320 --> 00:30:52.440 Where should the great potential of humanity be seen most clearly today? 00:30:52.440 --> 00:30:55.320 The answer is exactly the same. 00:30:55.320 --> 00:30:59.240 In God's temple. 00:30:59.240 --> 00:31:03.519 But where's God's temple now? 00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:06.240 It's you. 00:31:06.240 --> 00:31:09.560 It's the church. 00:31:09.559 --> 00:31:16.799 And it's reminding us that the Christian church should never be the place where study or research 00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:22.399 or art or music or literature or technology or science or creativity. 00:31:22.399 --> 00:31:27.200 It should never be the place where these things are despised. 00:31:27.200 --> 00:31:32.799 It should be the place where these things are deeply valued and energetically pursued 00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:37.399 to honor and glorify God. 00:31:37.400 --> 00:31:41.320 Now, obviously, there's potential for sin in all of these areas. 00:31:41.320 --> 00:31:43.880 We must never forget that. 00:31:43.880 --> 00:31:47.519 But if you stood in the temple in the Old Testament, you'd have been blown away by the 00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:49.600 display of human potential. 00:31:49.600 --> 00:31:56.080 And not for one second would you have thought, well, this is a bit half-hearted. 00:31:56.080 --> 00:31:59.200 When we stand in the temple today, not in a building, I don't mean a building. 00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:07.160 I mean, when we stand among Christians, when we are part of that crowd as ourselves, whether 00:32:07.160 --> 00:32:12.560 it, when we worship on a Sunday or as we work on pursue our leisure activities on Monday 00:32:12.560 --> 00:32:20.400 to Saturday, God forbid that our behavior, our efforts, our worship are half-hearted. 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:29.440 May they, may they be where we show the potential that God has given us. 00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:31.560 But coupled to that is lesson number four. 00:32:31.560 --> 00:32:32.920 So I've said God's not boring. 00:32:32.920 --> 00:32:34.560 God's not looking for the finished article. 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:38.960 God deserves more than mediocre, but number four is also, well, I think it's actually 00:32:38.960 --> 00:32:42.359 the most important one. 00:32:42.359 --> 00:32:46.679 God is not looking for geniuses. 00:32:46.679 --> 00:32:49.119 The pinnacle of human potential is not genius. 00:32:49.119 --> 00:32:56.440 Now, genius is a wonderful thing, and humanity has many geniuses, and we have benefited hugely 00:32:56.440 --> 00:32:59.359 from their achievements. 00:32:59.359 --> 00:33:05.759 And I preach to several of them every week. 00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:13.879 But in God's great plan of restoring humanity, the pinnacle of human potential is not genius. 00:33:13.879 --> 00:33:16.719 It's something else. 00:33:16.719 --> 00:33:23.000 And the answer to that is given in Luke 22. 00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:28.159 There there was a dispute among the disciples about who was the greatest, and you're thinking, 00:33:28.160 --> 00:33:29.640 well, who is the most important? 00:33:29.640 --> 00:33:30.800 Who's the greatest? 00:33:30.800 --> 00:33:32.960 Who's the most significance? 00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:39.120 Jesus responded to that argument by telling the disciples that the person who is the greatest 00:33:39.120 --> 00:33:43.320 is not the person who's a genius. 00:33:43.320 --> 00:33:46.960 Is the person who serves. 00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:51.360 The person who serves others. 00:33:51.360 --> 00:33:56.600 That's the pinnacle of human potential, not talent, skill, and ability, even though all 00:33:56.599 --> 00:34:03.519 those things are important, the pinnacle is serving others. 00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:10.079 And we know that that is true because the greatest ever example of human potential is 00:34:10.079 --> 00:34:14.920 when Jesus lived and died to save humanity. 00:34:14.920 --> 00:34:18.000 And how did he do that? 00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:23.759 He did it by serving others. 00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:31.680 And as he served, he actually endured the worst of humanity's potential for harm. 00:34:31.680 --> 00:34:35.920 But he did it to rescue us and restore us to what we were created to be. 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:43.160 And this is so cool and so exciting because it means that the pinnacle of our human potential 00:34:43.160 --> 00:34:51.720 is something that every single one of us can do every single day of our lives. 00:34:51.719 --> 00:34:56.480 Just for everyone here, for everyone listening at home, this week you've got the potential 00:34:56.480 --> 00:34:58.480 to do something amazing. 00:34:58.480 --> 00:35:06.919 You've got the potential to love and serve others for the honor and glory of God. 00:35:06.919 --> 00:35:14.919 And that's where all the kind of jewels and carvings and splendor of the Old Testament 00:35:14.919 --> 00:35:21.359 temple is replaced now with a temple of love and warmth and friendship and encouragement 00:35:21.360 --> 00:35:26.440 and patience and gentleness and kindness and goodness. 00:35:26.440 --> 00:35:30.840 And that's what the world needs to see so much. 00:35:30.840 --> 00:35:34.120 And you and I can do it. 00:35:34.120 --> 00:35:38.200 We have that potential from God. 00:35:38.200 --> 00:35:43.400 And it's pointing us forward to what's even more exciting, the fact that Jesus is calling 00:35:43.400 --> 00:35:50.079 us to a new humanity where one day all the potential for harm in humanity will be gone 00:35:50.079 --> 00:35:58.199 and we'll see just how beautiful and wonderful our God-given potential is. 00:35:58.199 --> 00:36:07.599 But right now, the church's role is to be a glimpse of that, to be a firstfruits, to 00:36:07.599 --> 00:36:19.719 be the place where the brilliance of the age to come is seen in the here and now. 00:36:19.719 --> 00:36:23.799 And I hope that every one of you wants to be part of that. 00:36:23.799 --> 00:36:27.679 And to be part of it, all we have to do is put our trust in Jesus, which means that if 00:36:27.679 --> 00:36:34.919 anyone's not yet a Christian here or watching at home, this moment right now has the potential 00:36:34.919 --> 00:36:39.439 to be the greatest moment of your life. 00:36:39.439 --> 00:36:43.079 Jesus is asking you to follow him. 00:36:43.079 --> 00:36:47.439 And all you need to say is, to right I will. 00:36:47.440 --> 00:36:53.079 May God make that through of us all. 00:36:53.079 --> 00:36:54.079 Amen. 00:36:54.079 --> 00:37:08.639 Dear God, our Father, we praise and honour you as our Creator. 00:37:08.639 --> 00:37:20.039 We confess before you our abuse of the potential you've given us, but we repent of that and 00:37:20.039 --> 00:37:26.400 we pray that in the week ahead, you would take the potential that you've placed within 00:37:26.400 --> 00:37:34.079 us and use it for your glory, that we would do everything in our jobs, our homes, our 00:37:34.079 --> 00:37:42.440 studies and our other responsibilities as wholeheartedly as we can. 00:37:42.440 --> 00:37:49.960 But that over it all, we would make our number one priority in our work and in our homes 00:37:49.960 --> 00:37:55.319 and our responsibilities that our number one priority would be to serve others to the 00:37:55.319 --> 00:37:58.719 glory of your name. 00:37:58.719 --> 00:38:05.480 Blessed be your name, O God, for the huge potential you've given us. 00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:31.440 Amen.