LESSON 1/June 25July 1, 2016

Restoring the Image of God

Surveying the Source
Gen. 1:27; Jer. 18:46; Matt 22:3739; Mark 2:112; Luke 10:27; 2 Cor. 5:17; Phil.
2:13.

Plotting the Course

Teachers
Guide

The students will:

Realize that for Christs disciples, the

Express and live out compassion and
Kingdom is now.
empathy for the poor, suffering, and opDraw inspiration from Scripture as
pressed.
they minister to the world.

Preparing to Lead
The famous Italian Renaissance artist
and sculptor Michelangeloknown for
such masterpieces as the statue of David
and the Pietawas also known to insist
that he was not sculpting his works, but
rather that he was discovering shapes that
were already there under the accumulated
layers of stone.

As humans, we find ourselves in a similar position. God created us in His own

image. But since then, layers of sin, injustice, and suffering have accumulated.
In Jesus Christ, God enables His people
to strip away those layers to discover
themselvesand all of Creationas He
meant it to be.

Getting Started
Materials

whiteboard, chalkboard, or
flipchart, and appropriate
markers

A. Ask your students to descr ibe

what they would consider to be their best
selves. What unique qualities and characteristics do they bring to their service of
others and of God? These can be talents,
attitudes, and so on. Have them list these
on pieces of paper. Stress that like most
human attributes or qualities, these can be
used in a variety of ways, both positive
and negative.
Challenge them to look for opportunities to serve God and bless humanity
through their unique gifts.
B. One of the major themes of this
lesson is bringing to bear the principles of

the Kingdom of God on the problems and

issues of the world around us. Ask the
class to mention some of their concerns
about the world as they experience it.
Write these on a chalkboard or whiteboard as they come up. In order to prevent this from becoming a gripe session,
focus their attention upon things theyor
the church communitycan do to make
it better, even if in a small way. Emphasize that God is concerned about the
things that concern us and wants to act
through us to address them.

Delving Into the Word

A. Say: Most of us are familiar with
the idea that humankind has been made in

the image of God. We think of the phrase

in Genesis 1:26 where God says, Let us
Copyright 2016
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

make humankind in our image, according

to our likeness (NRSV). But this is not
merely mentioned once and dropped. In
reality, it is a central idea throughout both
Old and New Testaments, and it is mentioned multiple times.
Ask your students to look up the following passages:
Genesis 9:6. Say: The death penalty
as such is controversial in most modern
justice systems, as it arguably should be.
But this passage tells us something about
the seriousness with which God views the
way His creatures are treated. Given that
this was a negative prohibition for people
who had already fallen pretty far from
where God intended, what more can we
learn from this?
James 3:8, 9. Say: God gave us the
power of speech, which is a Godlike
power potentially used in very ungodly
ways. But again, the author demonstrates
how when we attack and abuse our fellow
humansverbally in this casewe are in
effect cursing and attacking the image of
God.
B. Say: Even though God has made us

in His image, we can choose whether or

not to display this image in our lives and
in relation to others. As Christians, we
have chosen to represent God in the
world. But it is not something that happens automatically. What are the ways in
which we can display the image of God?
Ask your students to look up the following passages:
Psalm 8:5. Say: The very existence of
the human person is a testimony to the
nature of God. Human nature is astounding, but it clearly points to something or
Someone else.
Matthew 25:3440. Say: We testify
to the image of God by caring for our
fellow humans, by noticing the needs
around us, and doing our best to fulfill
them.
Hebrews 1:3. Say: The unblemished
image of God has been revealedor rerevealed, if that is a wordin Jesus. So it
is necessary for us to look at this newest
revelation of God as our example. Just
trying to do the right thing is not
enough.

Discussing the Ideas

1. What can we know about the image
of God as seen in His creation?
2. What are some of the consequences
of the first sin, and its effect on the divine
image in us?
3. How did Gods plan for the human
race change in response to sin? In what
ways did it remain the same?

4. What is our role in Gods plan for

us to reflect His image? How can we fulfill that role?
5. What is the role of the church as a
community in Gods plan?
6. How specifically can we reflect
Gods image? In what ways do we fail,
and how should we deal with such failure
when it occurs?

Closing the Activity

Say: All throughout history, we see
the description and evidence of Gods
character and His image portrayed in His
Word. Though we were designed in His
image, how much of it can we still exhibit all these years later? Do our actions
speak to a relationship with Him or a lack
of relationship? Hand out the reproduci-

ble activity (p. 31). The first column lists

typical actions or events that might occur
in a day. The second column is blank.
Ask students to fill in the empty blanks
with words from the word bank provided.
Words can be used more than once. Close
with prayer.

Alan Hecht, Takoma Park, Maryland, U.S.A.

Copyright 2016
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

My Actions

Image of God I Portray

Choose from the following words or use your own to fill in the column on the right: helpful,
selfish, trusting, engaged, thoughtful, caring, forgiving, loving, angry, loyal, understanding,
joyful, committed, creative, judgmental, merciful, peace-loving, scary, faithful, comforting,
understanding, critical, unfaithful, impatient, sympathetic.

Sign up for a mission trip

Honk and shake my fist at traffic

Volunteer at an animal shelter

Ignore homeless people on the street

Never have any offering to contribute

Rake the leaves for an elderly neighbor

Do something nice for a friend, even

when they have wronged me
Too busy to stop to help a child
with a loose shoelace
Tell someone that they are going to hell
for their actions

Giving up a party to visit a sick relative

Copyright 2016
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Lesson 1

31