Created in Image of God

The Creation of Adam and Eve- Genesis 1:26-28, 2:7, 19-25

Theme:   To know that God created me just the way He wanted, a one-of-a-kind creation.

               To understand what it means to be made in the image of God.

Bible Verse: Psalm 139:14- “I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.”

Story:         

          Whoosh! God created the heavens and the earth. How? Simply by speaking.

          Genesis 1:3 says, “Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”

          In five days God created light, sky and sea, sun, moon, and stars, plants and trees, birds and fish, and animals. And everything He made was good.

          But on the sixth day, God created the most important thing of all, and He did it not by speaking, but by forming it with His own hands. God created man.

          God started with dust—not the kind of dust you find under your bed, but the smallest elements we see only under a microscope like calcium, iron, carbon, and nitrogen.

          I wonder what God made first. Did he start with the skeleton and put things inside it and then cover it with skin? Or did He make the heart first or the brain or the lungs or the blood vessels? What did He put on last —the hair or fingernails or eyebrows or eyes or ears?

          When we think about everything inside our body, it blows our mind that God created each little thing to work together so perfectly.   

          When God finished he had this perfect, amazing man. But the man was still not alive. How did God give him life?

          He breathed His breath into his nostrils, and he became a living being.  God named him Adam.

          This man God created was different from anything else God made. How?

          Man was made in the image of God. Nothing else was. What does that mean?

          It means that we have an eternal soul and spirit that will live on after our bodies die. Nothing but man has a soul and spirit like God.

          God put this man, Adam, in the beautiful Garden of Eden, and Adam was given the job of naming all the animals. Imagine the fun that would have been!

          God had a sense of humor and a rich imagination when He created animals like

  • Giraffes
  • Monkeys
  • Hippopotamuses
  • Penguins
  • Anteaters

          They are all so different, and Adam named them all.

          But as all these animals paraded by, probably in pairs—a boy and a girl, Adam realized they all had partners, and he didn’t. He felt lonely and left out.

          So God created a very special partner just for Adam.  He caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and then took out one of his ribs and made it into a woman named Eve. And God brought her to Adam.

          What do you think was the first thing Adam said when he saw her?

(Ask for suggestions.)

          Wow!

          She’s perfect!

          Thank You, God!

         

And you were created perfectly too.

          The Bible tells us in Psalm 139:14- “I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.”

          God loves you. You are no accident. God made you just the way He wanted, and no one else is like you.

          Look at your fingerprint. No one else has a fingerprint like you. And your fingerprint doesn’t change—from the time you’re inside your mother to the time you die.

          All those things that are unique and special about you, God planned. Let’s see how special you are.

Everyone who has blue eyes stand.

Everyone who has curly hair stand.

Everyone who can curl or roll their tongue stand.

Everyone who has dimples stand.

Everyone who is left-handed stand.

Everyone who has freckles stand.

Everyone who is a boy stand.

Everyone who is a girl stand.

          No two people are exactly alike, not even twins. God made you just the way He wanted. He loves you.

(Hold up a sign that says, “You are wonderfully made.” And another, “You are created by God.”)

          Since we were created in the image of God, we are supposed to be like Him. Unfortunately, I don’t always act like God. I am not always good or perfect like

  • When I am unkind to others, I no longer look like God
  • When I lie, I no longer look like God.
  • When I fight with my brother and sister, I no longer look like God.
  • When I disobey my parents or teachers, I no longer look like God.

          Unfortunately, all of us sin. Why? We’re born with a sin nature. It started when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. God told them, “You can eat the fruit from any tree in the garden, except for the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. For if you eat it, you will surely die.”

          The devil, disguised as a snake, slithered up to Eve and said, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

          Eve said, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden, except for the one in the middle, or we will surely die.”

          “You won’t die!” the serpent said. “In fact, God knows when you eat it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. Go ahead. Eat it.”

          Eve looked at the tree. That fruit looked so good! Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to eat it.

          So she reached up and picked a piece and took a bite. Wow! It was really good.

          “Adam,” she called, “You must try this. It’s the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten.”

          So he ate it too.

          Immediately, they knew they had disobeyed God and sinned.

          Because they sinned, God kicked them out of the beautiful Garden of Eden. Angels with flaming, whirling swords guarded it so they couldn’t get back in.

          Adam and Eve now had to work the ground for their own food. Life was hard because they had sinned and disobeyed God.

          Everyone born since Adam and Eve has been born with sin in their hearts. It doesn’t seem fair, does it? Just because they sinned, I have sin too? But that’s the way it is.

          And the problem is you can’t go to heaven when you die because no sin is allowed in heaven.

          The good news is that God made a way for you to get rid of your sin. How?

          God sent His only Son, Jesus, down to our world to be born as a baby. Because He was God, He never once sinned; He couldn’t. He didn’t have that sin nature. And Jesus gave Himself as the perfect sacrifice or substitute for your sin. He took your punishment. When He died on the cross, He shed His blood for your sin.

          But just because Jesus died, does everyone automatically go to heaven when they die?

          No. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and rose three days later. You must tell Him you’re sorry for your sin and then invite Him to come and live in your heart.

          Have you ever done that? Have you ever asked Jesus to forgive your sin? You can do that today.

(Give invitation.)

Conclusion:

          Since you were made in the image of God, you’re supposed to act like Him. Can others see Christ in you? Do they see that you are different?

          Let’s look at some examples. All of these kids believe in Jesus. Tell me if Christ can be seen in them.

-1-

          Tim and his little sister Megan played on the swing set in their backyard.

          “Push me,” Megan whined. “I want to go as high as you.”

          “Push yourself,” Tim said as he pumped higher and higher.

          “I can’t. Push me!” Megan yelled.

          “You’re nothing but a big baby,” Tim said just as his friend Scott walked into the backyard.

          “I’ll push you, Megan,” Scott said. He stood behind her and pushed until she was as high as Tim.

          Who acted like Christ in this story? Scott

          What should Tim have done so Christ could be seen in him?

                   Be nicer to his sister (may or may not have included pushing her).

          What should Megan have done so Christ could be seen in her?

                   Not have gotten mad.

-2-

          Tim lay in bed Saturday morning. He did not want to get up. Mom had said he couldn’t go out and play until he cleaned his room. He did not like cleaning his room. Ugh.

          He swung his legs off the bed. He opened the blinds. He changed into play clothes. He made his bed. He threw all the dirty clothes scattered around his room into the hamper. He straightened the mess on his desk. He brought the vacuum cleaner upstairs and vacuumed his room. It looked good.

          When he took the vacuum back downstairs, he noticed popcorn all over the floor from last night’s family movie. Mom was busy upstairs with the baby. So he plugged in the vacuum and cleaned it up.

          Mom walked into the room. “I don’t believe it. You did this?”

          Tim beamed.

          How did Tim act like Christ in this story?

  • He obeyed his mother even though he didn’t feel like it.
  • He wanted to be helpful to Mom.
  • He did even more than he was asked to do.

We want others to see Christ in us. We want our lives to bring glory to God.

Does yours?

Beth Livingston

admin@bethlivingston.net

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