Welcome back to Imago Dei Week 3. Today, we’re diving into a thought-provoking message centered on Matthew chapter 5. Before we get started, if you don’t have a Bible, you can use the one under the chair in front of you or access it on your phone. Having the Word of God in your own hands as we explore this message is highly encouraged. We continue our series called Imago Dei, stemming from our previous study in Genesis. In Genesis, we touched on what it means to be made in the image of God. Today, we delve deeper into what it means to be image bearers and how we carry this image of God in our daily lives. Let’s take a moment to pray.
Father, thank you for giving us your truth, hope, life, and word. As we delve into today’s message, open our hearts to receive and be changed by your Word. Make our hearts ready to receive what you have for us. In your name, we pray, Amen.
One of the joys of parenthood is helping your children with their homework, often relearning things you long forgot, especially in math. These ‘if-then’ equations in geometry—if A is this, then B is that—mirror the many ‘if-then’ scenarios in life. If you study, you get better grades. If you practice the piano, you improve. If you take a shower, you won’t smell. This equation-like thinking also permeates religious communities: do good things, receive good things. However, Jesus offers something radically different from religious transactions. His message was not transactional but relational. Jesus aims to restore humanity to its original purpose—being image bearers who walk in relationship with God. Instead of a transactional ‘if you do good, you get good,’ Jesus calls us into a heart-level relationship with the Father. This shift is evident in Jesus’ teachings, particularly the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, often regarded as the greatest sermon ever preached. Jesus introduces a revolutionary idea: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ This wasn’t the uplifting message people expected; it was a call to neediness, to recognize our need for God. Blessed are those who mourn, those who are meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness—Jesus turns everything upside down. Jesus emphasizes that being ‘poor in spirit’ means acknowledging our need for God. When we recognize our spiritual poverty, we open the door to the kingdom of heaven. This message is counter-cultural. In a world that values strength and self-sufficiency, Jesus praises neediness and dependence on God as the path to true riches in the kingdom. You might ask, ‘Didn’t God give us the law to follow?’ The law was indeed given to show us the perfection of God and our inability to achieve it on our own. The law was meant to turn our hearts back to our need for God.
It wasn’t about a list of do’s and don’ts but a guide to lead us to a relationship with God. Isaiah 55 says, ‘Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.’ How do we buy without money? In God’s economy, neediness is the currency. Our need for God is our ticket to receiving from Him. This concept is foreign to our human understanding but central to the gospel. How do we apply this to our lives? First, we must come to God with our neediness—not just once but daily. When we bring our needs to God—whether for wisdom, peace, direction, or anything else—we are worshiping Him. Our neediness is a form of worship that draws us closer to God, aligning our hearts with His. Our need for God is not a weakness but a fundamental aspect of how we were created. Jesus’ message calls us back to this original design. By acknowledging our need for God, we step into the fullness of life He offers. It’s a daily journey of turning away from self-sufficiency and embracing our need for our Creator. As we conclude, ask yourself: Are there areas in your life where you’re seeking satisfaction apart from God?
Are there places where you are laboring for things that don’t truly satisfy? The invitation is to come back to God with your needs. He promises to meet them in His perfect way. In closing, let’s remember that our neediness is the pathway to rich living in the kingdom. By coming to God with our needs, we align ourselves with His purpose and experience the fullness of life He intends for us. Let’s embrace this upside-down kingdom where our deepest need is God Himself. Thank you for joining us for Imago Dei Week 3.
