Our Infinite Worth in God’s Eyes 1. Introduction Today, we’re continuing our sermon series on ‘Identity’. As we continue, our goal is to rely on Scripture and the Holy Spirit to guide us into a deeper understanding of our identity and to find our story within God's story. Each sermon will include some verses from the first chapters of Genesis, where God’s people first understand their identity, then also include verses from the New Testament, where we begin to see our identity more fully. This morning, we are going to reflect on how God sees us, and who we are in the Lord. Have you ever experienced moments when you felt unimportant or lacking in worth? Anyone can feel that way about themselves at times. Let’s take a moment to think about these questions: When or where do you typically feel that way? What usually brings you down and makes you wonder about who you are? What do you think God says about you? Genesis 1:27-31 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. 2. We are Created in God’s Image Before God formed us from the dust, we didn’t exist. But in His love and sovereign will, God created us in His likeness, setting us apart from the rest of creation. Because we were created in God’s image, we possess inherent worth and dignity regardless of status or abilities. Every human being is worthy of love and respect because they are God’s image bearer. We are not God, but we reflect His characteristics in a finite way. This means humans have the capacity for a relationship with God and with one another. In verse 28, God blessed humanity, saying, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number.’ The original Hebrew word for ‘fruitful’ is ‘parah.’ Its primary meaning is associated with physical reproduction, but it also conveys a broader sense of prosperity and flourishing, not just limited to biological growth. God’s blessing was not only for numerical growth but also a holistic vision for humanity. Our infinite worth comes from being created by God Himself. We are loved and invited into an eternal relationship with Him and with others. God knew us even before we existed and had a purpose for us. He knew humanity would fall into sin. Despite knowing this, God still created humanity out of love and provided a way of salvation through Jesus Christ, demonstrating both His justice and mercy. After Adam and Eve sinned against God, sin separated us from the Lord and caused spiritual brokenness; however, our inherent worth as God’s creation remains. In other words, we do not lose our worth or dignity in God’s eyes, even when we are separated from Him by sin. It is through reconciliation with God that we find our true purpose and fulfillment. Human beings are spiritually broken and experience the consequences of their sinful choices in life, but the Lord has never given up on us and is continually pursuing us. Let’s explore how God sees us and continues to guide us toward Himself in our various sinful situations through a couple of well-known stories in the Bible. 3. Our Spiritual Brokenness and God’s Saving Grace 3.1 Desire to be the Lord of My Own Life and Our Need for Grace Let’s recall the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. The younger son asks for his share of the inheritance early and leaves his father because he wants freedom and independence. He wants to be the lord of his own life. He rejects his father's authority and desires to live life on his own terms, free from his father. He prioritizes things based on his own desires. He wants to live as he pleases. He chooses to be free from his father, but he is not free from the consequences of his sinful choices. His greed leads him to spiritual and physical brokenness until he realizes the importance of returning to his father. We are often tempted to be free from the Lord when we become slaves to greed. We want what we want regardless of what God says. This is what happened to Adam and Eve, and we know the consequences. The younger son has nothing after wasting everything; no one cares about him, and his life becomes miserable. This world is only interested in what you have that may benefit them, not you. If you have nothing, this world will abandon you. When he returns home seeking forgiveness from his father, his father welcomes him with open arms and orders a feast to celebrate his return because, in his father’s eyes, he is still his precious son. Remember that you are always His precious son or daughter in God’s eyes, regardless of what you have done, who you are, or where you are now. Our Father never stops loving you. All you need to do is return to Him, seeking forgiveness, and He will order a feast to celebrate your return. 3.2 All Have Sinned and Our Need for Grace This is the story of the woman caught in adultery. John 8:1-11 1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” A woman was caught in the act of adultery. When the Jewish leaders asked Jesus what should be done with her, He said, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ One by one, the accusers began to leave, until only Jesus and the woman were left. Jesus told her, ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’ We can learn several things from this story. The woman broke the seventh commandment. When Jesus said, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’, they all left, including the religious leaders. This implies that the accusers had broken other commandments, including possibly the seventh commandment, just like the woman. They were hiding their own sins while judging her. People are unworthy and incapable of judging others because they are all sinners and fall short of His glory. Jesus was with her, protected and forgave her, and showed her grace and mercy. That doesn’t mean Jesus was ok with her sin or promoted her sin. He clearly told her, ‘Leave your life of sin.’ According to various research, non-believers perceive Christians as intolerant and judgmental. What they are essentially saying is that many Christians do not live out the Word of God, yet still tend to judge others. Actually, many Christians often downplay their own sins, thinking their sins are lighter than those of others or excusable due to personal circumstances, but are harsh in judging others. Some Christians are very sensitive to particular sins and think, ‘Their sins are so terrible, we cannot accept them, and they need to be excluded until they fix their lives.’ If that is your approach, then everyone must be excluded until they fix their own lives, because all sins are deadly – so much that Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross to pay for them. It’s not possible, but let’s imagine that our sins were projected for others to see. Who then could stand and judge others? We would clearly see that we all need God’s grace. Your sins are not much different from those of others to whom you are so sensitive, regardless of what they are. No one can fix their lives without the help of the Lord. Transforming people’s lives is the work of the Lord. They need the grace of God just as you need His grace. You may still think there are others who don’t know about their sins, who don’t repent, and who won’t be saved. If that is your approach, no one can be saved either. I know many of my sins that I have committed, but not all. I could hurt others without being aware of it. If I say I have perfect knowledge and wisdom, you will think ‘Harrison needs to see a doctor as soon as possible’, because that is not possible. We may know God’s will partially, but no on can have a perfect understanding of it. That means you don’t know His will perfectly, and you will make mistakes and commit sins while you are thinking you are doing the right thing. There are sins that we cannot repent for because we don’t’ know them all due to human limitations. If the Lord saves only those who repent all of their sins perfectly without missing a single one, then only those who have perfect knowledge and wisdom will be saved. In other words, no one will be saved. We will be saved only through Jesus Christ. God doesn’t ask anyone to come to Him after fixing their lives. The Lord is graciously inviting us as we are and where we are. There is no discrimination based who we are or what sins we have committed. He will walk with anyone who calls on His name because He created us as His image bearers, whom He has loved from before the creation. The Lord met the woman when she was in that desperate situation and showed her grace and mercy. Jesus gave her time to think about what she had done and to repent. He gave the woman the second chance that we all also need as sinners. It is the Lord who saved her, not the accusers with stones in their hands. Our calling is to see others as God sees them and to point them to Jesus, who is the only way to salvation, because in God’s eyes, they are precious, just as He thinks you are. 4. Jesus' Compassionate Discipleship in Love Today, tensions exist within many denominations and churches due to disagreements on important matters. However, this is not something new; Jesus' disciples experienced it, and it also occurred in the early church. By looking at how Jesus guided them and how they obeyed Him, we can clearly see the path the Lord is inviting us to follow. Jesus' disciples were ordinary people with shortcomings, just like us. They frequently struggled with misunderstandings, insecurities, and conflicts regarding their positions and roles within His ministry. They didn’t have perfect wisdom, which means there were always disagreements as everybody was on a journey of learning and growing. Jesus didn’t discriminate them or turn them away when they had misunderstandings about His teachings. Instead, He patiently nurtured their growth as leaders. He modeled humility and service by washing their feet, teaching them that true leadership means serving others. By encouraging questions and discussions, He allowed the disciples to engage with their doubts, fostering a deeper understanding of His word. When they faltered, such as Peter's denial or the disputes over greatness, Jesus provided corrective teaching with compassion, emphasizing the importance of servanthood and grace. He empowered them through practical ministry experiences, sending them out to preach and heal, which reinforced their learning and building their confidence. Of course, they couldn’t carry out their work properly. Throughout their journey, Jesus consistently prayed for them, emphasizing the importance of spiritual support in their growth. His approach underscores that spiritual growth is a process requiring patience, room for mistakes and learning, and a reliance on the Lord, ultimately transforming the disciples into the foundational leaders of the early church. When they became leaders of the early church, despite their shortcomings and disagreements, they demonstrated that faithful leadership is rooted in humility, a willingness to learn from one another, and submission to the Lord. The Lord guided them through His Spirit, providing wisdom and direction in their discussions and decisions. When they faced conflicts, such as the debate over the inclusion of Gentiles, they sought counsel through prayer and communal discernment, allowing God's will to lead their actions. Jesus' teachings and examples remained central to their leadership, as they reflected on His character and mission, which encouraged them to prioritize love, grace, and unity. And the challenges they encountered served to strengthen their faith and reliance on God, reminding them that their strength came not from their performance or limited wisdom but from their commitment to follow Christ and empower others in their spiritual journeys. Through these experiences, they grew into more faithful leaders, able to navigate differences and lead the church with compassion and resolve, demonstrating the transformative power of God’s grace at work in their lives. Our God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and omnipresent. We should always seek the guidance of the Lord. He is the ultimate guide and teacher in all matters. We should trust that He will guide us into all truth, and we should always be open to His leading as we seek to build each other up and grow together in faith in all situations. The Lord will continue to build His kingdom and surely be with us forever with mighty power in love for us.