The Real Thing

You are made in God's image
by Rick Warren

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. . . . We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. Romans 8:29 (MSG) "The Bible says Jesus is “the exact likeness of God,” “the visible image of the invisible God,” and “the exact representation of his being” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT; Colossians 1:15 NLT; Hebrews 1:3 NIV)." From the very beginning, God’s plan has been to make you like his Son, Jesus.

God announced this intention at creation: “Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image and likeness’” (Genesis 1:26 NCV). In all of creation, only human beings are made in God’s image. This is a great privilege and it gives us dignity. We don’t know all this phrase covers, but we do know some of the aspects it includes: like God, we are spiritual beings – our spirits are immortal and will outlast our earthly bodies; we are intellectual – we can think, reason, and solve problems; we are relational – we can give and receive real love; and we have a moral consciousness – we can discern right from wrong, which makes us accountable to God. But the image is incomplete and has been damaged and distorted by sin. So God sent Jesus on a mission to restore the full image that we have lost.

What does the full “image and likeness” of God look like? It looks like Jesus Christ! The Bible says Jesus is “the exact likeness of God,” “the visible image of the invisible God,” and “the exact representation of his being” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT; Colossians 1:15 NLT; Hebrews 1:3 NIV). People often use the phrase “like father, like son” to refer to family resemblance. When people see my likeness in my kids, it pleases me. God wants his children to bear his image and likeness, too. The Bible says we “must put on the new self, which is created in God's likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy.” (Ephesians 4:24 TEV) *

The Real Thing

For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. — Hebrews 13:14 Isaac Asimov said, "I don't believe in an afterlife, so I don't have to spend my whole life fearing hell, or fearing heaven even more. For whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse."

Anyone who understands what the Bible teaches would know that heaven will not be boring. When the Bible describes it, it is portrayed in ways that we can wrap our minds around. Part of the problem is that we have had our ideas about heaven formed by movies, television, songs, paintings, and pop culture. These concepts are not necessarily based on what the Bible teaches, however. Heaven is an actual place.

Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you . . . " (John 14:2). We tend to think of Earth as the real thing and heaven as the surreal thing. But it is the other way around. Earth is a pale version of heaven. Earth can be beautiful at times. We see that beauty on display around the world. But at the same time, heaven is far greater. Earth is a pale imitation of greater things to come. As C. S. Lewis said of heaven, "All the things that have ever deeply possessed your soul have been but hints of it. . . . " Heaven has been described in the Bible as Paradise. Jesus said to the thief on the cross, "Today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43).

The apostle Paul used the word "paradise" to describe his brief trip to heaven (2 Corinthians 12:4). The Bible also describes heaven as a city (Hebrews 12:22; 13:14) and a country (Hebrews 11:16). Heaven is the real thing. And it is the destination of all who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.

Deadly Detour
Our friends Marv and Annie were with us at a convention in Chicago. They're from Denver; I was in my hometown. Annie's doctor had let her make the trip to Chicago even though she was eight months pregnant. At a reception our first night at the convention downtown, I jokingly told her, "Hey, if the baby decides to come tonight, just call our room. This is my city, girl. I'll take care of everything!"

It didn't turn out to be a joke. The call came in the middle of the night, and minutes later we had a lady in hard labor in our back seat. I thought we would have time to get out to our obstetrician in the suburbs. Not a chance! I had no idea where hospitals were downtown. I finally found one, though - a veterans' hospital. No maternity ward! Well, eventually I found a hospital with great facilities - just in time.

Today we all laugh about it. It's still not one of my proudest nights. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You about "Deadly Detour." I almost messed up the beginning of a new life - all because I went the wrong direction. That's easy to do with what the Bible calls being "born again." If you belong to Jesus, I've got to believe that you know folks who don't, and that you want them to be in heaven with you.

That can only happen if they're born into God's family by putting their trust in Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross for them. But that rebirth can be aborted if you go the wrong direction in sharing Christ with someone. There's a detour on the road to Jesus that you have to avoid at all cost. I call it the trap - one that is so easy to fall into when you're having a spiritual conversation.

When Jesus was talking with the Samaritan woman at the well, she tried to deflect Jesus' claim on her life with the trap. In John 4, beginning with verse 20, she tries to get Jesus to start down that deadly detour. Here's what it is - talking religion. She said, "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." In other words, "The issue, Jesus, is that we have different religions." Sound familiar? Jesus refuses to go there.

In verse 24, He says, "God is a spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." In other words, "This isn't about what religion you are, Ma'am. It's about your relationship with God." Then Jesus introduces Himself as the looked-for Messiah. Jesus makes Himself the issue, and He still is. There's just too much at stake for you to allow yourself to fall into the trap of talking religion with someone who needs Jesus.

The issue has nothing to do with your religion. It's whether or not you've ever had your sins forgiven so you can have a relationship with God. It's all about Jesus. Paul said it all in 1 Corinthians 2:2 when he said, "I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." It's not about your religion, it's not about your religious rules, your rituals. It's not about attacking their lifestyle.

It's all about Jesus. So stick to Jesus. Keep bringing it back to Jesus and His cross. Your mission is clear. To take a person that you care about by the hand and lead them up Skull Hill to the foot of an old rugged cross, point to the Son of God dying for them, and tell them, "This is how much He loves you." Any other direction is the wrong direction - one that leads away from the Jesus that they need. So, take them straight to Him.