Being Human - Adult SS - Lesson 3: Male and Female

Welcome everyone. Well done for making it. Hope you got through the traffic okay. I've been told the boiler is broken, so church can be a little bit chilly today. So if you want to keep your jackets on, that's absolutely fine. We've got I think a lot to get through today. So I'll pray and then we'll jump straight into it.

Lord God, we praise you that you are our creator. We are dependent on you for everything and you define who we are and you have made us fearfully and wonderfully and you have made us male and female.

And so, Lord, we ask that we as we dive into your word and we seek to understand who we are, how you've made us. Lord, would you please give us wisdom, enlighten our minds, soften our hearts.

And we pray that we would learn all of this for the sake of your glory in Jesus name. Amen.

So let's do a bit of a recap today. We are creatures. We are fundamentally made of dust. And so we are entirely dependent on God for life and breath and everything.

But also we've learned that we are more than just creatures, aren't we? We have a crown of creation. We're made in God's image in his likeness.

We reflect and represent God. We're rational creatures. We're moral creatures, relational creatures.

And we are vice regents. We're under kings. We've got dominion over this earth. God has placed us to rule over this earth.

And so we are unique and special creatures with inherent dignity. We are not just a bag of cells, are we?

No, human life is infinitely valuable. And last week we saw that we are covenantal creatures.

So every human exists in covenant with God. No one is not in covenant with God.

We're made of him, made to worship him, made to obey his law, love him, follow him, enjoy with him, enjoy him, dwell with him.

In some way we are made to worship God, which means we are religious creatures.

Everyone deep down knows God. But in sin we suppress that knowledge.

And so we redirect our worship and we start worshipping the creature or creation.

We start worshipping ourselves.

And so Christ has come to call us back to worship and to call us to be truly human again.

And now this week I want us to dive into the details of another specific aspect of being an image of God.

So God created man in his own image. In the image of God he created him.

Male and female he created them.

I want us to see today what it means to be male and female.

Now a couple of things to mention before we dive in.

First of all I do realise that good man was on last Friday and we, some of the guys here, have thought about this topic.

That is just a coincidence.

And I hope, well there will be overlap.

I hope there will be new things as well.

But when there is overlap, let's use that to kind of engage our minds even more on this topic.

The second thing to say is I know that this is a hot topic.

Particularly today.

And we will all be coming from different backgrounds and views on this.

And we exist in a world where our culture doesn't like to hear what the Bible has to say on this.

And without knowing it, we can take in what the culture thinks and respond to all this.

And so what I'd like to encourage us today to do is I really want us to just hear what the Bible has to say above all.

Okay.

I know it's hard to throw away the things already in our minds.

But let's try to really listen to what the Bible has to say.

Let God shape us through his word.

And that will take humility, won't it?

But in all of this, let's realise God's word is good, isn't it?

What he says about male and female, it's not only true, but it's good for us.

And so we're going to look at the blueprints of how we made male and female.

And so we're going to realise that this is how we flourish.

And the final thing to say is that I will only be able to lay out the principles today.

I can't address all the applications of this.

Inevitably, inevitably, as soon as you start talking about this and you lay out the principles,

inevitably, a million what about questions kind of pop into our minds, don't they?

You know, what about if men do this?

And what about women in this situation?

And these are really good questions.

We should ask them and maybe we'll try to address them at the questions at the end.

But my intention today is really to give you the tools to begin to try to answer this.

And so today we're going to look at just the general principles of how God has made us male and female.

And next week we're going to continue this a bit more.

We're going to look at male headship.

We're going to look at church eldership.

And we're going to look at the transgender issue.

But today we're kind of just looking at the creation of male and female.

So I don't want to discourage any questions.

If you do have questions, do ask them, please.

But let's jump in.

I want us to read Genesis 1.26 to the end of chapter 2.

I want us to read this all together.

So Genesis 1.26, this is the beginning of the creation of man.

And then we'll jump into also chapter 2.

So chapter 2, the creation of man happens the second half of day 6.

And then chapter 2, so day 6 ends.

Then chapter 2, we go back to day 6.

So don't think that this is like day 8 or anything like that.

Chapter 2, we go back to day 6 and we kind of get more details about how God created man.

So Genesis 1.26.

Then God said,

And God said,

And behold,

So now back to day 6.

And then God said,

And there he put the man whom he had formed.

And out of the ground,

And then God said,

And then God said,

And then God said,

And then God said,

And then God said,

And then just skip to verse 15.

And then God said,

And then God said,

And then God said,

And whatever the man said,

And then God said,

And then God said,

And then God said,

And then God said,

And then God said,

And then God said,

And hold fast,

And they shall become one of the man said,

And the man and his wife were both naked,

And were not ashamed.

And so that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who said that the man who

controversial questions right now is this what is a woman i'm sure you've heard that question

phrased it in this way what is a woman and by extension what is a man and some people don't

know how to answer this some some people are giving the wrong answer but if we want to answer

that we need to see how god answers that question because whether or not the culture likes that

answer that is the right answer and it's an answer that it's good for us and so let's answer it with

genesis with what we've just read and there's a lot to see here so i'm going to fire things at you

take notes and we'll we'll stop the questions at the end

um so first thing to see is male and female is tied to being the image of god

look what it means to be an image of god genesis 127 so god created man in his own image

in the image of god he created him male and female he created them

humanity is made up of male and female and both are the image of god so god didn't just create men or

just women and said yes yeah that's good enough to reflect me just just men or just women that's fine

no he made us male and female and it's both together that is how we best image and reflect god

which means second point point b male and female are equal in worth and dignity

so if both are the image of god one isn't better than the other one isn't worth more than the other

one isn't superior to the other that there isn't a quality of worth and dignity between male and female

so in all that we say from now on from today onwards right this must be clear male is not better than

female and vice versa female is not better than male okay but both are the image of god's

and so for humanity to be the image of god it it requires what does it require it requires both male and female

you cannot have humanity with one but not the other which means point c men and women are interdependent

they depend on each other interdependent so adam is created first isn't he he's created

then put in the garden and he's on his own at first isn't he but look at how god views man without woman

so genesis 2 18 then the lord god said it is not good that the man should be alone

i will make him a helper fit for him god has been calling his creation good every day so far hasn't

he he would finish the day and it was good finish today and it was good and it was good and it was good

but when it comes to man without woman what does he say he says this is not good

and so he makes woman to be a helper fit for him and then the day is how does he finish the day very good

but why is it not good why is it not good for man to be alone well this isn't about loneliness

because if the problem was that adam was just lonely he just needed company if that was the case then

then another man or a football team could have done right or god even brings him all the animals

and they don't get they're not good enough are they you know a dog a golden retriever could be great

company i had a golden retriever man's best friend really good company but but it's the problems

not about loneliness

so why is man without woman not good well think back to what god's purpose for humanity is

what did what commands did god give humanity in genesis 128

be fruitful and multiply man can't do that without woman and woman can't do this without man

in our big task of filling the earth and subduing it and ruling over it and reflecting imaging gods

in that filling and subduing we need each other to do that don't we and so male and female

are at heart made for each other and i don't just mean marriage which of course that is the case

i mean as humanity male and female all together we image god and together we make this world fruitful

we need each other to be fruitful and to multiply that is why god made male and female

so that we can be together and be fruitful and multiply so let's see something important here

man and woman are not made in competition with each other are they we're made to complement each other

and to work with each other in our own ways and it's then when we're doing that that's when we

flourish that's when we start fulfilling our purpose and our design it's then that the day becomes very good

for all of us men and women are fundamentally interdependent and so male and female are not identical

there are fundamental by design differences and distinctions

and differences and distinctions that are are designed to work with each other and complement each other

and it's when we look at this interdependence that's when we start to see the differences

the god designed good differences and so let's look at them we're on to point two

men and women are designed differently

are there any really pressing questions right now i think it might be better to wait till the end but

just any clarification

cool we'll move on men and women are designed differently

so what are these different differences what is a woman what is a man well let's look at the

specific intention god has when he first makes man and then woman and when we look at that intention

we see several important differences and the first is this man is a worker and keeper woman is a helper

so for adam look at god's intention 215

adam's specific task is to work and keep the garden and eventually the whole world right we thought about the covenant of works expanding to the whole world

adam is to bring order to the garden

to bring structure to form it with design and expand the garden into the whole world

he's to harness and cultivate god's creation to to take god's creation and make it even more fruitful than it is

so specifically what could that be is to farm and build and design and invent

and to protect it as well did you see that that that's what keep means

it's this idea of guarding and protecting

so if we fast forward into the old testament a bit more the priests in the old testament

they were given the same command to to work and keep the temple

and the keeping meant guarding but protecting it from being harmed and misused as well

well that is man's task that is the design for men to work and keep this world

but woman is key to this man is not good enough alone to do this and to be fruitful in the whole earth on his own

he can begin to create order and work and keep

but something is missing man can't fill the world with other humans on his own

he can't bring life to it

adam could have built a city

but that city would have been empty and lifeless

and so god has a specific intention in creating a woman

she is man's helper to do this

so woman is designed to take what man has ordered

and make it even more fruitful

and to fill it and nurture it and bring life to it

and to make it even better

and so the word helper is not a derogatory term here

i want to be clear about this that it's not a derogatory term

this is a wonderful and necessary task

in fact god is often called israel's helper

so i've got an example here psalm 115

oh israel trust in the lord

he is their help and their shield

and the word help there that's the exact same word as what eve is called

it's a etzer in hebrew

and so absolutely it is not a derogatory term

it's a wonderful term in fact

and also if you want to go down the line

i don't like the sound of that

well actually being a helper

that's actually more of a comment on adam's inability isn't it

it shows how important women are

that they are fundamentally necessary for humanity

and our image bearing task

woman has the unique task

to bring life to man's work

and to nurture it

and this doesn't just mean giving birth

it does mean giving birth

that is an important aspect of it

but this is wider than only childbirth

and so let me make a new point to spell this out

man forms

woman fills

man forms woman fills

i want us to spot something about god

how god has created

so cast your mind back to genesis 1

in the beginning of creation

what was the world like

before god said let there be light

creation was formless and void

there was no form to it

there's no order or system

to the world yet

but in days one to three

we see god

forms and orders creation

in those first three days

so day one

you can draw these in your boxes

if you turn the page

so day one

he forms

light and dark

he forms night and day

he orders time

these are time markers

right

he forms the light and the dark

he forms time

and then day two

he forms and orders

the above and the below

right

the heavens above

he forms

and then there's the waters below

and then day three

he forms the land

and separates it from the sea

he orders a system

and domain of land and water

and he forms that

so days one to three

are all about falling

okay

and then in days four to six

they're kind of paired

well they are pairs

with the day above them

can you see that

so day and night

in day four

day and night

it is filled

with stars

and planets

and moons

and then day five

the waters

are filled

with fish

and the heavens

are filled

with birds

and then day six

you've got the land

and the water

already formed

and then the land

is filled

with insects

and animals

and so do you see

the pairs

and the pattern

here

God

God creates

in pairs

and he first

forms

and then he

fills

and we see

this pattern

in man

and woman

man

is made

first

and then woman

is made

man

is made

first

and so he

is the one

given the task

to bring form

to this world

he's to bring

order

and formation

and a system

from the things

that are chaotic

and formless

and he's to maintain

it

to keep it

he's to work

and keep

and the woman

is made

to fill

what man

has formed

to bring life

and to bring

substance

and vibrancy

and colour

and to nurture

what has been

formed

man forms

and woman

fills

and this

does not only

mean fill

with children

it also means

so much more

it's filling

with all manner

of life

form

and order

on its own

is stale

isn't it

but women

bring colour

and vibrancy

and people

and community

and richness

to what man

has formed

as the

the IPC

Louisa's

studies

title

is very good

it's a very good

name for this

it's life givers

right

women are

life givers

and that isn't

just childbearing

that is

all life

to this world

it's nurturing

it

filling it

someone once

helpfully summed

this up

with this phrase

men build

bridges

women make

them worth

crossing

do you see

that

that's forming

and filling

and you can see

this in all

areas of life

first of all

this might be

a silly example

but it's a

clear example

university

picture a

boy's

student

house

you can all

picture that

can't you

now picture a

girl's

student house

which house

is worth

living in

more

no question

right

bit of a

silly example

but more of a

serious one

here

think about

communities

and relationships

women are

so good

at filling

this world

with community

in general

and I do

mean in

general

here

I know

there are

always

exceptions

and all

that we're

saying today

there's not a

clear cut

thing without

exceptions

but in

general

it's the

women

who naturally

meet up

don't they

it's the

women who

network

and are

great at

getting phone

numbers

and looking

out for

each other

and talking

to each

other

and I

find it

fascinating

to see

just women

women are

so gifted

and naturally

good at

so think

about healing

women fill

this place

with community

we can see

this in the

people in the

church

they nurture

this place

with life

and that's

because God

has naturally

designed women

to fill this

world with

life

and you can

even see

this where

Adam and

Eve were

created

where they

were created

so where

was Adam

created

2.15

and the

Lord God

took the

man and

put him

in the

garden of

Eden

to work

it and

keep it

so

flip this

where was

Adam created

he wasn't

created in

the garden

was he

he was

first created

out

and then

he was

first created

out in the

dust out

here

God formed

him out of

the garden

and then

God places

him in the

garden to

work it and

keep it

and so

so his

task is

go into

the garden

advance

into that

and order

and protect

and work

and keep

this garden

his domain

of life

his posture

his domain

is to

advance

forward

and form

the world

God

but where

is Eve

created

well

God made

her already

in the

garden

Adam was

already

when Adam

was in

the garden

God took

the rib

from Adam

from his

sides

and then

formed the

woman in

the garden

and so

her domain

is the

area

that man

has

already

formed

and ordered

and so

she is

to fill

that domain

with life

so where

is Eve

created

right here

and so

she's to

fill that

domain

her domain

with life

that's why

she's so

needed

and so

from her

comes all

this life

all this

colour

and vibrancy

and community

so let's

draw some

there

so what

do we

see here

men build

bridges

women make

them worth

crossing

and so

both

rule

can you see

this

both were

given the

task to

rule

humanity

them

let them

rule

let them

have dominion

so both

rule but

but they

rule in

different ways

don't they

each with

different

strengths

and domains

and callings

but there's

another difference

to see as

well

point c

man is

protector

woman is

protected

so man

is to keep

all that is

in the garden

including the

woman

so look

so look

how woman

is made

genesis

2

21

so the

lord god

caused a

deep sleep

to fall

upon the

man

and while

he slept

took one

of his

ribs

and closed

up its

place

with flesh

and the

rib that

the lord

god had

taken from

the man

he made

into a

woman

and brought

her to

the man

and the

man said

this at

last is

bone of

my bones

and flesh

of my

flesh

she shall

be called

woman

because she

was taken

out of

man

what we

are made

out of

tells us

about what

it means

to be a

man or

a woman

so man

is made

from dust

and so he

will be a

worker and

protector of

the dust

of earth

that is where

he will

flourish

and woman

is made

from man

from his

side

and so she

is designed

to work

with him

and be

protected

by him

and that

is where

she will

flourish

Matthew

Henry

he's famous

for his

commentary

of the

whole

bible

he wrote

this

about

Eve's

creation

I've got

it there

for you

Eve was

not taken

out of

Adam's

head

to top

him

neither

out of

his feet

to be

trampled

on by

him

but out

of his

side

to be

equal

with

him

under

his arm

to be

protected

by him

and near

his heart

to be

loved

by him

this is

the dynamic

between men

and women

man is

protector

woman is

protected

and this

of course

goes for

marriage

this is most

clearly seen

in marriage

husbands

are to

physically

and spiritually

protect

their wives

so when a

burglar

comes into

the home

the husband

is to get

the bat

when the

devil

comes into

the home

the husband

is to get

the bible

so of course

it's in

marriage

but we

see this

beyond

marriage

so think

about our

society

our laws

and our

outrage

against the

abuse of

women

that shows

our design

at work

our attitude

of women

and children

first

that is

our design

at work

our gut

reactions

especially men

when we hear

of what's

happened to

women

in news

stories

that gut

reaction

it all

shows

we know

women

must be

protected

and all

this

all that's

happening

in society

when that

happens

that is

the image

of God

playing out

at a

societal

scale

that is

not just

cultural

baggage

although

some

things

are

nurtured

and

cultural

in

some

ways

but

it's

not

just

cultural

baggage

we

naturally

do

this

because

it is

our

design

coming

through

you could

even

relate

some of

this

to

the

sense

of

divinity

that we

saw

last

week

this

is

our

design

pulsing

beating

out

of us

and just

for a

moment

let's

just think

about

our

bodies

our

bodies

are

related

to

all

of

this

!

our

bodies

are

tied

to

who

we

are

as

men

and

women

and

our

bodies

indicate

they

signal

they

correspond

to

this

design

for

men

and

women

it is

not

random

that

man

that

man

is

called

to

work

and

keep

and

he's

also

generally

physically

stronger

it's

not

random

that

woman

is

called

to

nurture

and

give

life

and

her

body

is

designed

exactly

for

that

men

and

it's

not

random

or

even

culturally

conditioned

that

men

and

women

generally

tend

to

want

to

do

jobs

related

to

this

design

of

forming

and

filling

ordering

and

nurturing

so

let me

just

apply

some

of

this

and

then

we'll

stop

for

questions

in a

moment

I'm

sure

we are

aware

that

there

is

a

higher

percentage

of

men

in

the

STEM

field

isn't

there

there's

always

that

statistic

floating

around

science

technology

engineering

and

maths

there's

often

a

higher

percentage

of

men

in

those

fields

men

often

gravitate

to

engineering

manufacturing

construction

computing

and

then

when we

think

about

the

percentage

of

women

in

other

fields

there's

a

high

percentage

of

women

in

care

work

for

example

so

child

care

or

nursing

or

elderly

care

and

also

the

arts

as

well

this

is

generally

the

case

the

statistics

show

this

and

there's

often

upset

about

this

and

people

may

say

well

this

difference

it's

inequality

right

or they

say

no this

shouldn't

be the

case

we

shouldn't

have

a

difference

at

all

and so

how can

we

explain

these

differences

I'm not

saying any

shoulds or

shouldn'ts

here

I'm just

saying how

can we

explain

these

differences

well

these

jobs

kind of

fall into

forming

and filling

don't

they

stem

generally

is to

do

with

forming

and

ordering

and

going

into

the

garden

and

working

it

and

jobs

involving

care

and

children

and

the

arts

that

is

in general

that's

filling

this

world

with

colour

and

life

and

nurturing

and

making

it a

worthwhile

place

to

live

now

this

does

not

mean

women

cannot

go

into

stem

and

men

cannot

go

into

care

work

I'm

not

saying

that

at

all

both

are

good

professions

to

go

in

and

there's

a lot

of

overlap

of

forming

and

filling

in

life

life

is

messy

there's

wisdom

about

this

and

I'm

not

saying

any

shoulds

or

shouldn'ts

at

this

point

I'm

not

saying

any

shoulds

or

shouldn'ts

all

I'm

trying

to

do

here

is

saying

that

we

can

explain

these

differences

because

of

our

design

these

statistics

are the

image

of God

coming

through

on a

societal

scale

our

design

and

calling

naturally

inclines

us

toward

these

things

now

not

always

of

course

there

are

exceptions

and

there's

always

a

mixture

of

nature

and

nurture

but

the

general

trend

it

does

have

an

explanation

we

are

naturally

inclined

to

form

and

fill

and

so

let

me

just

say

if

you

are

a

female

here

today

and

you

find

in

yourself

the

desire

to

care

and

nurture

and

you

just

really

enjoy

the

idea

of

that

or

your

dream

job

is

to

be

a

mum

but

you

find

society

telling

you

no

don't

do

that

or

you

find

society

saying

you

know

fight

against

that

desire

that's

been

wrongfully

ingrained

in

you

don't

be

one

of

those

statistics

what

can

I

just

say

if

actually

you

have

no

need

to

feel

ashamed

about

desiring

something

like

that

that

is

a

perfectly

good

thing

to

do

it's

a

wonderful

aspect

of

your

image

bearing

you're

giving

us

a

reason

to

cross

the

bridge

likewise

for

guys

if

you

want

to

build

and

form

and

order

you

don't

need

to

think

that

you're

a

stereotype

doing

that

that

that

is

part

of

your

design

that

is

something

to

embrace

and let

me finish

just by

saying

this

all of

this

the

working

and

helping

the

forming

and

filling

the

protecting

and

the

flourishing

all of

this

combined

is what

it means

to be a

man

and a

woman

it's

not

it's

not

just

a

single

thing

that

makes

a

man

or

a

woman

it's

the

whole

design

and you

can sum

it up

with

this

word

calling

okay

being a

man

or woman

it's

about

what

you

are

called

to

in

God's

design

for

you

and

so

it

isn't

a

checklist

as

if

you

have

that

trait

and

you

like

these

things

and

you

kind

of

look

this

way

well

then

you're

a

you

don't

have

those

traits

and

you

do

these

generally

those

type

of

things

well

then

you're

a

woman

no

that's

too

simplistic

it's

something

far

deeper

that

it's

not

necessarily

about

what

you

have

but

what

you're

called

to

you're

called

to

a

life

of

either

forming

or

filling

and

being

a

man

or

woman

!

It's

about

embracing

that

calling

and

when

men

and

women

follow

this

calling

this

is

when

we

flourish

this

is

when

we

become

fruitful

and

we

will

have

a

world

full

of

bridges

and

a

world

full

of

reasons

to

cross

them

and

so

let

me

finish

just

answering

these

two

controversial

questions

what is

a

man?

well

let's

just

try and

define

it

by

summing

up

what

we've

learned

a

man

is

a

human

being

made

in

the

image

of

God

who

is

called

to

rule

form

and

to

protect

women

and

to

make

this

world

fruitful

with

them

and

his

body

corresponds

to

his

calling

what

is

a

woman

a

woman

is

a

human

being

made

in

the

image

of

God

who

is

called

to

help

men

rule

this

world

by

filling

this

world

with

life

to

make

it

even

more

fruitful

in

all

domains

and

her

body

corresponds

to

her

calling

so

next

week

we're

going

to

look

at

marriage

and

headship

and

the

transgender

issue

so

if

you've

got

questions

related

to

that

we'll

try

and

cover

it

next

week

but

let

me

open

up

to

questions

I

can't

promise

that

I'll

answer

everything