What is Man?

Text: Psalm 8:3-9

 

I.         Job faced a severe trials as Satan tried to get him to turn against God

            A.        It wasn’t just the suffering that Job wrestled with.

            B.        Trying to understand what lead to his plight also caused Job to raise other questions as well.

            C.        One that Job asked is “What is man?”

II.        What is man that God should exalt him? - Job 7:17-20

            A.        Job wonders why God bothers to notice him

                        1.         Such scrutiny is more than Job believes he can bear

                        2.         The call to righteousness seem difficult to reach - Job 14:1-6

            B.        Eliphaz’s answer is that man is too dirty - Job 15:14-16

                        1.         It is a theme that he keeps repeating - Job 4:17-21

            C.        I’ve known people who take that attitude. Men are too wicked. They have to be beneath the notice of God.

            D.        Or like Job that it is too hard to strive for.

III.       What is man that God should care? - Psalm 8:3-9

            A.        In one sense, man is another part of God’s creation.

                        1.         We can examine all the intricate parts and marvel at their workings - Psalm 139:13-16

                        2.         God cares for His creatures - Matthew 6:26, 28-30

                                    a.         But Jesus’ point is that man in more than the animals and plants

            B.        Man shares a commonality with God

                        1.         We are three parts - I Thessalonians 5:23

                        2.         Unlike the animals we were made in the image of God - Genesis 1:27

                        3.         Animals and humans return to the dust when we die - Ecclesiastes 3:19-21

                                    a.         But we can’t see the spirit. I can’t prove that the spirit continues on.

                                    b.         But we believe because God said so - Ecclesiastes 12:6-7

            C.        God cares because we belong to Him - Ezekiel 18:4, 20

IV.      God made us to be righteous

            A.        God made man righteous, but they seek out sin - Ecclesiastes 7:29

            B.        Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the foundation of the world to be holy, so He planned for our salvation

            C.        In that offer of salvation we see God’s love for us - I John 4:9-11

            D.        He doesn’t want people to perish - Ezekiel 18:21-23

            E.        Nothing can come between us and God’s love, if we would just not turn our backs on Him - Romans 8:30-39

V.        Given God’s care and great love for each of us, why should we seek any other but the one God?

            A.        We cannot put one little star in motion,

                        We cannot shape one single forest leaf,

                        We cannot fling a mountain up, nor sink an ocean,

                        Presumptuous pigmy, large with unbelief!

                        We cannot bring one dawn of regal splendor,

                        Nor bid the day to shadowy twilight fall,

                        Nor send the pale moon forth with radiance tender;

                        And dare we doubt the One who has done all?

                                                                        S. A. Nagel

            B.        God wants us to believe that He will welcome us - Hebrews 11:6

            C.        That belief should spur us to do His works - Ephesians 2:10

            D.        Will you not accept that God loves you, cares for you? Will you put off your sins, and put on the Lord? - Romans 6:3-4