We're All Called Good in God's Eyes

In today’s society, it may not be appearing to look so good around us, but God did intend for everything to look good, even us.  Yes, I will repeat it again; even for us to look good to the Father when we’re in our rightful place. I want everybody to understand we’re not perfect, but we can redeem our spirit man to become right with God and look good to him again. Let’s start with a great foundation for this message and start from the very beginning. Let’s look at  Genesis 1:2-4 “2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4) And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” I would like to parallel this to the potter who put the clay on the potter’s wheel from Jeremiah 18:4 “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.” What is interesting is that God first spoke his goodness into the place we’re living in now called earth. Then the potter (being God) shapes a vessel out of clay with his hands and molds it into something to admire.

Did you notice that in both places it started off with something without form and void? It didn’t look very pretty from the start either, but in both cases, once God put his love into the earth and the vessel they became a place and a vessel that looked good. They no longer had void and darkness, because they have been removed from both. Don’t believe me? Go back and look at what he said in both passages. It tells us, God said, it was good.
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Now, what does the earth and a clay vessel got to do with anything about you or me?  God made you and me. Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Not only did God start thinking about us, but he made us from dust, just as he made a vessel out of clay, but God gave us something better than the clay vessel. God gave us life, by breathing life in us. Genesis 2:6 “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Yes, God made us and we actually looked good to him, too. Go to Genesis 1:31 “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” We don’t see the word “man” in verse 31, but this verse relates to his whole creation all the way back to verse one, so God made everything to look good to him, even us.

Then, God saw something else, that was very good and it could remove some void and darkness, because of the fall of man. Let’s look at the passage where the fall happened. Genesis 3:6 “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Who was God thinking about that was so good for us after the fall? Just about everybody knows this; it’s his son, Jesus. Yes, Jesus is the only avenue for us to be redeemed back to God. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” To me, this is a God who truly loves us very much.

Now, if God sent his best to redeem us. How did Jesus start redeeming us? Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Later, Jesus went to the whipping post to take on our void and darkness and all that this represents, so that it could be removed from us through him. Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Then, while on the cross he forgave us. Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.” So, how do we really redeem ourselves to look good again to fit in the scripture from John 3:16?

We have to come to a place of repentance? Jesus did open up with repent from Matthew 4:17. Where can we start  repenting? In Romans 10:9-10 “9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Now, this doesn’t mean we changed on the outside in appearance, but on the inside, we do change. How does this change on the inside show on the outside? It’s the power of God’s love working through us by removing the old man and taking on the new. Ephesians 4:22 -24 “22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Now, how do we see a solid transformation?

We get rid of what it says in Colossians 3:5; 8 “5) Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:   8) But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.” Then we put on the new man which is described in Colossians 3:12-15 “12) Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14) And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” I don’t know about you, but this gives a clear picture of how we can look good again in God’s eyes. That new man puts us in a special place, too. Revelations 21:27 “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.”  Do you think we’re a good enough to help spread the word now that we’ve come back to God? Absolutely!

We just saw Jesus spreading the word from Matthew 4:17, but where can we find that we’re created to help spread the word of God? Let’s take a look at Isaiah 49:5 “And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. 6) And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.” Notice, “yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD”. I don’t know about you, but it fit the title of this message “We’re All Called Good in God’s eye.” Then, from verse six, everybody was to be included with the word “Gentiles”. We don’t have to be anything special, just be you. Jesus told us we’re to help spread the word, too. “Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Now, what I also want us to consider is this passage. Matthew 3:1-4 “1) In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2) And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3) For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4) And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.” See, John the Baptist didn’t look good on the outside either, but he did spread the word about repenting and there was one who would make it right for us. Don’t misunderstand me, yes, we need to know all we can about the word, because there are those who will challenge us with the word, but overall, we’re to spread the word of God to everyone that we can.  Even, if it’s just to tell them “Jesus loves you” or “have a blessed day” to start off with. In the mean time find a good home church that not only has a good sermon every Sunday, but a good bible study to learn from. Read the bible yourself. It will help you remember scriptures as you read it; eventually the scriptures will become alive to you. Believe me! You won’t regret it; once you learn the truth and that truth works in your life. Can you or me remove void and darkness and bring in the light to those who need it?

Yes, it’s because of the Jesus that abides within us, but not of our own power John 15:4 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” Remember, Jesus tells us this in Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” So, now concerning removing void and darkness take a look at what Jesus tell us in John 14:12 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that    believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” Now, what void and darkness did Jesus remove that we can remove with him working through us? Luke 4:18-19 “18) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” What does that last verse mean to me? It means it has no expiration date. It’s good all year round, every day of each year that we walk here on earth until we see the return of Jesus.

I hope and pray that you can see yourself as good in the eyes of the Lord as he sees you, because he said we looked good to him from the beginning. Just open your heart to him and let him bring the best out of you, so that you can be that good and willing vessel he needs you to be, because you really do look good to him.

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