“Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human being in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”(Genesis 1:26-28)
Good Morning and welcome to another edition of Coffee Corner. We hope you enjoy our time together. Please come in and have a seat. Oh don’t forget to grab yourself a cup-o-joe and a donut. Today’s coffee is a specially good coffee because it is a fair-trade coffee brand. If you don’t know what fair-trade coffee is, well according to Wikipedia, I only use info from here when I know it is correct, “Fair trade coffee is coffee that is certified as having been produced to fair trade standards by fair trade organizations, which create trading partnerships that are based on dialogue, transparency and respect, with the goal of achieving greater equity in international trade. These partnerships contribute to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to coffee bean farmers. Fair trade organizations support producers and sustainable environmental farming practices and prohibit child labor or forced labor.” I am tying this brand of coffee for the first time and I gotta say I am liking it. The brand is Big Shoulders Coffee, and the beans are from Honduras. This is a lighter roast than I typically get but it has good flavor with hints of chocolate and orange. I hope you enjoy.
Well, this month we celebrate Mothers everywhere. For many of us our mother holds a special place in our heart. Many of us were provided for and raised by solely our mother. It really does take a special person to do a mother’s job. However, here at Coffee Corner we also understand that Mother’s Day can be very hard for some of us. Some of us have lost our Mother, miscarried, or lost our child, or are struggling to even have a child. And there are some women that have simply chosen not to have children. I want to say to all those that struggle during this time of year we here, at Coffee Corner, struggle with you. We mourn with you. We stand beside you and we love you just the way you are.
So, in honor of all women, this month we are going to celebrate everything woman. When God created woman, he did so with love and intention. His plan was never to diminish women, nor did he create them less than man. He created woman to perfectly compliment man. She was man’s equal in all ways. In the beginning, both man and woman were perfect and were perfect together. As our scripture reading states today, God commanded both man and woman to govern over all the Earth, together.
Oh, how wonderfully made are women. Women are life-givers, nurturers, and so much more. Not one of you is a mistake and not one of you are less than anyone else. Never let anyone tell you differently because you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Each of you are beautiful just as you are, skinny or chubby, tall or short, black, white, yellow, brow, green, or any other color. Each one of you are as unique as the stars and have a purpose in God’s kingdom.
So, what happened? Why do people use scripture, especially the Old Testament, to subject women to be “less than” a man and that women should be subservient to men. Well, there was this little incident with a forbidden fruit. It wasn’t actually the fruit that caused it but the disobedience of Adam of Eve that caused sin to enter the world. And the woman’s punishment would be that she would have pain in child birth and would be ruled over by man. I know some of you out there are saying “I aint ruled over by no man!” “I don’t need no man!” And actually, God said that this was your punishment also that you would desire to control your husband or really any man.
However, we were designed to need each other both man and woman. And if you look throughout scripture this is how God has always wants it to be, that together man and woman work together, in unity. Women can do amazing things by themselves and many of you prove that by being a single mother working to provide for your family and I applaud you and praise you all for the amazing thing you do. Yet God’s plan for you is so much more.
Listen men, I am not giving you permission to Lord over the women in your life. Quite the opposite really, cause see God has once again flipped the script. Since the time Adam and Eve ate that fruit, God has been reconciling all of humanity back to him and part of that reconciliation is rectifying the misunderstanding that man has when it comes to his authority over women. It was never meant to be an authority to subject women to pain and misery. No, we are to be the help mate of our spouse. Just as Christ laid down his life and became a servant to all, so must we men. We are to lay our wants and needs down and consider what is best for our wives and families. It is not about us but about the wellbeing of the family.
I can’t stress enough women were never created less than men. They have always been seen in God’s eyes as equal to men. Throughout scripture time and time again we see God using women in amazing ways. From Abigail to Deborah to Easter and Jael. Let’s not forget Miriam or Rahab, or Ruth. And no list is complete without Mary the mother of Jesus, or Mary Magdelene.
For those that use Paul’s word’s to Timothy about not allowing a to teach a man I urge you to first take the piece of scripture into the proper context. Not only that I also urge you to read the rest of Paul’s letters with open eyes. Time and time again he praises prominent women in his ministry. I could give you the scripture to back all this up but I want you to honestly seek these truths out. Take your Bible and read Romans, Ephesians, Corinthians and others. Pray for God to open your eyes and hearts. But one piece of scripture that I do want to leave here is Galatians 3:27-28 “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” If we are in Christ, we are all equal. Both men and women of Christ are a royal priesthood and we are all called to share the Gospel and to baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The great commission is not just for men but for all people of Christ.
Also, let us not forget the first person Jesus showed himself too and told to go tell others he is risen was not man but a woman. So we can say, the first preacher of the risen Christ was a woman. Oh I know I stepped on some toes here but maybe a little bit of stepping on toes is necessary to get m point across. God created man and woman equal to do his will. Sin caused consequences but did not change the fact that God will use whoever, whenever he wants. And that God, with the sacrifice of his son, has reconciled man and woman back to him.
Oh women, do not let anyone tell you God does not want to use you or that God created you less than man. Stand up to the evil one and say “get behind me, My God will chose who he wants to use.” Each of you are part of the kingdom of God and God loves you and will use you in mighty ways.
In closing, I pray for all the women reading this that you are blessed, and I pray you come to understand how precious and loved you are in the eyes of God. He sees you, loves you, and knows you. He has plans for you, for your good and not to harm you. He wants to use you to reach the lost around you. And you can do it, with the power and help found in Christ. And men I pray you honor women the way you should. I pray you treat your spouse with the love and care in which God takes care of you. I pray you follow Christ’s example and live a life of sacrifice, especially towards your wife and children. With that said I must go and clean the kitchen for my wife. May you all have a blessed month and take care till we speak again.
Your brother in Christ,
Pastor Jonathan
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