Intro // Genesis 1:26-28 John 20:1-18
Is the Bible a boys club? Where can women find representation in the text? If I am a male reader, should I engage in this DT series or should I take a break until the next one starts?
These are all important questions to be asking. The hope of this series is to help our church discover the stories and impact of women in the Bible. Throughout the story of scripture, women are called by God to do and be all sorts of things for the kingdom. Their callings and giftings were diverse, and their lives impacted generations. From Hagar to Miriam to Mary to Lydia, God does not shy away from calling women to do bold, scary, or sacrificial things.
What all of these women have in common is that they served God, no matter how hard it got. No matter how much it cost. They leaned into their difficult callings and used their gifts for God’s glory.
In the Bible, we see women rise up as leaders, church planters, mothers, apostles, prophets and business women. Whether they were a gentile slave or a rich Jew, they leveraged their position to exalt God. As we dive into this series - regardless of our gender, let us learn from the example of these women. Let us never shy away from a calling or neglect to use our gifts for the kingdom.
Our texts today explore two key events that sit in the foreground of the stories we will explore over the next couple of weeks: Creation and New Creation.
Let us look at Genesis 1:26-28. Depending on your bible translation, you might’ve read that God created “man in our image.” The word “man” here means humanity, or mankind in a corporate sense. Not “man” singular. When God sets out to create humanity, he created them male and female, to reflect his nature.
Then, he gives humanity the call to, ““Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28)
From the first page of the biblical narrative, we see that man & woman are created by God, and both reflect his nature. They are both given the call to partner with God and reflect his goodness to the world. Sometimes, because we use the “he” pronoun when talking about God, we might subconsciously believe that maleness is somehow closer to God’s nature. But Genesis 1 clearly shows that God’s image could not be accurately represented in humanity without both genders.
Women are created to reflect God’s image and partner with him from the beginning of creation.
In a similar way, we see women partner with God in a unique way in new creation.
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead sealed the arrival of the Kingdom of God for all who trust in Him. In the Kingdom that Jesus proclaimed, there would be no death, there would be hope, and Jesus would be king. When Jesus died, all hope for this new kingdom was lost. But in his resurrection, he enabled all people who trust in him to become a new creation in His Kingdom.
And who were the first to preach and proclaim this promise? Who were the first to witness the assurance of our salvation into new creation? It was Jesus’ female followers. They are the first to obey God’s command to “go” and preach the good news.
In the time of their authorship, both of these creation narratives would’ve absolutely subverted the gender norms at the time. When culture has tried to devalue, minimize, or even dehumanize women, God and his word maintain the importance and equality of women in God’s kingdom.
So whether you’re male or female, let us celebrate, honor, and learn from the women of scripture. As God’s image and faithful followers, their stories will surely point us towards him.
Before you close your Bible and journal for the day, take a moment to journal on the following questions:
What does God’s creation of humanity tell me about his character?
How does Mary Magdalene model what it looks like to trust God & follow him?
