29 January, 2017

Introduction:

Who are we?

Psalm 8

Friends, on 5 September, 1977 the American space agency (NASA) launched the
Voyager 1 spacecraft from Earth & its job was to study our Solar System. By 1980 it
had visited both Jupiter & Saturn. Then, after flying for another 30 years, the tiny
spacescraft had travelled over 16 billion kms. And in August 2012, Voyager 1
finally left our Solar System. Today, Voyager 1 continues to travel through space at
an incredible speed of 61,000km/h as it moves beyond our solar system, & NASA
estimates that if it continues to travel at its current speed, it will pass a nearby star,
called Gilese 445, in approximately 40,000 years. Now, one very proud NASA scientist, has recently said
that the Voyager 1 spacecraft is destined to wander around the Milky Way perhaps eternally!
Friends, Voyager 1 has shown us many things & it has revealed many mysteries to us, but perhaps the
biggest thing we have learnt from its incredible journey is that the universe is so BIG & that we humans
are so small. Friends, have you ever been far away from the city lights & looked up into the sky & seen
the millions of stars? The universe is so BIG & we are so small! And friends, that is exactly what the writer
of psalm 8 is doing. He is looking up into the dark sky & he is staring at the millions of bright stars & he is
thinking to himselfwho am I? What is my place in all of this? Look at v3.
When I look at the night sky & see the work of your fingersthe moon & the stars you set in place4
what is mankind that you bother with us? what are human beings that you care for us?
3

Friends, the writer is wondering who we humans are. And here in psalm 8, the answer to this very
important question is deeply connected to (1) who God is & (2) what Gods plans for the universe are.
I mean, here in verses 3 & 4, this man is looking at the beauty of the universe. And it is truly majestic. He
sees millions of stars & galaxies & they are constantly changing & moving across the night sky. And he
knows that they have all been made by the fingers of the LORD God. And so Psalm 8 teaches us that
we humans seem to be of very little value. I mean, we are such a small & insignificant part of the
whole universe that God has made! AND YET wonderfully, psalm 8 also teaches us that God cares for
us, God is interested in us, & God loves us- even though we are so small. And incredibly God has good
plans for us. Look at verse 5.
You have made humans a little lower than the angels & crowned them with glory & honour. 6 You put
them in-charge of the works of your hands you put everything under their feet:7 all flocks & herds, & the
animals of the wild,8 the birds in the sky, & the fish in the sea, all that swim in the seas.
5

Friends, in his great goodness & love, the LORD God, who is full of glory & power, wants to share his
glory & power with us humans, with you & me. Indeed, right at the start of the Bible, in Genesis 1, we
are told that God made us humans in his image. Really, we are a to be bit like a mirror reflection of
God. You see, God made us humans to be like him, working alongside with him & utilising His power
to help fulfil His good plans for the universe & to fulfil His good plans for you & me. And so, Psalm 8
teaches us that God made us to rule over His world - as good stewards or good managers of
everything he has made. Now, friends, let me tell you a little secret. One of the reasons that God has
allowed Voyager 1 to travel through space for over 40 years is that God wants us to know the universe
better. You see, God has not allowed any comets or meteors or solar radiation to hit & destroy this tiny
space craft Why? Why has God allowed Voyager 1 to keep going for so long? Well, one of the
reasons is that the Lord God wants us to rule over & look after this universe with Him. And so naturally,
God wants us to understand it better - so we can look after it better. Because the truth is that you can
only look after something well, if you understand it well. If you understand what it is & how it works. And
really, that is what has been happening throughout human history, hasnt it? I mean, for thousands of
years we humans have been growing in knowledge. And we have learnt to control animals, create
agriculture, weve build cities & factories & now weve even built spacecraft. And this is all good &
right, because God wants us to understand the universe so we can look after it - with him.
Now, the truth is that we humans are not perfect rulers, are we? I mean, we have made a lot of
mistakes in the past. But still, Gods plan is that we humans are to be in-charge of this world that God
has made. And to do this special job, well - God made us special. He made us in his image with the
power to think & plan & organise & to dream so we can rule & care for everything & everyone. And
friends, this responsibility that God has given to us also includes us ruling over ourselves. You see, we
humans were made to be like reflections of God who is in full control of himself, who is in-charge of his

own emotions & inner desires, who is slow to anger & abounding in love, & who always thinks & desires
& does - what is good & right. Friends, does this sound exciting to you? because it is! God invites us to
work in this world with Him & to become like Him. O Lord, our king, how majestic is you name in all the
earth!
And yet friends, it seems that in our modern world today, many people cannot understand these
things. I mean, although little children so naturally speak of Gods strength & wisdom & power- many
educated & sophisticated people in our world today cannot see the glory of God as they look around
at the world today. Indeed, I think many modern people refuse to see the goodness & glory of God in
the world around us. I mean, why else would you say silly things like this: Science has proved that God
does not exist. And you hear things like this on TV all the time, dont you? They say we dont need
God because we have science. Well friends, when did science prove that God does not exist? And
in which scientific journal has this been proven? And in which year did this very important research
happen? Frie3nds, it has not happened & it is not true!
Better still friends, lets ask these so-called experts to explain to us, what they think humans are? I
mean, lets ask them: what is our purpose in life? How should I live my life? Am I special? Well, as soon
as you do that, these so-called experts are in big trouble, because the truth is, they cannot tell you
because they do not know. And they do not know because science cannot answer these basic
questions of human life. Instead, what you will hear are words like molecules & DNA & genetics. And
really their conclusions about human life are always the same. They always say we humans have no
purpose in life, we are not special, & oh, by the way - there is no God! But friends, you cant live your
life properly, abundantly, & joyfully if you think like that. I mean, if they are right & the universe is just
one big accident, then the truth is that we are accidents, too. And if we are accidents then there is no
meaning to life. There is no plan, then is no purpose, there is no right & wrong & there is no such thing
as love, because an accident is just an accident an accident just happens. And maybe thats why
so many people in our world today have such trouble living their lives, well. I mean, think about the
problems we have in our society today: drug & alcohol abuse, violence, depression, road rage &
unhappiness & family breakdown, & our young people keep saying whatever all the time have
you noticed that? Oh, whatever!. And they say this because they believe nothing really matters. But
you see, thats exactly what they have been taught all their lives- by so called educated people. They
have been taught there is nothing of real, everlasting value in this world. They have been told there is
no real purpose in life you just make it up as you go along, & they have been told they are not
special, because there is no God.
But friends, the writer of psalm 8 looked at the world around him, at the world God had made, & he
praised God for his kindness in making us humans to be like him. He praised God for making us to know
God & to become like Him- in character & in power learning to reflect Gods goodness & love &
generosity to everything & everyone around us.
And friends, we turn to the pages of the New Testament, we see all the wonderful things psalm 8 says
about us humans, when we meet Gods son - the man Jesus Christ. You see, Jesus was the perfect
human, who was filled with the love of God, the power of God & the wisdom of God. And Jesus
fulfilled Gods plans for humans. You see, during his life on earth Jesus ruled over the universe his father
had made. Jesus ruled over the wind & the waves & human disease & supernatural demons. And
Jesus was also in full control of his own heart. I mean, Jesus never returned evil for evil, but he always
overcame evil with good. Look at what the book of Hebrews says about Jesus-. Hebrews 2:9
9 God

has put everything under mankinds control. Yet right now we do not see everything under his feet.
But now we see Jesus, who became a little lower than the angels, & has now been crowned with glory &
honour because he suffered death- so that by the grace of God Jesus tasted death for everyone.

Friends, Jesus has done what no other human has ever done before. You see, the eternal son of God,
became one of us human. And as a human, Jesus ruled over Gods world with Gods love & wisdom
& power. And Jesus willingly & graciously laid down his own life on the cross so that the power of sin &
death -which rules over our lives - could be broken, & so that we could begin to live a new life with
God, & to share in Gods glory & character & power- forever.

Conclusion
Friends, Gods son Jesus is the most special human of all. And this risen Jesus, now rules over everything
And Jesus now invites us to live a new life with him. Learning to rule over the universe with Him.
Learning to rule over ourselves - in love & wisdom & power. And learning to do Gods good to
everything & everyone. Friends, this is Gods wonderful plan for us. O Lord, our king, how majestic is
your name in all the earth!
Lets pray