So that was our presentation. At least you heard some of it. You didn't want to see the the last part, but we're excited to to see what the Lord is going to do through the the ministry of our college and also the church. We moved on from that church ministry. I still I'm part of the leadership but not involved as much anymore.

And but we do get together and we discuss things about the church. But we are looking for what the Lord wants us to do when we return now in January. I don't feel like I want to be back in the church not because there is any problem. We, the church wants us to be back and even Ezekiel, I think he would like us to be back. I personally don't want to step on any in this in a be in a place I I shouldn't be be him being the pastor now and before I was that I had that role.

I don't want to come back and people to look at me and say, hey, you're back. Now, I'm going to talk to you now as a pastor of the church and I I just don't want any of that to happen. So, So, the Lord will guide. We have, as soon as we mentioned, we we had the possibility of doing a ministry at about four hours north of Uruguay. That ministry for now is not going to take place.

So, when we mentioned that to some of the friends, thankfully, we had many offers. Okay, come and help us here. Come and help us here. So, at this point, we're praying to see what the Lord leads us in concerning church ministry. The college is going to continue everything the same.

I work as a director of the college and as one of the professors and my wife teaches there as well. So, I we appreciate your prayers. Thank you for your support for many years. Pastor said, you guys been supporting us since before we went to Uruguay in 2012. So, it's been many years and we're very grateful for your faithfulness to praying for us and supporting us financially.

That is why we are in Uruguay and so we we appreciate that and we thank you for that. One of the opportunities we have with my wife is to teach a class together. And we don't teach classes together very often. But she was teaching a class for ladies called the role of women. The biblical role of women.

So she was teaching that class and many of the ladies in the class said, the guys need to listen to this. They need to hear what you're teaching. The guys need to learn this too. And my wife came to me and said, you know what? The girls made this comment.

I think it will be interesting if we could do a class. I don't know if she gave the idea of do a class for men and ladies that talk about the role of men and women, the biblical role of men and women. So we thought about it and we came up with a plan to have a class together. We teach it together and we teach the role of men and I focus on that aspect and the role of women and she focuses on that but everybody listens both the men and the female and the ladies. So, we we had that class and we loved it.

It was a great experience and part of that class it was the discussion to know what the Bible says about what is a man and what is a woman And we live in a society today that there is a lot of confusion on what the Bible says on that topic. So I want to go to the first passage we're going to see this morning and then we're to go to another one. But let's go to the beginning of the Bible. Because God from the begin beginning he's telling us what we need to know about men and women. So let's go to the first chapter of Genesis.

And we're going to read verse twenty six and twenty seven. Genesis one twenty six and twenty seven. And God said, let us make man in our image after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over the all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image. In the image of God created he, him, male, and female create created he, them.

Let's pray now for God's blessing. Our father, we are grateful to you because we have an opportunity to learn from your word. Our father, we are desiring and we ask you to speak to our hearts and help us as we heard this morning in Sunday school. Help us to worship you in the way we respond to this message that you have this morning for us and we pray this in Jesus name, amen. If we look at the scriptures, when we look at men and women, the society that we live in today, what does it say?

They want us to divide us. They want us separate. Men are this, women are this, and they're trying to create conflict between men and women. But when you look at the scriptures, the Bible says completely the opposite. We see God making mankind.

Men and woman made equal before God. We see one race, we don't see too many races. We only see one race, mankind called Adam or mankind. So, God created men and woman, one, the woman, women, and they are equal before God in personhood, in value, in dignity, and importance. So, there is no superiority between men and women.

There is no one better than the other. Before God we are the same. Even in Galatians three twenty eight says, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. So before God, we are the same.

That's what the Bible teaches us. But having said that, God created man and woman to have different roles. In our families, even in the church. And this is not based on the ability of men or the ability of women. But this is based on the design of God.

God designed for the man to be the leader of the home and made the man responsible to leave the home spiritually, emotionally too, and the woman to be a support to the husband. But if you look at the beginning of everything, if you go back to the Garden of Eden, What happened when Satan came to tempt men? What did he do? From the beginning, you see that Satan approached the woman. It's not because she was weaker, because she was more emotional as some people say, no.

The devil knew the plan of God from the beginning to put the man in charge. He went and talked to the lady, the wife, and say, hey, what do you think we should do? What do you think? What's your opinion? What should you do?

Instead of going to the man, the leader of the home, he went to her. And the devil is constantly trying to destroy this plan of God for men, for mankind, or for the family or the church. So, the story of creation is not what the Bible, what the society tells us today. The story of creation focuses on the similarities of men and women, not so much in the differences. And what is a great similarity?

What do we have in common? Verse twenty six and twenty seven say, and God said, let us make men in our image. After our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle and and all over the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he, him, but who?

He created male and female in the image of God. So, what is the most important similarity between men and women is that we are all made in the image of God. Both men and female made in the likeness of God. So, when we look at this, we see what God intended for us humans, mankind, to be made in the image of God, to represent God if you want to put it that way and to reflect him. That's your job, that's my job as humans.

I don't know if you got to see by the video before he cut off the image. There was a part that says something about meat. In Uruguay, we eat a lot of meat, red meat. Some of you might not like that but in your ways, culture. We call, we have something called asado which is you put meat meat on the grill and you cook it very slowly.

It's delicious. It's amazing. When it comes to my children, they are 50% American, 50% of Uruguayan because my wife is from The States. I'm from Uruguay. But when it's time to eat meat, they are a 100% Uruguayan because they love meat.

They love it so much. But the bible never says anything about that is wrong to eat meat actually. You see different parts in the Bible says, go ahead and eat, told Peter. But it does say something. It is not sinful to eat the animals.

We see in the Bible, but it is sinful to kill a person. Genesis nine six says, whoever sheds the blood of men, by men shall his blood be shed. But you know the reason why you're not supposed to kill somebody else? I know it's wrong, but you know the real reason why? For God made man in his own image.

That's why you cannot hurt somebody else because that person is made in the image of God. Amen. So, you know how people try to divide us between these people, races, gender, all that? God is always looking the opposite to unite us and saying, you need to love your neighbor. Guess what?

He's made in my image. I made him in my image. You need to love him. You cannot hurt him. Even more, you cannot kill him but even more, James three nine says, with with it, it's talking about the tongue.

With it, we bless our Lord and father and with it, we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. You cannot kill somebody, but you cannot even curse somebody. Because why? Because no matter what they have done to you, they are made in the image of God. So, man was the most special creation of all the things created and the reason why is that God put his image in you and in me.

We reflect his image. We are supposed to be an image like a picture of God. That's what we're supposed to be doing. Now, the truth is that that image of God in us was damaged, was harm, was marred because of sin. And when men sin and women fell, the woman fell, God's image in us was destroyed, was damaged, but it was not erased.

We're still made in the image of God today. It's not a perfect image but even though men sin, God's image still in him and we have we have we're made in his image still. Even though we cannot represent God perfectly, there is one person that did it perfectly and that is what we see in Colossians one fifteen. When he says, he is the image of the invisible God. He's talking about Jesus Christ.

The firstborn of all creation. He is the perfect image. You want to see who God is? How God is? His character?

Look at Jesus. We should be reflecting God and we don't. But look at Jesus and he is the picture of God. Now, we are trying to be like Jesus so we can reflect God more and more. So, all this is kind of like an introduction to the the main passage that we're going to see.

And I think I have to be finishing soon. But the only way we could reflect that image of God is by coming to this perfect God made in the flesh. The second Adam, the first Adam failed, the second didn't fail. He succeeded. He was perfect.

He reflected God in a perfect way. And the only way we can reflect God is by coming to him and receiving his perfection. So, what do we do with this passage now? We're made in the image of God. Okay.

What do I do with it? And I'm going to go to the second passage and I'm sure you're gonna be a little bit confused. But let's go to Matthew 22. And go to verse 15 when you get there. Matthew 22 verse 15.

Do you see most Bibles have a title there in in on top of that? Do you see what it says there? What is this passage talking about? Just say it aloud, I guess. Paying taxes.

You You want to talk about paying taxes, people? One of our favorite things to do. Alright. He's talking about paying taxes. Let's read it and see why this is a great lesson for us.

Verse 15. Then when the Pharisees and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk, and they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians saying, Master, we know that thou art true and teaches the way of God in truth, neither cares thou for any man, for thou regardest not the person of man. Tell us therefore, what thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, why tempt me, ye hypocrites?

Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he said unto them, whose is this image and subscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's.

And unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they marveled and left him and went their way. Now, we we just came from Genesis one talking about the image of God and now we're talking about paying taxes. How does this connect to Genesis one? It is interesting that Jesus is teaching has been asked, I'm sorry, he's been asked a question, and the only purpose of that question was to what?

To trick him. To make him fall. To said, okay, say something that will get you in trouble with the Romans or with the Jewish people. That's the only purpose and that's why he answered in verse 18, why tempt you me, you hypocrites? You're just tempting me.

You don't want to know the truth. So Jesus because he knows what they are trying to do here with this paying taxes or no paying taxes because he knows if I say don't pay taxes, oh I'll get in trouble with the Romans but if I say pay taxes, I get in trouble with the Jewish people. So, because God and Christ is all wise God. He says, show me the coin. So somebody gave him a coin and he picked the coin and there was a image.

A the face of somebody. A person. So they he says, who's this image and superscription? The people say, Caesar's. And then we think that he's talking about taxes.

But you know what Jesus talking about? Jesus did this. He took the coin and said, render therefore unto Caesar the things that have the image of Caesar. But give on to God whatever has the image of God. So basically he's telling them, this belongs to Caesar.

Yeah, that's fine. He didn't even talk about taxes. But if you wanna pay taxes, pay taxes. But you know what is even more important? Whatever has the image of God, that belongs to God.

And it should be given to God. So everybody's thinking, what has the image of God? They look at themselves and they say, hey, I have the image of God. I was made in the image of God. I belong to God.

I have to give myself to God. And when we read that in Genesis one, God made us in his image, both male and female. He made us not for yourself, but he made you for him. And the best thing you can do with your life is to live your life for him and not for yourself. That's where you find the greatest satisfaction in your life.

When you live it for him, for the one that you carry his image, you are representing him. And he made you for that. My wife and I, we, throughout the years, we have different experiences in the in the ministry in Uruguay, but we had an unusual situation about two years ago now, maybe. I a friend of mine called me and said, hey, I have a pastor from Argentina that he just called me and said, a soccer player from Argentina is moving to Uruguay. He's gonna play for a team and he's looking for a church.

And so I thought about you and your church there in Montevideo, the capital. And so maybe you can get in touch with him. I didn't know the guy at all but he turned out to be a pretty famous soccer player. At least in Argentina and playing very important teams. So he moved to the capital and within a week or so, he was in our house.

He came over with his wife and daughter and baby boy. And we had a wonderful time. And if you know anything about Uruguayan culture, soccer is huge. It's like too much and maybe a little bit too much for the culture. So, some of the guys in our church that are fans of that team that he was playing for, they found out that he will be coming to our church and they all got excited because this guy was coming and it was an interesting time for those guys to get to know this famous soccer player And we had a great great interaction with him and we were able to go over to their house and they came over to our house and and eat together and and one day he said, Matthias, I want you to come to my house and I'm going to invite some of my soccer player, my teammates and come over to my house.

I want you to preach. I wanted to share the gospel with them And I thought, wow, this is a great opportunity. I would never be able to reach these people. You know, they are like out there in in the culture. They put them out there like this great soccer players.

They they live in place I don't live. They drive cars that I don't drive and they're super rich and all that stuff. So, I thought, wow, what an opportunity. So, we went over and we showed up and it was just him, his wife, a friend that was visiting from Argentina, and my wife and I. And we were just there and we were like, where's everybody?

Where are the the famous soccer players? And we waited and waited and waited, and nobody came. And we were like, wow. I could think about so many people that if a soccer player invites them to come over to their house, they would be right there just to spend time with him. So we waited a little bit more, and finally, a couple showed up.

And he was not a soccer player. It was an older guy that he had met somewhere. They came over and we started chatting. And then at one point, my friend, the soccer player, Saint Mathias, go ahead and preach. So, I started talking about this, what I just shared with you.

I went to Genesis one from the beginning how God created us and he created us with a purpose and he made us in his image and he made us for him. I went to Colossians one. How he made us through him and for him and the the best thing we can do is to live for him and glorify him. The wife was had a little background and maybe Catholicism a little bit. She kept saying, I feel peace.

I don't know. It's it's so special. She just got all emotional like that. He was like this the whole time. Looking at me like this.

And I just you don't try to impress anybody but I was trying to like try and make it like, no, this is good for you. You need this. And he just kept looking at me like, very serious. No expression. So you want some kind of back and forth.

And I thought, wow, what's going on in his mind? What is Is he getting anything of this? And so after I finish sharing about how God sent his son to die for us so we can live for him now and glorify him and bring him honor and that's why he created you, sir, with your arms like this. You were created to glorify him. So, it is very interesting what he said and I wrote it down because I always want to remember this.

He said, I have never heard anything about the Bible before. This is a man in his fifties. He had never heard anything about the Bible. He had never read the Bible. And I had never, I have never thought about these things that you talked about.

I will think about it. And that was it. I wish she, I was like, let's think about it now. Come on. Let's do a little bit more thinking.

Come on, let's come on. But I know I cannot convince anyone. I can just preach God's word and I can just share this and pray that God would open their hearts so they would understand and that's what I can do. But that idea, that mentality is a typical your YM mentality. It's like, I never heard that before.

Interesting. I'll think about it. But this man doesn't know that the best thing that he can do is really think about it but not just think about it but believe this. And believe that God made him for his glory. May him in God's image to glorify him.

And my prayer is for him and for many in Uruguay that they would come to that point of bowing down before Christ, asking forgiveness, and begin to live their lives for the glory of God and I don't know where you are right now this morning. Maybe you are standing, sitting there, not with your arms crossed but in your heart, your arms are crossed. And you're like saying, okay, try to convince me. I don't have to convince you. The Holy Spirit does the convincing.

I just depend on that. But I know God loves you so much that he's allowing you to be here this morning, to hear this message, that he made you in his image to glorify him with your life and that that is the best thing you can do with your life. So, I encourage you today to give your life to Christ. If you haven't done it yet and live for him and if you have, if you're a believer already, I encourage you to leave this place now thinking God, you may mean your image, and I belong to you. I should give myself to you.

Help me do that every single day. Let's pray. Father, thank you for this time and I thank you that you are a gracious God and you're very patient and you allow us now to spend some time meditating on the fact that we were made in your image but for your glory. Father, I pray that if anyone here today is still rejecting the message of the gospel, that today, I did might be the day of salvation to understand what Christ has done for him or her on the cross. Paying for their sins so we can live for you and glorify you.

I pray for this church that individually each one of them will have a desire to go out and glorify you in the way they live, the way they talk to others, the way they serve other people. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.