Week One ~ Creation: The Beginning of Life as We Know It


Week of September 9, 2012

Weekly sermon theme:  It's All About Relationships

Weekly reading:  pages one through 12

4 comments:

  1. Welcome to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church!

    We are glad to have you join us on this journey through The Story.

    Below are some questions to begin the conversation about themes in Chapter One.

    Chapter One shows that everything began with God creating and ordering. How is this different than other explanations you have heard of how the world began? How might knowing that life has purpose and direction affect your daily decisions?

    Part of the meaning of being made in the image of God is that we were made for relationships and community. When sin entered the world, relationships were destroyed. Describe the change in relationships that occurred between the following:
    a. God and mankind
    b. Adam and Eve
    c. Mankind and the rest of creation
    d. Mankind and everlasting life

    Explain how Adam and Eve played the "blame game." Why is it so hard for us to accept the responsibility for our bad choices?

    What are some of the parallels between Noah's culture and our own? What attributes and actions of Noah can help us face the challenges of godly living in the world today?

    God made a promise to Noah never again to destroy mankind by a flood, and He confirmed it with a rainbow. What promises has he made to you?

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  2. For those people not knowing God, or believing that God created all, I recommend doing research - "The Case for Faith" and "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel, a former atheist and now a teaching pastor who went out to find out "truth." Knowing that we have the Holy Spirit living IN us and relying on His guidance will convict a person to try to live the life that God intends.

    Sin entered the world when Eve, then Adam, followed the temptation of satan. Their eyes/intellect became open to the wrong (sin) by discovering their nakedness (inward and outward shame) and then trying to hide from God. This one act damaged the relationship God had with mankind by introducing sin into the world. God's desire is to have a relationship with us. No relationship can occur without getting to know the one you will have a relationship with. Getting to know God requires being in His word daily.

    The temptations of this world; apathy, greed, jealousy, power, etc, are so easy to explain away to God, we slip into them gently then the more comfortable we get with them the more these temptations become a part of us, then become who we are. We have a hard time understanding that it is the "deceiver" who places these simple temptations into our lives. After a while society becomes numb to these sins and they become the norm - isn't this how we explain it to God (blaming others for our decisions)?

    There are more parallels between Noah's culture and our own than there is room to list. I think idolitry in all it's many forms would be the one word to compare his society to ours. We, as Christ followers, need to have the faith and courage to step out of our comfortable box and follow God in whatever direction he may take us. I imagine that Noah was quite a laughing stock of the town when he was building a huge boat in the middle of the desert - there was no large body of water nearby and God had not caused rain to come down at this time, yet Noah's faith in God was so strong that he just did it. (Gosh - I'd love to have the courage and faith of Noah!!!)

    God promised me in John 3:16 that I would have eternal life with Him if I only believe in Jesus - that's the only promise I need.

    Thanks for creating this blog - I look forward to reading and learing from others. Barb

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  3. I find it reassuring to know that my life has purpose in God's grander scheme. This reassurance helps me to turn toward God when I am faced with life's challenges. I also believe that life's challenges help to strengthen one's faith and trust in God.

    I like your reference to Strobel, a pastor who was tested, and became a follower of Christ because of his life's challenges. What an example he, and C.S. Lewis, have been for many people who are looking for answers to the purpose of life...and find Christ as a result!

    When sin entered the world, relationships were damaged and changed. I believe relationships are necessary to create community, and since sin destroyed our ability to relate honestly with each other, our sense of community was impaired. The community that Adam and Eve shared in the Garden was destroyed through their sin, and they were no longer able to trust each other or respond honestly to one another. I think part of putting their relationship back together meant they needed to confess to God their sin and realize that God is omnipresent and desires an honest relationship with us. I believe that through admitting our sins we have an opportunity to build positive relationships with each other, and develop a stronger community of believers. Sin makes us realize our true nakedness and exposes some of our shortcoming.

    I think it is so hard for us to accept our bad choices because no one wants their "nakedness" to be exposed. Sometimes it is a great feeling to put on a long-sleeved shirt over top of years of sin so that everyone sees perfection; however, as Adam and Eve learned in the Garden, God sees beyond the "apple" and the "long-sleeved shirt."

    Concerning Noah's culture and living in the world today, one parallel that seems apparent is that one must live by faith and trust in God. I believe even Noah doubted God's purpose for himself when He told Noah to go build an ark. I can only image what Noah might have thought. It must be akin to being asked to build an ark in Arizona! However, Noah trusted wholeheartedly in God and set out to build an arc. I think life's challenges are very really for many people today, just as they were for Noah; this is where we look to God and have faith in Him for our life's purpose. God will always send us a rainbow!

    Thank you for your insight and discussion!

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    Replies
    1. I like your analogy of the long sleeve shirt. God has asked us to confess to each other. How wonderful all of our relationships could be if we would shed the pretenses of trying to be what we think others want us to be instead of being the wonderful creation of God.

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