S T U D Y G U I D E ORIGINS G E N E S I S WEEKS 1-6
ORIGINSGENESIS JANUARY 25 INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW Sunday we heard a message on the introduction to Genesis. 1. What did God speak to you in the message on Sunday? 2. Was the message encouraging, challenging, or inspiring to you? 3. Did you find anything hard or difficult to accept in the message? If so, what? Why? 4. How do you plan to apply what you heard in your life? OPENING QUESTIONS: Genesis is a book about beginnings. As you look back over your life, what are some turning points that led to a new beginning? (These can be things like career, wedding, children, coming to Christ, commitment to ministry.) We are beginning a study in the book of Genesis. What are some questions you would like answered? (As the group leader, record these questions so you can refer back from time to time.) Take a few minutes to look at the big picture of Genesis. What does the name Genesis mean? (Beginnings) How many chapters are in the book? (50) Genesis can be approached in several different ways. It can be studied as a time line, a look at the major events, or a character study. We will do a little of all of these as we open this text. Page 1
ORIGINSGENESIS JANUARY 25 What are some of the main events that are recorded? (Have your group look through the pages of Genesis and find section headings that speak of events. These will include: creation, the fall of man, expulsion from the garden, the first murder, the flood, God s covenants, the birth of the nation of Israel, the children of Israel in Egypt) Who are some of the people we see highlighted? (Again, have your group look through Genesis for the names of people. These will include: Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, Seth, Noah and his sons, Abraham, Isaac, Esau, Jacob, the twelve sons of Jacob, Joseph) What are some things that you already know about these people or events? (Group shares) SUMMARY During our study of Genesis we will use a telescopic view of God s works to try to catch a glimpse of His greatness and majesty. We will also take a microscopic view to see His intimacy, connection and concern for His creation. PRAYER TIME Talk about new beginnings for this year and pray for one another that those goals will be accomplished. Page 2
ORIGINSGENESIS FEBRUARY 1 GENESIS 1 - CREATION 1. What did God speak to you in the message on Sunday? 2. Was the message encouraging, challenging, or inspiring to you? 3. Did you find anything hard or difficult to accept in the message? If so, what? Why? 4. How do you plan to apply what you heard in your life? OPENING QUESTIONS: Over the next couple of weeks we are going to be talking about creation. What is the most beautiful place you have ever seen? What about it made it so beautiful? READ TOGETHER GENESIS 1. As this first chapter unfolds, God speaks and creation begins. God still speaks today. How can you hear His voice? (His Word, prayer, preaching, teaching) Tell about a time when you heard Him. What are some words that are used to describe the earth before God began to create? (Without form and void, darkness covered the face of the deep) Where was God as He was creating? (He was hovering above the face of the waters.) What does that tell you about God in your life? (He is never very far away.) Page 3
ORIGINSGENESIS FEBRUARY 1 In this passage, God works very quickly but in stages. What does He do first? (He creates the light and then separates the light from the darkness.) How could that be applied to our lives spiritually? (God wants to bring light into our lives. That light is Jesus Christ.) How do you receive Jesus Christ? (Group leader can go through the Gospel message and encourage anyone in the group to pray to invite Christ into their lives.) What took place on the second day? (God created heaven.) After each stage what does God record about His creation? (It was good.) Why is it important for us to know that? (We tend to put people into categories based on beauty, talent, ability, intellect and then limit them accordingly. But God declares His creation to be good. Read Psalm 139 and link it to the creation story. This is your creation story.) There are two separate parts of the creation that take place on the third day. On our calendar, what day of the week would that be? (Tuesday) What do they include? (God separated the water into one place and called it the Seas and then He called the dry land Earth and said it was good. He then called the dry land to bring forth vegetation and said that was good. This is just a side note to the third day of creation. In the land of Israel, weddings often take place on the third day. This is done because there is a double it was good statement and thus has a double blessing attached to it.) Read the story of Jesus first miracle in John 2:1-12, note the day and discuss this creation story. Page 4
ORIGINSGENESIS FEBRUARY 1 Jesus took water for washing hands and turned it into the best wine. How can that be an encouragement to you? What does it tell you that He can do in your life? SUMMARY From the first moment that God spoke throughout all of eternity, His creation was to reveal His glory. We are to be a part of that. How can we bring glory to Him? PRAYER TIME Talk about opportunities that you might have to make Christ known this week. Page 5
ORIGINSGENESIS FEBRUARY 8 GENESIS 1 - CREATION 1. What did God speak to you in the message on Sunday? 2. Was the message encouraging, challenging, or inspiring to you? 3. Did you find anything hard or difficult to accept in the message? If so, what? Why? 4. How do you plan to apply what you heard in your life? READ TOGETHER GENESIS 1. OPENING QUESTIONS: If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? What is intriguing to you about nature? What is something in God s creation that you would like to know more about? Describe the creation on the fourth day: (Lights to separate day and night, they were to separate the seasons, days and years) How were the lights to rule the day and night? (The greater light to rule the day, the lesser light to rule the night) Discuss the ways the lights are used to identify day, night, seasons, days and years. (The answers could be something like: the moon goes through phases, the days get shorter during the fall and winter, the earth revolves around the sun so years are consistent, stable, we can count on the sun to rise and set) Page 6
ORIGINSGENESIS FEBRUARY 8 What are some of the miraculous events that have been identified with signs in the heavens throughout Scripture? (Darkness over Egypt... Exodus 10:21, the sun stood still...joshua 10:13, the birth of Christ...Matthew 2, Crucifixion...Matthew 27:45-50) When you think of some of the great sea creatures, what comes to mind? What are some of the most interesting birds or creatures with wings that you have ever seen? What does that creativity and beauty say to you about the Lord? What are the categories of land animals that God created on the sixth day? (Livestock, creeping things, beasts of the earth) This passage tells us that they were made according to their kinds. How do we see that in nature? (Animals can only reproduce within their own kinds. Chickens do not give birth to horses and dogs do not give birth to cats) On the sixth day God completed His creation with Adam. How was the creation of man different from the rest of creation? (God formed man from the dust of the earth, man was made in the image of God, man was to have dominion over the earth.) What did God say about His creation at the end of the sixth day? (It was very good.) PRAYER TIME Spend some time thanking the Lord for the beauty and abundance that He has given to us. Page 7
ORIGINSGENESIS FEBRUARY 15 GENESIS 2 - REST GENESIS 2:1-4 GOD S REST-SABBATH-MATTHEW 11:28 1. What did God speak to you in the message on Sunday? 2. Was the message encouraging, challenging, or inspiring to you? 3. Did you find anything hard or difficult to accept in the message? If so, what? Why? 4. How do you plan to apply what you heard in your life? READ TOGETHER GENESIS 2 OPENING QUESTIONS: Discuss a place or a time that is most restful. What makes it so? When can you rest best? It says twice that God rested on the seventh day. Which day is that in the creation story? (Saturday) Why do we generally choose Sunday as our day of rest? (Sundays we are reminded of the resurrection. The early Christians began to celebrate that each week.) Why did God rest? (God s work was completed. It meant it was finished) Did He get so worn out from creation that He just had to lie down? (No, God was modeling that we need to take time to rest. Psalm 124:1 He does not ever slumber or sleep.) Page 8
ORIGINSGENESIS FEBRUARY 15 What pictures can we get from God resting on the Sabbath? (God showed us that our bodies need rest every day and every week. We are to take time to stop everything else and focus on Him. It might also be a picture each week, a reminder every seven days that there is no work that we can do to earn our salvation. God was showing us that we can give our burdens to Him so we can rest...matthew 11:28) What does Matthew 11:28 say? How can we turn our burdens over to the Lord so we can rest? (Discuss) February 14 was Valentine s Day. How does God s provision for rest show His love to us? (Discuss) SUMMARY God rested because the work was finished. Go to John 19:30. Jesus said, It is finished. The word finished means that the work is done, completed. PRAYER TIME Pass out a piece of paper to each person. Write down anything that may be keeping you from resting. Read 1 Peter 5:7. Then spend some time in silent prayer giving those things to the Lord and laying those burdens at the cross. Thank Him for rest. After the prayer time have people tear up the papers and throw them away. Page 9
ORIGINSGENESIS FEBRUARY 22 MICHAEL JR. 1. What did God speak to you in the message on Sunday? 2. Was the message encouraging, challenging, or inspiring to you? 3. Did you find anything hard or difficult to accept in the message? If so, what? Why? 4. How do you plan to apply what you heard in your life? READ TOGETHER GENESIS 2 OPENING QUESTIONS: Genesis 2 talks about the creation of man. We are the only ones of God s creation who laugh. How is humor a gift from God? What is a time when you laughed so hard it was difficult to control? Look at Proverbs 17:22 and discuss. Look at the creation of the man and the creation of the woman. How are they alike? (Both are done by the hand of God. Both happen as part of God s divine plan. Both are made flesh and blood. Both are made perfectly.) How are they different? (Adam was made from dust. God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Eve was taken from Adam s side and God fashioned her.) Why do you think God created them using such different means? (Adam had his side pierced and his bride was formed from him. Jesus had His side pierced and His bride the church was formed from Him.) Page 10
ORIGINSGENESIS FEBRUARY 22 When God brought her to Adam what did Adam say? ( This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man. ) (Discuss) What is God s plan for marriage? (One man and one woman leaving father and mother to establish one flesh) What challenges do marriages face and how can those be circumvented or worked through? (Discuss) The Bible says they were not ashamed even though they were naked. Why not? (Sin had not yet entered into the world. There was nothing to be ashamed about.) SUMMARY Genesis 1 and 2 gives us the understanding that everything God did, He did on purpose. Creation was designed to glorify the Creator. Man was designed to have fellowship with Him. PRAYER TIME Talk about ways to spend more time with the Lord. How can you carve out more time to broaden that fellowship with Him? Then pray about making that a reality this week. Page 11
ORIGINSGENESIS MARCH 1 GENESIS 3 - FALL OF HUMANITY GENESIS 3:1-13 FALL OF HUMANITY/TEMPTATION/BLAMING/ ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY 1. What did God speak to you in the message on Sunday? 2. Was the message encouraging, challenging, or inspiring to you? 3. Did you find anything hard or difficult to accept in the message? If so, what? Why? 4. How do you plan to apply what you heard in your life? READ TOGETHER GENESIS 2 OPENING QUESTIONS: Have you ever witnessed someone defending their actions by laying the responsibility at someone else s feet? Why do you think it is so easy to do that? What is the first thing that satan said to Eve? ( Did God actually say, You must not eat of any tree in the garden? ) Why do you think satan began his temptation with this question? (Casting doubt can be fertile ground for disobedience. God s Word is a firm foundation.) What was Eve s response to the serpent s question? ( We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. ) Page 12
ORIGINSGENESIS MARCH 1 What had God actually said about the tree? (Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. ) In what way did Eve change God s command? (She made it more binding than God had.) Why did God give them this law? (Faithfulness must come from a choice or it is not love and obedience.) Satan began with doubt but then spoke a complete lie. What did he tell her? (She would not die.) Adam and Eve did not immediately die. How was God s Word fulfilled? (They were immediately cut off from the Lord. This is much like cutting a rose. The flower may still give the appearance of life but because it has been cut off from the plant it is dead.) How do Adam and Eve try to cover themselves? How long do you think fig leaves can last as a covering? (Fig leaves dry up pretty quickly. They are as useless as our excuses for our sins.) Adam and Eve made the choice to go against God. They believed the lie that their disobedience would give them wisdom rather than death. How do you see that lived out in our world today? (Discuss.) SUMMARY Disobedience leads to chaos and pain. Excuses and reasons for our choices are as useless as fig leaves. The only way back is through Jesus. PRAYER TIME Ask the Lord to help you to recognize when you have placed blame on others for actions that need to be admitted and forgiven. Page 13
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