NASHVILLE (BP) – This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with Lifeway Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, Lifeway publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.
This week’s Bible study is adapted from The Gospel Project curriculum.
Bible Passages: Genesis 1:1–2:3; Hebrews 11
Discussion Questions:
- Why do we need to be reminded that the God who saved us is also the God who made the universe?
- What are some ways you have seen the goodness of God’s creation?
- How might you need to stand for the truth about God’s creation in your home, community and workplace?
Food for Thought:
Read Genesis 1:1–2:3. The word prequel was not a normal part of English parlance until the last 20 years. Why? Mainly because of movies and more particularly because of the Star Wars films. The first film in the Star Wars saga, released in 1977, began in the middle of a larger story and was subtitled “Episode IV: A New Hope.” The film dropped the audience into a story with an assumed history to which they had no access other than the allusions made within the film itself.
The perspectives of Star Wars fans in the late 1970s match on some level with the experience of the ancient Hebrews (or, later on, Israelites). With their exodus from Egypt (Exodus 13-14), the Hebrews were reintroduced to the one true God, Yahweh, through a great act of redemption. Having some knowledge about God’s promises to their ancestors, the Hebrews rediscovered that they were in the middle of God’s story, with the Book of Genesis providing the background for this story of stories.
Genesis was the prequel of sorts that the Holy Spirit led Moses to compose in order to give the people of Israel their backstory, which is God’s story. The God who made promises to their ancestors – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – was the God who created the heavens and the earth. Therefore, Genesis 1:1 gave the formerly enslaved Hebrews the proper outlook on who this redeeming God is, namely, the maker of heaven and earth (compare Genesis 2:4b).
Yahweh was not just another deity among the pantheon of gods the Hebrews heard about from their neighbors. He is the God, the Creator of the universe, the only God and the only Savior (Isaiah 43:10-11), the God of gods and Lord of lords (Deuteronomy 10:17).
The Gospel Project
The Gospel Project is a chronological, Christ-centered study for kids, students and adults. The Bible is not a collection of stories. It is one story of God’s plan to rescue His people from sin and death. It is the story of redemption, the gospel message of Jesus Christ. More information can be found at gospelproject.com.
Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by Lifeway can be found at Lifeway.com/SundaySchool.
