Series Title: The Space Between | Week 2
Scripture: Genesis 9, Genesis 12, Genesis 15
Bottom Line: You are not beyond rescue. God has guaranteed it!
Book References
The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament by Dr. Sandra L Richter
Pastor Matt will be referencing this book throughout the series. He encourages us to take the time to read this book.
Group Check in:
How is it with your soul?
Prayer Request? Praises?
How has God shown up in your life this week?
Ice Breaker:
Have you ever made a promise you weren't able to keep? How did it make you feel? What did you do?
Have you ever felt God nudging you to do something that seemed crazy to everyone else around you? If so, what was it?
Overview:
This message is about reclaiming the beginning of the journey back to Eden as we hear God's refusal to allow His creation to travel down the road to destruction. As God hits reset (for the last time), with one man, he begins the rescue plan in earnest with one family. God promises Abraham in Genesis 12 PEOPLE, PLACE, AND PRESENCE by means of ancient, near eastern, covenant. The power of that covenant was demonstrated a few chapters later in Genesis 15 when God, Himself, guarantees the covenant.
Covenant: ancient term. It was a way to make a mutual agreement between families.
Cut the Covenant: Used in agreements/covenants by severing an animal, with the implication that the party who breaks the covenant will suffer a similar fate.
Genesis 6: Every inclination of every human heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 9: God does not destroy, but chooses to reset, so that He can begin the work of rescue in earnest. De-creation, then recreation.
Noahic Covenant: God chooses 1 righteous man, Noah, to be the vehicle for His reset. The rainbow is a symbol of God's promise. (Slide 1)
Genesis 12: God makes a covenant with Abraham to:
1. make of Abraham, a great nation (PEOPLE)
2. Give them a home to live in (PLACE)
3. Be their God (PRESENCE)
Genesis 15: God's presence passes between the slain animal and serves as the guarantor for the covenant that will bring His people home.
Abrahamic Covenant: an unsolicited promise. Abraham did not ask for it, yet God gave it anyways (Slide 2)
The trajectory of God's work.
- One Man (Slide 3)
- One Family (Slide 4)
Slides 1-4
Discussion Questions:
Do you view the story of Noah's Ark differently now than you did when you were a child? If so, how?
In the Noahic Covenant, God's promise is symbolized by a physical element (the rainbow). Why do you think that is important?
What other covenants from God are symbolized by a physical element?
What does the Noahic Covenant tell us about God?
What does God do to assure Abraham that He will do what He has promised?
Genesis 15 begins with Abraham struggling to have faith in God's promises. What can we learn from Abraham about how to deal with our doubts and lack of confidence in the promises of God?
Have you ever had to wait a long time for God to fulfill a promise? If so, what did you learn about yourself during the waiting period?