Adult
• 5 Sessions of Learner’s Materials
• 5 Sessions of Teaching Materials
• 4 Handouts
1. Genesis 1:26-31
2. Genesis 4:1-16
3. Genesis 6:6-22, 8:15
4. Genesis 12:1-20
5. Genesis 22:1-14
We Christians are never to say the words of God's call lightly, for we know they point to the powerful presence of God, breaking in on our lives from beyond ourselves, or perhaps from so deep within us, and calling us, almost irresistibly, to the highest expression of our humanity. Let us, however, as we study the stories of Genesis, discover this powerful presence at work for all human life, shaping and guiding us, and let us press on to discover what the call of God makes known to us about God's presence and purpose in the world.
Session One: This week we examine the climactic act of God in the creation story--creation of human life on the sixth day. The passage contains three important issues for our study: (1) the creation of humanity in God's image, (2) humanity as male and female, and (3) the call of God to humanity in blessing us and commissioning us to populate the earth and to have dominion over it.
Session Two: In this well-known story, Cain, a farmer, brought God an offering of the produce of the ground, while his brother Abel, a herdsman, brought an offering from the first of his flock. When God rejected Cain's offering but accepted Abel's offering, Cain was filled with anger and resentment and killed his brother. In judgment, God sent Cain out from his home and family to a life of wandering. Mercifully, God placed a mark on Cain in order to prevent others from murdering him. The central issue of the story is voiced when Cain, attempting to hide his deed from God's investigation, flung at God the question, "Am I my brother's keeper?"
Session Three: The story of the flood in the Old Testament shares some themes with other ancient flood stories, for it comes from ancient peoples and reflects their primitive understandings and experiences. The Old Testament story is unique, however, for it alone of all the ancient stories presents the flood as the consequence of human wrongdoing and God's judgment on that wrongdoing. Instead of sentimentalizing the flood story, as might be encouraged by a menagerie of animal figures in boat-shaped boxes, we'll look more closely at the interplay between God's judgment upon human wrongdoing and God's grace in redeeming creation.
Session Four: Abraham and Sarah's story speaks both about God's purpose in history and about our own lives lived within God's purpose and direction. Their story also speaks to us about our own faithfulness and doubt in the midst of God's call in our lives.
by Dee Bratcher
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