REBELLION | God’s good creation did not just doubt His great goodness once, but rather, after the Fall of man the entirety of human history has been rebelling against God. Adam & Eve committed sins that showed their distrust in God, but it didn’t stop there. In fact, their two sons would continue in this preference of other things over God. This rebellion against the goodness of God manifests itself through timeless sins of pride, idolatry, and immorality, just to name of few. These are strong words that describe the simple reality that we so often prefer our own way as opposed to God’s way. Deeply rooted in our own hearts, these tendencies exist and do nothing good for us. What is God to do with a creation that is working against Him? He certainly won’t just take it – no, He intervenes. Though we still sin the same timeless sins, God is still the same timeless God: Good, Perfect, and unbelievably Loving.

Discussion Questions:

1. Which of the “timeless sins” do you find yourself falling into most (pride, idolatry, immorality)?
2. How does your sin (rebellion) affect how you relate to God?
3. Do you trust that living for Jesus, in His way and not rebelling against it, is the way that leads to abundant life? Why?
4. How can you begin to take steps of obedience towards a life that reflects trust in Jesus?

—

The Story of God God’s Word (the Bible) and God’s world follow the same storyline:

Creation → Fall & Rebellion → Redemption → Restoration (Glory)

Next week: Redemption!

FALL | The good God set this good Story in motion, with a good & perfect creation. At the center were man & woman, created in God’s image, as very good, and meant to love, know and enjoy God and cultivate His good creation. Even with all this goodness, they were prone to doubt God’s goodness, and were tempted to forsake knowing and enjoying God as the primary source of their life and happiness. Now comes the Fall, from grace, from godly desires, from dominion over creation, from life, and the beginning of death. Everyone, everywhere, now feels the effects of the Fall, and are co-conspirators with Adam & Eve following Satan in rebelling against our Good Father.

Genesis 3 Discussion Questions:

1. What are ways that Satan tries to make people discontent? How does he sow seeds of doubt about God’s goodness?  How does our culture chase after selfish desires?  In what ways do you see that people around you are deceived?  Do you see any of these slippery slopes in your own life?
2. Consider the claim that every act of sin or disobedience has consequences.  What consequences of sin do you see around you?  In what areas are you tempted to think that your actions won’t have consequences?
3. [separate for men and women, based on the Curse]

GUYS:  In what ways do guys exploit, or take advantage, of girls’ weaknesses? How can you accept God’s call on your life to protect the girls around you?  How will you do that this week?

GIRLS:  In what ways do girls use the way they dress or act to get attention from guys?  How is that selfish exploitation?  How can you accept God’s call on your life to protect the guys around you? How will you do that this week?

—

The Story of God God’s Word (the Bible) and God’s world follow the same storyline:

Creation → Fall & Rebellion → Redemption → Restoration (Glory)

Next week: Rebellion.

As Aaron taught us on CREATION, the beginning of The Story of God, we see the main character — the Hero of the Story, God — speaking this universe into existence. Effortlessly, with infinite creative beauty. It wasn’t … and then it was!

On Wednesday night we concluded with three thoughts:

• This world is good, and
• Human life is very good, and
• God is truly good.

Consider these questions [from the Ask & Explore]:

• How many of you feel confident you could summarize the Bible? Not just the story of Jesus’ life, but the entire Bible?
• [After seeing amazing photos and considering the staggering immensity and beautiful design of space and this earth] Looking at the universe like this … does it make you feel small?
• What were we made for? What is our ‘chief end?’ (“Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” —Westminster Shorter Catechism)

Creation → Fall & Rebellion → Redemption → Restoration (Glory)

This Wednesday Aaron enjoyed preaching on Creation. We were created by God (in the triune God’s image), and for God (for His glory, to worship Him at all times, in everything). We looked at Genesis 1-2, in this first ‘chapter’ of the Big Story. Here’s a little summary of it:

CREATION | The story does not begin with a God in hiding. God initiates the story by creating all that exists, including His prized creation – human beings – whom He pursued in relationship. What God created in the beginning was not just good, but perfect, whole, complete, lacking in nothing. He designed the Earth as an ideal environment for His creation to flourish.

Next week? The FALL. (Read ahead: Genesis 3.)

The Story of God: Creation, Fall, Rebellion, Redemption, Glory

• How many of you feel confident you could summarize the Bible? Not just the story of Jesus’ life, but the entire Bible?
• [After seeing amazing photos and considering the staggering immensity and beautiful design of space and this earth] Looking at the universe like this … does it make you feel small?
• What were we made for? What is our ‘chief end?’ (“Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” —Westminster Shorter Catechism)

12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold,
13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.
14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.
15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.
16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

The high school leaders read this passage, and prayed through it tonight before the students arrived. We trust change will more than happen.

He is our God
Great and mighty to be praised!
God of all days
Glorious in all of your ways
The wonder and grace
In the light of Your Name

Christians who have the confidence and courage to acknowledge and confess their sins are happiest, healthiest people in the entire world.

That’s because we gain the courage and confidence to confess our sins before God and to others when we trust God is truly merciful, loving & forgiving (see Psalm 51).

While God is everywhere, He’s designed the universe that the only place we can go to confess and repent and find life is the Cross of His Son.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
—1 John 1:9

video by Tenth Avenue North

While it is not spoken about often, worship is certainly the most basic human action. We use the word “worship” all the time when we talk about religion, but we never use it when we’re buying clothes or going to a concert. Even though we don’t think about worship all the time, the truth is we are constantly worshiping. We are, as Harold Best puts it, “continuous outpourers,” we are constantly giving ourselves and sacrificing to something larger than us.

Have you ever been to a professional football game? Have you seen a grown man paint his body blue and white to cheer on the Colts? Why is that man doing that? He is fulfilling his basic human need to give himself to something bigger, greater, and more awesome.

But what if there was something better than football? Better than clothes and iPods and sex? You see, worship is not a religious thing, worship is a human thing. The question is not am I worshipping? The question is, what am I worshipping? We may not physically bow down to clothing or technology or whatever, but we certainly give our hearts to so many different things. For the next four weeks we’re going to look at this idea of worship. What is worship? What is worth worshipping? And how do I worship? Is music the only way to worship God? Ultimately, if we humans are worshippers at our core, the most important thing we need to find out is: whom should we be worshipping?