BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SIN? To sin is to think, speak, or behave in any way that goes against God and His commands. God rescued Noah and his family from the flood. The story of Noah points ahead to a greater rescue. God’s Son, Jesus—the only perfectly righteous One—came to take the punishment for our sin. By trusting in Him, we are saved from the punishment our sin deserves. MEMORY VERSE READ THE STORY:
The Bible is full of promises. As early as the first few chapters of Genesis, we begin to see God make, and even fulfill, His promises: promises for punishment and for blessing, for death and for life, for separation and for salvation. In Noah’s journey to build an ark, survive the flood, and begin to repopulate the earth, we find multiple reminders that the Lord is faithful to fulfill His promises. When God destroyed the entire population of the earth except for Noah and his family, we are reminded that God keeps His promise to preserve a remnant of His people always. When Noah sent a dove to find dry land and it returned with an olive leaf, we are reminded of God’s promise to show His people the way at just the right time. And when God painted His bow in the sky, we are reminded of God’s promise that He will always keep His Word. In a world filled with fake news and false prophets, we are often skeptical of the stories and promises that we hear and read about. When it comes to the promises and claims of the world, we should be discerning. But when it comes to the promises of God, we should be trusting. As you survey Genesis 6–10, may it stir a great reminder in your heart and mind that God is always faithful and true. God is no liar, and He will not turn back from His word. May these chapters of Genesis also give you hope that though everything around you may fail, God’s Word never will. God is a God of great and magnificent promises. And every single one of them we can trust completely. When in doubt of this truth, look to the cross of Christ and His empty grave. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “every one of God’s promises is ‘Yes’ in [Jesus].” God will fulfill His promises. This week, pray that God would stir in you many reminders of how He keeps His word. GOSPEL APPLICATION
0 Comments
BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SIN? To sin is to think, speak, or behave in any way that goes against God and His commands. Adam and Eve’s sin and its consequences spread to all of their descendants. But God did not forget His promise to send a Rescuer. At just the right time, God would send His Son to save sinners. MEMORY VERSE READ THE STORY:
Siblings often fight and compete as children and even adults. It may be over something as innocent as who gets the last cookie or as serious as who inherits their parents’ prized heirloom. The competition Cain felt toward Abel—the world’s first siblings—reminds us that these family tensions can cause great damage to our relationships with one another, with parents, and even with God. In the story of Cain and Abel, we find a progressing pattern of jealousy, which led to hatred, which led to murder. The result was not one but two lost sons for Adam and Eve. God’s disregard of Cain’s offering stirred an intense jealousy and anger within Cain. Cain raged not only because his offering was rejected by God, but also because his brother’s offering was accepted by the Lord. Cain’s jealousy led him into a pit of misdirected hatred of Abel, ultimately leading him to murder his brother. The consequence of sin—death—that God had warned Adam and Eve about had come to fruition. Jealousy never produces anything godly in us. And why is that? It’s primarily because jealousy is nothing more than proof that we have staked our identity on what we have done or can do, rather than on what God has done for us through Christ. When you are tempted to compare yourself to others, let that trigger a reminder of who you are in Christ. Second Corinthians 5:17 tells us that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” As a child of God, our identity is not dependent upon what we do, but instead upon what Christ has done to save us through His life, death, and resurrection. Rather than living in the comparison between ourselves and others, let’s live in the confidence that we have been made new. In Christ, we are fully loved and accepted. Fight the temptation to compare. Fight the urge to compete with others before God. And trust in the finished work of Christ. For you are not your own; you were bought with a price. And that price is one you could never repay. GOSPEL APPLICATION
BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SIN? To sin is to think, speak, or behave in any way that goes against God and His commands. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, all people have been born as sinners. Sin separates us from God, but God still loves us. God promised a Rescuer would come from Eve’s family. God sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue people from sin and bring them back to God. MEMORY VERSE READ THE STORY:
Does the story of the fall surprise you? How could Adam and Eve—who had everything they needed—rebel against a loving God? Do you think you would have acted differently? Adam and Eve’s story is our story. Think about the last time you blatantly sinned. What lies were you believing in that moment? Satan wants us to believe the same lie that Eve believed: Maybe God is holding out on me. Maybe He isn’t good or loving. Maybe I would do a better job than Him. Do you ever wonder if you know better than God? Before the fall, Adam and Eve enjoyed a loving, two-way relationship with God. The garden was a true paradise. God filled the garden with good gifts so that they might enjoy them and give Him thanks. This glorifies God. All of that changed when Adam and Eve gave in to the serpent’s temptation. Adam and Eve desired something more: the wisdom the fruit offered. But when their eyes were opened, they didn’t get what they hoped for. Instead, they were aware of their nakedness. They felt ashamed. Surely the Lord’s heart broke at their act of disobedience and rebellion. Can you think of a time your own sin produced regret and sorrow? Because of their sin, God cast Adam and Eve out of the garden. Though they did not die right away, sin’s effect was immediate and thorough. Their lives and their children’s lives—and the lives of all of humanity—would be forever affected by their choice. We see this in the world around us. We experience God’s grace, but we are very aware that the world is broken. It was not meant to be this way. Sin is a big problem that needs a big solution. At just the right time, God sent His Son into the world, born as a baby. Matthew 1:21 says, “You are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” As the kids you teach become increasingly aware of the bad news—that we are all sinners from birth—rejoice with them over the good news: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). GOSPEL APPLICATION
|
ghc kids ministryWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2023
|