Week 1 - Creation & Fall

First lesson about Genesis: many of the stories are told twice, starting with creation versions 1 and 2. It is quite intentional that Genesis often gives two conflicting perspectives on the major stories. From the beginning, it is clear that this is not meant to communicate chronological history; it is meant to communicate what is called 'salvation history' - the story of how God works with people that we might in the end be the image of God we are created to be. These stories are faith testimonies more than anything else. They tell us about people's actions, but they tell more about the nature of God and why it matters for us that we live in relationship with God.

Read Genesis 1 and 2. 

Note how close or distant God is in relationship to creation in each story. Chapter 1 reflects the 'almighty-ness' and universal dominion of God. Chapter 2 reflects the intimacy of God's hands-on care for creation. Do you relate to one of those experiences of God more? Can you say more about that?

What do we learn about the Word and Spirit of God in 1:1-3? Word, Spirit, and a tangible part of creation become the pattern for how sacraments work, and how we receive grace. This is how God interacts with us. Think about the pattern of Word, Spirit, and Sign/Action. Can you identity a way God has worked this pattern to deliver grace - in your own experience or through the church?

What are God's blessings in Genesis 1? What God-like characteristics does God start giving us? What do those tell us about God's intention for human life? If these things are so fundamental - why are these patterns so hard for our society to support?

One of the themes in Genesis is naming and re-naming. God grants names to bestow identities, but we also participate in naming. In Genesis 1 and 2, who names whom and why? We can accept or reject God's naming, or God's image. Keep an eye out for how names evolve in Genesis.

Read Genesis 3. 

Genesis 3 sets up a string of stories about sins, consequences, and grace. We tend to remember the sins - but the reason for the stories are how God reacts. In how God reacts, we start coming to understand what makes God tick, and what grace really is. 

Let's now, and for next week, chart out the pattern. As we read these stories that fill the next few chapters, we are tempted to judge, but let's try not to, for these people's stories are also ours. There's a truth about human nature to be reckoned with here - and I'm pretty sure the way God reckons with it - not our reckoning, is what we're looking for and what we need to learn!

 

Wrap up:

What are your burning questions about the creation and fall?

Were you challenged to think about these very well known scriptures in a new way today?