Week 4
Paradise Lost
Watch
The very good world that God created is not the world in which we live today. This week we’ll look at the principal problem facing God’s creation: sin and brokenness. Human sin results in a fractured ration, guild, broken relationships, and lostness. The good news is that from the moment of sin’s entrance into the world, God demonstrates his love and commitment to his creation by working to bring wholeness and reconciliation to it. The Bible Project has some great videos explaining sin, the fall, and the human condition. We have 2 of them here and a link to another if you have more time. The video of part 1 of Genesis will be helpful because next week we’ll watch part 2!
Want more? This Word Study Video on the word, “sin” is also super insightful! Plus click the lower button to see the whole series on Spiritual Beings that Pastor David mentioned in his message this week.
READ
In the “Invitation” Book, read Chapter 3: Paradise Lost
• Day 1: The garden
• Day 2: Goodbye to eden
• Day 3: Sin – The next generations
• Day 4: Noah and the great Flood
• Day 5: Human Corruption and God’s mission
In the Bible read:
• Genesis 3: 1-16
• Romans 5:12-21
• Genesis 4:1-16
• Genesis 9:8-11
Ponder
Questions for journaling or discussing with a friend or group:
• The biblical story would be radically different if Eve had immediately replied to the serpent, “Let’s ask Him.” How would your life have unfolded differently if you’d have done the same in moments of uncertainty and temptation?
• Do you trust that God has your best interest at heart? Do you trust that God has the best interests of the people you love in his heart?
• Of all the actions God could’ve taken in response to human disobedience, God chose to seek out his prized creation. How have you seen God seek after you?
• In what way do we see the brokenness of Genesis 3-5 in our world today?
• In Genesis 6:5-8 God’s emotional response to human depravity is sorrow and grief. This is no portrait of an enraged god of wrath. How does OUR God differ from the other gods of the age?
• What is the good news in the story of Noah?
• Babel is the story of humanity conspiring as a community to thwart God’s intentions for humanity…to scatter and fill the earth with his image. How does God advance his mission despite humanity’s rebelliousness?
• What would it take for us to break out of these negative patterns of sin and brokenness to practice faithfulness in our day?