Day 2: Sky to Separate the Waters (Gen. 1:6-8)

Day 2: Sky to Separate the Waters (Gen. 1:6-8)

           

God's Work on Day 2:

• The description of God creating the expanse on Day 2 (God speaks, God makes, God names)
• The significance of God creating the expanse on Day 2 

Summary: God's initial creation was characterized by barrenness and darkness.  The darkness problem was solved when the Light shined on Day 1.  But what about the barrenness problem, that is, the lingering fact that the earth was still "without form and void"? God's work on Day 2 was a massive preliminary step in solving the problem, for it was on Day 2 that God created the Sky by holding back the waters.  The description of God's work on Day 2 is powerful and the significance of this work is breathtaking. 

Main Point:  God wants us to know that he made the sky by holding back the waters by his Word.

Discussion Questions:

• What is the most basic common denominator in God's work each day of the creation week? (see Gen. 1:3,6,9,11,14,20,24-26).  How should the apostle John's description of the Word in John 1:1-5 shape who we think about God speaking throughout Genesis 1? (cf. Col. 1:16b and Heb. 1:1-3). 
• Discuss this statement: "In the context of Genesis 1, God speaking is God making."  (cf. Ps. 33:6; 148:4-5; Heb. 11:3)   
• What is the expanse? What are the waters below? What are the waters above?
• Would there be any reason that God would stop holding back the waters? (6:5-8, 9-14a)
• What would happen if God did release the waters? (see Gen. 6:17-22; 7:1, 4-5, 11-12, 20-24; 8:1-2; 20-22; 9:1, 8-17)
• What should the release and holding back of these waters teach us in our day (see 2 Pet. 3:1-15)

Application Questions:

• What would be a fitting, worshipful response to the fact that I was saved before God's coming judgment (fire) all because God is actively, mercifully and patiently holding back the waters?
• How should God's patience in temporarily holding back his judgement on unbelievers shape the way that I live the Christian life and interact with unbelievers? 

Prayer Points:

• Praise God for his patience which accounts for how you and others were able to be saved
• Praise God that you are not destined for wrath, but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ
• Ask God to help us, his people, live holy and godly lives as we await the return of Christ

I Am a Child of God (1 John 3:1-3)

Outline: (1 John 3:1-3)

1.     A Child of God made through God’s love

2.     A Child of God is misunderstood by the world

3.     A Child of God is transformed when Jesus returns

4.     A Child of God is passionate for purity

Summary:

In the past weeks we have been meditating on our core identities, that is, what it means to be a Christian.  We are a new creature in Christ, we are Priests in a Kingdom of Priests, we are Temples of the Holy Spirit, and last Sunday we learned we are Sojourners and Exiles. This week we studied 4 characteristics of a Child of God. First, we a Child of God made through God’s love. Second, a Child of God is misunderstood by the world. The third characteristic is that the Child of God is transformed when Jesus returns. And lastly, the Child of God is passionate for purity.

Main Point: 

Elderly John wants us to know the love of the Father, the beauty of what it means to be God’s children, that we would behold the love that the Father has given us that we should be called the children of God.

Discussion Questions:

1.     How does a person become a child of God? (v. 1)

2.     Why is a child of God misunderstood? (v. 1)

3.     A child of God is transformed when Jesus returns, so what 3 things define us as we cling to these promises? (v. 2)

4.     Why should a child of God live a life that is passionate for purity? (v. 3)

Application:

1.     Praise God for making you a child of God through His love, and as you live in hope for the brighter day to come when Jesus returns when everything will be changed.

2.     Confess the ways that you forget your identity as a child of God.

3.     Ask God to help you to daily remember your identity as a child of God so that you can live a passionate, pure life. 

Written by Elder Galen Janson

The Horror of Self-Deception (Matt. 7:21-23)

Outline: Matthew 7:21-23

1. The reality of self-deception
2. The nature of self-deception
3. The horror of self-deception 
4. The remedy to self-deception

Summary: A pilgrim must not only beware of being deceived by others (Matt. 7:15-20), but must also beware of deceiving himself (vv.21-23).  Jesus tells us plainly that on judgment day many, many people will face the sad reality that they have deceived themselves into thinking that they had a relationship with Jesus when in fact no such relationship ever existed.  Many actively disobey God's will yet still expect to receive His mercy while others boast in their own works only to hear the words "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."  

Main Point: On judgment day, many who claim to know Jesus will be justly cast into hell by Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

• What is one assuming by addressing Jesus with the words “Lord, Lord”?
• What clues from the text tell us how widespread self-deception will be on judgment day? 
• Paraphrase Jesus' words: "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."
• Why do you think Jesus wants us to know the reality, nature, and horror of self-deception? 
• Why would Jesus refer to people who do "good" things (v.2) as "workers of lawlessness"?
• What is the remedy to self-deception?

Application Questions:

• How sure am I that I'm not self-deceived?  What is my confidence based on? 
• Are their people in my life that may be self-deceived?  How might God be calling me to reach out to them?
• Am I truly doing the will of the Father? Explain.
• What will my claim be before Jesus "on that day"? 

Prayer Points:

• Confess any presumption or pride or lack of concern for the eternal well being of others
• Thank Jesus for this sober, yet loving and caring warning 
• Ask the Holy Spirit to to help you focus on doing God's will in God's power

New Worship Song - "Soon"

Pastor Brandon is preaching tonight on waiting for Christ's return. Here's a new song we'll be singing about it: