September 11, 2007

Bible Study: Genesis

Introduction to God’s Family Album

 

            As you study the lives of artists, you discover their works reflect their personalities and their moods as wells as their environment. The creation always reveals details about the creator. One artist, in later years, painted dark, dismal, hazy pictures of life. After having cataracts removed, he realized his paintings reflected his inability to distinguish vivid color. In essence, any artist, musician, writer exposes his/her inner self to the audience.

            The universe and all it contains reveals the Creator—His personality and His omniscience as well as His love for His creation. God desires to exposes Himself to the people He loves and does so through His creation, through His written word, and through the Word—Jesus Christ.

            Two questions to ponder this week:

1.      What do we know about God?

            Here are some thoughts from our class:

A.    He is love

B.     He keeps His promises—what He says He will do whether it is a blessing to favor us or a chastisement to correct us.

C.     He is forgiving

D.    He is omnipresent

E.     He guides and directs our paths

F.      He continues to create—preparing a place for us

G.    He speaks to us through His word and answered prayer.

2.      How did we discover what we know about God?

            Our class said:

A.    Through studying His word

B.     Personal experience

C.     Testimonies of others

D.    The person of Jesus Christ

Each page of the Bible reveals a facet of God’s character. Each individual mentioned mirrors an aspect of God, which He desires us to grasp and cherish.

As an introduction to this study, please read Psalm 146:5-10 and Psalm 148.

Within these verses, we discover the sovereignty of God, His power, and His provision for all His creation, which He delights in.

Psalm 146:6 remind us that God is the Creator of all things seen and unseen and He remains faithful forever.

Verse seven states that He upholds the oppressed and feeds the hungry. Not only does He supply our physical needs, He has sent the “Manna from heaven” to feed our spiritual needs. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35 NIV). And He sets the captives free.

The remainder of Psalm 146 elaborates on God’s love and care of His people. He even watches over the alien, which implies the lost with whom Creator desires a relationship.

Psalm 148 commands praise from every part of creation. The heavens, the ocean depths, and everything in between are commissioned to Praise the Lord.

How do trees, the weather, and small flying birds praise their Creator? Verse eight tells us “that do His bidding.”

Ï  An oak tree stands tall, provides shelter, shade, and food, and reproduces after its kind. That’s praise!

Ï  Wild animals do what is expected of them according the nature God has given them. That’s praise!

Ï  Lightning, hail, snow, clouds, and stormy winds follow the paths God has set for them. That’s praise!

 

What is the nature God has given to us? We were created in His image to reproduce His love in all our relationships.

What is the path God has set before us? Our course is to follow Him, accept His offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, and to exalt His name above all others.

When we study the Bible to find out who we are, we miss the most valuable lesson in self-discovery. We cannot know who we are until we know who the Creator is. The only possible way to please God is to know Him and to accept Jesus Christ.

 

 

Ï  Prayer:

           

Creator and Sustainer of the universe, thank You for giving us the opportunity to learn to know You through Your word and through Jesus Christ.       Open our eyes, ears, and hearts to receive all You have for us as we diligently seek Your face through this Bible study. Bless every participant and show us how to praise You in all we do.

            May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Thessalonians 5:23 NIV) In Jesus’ blessed name, we pray. Amen.

 

 

Ï  Conclusion and Challenge:

             Last winter, we studied the end of the church age and history as we know it as recorded by John in the book of Revelation.  This winter, we will study the Creator God through the book of Genesis.