God is Not Hiding - Part 2

This week, we continued our discussion about what Creation teaches us about God. Last week, we discussed how Creation reveals god's existence and his creativity. It also tells us that God wants us to know him, no just acknowledge him. Creation also reveals us aspects of God's character.

Paul says this while rebuking the church for worshiping idols and turning from their Creator in Romans 1:20:

^"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."

 Paul is speaking to the Romans, but he is also speaking to the world today. Since the beginning, God has been revealing himself through his creation. Even though we don't see him, He is making himself known. Paul points to two aspects of God's character that we see revealed through his creation 0 eternal power and divine nature.

First - eternal power. We experience very little of things eternal. Even when we speak of forever, we really just mean as long as we live on earth. God's eternal power existed long before we lived and will continue long after our earthly bodies experience death.

• Can you think of anything in Creation that points to God's eternal power?

 The closest thing in Creation that points to God's eternal power is space. We have studied the universe and made a lot of guesses as to how far it extends or if there is an end to space, but regardless it seems to go on for eternity. It's mysterious and unknown and and God created it. A second illustration is the ocean. Again, we have explored some depths of the ocean, but there is still so much that we don't know or can't see. Through these aspects of God's creation we learn about his eternal power. God is constant over time.

A second aspect of God's character is his divine nature. Divine dimply means "of God.," so we are speaking of God's nature, his instincts and character traits. 

•  What are some ways we see God's nature through his creation?

God's divine nature is mostly clearly seen through his people. A few weeks back, we read Genesis 1:27:

"So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them."

 God created us in his image, with his qualities. That image is distorted because of our sin, but sometimes we still catch a glimpse in our interactions with others.

• What are some character traits you see in others that point to God's work in their life?

God has made us in his image. He has given us gifts and character traits that point to his plan and purpose for our lives. Next week, we will discuss what God is trying to accomplish through his Creation and revelation.

All material adapted from When God Speaks by Lifeway Publishing

God is Not Hiding - Part 1

The first few week of youth group, we have been discussing God's power and grace. We learned that God has authority to create with merely his breath. We learned that even though we don't deserve it, he created us and desires relationship with us. Out of that relationship he gives us a plan and a purpose for our lives. One of the most challenging aspects of the Christian life is recognizing God's voice. How do we know he is speaking to us? Specifically, how does he speak to us through Creation? This will be our topic of discussion over the next couple of weeks.

Have you ever looked at something like a skyscraper or an instrument or a pencil and wonder "how did they put all this together?" I like to watch How It's Made on Discovery Channel when they show you the process that an object goes through from beginning to it's completion. It's fascinating. Few of us look at something and think it just appeared there. We understand there is a process that had to take place for it to get there. In the same way, God's creation points to a process and a purpose. God is constantly working to put us together and show us his glory. One of the ways he reveals this to us is through his creation.

Read Psalm 19:1-6

This passage tells us that God is constantly speaking through his creation. There is no place on earth where the voice of His creation is not heard.

• When you observe the world around you, do you see beautiful scenery or do you see God's handiwork?

Even though God speaks through all creation, not everyone believes that Creation points to a creator, or more accurately, the Creator. If we believe, the word that God spoke in Genesis, then we know that all that is created was created by him and therefore points to the on true God. We learn through this general revelation that God desires to be known. He doesn't just want us to acknowledge that he created the world. He speaks through his Creation so that we may know Him, again, revealing his desire to be in relationship with us. Next week, we will discuss what Creation tells us about God's character.

All material adapted from The Gospel Project (Lifeway Publishing Group)

When God Speaks - Part 3

Sorry I missed the post last week, but in case you need to catch up, here it is. We have been chatting about how God has authority. He created the world and everything in it through his word alone. He chose to create us, not because he needed anything to be complete, but out of love and mercy. What's even more amazing is that he didn't just create us and leave us to our own devices. He speaks to us and gives a us a plan and purpose.

Read Genesis 1:27-30

After God creates Adam and Eve, he blesses them. Then, he tells them how to live, and reveals to them his plan and his purpose. Because of God's mercy and authority, they are to be obedient to his word. There is a progression that takes place here. God creates, then blesses, then gives the task. It begins with God. He is the initiator. God blesses Adam and Eve. God provides everything they need to survive in the world he has created including a relationship with himself. Adam and Eve did nothing to receive this blessing. He gives it our of his grace and mercy. Then, God gives them their task.

Why is the order of the progression important here?

Sometimes,as Christians, we feel we need earn God's blessings. We think that if we are good people and do the right thing then God will bless us. This is contrary to how God works. We can do nothing to earn God's love and grace. It is a gift that he gives out of his great love and compassion regardless of our sinfulness. God doesn't love Adam and Eve any less after they eat of the tree. There are consequences, but his love doesn't change.

This doesn't mean that we are free of responsibility. The blessing and grace we receive as a gift should motivate us to do God's work and to be obedient to his word. If we think our works will earn God's blessings, we begin to believe that God owes us something. Read that sentence again. God doesn't owe us anything. He freely gives of his grace and because of this we owe him everything.

Material adapted from The Gospel Project (Lifeway Publishing Group).

When God Speaks - Part 2

Last week, we discussed God's authority and power when He speaks. He can breathe life into creation and speak into our hearts and lives. The words that God speaks have a tremendous weight along with them. They mean something to whom He is speaking. What is most amazing about the fact that God speaks is that he speaks to us.

Read Exodus 3:2-6

In this passage, God calls to Moses from the burning bush. The progression here is important. God initiates the conversation with Moses. Moses is drawn to the bush, because it isn't burning up even though it is on fire. Then, Moses hears the voice of God and he realizes what is happening. Immediately, he is ashamed and fearful, because he recognizes that as a sinful human being, he has no right to be in the presence of a holy God. So why does God reveal himself to Moses? The answer is simple...and complicated, but can be summed up in one word - grace.

We sing about grace and talk about grace, but what is it? To explain, let's begin with God. Scripture describes God as holy and perfect. Holy in a scriptural sense means to be set apart. God is set apart from the world, other gods and from us. God is also perfect which means complete, lacking nothing. God doesn't need anything to be God. He is complete on his own. Now, let's talk about us. Because God is perfect, we seem pretty crumby in comparison. For athletes, musicians, or any kind of skill you have, imagine standing next to an Olympian or professional in your area of skill. Your skill in comparison wouldn't seem so spectacular. It's similar in our relationship with God. When Jesus is talking to his disciples in Matthew he calls us to be holy as his father is holy or sometimes translated perfect as our father in heaven is perfect (Matt. 5:48), but we are nothing in comparison to God's perfection and holiness.

Though we are created in God's image, because of the fall, we fall short of His glory. Because of our sin, we have no right to stand before God, which is why Moses was so afraid. The beauty of this interaction is that God speaks to Moses anyway. Regardless of Moses' sin, God reveals himself and calls Moses to follow God and to rescue God's people. This is grace - that God chooses to reveal himself to us and to guide us  along his path regardless of our sin and brokenness. He enters into relationship with us not because he needs us, but because he wants us to experience his love and mercy.

When God Speaks - Part 1

Hi Friends! It has been an amazing summer! God has blessed the youth ministry with some awesome opportunities to share his word and to grow in faith and wisdom. Fall officially begins in just a few days, but you are already back to school and into the rhythms and routines that come along with it. Personally I love the fall. It means football games, hiking, cool temperatures, and youth group kickoffs! Both of our groups kicked off this past week and it was great to see you all again! If you missed it, keep checking back here for our discussions topics.

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be discussing what it means that God speaks. He speaks the world into creation. He speaks through fire, dreams, donkeys, whispers, and many other ways. Most importantly, he speaks to us! The God of the universe communicates with his creation. Communication is so important in our lives. We are connected to people all the time through cell phones, facebook, and other media. We also interact with one another at school, at home, church, or sporting events.  Communication is a vital part of our lives and God created us that way.

• Why do you think God designed us with a need to communicate?
• What does this design tell us about the nature and desire of God?

God's emphasis on communication reminds us of our need to hear from Him. God chooses to communicate with us and to reveal himself to us. God reveals himself to us in two basic ways - through general revelation and special revelation. General revelation is what God reveals to everyone, like creation. Special revelation is when God speaks to a specific people for a specific purpose, like when God speaks to Moses through burning bush. Whenever God speaks, He wants us to listen. This weeks conversation is focused on God's authority.

Read Genesis 1:1-3

The world begins with God's voice. He speaks and light is created. His speech and his words are powerful. We experience the power of words everyday when someone gives us a word of encouragement or someone criticizes us. People's words have the power to shape and mold our attitudes and actions. How much more powerful then is the word that God speaks to us? Hebrews 4:12 says this: 

 "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

God's word is so powerful. His words matter because of who He is. Our God is the only God who speaks in the scriptures. It separates him from the idols that many worshiped throughout scripture. Psalm 115:3-5 says:

"Our God is in heaven he does whatever pleases him.But their idols are silver and gold made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see."

God is not an idol. He is alive in the world and he is moving in each of our hearts. He speaks to us through his word, prayer, creation, and many other ways. 

• How does our belief that God speaks affect our view of Scripture? The world we live in? Our day to day behavior?

 Next week, we will be discussing how it is by God's grace that we are able to hear and understand him.
***Lesson content is adapted from The Gospel Project for Students - The God Who Speaks from Lifeway Publishing.

Destruction of Sodom

Last week we continued our conversation through Abraham’s story. We learned that God is always faithful to his Word. He promised Abraham a great nation through his offspring. Abraham and Sarah have some doubts about their capability of having children at such an old age, but nothing is impossible with God. We also discussed the importance of living into the promises that God has made to us like eternal life, His provision and guidance, and His strength in times of trouble. The next part of Abraham’s story is a challenging one. God has decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (the land that Lot chose to inhabit) because of the sin of the people.

Read Genesis 18:22-33

Here Abraham pleads with God not to bring this destruction on Sodom, that if there are any righteous that he spare them. God agrees to spare the town if even 10 are found righteous. In the next chapter messengers from God go to Lot’s house to tell him to leave town, because God is going to destroy the towns. Lot’s wife and daughter’s listen to this instruction and leave town. Let’s see what happens.

Read Genesis 19:23-29

This is a troubling story similar to when we read about Noah and the flood. Again, God destroys many people because of their sin. Ultimately, what we learn from these stories is that God hates sin.  Hate is a strong word maybe you weren’t allowed to say when you were younger, but God truly hates sin. 

• Why does God hate sin so much?
• If God is forgiving and loving, why would he destroy his own creation?

God is indeed forgiving and indeed loving, but there is a difference in us. God speaks to the Israelites through Ezekiel, the prophet, that he takes no pleasure in death, but for he who will not repent and turn from his sin, the path leads to his death (Ezekiel 18:23). Paul echoes this in Romans 6:23, “for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.” There is an eternal consequence when we choose to pursue sin instead righteousness. The people of Sodom and those left behind in the flood made a deliberate decision to ignore God and to go their own way. If we choose to live a life of sin and ignore God, our fate will be the same. This isn't because God is mean or arrogant. God truly wants what is best for us and he offers a way to life through his son.

God hates sin because it separates us from Him. Sin keeps us from relationship with our creator because He can't be in the presence of our sin. This is why he had to send his son Jesus to show us the way. Jesus brings us the hope of eternal life through his death and resurrection. We must die to our sin to be raised with Him and if we will believe, he will save us from our own destruction. This is the hope that he offers all of us. As we grow and begin to understand God's plan and purpose, we are called to share this hope with others.

Children of the Promise

Last time we connected with Abram, we found him in Egypt, because the land that was promised to him was in the midst of a sever famine. We witnessed Abram’s pride and selfishness as he gave up his wife to Pharaoh. Abram is then sent away from Egypt back to his homeland. As he is traveling, he is forced to separate from his nephew, Lot, because their possessions have become too great to continue to travel together. Lot chooses the land east of the Jordan (eventually Sodom and Gommorrah) and Abram lives in Canaan (the land promised to him. After this, God renews his covenant with Abram, that he will be the father of many nations. Abram is getting much older and Sarai, remember is still barren. Abram tries to take it into his own hands by having a son through his servant which is not God’s plan and purpose. This is where we will pick up.

Read Genesis 17:15-17, 18:9-15

Abram is now 99 years old and Sarah is 90. The lord speaks to Abram and tells him that Abram will bear a son through Sarah. In the verse we just read, we see Abram and Sarah’s reaction. They laugh at God. How could they possibly have children at this age?

• Has anyone ever told you something that sounded totally ridiculous, but it was true? 
• What was your initial reaction?
• How did it change when you found out it was true?

We've all had times when we have told others something that was unbelievable, but true. We get frustrated when they don't believe us. We have also been on the other side - with doubts and embarrassed when we find out they weren't lying. This is what Abraham and Sarah were experiencing, but God wasn’t joking. He made a promise to Abraham that he would have a son through Sarah and through him many nations would be blessed. God never forgets his promises and He always follows through. God responds to Sarah and Abram's laughter in a way that seems he is a little offended or frustrated like you might feel if someone didn't believe you. He says “is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Gen. 18:14). This is the same answer that God gives to Mary when she questions her ability to have a child as a virgin (Matthew 19:26).

Have you ever felt like God wasn’t telling the truth? That his promises were just poetic words? Most of us would say that God never lies, but if you believe what someone tells you, how do you respond? Some of us laugh at the thought of God helping us through life. Prayer and reading his word seem silly. When we are having a hard time or our friends are having a hard time, it would be silly to talk about faith or pray with them. Sometimes we say to ourselves that God just doesn’t understand me or what I’m going through. If he did, he would change this situation, but our thoughts are not God’s thoughts and his ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 59:8-11).

A couple of examples: 

• God promises eternal life (John 3:1-21). If this promise is true, then we should have no fear in death.  
• God promises that if we seek him, we will find him (Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 7:7-8)

Paul tells us that we are children of the promise that God gave to Abraham through faith (Romans 4). If we believe God's word is true, our lives will look radically different. We have hope in times of hopelessness, strength in weakness, and victory through surrender. Take time this week to examine the areas of your life that you may not be trusting in the promises that God gives you. 

Abram's Journey Continues

Two weeks back we met Abram. Abram was called away from his family and home to follow God.  We discussed how sometimes God calls us away from what is comfortable or easy so that we can become more like him. This is hard because he only reveals to us one step at a time. Sometimes we want to be able to see the whole picture. It is only by faith that we are able to follow God when we can’t see. Let’s pick up where we left off.

Read Genesis 12:10-20

Previously Abram has built an altar to the Lord to worship Him for bringing him to this land. We should be thankful in times when God puts us out of our comfort zone to help us to grow. We don’t know the exact time span, but it wasn’t long before Abram ran into trouble. The land God promised to Abram was in the midst of a severe famine. This required Abram to pick up and move…again! Sometimes when God has called us to a certain place and we face difficulty, we begin to doubt. We believe that if it’s difficult or challenges come, then maybe we are going the wrong direction, but God wants to know that we are truly committed to Him. If it were easy to follow God, everyone would do it. This again was a test of Abram’s obedience. Would he continue to trust God even when it’s hard?

A close friend of our family recently lost both of her parents in a car accident. Every day she posts on her Facebook wall asking for prayer for her brothers and sisters. She may not understand what is going on in her life right now, but her faith is not shaken. She believes God is still in control. She has hope in what is not seen. Like ABram, she must be able to trust in God even when the road ahead is unclear.

Abram is lifted up as a rock of our the faith, and God kept his promise to Abram as we are all children of this promise, but even the most faithful among us sometimes stumble. When Abram arrives at Egypt, he begins to fear for his life. He fears that when Pharaoh sees Sarai, he will kill Abram so Sarai can join Pharaoh's harem. Abram lies to Pharaoh and gives over Sarai to spare his own life. What is the mistake here? God knew Abram would have to travel to Egypt for food. God had protected Abram through all of his travels and would continue to do so, but Abram decided to take control and to think only of himself. Pharaoh takes Sarai as his wife. There is a consequence for Abram’s lack of trust. Sarai is defiled and, he is forced to leave Egypt where food and fertile ground were.

We want to learn from Abram’s mistakes – pride and selfishness, but also realize that God doesn’t turn from Abram when he messes up. God continues to shape Abram into a man of great faith. In the same way, God often tests our faith and obedience to him. He calls us out of our comfort zones and puts obstacles in our way to test our commitment to him, but in the end he always fulfills his promises. He doesn't give up on us just because we make mistakes.

The Call of Abram

A few months back, we began to talk about God’s intended purpose for his creation – how he created everything and called it good. When Adam and Eve disturbed the peace of the Garden, God had every reason to give up on us. Instead he disciplines Adam and Eve by cutting them off from the Garden but God had a plan for redemption. The next character we are introduced to is Abram (later Abraham), whom God calls to establish his people in the Promised Land (Canaan).

Abram descends from Noah. He is Shem’s great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandson. The Bible records his genealogy to remind us that God is accomplishing his work since the beginning of time. Abraham will be the father of many nations. Let’s get to know him a little.

Read Genesis 11:27-12:9

Here we learn a few things relevant to later parts of the story. Abram is married to Sarai, who is unable have children and he has a nephew named Lot, whose father is dead. They decided to move to Canaan, but stopped and settled halfway in Haran.

We don’t know exactly how long he was there, but it was long enough to be established in the land, because God tells him to leave his country, people, and his father’s household to go somewhere. If he goes, God promises to make his name great and to bless the world through him. 

This is downright crazy. The Lord shows up and tells Abram pack up all your stuff and go. I’ll let you know when you get there. Jesus echoes a similar command to his disciples when he tells them to follow him. Abram and the disciples both choose to follow.

Think about some major transitions in your life: Going to high school or college, moving, starting a new sport or activity. What were some of the emotions you had about taking that step - fear, anxiety, excitement.

Abram probably experienced many of the same feelings. It’s scary going somewhere new even if you know where you are going. Imagine not having a clue. So what does he do? He says “Nope, I’m fine here.” No, he goes. He listens because God told him to go. Noah was obedient in building the Ark, even though, he didn't know for sure if it was going to rain. They trusted in God and believed that he would guide them. Hebrews 11 tells us that they did so by faith. It was by faith that they believed and followed God.

The prophet Jeremiah gave this message from the Lord to the Jews exiled in Babylon - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (29:11) This is what was promised to Abram, hope and a future, but only if Abram would be obedient. Abram is obedient and because he is obedient God blesses him. 

We may think obedience has a negative connotation, but it's not just about rules. God sees the path ahead of us. The psalmist tells us that God’s word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. They didn’t have electricity back then. A lamp was run by oil or a candle. A lamp only allows us to see a little ahead of us. God does this so Abram will learn to trust him. He gives Abram the next step. Then, one step at a time, God leads him. He does the same for us. God gives us just enough vision to see our next step. If we take that step, he will show us the next one, but it is only by faith that we can do so.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." ~ Hebrews 11:1