God the Creator – Week 2

God the Creator – Week 2

Genesis 1:1-2:3

In this second week we will explore the concept of God the Creator from the opening chapter of the book of Genesis.  Once again, we are reminded from Genesis that God the Trinity was there at the beginning before anything else existed.  In ancient cultures the origin stories of creation were crafted to teach people about who had power over creation.  In Genesis 1, the Ancient Israelites had an origin story that placed God over creation and God was greater than creation itself.  

 

Genesis 1 also has an order to the story – morning, God creates, God saw that it was good then evening to end the day.  In this artistic order it is revealed that God, the almighty, created the world with balance, order and rhythm.  This origin story tells the reader of the purpose of creation and the purpose of humanity.  Rather than being a scientific or historical account, Genesis 1:1-2:3 is a theological image of the order that God built into creation.

 

Sermon notes:

1.    The origin stories in the bible point us to the purpose of creation, they are not trying to give a scientific or historical account.

2.    God the Creator sits above creation therefore has the power to take the raw material and make order out it.

3.    Origin stories have the ability to change and shape behaviours when people understand the purpose and meaning of the story.

 

Small group questions:

Read Genesis 1:1-2:3 – what words or images struck you from the passage?

1.    The origin story of the Ancient Israelites in Genesis reveals that God created - what does Genesis 1 teach us about the nature of God?

2.    Genesis 1 has an order to the story; God creates something on each day until the 7^th day when God rested.  What is created on each of the days?  What is the purpose of various living creatures being created across two different days?

3.    An artist creates an artwork with art supplies, a musicians use instruments to create music, builders use raw materials to create a building.  What do these images teach us about the purpose of Genesis 1?

4.    God created humanity on the 6^th Day, male and female.  What does the story teach us about the role of humanity?  Why is it important that humanity is a living creature yet set apart from other animals?

5.    Climate change has become a significant issue in our world.  If Christians are to be guided by the theological image in Genesis 1, how should we respond to climate action discussions in our society? Hint read 1:28.

6.    There are lots of cultures that have origin stories.  In Australia the indigenous people have various dreamtime stories tied to their land and culture.  Share some examples of dreamtime stories that you have heard from Aboriginal people.

 

Conclude with prayer for those impacted by droughts, floods, rising sea levels and bushfires.

 

Further digging is available with these short videos:

·      Reading Genesis 1 in Context, Part I: Seven Minute Seminary https://youtu.be/XbPiKssdK-w

·      Reading Genesis 1 in Context, Part II: Seven Minute Seminary https://youtu.be/L2s9UXdghNk

·      John Walton: Interpreting the Creation Story https://youtu.be/lKWVPVp_GZQ