Have you ever felt like you were a part of a story, a story that is bigger than you but one that says to you that there is a reason, a purpose for your life? We will take a journey through The Story of God and how His story impacts our story. This series continues through March 7. (Click here for previous messages in this series)

This week:

God longs to dwell with his people to restore the intimacy of the first creation and give a taste of the new heaven and earth.

This week:

God delights in removing our sin so we can be in fellowship with him and live a life of peace.

Things to think about:

• Where in your life has God rescued you from your own “slavery” or decisions? How did you respond to Him after He did this?
• Spend some time this week thinking about what each of the 10 commandments teach you about what God is like. (Exodus 20:1-17, read or listen online http://bit.ly/ten)
• What ways did you learn from this week’s story about determining right or wrong for your life and how to live in God’s ways? How can you know?
• In what ways does your life currently display to others what God is truly like? (This is what you were created to do). In what ways does it not?

Things to read about:

Bible…

Romans mentions the law over 50 times:
From Chapter 7 – “If it had not been for the law, I would not have know sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said “You shall not covet.” “But sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandments, produced in me all kinds of covetousness… The very commandment that promised life has proven to be death to me. ”

Read or listen online: http://bit.ly/romans

Have you ever felt like you were a part of a story, a story that is bigger than you but one that says to you that there is a reason, a purpose for your life? We will take a journey through The Story of God and how His story impacts our story. This series continues through March 7. (Click here for previous messages in this series)

Things to Think About…

How do you currently go about deciding what is right or wrong for your life? How might you change that process in light of The Story?

When (if ever) in your life have you felt like God declared you “righteous”? What was the situation? What were you doing or not doing?

Spend some time this week making a list of ways God has blessed you in your life… people, provision, work, health, talents, skills. etc. Then spend time asking God how He would like you to use these blessings to be a blessing to others.

What are some ways in your life and community that you could further live out the reality that you are a part of God’s family?

Things to Read About

Genesis chapters 11-18,22, 26-50 & Exodus 1

Read or listen online http://bit.ly/gen11-22 | http://bit.ly/gen26-39 | http://bit.ly/gen40-ex1

Abrahamic Covenant, Genesis 12:1-3 “Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Hebrews 11:8-19 Read or listen: http://bit.ly/heb11abe

John 1:12-13 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God”.

Romans 4:16-17 “…it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring – not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’…” Read or listen to the whole chapter online: http://bit.ly/rom4

This Week – “Broken Image” – Genesis 3:1-7

Sinful Humanity:

Things to think about…

• This week take note of how often you want something someone else has. Also watch for when you feel a strong desire to do something for other’s approval.
• Thank about your choices… which choices in your life have lead to “death” or separation, and which choices have you made that lead to “life” and relationship? Which of these choices were motivated by “self”?
• How easy is it to do the right thing, even when you know what’s right, when you would rather do something else that would benefit you? What would it take to always be motivated by God’s plan for our life instead of our own desires and what pleases us in the moment?
• Try and find one tangible thing you could do to bless another person this week. And do one thing that creates or restores beauty into the world. Start with something small, but tell another person what you did.

Things to read about…

• Genesis chapters 3-9 Read or listen online: http://bit.ly/gen4-9
• Hebrews 11:7
• 1 Samuel 16:7
• Romans 3:23
• Romans 6:23

God’s Covenant with Noah: a sermon by John Piper looking at the story of Noah and how it points forward to Jesus. http://bit.ly/piper-noah

Without Faith it Is Impossible to Please God: John Piper unpacks Hebrews 11:4-7 and examines the nature of faith and why and how it pleases God. http://bit.ly/piper-abel

Verses of the Bible to Memorize (They will help you remember some big ideas from this week’s story):

• From 1 Samuel 16:7 – Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
• From Romans 6:23 – The wages of sin is death
• Psalm 8:1 – O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

This week:

You and I are created with the purpose of being totally dependent representatives of God who have been given a cultural mandate.

This week:

Only as we understand where God’s Story begins and ends can we understand and appreciate what’s in the middle. And only as we understand the beginning, the middle and the end can we participate fully in story that God is writing in our lives.