THE GOD OF THE BIBLE
(A Jesus Disciple Resource)
(A Jesus Disciple Resource)
OVERALL INTRODUCTION
Who is the God of the Bible? What is He like? Is He a real being, or just a fabricated belief? Is He aware of what’s happening on earth? Does He communicate? Does He know everyone personally? Does He love everyone? If so, how does He show it?
All of these and more will be answered in this eight-week study of Scripture called, The God of the Bible. Though there are many other wonderful characteristics of God to learn, we’ll focus on the following eight:
1. Generous Creator
2. Relational Companion
3. Loving Father
4. Righteous Judge
5. Selfless Savior
6. Promise Keeper
7. Empowering Spirit
8. Coming King
Who is the God of the Bible? What is He like? Is He a real being, or just a fabricated belief? Is He aware of what’s happening on earth? Does He communicate? Does He know everyone personally? Does He love everyone? If so, how does He show it?
All of these and more will be answered in this eight-week study of Scripture called, The God of the Bible. Though there are many other wonderful characteristics of God to learn, we’ll focus on the following eight:
1. Generous Creator
2. Relational Companion
3. Loving Father
4. Righteous Judge
5. Selfless Savior
6. Promise Keeper
7. Empowering Spirit
8. Coming King
LESSON ONE
GENEROUS CREATOR
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Lesson One. In this first lesson we’ll see how God is our Creator. And not just our Creator, but our Generous Creator. Though there are 1,189 chapters in the Bible, you don’t have to read more than one chapter to see that God is indeed a very Generous Creator. Before we begin, let’s open in prayer.
[Open in prayer]
As we read Genesis chapter one, let’s consider several questions, including:
Scripture Reading: Read Genesis 1.
DISCUSSION
Okay, our first discussion question is:
To get the discussion started, I’ll share something from verse 11 & 26.
Read verses 11 and 26 again.
Think of all the different kinds of fruits and vegetables God created. We really didn’t need that many. God could have just created one vegetable with all the vitamins and minerals we needed. And for that matter, He also could have made it taste like dirt, or worse. But He didn’t. Instead, He created an enormous variety of fruits, vegetables and spices. Think for a moment about the many fruits He created, like bananas… apples… oranges… strawberries… raspberries… blackberries… pears… watermelons… mangos… kiwis… etc., etc. Consider the different shapes of the fruits… the sizes… the colors… the textures… the scents… and best of all, the flavors. Just thinking about them makes your mouth water. Now couple that with what we see at the beginning of verse 26: Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
Not only did God create so many amazing fruits, textures and flavors, but He created us in His image and likeness with the physiological ability to taste them, with the intellectual capacities to discern them, and with many emotions and feelings to enjoy them. Think about that. God went out of His way to create far more fruits with many delicious flavors than we needed, and then He created us so that we could enjoy them. That’s extravagant generosity.
So now let’s discuss our first question:
1. What evidences do we see that God is a Generous Creator (point them out in Genesis 1)?
[Discuss Question #1]
Okay, let’s move on to our second discussion question:
2. How does this differ from most people’s view of God?
[Discuss Question #2]
Now before we discuss the third question, let me share that the Bible teaches us that God’s love and generosity extends to everyone. He doesn’t only give to certain “lovable” people. He is benevolent to all.
For example, John 3:16 tells us:
We’ll talk more about God sacrificing His Son for us in Lesson 5, but for this lesson it’s important to point out that the sacrificial death of Jesus is God’s greatest of many demonstrations of His love and generosity. Listen to Romans 5:8:
Notice, God didn’t wait until we “got our act together” to give His Son to save us. He clearly and sacrificially gave to each of us long before we ever turned to Him.
The bottom line: God loves you! He really, really loves you! No matter what you’ve done or how bad it was. No matter how many times you’ve done wrong, God loves you! You don’t have to earn it or behave good enough to keep being loved by Him. God just loves you. And even if you don’t receive His love or many of the benefits He provides, such as salvation and forgiveness of sins, He will still love you. And He is kind and generous, even toward people who don’t realize it.
3. How should knowing this about God change our relationship with Him?
[Discuss Question #3]
Now let me ask one final question:
4. Who should you teach this to?
[Discuss Question #4]
As we close in prayer, I want to invite you to open your hearts to God’s love and generosity. Let’s tell Him that we want His love and help, and even need it. You may feel that you don’t deserve God’s love and blessings. Maybe you haven’t listened to Him much. Or maybe you haven’t even believed in Him. Well the good news is, God believes in you… and He loves you deeply, no matter what you’ve done. And you’re going to find out in the upcoming lessons how much He sacrificed to love you, to save you, to heal you, etc. As we pray, I want to pray for you, that God would continue to reveal His love and generosity to you throughout the rest of this study. If you’re ready to follow Jesus and be forgiven from your sins, tell Him that as we pray. He’s always ready to save and forgive people. He’s our Generous Creator.
[Close in prayer]
CONCLUSION
Now don’t miss our next lesson. We’ll be studying something that many people don’t understand; why our Generous Creator is also a Relational Companion.
Welcome to Lesson One. In this first lesson we’ll see how God is our Creator. And not just our Creator, but our Generous Creator. Though there are 1,189 chapters in the Bible, you don’t have to read more than one chapter to see that God is indeed a very Generous Creator. Before we begin, let’s open in prayer.
[Open in prayer]
As we read Genesis chapter one, let’s consider several questions, including:
- What evidences do we see that God is a Generous Creator (point them out in Genesis 1)?
- How does this differ from most people’s view of God?
- How should knowing this about God change our relationship with Him?
Scripture Reading: Read Genesis 1.
DISCUSSION
Okay, our first discussion question is:
- What evidences do we see that God is a Generous Creator (point them out in Genesis 1)?
To get the discussion started, I’ll share something from verse 11 & 26.
Read verses 11 and 26 again.
Think of all the different kinds of fruits and vegetables God created. We really didn’t need that many. God could have just created one vegetable with all the vitamins and minerals we needed. And for that matter, He also could have made it taste like dirt, or worse. But He didn’t. Instead, He created an enormous variety of fruits, vegetables and spices. Think for a moment about the many fruits He created, like bananas… apples… oranges… strawberries… raspberries… blackberries… pears… watermelons… mangos… kiwis… etc., etc. Consider the different shapes of the fruits… the sizes… the colors… the textures… the scents… and best of all, the flavors. Just thinking about them makes your mouth water. Now couple that with what we see at the beginning of verse 26: Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
Not only did God create so many amazing fruits, textures and flavors, but He created us in His image and likeness with the physiological ability to taste them, with the intellectual capacities to discern them, and with many emotions and feelings to enjoy them. Think about that. God went out of His way to create far more fruits with many delicious flavors than we needed, and then He created us so that we could enjoy them. That’s extravagant generosity.
So now let’s discuss our first question:
1. What evidences do we see that God is a Generous Creator (point them out in Genesis 1)?
[Discuss Question #1]
Okay, let’s move on to our second discussion question:
2. How does this differ from most people’s view of God?
[Discuss Question #2]
Now before we discuss the third question, let me share that the Bible teaches us that God’s love and generosity extends to everyone. He doesn’t only give to certain “lovable” people. He is benevolent to all.
For example, John 3:16 tells us:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (ESV)
We’ll talk more about God sacrificing His Son for us in Lesson 5, but for this lesson it’s important to point out that the sacrificial death of Jesus is God’s greatest of many demonstrations of His love and generosity. Listen to Romans 5:8:
“but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (ESV)
Notice, God didn’t wait until we “got our act together” to give His Son to save us. He clearly and sacrificially gave to each of us long before we ever turned to Him.
The bottom line: God loves you! He really, really loves you! No matter what you’ve done or how bad it was. No matter how many times you’ve done wrong, God loves you! You don’t have to earn it or behave good enough to keep being loved by Him. God just loves you. And even if you don’t receive His love or many of the benefits He provides, such as salvation and forgiveness of sins, He will still love you. And He is kind and generous, even toward people who don’t realize it.
3. How should knowing this about God change our relationship with Him?
[Discuss Question #3]
Now let me ask one final question:
4. Who should you teach this to?
[Discuss Question #4]
As we close in prayer, I want to invite you to open your hearts to God’s love and generosity. Let’s tell Him that we want His love and help, and even need it. You may feel that you don’t deserve God’s love and blessings. Maybe you haven’t listened to Him much. Or maybe you haven’t even believed in Him. Well the good news is, God believes in you… and He loves you deeply, no matter what you’ve done. And you’re going to find out in the upcoming lessons how much He sacrificed to love you, to save you, to heal you, etc. As we pray, I want to pray for you, that God would continue to reveal His love and generosity to you throughout the rest of this study. If you’re ready to follow Jesus and be forgiven from your sins, tell Him that as we pray. He’s always ready to save and forgive people. He’s our Generous Creator.
[Close in prayer]
CONCLUSION
Now don’t miss our next lesson. We’ll be studying something that many people don’t understand; why our Generous Creator is also a Relational Companion.