IN THE BEGINNING, GOD Discussion Guide #1
Lesson: “In The Beginning, God”
Texts: Genesis 1:1, Acts 17:16-18, 22-31
Aim: to introduce the series and to encourage members to invite their friends to our group.
ICEBREAKER QUESTION #1: Welcome to our group! And thanks to _____________ for being our host. Each week we will begin our conversation by going around the circle and telling our name, and as we do we will always answer an “Ice-Breaker Question.” Today we have two “Ice Breaker Questions.” Here is the first one: Suppose you enter a contest and you win an all-expense-paid vacation trip to either New York City or Washington, D.C. They are both prominent cities, but you can only pick one. Which one would you choose, and why? I’ll begin: my name is ___________, and the city I would choose is …..…
ICEBREAKER QUESTION #2: Ten years ago today, you would not have wanted to be in either of those cities! Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001, and what you were doing when you first heard the news that New York and Washington were under attack? I’ll begin: my name is ___________, and on this day ten years ago I was……
Each week the “Ice-Breaker Question” is the only question we will ALL be asked to answer. The rest of our questions are for the whole group, so feel free to speak up whenever you have something to share!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. This Tuesday will mark 18 weeks since a small group of Navy Seals invaded Bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan and shot him dead. Can you recall how you felt when you heard that news? 2. Bin Laden is gone, but we are still dealing with the lingering effects of his actions. What would you say are some of the ways our nation has changed as a result of those awful attacks ten years ago?
DISCUSSION QUESTION: When over 1000 Americans were surveyed about the impact of 9/11 on their life, 78% said the attacks of ten years ago caused them to appreciate their friends and family more. In addition, more than two out of every five said the attacks increased their faith. Why do you suppose that is? How might that terrible catastrophe actually cause some people to have more faith? [Source: AARP Bulletin, September 2011, page 4]
DISCUSSION QUESTION: One of the things we have learned over the past ten years is that a person’s concept of God makes a huge difference. After all, the terrorists who attacked our nation on 9-11 were acting in the name of their god. In your opinion, how is the terrorists’ concept of Allah different from the nature of the God you discover in your Bible?
If we want to develop an accurate concept of God, we should pay close attention to His Word, because the Bible exists to reveal Him to us. This fall we will study the first three chapters of Genesis to learn about God and to answer some of life’s most fundamental questions.
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TURN TO the book of Genesis, to the first verse of the first chapter of the first book of the Bible. READ Verse 1. DISCUSSION QUESTION: The opening sentence of the Bible is breathtaking in its simplicity, majesty, and scope! By itself, however, this first verse raises more questions than it answers: it introduces God, but it doesn’t describe or explain Him. When you try to comprehend the nature of our Almighty God, is there anything that puzzles you? What are some of the questions YOU have about God?
The apostle Paul once visited Athens, one of the most prominent cities of the first century, and there he found himself in the position of explaining the one true God to people who didn’t know anything about Him. TURN to the book of Acts (fifth book in your New Testament), Chapter 17. READ Verses 16-18 DISCUSSION QUESTION: Why do you think Paul was so distressed when he saw that the city of Athens was filled with idols? What might have upset him the most?
READ Verses 22-23 LEADER’S INSIGHT: The Aeropagus (pronounced ehr ih AHP uh gus), or “Mars Hill,” was the central meeting place for the leaders of Athens. The city of Athens had a reputation for being filled with shrines and temples dedicated to the pagan gods, many of them covered with gold and precious stones. In the speech that follows Paul will explain five characteristics of the one true God.
READ Verse 24 The first characteristic is that God created the universe. DISCUSSION QUESTION: When you think about creation, and the universe that God made, what amazes you the most?
READ Verse 25 The second characteristic of the true God is that He sustains the universe. DISCUSSION QUESTION: God didn’t just start the earth spinning and then walk away: He continues to keep it going. Suppose you were teaching a group of first- and second-graders, and you wanted them to understand that God still sustains the world. What are some of the things in nature you would point to in order to demonstrate that God is still active?
READ Verses 26-27 The third characteristic of the God of the Bible is that He is the Ruler of ALL the nations. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. God could have made us all alike, but instead He created an incredible diversity of peoples around the world. Why do you suppose He did that? Why are there so many different races of people? 2. Verse 27 contains a crucial insight into our relationship with God: one reason He put us on this earth is so that we would “seek Him.” Why do you feel God wanted us to “reach out for Him”? Why might it be important to God that WE seek and find HIM?
READ Verses 28-29 The fourth characteristic of God is that He is the Father of all human beings. LEADER’S INSIGHT: Paul’s argument goes like this: If we are God’s children and are made in His image, then it is ridiculous to imagine that WE can create an image of HIM!
DISCUSSION QUESTION: Why do you suppose peoples of all cultures and throughout all ages have tried to create material images of God? Why has idolatry always been such a common temptation?
READ Verses 30-31 The final characteristic of the true God is that He will one day be the Judge of all the earth. DISCUSSION QUESTION: In your opinion, why is it important for us to never forget that at the end of time we will all be judged by God?
SUMMARY STATEMENT: [HAND OUT BROCHURES] Throughout this series we will be addressing some of the most fundamental questions of life. These are questions that affect everyone. I want to encourage each of us to invite someone to next week’s conversation. Let’s close by asking God to give us an opportunity this week to invite someone to our group. [LEAD PRAYER]
Dan Williams
