In this first session, we grasp the Good News of the Story of Jesus within the larger story of God. We were created completely whole and good. We were broken in the fall and now everything is broken.
But God did not keep us in that state. He did not ignore us. He had a plan.
God stepped into the world in the Person of Jesus, lived the perfect life that we could not live, died as our substitute, and now brings us back to God, back to ourselves, back to each other, and back to the earth. He is redeeming all of this brokenness for good. All we have to do is believe this and trust that Jesus worked on our behalf.
Jesus is the basis for a hope that redeems everything, and we see that in the real story of God and us.
Here are some additional resources to consider the real story:
- The Gospel in Four Minutes by Propaganda
- True and Better: The Bible Points to Jesus by Dan Stevers
- The Storyline of the Bible by Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen
- To explore the story throughout the Scriptures, read:
- Genesis 1-2 to explore how creation was made good, true, and beautiful
- Genesis 3 to explore brokenness. How does God respond to Adam and Eve? What is His first action after pronouncing the curse in verse 21 and how do you think that connects with the concept of shame?
- Ephesians 2.1-3 to see how brokenness plays out over thousands of years. What are some expanded consequences of this brokenness that we see here that we didn't see in Genesis 3?
- 1 Corinthians 15.1-4 to see how the redemption that comes through Jesus is synthesized in just a few words
- 1 Peter 3:18 to see how Jesus brings us back to God
- Romans 5:8-18 to see how Jesus' work covers over the original sin of Adam
- Ephesians 2.4-10 to see how God's infinite love compels Him towards a rescue plan for all mankind.
- Revelation 21-22 to see how God completes the story. How does this mirror Genesis 1-2? What familiar things do you see? What new things do you see?