Binge the Bible – Episode 1

Warm-Up

1. What has your experience been when it comes to reading Scripture? Does it come easy to you or is it a bit of a challenge?
2. When you think of the book of Genesis, what comes to mind?
3. What stood out to you from the message on Sunday?

Know It

Read Genesis 22:1-19. What stands out to you?

1. How do we see examples of Abraham’s faith in God throughout the story?

From the beginning to the end of this story, we see Abraham trust the Lord with no hesitation. As explained in Hebrews 11, Abraham reasoned that if God asked him to go through with this, then the Lord would simply raise Isaac from the dead. In fact, Abraham’s faith and belief in the Lord was so strong that he was considered righteous because of it.

Read Genesis 15:1-6

Why do you think Abraham is able to respond to such a huge promise with such great faith?

2. Where do you see Jesus, His life, and His death being foreshadowed in this story?

Jesus can be found all over the Old Testament. Every book contains some foreshadowing, prophecy, or image of Christ that allows us to connect the dots when He finally shows up on the scene. These parallels aren’t random or accidental but a very intentional trail that leads to our Savior.

Read Genesis 3:14-15

Why do you think humanity is promised a Savior immediately after the Fall?

Own It

1. What does it look like for you to bear the image of God and steward His creation well?

Humanity is the great, triumphant climax of Creation – the Lord’s masterpiece. Each one of us is carefully crafted to bear the image of God and reflect Him to those around us. We are all invited to play a role in the growth and health of His Kingdom and be a part of the body of Christ.

Read Genesis 1:26-31

How do you see God’s character in the way that He instructs mankind to fill and care for the earth?

2. Where in your life have you seen the Lord work good out of what is evil and meant to harm you?

The Lord never intends to harm us or creates evil, but He does use these situations for the good of His Kingdom and His people. Nothing is too far gone or too broken to be touched and used by Him.

Read Genesis 50:15-21

Have you ever found yourself in the place of Joseph’s brothers – deeply in the wrong and in need of restoration? How has the Lord used your sinful moments for good?

Next Steps

1. What can you do to become more familiar with the Word of God?

As Blake mentioned in his teaching, reading Scripture is one of the easiest ways to get to know God. His Word reveals His plans, His character, and His love for us. We are so blessed to each be able to have our own Bibles. Many of our brothers and sisters face persecution, imprisonment, and sometimes even death if found to be in possession of Scripture. It is an honor to get to dive into the Word of God and a gift that we should not take for granted.

Which story in Genesis do you want to become more familiar with? How will you go about doing this?

2. Reflecting on what stood out to you in this overview of Genesis, what is the Lord calling you to do next?

There are valuable lessons and applications to be found in every book of the Bible. While Scripture’s main purpose is to reveal God to us, it also reveals us to ourselves. Scripture is a surgeon’s knife and a magnifying glass that exposes our shortcomings, encourages us through truth and hope, and points us towards our next step and our Savior.

Digging Deeper

Watch The Bible Project’s overview videos of Genesis (Genesis 1-11 and Genesis 12-50).

1. Which of the stories in Genesis are you most familiar with? Which one would you be interested in learning more about?
2. How do you see some of the bigger themes in Genesis reflected throughout the rest of Scripture? How have you experienced these themes in your everyday life?
3. How do you see foreshadowing to Jesus throughout the book of Genesis?
4. How have you seen evidence of the blessing of Abraham in your own life?
5. How have you seen and experienced the Lord’s desire to rescue you and those around you?

Challenge

Read through the entire book of Genesis this week.