Questions for Reflection and Group Discussion
Read Genesis 1:9-12 (NIV):
And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
- Robert Bellah described the modern trend toward what he calls “expressive individualism,” which says that it is the responsibility of every person to decide who they are for themselves. Tradition can’t tell you. Religion can’t tell you. Biology can’t tell you. Only you can decide who you want to be.
– Why do you think this thinking has become popular?
– What are some problems with this trend?
- What is the difference between a job (work) and a calling (vocation)? In what ways is your job a calling/vocation for you?
- Note that the writer of Genesis described God’s creation of our world with the words, “Let there be… Let the water… let the dry ground… let the land…etc.” What are the implications of this way of describing God’s creative power? What does this communicate about God?
- Share about a time when you experienced delight, joy and awe in God’s creation.
- The Bible uses a lot of tree imagery to describe humans.
– How are humans like trees?
– Why is this significant? What does it communicate about God’s desire for our lives?
- Bobby said that fulfillment is found in honoring God through our service of others rather than using our power for ourselves. Talk about how you’ve experienced this kind of fulfillment in your own life.
- Wise leaders help others feel both challenged and loved at the same time. Talk about a time when someone did this for you, that is, they “called you up” even as they “called you out.” How did they do this? How did it impact you?
- Bobby explained that when God said that creation was good, he didn’t mean for it to stay the same. He meant for it to grow. When we say that a baby is perfect, we mean it’s perfect for right now. But if that child is the same size and ability at age 16, it would be a problem. God means to take you somewhere. What was his point, and how can you enter into this in your own life?
- Jesus likened himself to a seed that needed to die and be buried in order to bear fruit.
– What does this metaphor communicate about Jesus?
– What does it communicate about us as his seed?
- What did you sense God saying to you through this passage and this message?
