Community Group Questions
“Made in God’s Image to Reflect His Glory”
10/8/23
Read Genesis 1:1–5
The Beginning - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
1. What insights did you gain from the teaching Sunday on these verses?
Look at Pastor Gary’s, three definitions of naturalism, pantheism, and theism.
2. How do you see the influence in our culture from the worldview of naturalism?
3. How do you see the influence of pantheism as a worldview in our culture?
4. As Christians we believe in theism, what other additional insights do you have as a biblical Christian about the concept of theism? (See John 1:1–3 and Colossians 1:15–20 for some additional insights on a Christian/ Christ centered theism).
Read Genesis 1:26-28.26
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
5. What do you think it means that we are created in God’s image?
6. What do you think it means that we are to rule over God’s creation?
7. What responsibilities do we have as reflectors of gods image, and rulers over God’s creation?
Read Psalm 139
1 You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a]God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
8. What insights does this give us about God personally creating you?
9. How does this passage make you feel about who you are?
Read Revelation 21:1, 5, 22:3-5
Rev 21:1,5 “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea…He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Rev. 22:3-5 “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face,and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”
10. What do these verses reveal to us about the future of gods new creation and our role in that new creation?
What do you think it means that God will put his name on your forehead?
11. How do you feel about the concept of ruling and reigning with God forever in his new creation?
12. How do think some of the struggles and issues you’re facing today might actually preparing you for ruling with Christ in the future?
Read Romans 8:28-32
Pray for the fulfillment of these verses below in your life and the life of your group.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Pray for your FRANCES
Friends, Relatives, Acquaintances, Neighbors, Co-Workers, Enemies, and Strangers to come to know Christ!
“Made in God’s Image to Reflect His Glory”
10/8/23
Read Genesis 1:1–5
The Beginning - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
1. What insights did you gain from the teaching Sunday on these verses?
Look at Pastor Gary’s, three definitions of naturalism, pantheism, and theism.
2. How do you see the influence in our culture from the worldview of naturalism?
3. How do you see the influence of pantheism as a worldview in our culture?
4. As Christians we believe in theism, what other additional insights do you have as a biblical Christian about the concept of theism? (See John 1:1–3 and Colossians 1:15–20 for some additional insights on a Christian/ Christ centered theism).
Read Genesis 1:26-28.26
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
5. What do you think it means that we are created in God’s image?
6. What do you think it means that we are to rule over God’s creation?
7. What responsibilities do we have as reflectors of gods image, and rulers over God’s creation?
Read Psalm 139
1 You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a]God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
8. What insights does this give us about God personally creating you?
9. How does this passage make you feel about who you are?
Read Revelation 21:1, 5, 22:3-5
Rev 21:1,5 “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea…He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Rev. 22:3-5 “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face,and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”
10. What do these verses reveal to us about the future of gods new creation and our role in that new creation?
What do you think it means that God will put his name on your forehead?
11. How do you feel about the concept of ruling and reigning with God forever in his new creation?
12. How do think some of the struggles and issues you’re facing today might actually preparing you for ruling with Christ in the future?
Read Romans 8:28-32
Pray for the fulfillment of these verses below in your life and the life of your group.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Pray for your FRANCES
Friends, Relatives, Acquaintances, Neighbors, Co-Workers, Enemies, and Strangers to come to know Christ!