Week 1: Roots

Humanity is deeply rooted in Love.

God is Love. Since before the beginning of time, He has existed in the intimate community of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Out of love, God created a beautiful world filled with light and land, water and living things. And from the dust of the earth, he formed the culmination of His creative work.

Mankind.

Created to be the recipient of His love and proclaimed to be very good, he was given purposeful and co-creative work. Name the animals. Tend the garden.

And then with unimaginable trust, God handed over His beautiful creation into man’s stewardship and care.

This week we will be exploring what it means to be rooted in God’s love.

Scripture Reading: Genesis 3:1-13

Opening Question:

What part of this passage stands out most to you?

Core Question 1:

What information do we learn about the trees in the Garden of Eden?

Core Question 2:

When Adam and Eve eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they disobey God’s only rule. They turn away from the wisdom and goodness of His plan, in order to do things their own way. How does life change for Adam and Eve afterward?

Core Question 3:

Through both their words and actions, how do Adam and Eve seem to be answering the big questions of faith:

“Who is God?” & “Who am I according to God?”

Concluding Question:

Imagine how Genesis chapter 3 might have played out differently if Adam and Eve had turned toward God, rather than away from Him:

  • If Eve had sought God out to talk about the doubts that the serpent had raised in her mind?

  • If Adam and Eve had chosen to run to God to confess what they had done, rather than hide from Him?

Following Jesus

Like Adam and Eve, Jesus will also one day stand before a tree with a terrible decision to make. Trust God’s way to be good. Or not. Having been rooted, strengthened, protected, nourished, and empowered by God’s love, Jesus will choose well.

  • What stories would Jesus have grown up hearing about his birth?

  • How would these experiences have helped Jesus to feel rooted in His Father’s love from the very beginning of His life?

On Your Own

We will be studying the life of David, who is known for being a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). This week’s readings explore the crowning of David’s predecessor, King Saul.

We will also be considering the spiritual practice of prayer, and how it helps us to stay rooted in the love of God.