BibleProject | One Story That Leads to JesusSample

The Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus, and today, we’ll dive into that story’s mysterious, watery beginning. The first three chapters of Genesis set the stage for the whole biblical drama. They introduce us to God’s purpose for his creation, the results of humanity’s decision to trust a deceiver rather than their creator, and God’s plan to rescue and restore the world. The stories we’ll read today also introduce important patterns that reappear throughout Genesis and the rest of the biblical story.

In today’s video, we see how in Genesis 1, God transforms chaos and darkness into an ordered cosmos where life can flourish. We’ll also see how God makes humans in his own image to reflect his good nature and rule creation as his partners.

God gives these humans everything they need to fulfill this calling. He plants them in a lush garden, where food grows in abundance and his divine presence dwells—a place where Heaven meets Earth. God also gives humanity the dignity of choice, represented by two fruit trees. The humans can trust God’s wisdom and eat from the tree of life, or they can eat from the tree of knowing good and bad. This second tree represents taking the authority to do what’s good in their own eyes, a choice which leads to death.

Unfortunately, an enemy deceives the humans in the garden, and they seize wisdom on their own terms with devastating consequences. Their relationships with God, each other, and the land fracture. But God promises that their choice and its consequences are not the end of the story. Throughout this year, we’ll journey through the story of God’s mission to rescue humanity and crush evil for good.

Reflection Questions

• What have you learned about God’s character from his creation and the instructions he gives to humans made in his image?
• Can you think of a time when something you first thought was good turned out to be bad? What happened as a result? What helped bring clarity to the situation?