Genesis 1

Small group discussion guide

The big idea

God made the world, and everything He made was good - and that includes you.

Read together

Read Genesis 1 aloud before you begin — it takes about 3 minutes. These opening verses set it up:

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Talk about it

1. Before you leave the chapter, name one part of God’s good world you have hurried past. Make a little room this week to receive it with gratitude, worship, and rest.
2. What pattern of work, worship, and rest would help you receive the goodness Genesis 1 describes?

Where it points to Christ

John begins his Gospel with the words In the beginning and says that the Word was with God and that all things were made through Him (John 1:1-3). He invites readers to hear Genesis 1 in the light of Jesus, the Word through whom creation came to be. Genesis also names the Spirit of God moving over the waters. The opening presents God’s creative word and Spirit without explaining away their mystery.

Notes

Genesis 1 · Scripture quoted from the KJV, a public-domain translation. Free to copy and use in your church — no licence and no attribution required. More at learnofchrist.com