Purpose of This Lesson:
-Tonight we are going to open up the topic of the "origins" of life and begin the discussion of where "it" all began.
We are embarking on a journey of discovery that the human race has been discussing since... well, forever. The questions of what life is, how it came to be, and for what purpose life has existed are not new, but are more important than ever. How you think about such issues, and through what lens you view life, has a profound impact on your daily existence. What does faith and religion have to say about such things? Where does science point us? Does any of it matter? Can faith and science coexists? Who's right and who's wrong? The good news is that there are answers to these questions, and as disciples of Jesus we find these answers by having a biblical worldview. That doesn't mean that everything is always clear, cut and dry. At the end of the day, we are all still learning and faith is required no matter if we are speaking of religion, science, or both.
Over these next few weeks we will learn about the origins of life from a :creation perspective" while fully engaging our brains, what we know about science, and discuss when the church has gotten it right, and maybe even wrong. As we journey together and learn how to think about such matters of importance be free to engage. It's ok to disagree. The goal is to sharpen each other and to develop tools as disciples of Jesus. Come each week and have an open mind, test the scriptures, pray and ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you truth, and consider what these answers mean to you and your future. All we ask is that you remain respectful towards each other at all times, and to remain in a posture of love and gentleness.
There is a high probability that at times these discussions will become tense, and that's ok. Things of great importance, such as the origins of life as we understand it, should not be taken lightly. Before engaging in the following discussion questions, take a moment to read the scriptures below and use them as guiderails that will keep the discussion moving forward.
Proverbs 2:3-5 NLT
3 Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
4 Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
Proverbs 27: 17 NLT
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so a friend sharpens a friend.
John 16:13 NLT - Jesus speaking of the Holy Spirit
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 NLT
The Wisdom of God
18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”
20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.
24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.
Discussion Questions:
Have you ever pondered deeply the meaning of Life and how "it" all began? What was your conclusion?
What were you taught growing up about the beginning of life and how humans came to exists on Earth? Have you ever disagreed with what you were taught about the origins of life? If yes, how so?
Would you say it's important that we understand, or at least have a framework of understanding, how life began? Please explain your answer.
Do you hope that life has great meaning and purpose? Discuss.
Some Core Values that help guide our discussion
- Honor, Respect, Unity, and Love
Prayer Focus
- For the Holy Spirit to reveal truth about life and creation to our Life Group
- That each of our hearts will continue to seek to understand the origins of life
- That we remain in a place of honor and respect to those who disagree with our worldview