Sermon Discussion Guide 12-16-2012 The god of Adam Lanz Context: The children of Sandy Hook and our nation were unaware last Friday that evil of the worst kind would show up on their campus. Evil came in with guns drawn and blazing. Today's sermon will look to God for reconciliation in the midst of tragedy. Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1 - There is a time for every event under the sun. Psalm 22 -- My God, My God why have you forsake me! Psalm 23 -- The Lord is my Shepherd! Discussion Questions 1. Why do bad things happen? Ecc 3:1 (Mark Donaldson) 2. How do I reconcile the bad things that happen? (Psalm 22) 3. Who do I follow in the midst of Crisis? (Psalm 23) 4. What kind of world did God create? 5. What changes happened in the world because of Satan? 6. What does the world look after Jesus intervened? 7. How do I come back to Jesus after the anger fades away? ___________ my grief…. Matt. 5:4 ___________from others … Galatians 6:2 ___________what’s important… Lk 12:15 ___________ on Christ…. Lk 12:15

Bang!

Bang!

Discussion Guide

9-16-2012

Text:  Ge 1:1

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

Summary

Today we start a  31 week series on the Bible. Remember to re-enforce that "The Story"  book is not a Bible Replacement.  It a tool designed to help us understand the bible better. Today we are going to glance at the first nine chapters of Genesis.  God created the world and everything in it.  He gave man everything he needed and the ability to make choices.  Man struck out,  by making bad choices from the beginning.

Discussion Questions

1.  What kind of action by God set everything into motion?

2.  What is the difference between the first three days of creation and the second three days of          creation?

3. What is God's crowning achievement in the creation story?

4.  What are two things that show God's love for mankind?

5.  Describe the two trees of prominence in the Garden.

6.  Do you think it is unusual that Adam and Eve choose to "see things like  God"?

7.  Why did God destroy the world and start over?

8.  Despite being a do-over what came off of the ark with Noah and his family?

Scripture

Gen 1:1                        Gen 6:5-6                    Gen 8:1-2

Gen 2:9                        Gen 6:9-10                  Gen 9:20-23

Gen. 2:17                     Gen 6:13-14

The Story Bible Reading Campaign

Davis Park Church of Christ is Launching  a Groundbreaking Bible Reading Campaign

 “The Bible is central to our faith,” said Buddy Gray of The Davis Park Church of Christ,“ but many people are intimidated by its scope and size. The Story gives us a way to journey from Genesis to Revelation together in 31 weeks so everyone understands God’s story and how their story intersects with it.”

Modesto, CA – The Bible is the best-selling book in history, but how many people in Modesto are actually reading it?  A Gallup survey reports the average American household has four Bibles. However, research by Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (2008) found that only 16 percent of Americans read the Bible every day.

The Davis Park Church of Christ is hoping to reverse this trend, starting with its own congregation.  Buddy Gray believes that The Story, a Zondervan best-seller, is the right tool to increase Biblical literacy, helping readers understand God’s story from Genesis to Revelation and how their own stories intersect with God’s.  Consisting of 31 chapters of carefully-selected scriptures sequenced in chronological order, The Story presents the word of God in an engaging format, reading like a novel.

“I want the people in my congregation, as well as the city of Modesto, to realize the incredible love God has for them and how their story is found in His story,” said Gray.

The Story Church Campaign is a unique program providing up to 31 weeks of curriculum for children, teen and adult Sunday school and up to 31 weeks of corresponding sermons.  When accompanied by reading through the five age-related books (The Story, The Story: Teen Edition, The Story for Kids, The Story for Children, and The Story for Little Ones), the entire church can be literally on the same page for 31 weeks. Davis Park plans to begin the experience on September 9, 2012.

Davis Park invites you to begin forty days of prayer with them, starting July 31, 2012.  We will be praying for God to work through His insightful world to change the people of Davis Park and the people of Modesto, CA.  We will be e-mailing a daily devotion for the next forty days to all who are interested in praying for God to go work on all of us.  Send requests to davisparkcoc@sbcglobal.net.

For more information on The Story, visit www.thestory.com.