Breaking Ground
What was your favorite kids story or fairytale during your childhood? Why?
The Dig
This Sunday, we continued our series Covenantal by exploring the story of the Flood & God’s Covenant with Noah.
As mentioned Sunday, modern Christians, in general, have broken into two interpretive camps concerning this story:
- That it’s a literal account of a historical, global flood.
- That it’s a metaphorical account that uses a localized flood in Ancient Mesopotamia to convey deeper, spiritual truths about God & humanity.
With this in mind, start your discussion by unpacking your personal histories with this incredibly complicated story.
When did you first learn the story of the Flood & Noah’s Ark? How was it taught & what lessons were you told to take from it?
In your experience, how have people approached interpreting & using the Flood Story? How has your relationship with it changed over the course of your life?
As Pastor Mike explained, the Flood takes place within a larger section of Scripture covering Genesis 3-11. After the Fall, there appears several stories depicting humanity’s spiral downwards. First, there’s the story of Cain (the Bible’s first murderer), then that of Lamech (Cain’s descendent who founds a city of violence, symbolizing sin moving to the societal level), & then a story about the first human kings to claim divinity in order to seize power.
All of this is depicted as a rising tide of human created evil & chaos within Creation. In response, God calls forth a flood to stem the spread of humanity’s destruction; which swallows creation outside of Noah, his family, & pairs of each animal, whom God delivers via a giant Ark. Finally, the story ends with God Covenanting with Noah & promising to never destroy Creation, which God seals with a rainbow as a sign.
Regardless of whether you believe it’s literal or metaphorical, the Flood Account is clearly intended to depict a cosmic collapse as it mirrors a reverse of Genesis 1’s Creation Account. In that, we saw God separate the earth from the chaotic waters of uncreation in order to bring forth order & life. Now here, the result of human evil is depicted as the shattering of this barrier, which leads the chaotic waters of uncreation to once again rise & swallow what God created. With this in mind, reflect on the major elements of this story & how it fits within the biblical narrative.
Given this context, what stands out to you the most about this story? How does it fit within the larger narrative of Genesis 1-11?
One of the most challenging & unsettling aspects of the Flood Account is its depiction of divine violence. What should we do with God’s actions in the Flood Story (& in others like it)? What ideas do you think they’re meant to convey about God, humanity, & Creation?
Read Genesis 9:1-17. This Covenant is intended to be the climactic conclusion & focus of this story. In it, we see that classic Covenantal framework of promise, commitment, & sign.
How does God’s Covenant with Noah bring this story to its intended conclusion? How should it shape our interpretation of the whole account & its themes?
Ultimately, every Covenant moves God’s redemption story forward in some way. As such, they all point towards the purposes of God in redeeming Creation & find their fulfillment in the story of Jesus. How can Jesus inform our interpretation of this story & Covenant? What can it still teach us about God, humanity, & our world today?
Getting Out of the Hole
Take time each week to reflect upon the Covenant explored in the Sunday sermon.
- Read Genesis 3-9. What stands out to you about the Flood Account in terms of God, humanity, & Creation?
- What does the text say about God’s response to human violence & evil? What does this reveal to us about God’s heart? HINT: the primary emotion is grief.
- How does the Covenant with Noah serve as the final word for this account? What does this reveal about God & His purposes for Creation?
- How can this story challenge & encourage us as we seek to live like Jesus in our world today? What pitfalls does it warn us about & what parts of God’s character does it reveal & challenge us to embody ourselves?
Journal about how this prayer practice makes you feel this week. Share your experience with your group next week.
Additional Resources*
Centered Set Church by Mark D. Baker
Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
TheBibleProject.com
Coming Up This Week:*
September 28th: Join us next Sunday as we continue our series Covenantal!
* Please see mye3.org for details.