March 03, 2025

Teaching a First Lesson with a Friend

47 minutes

Teaching a First Lesson with a Friend

Introduction: Why are we here? If there is a God, what is his purpose. What is this who “religion” thing all about?

In a world where religion and the knowledge of the Bible has become more and more distant from the average person, we can no longer assume that the people we talk to have a foundational knowledge of God. To them, it is just a plethora churches all believing and doing different things. God and God’s purposes are lost in a mixture of worship services that seem to be more like religious entertainment.

Therefore, I designed this lesson in order to “introduce God” to the average person. Whether with a religious background or not, most people struggle with an understanding of how Genesis foretells God’s eternal purpose.

Genesis 1-3

“In the beginning, God…”

The “beginning” indicates that God was before the beginning and reminds us that God has already created a “heavenly realm” with angels and other spirit beings.

“God” is a collective noun, indicating though there is one God, it is a “God family.” We know from John 1:1-3 and Genesis 1:2, that Jesus is the one who created all things and the Holy Spirit was also a part of this creation (See Job 33:4).

The rest of Genesis 1 tells us about the creation of the heavens and earth.

God marks the ending of each day with the phrase, “there was evening and there was morning”…and then the number of the day. He does this through six days.

God also mentions that what he creates is “good” and finishes the creation on the sixth day by saying, “It was very good.” Thus, a beautiful “earthly realm” creation that operates perfectly for mankind, God’s highest creation.

Man’s creation foretells our purpose in God’s creation.

We are made in his image and are to be fruitful and multiply to fill the earth with God’s image.

We fractured his image with sin, but everything that God is doing in the rest of scripture is bringing back into that image so that God is promoted through us in his world (Ephesians 4:24; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

Note especially verse 28 and God’s mention of man having dominion over all that is on the earth. In Hebrews 2 we learn that this dominion has not yet come and that God will create a new “world” in which we will be crowned with glory and honor like Jesus and have dominion over that new world with Jesus.

Genesis 2:1-3 This section introduces the seventh day. This “day” is unique in comparison to the other days.

God rests from his creation work

God “blesses” the day, indicating that it will have a special purpose for mankind.

The day never ends. There is no conclusion of “evening and morning” like the previous six days.

This emphasis of the seventh day is “rest.” God will key off this day of rest throughout the rest of scripture:

Israel’s Sabbath rest every seventh day

Israel’s command to rest every seventh year

Israel’s “reset” and rest every fiftieth year (Jubilee)

Israel’s intended rest in the land of Canaan

In Hebrews 4, the writer proclaims that God’s ultimate rest with him is yet to come for those who are faithful to him.

Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (This is God’s ultimate plan for us)

Genesis 2:4-17 tells us about the Garden God created in which he places Adam and Eve. The Garden is unique, and foreshadows a heavenly Garden spoken of at the end of the Bible (Revelation 21-22).

God comes into the Garden every day and to spend time with man (3:8).

Man is able to enjoy all the trees/fruit of the Garden, but not the hard work by the sweat of his brow after his sin.

Further, he has plenty of time to spend with God. The Garden is all about being with God, because with God, there is joy and pleasure forever.

Genesis 2:18-25 describes the creation of the woman as a “helper fit/suitable” for man.

Man is in a not good state without the woman.

Made as a “helper” is not a secondary position. The same word “helper” is used repeatedly to describe what God is to man.

The final picture before man’s sin is marriage. This special relationship and union seems at first to only be a blessing for man in our earthly life. However, in Ephesians 5:22-34, we are told that “marriage” is a foreshadowing of how those who follow Jesus will be prepared to be his bride, and that our eternity with him will be like a perfect, joyful marriage throughout eternity.

Now that we have seen God’s initial purpose, let’s see how this is described in the New Testament.

Ephesians: God’s Eternal Purpose

1:3 Every spiritual blessing is found in Christ. Out ultimate joy will only be found in Jesus. That is where every spiritual blessing is found. It is the reason that serving Jesus is so important. Without him, eternity will be without any blessings.

“Heavenly Places” is a unique phrase. This phrase is used five times in Ephesians and never in any other book of the Bible:

1:3 All spiritual blessings are found in the heavenly places in Christ. Notice 3-6 and the conclusion that all that God has done is for the praise of his glorious grace.

1:20 Jesus has been raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of God in the heavenly places.

2:6 We have been raised up with Him and seated with him in the heavenly places.

3:10 The manifold wisdom of God is made known by the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

6:12 Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Conclusion: How do we sum this up?

Satan rebelled against God and brought with him a host of angels and spiritual beings who also rebelled.

If you were God, what would you have done about this? Just destroy them? To do so would have only proved that God was “bigger and badder” than Satan – like a dictator.

Instead, God proved his goodness and love for his creation by giving up his life to buy his creation back from sin and Satan’s power. Without Jesus’ sacrifice, we would be doomed to suffer the “justice of God,” eternally separated from him. Because God rescued us by giving up his own Son for us, we in turn owe our lives to him.

Therefore, God proved to all principalities and powers both good and evil that a created being with freewill, subject to fleshly sins, would turn and love Him just because He is so great, so wonderful, so precious, so pure, so flawless. They would love Him without bribery, regardless of trial, and in fact, would gladly lay down their lives for Him. They would serve Him just for the special privilege of being with Him. And show the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places God’s manifold wisdom. (1 Cor. 6:3, “Do you not know that we are to judge angels?) That was all done, to the praise of His glory and be presented to him as a bride in splendor, holy and without blemish!

Berry Kercheville

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