The Big Read – Genesis

Powerpoint Pictures: Put the following words on slides – Origin; Outset; Commencement; Dawn; Start; Beginning; Genesis

What do the following words have in common? [Origin, outset, commencement, dawn, start, beginning]  All these words can be used to mean the same thing.  Can you think of another word that means beginning? [Genesis]

Genesis is the name of the first book of the Bible, and Genesis is a great name for this book, because this book is all about beginnings.

In Genesis we’re told about the beginning of creation, the beginning of humans, the beginning of work, the beginning of family, the beginning of sin, and the beginning of death.

Lots of beginnings we are told about.

But there is one more beginning Genesis tells us about, and this beginning is the most important one of all, and that’s the beginning of God’s promise to save us through the Lord Jesus.  We don’t have to wait until the Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – to hear about Him, because He’s here in Genesis too!

In Genesis 3, as God curses the serpent, He says, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)

Here we are told about an offspring who will come and destroy the devil’s work, and as you go through the book of Genesis we learn other things about Jesus as well: That He’s like an ark that keeps us safe from God’s judgment; That He’s the Son a Father loves and is willing to sacrifice so blessing can come to the world; That He’s a King who will offer salvation to everyone who comes to Him.

Genesis is a great book because it contains the beginning of the gospel.  It begins to make known the good news of what Jesus has done for us.