80 Generations - Connect Groups
Introduction
Introduction
Join us this September as we consider the genealogy of our faith and the mindboggling fact that only 80 generations stand between our lives and when Jesus lived his human life among us.
Last month in Habitats of Hope we were looking around at where we find ourselves and now this month we are looking back at where we have come from. Not only where, but who we have come from.
We’ll be thinking about time, tradition, innovation, redemption, deliverance, burning bushes, manna from heaven, and the things that that sustain us.
This month we are trying to put time, meaning and purpose into perspective, using the the title 80 Generations. If a generation is 25 years, did you know that it is only 80 generations since Jesus walked this earth in person? In other words, if each generation could shake hands, you would only need to shake 80 hands until you would shake the hand of Jesus. What is even more powerful than that is the nail pierced hand of Jesus can reach out across the generations to touch each of us now. Proverbs 18: 24 reminds us there is one who sticks closer to us than even a brother.
In Psalm 90 the writer goes further, referring to God’s timing as “A thousand years in your sight is as one watch of the night.” In the ancient world one watch of the night was about three or four hours. So in God’s economy of time, Jesus rose from the dead six hours ago. And when it comes to the stories of the Exodus well they just happened ten and half hours ago.
During September we are going to take four of these interesting stories of deliverance from the book of Exodus and view them as unfinished scenarios, that still have a contemporary connection with our lives, in that they describe the human condition.
We are all people enslaved in time searching for purpose and perspective.
It is hoped this time of study will help us to reach out and shake the hand of Jesus across the generations. But also to see that the Jesus story speaks into the lives of all of us who are enslaved in 21st century materialism and injustice.
SEEDS TO SOW: We have a 'Seeds to Sow' phrase at the beginning of each section. These are open-ended and optional and are designed for people wanting to develop their own ideas/resources in response to the material. Perhaps if using this material as a group you could use these prompts to inspire a time of prayer, or drawing, or creative writing? They are intended to be short and sweet, simply a starting off place for you and your imagination, be encouraged to tailor/develop as suits your group.
Download the Discussion Questions as a PDF
These discussion questions adapt our monthly themes for small Connect Groups or personal Bible study. The questions are divided into 4 parts to correspond with the 4 weeks of the Daily Worship theme. They are offered as a guideline and there is no need to go through all the given questions in a single session, or in the following sequence. Feel free to pick and choose, or adapt to what interests you or your group.
