Series: Complicated Conversations: Truth in Genesis

Topic: Gender

Text: Genesis 1:26-27, 2:18-25, Matthew 19:1-6

SCRIPTURE:

• As God was creating every living thing, what was different about His creation of man?
• What was man’s role in the garden?
• In his assignment to name every creature, talk about what must have been Adam’s mental capacity.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

• “In the ancient near East it was commonly understood that the concept of being made in the image of a deity implied royalty. Strikingly, in Genesis 1, God grants to all humans a royal status. As God rules over the whole of creation, humans are expected to rule in the same way over the earth,” says the Gospel Coalition Commentary.
• Talk through this commentary. What does our “royal status” mean for today?
• What about how we rule over the earth?
•  James, 4:7-8 says, “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” How are we to respond to any of our struggles?

TRANSFORMATION:

• Aren’t we all thankful that our value is not defined by our struggles? What does that mean to you?
• As you have struggled in the past, how has being part of community in the Body of Christ made a difference?
• As grace-filled, loving followers of Jesus, what is our response to people who are struggling with gender issues?
• How do you view a compassionate response to people who are struggling?
• Talk about Keller’s quote below.

“We instinctively tend to limit for whom we exert ourselves. We do it for people like us, and for people whom we like. Jesus will have none of that. By depicting a Samaritan helping a Jew, Jesus could not have found a more forceful way to say that anyone at all in need – regardless of race, politics, class, and religion – is your neighbor. Not everyone is your brother or sister in faith, but everyone is your neighbor, and you must love your neighbor.”

― Timothy Keller