Fusion: week of 10/18

FAMILY THEME: GOD IN FLESH AND BLOOD

John 1:1-18

Like a coin has two sides, Jesus has two natures. Jesus is

both God and man. John's purpose in writing this account

was to show that Jesus is God so that people could believe

and be saved.

✞   Jesus is the Eternal Creator

     (John 1:1-3)

     Jesus eternally exists as the revelation of all God is.

✞   Jesus is Life and Truth

     (John 1:4-13)

     Jesus is light (morally and spiritually), embodying

     all that is good, right, and true.

✞   Jesus is God's Grace, Truth, and Glory 

      in Human Form

     (John 1:14-18)

     Jesus revealed God's grace, truth, and glory and

     made Him known to us. He showed us God in

     terms we could understand and left us a pattern

     for godly living.

Fusion: week of 10/11

FAMILY THEME: TROUBLE AT THE TOWER

Genesis 11:1-9

How did the human race, all beginning from one family,

become so divided? Where did all the different languages

of the world originate? These questions are answered in

Genesis 11.

✞   Don't Let Pride Hinder Obedience

     (Genesis 11:1-4)

     Noah's descendants were commanded to spread

     out and fill the earth. Instead they collaborated in

     a building project to honor themselves. (Gen.9:1, 7)

✞   God Will Accomplish His Will

     (Genesis 11:5-9)

     God sometimes uses disorder and things that are

     troubling to us to bring about His will. No matter 

     how far sinful man drifts away from God's will, the

     Almighty's plans will come to pass.

Fusion: week of 10/4

 FAMILY THEME: STARTING OVER

Genesis 6:1 - 7:5

By the time of Noah, humanity had become so corrupt

that God would destroy the world in judgment. Yet even

in the midst of great wickedness there was a man who

found grace in the sight of God - Noah. Noah's faith in

God led him to obey God and be saved from the 

judgment to come.

✞   Sin Grieves God

     (Genesis 6:5-7)

     God is emotionally invested in humankind, so

     when we resort to evil thoughts and actions,

     it grieves His heart.

✞   Faith and Right Living Please God

     (Genesis 6:8 - 7:5)

     Noah was a faithful man whose life backed up

     his faith, causing him to find favor with God.

     God used Noah's obedience to provide an

     escape from the consequences of judgment.

Fusion: week of 9/27

FAMILY THEME: WHERE WE WENT WRONG

Genesis 3:1-13

If you have ever looked at the world and thought, Wow, what

a mess! You've also likely wondered why the world is in the

shape it's in. God, in His goodness, has given us the answer

to this question in Genesis 3.

✞   We Struggle With a Tempter

     (Genesis 3:1-6a)

     The act of sin begins with the temptation to sin.

     The Devil and our own desires bait us to disobey

     God's rules. We think we can find satisfaction

     some other way.

✞   Giving in to Temptation Brings Consequences

     (Genesis 3:6-13)

     Eve gave in to temptation when she chose to

     reach out and take some of the forbidden

     fruit. Adam and Eve's sin damaged their

     relationship with God and led them to further

     sin and punishment, and their penaly affected

     all of the human race. But God always offers

     a way to escape temptation.

Fusion: week of 9/20

  FAMILY THEME: FOLLOWING THE BLUEPRINT

Genesis 1:26-28 ; 2:18-24 ; Matthew 19:3-6

God's fingerprints are all over you. From the very beginning,

He has had a good plan.

✞   Embrace God's Design For Us

     (Genesis 1:26-28)

     God's culminating act of creation was the creation of

     humans, both male and female. They were made in

     His image and given provision for sustaining and re-

     plenishing life.

✞   Understand God's Purpose for Marriage

     (Genesis 2:18-24)

     The old Bible sholar, Matthew Henry, described

     Genesis 2 as an appendix to Genesis 1 - a more

     detailed account of the history of creation. Here 

     God gave more details about the creation of woman

     and the institution of marriage.

✞   Accept Jesus' Affirmation of God's Design

     (Matthew 19:3-6)

     When some religious professionals tried to trap

     Jesus in a discussion about divorce, Jesus 

     immediately went back to the creation account

     in Genesis to affirm God's foundational plan for

     marriage between a man and a woman.

Fusion: week of 9/13

 FAMILY THEME: EVIDENCE ALL AROUND US

Genesis 1:1 ; Rom. 1:19-20 ; 2:12-15 ; Psalm 19:1 ; Heb. 10:16

The Bible teaches that God is from everlasting to everlasting.

If you have difficulty comprehending that truth you are not

alone. All of us at times have been perplexed by the existence

of God. Both the Scriptures and the world around us give us

reasonable evidence to believe God exists.

✞   Something Caused It All

     (Genesis 1:1)

     Movies begin and end with credits to all the people

     who make them possible. The Bible begins with One

     credit. "In the beginning God created..."

✞   Design Indicated a Designer

     (Romans 1:19-20 ; Psalm 19:1)

     The more complicated the design, the more skilled

     the designer. In this world of electrons and quarks,

     glaciers and mountains, brain cells and bloostreams,

     and infinite variety and interlocking systems, we have

     strong evidence of a Designer.

✞   Our Sense of Right and Wrong Point to a Righteous God

     (Romans 2:12-15 ; Hebrews 10:16)

     Right and wrong matter to everyone. If you do not

     believe that, just observe the reaction of people

     when they think they are mistreated. Our sense of

     morality and justice point to a Creator who is moral

     and just.

Fusion: week of 9/6

FAMILY THEME: GOD CREATED EVERYTHING

Genesis 1:1 - 2:3

Where did we come from? Written by Moses, the book

of Genesis answers this critical question.

✞.  God is the Master Designer and Creator of All Things

     (Genesis 1:1-25)

     The very first page of the Old Testament introduces us

     to God and reveals His power. He created everything

     and stamped it with His approval. All of creation was

     good.

✞.  Humans Have a Special Place in Creation

     (Genesis 1:26 - 2:3)

     Humans are made in God's image, an expression used

     of no other part of the creation. God gave us a perfect

     environment and meaningful work to do.