week of 9/5

Unit 1 Session 1

IN THE BEGINNING

Genesis 1:1 - 2:3 ; Hebrews 11

God created everything out of nothing, and all of creation

reveals Him.

Before "In the beginning", there was God. Before time and space was, there was the timeless, boundless, infinite Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The triune God - one God in three Persons, perfect in love, unity, and holiness - creates. All that we see, all the science we study, all the history we know and experience - everything owes its existence to the One Who created everything out of nothing, and everything serves the purpose of bringing Him glory. 

Points to consider:

✞   God created everything good.
     * How should we read the Bible knowing that God
     is its main character?
     * What are some ways you have seen the goodness
     of God's creation?

✞   God created everything by design.
     * What are some ways human beings have twisted
     God's good design in creation?

✞   God created everything for a purpose.
     * How should belief in the biblical account of
     creation affect the life of a Christian?

Fusion: week of 8/29

 FAMILY THEME: GOD PROVIDES REDEMPTION

Ruth 4:1-17

God had a plan for Naomi and Ruth's redemption, and He

has one for us as well.

✞   God Provided a Way of Redemption for Those in Need

     (Ruth 4:1-12)

      Boaz fulfilled the role of kinsman-redeemer for Ruth

     and Naomi and their inheritance.

✞   God's Redemption Leads to Joy and Worship

     (Ruth 4:13-17)

     Ruth and Boaz were married and blessed with a son.

     With all of the people in Bethlehem, they rejoiced and

     recognized God's hand at work.

Fusion: week of 8/22

FAMILY THEME: GOD USES FLAWED PEOPLE

Judges 16:1-31

Samson's strength did not extend to strength of character,

but God still used him.

✞   Ongoing Patterns of Sin Lead to Sorrowful Consequences

     (Judges 16:1-21)

      Samson's lustful passion grew into a sinful pattern of

     behavior. He was willingly blind to the consequences

     of his sin.

✞   God Can Use Us in Spite of Our Flaws if We Turn to Him

     (Judges 16:22-21)

     God graciously granted Samson forgiveness and the 

     power to fulfill his original calling, destroying 3,000

     Phillistines with his final act.

Fusion: week of 8/15

 FAMILY THEME: GOD CALLS ORDINARY PEOPLE

Judges 7:1-23

Before Gideon enlisted, before the army gathered, God had

already won the victory He can do the impossible when we

put our trust in Him.

✞   God is the True Source of Our Success

     (Judges 4:1-3)

      Against conventional wisdom, God told Gideon that his

     army was too large and used a series of tests to reduce

     it to 300 men.

✞   God Encourages and Strengthens Us When We Need It

     (Judges 7:49-15)

     God bolstered Gideon's confidence by sending him to

     overhear an enemy soldier's dream.

✞   God Does Amazing Things When We Trust and Obey Him

     (Judges 7:16-23)

     God granted the victory in such a way that no one could

     have denied that He alone was the victor.

Fusion: week of 8/8

FAMILY THEME: GOD CHOOSES UNUSUAL LEADERS

Judges 4:1-24

Deborah broke the mold. God's selection of a woman to restore

peace and judgment to Israel was exceptional in every way, but

Deborah courageously stepped up to the task.

✞   Confession and Repentance are the First Steps Toward
      Restoration with God

      (Judges 4:1-3)

      God's people allowed themselves to become complacent,

      and they turned away from Him. When adversity came to

      them, they cried out for His help.

✞   God Uses Many Different People and Strategies to

     Accomplish His Purposes

     (Judges 4:4-10)

     God's plan of deliverance may have seemed counterintuitive

     to the military strategies of the day, but He put the prophetess

     Deborah in place as a judge.

✞   Victory is Found in God's Power and Ways, Not in Our Own

     (Judges 4:11-24)

     Together, Deborah and Barak experienced amazing military

     victory. Jael, another woman, finished off the threat to Israel

     with a tent peg. The glory went to God!

Fusion: week of 8/1

FAMILY THEME: GOD HONORS OBEDIENCE

Joshua 6:1-27

God used an unusual battle strategy, to say the least. No one

could say the strength of the Israelites or their weapons of war

were responsible for the fall of Jericho. All the credit went to God.

✞   God's Ways Might Not Always Seem to Make Sense

      (Joshua 6:1-5)

      His instructions about walking silently around Jericho

      must have caused some puzzled responses.

✞   Doing Things God's Way Leads to Success

     (Joshua 6:6-21)

     The Israelites followed instructions exactly, an act of

     faith in God's direction and submission to their leader,

     Joshua.

✞   God Keeps His Word and So Should We

     (Joshua 6:22-27)

     After the city walls were destroyed, Rahab's household

     was rescued, Jericho was burned, and any rebuilding

     efforts for the city were cursed.

Fusion: week of 7/25

 FAMILY THEME: FAITH BRINGS DELIVERANCE

Joshua 2:1-24

Drama? Stress? Life change? Risk? Just ask Rahab! When the 
spies came to her fortressed city, she did not trust in its army or
defenses, but courageously sided with the people of God.

✞   Faith in God Led Rahab to Take Bold Action

      (Joshua 2:1-14)

      The two spies Joshua sent to gather intelligence about

      Jericho found refuge in the house of Rahab and promised

      her protection.

✞   Faith in God Led Rahab to Follow the Directions She

     Was Given

     (Joshua 2:15-24)

     The spies departed in secret, leaving Rahab with specific

     instructions to avoid being destroyed with the rest of

     Jericho. When the city miraculously fell, only Rahab's

     household was spared.