spring 2014: Leader Guide ESV - Hickory Grove Baptist Church

spring 2014:
Leader Guide ESV
Ed Stetzer General Editor
Trevin Wax Managing Editor
God’s Word to You
A Summary of the Bible
In the beginning, the all-powerful, personal God created the universe.
This God created human beings in His image to live joyfully in His presence,
in humble submission to His gracious authority. But all of us have rebelled
against God and, in consequence, must suffer the punishment of our
rebellion: physical death and the wrath of God.
Thankfully, God initiated a rescue plan, which began with His choosing the
nation of Israel to display His glory in a fallen world. The Bible describes how
God acted mightily on Israel’s behalf, rescuing His people from slavery and
then giving them His holy law. But God’s people—like all of us—failed to
rightly reflect the glory of God.
Then, in the fullness of time, in the Person of Jesus Christ, God Himself
came to renew the world and restore His people. Jesus perfectly obeyed the
law given to Israel. Though innocent, He suffered the consequences of human
rebellion by His death on a cross. But three days later, God raised Him from
the dead.
Now the church of Jesus Christ has been commissioned by God to take the
news of Christ’s work to the world. Empowered by God’s Spirit, the church
calls all people everywhere to repent of sin and to trust in Christ alone for
our forgiveness. Repentance and faith restores our relationship with God and
results in a life of ongoing transformation.
The Bible promises that Jesus Christ will return to this earth as the
conquering King. Only those who live in repentant faith in Christ will
escape God’s judgment and live joyfully in God’s presence for all eternity.
God’s message is the same to all of us: repent and believe, before it is too late.
Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe with your heart that
God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved.
A Word from the Editors
Ed Stetzer
General Editor—The Gospel Project
President, LifeWay Research
Atonement is not a popular topic in society today. It calls to mind the evil
that sin is and the necessary wrath that God has toward sin. Who wants to be
reminded of their sin? Who wants to hear about a God who hates their sin?
Who wants to see themselves as needing forgiveness for their sin? For these
reasons, it seems as though talk of atonement has fallen out of favor.
But the atonement, as taught in the Bible, calls even more to mind: The
unfathomable love of God to send His Son to take away our sins. The amazing
grace of God to cover over our sins with the precious and perfect blood
sacrifice of the Lamb of God, for that is what atonement means, “covering.”
The atonement is indeed a bloody business. Countless animals were slaughtered in the Old
Testament to cover the sins of God’s people, but this theme of Scripture—this atonement thread—
shows the blood of Jesus alone can cover over sins and wash them clean away. Now recognize that
the message of God’s atoning love is not for us only. We are to call everyone everywhere to behold
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Few spiritual topics are more divisive and more unifying at the same time. But a biblical
understanding of the atonement unifies the church across tribes, languages, nations, and even time
in its mission to make the atonement of Jesus Christ known throughout the world.
Trevin Wax
Managing Editor—The Gospel Project
Author of multiple books, including Gospel-Centered Teaching, Counterfeit Gospels, and
Clear Winter Nights: A Young Man’s Journey into Truth, Doubt, and What Comes After
On December 31, 1961, at 7:30 in the evening, pastor W. A. Criswell began a
sermon that would last into the wee hours of the night—“The Scarlet Thread
Through the Scriptures.” From Genesis to Revelation, he traced the theme
of atonement, showing how the Bible is one big story with the cross and
resurrection of Jesus at the center.
Criswell wasn’t the first pastor to trace the theme of atonement through
the Bible. And he certainly won’t be the last. Throughout the history of the
church, pastors and scholars have shown how the stories of the Bible unite to
tell one great story of God’s glorious plan to seek and save the lost. Seeing how
the Bible fits together helps us shine a spotlight on the beauty of Christ’s finished work for us.
In this volume, we are following the thread of atonement from the garden of Eden all the way to the
garden city at the end of the Bible. From the sacrifices of the Old Testament to the blood-washed
robes of white in Revelation, we see the unfolding drama of God’s redemption. It’s our hope that the
significance of the cross of Christ will become clearer and all the more dazzling to you as you walk
this journey with your group. May you be empowered, as God’s blood-bought saints, to join His
work of seeking the lost that others may find salvation in Christ’s name.
editors
About the Writers
Kendell Easley is a professor of biblical studies at Union
The Gospel Project®
Adult Leader Guide ESV
Volume 2, Number 3 Spring 2014
Eric Geiger
Vice President, Church Resources
University in Jackson, Tennessee, and is the director of the
Master of Christian Studies and Doctor of Ministry programs
for Union’s Stephen Olford Center. He has written ongoing
curriculum for more than 20 years. Kendell is married to
Nancy, and they have one married young adult son.
Ed Stetzer
General Editor
Trevin Wax
Managing Editor
Philip Nation
Director, Adult Ministry Publishing
Faith Whatley
Christian George (@PilgrimGeorge) is assistant professor
of biblical and theological studies at Oklahoma Baptist
University. He is the author of Sex, Sushi, & Salvation,
Godology, and Sacred Travels. He earned his PhD from the
University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
Director, Adult Ministry
Send questions/comments to:
Managing Editor,
The Gospel Project: Adult Leader Guide,
One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0102;
or make comments on the Web at
www.lifeway.com.
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The Gospel Project®: Adult Leader Guide ESV
(ISSN pending; Item 005573550) is published
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We believe that the Bible has God for its author;
salvation for its end; and truth, without any
mixture of error, for its matter and that all
Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To
review LifeWay’s doctrinal guideline, please visit
www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are
taken from the English Standard Version® (The Holy
Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright 2001
by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News
Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Joey Jernigan serves as a lead pastor at Lanier Islands
Community Church in Buford, Georgia. He also teaches
as an assistant professor at Liberty University Online. He is
married to Lindsay, and they have three daughters, Ella, Eden,
and Emma.
David Nasser is a nationally recognized speaker and
author of A Call to Die, Glory Revealed, and Jumping Through
Fires. He also serves as a pastor at Christ City Church
in Birmingham, Alabama, where he lives with his wife
and children.
Halim Suh and his wife, Angela, have three kids and live in
Austin, Texas, where he is pastor of teaching and theology at The
Austin Stone Community Church. He is the author (with Matt
Carter) of two Threads studies: Creation Unraveled and Creation
Restored. Halim has a Master of Divinity from Southwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary.
All Scripture quotations marked (MSG) are taken
from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright
© 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used
by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All
rights reserved.
WRITERS
Table of Contents
Unit 1: The Need for Atonement
7
Session 1 // Suggested Use Week of 3.2.14
Garden Coverings: We Need Atonement to Cover the Shame of Our Sin
19
Session 2 // Suggested Use Week of 3.9.14
The Lord Will Provide: We Need Atonement to Come from Above, Not Ourselves
31
Session 3 // Suggested Use Week of 3.16.14
When I See the Blood…: We Need Atonement to Escape the Judgment of God
43 Session 4 // Suggested Use Week of 3.23.14
Sacrifices (Part 1): We Need Atonement to Reconcile Our Relationship with God
55 Session 5 // Suggested Use Week of 3.30.14
Sacrifices (Part 2): We Need Atonement to Purify Our Hearts
Unit 2: The Atonement Foreshadowed
67 Session 6 // Suggested Use Week of 4.6.14
Water from the Rock: Living Water Flows from the Savior Struck on Our Behalf
79 Session 7 // Suggested Use Week of 4.13.14
Look and Live! Christ Became Sin to Conquer Sin
91
Session 8 // Suggested Use Week of 4.20.14
The Sign of Jonah: Christ Was Raised for Our Justification
103 Session 9 // Suggested Use Week of 4.27.14
Wounded for You: The Servant Suffered and Died That We Might Live in Righteousness
Unit 3: Behold the Lamb!
115 Session 10 // Suggested Use Week of 5.4.14
Behold the Lamb! Jesus’ Identity and Role as the Lamb of God
127 Session 11 // Suggested Use Week of 5.11.14
The Bread of Life: Christ Is the Bread from Heaven Who Gives Life to the World
139 Session 12 // Suggested Use Week of 5.18.14
Atonement-Driven Life: Life in Light of Christ’s Sacrifice
151 Session 13 // Suggested Use Week of 5.25.14
Washed Robes: In the City of the Lamb
How to Use The Gospel Project
Tips from Trevin on how to best use this Leader Guide
Welcome to The Gospel Project! Think about the awesome responsibility we have every
week—to guide people through Bible study so they have an encounter with the living Christ.
I hope The Gospel Project will provide you with the tools and resources you need as you
prayerfully seek to apply the truth of the gospel to the people God has placed in your group.
Here are some things to remember as you use this Leader Guide:
Pray. Pray for your group. Don’t lead in your own strength.
Adapt. You know the style of your group. If more discussion-oriented, then encourage
participants to read the lesson ahead of time. Use the “For Further Discussion” questions
in the Teaching Plan to facilitate discussion that stays grounded in the lesson. If you take a
more master-teacher approach, then spend time mastering the Expanded Lesson Content.
Select the questions that make the most strategic sense for moving the lesson along.
Cut. If it seems to you that the lessons for The Gospel Project provide too much material
for one session, you’re right. We chose to deliver more than you need and to include the bulk
of the lesson in the Personal Study Guide so you don’t feel pressed to get all the content
delivered in the session time itself. Refer your group members to the Personal Study Guide.
Personalize. Take the truths in The Gospel Project and enhance them. Add personal
stories. Ask penetrating questions that go to the heart of the people you know and love.
Encourage preparation. The Personal Study Guide includes three devotionals, two that
prepare the participant for the group time and one that follows up and reinforces the lesson.
Challenge your group to work through the lesson and devotionals each week on their own.
Resource yourself (encourage your group to take advantage of these resources too).
Make use of the additional resources suggested at the end of each lesson.
• Read a suggested chapter or section in a book.
• Learn from the “Tip of the Week” to grow as a teacher and a group in spiritual maturity.
Visit gospelproject.com/blog for the following:
• Read two additional devotionals related to each week’s lesson.
• Listen to a brief video as I point out the highlights to focus on for the upcoming lesson.
Visit gospelproject.com/additionalresources to easily access these resources:
• Read online articles and blog posts related to the lesson content.
• Listen to helpful podcasts from pastors and church leaders.
• Download suggestions for interactive teaching helps to aid in your teaching.
• Download parental resources for talking with children and students about their Gospel
Project experiences and joining the family together in discipleship.
Overflow. Remember…The Gospel Project is not just a curriculum. WE are the project. The
gospel is working on us. Don’t prepare simply for the content you’re going to deliver. Let the
truths of God’s Word soak in as you study. A great leader is not a dispenser of information
but an overflowing river of gospel passion. Let God work on your heart first, and then pray
that He will change the hearts of the people He has entrusted to your care.
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Leader Guide | Spring 2014
Session 1
Garden Coverings
We Need Atonement to Cover the Shame of Our Sin
Summary and Goal
The scarlet thread of atonement through the Scriptures is evident from the opening chapters of
Genesis. Adam and Eve were created to know and love God and each other without shame or
embarrassment. But when they sinned, they immediately felt shame and sought to cover their
nakedness. In grace, God provided animal skins to cover their shame—an act that pointed forward to
Christ’s atoning work on the cross.
Steps to Prepare
1.  Read these passages in preparation for this lesson, recording your insights and questions:
-- Genesis 2–3
-- Isaiah 54:4-5
2.  Study the Expanded Lesson Content (pp. 10-17).
-- Determine what elements of this lesson are most applicable to your particular group.
-- Consider ways to personalize the lesson content for you and your class.
3.  Review the Teaching Plan (pp. 8-9).
-- Refine the lesson plan based on your group’s particular needs.
-- Adjust the plan if necessary.
4.  Pray for the Lord’s guidance as you lead your group through this material.
Lesson Outline
1.  We were created for lifelong communion with God and each other (Gen. 2:8-9,25).
2.  Our sin results in shame (Gen. 3:6-13).
3.  We need atoning blood to cover the shame of our sin (Gen. 3:21; Isa. 54:4-5).
Session 1
© 2013 LifeWay Christian Resources. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute within the license agreement with purchaser.
7
Teaching Plan
Garden
Coverings
Session 1
For Further
Discussion
Why is shame a universal
emotion? Do you think
feelings of shame are
positive or negative? Why?
What is the difference
between guilt and shame?
Introduce the Lesson
Explain that the theme of atonement does not originate in the New Testament
but stretches all the way back to Genesis (leader p. 10; personal study p. 10).
What is the benefit of reading the Bible with a central
theme in mind? Why is it important to keep the big picture
in mind when studying individual Bible stories?
Summarize the lesson (leader p. 11; personal study p. 10).
For Further
Discussion
How does the shameless
relationship among the
three Persons of the
Godhead impact our
relationship with God?
How does it impact
our relationships with
each other?
For Further
Discussion
Read James 5:16. How
can the spiritual discipline
of confession help break
down the barriers of shame
or guilt?
1. W
e were created for lifelong communion with God
and each other.
Discuss the importance of the Trinity. Encourage your group to pay attention
to the intentionality of God in creating a shameless environment for Adam
and Eve as you read Genesis 2:8-9,25 (leader pp. 11-12; personal study p. 11).
What does the placement of Adam in the garden of Eden
suggest about the desire of God to satisfy the desires of His
people? What do we learn about God by reflecting on His
provision in Genesis 2?
Before Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, they did not feel shame. Discuss
the joy of living in a world of lifelong communion with God that does not
include shame or guilt (leader p. 12; personal study p. 12).
What are some of the ways people put up facades, fronts, or
barriers when dealing with others? What are some common
facades in the church? Why do we put up a front? Why is it
important to be transparent before God and with each other?
2. Our sin results in shame.
Read aloud Genesis 3:6-13. Encourage your group to remember that sin
always results in shame. Adam and Eve revealed this reality when they
covered their nakedness with fig leaves (leader p. 13; personal study p. 12).
Highlight the “blame game” in the garden (Gen. 3:12-13). Who blamed whom
for their sins? Whom does God curse? (leader pp. 13-14; personal study p. 13)
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Leader Guide | Spring 2014
When someone calls you out on a mistake you made, what
is your first instinct? Do you accept the blame or redirect
it to someone else? Do you make excuses or accept the
consequences of your actions?
Discuss Adam and Eve’s action in seeking to cover their shame by sewing fig
leaves together. Emphasize the truth that we sense shame because we have
fallen short of God’s glory (leader p. 14; personal study pp. 13-14).
Like Adam and Eve, who actively sought to cover
their shame, what “fig leaves” do we reach for to
alleviate our feelings of guilt? Why are human actions
always inadequate?
For Further
Discussion
What do you think God
would have said if Adam
and Eve had embraced
the responsibility of
their sin and repented?
What is His response
to our repentance?
(Read 1 John 1:9.)
For Further
Discussion
3. We need atoning blood to cover the shame of
our sin.
Highlight the fact that God took the initiative in clothing Adam and
Eve. Their own efforts in sewing fig leaves together were not adequate
(leader p. 15; personal study p. 14).
Read Hebrews 12:1. Why
does sin so easily entangle
us? How does shame for
our sin cause us to stumble
as we run the race of faith?
Read Genesis 3:21 to show how God provided garments of skin to cover
His people. Connect this event to the coming of the Christ, who would
offer His blood to cleanse us from our sin and shame (leader p. 15;
personal study p. 14).
For Further
Discussion
In Isaiah 1:18, we read, “Come now, let us reason together,
says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall
be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they
shall become like wool.” Why is sin too messy for humanity
to clean up on our own?
In what light does
Hollywood portray shame?
Can you think of a movie or
sitcom in which shame is a
driving emotion?
Read aloud Isaiah 54:4-5 and highlight the beautiful promise of God to take
away the shame of His bride. Show how this promise is fulfilled in the work
of Christ (leader pp. 16-17; personal study p. 15).
What does shame tell us about our need for atonement?
How does the truth that Christ took our shame on the cross
free us to run to God instead of away from Him when we sin?
Conclusion
Conclude this lesson with the reminder that God has promised to bring
restoration. Discuss the mission of God’s people in light of His work
(leader p. 17; personal study p. 15).
How do we present the gospel in a way that deals with
shame? In what ways might shame or embarrassment
keep us from living on mission?
Session 1
9
Expanded Lesson Content
Garden
Coverings
Session 1
Voices from
Church History
“From the early chapters
of Genesis to the final
chapters of Revelation
we can trace what some
writers have called a
scarlet thread…which
enables us to find our
way through the labyrinth
of Scripture.” 1
–John Stott (1921-2011)
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Leader Guide | Spring 2014
Opening Illustration
and Introduction
We’ve all done it. A thread
dangles from the sleeve of a
sweater, and without thinking,
we pull it. But instead of tearing
off, the thread gets longer. So we
pull it again, hoping that will be
the end of it. But to our dismay,
the fabric unravels until we are
left with a really long string and
a really damaged sweater.
Like a strand of yarn running through fabric, the Bible also has a
thread—an important theme—that stretches from the beginning of
Scripture to its conclusion: the atonement. From Genesis to Revelation, we
can trace this scarlet thread. It runs from our need for atonement in the
garden of Eden to the provision of atonement through Jesus Christ. The
Bible ends with the magnificent picture of a slain Lamb upon His throne
surrounded by His people in robes washed white in His blood. Each
book of the Bible, each story of Scripture, connects to each other, and
ultimately, they point us to Christ’s atoning work on the cross.
The New Testament writers understood the weave of the Word. Take
Paul, for instance, a tentmaker who spent hours lacing leather to make a
living. Paul was the one who showed us the connection between the first
Adam and the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), the first death and the death of
death (1 Cor. 15:22), the old nature and the new nature (Rom. 6:6). The
author of Hebrews did the same, revealing that Jesus, like the high priest
in the Old Testament, despised the shame that humanity experienced
because of sin (Heb. 12:2).
From first to last, the Word of God is unified in its theme—a divine
design that points to Christ, who knits us together in the womb
(Ps. 139:13), calls us to trust in Him, and then wraps us in robes of
righteousness (Isa. 61:10).
What is the benefit of reading the Bible with a central
theme in mind? Why is it important to keep the big picture
in mind when studying individual Bible stories?
Lesson Summary
In this session, we see how the scarlet thread of atonement through
the Scriptures is evident from the opening chapters of Genesis. Adam and
Eve were created to know and love God and each other without shame or
embarrassment. But when they sinned, they immediately felt shame and
sought to cover their nakedness. In grace, God provided animal skins to
cover their shame—an act that pointed forward to Christ’s atoning work
on the cross.
The Atonement Thread
• Garden Coverings
Abraham and Isaac
Passover
Sacrificial Offerings
Water from the Rock
Bronze Snake
Sign of Jonah
Suffering Servant
Lamb of God
Bread of Life
Perfect Sacrifice
Washed Robes
1. We were created for lifelong communion with
God and each other (Gen. 2:8-9,25).
Further
Commentary
The Trinity. It all goes back to the shame-less society that exists
among the three Persons of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Spirit.
Forever together, this divine family has never experienced dysfunction,
quarreling between Father and Son, jealousy, revenge, or disharmony.
The three Persons of the Godhead have always been united in nature and
mission. “Let us make man in our image,” said God to God (Gen. 1:26).
And that’s exactly what happened. Now look at where God placed the
first humans:
“God lovingly cares for
the man he has made. He
places him in a beautiful
garden and provides for
all his needs, including the
creation of woman to be
his helper and companion…
They enjoy marital bliss…
They have complete
intimacy without fear or
guilt…It is an idyllic picture
of the good life: life as it
was meant to be. We see
in the garden of Eden a
pattern of the kingdom of
God. God’s people, Adam
and Eve, live in God’s place,
the garden of Eden, under
God’s rule; as a result, they
enjoy God’s blessing.” 2
And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there
he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord
God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good
for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil.
8
We know from the first chapters of the Bible that God walked with
Adam and Eve. He had fellowship with them. They were caught up in
the joy of His triune being. There was nothing to fear, nothing to hide
from, no reason to be ashamed. God created the first humans for lifelong
communion with Him. And this communion also extended to each other.
Look at how Genesis 2 ends:
And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
25
Adam and Eve, as are you and I, were created in God’s image. The
problem came when humans tried to make God in our image. When
Adam and Eve imposed their will over the will of God, they broke
communion with their Creator. (More on that momentarily…)
–Vaughan Roberts
Voices from
the Church
“Here are perfect people
in a perfect environment
with a perfect purpose: to
glorify God in their work, in
their relationships and in
their play.” 3
–Liam Goligher
Session 1
11
Further
Commentary
“Verse 25 explains that
nakedness was not always
a shameful condition for
the human family…The
common rendering ‘felt no
shame’ may suggest to the
modern reader that shame
is primarily an emotional
response to guilt; in the
following narrative, however,
it is their knowledge that led
to their understanding of
personal shame (3:7); thus
they ‘were not ashamed’
(NRSV, NASB). True guilt
is not manifest primarily in
feeling but in knowledge.
Nakedness among the
Hebrews was shameful
because it was often
associated with guilt…It
would have been remarkable
to the Hebrews that the
couple could be naked
without embarrassment.
It was in Greek culture,
and not until the early
first millennium b.c., that
nudity among Greek males
was viewed as heroic.” 4
–Kenneth A. Mathews
Voices from
Church History
“A man who confesses
his sins in the presence
of a brother knows that
he is no longer alone with
himself; he experiences
the presence of God in the
reality of the other person.” 5
–Dietrich Bonhoeffer
(1906-1945)
Before the fall, humanity was in close relationship to divinity, living a
life of perfect harmony. There was no guilt or embarrassment. There was
no blame, bickering, or backstabbing. People lived with God in perfect
transparency with Him and with one another.
Marriage was built on honesty and authentic love. No disguises
or facades. No arguments, lies, or disrespect. It was paradise here on
earth—a perfect environment—a “no clothes allowed” nudist colony in
which its residents felt no self-consciousness or humiliation.
What does the placement of Adam in the garden of Eden
suggest about the desire of God to satisfy the desires of His
people? What do we learn about God by reflecting on His
provision in Genesis 2?
We don’t know how long Adam and Eve lived in sinless communion
with God and each other. But what we do know is that this was the
original plan of God for His creation. It was this that God saw as “very
good” (Gen. 1:31).
Can you imagine a life without shame? No lies to feel guilty for
telling. No pornography to feel guilty for watching. No stealing, coveting,
cheating, or gossiping.
A life without shame is a life without anxiety. It’s a life without regret
or remorse. Instead of disappointment, there is satisfaction. Instead of
frustration, there is peace. Is this kind of life even possible in a world so
full of chaos and danger?
God thinks so. In fact, this is exactly the kind of life God wants you
to live. God wants you to live in harmony with His intentions for you.
He commands us to surrender everything to the Christ who surrendered
everything for us. That’s how humans were designed to live—in lifelong
communion with our Maker, a mirror of God’s sinless, shame-less
relationship with Himself.
When you and I are in right relationship with the triune God, we are
once again given a glimpse of Eden’s paradise. We get a taste of that place
where everything is right and unified. When we pattern our lives on the
life that God originally created us to live, we discover our true identity—
men and women whose shame has been eradicated by salvation and whose
guilt has been exchanged for grace.
What are some of the ways people put up facades, fronts, or
barriers when dealing with others? What are some common
facades in the church? Why do we put up a front? Why is it
important to be transparent before God and with each other?
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Leader Guide | Spring 2014
2. Our sin results in shame (Gen. 3:6-13).
It’s true what they say: You never really appreciate what you have until
it’s gone. After Adam and Eve sinned, their innocence was gone. For the
entirety of their lives they had lived without shame. They didn’t think
twice about their nakedness.
But now everything was different. Life was not as it used to be. They
immediately sensed their inadequacy and failure to reflect the glory of
God. So they decided to hide.
Adam and Eve offered differing accounts of their sinful choice, but
one thing they shared in common—they covered themselves with fig
leaves to hide their shame. Not only that, they also redirected the blame
of their sin by pointing the finger at someone else. As we explore this story
further, we discover how sin always leads to shame and blame. Let’s take a
closer look at the aftermath of the fall:
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,
she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who
was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they
knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made
themselves loincloths.
8
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden
in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the
presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord
God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said,
“I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was
naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked?
Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The
man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit
of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What
is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me,
and I ate.”
6
Have you ever wondered why God asks questions in the Bible? To
Moses: “What is that in your hand?” (Ex. 4:2). To Elijah: “What are
you doing here?” (1 Kings 19:9). To Job: “Have you commanded the
morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place?”
(Job 38:12). Even Jesus gets in on the interrogation: “Who was it that
touched me?” He asked (Luke 8:45). Did God not know the answers to
these questions? If so, why ask them?
Before Satan tempted Adam and Eve, question marks did not exist.
Yet after their disobedience, God unleashed a barrage of questions toward
those who bore His image:
Further
Commentary
“Why did the man fear God
because of nakedness?
Public nakedness in the
ancient Near East and in
the Bible was a terrible
disgrace (see…Noah,
Gen. 9:22-25). Here that
shame is explained as
the consequence of the
guilt of sin. Before human
disobedience there
was no shame (2:25),
but with sin the man’s
self-consciousness had
changed. His sense of
humiliation impacts his
covering up before the
woman as well as before
God. By this Adam admits
his sense of shame, which
has been motivated by
his guilt. Two follow-up
questions sharpen the fact
of the crime (v. 11). Both
questions are rhetorical.
The first shows that no
one is required to tell the
man of his shame because
he experiences guilt for
his crime. This was not
the consequence of false
guilt imposed by parent or
social convention; it was
true guilt arising from a
violated conscience. By the
second question Adam’s
nakedness is linked to his
transgression concerning
the tree. Here ‘tree’ is no
longer identified as the
tree of knowledge but the
tree ‘that I commanded
you not to eat from’…
Together these questions
explain to the man that
his sense of shame arose
from his defiance of
God’s command.” 6
–Kenneth A. Mathews
Session 1
13
Further
Commentary
“The most damning (literally)
change of relationship in
the fall is the change in the
God-humanity fellowship.
The direct, unsullied
fellowship of humanity with
God transformed into one
of shame and hiding on the
part of the man and woman
(vv. 8-9). Man sought to
cover himself. Man rushed
away from God. Man pointed
the finger of blame at God,
his wife, and through his wife
at the serpent (vv. 11-13). In
this shocking portrayal we
see man’s response to his
own sin…If one follows this
logic, no one could blame
man for his choice. Only God,
the one innocent victim of
the story, would carry the
blame for sin.” 7
–Rick Davis,
Biblical Illustrator
Voices from
the Church
“One of the dirges of
mankind is that we refuse
to take responsibility for our
actions…Yet forgiveness
and restoration cannot
happen until we accept
full responsibility for
our actions.” 8
#
–Henry Blackaby
Voices from
Church History
“God is here. The whole
universe is alive with His
life. And He is no strange
or foreign God, but the
familiar Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ whose love
has for these thousands of
years enfolded the sinful
race of men.” 9
–A. W. Tozer (1897-1963)
14
Leader Guide | Spring 2014
• “Where are you?” (3:9).
• “Who told you that you were naked?” (3:11).
• “Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”
(3:11).
• “What is this that you have done?” (3:13).
When interrogated by the Creator, the two criminals crumbled. They
couldn’t even get their stories straight. Adam told one account of what
had happened. Eve told another. Yet both suspects shared a common
instinct—to cover their shame and redirect their blame.
When someone calls you out on a mistake you made, what
is your first instinct? Do you accept the blame or redirect
it to someone else? Do you make excuses or accept the
consequences of your actions?
Adam and Eve covered their shame by sewing fig leaves together
(Gen. 3:7). This took time, premeditation, determination, and
deliberation. Humanity had never sewn before. In their desperation, Adam
and Eve devised their own plan to cover up their shame, embarrassment,
and nakedness.
Humans have been sewing ever since Genesis 3. Why? Because sin
causes us to try to fix our mistakes. We may not sew literal fig leaves, but
we do indeed rely on our own devices—our own weaving—as a remedy
for our depravity. We sew coverings for ourselves to reduce our shame and
make us feel adequate and in control.
For instance, have you ever spun a web of lies? It’s not hard to do. Just
tell an “innocent” untruth to someone and watch it spin out of control.
The problem is that when you tell a lie, you have to tell another lie to
validate the first one, to cover the untruth. On and on it goes, lie after lie,
until you don’t even know what’s true and what’s not. We sew and sew,
doing whatever it takes to cover our shame and come out on top.
No matter how much we try to cover our shame, we fall short. The
stain of sin is too deep. The disease of disobedience is too widespread.
We can try to pin the sin on someone else (“It’s her fault!), on evil (“The
Devil made me do it!”), or on God Himself (“You made me this way!”).
But there’s no escaping the consequences of our rebellion. We are guilty of
choosing to sin. We are ashamed of our failure to reflect God’s glory. Why
are we ashamed? Because we should be. The feeling of unworthiness is
telling us the truth about ourselves.
Like Adam and Eve, who actively sought to cover
their shame, what “fig leaves” do we reach for to
alleviate our feelings of guilt? Why are human actions
always inadequate?
3. We need atoning blood to cover the shame of
our sin (Gen. 3:21; Isa. 54:4-5).
Adam and Eve failed in their fashion attempt to stitch leaves
together—a wardrobe malfunction if ever there was one. But unknown to
them, God was also in the sewing business. Leaves would prove too flimsy
to abolish humanity’s sinful shame. Humanity needed different threads,
stronger threads, scarlet threads. We needed fur, not figs. And in His
grace, God was about to supply the skins.
And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins
and clothed them.
21
Both the Old and New Testaments teach us that sin leads to death
(Rom. 6:23). After Adam and Eve rebelled against their Creator, they
covered themselves with fig leaves, but God clothed them with another
kind of fabric—the skin of an animal. Many Christians have seen in this
story a glimpse, a foreshadowing, of the death of another creature—“the
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Only
Christ’s death could atone for the sins of God’s people. Only His sacrifice
could pay the price for humanity’s rebellious decision.
In this story we discover that even at the very beginning of the Bible,
God was working to make everything right again. Through sacrifice and
death, God ushers into the world life and peace. Because “the life of the
flesh is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11), the offering of Jesus’ blood gives life to
all who put their trust in His sacrifice.
Not only were Adam and Eve’s exteriors in need of covering, their
interiors were equally in need of atonement. So are ours. Paul made this
argument in 1 Corinthians 15:22, when he wrote “as in Adam all die.”
Humans are inwardly corroded, and that’s why we pass our depravity from
generation to generation. Sin is in our bloodstream. It’s in our bones. We
can’t escape it. We can’t deny it. No one teaches children to sin; it comes
naturally, easily. We all receive Adam’s shameful, sinful blood type.
But here’s the good news. Jesus Christ offers us His blood. Listen to
Peter’s encouraging words: “you were ransomed…with the precious blood
of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
The Lamb who died to clothe us is Christ. He is the One who gives
us a blood transfusion—our blood for His blood, our shame for
His spotlessness.
Further
Commentary
“Here God bestows
‘garments of skin’ upon
the guilty in the garden.
Although the text does
not specify that animals
were slain to provide
these coverings, it is a fair
implication and one that
likely would be made in
the Mosaic community,
where animal sacrifice
was pervasive.” 10
–Kenneth A. Mathews
Further
Commentary
“Later in the Pentateuch
the Lord instructed the
people to make tunics for
the priests who were to
enter into the presence
of God at the tabernacle.
The purpose of the
tunics was to cover the
priests’ nakedness…lest
they incur guilt and die
(Ex. 28:42). The author
may be anticipating
this ‘lasting ordinance’
(Ex. 28:43) in drawing
our attention to God’s
covering the nakedness of
the man and the woman.
In this way the role of
the priests, developed
later in the Pentateuch, is
foreshadowed by God’s
work in ages past—his work
of restoring to man the
blessing of his presence
and fellowship.” 11
–John H. Sailhamer
In Isaiah 1:18, we read, “Come now, let us reason together,
says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall
be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they
shall become like wool.” Why is sin too messy for humanity
to clean up on our own?
Session 1
15
Further
Commentary
“A childless woman was
often scorned in the
ancient Near East and
sometimes replaced by a
secondary wife.”
“A worse fate than
childlessness was being a
widow. Such a woman had
no husband to protect her
and care for her. The oracle
tells the widow Israel not to
be afraid because God has
married her. She has gone
from nothing to everything,
as the list of divine names
makes clear.” 12
–Tremper Longman III,
HCSB Study Bible
Voices from
Church History
“Somewhere in the
paradise of Eden the
ground drank the blood of
the first offering for sin, and
from that harmless and
blameless creature a coat
was made to cover up the
shame and the nakedness
of the man and his wife. It
is a picture of the covering,
the atonement, the
washing away of our sins in
the sacrificial victim on the
cross of Calvary.” 13
–W. A. Criswell (1909-2002)
16
Leader Guide | Spring 2014
God not only took the initiative to cover the sins of Adam and Eve
in the garden of Eden, He also made promises throughout the Old
Testament to take away the shame of His people. Consider this promise
God later made through the prophet Isaiah:
“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the reproach of your widowhood
you will remember no more.
5
For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
4
Using the example of a barren young woman and then a widow, God
promised to be the Husband who would not only wipe away the shame
of His bride but also cause the former shame to be forgotten. Disgrace
would disappear.
How would this take place? God would take the initiative again in
the person of Jesus Christ come to rescue His bride—despising the shame
of the cross (Heb. 12:2) in order to take our shame upon Himself. Christ
endured a shameful death in order to grant us the gift of new life.
The church is the bride of Christ (Isa. 54:5). Like Eve, who was
married to the first Adam, the church is wedded to the last Adam. The
first Adam brought death; the last Adam brings life.
God didn’t forget us in our weakness. He loved us in spite of our
shame. Isaiah recounted God’s promise: Because of the Messiah, “you will
forget the shame of your youth” (54:4). He earlier noted that the Messiah
would be “wounded for our transgressions” (53:5), “like a lamb that is led
to the slaughter” (53:7).
After the innocent flesh of Christ was mutilated, slashed, nailed, and
punctured. The Roman soldiers offered Jesus a sip of wine to take the edge
off, but we discover that He would not drink it (Matt. 27:34). Why not? If
you were going into surgery, wouldn’t you want a numbing agent? Perhaps
Christ experienced the surgery of salvation without anesthesia because
He wanted to experience with full sensitivity the moment when our sins
would be paid for. Christ didn’t want to be asleep for that transfusion. It
was the very reason He had come to earth.
Adam had the luxury of having his abdomen sewn back together
after God created Eve, but not Jesus. Christ’s wounds never closed. Even
in His risen state, His hands and feet bear the marks of His love. They
are always open, always available for those of us who want salvation. Like
doubting Thomas, we must reach out our hands and put them into His
side (John 20:27). Every one of us is called to trust in Christ’s atonement
to cover our sin and shame. For “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift
of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).
What does shame tell us about our need for atonement?
How does the truth that Christ took our shame on the cross
free us to run to God instead of away from Him when we sin?
Conclusion
From the beginning of Genesis, we see the Creator crocheting His
creation back together. You and I were created to be in God’s image. We
were designed with the same capacity for intimacy and community that
God experiences among the three Persons of the Trinity.
When Adam sinned, our relationship with God and others came
undone. But what the first Adam destroyed, the last Adam repaired. For
this reason, and with that hope, you and I can continue to share with
everyone we meet the life-giving, shame-covering truth that Jesus Christ
won’t stop until He makes all things new—even you!
Voices from
the Church
“God lays our sin on Jesus
and abandons him to the
shame and slaughter of
the cross.” 15
–John Piper
Voices from
the Church
“The grace of God is love
freely shown toward
guilty sinners, contrary to
their merit and indeed in
defiance of their demerit.” 16
–J. I. Packer
How do we present the gospel in a way that deals with
shame? In what ways might shame or embarrassment
keep us from living on mission?
Prayer of Response
“Eternal God, the refuge of all your children, in our weakness you are
our strength, in our darkness our light, in our sorrow our comfort and
peace. May we always live in your presence, and serve you in our
daily lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 14
–Boniface
Session 1
17
Additional Resources
Garden Coverings
References
1. John Stott, Basic Christianity
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, reprint
1998), 85.
2. Vaughan Roberts, God’s
Big Picture (Downers Grove:
InterVarsity, 2002), 32.
3. Liam Goligher, The Jesus Gospel
(Tyrone, GA: Authentic Media,
2006), 19.
4. Kenneth A. Mathews,
Genesis 1–11:26, vol. 1a in The New
American Commentary (Nashville:
B&H, 1996), 224-25.
5. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together
(New York: HarperCollins, 1978), 116.
6. Kenneth A. Mathews,
Genesis 1–11:26, vol. 1a in The New
American Commentary, 240-41.
7. Rick Davis, “Destroyed
Relationships,” Biblical Illustrator
(Summer 2002): 70.
8. Henry Blackaby, Experiencing
God Day by Day (Nashville: B&H,
1998), 331.
9. A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
(Camp Hill, PA: WingSpread,
2006), 67.
10. Kenneth A. Mathews,
Genesis 1–11:26, vol. 1a in The New
American Commentary, 255.
11. John H. Sailhamer, The
Pentateuch as Narrative (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 1992), 109-10.
12. Tremper Longman III, HCSB
Study Bible (Nashville: B&H, 2010),
1212, n. 54:1; n. 54:4-5.
13. W. A. Criswell, Basic Bible
Sermons on the Cross (Nashville:
B&H, 1990), 60.
14. Boniface, quoted in On the
Way to the Cross, eds. Thomas C.
Oden and Joel C. Elowsky, comp.
Cindy Crosby (Downers Grove:
InterVarsity, 2011), 26.
15. John Piper, The Pleasures of God,
rev. ed. (New York: Multnomah,
2000), 162.
16. J. I. Packer, Knowing God, 20thAnniversary Edition (Downers
Grove: InterVarsity, 1973), 132.
Devotional Material
Encourage your group to read the three devotional readings included in the
Personal Study Guide.
Study Material
-- “The Fall: Genesis 2:4–3:24”—Week 3 from The Promised One:
Seeing Jesus in Genesis by Nancy Guthrie
-- “The Beginning of Grace”—Chapter 7 from Basic Bible Sermons on the
Cross by W. A. Criswell
-- “Episode 1: Creation”—Acts 1–2 from Telling God’s Story by Preben
Vang and Terry Carter
-- “Scripture Is About Shame”—Blog post by Ed Welch; find a link to this
blog post at gospelproject.com/additionalresources
-- “The Image of God and Jesus the Christ”—Article by Glenn Sunshine;
find a link to this article at gospelproject.com/additionalresources
-- Previous Biblical Illustrator articles, including “Destroyed Relationships,”
can be purchased, along with other articles for this quarter, at
www.lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator. Look for Bundles: The Gospel Project.
Sermon Podcast
W. A. Criswell: “The Scarlet Thread Through the Bible (Part 1)”
Find a link to this at gospelproject.com/additionalresources
Tip of the Week
Biblical Illustrator
If you want more “Further Commentary,” consider getting Biblical Illustrator,
a quarterly magazine that supports The Gospel Project with in-depth articles
related to biblical culture, traditions, history, archaeology, persons, and
Hebrew and Greek word studies. Order through your LifeWay curriculum
order form, at 800-458-2772, or at www.lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator.
Plus, 30-40 past Biblical Illustrator articles that support this quarter’s
Gospel Project lessons are immediately available in PDF format for $3.00
per bundle at www.lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator.
18
Leader Guide | Spring 2014
Scope and Sequence
Goal
To provide biblical theology within a systematic framework over the course of three years
through frequent retellings of the overarching story line of Scripture (in two formats:
God-Man-Christ-Response / Creation-Fall-Redemption-Restoration).
PLAN OVERVIEW
Year 1
Fall 2012 The God Who Speaks (Doctrine of Revelation)
Winter 2012-13 God’s Story (Part 1): The Old Testament (Christ-Centered Bible Overview)
Spring 2013 God’s Story (Part 2): The New Testament (Christ-Centered Bible Overview)
Summer 2013 The God Who Is (Doctrine of God Viewed Through His Triune Work for Us)
Year 2
Fall 2013 Bearing God’s Image (Doctrine of Humanity)
Winter 2013-14 A God-Centered Worldview (Worldview and Apologetics)
Spring 2014 Atonement Thread (Tracing the Bible’s Story Through the Lens of Atonement)
Coming Next Quarter
Summer 2014 God’s Way (A Journey Through the Ten Commandments)
Year 3
Fall 2014 The Story of God’s Kingdom (Bible Overview Through the Lens of Kingdom)
Winter 2014-15 Bowing Before the Idol-Conqueror (Doctrines of Sin and Salvation)
Spring 2015 On Mission with and for Our Missionary God (Doctrine of Church)
Summer 2015 Spiritual Disciplines for the Gospel-Centered Life
For small group leaders and Sunday
school facilitators who prefer truth
over technique, Gospel-Centered
Teaching is refreshing in its simple
purpose to remind you of something
you already instinctively know:
It’s Jesus who changes
lives, and the goal of your
Bible study is to continually
reintroduce people to Him.
TrevinWax.com
@TrevinWax
B I B L I C A L
Enhance
s
your
study of
The Gosp
el
Project ®
this quarterly
MAGAZINE
INCLUDES
• Well-researched articles from respected scholars
• Vivid portraits of Bible lands, people, history, and customs
• Maps, archaeological finds, and remarkable color photos
lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator | 800.458.2772
The Gospel Project
Atonement Thread
The scarlet thread of atonement is woven throughout the Scriptures,
from Genesis to Revelation. Once Adam and Eve tasted the forbidden
fruit in Eden, the need for atonement was made painfully clear. Their
separation and shame required the first drop of blood in God’s good
creation as He covered them with animal skins. The need for blood and
sacrifice set the stage for humanity’s need of a Savior.
The Old Testament stories and prophecies foreshadow the coming One
who would make atonement for sins with His own body and blood. From
a rock struck for water and a serpent raised for healing to a man in the
depths for a sign and a Servant suffering for the sins of others, the thread
drives forward with purpose and meaning.
Finally, the image of the tapestry of Word and history is revealed. The
crux of the creation is the Savior crucified for the sin of the world and
raised again. The atonement is at the heart of the gospel, which is why
God’s people call everyone everywhere to believe in Jesus, to find their
place in the thread that continues in a life of reconciliation and peace
both now and for eternity in the city of the Lamb.
What’s Next?
Summer 2014
God’s Way
Fall 2014
The Story of God’s Kingdom
A Journey Through the
Ten Commandments
A Bible Overview Through
the Lens of Kingdom
Some of our Upcoming writers
J. D. Greear
Rey De Armas
Jason Dukes
WWW.LIFEWAY.COM
Web: GospelProject.com Twitter: @Gospel_Project Facebook: TheGospelProject
Spring 2014