Oneness in Christ - Teachers Comments

2018 Quarter 4 Lesson 01 - Creation And Fall

Teachers Comments
Sep 29 - Oct 05

Key Text: Galatians 3:29

The Student Will:

  • Know: Express God’s desire to restore the unity of His creation after sin disrupted the harmony that existed in the Garden of Eden.
  • Feel: Long for the day when relationships will be healed and God’s plan of restoration is complete.
  • Do: Respond to God’s call to be a representative of His love and reconciliation.

Learning Outline:

  1. Know: Sin and Unity

    • What evidence of God’s desire for unity is apparent in the Creation story?
    • Why can sin be described as the root cause of disunity?
    • What is the significance of Abraham in God’s plan to restore unity?
  2. Feel: Longing for Harmony

    • How has sin impacted your relationships?
    • How is our longing for harmonious relationships met by God’s plan of restoration?
  3. Do: Becoming an Ambassador

    • Why is it important to understand that love was the basis of God’s choice for the descendants of Abraham to represent Him on earth?
    • What are the practical consequences of being chosen by God?
    • How can you be a faithful representative of God and His plan of reconciliation?

Summary: The entrance of sin into the world disrupted the unity and harmony that God intended for humanity. However, God expressed His love for humanity by planning a way to restore the unity that had been lost. While the ultimate restoration would come through the work of Christ, God also chose humans to be representatives of His love and grace.

STEP 1—Motivate

Spotlight on Scripture: 1 John 4:16

Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: God’s plan for humanity is one of unity and harmony. While waiting for the final restoration of unity made possible through Christ, God’s people are called to be representatives of His love and grace.

Just for Teachers: The opening discussion is based on a true story. It invites the consideration of the impact of one action. As you discuss the story with your class, emphasize the impact of this action on both relationships and emotions.

Opening Discussion: A bride had spent months planning the perfect wedding. She had painstakingly chosen everything to provide the atmosphere and impression she intended. On the day of the wedding, the sun was shining, and the ceremony went like clockwork. Before she knew it, she had said her vows and enjoyed her first married kiss. But then things started to go wrong. One guest punched another over a minor dispute. Several people tried to calm things down, but others joined the fight. The festive mood was replaced by increasing anger and violence. When the police arrived, they found the wedding in chaos. Sixteen people were arrested, including the groom who spent his wedding night in jail. The perfect plan was ruined by one thoughtless action.

Questions for Discussion: What was the impact of one act upon the relationships of those involved in the wedding? How might things have been different if some guests had tried to be peacemakers? Think about something that you have planned carefully, only to have your plans ruined by the actions of another person. How did you feel? What impact was there on your relationship with that person after the incident? How do you think God felt when His perfect plan for humanity was destroyed by the actions of Adam and Eve?

STEP 2—Explore

Just for Teachers: God’s nature and character are foundational to any understanding of unity. As you review the following sections, look for clues that reveal how God’s nature and character impacted (1) His original plan, (2) His treatment of the guilty pair, and (3) His plan to restore what was lost as a result of sin.

Bible Commentary

I. Foundations of Love and Unity (Review 1 John 4:7, 8, 16 with your class.)

The book of Genesis starts with the God who creates and brings order out of chaos. This God, although existing in three Persons, is One and demonstrates perfect unity in His very nature. God is also the embodiment of love. Therefore, we can anticipate that both love and unity will exist where God’s rule is acknowledged and experienced.

We can find the fingerprints of God’s love and unity throughout the biblical account of Creation, from the elimination of chaos to the declaration that everything created was “very good.” God’s fingerprints of love and unity continue through the creation of humans in God’s image and in the setting apart of the Sabbath day. Over six days God formed and filled the various parts of the heavens and the earth, as He prepared a home for humankind. Then He lovingly created Adam and Eve and breathed life into them. He created humans specifically to be in relationship with Him, for God desired to share the love that already existed between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. “He created us not only so that we could love Him, but so that He could love us, too. His love led Him to share, in Creation, one of the greatest gifts that He can confer—existence.”—Seventh-day Adventists Believe, second edition, p. 83. God’s creation of humans in His image was not only a loving act of a Creator who desired a relationship with His creation, but also a call to humans to reflect His character and to declare His praises.

Consequently, we find that harmony was present from the time God spoke His creation into existence until sin entered the world.

Consider This: How are love and unity related? What other aspects of God’s character are important in achieving harmony and unity?

II. Disruption of Harmony (Review Genesis 3:16–19 with your class.)

One deliberate act of disobedience by the parents of the human race had disastrous consequences. Sin invaded this world and disrupted the harmony God had designed. Adam and Eve’s relationship with God and each other would never be the same. They had talked with God face-to-face before sin, but now they hid, plagued by guilt and fear (Gen. 3:8). Blame destroyed their harmonious relationship with each other, as they tried selfishly to maintain their own innocence. Envy, anger, and resentment would follow.

God warned in Genesis 3:16 that the equality Adam and Eve had shared would now be at risk. Before sin, the two had ruled together, as both had been given the same mandate (Gen. 1:26–28). After sin, God cautioned that the harmony would change, as one would attempt to rule the other.

Consider This: Make a list of the consequences of sin and consider how each consequence impacts human relationships. We commonly consider the impact of sin on our relationship with God and other humans, but rarely do we think about its effect on our relationship with the rest of God’s creation. How has sin impacted the human relationship with the rest of creation?

III. Restoring What Was Lost (Review Deuteronomy 7:6–11 with your class.)

The plan of salvation demonstrates God’s desire to restore the unity that has been lost through sin. As part of this plan, God chose Abraham to be the father of a people who would represent His character to the surrounding nations, and through his descendants, God promised a blessing to all the nations of the earth (Gen. 12:3). This promised blessing pointed forward to Jesus, the “son of Abraham” (Matt. 1:1), whose death and resurrection would provide reconciliation between God and humankind.

Abraham demonstrated his faith and trust in the promises of God. His actions exemplify what God requires of us. Yet, it is not for these reasons that Abraham’s descendants are called to represent God. God had chosen Abraham before he demonstrated his faith, and before he obediently prepared to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham and his descendants were chosen because God is a God of love who is faithful to His promises. This truth is particularly significant, for it implies that the foundation of the relationship between God and His people is the character of God, and not who they are or what they have done.

Consider This: God made four specific promises to Abraham: land, a multitude of descendants, a great name, and being a blessing to all nations. How do each of the promises relate to God’s plan to restore unity among His creation? Why is it important to understand that the relationship between humans and God is founded in God’s character?

STEP 3—Apply

Just for Teachers: The application questions invite the class to consider what representing God looks like in practice, and how this faithful representation might impact the mission of the church.

Application Questions:

  1. What does it mean to be created in the image of God? How should this impact your actions?
  2. God called the church to represent His character. How well is the church representing God’s love and unity to the world today? How might it do better in this regard?
  3. In what ways can you personally be a better witness to God’s love and His desire for harmony?
  4. What does the story of the Tower of Babel reveal about the forms of unity that are acceptable to God?
  5. Discuss the following statement written by Ellen G. White in February 1906: “The most convincing argument we can give to the world of Christ’s mission is to be found in perfect unity. . . . In proportion to our unity with Christ will be our power to save souls.”—Our High Calling, p. 170.

STEP 4—Create

Just for Teachers: Just as God called Abraham and his descendants to represent His name and character, so God called the church to be His representatives on earth. The activities suggested below call students to embrace their calling to be God’s representatives of love and harmony in their church and neighborhoods.

Group Activities:

  1. Spend time in prayer asking God to help your class members determine the best ways they can represent God in their neighborhoods.
  2. Choose a street in your neighborhood and plan a service evangelism project where members of your Sabbath School class demonstrate God’s love by doing odd jobs that the residents need doing.

Personal Activities:

  1. Use a theology textbook to explore the different understandings of the image of God that theologians have discussed. Then create a poster that depicts the variety of implications for your life.
  2. Consider each of your relationships. Choose one relationship that you would like to improve. Pray about this relationship. Then write a list of things you can do in this relationship to be a better witness of God’s love. Identify one of these actions as a first step to undertake in your relationship during the coming week.