Creation of Humans

1 Based on what has happened with you since the last time we met, what is something you are thankful for?

2 What has stressed you out this week, and what do you need for things to be better?

3 What are the needs of the people in your community, and how can we help each other meet the needs we’ve expressed?

4 What was the story last time we met? What did we learn about God and people?

5 In our last meeting, you decided to apply what you learned. What did you do, and how did it go?

6 Who did you share something with from the last story? How did they respond?

7 We identified several needs last time we met and planned to meet those needs. How did it go?

8 Now, let's read today's story from God...

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” ²⁷ So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

⁷ Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person. ⁸ Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. ⁹ The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

¹⁵ The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. ¹⁶ But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— ¹⁷ except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” ¹⁸ Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” ¹⁹ So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. ²⁰ He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him. ²¹ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. ²³ “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” ²⁴ This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. ²⁵ Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.

1 Now, let’s have someone retell this passage in their own words, as though they were telling a friend who has never heard it. Let's help them if they leave anything out or add anything by mistake. If that happens we can ask, "Where do you find that in the story?"

2 What does this story teach us about God, his character, and what he does?

3 What do we learn about people, including ourselves, from this story?

4 How will you apply God's truth from this story in your life this week? What is a specific action or thing you will do?

5 Who will you share a truth from this story with before we meet again? Do you know others who would also like to discover God's word in this app like we are?

6 As our meeting comes to a close, let's decide when we will meet again and who will facilitate our next meeting.

7 We encourage you to make note of what you said you will do, and to re-read this story in the days before we meet again. The facilitator can share the story text or audio if anyone doesn't have it. As we go, let's ask the Lord to help us.