Genesis Series, Scripture Guide 3
Leader note: Prepare your Community for the night by sending out the link to this Guide ahead of time. Remind everyone to bring a paper Bible, as we'll be reading and following along in Scripture together.
Over the next three summers, as we work our way through the scroll of Genesis, we will dive into the practice of Scripture in our Communities. Because Jesus was immersed in, lived by, and ultimately lived out Scripture, we engage in this formational practice to learn how to recognize God's voice, to understand his character, and to find ourselves in the story of his world and mission to make all things new.
Take Communion (2 minutes)
Leader Note: Begin this time by taking communion together, whether as a full meal or some version of the bread and the cup before or after your meal. If you don’t already have a Communion liturgy, have someone read through the Psalm below.
Psalm 104v1–3, 33–34
Praise the Lord, my soul.
Lord my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.
The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent
and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
He makes winds his messengers,
flames of fire his servants.
He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved…
I will sing to the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the Lord.
Review the Last Practice (5 minutes)
Leader Note: As a reminder, a few practical options for an individual Practice of Scripture would include: reading the Genesis text that follows along with the teaching series, memorizing a Psalm or Gospel passage, practicing Lectio Divina through BREAD or the Lectio 365 app, or something else entirely that the Spirit highlighted.
Let’s take some time now in groups of three to check-in with one another on how the practice of Scripture is going by considering these questions:
How have you chosen to practice Scripture this summer, and what was your experience engaging with it this week? (e.g. rich, dry, surprising, difficult, refreshing)
What do you want God to do in you, through your Scripture practice this summer?
Did you notice any internal pushback or resistance during your Scripture practice this week?
Leader Note: Set a timer for 5 minutes. When the timer is up, call everyone back together before reading the next section.
Read this Overview (3 minutes)
Bridgetown Church was named for the many bridges that span the Willamette River, connecting the east and west sides of our city. The communities that live on either side are full of life and meaning, but the bridges themselves—strong, intricate, carefully designed—are masterpieces in their own right.
In much the same way, the book of Genesis is threaded with genealogies that function as literary bridges, carrying us from one major narrative to another. While it can be easy to skip over these sections in search of what comes next, each genealogy contains the same carefully crafted beauty and theological truth as any other part of Scripture. Studying the literary context of Scripture helps us slow down to notice the artistry and intent that weaves the story together.
The ancient authors—especially the writer of Genesis—assumed that we would read this way, listening carefully and mentally weaving connections between stories and generations. Which is why, tonight, we will practice this form of Study in Scripture together. In a moment, we will take time to study Genesis 5 using this lens, learning to ask three key questions along the way.
By considering these questions, we become students of the literary work of art that is the Bible—listening to Scripture the way it was meant to be heard: as a unified story that leads to Jesus.
Practice for the Night (25 minutes)
Genesis 5 can be broken into three distinct parts: verses 1–6 recap the story so far, verses 7–27 summarize the generations between Adam and Noah, and verses 28–31 introduce us to the life of Noah. Likewise, our Practice for tonight will be divided into three movements.
In a moment, we will break into groups of 2-3, and read through each section, one at a time. After each reading, we will ask ourselves one common question within literary study.
Before we begin, let’s take a moment to get into groups and settle in. We’ll put phones away, check on kids in the other room if needed, and take a few deep breaths. Then, when ready, we’ll open our Bibles to Genesis 5.
Leader note: Take a minute here to designate the groups of three. Then give a minute of silence for folks to settle in.
After each passage is read aloud, we’ll pause and consider a corresponding question to help our literary study:
Leader note: Instead of reading all the questions out loud now, choose one person in each group to be the facilitator who will read the question after each section of the chapter. Encourage your Community to keep their observations and answers to each question brief. You will only have about 5 minutes to cover each section. After the 15 minutes are up, call everyone back in to wrap up the night with the Practice for the Week Ahead.
Read verses 1-6, then answer the question: How might this passage serve as a bridge between what came before it and what comes after it?
Read verses 7-27, then answer the question: What might the pace, structure, or repeated language reveal of the author’s intention?
Genealogies can be difficult to engage with, and it’s not always obvious where to begin, but there are several ways to answer this question. For example, the repeated refrain “they lived” and “they died” may be highlighting the fulfillment of God’s warning in Genesis 2, “you will surely die.” At one point, the pattern breaks, prompting the question: why? You might also observe that, ironically, extraordinarily long life spans are summarized by the author in a single sentence. Consider what the author might be communicating through this deliberate pace.
Read verses 28-31, then answer the question: How does this moment fit into the larger story of God’s mission?
E.g. The curse of sin has stolen humanity’s rest. The name “Noah” comes from the Hebrew word for “rest.” Consider what prophetic hope the author might intend to echo, or foreshadow, with this introduction. You might also observe that there is a Lamech in Seth’s line just as there was in Cain’s line. Consider how the juxtaposition of Lamech’s boasts in Genesis 4 and the number of years Lamech lived in Genesis 5 (777) might highlight the nature of God’s mission.
Practice for the Week Ahead (2 minutes)
This week we will continue pressing into each of our chosen practices of Scripture. If it serves to deepen your practice, consider incorporating a form of literary study by asking yourself one, or all, of those three questions as you approach scripture each day.
If you would like to practice this with the Genesis texts for the upcoming Sundays, here’s a reminder of which passage we will be diving into each week:
July 27: Genesis 5v1–32
Aug 3: Genesis 6v1–22
Aug 10: Genesis 7v1–9v17
Aug 17: Genesis 9v8–29
Aug 24: Genesis 10v1–11v9
Aug 31: Genesis 11v10–12v3
Leader Note: If someone is looking for more tools in literary study, consider these options:
The BibleProject App, for tracing repeated themes.
The Blue Letter Bible App, for tracing repeated words and phrases.
Additional resources from our Bridgetown Bookstore, such as Tremper Longman III’s book, “How to Read Genesis.”
End in Prayer (1 minute)
Leader: Pray to close your time, asking the Spirit to guide each person in their practice of Scripture.