Genesis Series, Scripture Guide 4
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, understand His character, and 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)
Let’s take some time to check in with one another about how the practice of Scripture is going.
How have you chosen to practice Scripture this summer, and what was your experience engaging with it this week? (e.g., rich, dry, surprising, challenging, refreshing)
What do you want God to do in you, through your Scripture practice this summer?
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 (5 minutes)
In John’s Gospel, Jesus challenges the Jewish leaders by saying: “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5v39-40)
In saying this, Jesus is warning them that it’s possible to read Scripture—even passionately—and still miss him. The goal of reading Scripture isn’t simply to gain knowledge or to learn facts, but to know the person of Jesus and to help us be with Him, become like Him, and do what He did. The Scriptures are not something that we master, but rather, they help us learn to hear His voice and aim our entire lives towards Jesus.
To do that, we need a way of reading that opens us to God’s voice and forms us through reflection and response. Lectio divina, or “divine reading,” is a historic way of engaging Scripture meditatively that does just that. It involves five simple movements that make up the acronym BREAD: Be still, Read, Encounter, Apply, and Devote. We are going to take time to meditate on Scripture through this particular practice of Scripture tonight.
Practice for the Night (20 minutes)
Leader Note: Before you begin, read through the practice and assign reading parts in advance to ensure a smooth and focused flow. Timekeeping is important—feel free to gently move the group forward if any section lingers too long.
Tonight we’ll practice this way of meditating on Scripture together by reading Genesis 8v15-22. While each of us may come to this feeling something different—some excited, some nervous, others uncertain—no matter how long we have been reading Scripture or following Jesus, we can trust that God desires and does speak to us. This exercise is not about who knows the Bible best or who can interpret the passage in its historical context. In fact, let’s actually do our best to resist any urge to explain or analyze this Scripture passage. This time is about patiently listening for how God might be speaking to us personally, here and now.
Be Still: Before we begin, we’ll take a moment to get comfortable. We might silence our phones, make sure the kids are okay, and settle into a posture that helps us become open to the Holy Spirit. We’ll slow our breathing, quiet our thoughts, and invite God to meet us here.
Read: Next, one of us will read Genesis 8v15–22 slowly and clearly. As we listen, we’ll each pay attention to a word or phrase that stands out. After the reading, we’ll sit together in one minute of silence, reflecting. Then, we’ll take some time to share what stood out.
Encounter: Then, another person will reread the same passage, this time even more slowly. As we listen, we’ll ask: Why is this word or phrase standing out? What might God be saying to me through it? Then we’ll enter another minute or so of silence to ponder and listen together.
Apply: Then, as we reflect on what we’re sensing, we’ll begin to pray—offering our thoughts and responses to God. After another minute or so of silence, we’ll take time (as we feel led) to speak aloud what we sense God is saying. An example might be: “The word steadfast stood out to me. I want to pray that, as a Community, we would be steadfast in our discipleship to Jesus.” Not everyone has to speak, but God honors our vulnerability and boldness, and it shapes us as a Community.
Devote: Finally, we’ll close with a final minute or so of silence. We’ll rest in God’s presence, give thanks for His voice, and ask together: How will we walk this out in our daily lives?
To end our time, we’ll take 7 minutes in groups of 2–3 to share with each other what we felt God was saying to each of us. We can ask each other, “What was that experience like, and how did you sense God speaking to you?”
Practice for the Week Ahead (5 minutes)
This week, we will continue pressing into each of our chosen practices of Scripture. For any of us who want to grow in this practice of reading Scripture meditatively, BREAD is a great resource for this. You can download it for free at bridgetown.church/bread or purchase a copy at the bookstore on Sunday.
If you would like to practice BREAD with the Genesis texts for the upcoming Sundays, here’s a reminder of the passages we will be exploring for the rest of the Summer.
Aug 17: Genesis 9v8–29
Aug 24: Genesis 10v1–11v9
Aug 31: Genesis 11v10–12v3
End in Prayer (1 minute)
Leader: Pray to close your time, asking the Spirit to guide each person in their practice of Scripture.