Genesis Introduction

Genesis
September-November 2011
Look to the Cross for Victory

Dear Church and friends of LTTX,

I love September. It’s a new season. Students return to school. I turn one year older. Everything old is new again!

In that same spirit, I’m really looking forward to engaging Genesis together as a community. As I’ve explored the pages of this very old book for the last month or so, I’ve been surprised again and again by how unfamiliar so many of these old stories are to me now. I had expected to breeze through old and frequently told narratives of Creation, Noah’s Flood, and Joseph’s Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Instead, I was pleased again and again to find new stories I’d forgotten, old and colourful details that breathed new life into old tales, or shocking discoveries of stories or passages that had been entirely misrepresented or I’d entirely misunderstood for my whole life. Everything old really is new again.

My challenge as I read, and my challenge for you, is to consider or reconsider this ancient text as it is. As I read, I’ve noticed three prejudices that have often hindered or confused my reading of the text; My prejudices are
(1) perceived over-familiarity with “Sunday School” stories,
(2) attempting to pressure Genesis into a historical or scientific framework that it does not intend and did not exist when it was written, and
(3) New Testament theologies and teachings that, though perhaps true, were not part of the understanding of Genesis’ original author or audience. You may find that you carry similar baggage as you approach the text. Try to set these frameworks aside for the next twelve weeks, and see if Genesis shines something bright and new for you.

Genesis really is a beautiful book, an earthy and messy book of flawed and tragic humans and families and their patient and faithful God. The Creator is seen artistically forming function, beauty, and purpose from the darkest and most wasted of back alley castoffs. He is the original dumpster diver, finding and creating treasure and beauty from wasted matter, wasted life, and wasted relationships. God slowly reveals his character to the characters and the readers throughout the entire narrative. His love, patience and beauty are true in the pages of Genesis.

We’ll be exploring Genesis together in three arenas. First, we are all reading these chapters and considering them at the same time. Secondly, we’ll bring our thoughts, writings, drawings, and questions to each other in our small groups. Thirdly, every week we will engage the passages we read together on Sunday morning in readings, teachings, discussion, and worship.

It starts with you, prayerfully and thoughtfully reading these passages every day, and writing or drawing what you can share with the community for all of us to learn and grow together. I’m already looking forward to the journey.

-Shawn