LESSON 3 GOD PRESERVES HIS FALLEN CREATION

MY CREATOR PRESERVES ( takes care of, provides for ) ME

Genesis 8:22 22 "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

1 Kings 17:1-6 Elijah Fed by Ravens 1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word." 2 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: 3 "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there." 5 So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

My Creator Preserves Me 1. Usually by natural means, but at times by miracles

Psalm 91:11 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

Psalm 34:7 7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

My Creator Preserves Me 1.Usually by natural means, but at times by miracles 2. He sends His angels (messengers) to watch over me

Psalm 91:10 10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.

Romans 8:28 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

My Creator Preserves Me 1. Usually by natural means, but at times by miracles 2. He sends His angels (messengers) to watch over me 3. He either keeps evil from me or makes it work out for my good

Psalm 130:3 3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

1 John 4:8b Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Romans 8:32 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

My Creator Preserves Me 1. Usually by natural means, but at times by miracles 2. He sends His angels (messengers) to watch over me 3. He either keeps evil from me or makes it work out for my good 4. He gives me what I need out of grace (underserved love) because I am His child

1 Corinthians 10:31 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

My Creator Preserves Me 1. Usually by natural means, but at times by miracles 2. He sends His angels (messengers) to watch over me 3. He either keeps evil from me or makes it work out for my good 4. He gives me what I need out of grace (underserved love) because I am His child 5. So I don’t want to worry or grumble and I do want to thank and serve God in everything I do

WHY DO I SIN AGAINST MY LOVING GOD?

Genesis 1:26 26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

Why Do I Sin Against My Loving God? 1. Man was first created in the image of God (holy and perfect)

Genesis 3 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" 2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " 4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" 10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

Genesis 3 11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" 12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me-she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." 13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." 14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. (God’s Promise) 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Genesis 3 16 To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." 17 To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

Genesis 3 20 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. 21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22 And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." 23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

Why Do I Sin Against My Loving God? 1. Man was first created in the image of God (holy and perfect) 2. Man lost God’s image when Adam and Eve fell into sin 3. The one who tempted man to sin was the devil Devil =liar, slanderer Satan =enemy, adversary Temptation = the devil’s attempts to get us to doubt or disobey God

2 Peter 2:4 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;

Revelation 12:9 9 The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Why Do I Sin Against My Loving God? 3. The one who tempted man to sin was the devil Where the devil came from: He was a good angel who fell into sin along with many other angels who are now called demons

1 Peter 5:8 8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Why Do I Sin Against My Loving God? 3. The one who tempted man to sin was the devil Where the devil came from: He was a good angel who fell into sin along with many other angels who are now called demons What the devil’s purpose is: To lead us away from Jesus and to destroy our faith

Genesis 5:3 3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.

John 3:5-6 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

Romans 6:23 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Why Do I Sin Against My Loving God? 3. The one who tempted man to sin was the devil Where the devil came from: He was a good angel who fell into sin along with many other angels who are now called demons What the devil’s purpose is: To lead us away from Jesus and to destroy our faith 4. All people are now born lost in sin, and condemned to death Our original sinful nature is called: original (inherited) sin

Evaluate this Statement: God promised to send a Savior for the world rather than to destroy the world and start over again because God couldn’t stand to have Satan laugh at him for destroying what he had created.

HOW CAN I BE SAVED FROM SIN?

Genesis 3:15 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

How Can I Be Saved From Sin? 1.God promised sinful man a Savior from sin

1 John 3:8 8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.

How Can I Be Saved From Sin? 1.God promised sinful man a Savior from sin 2. God sent His Son to destroy the devil’s power

Acts 16:31 31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household."

How Can I Be Saved From Sin? 1.God promised sinful man a Savior from sin 2. God sent His Son to destroy the devil’s power 3. By trusting in Jesus Christ, I am saved

I LOVE GOD MY HEAVENLY FATHER BECAUSE …

I Love God My Heavenly Father Because … 1.He created me 2. He preserves me 3. He sent Jesus for me

ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT WEEK 1.Study carefully the notes you have taken in class; be sure you understand them. 2.Study carefully Questions in the Catechism. Be able to answer these questions in your own words. 3.Complete the “Working with God’s Word” section. Be sure to read 1 Kings 17 and have your parents check your work and correct your Bible Study. 4.Memorize these Bible verses: 1 John 3:8 – “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” 1 Peter 5:8 – “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” VI P Romans 8:28 – “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT WEEK 5.Review the names of all the New Testament books: Matthew Romans1 st &2 nd ThessaloniansHebrews Mark 1 st &2 nd Corinthians 1 st &2 nd Timothy James Luke Galatians Titus 1 st &2 nd Peter John Ephesians Philemon 1 st,2 nd,3 rd John Acts Philippians Jude Colossians Revelation 6.Memorize the 1 st Article of the apostles’ Creed and What Does This Mean? to “all evil.” 7.Complete Worksheet #3 at home and have your parents correct it with the answer key. 8.Complete Key Truths Sheet and be ready to take a quiz at our review session on October 10th.

KEY TRUTHS – LESSON 3 Our loving God usually takes care of us by _________ means. He causes bad things to work for my _______ and sends his ______ to watch over me only because of his _________. The devil is an _______ who fell into sin. Now people are born sinful (__________ ____) and need a Savior. God sent his own ______ to save us. By ____________ in Jesus I am saved.

Closing Prayer Teach me your law and gospel throughout my whole life. Savior, don’t let anything keep me away from your Word. Help me with my study this week. Amen.