Opening Prayer Before lesson   Dear heavenly Father, thank you for putting me in a world of nature that points to you. Most importantly, though, thank you for using your Word clearly show me who you are and how you saved me. There are some things about you that I have trouble understanding. You seem so big and powerful and I seem so small. Convince me that although you are almighty, you are also all-loving. You're big enough to forgive my sins of this past week, because your Son loved me enough to live and die for me. That makes me pretty important! I'm not just another number or a speck of dust in a world of people. I'm someone you made! Make me accept you as you are and help me to accept the things I find hard to understand about you. Bless this study, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Introduction Have you ever been to the South Pole? If you’ve never been there, how do you know the South Pole exists? (learn about it from TV, maps, pictures, encyclopedia, or textbook)

Introduction Have you ever met President Abraham Lincoln? Then how do you know he ever lived? (believe reports of those who say him, met him worked with him; have read some of the writings he left behind such as the Gettysburg address.) None of us has ever been to the South Pole or met Abraham Lincoln, and you know you know both of them are real. You do so because you’ve learned about them from many different sources. In the same way, none of us has ever seen God. Yet we know that he exists. Today we’re going to learn how we know about our great God, whom none of us has ever seen.

GOD TELLS US ABOUT HIMSELF LESSON 2 GOD TELLS US ABOUT HIMSELF Let’s start by seeing what the Bible says about people who don’t believe that there is a God by turning to Psalm 14:1

Psalm 14:1 1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. [Have youth read the passage] Question: According to this passage what does God call someone who says there is no God? Answer: A fool Even though the Bible may call them fools there are people who don’t believe in God or aren’t sure if there is a God. Let’s record some definitions for these two groups.

IS THERE A GOD? “I don’t know if there is a god.” An agnostic says [Have youth record the answer]

IS THERE A GOD? “I don’t know if there is a god.” An agnostic says “There is no god.” [Have youth record the answer.] (Parents - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz1Iuxfj0D0 Take a look at this video. What is your reaction? Is there evidence for God? What would you say to this individual? Note: The dialogue is a bit “deep” but provides some potential discussion points. An athiest says

His Word in My Life Time for reflection – How would your family be different if there was no God?

IS THERE A GOD? All people can know that there is a God. Psalm 19:1 ; Hebrews 3:4 Romans 1:20 ; Romans 2:15 Let’s now see two ways that people can tell that there is a God. There will be two passages that will help us to find out one way. We’ll turn to Psalm 19 first.

PSALM 19:1 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. [Have youth read the passage] Question: According to this passage, what do the heavens and the skies show? Answer: The handiwork of God

HEBREWS 3:4 4For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. [Have youth read the passage] Question: According to this passage who is the ultimate builder of everything? Answer: God Therefore, one way all people can know there is a God is by observing his handiwork in the world (creation). (Hold off on the discussion about evolution – you’ll cover that in the next lesson.)

IS THERE A GOD? All people can know that there is a God. Psalm 19:1 ; Hebrews 3:4 Romans 1:20 ; Romans 2:15 From nature (the created universe) [Have youth record the answer] (Take time to share the most amazing thing you have seen in God’s creation. Then ask your youth the most amazing thing they have ever seen.) Now let’s look at the second way all people can know there is a God by turning to Romans 2.

ROMANS 2:15 15since [the Gentiles] show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) In this passage from Romans the Apostle Paul explains how a person’s conscience indicates that there is somebody to whom we are all ultimately accountable. It is because God has written his law in everyone’s heart. Therefore a person’s conscience bears witness to the fact that there is a God.

IS THERE A GOD? All people can know that there is a God. Psalm 19:1 ; Hebrews 3:4 Romans 1:20 ; Romans 2:15 From nature (the created universe) [Have your youth record the answer] 2. From conscience (the voice within us)

“Pull up! Pull up!” The gauges in the cockpit of an airplane alert the pilot when something has gone wrong. A conscience is like those gauges. It monitors or watches over, our conduct and alerts us when something is wrong. It is the little voice inside each of us that condemns us for our sinful actions. “That’s wrong! God will punish you,” it warns us as we reach out to steal. “That’s the right thing to do,” it whispers as we pull back. In approving or condemning our actions, our consciences are letting us know that there is a judge. Who has given us his law and who holds us responsible. And so our consciences also testify to us about God.

What can be learned about God from nature and one’s conscience IS THERE A GOD? Natural knowledge of God = What can be learned about God from nature and one’s conscience [Have youth record the answer] What can be learned about God from nature and our conscience is called: Natural knowledge of God.

ROMANS 1:20 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. [Have youth read the passage] Question: According to this passage what invisible qualities about God can we learn by observing nature? Answer: We can learn that he is powerful and divine.

What can be learned about God from nature and one’s conscience IS THERE A GOD? Natural knowledge of God = What can be learned about God from nature and one’s conscience Nature Conscience [Have youth record the answer] tells me There is a God who is powerful, wise and holy

Niagra Falls As we scan the pages of God’s book of nature, we learn a number of other things about God. The first thought that strikes us is that God is eternal – since God created the world, he must have been there before he brought it into existence. He is like a circle, without beginning and without end. To create this universe and everything in it, he also had to be powerful. Imagine the power Niagara Falls generates. But the power of that one small part of creation is as nothing when compared to the amazing power of the One who created and still controls those falls.

IS THERE A GOD? The weakness of natural knowledge - It doesn’t tell: Who the true God is (versus idols) [Have youth record the answer] 2. About one’s Savior from sin Acts 17:26-27

“You have a problem!” A dashboard light on a car can tell you that something is wrong with the brakes, but it can’t tell you how to fix them. So also your conscience can tell you there’s something wrong in your life – that you deserve damnation – but it can’t tell you how you can be saved. God has given his people a natural knowledge of him to lead them to something. Read Acts 17 to find out why:

ACTS 17:26-27 26From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. [Have youth read the passage] Question: According to verse 27 why did God give people a natural knowledge about his existence? Answer: So that they would seek him and find him.

IS THERE A GOD? God gives people natural knowledge to lead them to seek after the Lord and know more about him John 1:18 ; John 14:8-9 ; John 5:39 [Have youth record the answer] We can’t get a satisfying knowledge about God from nature or our conscience. So, let’s find out how we can find out what God is really like by looking at 2 passages from John 1.

JOHN 1:18 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only [Jesus Christ], who is at the Father's side, has made him known. [Have youth read the passage] Question: According to this passage, what was did Jesus Christ do for God the Father. Answer: Made him known

JOHN 14:8-9 8Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? [Have youth read the passage] Question: According to verse 9 of this passage, what happened to people who saw Jesus? Answer: They saw the Father.

IS THERE A GOD? God gives people natural knowledge to lead them to seek after the Lord and know more about him John 1:18 ; John 14:8-9 ; John 5:39 God shows what He is really like through [Have youth record the answer] We meet Jesus in the Bible. Through Jesus God came to man to reveal what he was really like. The following diagram is meant to illustrate this: Jesus Christ

IS THERE A GOD? God gives people natural knowledge to lead them to seek after the Lord and know more about him John 1:18 ; John 14:8-9 ; John 5:39 God shows what He is really like through Jesus Christ [Have youth record the answer] We find all about Jesus Christ in the “Bible.” As you can see the arrow indicates that the Jesus was sent by the God the Father to become man. As people saw him and heard him they learned more about God. Later this year, we’ll look at why it was crucial that Jesus became man. Let’s now record a few definitions for the following terms. We find Jesus Christ in the Bible God Jesus man

IS THERE A GOD? The book “Bible” = The writings “Scriptures” = [Have youth record the answer] Revealed knowledge of God = What God has made known about Himself in the Bible

IS THERE A GOD? The Bible tells us: Isaiah 43:11-12 The Bible or Scriptures reveal knowledge about our God. Let’s look at Isaiah 43 to find out some information about him.

ISAIAH 43:11-12 11 I, even I, am the LORD , and apart from me there is no savior. 12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed- I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD , "that I am God. [Have youth read the passage] Question: According to this passage from Isaiah, we are told that God is different than other gods or idols. In verse 12 he speak of three things that he has done that make him different. What are they? Answer: He has revealed and saved and proclaimed. As God speaks to us through the Bible he reveals what he is really like. That he is triune. (We’ll cover that next) He also reveals how he has lovingly planned our salvation through Jesus Christ.

IS THERE A GOD? The Bible tells us: Isaiah 43:11-12 1. Who the true God is: the Triune God [Have your youth record their answer] 2. Who one’s Savior is: Jesus Christ

“How do you start this thing?” Illustration: You get on your new riding lawn mower and turn the key. But it won’t start – maybe it’s the wires, maybe the battery’s dead. Neighbors suggest what you should do. Only when you look in your owner’s manual, however, do you discover the key fact you missed – that your foot has to be on the clutch to start it. The point is this: we can learn something about God from nature and our consciences. But they can’t teach us the most important thing, the way of salvation. And that’s why God gives us his “owner’s manual,” his book of instruction about salvation – the Bible. Only when we look in the Bible do we discover that Jesus is the one who saves us. The Bible also describes many other characteristics or attributes of God. Let’s record a few more:

WHAT IS THE TRUE GOD LIKE? holy/just (punishes sin) eternal (no beginnings or end unchangeable omnipresent (present everywhere) omniscient (all-knowing) [Have your youth record the answers] As with all of God’s attributes they can be frightening and comforting. Pick an attribute and explore how that works. For example: Knowing God is everywhere is a comfort because I know that I am never alone. However, knowing God is everywhere means that he is with me when I am in a place he does not want me. Take a look at Psalm 139 to see this more clearly. omnipotent (all-powerful) loving

His Word in My Life What does the awesome natural wonder you mentioned earlier tell you about God? OR What do the following tell you about God? A spring garden in bloom Our bodies’ ability to develop immunity Review the awesome wonder you mentioned earlier and discuss what it tells you about God. Answer: It tells us God is powerful because he makes things grow Answer: It tells us God is wise because he made our amazing bodies and also gave them this ability to fight off many diseases.

His Word in My Life Agree or Disagree – People could come to saving faith if they would only look closely at nature and listen to their conscience. Disagree. Their knowledge would be very limited about God. A person can only come to faith through the power of the Gospel.

His Word in My Life Agree or Disagree? The Bible is the light of salvation for everyone who reads it. Answer: Disagree. Some people who read the Bible refuse to believe what it says about our salvation. We, on the other hand, believe it only because the Holy Spirit has worked faith in our hearts.

WHAT IS THE TRUE GOD LIKE? Three persons in one Godhead or Deity Our God is TRIUNE = Deuteronomy 6:4 2 Corinthians 13:14 Genesis 1:26 [Have your youth record the answer] It should be made clear that the term “triune” does not appear in the pages of the Scriptures. It is an “ecclesiastical term” -- a word the church uses to conveniently describe a truth about our God that is recorded in Scriptures. It is made by combining two Latin words: Tria (three) + Unus (one) = Triune. We will look at that truth in the next section. Let’s start by turning to Deuteronomy to find out how many god’s there are:

DEUTERONOMY 6:4 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [Have youth read the passage] Question: According to this passage, how many god’s are there? Answer: One

DEUTERONOMY 6:4 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [Have youth record the answer] 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

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." Even though there is only one true God. The Bible describes God in an amazing way. [Have youth read the passage] Question: What seems grammatically incorrect about this passage? Answer: It uses a plural pronoun when talking about God. The reason that the pronoun in that verse doesn’t seem to match up is that it is trying to describe the indescribable, our God. For while we have one God, in his Word God reveals himself as three persons. Let’s read the following passage to help identify the three persons of the Trinity.

MATTHEW 28:19-20 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." [Have youth read the passage] Question: According to verse 19, who are the three persons of the trinity? Answer: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

2 CORINTHIANS 13:14 Father Son GOD [Have your youth fill in the diagram] Holy Spirit 14May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

THE PERSONS OF THE GODHEAD 1.The Father, who is the is not FATHER SON Creator (one who made us all is is 2. The Son, who is the is not GOD Redeemer (one who bought us back) is not is [Have youth record the answer] The concept of a “three-in-one” God is impossible for our minds to grasp, yet we believe it because it’s what God’s Word teaches. The following diagram is a way of picturing out Triune God. It illustrates how each person of the Trinity is named in Scripture, has divine characteristics, and does things only God could do. It shows that each person of the Trinity is distinct from one another, yet all our God. (If you have your Christian Worship hymnal handy take a look at the Athanasian Creed on page 132 and 133.) 3. The Holy Spirit, who is the HOLY SPIRIT Sanctifier (one who sets us apart) Note: All of the above descriptions of God – holy, eternal, etc. – apply equally to each person of the Trinity.

His Word in My Life Agree or Disagree – We have one God but sometimes he acts like the Father, sometimes He acts like the Son, and sometimes he acts like the Holy Spirit. Disagree. He doesn’t act like each person. That denies that there are three persons who are separate and distinct. It is better to say We have one God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

His Word in My Life Agree or Disagree – Essentially all people believe in the same God. They only call him different names and worship him in different ways. Disagree. Even though this is a popular belief. It is false. If anything it points to the fact that people are very aware of a higher power due to their natural knowledge of God. Sadly, if they don’t worship the true God as revealed in the Bible, they worship an idol (Psalm 96:55 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.)

His Word in My Life Question: We said that there are three persons in the Trinity and that they all do divine things. Can we distinguish between the work of the Father, the work of the Son, and the work of the Holy Spirit It is helpful to distinguish the work that they do, but always remember that it is the ultimately one God who is doing it all. (Yikes my brain hurts!)

His Word in My Life Question: Would it be proper to address a prayer to only one member of the Trinity? Yes – but be assured, the other 2 persons know exactly what we are asking for.

His Word in My Life “God is three and one at the same time – just as a triangle has three sides but at the same time is only one thing.” In what way is this a useful illustration of the Trinity? In what way is this not very helpful as an explanation of the Triune God? It is helpful because it shows us something that is both three and one at the same time. However, it doesn’t even begin to explain or parallel the great mystery of God being triune. Try to think of some other illustrations for the Trinity. (Three phases of water – liquid, ice, steam or three parts of an apple – skin, flesh, core). If your youth is having a hard time understanding this – GOOD. Then they are starting to get it. We can’t understand it fully. That is why we confess in our creeds that we believe in . . .

His Word in My Life Why is it a comfort knowing that we have a Triune God? Hint: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD (Isaiah 55:8) Knowing that God is more wise, powerful, loving than us is a great comfort because there are times in life that we don’t know what to do. Talk about a time when you didn’t understand why something was happening, but in the end turned out better than you had expected. Discuss something that is going on right now in your life that is beyond your control and take mutual comfort in knowing that the LORD is capable of working it out for your eternal welfare (i.e. Romans 8:28)

ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT WEEK Study carefully the notes you have taken in class; be sure you understand them. Study questions 1-5; 148-150 in the Catechism. 3. Complete the “Working with God’s Word” section on this page. Read the Bible sections and fill in all the blanks. 4. Memorize these Bible verses: Psalm 19:1 – “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” VIP John 1:18 – “No one has ever seen God, but God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.” 2 Corinthians 13:14 – “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Take special note of the VIP

ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT WEEK 5. Memorize in order the names of the following New Testament books; and review the ones you learned last week. 1 & 2 Thessalonians Hebrews 1 & 2 Timothy James Titus 1 & 2 Peter Philemon 1, 2, & 3 John Jude Revelation Complete Worksheet #2 at home and have your parents correct it with workbook. Be ready to take a quiz on the Key Truths, VIP and Bible Books from this Lesson on September 26

Key Truths Lesson Two All people can know there is a god from ________________ and from ________________ . We call this kind of knowledge the ________________ knowledge of God. The problem is these things will never tell us who __________________________ or who __________________________ . Only in the Bible, or the ________________ knowledge of God, do we discover who ________________ and who ________________ .

Key Truths Lesson Two  All people can know there is a god from NATURE and from CONSCIENCE. We call this kind of knowledge the NATURAL knowledge of God. The problem is these things will never tell us who THE TRUE GOD IS or who OUR SAVIOR IS. Only in the Bible, or the REVEALED knowledge of God, do we discover who THE TRUE GOD IS and who THE SAVIOR IS.

Closing Prayer After lesson   Triune God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, use your word to make me sure of who your are and what you do. Nothing is impossible with you. Thank you for the beautiful world and the beautiful Word. Amen.