- an introduction to "The Hope" movie - The Hope, chapter 1 “in the beginning" The Hope

The Hope, movie Watch the online introduction in English or in Chinese or on DVD in Chinese with English subtitlesin Englishin Chinese Universal questions - Is there a purpose? - Is having a sense of purpose in your life important to you? - Where might the need that people have for a purpose in life come from?

The Voice, recorded for all time in a Book, the Bible - Discuss God’s desire to make Himself known to us. The Hope, movie introduction - Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:16, all scripture comes from God 2 Peter 1: 20-21, the Bible is not man’s thoughts or beliefs, but God’s own word, the source of truth for answering the most important questions of life.

- The narrator in the movie talked about the many prophecies in the Bible. Hundreds have been fulfilled perfectly. - How does that support our belief that the Bible is from God and not from man? Fulfillment of this prophecy: - Mark 15:24 (casting lots) - John 18:32 (kind of death) - John 20:25 (nails) Example prophecy: In Psalm 22:14-18 king David prophesied that the Messiah (Jesus) would be crucified, 400 years before crucifixion was invented. 预言 prophecy (noun) 说预言 prophesy (verb)

Watch chapter 1: “In the beginning” online in English or in Chinesein Englishin Chinese or on DVD in Chinese with English subtitles The Hope, movie The story begins with God and His attributes - Both science and the Bible tell us that time, space, matter and energy all had a beginning. - Read Genesis 1:1. Does it tell us that God was before all things and created all things by His will, His power, and for His own purpose? - Review some of God’s attributes that were mentioned by the narrator: -He is spirit -He is without beginning or end -He is complete in Himself -He is all-knowing and all-wise -He is perfect in every way -He is not limited by anything

Creation is a reflection of God’s power and nature How does creation show us: God’s power? God’s intelligence? His concern for human beings? Consider that science has found over 200 finely tuned design characteristics in the universe, all of which are necessary for human life on this planet. The Hope, movie, “in the beginning”

God created in 6 days God spoke: Day 1: “Let there be light” It was good. Day 2: “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water” It was good. Day 3: “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear” “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds” It was good

Day 4: “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth ” It was good Day 5: “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky” It was good "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth"

Day 6: “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind” It was good …… before the day was over God did more…..

Read Genesis 1:26-27 Men and women were created in God’s image. “God saw all that He made, and it was very good” (vs. 31) it was very good This raises at least three questions: 1. What significance does this give to human beings? 2. What does that say about the value of each individual? The crown on God’s creation 3. What does this say about God?

Next week we’ll study Genesis chapters 2 and 3 “the choice & the deadly disease”