Lesson Outline - Clover Sites



Week 1 God is the first and most generous giver4445179705001 John 4:19 – “We love because he first loved us.”Introduction46482002562225Lesson OutlineI. Introduction A. We love because He first loved us B. Romans 5:8 C. John 3:16II. Feeding the 5000 A. Read Mark 6:30-44 B. God is the first and most generous giver III. God Gives (handout) A. Walk through some aspects of God’s generosityIV. Final ThoughtVI. Group Prayer300000Lesson OutlineI. Introduction A. We love because He first loved us B. Romans 5:8 C. John 3:16II. Feeding the 5000 A. Read Mark 6:30-44 B. God is the first and most generous giver III. God Gives (handout) A. Walk through some aspects of God’s generosityIV. Final ThoughtVI. Group PrayerDiscussion question: Have you ever done anything crazy because of your love for another person? (i.e. saved the ticket stub to a movie you attended…exercised like crazy to get in shape and impress another person…checked the mail hourly waiting for a letter to arrive…checked your phone compulsively waiting for a call to come in…)We don’t always want to admit it, but we do some crazy things in the name of love. Some men have written love poems which, in hind-sight, are more entertaining that the poems of Dr. Seuss. Some women have endured sporting events that they really cared nothing about. Some people…out of a slightly off-center love for their pets…have dressed up their animals and proudly taken pictures. It’s funny what we’ll do in the name of love.As crazy as it sounds, the Bible says that we get this sense of passion from God. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.” While this verse is not simply talking about the passionate feelings of love, it is true that we understand and feel genuine, selfless love because God first demonstrated it toward us. Out of love, He created us and the world around us. Out of love, Jesus willingly left all the riches of heaven to join here on earth, to show us a better way to live and to make it possible for us to spend eternity with Him in heaven. He willingly took on our burdens and died in our place so that we could receive the joys of His rightful inheritance. That’s an amazing demonstration of love! Romans 5:8 reminds us of God’s amazing love in this way: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”It was His love that came first. And, hopefully, we all have some understanding of how deeply God loves us. Hopefully, we each resonate with the simple children’s song that says, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” But, there is another truth about the love of God that may not be as evident to you. Did you know that God regularly demonstrates Hi love for us through His actions? Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that God’s love often compels Him to give?That’s what we really want to focus on today. Because of the fact that God loves us so much…and because of the fact that His love is genuine and selfless, He showers us with generosity. Potentially the most famous verse in the Bible tells us that God’s love comes to us in the form of generosity.John 3:16 says, “For God so loved?the world that he gave…”Discussion question: When you think of ways that God has been generous to you, what comes to mind?Feeding the 5000There are a number of stories in the Bible that show us the loving generosity of God. We are going to look at one story that shows God’s heart for generosity. Regardless of how long you’ve been active in church, you have probably heard this story before. In fact, this story may be highly familiar to you. But, today, I want us to read this story with a different lens. I want us to watch for God’s generous love in this story.Read Mark 6:30-44Discussion question: Where did you see the generosity of God demonstrated in these verses?Here are some possible answers: He was sensitive to the disciples needs and encouraged them to get rest (v.31); He had compassion on them and gave them understanding through His teaching (v.34); He provided food for the multitudes (v. 41); He gave them more than they needed (v. 43).In this story, we clearly see that Jesus is generous. We see that His love overflows in more than words. His love overflows in acts of giving. But, this is not an isolated story. It can be tempting to take one story out of context to proven a point, but this story of God’s generosity is actually one of the major themes of Scripture. From Genesis to Revelation, God gives generously. And the Bible consistently shows us that God is the first and most generous giver.God GivesDistribute the “God Gives” handout and discuss some of your favorite aspects of this sheet with the class. (Allow time for each participant to read through the handout and see the generous nature of God as it is woven through Scripture.)Discussion question: As you look at all of the ways that God gives throughout the Bible, how would you describe the generosity of God?Final ThoughtsGod truly is the first and most generous giver. And if you stop and think about, God’s generosity transforms us. At times, His generosity transforms us physically as He generously heals the sick. At times, it transforms us spiritually…as He forgives us of our sins. At other times, God gives material possessions to us in a way that transforms our hearts. One of the most powerful ways that God transforms us through His giving is by helping us imitate Him in this way. Group PrayerGod GivesA record of God’s generosity through each book of the Bible(4 pages)GenesisGod gives us life and access to His creativity (1:1ff)ExodusGod gives salvation to captives (15:1-2)LeviticusGod gives insight to the future and regular reasons to feast (Chapter 23)NumbersGod gives blessings when the world is calling down curses (Chp's 22-24)God gives water for the thirsty (20:1ff)DeuteronomyGod gives laws to protect us from ourselves (Chp 4ff)God gives the ability to produce wealth (8:18)JoshuaGod gives His inheritance to those who follow Him (11:23)JudgesGod gives strength (Samson - Chp 13ff)RuthGod generously provides protection to the foreigner and the widow (2:12)1 SamuelGod gives victory over fear (David and Goliath - Chp 17)2 SamuelGod gives honor to the broken (Mephibosheth - Chp 9) and restoration to the fallen (David and Bathsheba - Chp 11)1 KingsGod gives proof of His presence (Mt Carmel - Chp 18)2 KingsGod gives vision to the spiritually blind (6:17)1 ChroniclesGod gives provisions for His work (29:14) 2 ChroniclesGod gives talents and abilities (Chp 3ff)EzraGod gives His people favor with influential people (7:8-10)NehemiahGod appoints people to stand in the gap for you while you are down (4:13-14)39414454527551001EstherGod gives influence to the powerless (2:17-18)JobGod gives restoration to the devastated (42:10-15)PsalmsGod gives redemption to those enslaved to sin 130:7-8)God gives compassion. He's slow to anger and abounding in love (103:8)ProverbsGod gives wisdom (1:1ff)EcclesiastesGod gives rain - and everything else - in its proper season (3:1-8)Song of SolomonGod gives human love that is better than wine (1:2)IsaiahGod gives a place in His family (56:4ff)JeremiahGod gives multiple warnings before He allows punishment (11:6-8)God gives a future and a hope (29:11)LamentationsGod gives companionship during suffering (3:31-33)EzekielGod gives life to dead bones (Chp 37)DanielGod rescues the perishing and brings them into a Kingdom that never falls (6:26-27)HoseaGod redeems His lovers who have prostituted themselves with other pleasures (3:1-3)Joel God gives us back the years that were stolen by catastrophesAmosGod gives justice to the abused (5:18-24)ObadiahGod gives judgments that are fair (v. 15)JonahGod gives opportunities to repent (3:10)MicahGod gives new life to the hopeless (4:10)NahumGod gives a hiding place in tough times (1:7)39408104279902002HabakkukGod gives joy and peace beyond understanding (3:17-19)ZephaniahGod gives His presence and writes love songs for His people (3:17)HaggaiGod gives specific, sovereign purposes to each person (2:21-23)ZechariahGod gives protection (2:5)God gives us a spirit of grace and prayer (12:10)MalachiGod gives us stability - He doesn't change (3:6)Matthew God gives His touch to the untouchables (10:8)MarkGod gives food to the hungry (6:31ff)LukeGod gives active love - stepping into the pain of creation rather than walking away (Incarnation - Chp 1ff)JohnGod gives us His Word (1:1-14) as the way, the truth and the life - in the flesh - so that we can understand it. (14:6)Acts God gives us community for encouragement and strength (2:42-47)RomansGod gives grace when we deserve death (5:18-21)God gives insiders the fulfillment of His promises and outsiders a way in (15:8-9)1 CorinthiansGod gives us spiritual gifts beyond our genetically entrusted abilities (Chp 12)2 CorinthiansGod gives us a new life and new identity in Christ (5:15-21)GalatiansGod gives freedom from the harness of slavery (5:1)EphesiansGod gives us unity through the cross (2:11-22)PhilippiansGod gives eternal inheritance in exchange for our punishment (2:1-11)ColossiansGod gives us the opportunity to share in His glory (1:27)1 ThessaloniansGod gives us the grace to handle poor treatment from others (2:14-16)394081041529030032 ThessaloniansGod gives us eternal encouragement and good hope (2:16)1 TimothyGod gives us His message - entrusting us to teach it to others (4:13)2 TimothyGod gives nearness during trials (4:16)TitusGod gives promises of His return (2:13-14)PhilemonGod provides forgiveness to the runaways (vv. 8-10)HebrewsGod gives us faith and a great cloud of witnesses to cheer us on (11-12:1)JamesGod gives His ear to our prayers (5:13-18)1 PeterGod gives us the mind of Christ (4:1 and 1 Cor 2:16)2 PeterGod gives confirmation of His Word (1:16-18)1 JohnGod gives remarkable love (4:7-10)2 John God gives rewards for following His leadership (vv. 8-9)3 JohnGod gives us the joy of seeing faith growing in other people (v.4)JudeGod gives His people a spotless record (v. 24)RevelationGod gives a New Heaven and New Earth where there is no more suffering (Chp's 21-22)529590029540204004 ................
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