God's Story: Creation to Re-Creation
Deep Dive Podcast
Study Guide
This study guide is designed to help you understand the key concepts presented in Pastor Tim's sermon, "God's Story: Creation to Re-Creation." It covers the narrative arc from creation to re-creation, focusing on the significance of judgment, hell, and the promise of a renewed creation in Christ.
I. Key Concepts Review
The "C" Series:
Creation: God's all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving act of bringing everything into existence.
Curse: Humanity's rejection of God, resulting in broken relationships with God, others, the physical world, and self.
Covenant: God's promise, made through a specific family, to bring redemption to the world through Jesus.
Christ: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born into the world, living a perfect life, and demonstrating how to honor God and love others.
Cross: Jesus's sacrificial death on the cross, offering forgiveness and the opportunity to be born again and reconciled to God.
Church: The community of believers tasked with spreading the message of hope and making disciples who love God, love others, and make more disciples.
Re-creation: The restoration of all things, Eden 2.0, the correction of brokenness and the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth.
Judgment:
Not capricious but intentional and purposeful, reflecting God's perfect justice.
God's love demands judgment; it is a necessary response to the rejection of his gift of salvation through Jesus.
Rejecting God's gift of his Son has a cost because God gave something of infinite worth.
Hell:
A real place of separation from God.
A place that lacks the comforting presence of God.
A place of torment stemming from the ramifications of rejecting God, not torture inflicted by God.
Not a source of pleasure for God.
Characterized by weeping and gnashing of teeth, but not repentance.
Its exact location is unknown.
Recreation (New Heaven and New Earth):
A restored and renewed earth, not a floaty, ethereal existence.
Absence of fear, danger, and the unknown.
A wedding, a beautiful wedding festival, where Christ is the groom and the church is the bride.
God dwelling among his people, restoring the intimacy of Eden.
No more death, mourning, crying, or pain.
A place of immense worth, adorned with precious stones.
God's glory providing light, eliminating the need for sun or moon.
Gates that are open, allowing entrance for only the pure.
The river of the water of life and the tree of life providing constant refreshment and healing.
Those in Christ will see God's face and reign forever.
II. Short Answer Quiz
Answer each question in 2-3 sentences.
Explain the concept of "curse" within the "God's Story" narrative.
What is the mission of the church, according to Pastor Tim?
Why does Pastor Tim argue that God's love demands judgment?
According to the sermon, what are the two ways someone's mission on Earth can be completed?
What is the key distinction between "torment" and "torture" in the context of hell, as explained by Pastor Tim?
What are some of the key features of the New Jerusalem described in Revelation?
Why is it important to understand that God takes no pleasure in punishing people and sending them to hell?
What is the significance of the absence of the sea in the new heaven and new earth?
According to the sermon, how is one guaranteed eternal life in the recreated order with Christ?
How does Pastor Tim refute the idea that heaven is simply a "floaty place in the clouds?"
III. Short Answer Quiz Answer Key
The "curse" refers to humanity's rejection of God, which resulted in broken relationships with God, others, the physical world, and oneself. This introduced sin and suffering into the world, disrupting the perfect harmony of creation.
The mission of the church is to bring the message of hope to the world and to be a place where people can come to know and follow Jesus. It involves helping people grow into disciples who love God, love others, and make more disciples.
Pastor Tim argues that God's love demands judgment because love necessitates a care, a concern, and a desire for the right thing to happen. The rejection of God's gift of salvation through Jesus warrants a just response, demonstrating the seriousness of choosing against an infinitely valuable offering.
According to the sermon, someone's mission on Earth can be completed when Jesus returns, or when they die. Either event signifies the end of their active role in the mission of spreading the gospel and living as a disciple.
The key distinction is that "torment" refers to the internal suffering resulting from one's own choices and their ramifications, while "torture" implies intentional infliction of pain by an external force. Torment is the realization of what was given up in rejecting God.
The New Jerusalem is a holy city coming down from heaven, adorned with precious stones, with God as its temple and source of light. It has open gates allowing only the pure, and the river and tree of life provide constant refreshment and healing.
This understanding emphasizes God's desire for people to turn from their ways and live, rather than be punished. It highlights the invitation to salvation and reflects God's loving nature.
In the culture at the time of the writing of Revelation, the sea represented danger, fear, and the unknown. Its absence symbolizes the removal of these negative aspects in the new creation, ushering in an era of peace and security.
According to the sermon, one is guaranteed eternal life in the recreated order with Christ by accepting God's offer of forgiveness through Jesus's sacrifice on the cross. This involves believing that Jesus died for one's sins, accepting his forgiveness, and giving one's life to him as both Savior and Lord.
Pastor Tim refutes the idea of heaven as a "floaty place in the clouds" by emphasizing that the vision of heaven is a recreation and a restoration of earth. It will be a physical and tangible reality with a new heaven and a new earth where God dwells with his people.
IV. Essay Questions
Discuss the significance of the "C" series (Creation, Curse, Covenant, Christ, Cross, Church, Recreation) as a narrative framework for understanding God's redemptive plan.
Explain how the sermon balances the concepts of judgment and love, arguing that they are not mutually exclusive but intrinsically linked in God's character.
Analyze Pastor Tim's description of hell, focusing on the distinction between "torment" and "torture" and its implications for understanding God's justice and character.
Describe the symbolism and imagery used in Revelation 21 and 22 to depict the new heaven and new earth, and discuss its significance for believers.
How does the sermon encourage believers to live in light of the promise of recreation, and how does this understanding influence their mission and purpose in the present?
V. Glossary of Key Terms
Creation: The act of God bringing the universe and all its contents into existence.
Curse: The consequences of humanity's disobedience and rejection of God, leading to brokenness and suffering.
Covenant: A binding agreement or promise between God and humanity.
Christ: The Greek title for Messiah, referring to Jesus as the anointed one, the Son of God.
Cross: The instrument of Jesus's crucifixion, symbolizing his sacrifice for the sins of humanity.
Church: The community of believers in Jesus Christ.
Recreation: The renewal and restoration of all things, the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth.
Judgment: God's righteous assessment and evaluation of humanity's actions and choices.
Hell: A state of eternal separation from God and a place of torment for those who reject his offer of salvation.
Heaven: The dwelling place of God and the final destination for believers in Christ; often used interchangeably with the new heaven and earth.
Revelation: The final book of the Bible, containing prophetic visions of the end times, judgment, and the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom.
Torment: Internal suffering and anguish resulting from one's own choices and their consequences.
Torture: The intentional infliction of pain or suffering by an external force.
New Jerusalem: The holy city described in Revelation, symbolizing the dwelling place of God and his people in the new creation.
Eden: The Garden of Eden, the original paradise where God created humanity to live in perfect harmony with him.
Disciple: A follower of Jesus Christ who learns from him and seeks to live according to his teachings.
Gospel: The good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
Common Grace: God's general blessings and provisions given to all people, regardless of their beliefs.
Gehenna: A Hebrew term often used to describe hell.
Hades: A Greek term often used to describe hell.
