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“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” – Hebrews 11:3

According to His story, God spoke all of creation into existence. By His Word He made everything out of nothing… According to His story, God created the heavens, the earth, and every living thing in six days.  – The HOPE, Chapter 1

After reading the preceding excerpt from The HOPE video, let’s consider a few of these concepts. First, because God is all powerful, not limited by anything, He can create however He chooses, even simply by speaking. This concept is clearly presented in the Bible:

“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3)

“…by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed.” (2 Peter 3:5)

Secondly, God made everything that is out of nothing. Think about that. When we humans create, we must utilize or draw upon things that existed before us. When we “create” we are really “re-creating.” But God, who created from nothing, is creative in the ultimate sense:

“…God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.” (Romans 4:17)

Third, God created the whole world in six days. We find this concept clearly presented in the Bible:

“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them…” (Exodus 20:11)

While students of the Bible have long debated the meaning of “six days,” the assertion that God made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them clearly contradicts the notion that the world is simply the result of a natural evolutionary process.

BIG IDEA: God created the universe and everything in it. And it was good.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO

MEDITATING ON THE WORD:

Genesis chapters 1-2 (focus on 2:7), Colossians 1:16

SECTION VERSES:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31

LESSON VERSE:

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” – Hebrews 11:3

PRAYER:

Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for all of God’s creation and how He has supplied our every need.

DISCUSSION STARTERS:

• What did God make everything From?
• Why did God create the world?
• Why did God create people?
• What was man’s purpose when God created them?

LIVE IT OUT!

• Take a walk in the woods together, paying special attention to all that God has created and how unique each thing is.

– – –

ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader.  In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.

“For 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 people are without excuse.”  – Romans 1:20

“Before there was anything, before time or space or physical matter, there was God…One who is far beyond our ability to fully comprehend or describe. Through His story, we find that God is Spirit without a beginning or an end. He is complete within Himself, lacking in nothing. He is all knowing and all wise. He is perfect in every way. He is not limited by anything.” – The HOPE, Chapter 1

The first week of our study presented evidence that the Bible is the most trustworthy reference point in all the world for understanding reality. The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself, and it reveals truth about God in two ways. One way is by demonstration: recording God’s action and interaction with the world and humankind. Another way is by declaration: making direct statements or claims about the nature and character of God.
As you prepare to lead the children this week, consider the following Bible verses that support the excerpt from The HOPE quoted above.

Before There Was Anything, There Was God (Colossians 1:16-17)
God Is Beyond Our Ability to Fully Comprehend  (Psalm 145:3, Romans 11:33)
God Is Spirit (John 4:24)
God Is Eternal – He Has No Beginning or End (Psalm 90:2, 1 Timothy 1:17)
God Is Complete within Himself, Lacking in Nothing (Acts 17:24-25)
God Is All Knowing and All Wise (Psalm 147:5, 1 Chron. 28:9, Isa. 40:28)
God is holy (perfect, other than) (1 Samuel 2:2)

BIG IDEA: God is.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO (START AT :46)

MEDITATING ON THE WORD:

Romans 1:20-21, Psalm 139
1 John 3:20, Isaiah 46:9-10
Psalm 147:4-5, 1 John 4:8
Acts 17:25, Revelation 1:4
Romans 11:33, Romans 16:27

SECTION VERSES:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31

LESSON VERSE:

“For 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 people are without excuse.”  – Romans 1:20

PRAYER:

Pray that God would give you a desire to read His Word and that his Spirit would help you understand.

DISCUSSION STARTERS:

• What did you learn in Quest this week?
• Who is God?
• What is he like?

LIVE IT OUT!

• Read some more of John’s gospel together.
• ]Write “God is…” on a piece of paper and make a list of His attributes together for the refrigerator.

– – –

ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader.  In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. -Psalm 119:105

It’s the Universal Question – Is there a purpose …for the world and for me? The HOPE video begins with these words…

“Throughout time people have considered the world in which we live; the complexity and beauty of  nature, the mystery of life and death, the depth of human joy and pain …and they have wondered, ‘How did it all come to be? Is this world the result of chance…or design? Is there something, or someone, behind it all? And if there is such a being, then what is He like? Does He have a  purpose for this world? Does He have a purpose for me in this world? Does He have a purpose for me beyond this world?”

Jeremiah 29:13 reads: “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
This is the heart of Quest. Some of our kids may be asking questions about the existence of God, others may just be wanting to know Him more. In both cases He promises to be found when we search wholeheartedly for Him.

It begins with you and me.  As we dive in to this study, be prepared to let God show you who He is, and to discover new things about God and yourself. Determine that you will “search for Him with your whole heart,” and then lead the children to do the same.

BIG IDEA: The Bible is God’s Word. We can trust it.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO

SECTION VERSES:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” -Genesis 1:31

LESSON VERSE:

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”  – Psalm 119:105

PRAYER:

Pray that God would give you a desire to read His Word and that His Spirit would help you understand.

DISCUSSION STARTERS:

What did you learn in Quest this week?
What is the Bible?
Why can we trust the Bible?
If people wrote the Bible, how did God write the Bible?

LIVE IT OUT!

Start a Bible reading plan together.  It can be just a verse or two a day.  The gospel of John is a great place to start!

– – –

ABOUT FAMILY QUEST: At Reston Bible Church, we firmly believe that parents are a child’s first and most important spiritual leader.  In order to support you that mission, we have created a parent devotional and some discussion starters to go along with each lesson your grade school age children are learning at Quest on Sundays. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” -2 Timothy 3:16-17

Dear Quest Parents,

Welcome to a new year at Quest! This year our “Big Idea” is the biggest of them all. God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, and our eternal Father, so desires us to know Him that He purposed that a book be written and assembled in order to reveal Himself, his plans, his mighty acts, and his will to us. Understanding this Book, how it was written, how it is organized, and what it says about God, about us, and about God’s ultimate plan for redeeming His people through his Son, Jesus Christ, is of utmost importance for our students on their Quest.

Would you depart for a trip without knowing your destination, without consulting a map, without using a GPS, or without taking someone along who knows the way? Would you ignore signs that read “Wrong Way – Do not enter – Danger!” Only a very unwise person would. We need to help teach the children that this Christian life is a journey with an eternal destination and that along the way there are dangers, detours, and temptations to navigate. To make the most of this Quest we must know well our map, the Bible. The curriculum we are about to begin is based on the film The Hope, and each week we will watch a short portion of the film that we will use as the starting point for our teaching that day.

Each Sunday afternoon you will receive an email from us with a parent devotional and some discussion starters. If you’d like to watch the segment of the film we used that day you can access that at, www.thehopeproject.com.

You are your child’s first and most important spiritual leader. Our hope and prayer is that this material will help you to engage with your children around the topics they are learning on Sunday mornings, answer their questions, go deeper with them, and find real, day-to-day applications. We are honored to be able to partner with you in the critical task of sharing Christ with the next generation.

Blessings,

Mike Meyers & the RBC Children’s Ministry Team