GOD'S IMAGE: MALE AND FEMALE

BY THE END OF THE LESSON, WE WILL:

KNOW why God considers marriage and companionship important; APPRECIATE that God recognizes our need for companionship; and IDENTIFY areas in our lives where God has provided for our need for relationships with others. 

FOCAL VERSES: Genesis 2:18-25

KEEP IN MIND

"And the LORD GOD said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him" (Genesis 2:18)

AT- A- GLANCE

1. God Provides Identity (Genesis 2:18-20)

2. God Provides Companionship (vv. 21-23)

3. God Provides Marriage (vv. 24-25)

IN FOCUS STORY

"I cried my last tear yesterday." The lyrics to the song playing on her MP3 player reminded Sharon of just how alone she was feeling. She had been apprehensive about moving to a new state, but understood what it could mean for her career. As she sank down into the floor of her empty living room, her furniture located on a moving van stuck in winter storms somewhere in the Midwest, she identified with the singer's feelings of being alone and overwhelmed. Through her tears, she remembered that an Apostolic church was located not far from her new home. She knew God would help her adjust if she could just make contact with the saints. 

Just then a knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. "Who is it?" she asked. It was her neighbors, Terrance and Shana, with a pot of soup and freshly baked bread, asking it they might join her. She hesitantly opened her door. They saw her empty living room, apologized, and invited her over to their apartment. They ate, laughed, and talked while making plans to show Sharon the neighborhood. When she mentioned the church, they both laughed and said, "Praise the Lord! That's our home assembly."

God intends for people to be in relationship with one another. In this lesson, we examine how healthy relationships are ordained by God. 

THE PEOPLE, PLACES, AND TIMES

ADAM. 

The first man; created by God in God's image. God made Adam for the dust of the ground, breathing the breath of life into his nostrils. God gave Adam the responsibility for the created order. 

WOMAN. 

The first woman; created by God to be companion to Adam, the first man. 

THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 

The book of beginnings: The beginning of the creation of the universe (Genesis 1); the creation of the world and living things (Genesis 1-2); the creation of mankind (Genesis 1-2). 

BACKGROUND

The book of Genesis is the first book of the Bible and the first book of the Pentateuch. The Pentateuch is the first five books of the Old Testament. The Jewish label for these books is "Torah," which means teaching, while English Bibles refer to these books simply as the "Law."

Written by Moses, the leader of the enslaved Hebrew people (Exodus 1), the book of Genesis is a book about beginnings - the beginnings of the universe, the beginning of creatures, the beginning of mankind, and the beginning of God activity in the life of the world. "In the beginning God created..."

(Genesis 1:1) "And God said...and God made...and God blessed... and God saw..." (Genesis 1 and 2).

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

1. Why does God say it was not good to be alone (2:18)?

2. What trust did God place in Adam (vv. 19-20)?

3. What is the difference between how God brought forth animals and how he brought forth Eve (vv. 19, 22)?

4. How does verses 24 and 25 specifically address marriage?

DISCUSS THE MEANING 

1. Does the text encourage or discourage competition between men and women? How?

2. Compare the naming in verse 19 and with the naming in verse 23. 

3. How does the In Focus story point to how God's plan works in both marriage and singleness?

LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY

1. Those of us who are healthy, have strong family ties, and are regularly connected to a church family often take companionship for granted. There are people among us who are shut in and shut out because circumstances exclude them from continuous human contact. As saints of God, how does this passage call us to respond to the loneliness of others?

2. The popularity of social media has caused many to replace human contact and daily companionship with online and cyber reltationships. Does this passage call us to be more mindful face-to-face contact? Does this mean that online and cyber contacts are always detrimental? Why?

MAKE IT HAPPEN

There are people among us who feel isolated or overwhelmed. This passage shows how God created humans to support and comfort one another. How can you commit to helping lift the burdens of people you know by showing the genuine love and concern of Jesus?

(Except from the Apostolic Light) 

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