Big idea: Jesus is the Creator come in person to undo the curse. He is the hope for a suffering world.
Ready for Impact (5 mins)
Take time to catch up and welcome any newcomers.
Discuss:
If you asked 100 students at your university the question ‘What gives you hope for the future?’, what do you think would be the most common responses?
Ask someone to pray a short prayer asking for God's help as you look at his word together.
Impacted by the Word (20 mins)
Read Luke 5:1-13.
Discuss:
- Part of the curse of Genesis 3 is that work – and obtaining food in particular - will become hard and painful (see Gen 3:17-19). How does that line up with Simon Peter’s experience in verse 5?
- Fishing was done at night, when the fish couldn’t see the nets. If you were an experienced fisherman like Peter, how would you feel about Jesus suggesting you let down the nets during the day (v4)?
- Why do you think Peter reacts to the catch as he does in v8? What is he realising about who Jesus is?
Read Leviticus 13:45-46, then look back at Luke.
- What would life have been like for the man with leprosy?
- What would you expect to happen when someone touches a person with leprosy (an infectious bacterial disease)? What happens in this case?
- Isaiah prophesied a reversal of the curse on creation (see Isaiah 65:17-25). How do we see the curse beginning to be reversed through Jesus?
- In the session looking at Genesis, we saw that the purpose of humanity is to rule over creation in God’s image. How do we see this purpose being fulfilled in Jesus?
Read Luke 5:17-26.
Why is it significant that Jesus doesn’t just have power over creation, but over sin itself?
Impacting our Hearts (5 mins)
Discuss:
- As we study a world under curse, scientists often come face-to-face with the reality of suffering. How do Jesus’ miracles give us hope as we look at a world full of pain and injustice?
Impacting the University
Discuss:
- Why do many scientists find Jesus’ miracles hard to accept? What unresolved questions do you have about how science and miracles are compatible?
- Why is it vital that we emphasise not just Jesus’ power over the spiritual world, but over the physical world too?
Pray together, giving thanks that Jesus came into our world to break the curse on creation by dealing with sin. Pray that you’d be able to share this hope with people around you.
Wrap up
Thank everyone for coming, and share the date of your next meeting.
In the next study, we'll see how Jesus' reversal of the curse expands to encompass all of creation, and consider why it matters for scientists that God is reconciling all things to himself.
Further resources
If you want to explore this week's topic further, take a look at:
Suffering - where is God in our pain?, Niv Lobo (lunchbar)
Miracles, C.S. Lewis
The Message of Creation, David Wilkinson - chapters on Luke and John