Text Study for Sunday, September 21, 2025.

Series Theme: First Things

Reading: Genesis 9:8-15

CONNECTING QUESTIONS

Tell about a promise someone kept to you.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

Loving God, as I see Your great wisdom reflected in Your wonderful creation, I want to praise You with my whole being. Thank you for the creative Word of God. Who not only spoke the world into being from nothing but died for me so that I could have life – everlasting life and life more abundantly. Thank You, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

CONTEXT

Let us focus on some of the firsts from Genesis and Exodus, in all these stories God does something new! God takes the time to show the people more than they expected. Our series, First Things, will question what this means for us as we prepare to do something new here at Easter. What is God doing in our familiar things? September is a time when Easter returns to certain elements of programming, let’s look at those things in a new light. A light where God is up to something new with Easter, our community, and each of us!

From Dr Terry Fretheim at EntertheBible.org:

The images of God in the flood story are striking: God expresses sorrow and regret; judges reluctantly; goes beyond justice and determines to save some (including animals); commits to the future of a less than perfect world; is open to change in view of the divine experience with the world; and promises never to destroy the earth again.

LOOK AT THE BOOK

How is it with your spirit this week?
Our series is named “First Things.” What is a “first thing” in your life? Or, what is a “first thing” in your daily life?
What was one take-away from listening to the Carry On Cast podcast that connects with this Grow Guide?
Open to Genesis 9. What is the first thing God does in verse 1? How does this connect with what God did in Genesis 1?
Who is God speaking to? What do we know about them?
What is God establishing or creating with Noah? What is that?
What other kinds of covenants exist in the world?
Who does God make this covenant with? Why would God want to include future generations?
God says that God will “never again” do something? Why would God say that?
What is the symbol for the covenant in the sky? When was the last time you saw one?
This week, we welcome back to the pulpit, Pastor President Karen Castillo of Guatemala. We are celebrating 20 years of covenant partnership. What do you know about this partnership?
Pastor Karen sees that God is transforming a weapon of war (the bow) into a rainbow. How is this good news today?
What area of our world and life together needs that kind of holy transformation? From “weapons of war” to God’s life-giving promise?
What action will God take in verse 15?
In Holy Communion, we eat the bread and drink the wine, in remembrance of Jesus. Why is it important to remember these promises?
What would you like to talk about that we have not yet?

TAKING IT HOME

Share in a lunch celebrating our Guatemala partnership this coming Sunday at 11:30 in the Community Room at the Lake. RSVPs appreciated at easter@easter.org.

God of the promise, you call your people together into your one mission in Christ’s name. Make us brave, grant us peace, challenge our expectations, and empower us to truly follow your Spirit’s lead. You are our one God who calls us together as one people, and we thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Grow Guide | Sept 21, 2025