Who is God? Man was made in the image of God and must be similar to Him. Through Jesus Christ, God seeks to bring us back into relationship with Him.
- Bible Verses describe Who is God, what He did, what we do, and how we should respond. They prepare us for profound teaching in this video.
- The Video answers definitively, Who is God?
- Summary Statements apply the teaching to our relationships.
- Discussion Questions explore the principles in our own lives.
Bible Verses and Questions
Genesis 1:26-27
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
This verse teaches us that man was made in the ____________ of God. (To be made in His image means to be similar to Him. Since God is a person and therefore thinks, feels, and communicates, He has also made us as persons who think, feel, and communicate. In other words, He created us for relationships.)
Genesis 3:8-9
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
When Adam and Eve sinned, they tried to hide from God. In verse 9, what did God do when He was looking for Adam? __________________________________________________________
(This shows that Adam and Eve were used to talking with God, because God expected them to answer Him. Therefore we can see that God made them, and us as well, to have a relationship with Him. This is the most important relationship in a man’s or a woman’s life.)
Genesis 2:18
18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
What did God say was not good? _______________________________
This verse shows that God intended for people to be in relationships with other people. Can you imagine what it would be like if you were totally alone and there were NO other people in your life (family, spouse, friends, neighbors, etc.)? Describe what it would be like if you had to live this way. _________________________________________________________
(The fact is that we need to relate to other people!)
Isaiah 59:2
2 But your iniquities have separated
you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
so that he will not hear.
What keeps a person away from (breaks their relationship with) God? ______________________________________________________
(Sin not only breaks the relationship between God and man but it also causes the breakdown of relationships between people. Sin destroys relationships.)
1 Peter 3:18
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
What did God do (through Jesus Christ) to bring us back to Himself (restore our relationship with Him)? _____________________________
(When our sins are forgiven and taken away through Jesus, we are truly free to have a deep relationship with God and strong relationships with people.)
The following verses show us how we can have strong and happy relationships:
1 John 4:7
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
Proverbs 18:24
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
There is a friend who ____________________________
(We should be committed always to loving those people that we are in relationship with, even when it is hard to do.)
Ephesians 4:25
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
We should tell the ________________ to others. (Honest communication is vital to any good relationship.)
1 John 3:16-18
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
We should not love (only) with _______________ or in
_____________ but by what we ______________ and in _______________. (This means we should not only SAY that we love people but we should also SHOW it by our actions.)
Ephesians 4:31-32
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
We should get rid of all ____________________, __________
and ___________, ___________________, and ___________________, along with every form of _________________ (wanting to cause others to be hurt). We are to be __________ and ___________________to one another, forgiving each __________________, just as Christ God forgave you. (This means we must be willing to resolve our conflicts with others and forgive others when they have hurt us.)
The following verses show the main relationships in our lives. God wants us to obey His instructions in each of these relationships.
John 17:3
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Our relationship with ________________________________________
____ (to “know” in this verse means to have a close relationship with.)
1 Timothy 5:8
8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Our relationship with our ____________________ (this includes our spouse, children, parents, and brothers or sisters
Proverbs 18:24
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Our relationships with our ___________________
Galatians 6:10
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Our relationship with those who belong to ________________
________________ (this means others who are believers in Jesus Christ)
Ephesians 6:5
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
Our relationships with our ___________________
(Note: In New Testament times, slavery was common. Today, employees work for an employer rather than an “owner”. Our relationships at work include our boss and our co-workers.)
Matthew 22:39
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’
Our relationships with our ___________________
Colossians 3:14
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
What is the main “ingredient” we should add to ALL of our relationships? ___________________________
Why do you think this is so important? ____________________________________________________
Video
Who is God? Man was made in the image of God and must be similar to Him. Through Jesus Christ, God seeks to bring us back into relationship with Him. Pastor Jesse Morales
worknlearn.us, Class #3, Pastor Jesse Morales
Summary Statements
- God created man and woman for relationships (with Himself and with other people).
- We cannot live happy and fulfilled lives without strong, loving relationships.
- Sin destroys relationships, both between God and man and between man and man. Through receiving God’s gift of forgiveness through Jesus Christ we can be free to build deep, loving relationships.
- The following things are necessary if we are to be successful in building good relationships:
– sincere love (the MOST important thing)
– a strong commitment to relate
– honest communication
– love expressed by actions
– willingness to forgive and to resolve conflicts
- The main relationships in our lives are:
– with God, with our family, with our friends, with (fellow) believers in Jesus Christ, at work and in ministry, and with our neighbors.
Discussion Questions – Class #3 – Who Is God?
Question #1: What do you think it would be like to have a really close relationship with God? In other words, if you were doing exactly everything His word tells us to, do you think you would be really happy or that it would be all drudgery and no enjoyment?
#2: Describe the most important human relationship in your life and why it is so important to you.
#3: Explain how sins such as lying, stealing, cheating, drunkenness, sexual immorality, and fits of rage cause the breakdown of relationships among people.
#4: What are the qualities you respect and appreciate most in another person that you have a relationship with?
#5: What is one thing that you can begin doing this week to improve your relationship with someone that you are around regularly (family member, friend, co-worker, neighbor, etc.)?