THE SET UP: One of the hottest movies in theaters this holiday season is Wicked, which is a prequel for the classic movie, The Wizard of Oz. A prequel gives you some of the back story about the characters and storyline of a well-known movie or story. It helps you understand the story better. For example, The Hobbitintroduces you to the action of Lord of the Rings.
This Advent season, we are looking at the Christmas story in light of the Old Testament. Christmas is the story of Jesus, God in the flesh, being born into this world to bring hope and salvation to all of us. The Old Testament (the part of the Bible before Jesus) helps us to understand WHY Jesus came into the world. The Christmas story doesn’t begin in the manger, it begins in a garden – the Garden of Eden.
Because of Adam and Eve’s decision to reject God’s authority and sin against Him, all of mankind would be born into a fallen and broken world. As God pronounces judgment on Adam and Eve, He also gives hope. One day there would be a savior who would defeat sin and make a way of salvation for humanity. That’s the WHY behind the WHAT of Jesus’ birth.
PASSAGE TO READ: Genesis 3:1-15
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
· Why do you think Adam and Eve made the choice they did? What was the lure that Satan (the serpent) dangled in front of them?
· When you look at our present world, or history, where do you see evidence that we live in a fallen and broken world? Where are the results of sin evident?
· God said that Satan would strike at the woman’s heel, but one day, someone from the woman’s line (humanity) would crush his head. How do you see that foreshadowing Jesus’ birth and life? How does that give you hope?
· What else did you observe in this passage?
PRAYER: “God, thank you that even when Adam and Eve turned their back on you, you didn’t turn your back on them. Thank you that you don’t do that to us when we sin against you. Because of your promise to send a savior, and because of the birth of Jesus, I can experience your forgiveness, and I have hope. As Christmas draws closer, help me to remember the WHY for the season. In your name, amen.”