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As Adam and Eve move east of Eden, a new hope dawns with the birth of a son. However, humanity collapses under that weight as sin spreads from the human heart into worship, families, culture, and society. Even in the dismal state of humanity, Genesis 4 gives glimmers of grace and points us to a future salvation.

God created humanity to flourish through His good design and generous provision. But, in Genesis 3, everything changes. Humanity rejects God’s goodness and sin brings shame, fear, broken relationships, suffering, and death. Yet, even in judgment, we discover that God has not abandoned His creation. The story of the fall also gives us the first glimpse of the hope we ultimately find in Jesus Christ.

God didn’t simply create the world and leave humanity to figure out how to live in it. He designed His creation for flourishing and generously provided what was needed for humanity to fulfill His purposes. In Genesis 2, we discover a world of order, beauty, abundance, and peace. It’s a picture of life as God intended it to be.

God created us in His image and has entrusted us with responsibility in His world. Our worth is from God, and our work—paid or unpaid—gives us an opportunity to cultivate what He has given us. As we receive God’s blessing, cultivate His world, and extend His goodness, even the most ordinary actions become opportunities to represent Him.

What does it mean to be human? Genesis tells us that every human being has been created in the image of God, giving each person unique dignity, value, and purpose. We were made to reflect God and represent Him in His world, and that changes not only how we understand ourselves but how we see and treat others. Though sin has distorted God’s image in us, it has not erased it and, through Christ, God is at work restoring His image in us.

What does the world God made reveal about the God who made it? In Genesis 1, we watch God bring order to what is formless, fill what is empty, and declare His creation “good.” Through the rhythm of His creative work, we discover a God of power, wisdom, purpose, and generosity. And as we learn to see His world through that lens, we are invited to see His glory and respond in worship.

Every worldview begins somewhere. The Bible begins with God. As we begin our journey through Genesis 1–12, we’ll discover why these ancient chapters are foundational for understanding God, ourselves, our world, and our hope. Before Genesis answers the questions of who we are, why we’re here, or what’s wrong with the world, it takes us back to the most important reality of all: “In the beginning, God.”

Psalm 126 shifts the central question in life’s transitions from, “How do I be most effective for God?” to “How can I become more like Him?” It does this by giving us three postures to joyfully move towards becoming more like Jesus in light of our own story and journey.

Becoming more like Christ begins with seeing ourselves rightly. Through the example of John the Baptist, we’ll consider how a humble understanding of who we are (and who we are not) frees us to embrace our true identity and purpose in life.

God’s purpose is not merely for every believer to know about Jesus, but that we would increasingly become like Him. Today, we will see that, as we behold Jesus, the Spirit frees us and transforms us into His likeness.

Today, we come to Peter’s final words to believers living as exiles in a difficult and hostile world. His closing encouragement also summarizes the entire letter: This is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. As we conclude our study, we’ll see how God’s grace enables us to humbly trust His care, firmly resist the enemy, and confidently hope in His promises until the day He finally brings us home.

The gospel teaches us how to come alongside those who are suffering.

Peter anticipates continued suffering and exhorts his readers to persevere through suffering and fully entrust our souls to God. Peter encourages us through a series of commands to live resolute, faith-filled lives in the face of ongoing difficulty.

As Christians, we live differently from those who do not follow Christ. As we look at Scripture, we see a reason for being unique in this world, even if it means facing rebuke or suffering.

Marriage is one of God's greatest gifts, but it was never meant to carry the weight of being our greatest hope. As we look to Scripture to understand God’s design for marriage, we'll discover how God uses marriage (and all relationships) to shape us into the image of Christ and display the beauty of the gospel.