Living Hope - Session 5

Look Back

What has stayed with you from last week?
What good in culture have you seen in the last week? What was less good? What culture cultivation have you done?

Opening Question

Ask some or all of the following questions: Where’s your favourite place to be in nature? Take a look at the painting by Edward Hicks and listen to the commentary. What looks familiar from this world? What surprises you?

Reading Scripture Together

Read the passage aloud together Isaiah 65:17-25 What is the Spirit highlighting to you today from this passage? As you read the Isaiah passage, what are some key features of the new heaven and new earth? How do you interpret them? Where is the discontinuity between today’s world and this depiction of new creation?

Video - Creation Made New

Discussion Questions

Discuss some of the following questions: What stood out to you from this video? Did anything challenge or surprise you? What do you think it looks like to exercise “dominion” in a way that reflects God’s character? What stood out to you from this video? Did anything challenge or surprise you? How do you feel about care for creation? How has it changed over your lifetime?

Video
Creation and God's Purposes

Response

Ask some or all of the following questions: What would it mean to consider to the renewal of (your bit of) creation similarly to your own transformation? One challenge is being overwhelmed by the amount of renewal needed. Pick one of the following areas to focus on: - transport choices, - food waste solutions, - plastic usage, - animal welfare. What things can you do as an individual and as a church community to respond to creation that way today?

Prayer ideas

Pray for wisdom and understanding in response to the challenge to creation care. Make a list together of the practical acts of creation care as a way to express honour to the Creator. AND / OR Plant a seed: Give everyone a small pot, provide soil and a seed, and do the seed planting together. Pray and thank God for creation. Thank him for the way he will make all things new.

Session 6