Promise Keeper

In today’s session we explore the importance of God’s covenant with Noah. We are reminded of this covenant every time we look into the sky and see a rainbow. Its colours signify God’s promise never again to flood the Earth. It is a promise made with the whole of creation and reminds us of God’s faithfulness to his people.

WELCOME

The rainbow has come to mean many different things to many different people. It is often used as a symbol for the LGBTQ+ community, but is also used as a way for families to remember babies that have sadly died. Throughout the Covid pandemic the rainbow was a reminder of the hard work of keyworkers in the NHS and other services striving to keep us safe.

• Can you think of any other contexts where the rainbow has been used?

In today’s session, we are going to focus on the covenant God made with Noah and the way that the rainbow was used as a reminder of that covenant. First, let’s see how familiar you are with rainbows.

Leader’s notes: For this activity, you will need the ‘Rainbowtastic’ presentation. The first question on the presentation is: How many of you have seen a rainbow? It’s very unlikely there’s anyone in the group that hasn’t seen a rainbow, but the following 15 slides show a range of rare and unusual rainbows. Show and discuss each one.

At the end of the presentation, ask the group which kind of rainbow they would most like to see in real life.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

Ask the group to describe how a rainbow is formed.

Watch the clip to find out.

Watch: How rainbows form and what shape they really are – Colourful Weather – ABC Australia (3:01)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz6yyGn-DbY

• What one thing did you discover about rainbows that you didn’t know before?

WORD

Throughout January, we will be looking at the different covenants God made with his people throughout the Bible.

• What is a covenant?

Watch the clip to find out more about covenants, and then discuss the questions.

Watch: What is a covenant, and how does it relate to interpreting Scripture? (2:05)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQL7kVF0fOA&t=124s

Discuss

• How are covenants different from / similar to the contracts we use today?
• How is a relationship impacted by either the keeping or breaking of a covenant?
• How do covenants help us to understand our relationship with God?

You may be familiar with the story of Noah and the ark from books you read as a child or even films like Evan Almighty. Noah’s story is told across Genesis 6 to 9 at the start of the Old Testament. The clip we’re about to watch is not aimed at your age group but gives us a summary of the story before we focus on the covenant God made with Noah.

Watch: Noah’s Ark (3:38)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzYjy6lhRag

God resolved to change his relationship with his creation.

Read Genesis 8:20-22 (MSG)

• What did God resolve to do in these verses?

Read Genesis 9:1-16 (MSG)

Discuss

• What responsibility does God give humankind in verses 1-4?
• How do you think we are doing when it comes to living up to that responsibility?
• What warning does God give his people in verses 5-7?
• What is special about the covenant God makes in verses 8-11? Is it just with humans?
• In a biblical sense, what does a rainbow represent?

Verse 17 reminds us that the covenant was established between God and ‘everything living on Earth’. All creation was included in the promise of God’s grace and faithfulness.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

Noah is considered to be a person of great faith and gets a mention in the faith hall of fame in Hebrews 11.

Read Hebrews 11:7 from the Amplified translation of the Bible.

• How did Noah demonstrate his faith and trust in God?

WITNESS

Leader’s notes: The aim of this activity is to create rainbows as a representation of God’s grace, faithfulness and love for his creation. Each part of the rainbow will have a different Scripture reference linked to God’s grace and faithfulness. Even though a list is provided, encourage the group to find their own verses. A link is provided for the craft element of the activity, and suggested Bible verses are shown below.

Paper Rainbow Craft | LetsTryThisAtHome

https://letstrythisathome.com/2015/05/04/paper-rainbow-craft/

The finished rainbows could be used in a variety of ways:

• A tree could be set up, as shown in the link, for the rainbows to be displayed at church
• The young people could give their rainbow to someone at home, members of the church, or members of the church who are unable to attend due to old age or illness
• The young people could keep the rainbows for themselves.

Suggested Bible verses

2 Thessalonians 3:3                2 Timothy 2:13 Hebrews 10:23

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24        Deuteronomy 7:9        Lamentations 3:22-23

Psalm 36:5                              Psalm 89:8                  Psalm 91:4

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

• Which of the Bible verses resonated most with you today? Explain why?

WORSHIP

The rainbow represents the promise God made to all creation. In our time of worship today, we are going to give thanks for that creation.

Leader’s notes: You will need an A3 printout of a rainbow or a sheet of paper and the felt-tip colours to create a rainbow. Ask the young people to write down aspects of creation linked to the different colours filling each band of the rainbow –

eg luscious green fields, the petals of a rose in bloom, the gloop of freshly made custard (they can be as creative as they like)

God, in his faithfulness, created all these aspects of the rainbow shown before us. He created (share some of the examples the young people have given). In his covenant with Noah, God promised that no matter how much sin runs rampant in our world, he will never destroy it again.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

Read Genesis 9:17(MSG)

Spend time in prayer as a group thanking God for his creation and for the rainbow, a demonstration of his grace and faithfulness.

God’s covenant with Abram required very little. If Abram could just wait patiently for God, then he was promised descendants as numerous as the stars. As Abram and his wife Sarai grew older, the waiting became harder, and the temptation to give God a helping hand was overwhelming. Discover what happened when Abram and Sarai took matters into their own hands and tried to micromanage God’s plan for their life.

WELCOME

In today’s Scripture, Abram is invited to look up to the heavens and take in the amazing view of the stars filling the night sky.

See how much you know about the stars and planets in this space trivia quiz.

SPACE TRIVIA QUIZ #1 - 10 Astronomy & Space Trivia Quiz Questions and Answers - YouTube (5:10)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJhLLigp-1o

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

• Would you like to travel to space to see the milky way and star-filled skies yourself? If so, why? If not, why not?

WORD

Our focus today is on the covenant God made with Abram (his name was not changed to Abraham until chapter 17). God called Abram to leave his country and then made a promise to him.

Read Genesis 12:2-3:

Abram was promised a great nation, but his wife Sarai was unable to have children. Relying only on the direct spoken word of God, rather than Scripture, Abram kept waiting for God to fulfil his promise. As time passed on, Sarai and Abram weren’t getting any younger. We find Abram in Genesis 15 starting to get concerned about God’s plan.

Read Genesis 15:1-6

Discuss

• Why do you think Abram was afraid?
• What was Abram’s main concern?
• How does God reassure Abram that he will have a son? Is Sarai mentioned at this point?
• As God encourages Abram to look up to the stars, what promise does he give to him?

Abram chose to trust God. Genesis 15:7-20 outlines the details of the covenant God made with Abram. Throughout this process, God clearly outlined the path ahead for the people of Israel. This was a one-sided covenant where God made promises to Abram, expecting nothing in return. The promise of as many generations of descendants as the star-filled skies was made – but could Abram and Sarai hang on to see it fulfilled?

Read Genesis 16:1-15 to find out what happened next.

Discuss

• What cunning plan did Sarai formulate to ‘help’ God fulfil his covenant promise?
• How should Abram have responded to Sarai’s request?
• Why do you think Sarai despised Hagar once she was pregnant?
• Sarai and Abram veered away from the path God had set for them. How did they try and solve the problem?
• What promise did God make to Hagar?

In the last session, we read how God sent a rainbow as a symbol of his covenant to Noah. Abraham’s covenant sign was slightly different and a little more painful!

Read Genesis 17:1-27 to find out the next part of the covenant story.

Discuss

• How did Abraham react to God’s promise that Sarah would give birth to a son?
• How did God fulfil his promise to Abraham and Sarah?
• What problems did Abraham and Sarah’s micromanagement of God’s plan cause?

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

Watch the clip if you would like to discover more about the story of Abraham, Sarah and their servant Hagar.

Hagar – Bible Study – Jesus in all of Genesis 15-16 (3:23)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4uMWc4yQjM

• How does the clip help you to understand the importance of trusting God’s promises?

WITNESS

Abram and Sarai struggled to trust the promise God had made to them. As they waited for their son to arrive, they wondered if they’d missed something. Maybe they had misheard or misunderstood, or maybe the promise only related to Abram.

Abram and Sarai went into overthinking mode.

Think of a situation where you have prayed to God and have then waited for a response.

• How have you fallen into the overthinking trap?
• How do you relate to Abram and Sarai’s situation?
• In what ways have you tried to micromanage God?

God took Abram into the darkness and asked him to look up to the stars. The God who created the stars assured Abram that his promises were true, and yet still Abram and Sarai tried to outmanoeuvre God.

Leader’s notes: For this activity, you will need some cardboard stars or star-shaped Post-it Notes. The group is going to spend time reflecting, reading and discussing promises found in Scripture and reminders of the importance of waiting on God and trusting in him. Write the following Scripture references on the stars, stick them around the room, or place them on the floor. Share the Scripture readings together, and then write a short phrase on the star that sums up its message. Discuss with the group which message particularly resonates with them in their current situation.

Suggested Scripture references

John 3:16                    1 John 2:24-25                       1 John 3:2                   Isaiah 41:10

James 4:7-8                Deuteronomy 31:8                  Psalm 27:14                Isaiah 40:31

Lamentations 3:25      Exodus 14:14                          Psalm 62:5                  Proverbs 20:22

Psalm 20:7                  Proverbs 3:5-6                       Psalm 56:3-4              John 14:1

• If you were going to commit to memorising any of the Scripture verses you’ve heard today, which one would it be? Explain why you have chosen it.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

• Which of these Scripture verses do you think would have helped Abram and Sarai? Explain your choice.

WORSHIP

Our faithful God keeps his promises. We do not need to micromanage or ‘help’ God to fulfil his plans for our lives. Yes, we need to actively participate in our life of faith, but that doesn’t mean trying to second-guess God and giving him a helping hand answering our prayers.

• What prayers are you waiting for God to answer?
• What promises are you waiting for God to fulfil?

If you feel comfortable, then share them with the rest of the group.

Leader’s notes: Give each member of the group their own cardboard star or star-shaped Post-it Note.

As you listen to the music, spend time in prayer, asking God to fulfil his promises to the group in his own way and in his own time. Write down a Scripture promise, lyric from the song, or encouraging phrase to remind you throughout the week that God keeps his promises.

Hope Darst – Promise Keeper (Official Lyric Video)

https://youtu.be/H8XivMN3Ado

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

• What is the one thing you have learned about God’s promises from the story of Abram and Sarai?

God’s covenant with David promised that the saviour of the world would be his direct descendant. His closest friend and adviser, Nathan, shared the word of the Lord with David, and David was overjoyed at the prospect. Just a few years later, however, Nathan had a different message to share with David. In today’s session we explore what happens to the promises of God when we fall short of the standards he has set for us.

WELCOME

Today’s Scripture is all about God’s covenant with David. However, it’s also about a special friendship between two people who felt confident to challenge each other when times got difficult.

Use the quote to help you identify these famous fictional friendships.

Feel free to give the group a clue if they are finding it tricky.

1. ‘Why is it when something bad happens, it’s always you three?’ A quote from Professor McGonagall about Harry, Ron and Hermione.
2. ‘Come, Mr                    !’ he cried. ‘I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.’ Sam and Frodo.
3. ‘My buddy                     says, ‘You got to put your behind in your past.’ Timon and Pumbaa
4. ‘Yes, trust. It’s what friends do.’ Marlin and Dory
5. ‘After all, one can’t complain. I have my friends.’ Eeyore talking about his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood.

Think of another fictional friendship and write down a clue for the rest of the group to guess. Share it with the group and see if they can guess your fictional friendship.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

• If you could be close friends with any fictional character, who would you choose? Explain why.

WORD

In the sessions so far, we have explored God’s covenant with Noah and Abraham. Today we will discover more about God’s covenant with David. Watch the clip to find out where this covenant fits in God’s story.

Watch: David the Priestly King (4:39)

https://youtu.be/JCP2zWaJlGc

• When you think about the covenants made between God and humankind, who usually lets the side down, loses trust, or breaks the covenant? Why do you think that is?
• How does David’s faith in God change from the time he bravely defeated Goliath through to his later years as king?

One of David’s closest friends and advisers was the prophet Nathan. He was given the job of sharing God’s covenant promise with David.

Read 2 Samuel 7:1-17 (MSG)

Discuss

• What was David’s original plan to honour God?
• What was God’s response to David’s plan to build him a temple?
• What covenant promise does God make with David?
• God took away his love from King Saul, but what does he promise to David?

God promises never to remove his love from his children, even if they make mistakes. David was about to put that to the test.

Despite God’s faithful covenant with David, the king makes choices that damage his relationship with God.

Watch the clip to find out more.

David and Bathsheba – Bible Study – 2 Samuel 10-12 (4:59)

https://youtu.be/PMtDRKxjfGs

• What poor choices does David make?
• In what way does David misuse the power that God gave him? What were the consequences?

Skim through the genealogy of Matthew 1:1-17.

• Whose name do you notice?
• What happened to God’s covenant with David?

Despite David’s sins and failures, God remained faithful to the covenant promise he made. Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, a direct descendant of David.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

As always, David communicated his feelings through psalms. Read the psalm he penned when he realised how far he had fallen from God’s plan for his life.

• What can David teach us about sharing our failures with God and starting out on a new path?

Read Psalm 51 (MSG)

WITNESS

In order to set his relationship right with God, David had to acknowledge the mistakes he had made. God’s covenant promise and deep love for David remained, even when he fell short of the standards God had set for him. For nearly a year, David continued to deny his wrongdoing and it took a loyal friend to set him back on track.

• Do you have any friends who are willing to lovingly set you back on track when you are going down the wrong path? How do they do this?
• If the answer is no, then would you like friends like this? If not, why not?

Nathan was there in the highs of David’s life when God made a covenant with him, and in the lows when he called out David’s abuse of power.

• Why is it important to have people in our lives who will challenge the choices we make?

Watch the clip to discover more about what accountability looks like within the Church.

Is accountability Biblical? (3:28)

https://youtu.be/xZDe1Q9w_48

• Do you recognise the description of an accountable church in your own church family?
• Did you discover anything new about the importance of accountability within the Church? If so, what was it?
• In what ways can accountability go wrong within the church community?

Leader’s notes: After a discussion around the topic, ask the group to create a ‘How to be a Nathan’ checklist. The aim of this activity is to consider the best way to lovingly hold each other accountable for the choices that we make. The ‘How to’ guide can also include what not to do, and the group may share experiences where they have not felt support when their choices were discussed. Once the group has come up with their ‘How to’ guide, ask them which aspects of the list they find challenging and which ones they will try to do over the coming weeks and months.

Holding each other accountable isn’t easy, but Nathan gives us the perfect example of the importance of lovingly challenging our friends when we see them in spiritual danger.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

• What is your response to the following quote?
• How does it compare to the way your church or Christian friendship group operates?

‘We need accountability. Left to our own devices, we will soon devise or succumb to all kinds of evil. As Christians, we know that we need other believers to hold us accountable to the standards of Scripture. Passages such as Ecclesiastes 4:12 remind us that “a threefold cord is not quickly broken”. The Bible tells us that “iron sharpens iron” (Proverbs 27:17) and that we are to “stir up one another to love and good works … encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Life is far too difficult and we are far too sinful to live in solitude. We need community. We need accountability. And God has anticipated our need by giving us the local church as the primary means of this accountability.’ – Tim Challies

WORSHIP

• What was the sign or symbol for Noah’s and Abraham’s stories? Rainbow and circumcision.
• What do you think the sign was for David’s covenant?

David was promised that his descendant would reign over God’s Kingdom.

As you listen to ‘King of kings’ and consider the words of Psalm 100, reflect on God’s covenant with David and the difference its fulfilment makes in our lives today.

‘King of kings’ – Saddleback Worship (5:57)

https://youtu.be/8D-T34ScetE

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

• As you reflect on everything we have discovered today regarding God’s covenant with David, what one thing will you take away with you and apply to your everyday faith?

Throughout the Old Testament, the people of God continued on a cycle of promise-breaking with God. They were unable to keep their side of the covenant promise, and the prophets of the Old Testament began to prophesy about a new covenant. In today’s session, we explore what the prophets had to say, how the new covenant was fulfilled, and what it means for us as Christians today.

WELCOME

Leader’s notes: For this starter, the group can either work together or in smaller teams. Give each team a ‘Promises’ handout. The aim of the activity is for the group to find an example of a scenario or a lyric where a promise was kept, and a promise was broken.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

• Do you have your own experience of a promise kept and a promise broken? If you feel comfortable, then share it with the group.

WORD

Throughout our sessions this month we have explored the different covenants God made with his people. In today’s session, we will look at the ‘new covenant’.

Leader’s notes: To help unpack the details of the new covenant, we will use the ‘What is the New Covenant?’ clip from Got Questions Ministries. Timings are given to stop the clip and discuss the questions, as time will be needed to process the information. Additional information about the new covenant is provided in the link below.

https://www.gotquestions.org/new-covenant.html

Watch: What is the New Covenant? – Got Questions Ministries (3:56)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXNnmwGs_ac&t=171s

Part 1: 0:00-31

• What is the new covenant?

God promises to forgive sin and restore fellowship with those whose hearts are turned towards him.

• Who is the mediator of the new covenant? Jesus
• What forms the basis of the promise God makes with humankind? The death of Jesus on the cross
• Which prophets predicted the new covenant in the Old Testament? Moses, Jeremiah and Ezekiel

Part 2: 0:32-1:06

The screen should show the covenant predictions of the prophet Moses.

• What are the main differences between the covenant God made with Moses and the new covenant Moses predicts in Deuteronomy?
• What did a total change of heart look like for the people of Israel? What would it look like for us today?

Part 3: 1:07-1:28

The screen should show Jeremiah 31:31,33.

• How does Jeremiah describe the difference between the old and the new covenant?

Part 4: 1:29–2:19

The screen should show Ezekiel’s list of provisions of the new covenant.

• What do you think is meant by the following statement?

‘The Old Covenant was written in stone.

The New Covenant is written on our hearts.’

• How does Ezekiel describe the difference between the new and old covenant?

Part 5: 2:20-3:02

• What do you think the statement ‘we are no longer under the law, but under grace’ means?
• The benefits of the new covenant are described in Hebrews 8:6, but how do the following translations help you understand these words more?

6 But as it is, Christ has acquired a [priestly] ministry which is more excellent [than the old Levitical priestly ministry], for He is the Mediator (Arbiter) of a better covenant [uniting God and man], which has been enacted and rests on better promises.

Hebrews 8:6 (AMP)

6 But now Jesus has taken on a new and improved priestly ministry; and in that respect, He has been made the Mediator of a better covenant established on better promises.

Hebrews 8:6 (VOICE)

6 But Jesus’ priestly work far surpasses what these other priests do, since he’s working from a far better plan. If the first plan – the old covenant – had worked out, a second wouldn’t have been needed.

Hebrews 8:6 (MSG)

Part 6: 3:03-3:29

The screen should show the ‘Final Thoughts’.

• What opportunities are we given through the new covenant?

As Christians, we are part of this new covenant.

• What, if anything, does that mean to you?
• In what ways do you find it difficult to grasp?
• What difference should it make in our everyday lives that we are part of this amazing covenant of grace with God?

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

Watch the Bible Project clip about covenants to link our understanding from this month’s session together.

Watch: Covenants – Bible Project (5:35)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v4jKkFj3TI

WITNESS

Our covenant relationship with God is at the core of what it means to be a Christian. Over the past month you have considered different covenants within the Bible, but the new covenant is different.

Wikipedia says this:

‘Christians view the New Covenant as a new relationship between God and humans mediated by Jesus upon sincere declaration that one believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and God.’

• What are the key components of the new covenant?

Your task for today is to create a way to communicate the new covenant in a clear and simple way.

Leader’s notes: Discuss and list the different ways that people try to communicate a clear message and evaluate their pros and cons. Think about what works well for different groups of people. The group can work together or divide into smaller groups. Give them time to plan and share their ideas about how they would communicate the message of the new covenant to someone who knows nothing about it.

Possible ideas

• Social media campaign
• Poem / song lyrics
• Advertising for outside a church or on public transport
• Advert to be shown at the cinema
• Summary of a description they could use with a friend
• Comic strip for ‘Kids Alive!’

• What is the best way to communicate our covenant relationship with God?

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

Discuss the following quotes that reflect on the new covenant of grace we have with God because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

‘The law works fear and wrath; grace works hope and mercy.’ – Martin Luther

‘I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be. But still, I am not what I used to be. And by the grace of God, I am what I am.’ – John Newton

‘Grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the enabling gift of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon.’ – John Piper

‘God specialises in giving people a fresh start.’ – Rick Warren

‘Every decision you need to make, every task you need to accomplish, every relationship you need to navigate, every element of daily life you need to traverse, God has already perfectly matched up with an equivalent-to-overflowing supply of grace. If you don’t agree with that, then you either lack a proper appreciation for what you have, or you are doing things that you’re not supposed to be participating in right now.’ – Priscilla Shirer

• Which words have spoken to you the most today? Explain why?

WORSHIP

Leader’s notes: Give each member of the group the words for ‘Take my life and let it be’.

We’re going to spend time reflecting on a new version of the song ‘Take my life and let it be’. Read through the lyrics of the song.

• Which lines have been added to the original song?
• How do they add to the meaning of the lyrics?
• Which lines and phrases stand out for you?
• Which aspects of these lyrics do you find challenging in your own faith journey?

As the music plays, take time to turn your heart towards God, either reaffirming the commitment you made to serve him or making a new promise to follow him every day.

Take My Life (I Am Yours)

salvationist.ca/files/salvationarmy/maga/Salvation%20Worship/Volume_3/Take_my_life/Media/Take_My_Life_I_Am_Yours_Lyric_Video.mp4

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We are yours, even when the doubt sets in,

Even when we’re running in the opposite direction.

We are yours, when the night is dark, and we can’t see,

You’re always standing next to us

And we are reminded that we are yours,

That we are yours.

Amen.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

Depending on your group, you may want to download the sheet music to join in with the song. You may also want to spend time learning the song to share with the rest of the church.

salvationist.ca/samagacb/salvation-worship/full-song-list/take-my-life-i-am-yours/