Family Worship (Aug 23)

Have you ever broken something you really liked? Maybe you dropped a favorite cup, stepped on a toy, or tore something you had made. Once something breaks, you might try to glue it back together, but you can usually still see the cracks.

Genesis 3 tells us how something much bigger became broken. God had made a beautiful world. Adam and Eve enjoyed friendship with God, with each other, and with everything God had made. But Satan tempted them to doubt God. They disobeyed him, and sin shattered God's good world. Adam and Eve became ashamed. They hid from God. They blamed each other. Even work and creation became difficult.

But God didn't walk away from the broken pieces. He came looking for Adam and Eve. He promised that one day a Savior would defeat Satan. That Savior is Jesus! Jesus came to rescue sinners, and one day he will make everything new.

Genesis 3:8–15
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. But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”


Discussion Questions

1. What are some things that became broken after Adam and Eve sinned?
2. What did God do after Adam and Eve sinned and tried to hide from him?
3. When you sin or make a wrong choice, what does Jesus give you instead of having to hide or make excuses?

Activity: A Broken-Glass Mosaic
You'll need: several pieces of colored construction paper, scissors, glue, and a larger sheet of paper.

Choose several pieces of colored paper to represent glass. Have someone carefully cut or tear them into lots of smaller pieces. Talk about how sin shattered God's good creation. Name examples of brokenness as you look at the scattered pieces: fighting, sickness, sadness, selfishness, fear, death, and other things your family thinks of.

Now take those same pieces and arrange them together into a beautiful mosaic on the larger paper. Once you like the design, glue them down.

As you work, talk about this truth: **God does not abandon his broken creation.** He sent Jesus to save us from sin, and he is at work restoring what sin has broken. One day, Jesus will return and make all things new.

Write across the bottom:

“Look! I am making everything new!” — Revelation 21:5

Put your mosaic somewhere your family can see it this week.

Prayer
Father, you made the world good, but our sin has brought brokenness into it. Thank you for not leaving us alone in our sin. Thank you for sending Jesus to save us, forgive us, and defeat Satan. Help our family trust your Word, come to you when we sin, and remember that one day you will make everything new. Amen.

Memory Work:

New City Catechism
34. Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through Christ alone, must we still do good works and obey God’s Word?
Yes, so that our lives may show love and gratitude to God; and so that by our godly behavior others may be won to Christ.

Memory Verse
Deuteronomy 31:8
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.