Description
We all value being chosen by someone or for a particular task. It validates our purpose and worth. How much more wonderful to know that we have been chosen by God for salvation. The Fall quarter, titled God’s Exceptional Choice, traces the arc of salvation history from Abraham to Jesus and on to the early church.
Unit I, “God Calls Abraham’s Family,” has four sessions from Genesis. Lesson 1 examines the call of Abraham, who was then known as Abram. Lesson 2 reveals how God chose the younger of Isaac’s sons instead of the older, which would have been expected. Lesson 3 shows how Jacob received the name Israel–the same name that would later be associated with the nation that grew from Abraham’s descendants. Lesson 4 offers yet another example of God’s choosing apart from cultural norms when Judah, Jacob’s fourth son, is called to head the family from which the Messiah would one day be born.
Unit II, “Out of Slavery to Nationhood,” has five sessions that explore the call of Israel’s family out of Egypt to become a nation. Lesson 5, from Exodus, highlights the birth of Moses, the women who preserved his life, and his call to lead the people out of Egypt. Lesson 6, from Deuteronomy, tells part of the salvation story of Israel so they might remember and be thankful. Lesson 7, from Judges, lifts up the period of Israel’s history when it was governed by judges, particularly telling the story of Gideon. Lesson 8, from 1 Samuel, chronicles the transition in Israel’s history from the governance of judges to the selection of Saul as Israel’s first king. Lesson 9 tells of the anointing of David as Saul’s successor to the throne.
Unit III, “We Are God’s Artwork,” is a four-lesson study of Ephesians. Lessons 10-11 explore the first chapter of Ephesians, the understanding that we are chosen as God’s children, and Paul’s prayer that believers might fully understand and access the power and blessings at their disposal. Lesson 12 reminds us that we are made alive through the saving power of Christ for the purpose of good works. Lesson 13 is based on the last chapter of Ephesians where Paul encourages us to use our spiritual resources to persevere and stand against the evil forces of the world so that they might be Christ’s ambassadors.
