Lent Course 2021
Llanerch bridge over the River Clwyd
Thoughts:
Duration of course:
6 weeks from Tuesday 23rd February to 30th March
Theme:
Where is God in disasters?
Formation:
Each session about 40 minutes but open
Opening prayer
Story of a disaster(s)
Bible references
Discussion
Session 1 Flooding
Opening prayer
Heavenly Father as we enter into this lent season open our eyes to know you, our hearts to behold you and sustain our life so that through you we can be good witnesses to other people who, in turn, can come into your presence.
As we consider disasters throughout the world help us to understand you better, be justified in our faith in you and strengthened knowing that, no matter what you are there to support us.
Examples of flooding
Floods are not unknown to us. Only a couple of weeks ago as a result of storm Cristoph several places in Wales suffered from floods.
There have been flood warnings all over Wales and the UK recently. But these are not necessarily the worse floods. Last year more than 150 people died as a result of flash floods in Afghanistan and flash floods in Indonesia killed 66 people. People blame the climate change for these disasters – and they may be right. But, as we well know flooding occurred in Biblical times. The most famous being the great flood and the time of Noah. Scientists have evidence that there was a great flood and they have put forward different theories. The first is that the Black Sea flooded and the second is a great comet from outer space hit the earth causing a great tsunami and incredible flooding.
What does the bible say about the great flood?
Genesis 6: 5-8
The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So, the Lord said, ‘I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found favour in the sight of the Lord.
Genesis 6: 11-14
Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw that the earth was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth. And God said to Noah, ‘I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth.
Genesis 6: 17
For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die.
Genesis 9: 8-17
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’ God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’
Discussion points
Duration of course:
6 weeks from Tuesday 23rd February to 30th March
Theme:
Where is God in disasters?
Formation:
Each session about 40 minutes but open
Opening prayer
Story of a disaster(s)
Bible references
Discussion
Session 1 Flooding
Opening prayer
Heavenly Father as we enter into this lent season open our eyes to know you, our hearts to behold you and sustain our life so that through you we can be good witnesses to other people who, in turn, can come into your presence.
As we consider disasters throughout the world help us to understand you better, be justified in our faith in you and strengthened knowing that, no matter what you are there to support us.
Examples of flooding
Floods are not unknown to us. Only a couple of weeks ago as a result of storm Cristoph several places in Wales suffered from floods.
There have been flood warnings all over Wales and the UK recently. But these are not necessarily the worse floods. Last year more than 150 people died as a result of flash floods in Afghanistan and flash floods in Indonesia killed 66 people. People blame the climate change for these disasters – and they may be right. But, as we well know flooding occurred in Biblical times. The most famous being the great flood and the time of Noah. Scientists have evidence that there was a great flood and they have put forward different theories. The first is that the Black Sea flooded and the second is a great comet from outer space hit the earth causing a great tsunami and incredible flooding.
What does the bible say about the great flood?
Genesis 6: 5-8
The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So, the Lord said, ‘I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found favour in the sight of the Lord.
Genesis 6: 11-14
Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw that the earth was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth. And God said to Noah, ‘I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth.
Genesis 6: 17
For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die.
Genesis 9: 8-17
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’ God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’
Discussion points
- Why was God angry with the world?
- Is it right that God should destroy life as he did with the Great Flood?
- Is God still making floods and natural disasters? (This question will be repeated as we progress through the next few weeks.)
- Did God regret the Great Flood?
- How do we know that we are forgiven?
