Jesse Tree - Children's Version (December 1, 2014)

Day 1:  Creation (Genesis 1:1-2:3)

In the beginning there was nothing. 

No earth. No life...  Nothing. 

There was NOTHING until God called out into the dark and spoke light into being.  Then, by the power of his Word commanded the heavens and the earth to separate three ways in three days:  Night from day.  Sky from water.  Water from land.  On the third day he didn’t stop at uncovering the land... he also brought the land to life with beautiful trees and flowers.  In those three days he made everything that was needed for creatures to live on earth.  He thought this was wonderful.

 But he didn’t stop there.

He spoke into creation something to fill each space over three more days.  He spoke the sun to fill the day with light, and the moon and stars to light up the night.  He spoke birds to fill the sky with life, and fish to swirl through the water.  Finally, on the sixth day he spoke every kind of animal, filling the land.  These he thought to be wonderful, too, but still he wasn’t finished, for he had something very special yet in mind:  a man and a woman that would bring to life all humankind!  He didn’t just think the man and woman were wonderful, he thought they were the most wonderful of all!  They were his most favorite thing he created and he loved them. 

This man and woman that he created and loved, they were perfect for each other – and would marry each other – and would have families! 

God made them in his image.  Their maleness and femaleness in love and perfect unity were to help people understand GOD’S love and perfect unity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

God gave them two blessings that were also two commands. 

First, he said, “Be fruitful and increase in number.”  God was saying that it pleased him that they married and had children because as more and more families spread lovingly throughout the earth, the glory of his image would spread throughout the whole earth, too! 

His second command was to rule over all of his creation according to his rules – they were to protect the way God designed things.  They were to keep separate what He kept separate, and put together what He put together. This is what it means to be holy. 

There was only one thing God commanded them not to do.  Just one tree they weren’t to eat from.  Not too much to ask.  After all, they had everything they needed for health and a full, delight-filled life.  Not only that, they had the all-powerful and ONLY God with them to care for them. 

They could trust him completely.