God Created Order from Chaos

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Begin: Guide reads the background, scripture & prays for the class 10:00-10:10 AM

Unwrap-Opening Activity

10:10-10:25 AM about the Story

Investigate: Tell & Wonder

10:30-10:45 AM

Learn by Doing

10:55 AM Dismiss: Review the Cornerstone & Closing Prayer

Look deeper into the Creation story to explore one of God’s great attributes: God creates goodness of chaos.

Read Genesis 1 & 2 Consider what truths are found in the two very different stories of creation. What do we learn about God in each of the creation stories?

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The first chapter of Genesis paints the picture of a God that brings order out of the disorder. The earth was “without form and void.” God speaks and order becomes into being. Boundaries are made. Looking at the idea of separating and of setting limits is important here, and moves to the heart of the passage. God is portrayed here as coming into the formless, empty, dark chaos and, through a spoken word, God’s own order is created. God divides light and darkness, tames the waters, and establishes dry land. In other words, God establishes a safe place for human existence. There is no threat of daily or annual failure of the physical world, because God is the Creator and Sustainer of the world, totally independent of human activity and without the need of other gods. This is God’s world. This story describes

Place a small pile of jigsaw puzzle pieces at each table for the students to put together in small groups (these are available for you at the church). Later you will link back to this activity as an example of bringing

human existence as anchored in the nature and activity of God. Another way to look at this story is that God used what The Creator found, chaos, and made it work. It suggests that God doesn’t need to start over with the world, or with us, but rather God works with the world the way it is because there is still a goodness there. The world, and we, are redeemable because of the loving God who created both.

order out of chaos, albeit on a small scale. More details on this discussion are given in the “Investigate” portion of the lesson.

Distribute Bibles to everyone in the class or have them on the tables prior to class beginning. Form Groups and assign each group a section to read from the first two chapters of Genesis, looking for guidelines or limits set for creation. (ex. the sea stopping at the land, guiding patterns such as day/night) To introduce the idea of God creating “order out of chaos”, have the class imagine what “chaos” might have looked like before creation began. The class can also share situations they would describe as chaotic. Perhaps the “chaos” was a bit like the puzzles they put together at the start of class…. At first all of the pieces were a jumbled mess with no order at all. Then, once the students went to work, clear pictures emerged that were colorful, beautiful, and orderly. God showed his love for us in every step of creation, because the order and rhythm of nature are essential for our survival.

Wondering for the class It’s difficult for anyone, let alone 9-11 year olds, to imagine a world of nothing. A world void of sky, land, outer space, or oxygen. No sound, no scents; nothing thing to see or touch.  I wonder how you might describe total nothing-

ness? God does not need to start from the beginning to create. God can make order from chaos.  Let’s brain storm things that can get out of con-

trol, and what needs to be done for them to shift into order or control? God doesn’t require anything to “be God”… not order or land or sea or light. God can be God in any environment. 

Why do you think God made the world at all if God doesn’t need it to survive?

 I wonder why God bothered to set limits in na-

ture and put so much order into creation?

YOU be the CREATOR! Using any materials that you wish, challenge the class to come up with the design for a TOTALLY NEW animal, landform, tree, or fruit. They must name it and list a few details about it. Go around to each table to listen to them describe their “new” creation. Potential Materials to have on hand: Air-Dry Modeling Clay Wikki-Stixx Pipe Cleaners Paper and Markers/Colored Pencils Watercolors Dirt Plastic bags to put their creations in to take home.

Say: Today we learned to see one of God’s great attributes: God creates goodness out of chaos Call: The Lord be with you.

Response: And Also with you. Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, you made the universe with all its marvelous order, its atoms, worlds, and galaxies, and the infinite complexity of living creatures: Grant that, as we probe the mysteries of your creation, we may come to know you more truly, and more surely fulfill our role in your eternal purpose; in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCP, page 827

This age group is learning to apply scripture to their faith as a guiding principle rather than focusing on the facts of the story. Most of them will be familiar with the Creation story, but today we are looking at the deeper theme in creation that God created order out of chaos. Older children may ask how creation can also include the scientific theory of creation. Accept their wonders and ask, how might God have created everything and science, too?