Connect How can you practice delighting in and enjoying God’s creation this week in praise of him?

Warm-Up

1. What is/was your parent’s greatest future hope?
2. How can a future hope shape your actions and priorities today?

Read Revelation 21:1-5

3. How is the future heaven and earth described? What makes it different from today?
4. Why is a new heaven and a new earth good news? How is creation affected by sin and death?
5. Where do you see the brokenness of creation on your frontlines?
6. How has God dwelt with his people up until today? How will it be different in the New Creation?
7. Where does the Holy City come from? How does a city, in contrast to an untouched wilderness, point to the important place of people in New Creation? 
8. How does the image of a Holy City inform how we should think about development and creating new places for people? 
9. What will be no more in the New Creation? How is it possible for death, mourning, crying, and pain to be removed? Who makes all things new?
10. What does Jesus’ resurrection show us about the value of God’s creation?
11. What does our future resurrection show us about God’s value of physical creation? (cf. 1 Cor 15:50-54)
12. If God will renew the world, why does caring for the world matter now?
13. How does your identity in Christ shape how you live and wait for his return? 
14. Is there anything outside of the Lordship of Jesus? How does our care for the world reflect our identity in Christ, our role in God’s world, and the value of God’s world? 
15. How do you care for the world on your frontlines? In what ways do you want to grow in this?
16. What are some practical ways to care for our creation (from the series resource guide) do you want to adopt, stop, or continue doing? See stbarts.com.au/sermon-series/creation 
17. Read Revelation 22:1-5: What are the main features of this garden? How does it compare to Eden? 
18. When will the New Creation be inaugurated? What part most excites you about New Creation? 

Apply What is one practical way that you can live in anticipation of the future of new creation, as you actively care for God’s world? 

On Your Frontline this Week

How can you help nurture and care for people, projects, or places this week?

For Families

• Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org

Listen, Watch, and Read

• Listen (sermon): “Then I Saw A New Heaven and a New Earth” by Andrew Sach:
  https://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/talk/53584/ 
• Listen (sermon): “Destiny: Everything New” by Hugh Palmer:
  https://www.allsouls.org/Media/AllMedia.aspx?show_media=52118&show_file=56948 
• Listen (sermon): “A Hope to Live For” by Dan Wells:
  https://www.allsouls.org/Media/AllMedia.aspx?show_media=94395&show_file=103742 
• Listen (sermon): “Destiny-Heading for God’s City” by Glenn Nesbitt:
  https://stebbes.org/sermons/destiny-heading-for-gods-city-2/#sermons 
• Watch (video): “The Radical Renewal of Creation and New Earth” by Lausanne Movement:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7HlvT59uvo 
• Read (article): “Trees, the tree and the Tree” by Stuart Blanch (A Rocha Australia):
  http://blog.arocha.org/en/trees-the-tree-and-the-tree/ 

Series Resources

• Read (book): “Creation Care” by Douglas Moo & Jonathan Moo. 📚
• Read (book): “Creation Care” by John Stott. 📚
• Read (book—suitable for reading age of Year 10 and up): “A Christian’s Guide to Planet Earth: why it matters & how to care for it” by Betsy Painter. 📚
• Read (book—suitable for reading age of 8-12 and up): “All Of Creation: Understanding God's Planet and How We Can Help” by Betsy Painter
• Read (book—for children): “God’s Very Colourful Creation” by Tim Thornborough and Jennifer Davison.
• Read (book—for children): “Creation” by Devon and Jessica Provencher.

📚 Available to borrow in the Church library

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