women in the word
ABSURD
Making Sense of Stories That Don’t Make Sense
Abigail Burrus
women in the word
ABSURD
Abigail Burrus
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Lesson 1 Introduction Lecture Notes
Lesson 2
1. What happened right before this story takes place? (Read Genesis 2:8-9, 15-18, 21-22, 25)
2. Who are the main characters of the story?
3. What words do you feel are important in this passage? Genesis 3
4. What does this story reveal to you about man’s nature?
6. What tactic does the serpent use to deceive Eve?
5. What does this story reveal to you about God’s nature?
7. What mistakes does Eve make during her conversation with the serpent?
8. How do Adam and Eve respond to God’s questioning?
9. Describe the curse God gives to the serpent. What blessing is hidden in it?
10. Describe the curse God gives to the woman.
11. Describe the curse God gives to the man.
12. Why do you think a blessing is hidden in the curse to the serpent, but not to the man and woman?
13. What confuses you most about this passage?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
1. Why is it significant that shame was the first response to their sin? (We can define “shame” as a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrongdoing).
2. What does that tell you about God’s original design and desire for us as human beings?
Lesson 3
Genesis 9:18-28
1. What happened right before this story takes place? (Read Genesis 9:1-17)
2. Who are the main characters of the story?
3. What words do you feel are important in this passage?
4. What does this story reveal to you about man’s nature?
5. What does this story reveal to you about God’s nature?
6. What does Noah do in verses 20-21?
7. Compare the actions of Ham to those of Shem and Japheth.
8. Do you find it odd that Noah would not punish Ham for his sin, but instead curse Ham’s son?
9. Other than Shem, Ham, and Japheth, do you notice a character mentioned multiple times in this passage?
10. What confuses you most about this passage?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
1. Read Genesis 6:9 and compare that description of Noah with his actions in this week’s story. Why do you think the author included such polarizing stories in his account of Noah’s life?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
2. As we’ll see in our lecture this week, genealogy plays a critical role in this week’s story. Why is family lineage so important to God, and what do you think we can learn from that?
Lesson 4
Genesis 11:1-9
1. What happened right before this story takes place? (Read Genesis 10:31-32)
2. Who are the main characters of the story?
3. What words do you feel are important in this passage?
4. What does this story reveal to you about man’s nature?
5. What does this story reveal to you about God’s nature?
6. In what direction were the people moving?
7. Why did the people want to build the city and tower?
8. Do people speak to God or about God in this passage?
9. Why did God confuse their language?
10. Compare verse 4 to verse 9. Did the people get what they wanted?
11. What confuses you most about this passage?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
1. Even though the people did not seek God at any point in this story, God is still coming down to see them. What does that reveal about His nature?
2. Knowing how frequently we can fail to seek God when we should, how does that comfort you in your own life?
Lesson 4 Lecture Notes
Lesson 5
Exodus 4:24-26
1. What happened right before this story takes place? (Read Exodus 4:10-23)
2. Who are the main characters of the story?
3. What words do you feel are important in this passage?
4. What does this story reveal to you about man’s nature?
6. Where was Moses going when God met him in verse 24?
5. What does this story reveal to you about God’s nature?
9. What was the result of Zipporah’s actions?
How did Moses interact with God prior to verse
Who ended up circumcising their son?
Why do you think circumcision was important to the Lord?
What confuses you most about this passage?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
1. God has revealed much of Himself to us, yet is still a mystery. How does that your strengthen your faith in Him?
2. What helps you follow God’s leading, even if it doesn’t seem to make sense to you?
Lesson 6
Leviticus 10:1-7
1. What happened right before this story takes place? (Read Leviticus 9:1-7, 22-24)
2. Who are the main characters of the story?
3. What words do you feel are important in this passage?
4. What does this story reveal to you about man’s nature?
5. What does this story reveal to you about God’s nature?
6. Why did Nadab and Abihu die?
7. In Numbers 9:24 we see fire come out from God’s presence. Describe the difference between that fire and the fire in today’s passage.
8. Why do you think Aaron, Eleazar, and Ithamar were the only ones who could not mourn the death of their brothers?
9. Can you think of other times the Lord has taken sin this seriously in Scripture? What are they?
10. What confuses you most about this passage?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
1. Has there ever been a time in your life you did not understand why God would allow something to happen to one of your family members? How did that make you feel?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
2. The Lord seems distant in this passage. Why do you think the author wrote it this way?
3. How do you press on through times of grief when it feels like God is distant from you?
Lesson 7
Numbers 5:11-31
1. What happened right before this story takes place? (Read Numbers 5:1-10)
2. Who are the main characters of the story?
3. What words do you feel are important in this passage?
4. What does this story reveal to you about man’s nature?
5. What does this story reveal to you about God’s nature?
6. What are the reasons a husband might bring his wife to the priests?
What is he required to bring with him?
8. What is the result of the bitter water if the woman is guilty of wrongdoing?
9. Read Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22. What happened to a man if he committed adultery?
10. What confuses you most about this passage?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
1. Why do you think jealousy is such a dangerous feeling? Do you think God commanded this ceremony in order to limit the effects of a jealous spirit?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
2. Purity was such an important part of the Israelite community. Why do you think that is?
3. How can you see God’s zeal for justice in this passage?
Lesson 7 Lecture Notes
Lesson 8
Numbers 21:4-9
1. What happened right before this story takes place? (Read Numbers 21:1-3)
2. Who are the main characters of the story?
3. What words do you feel are important in this passage?
7. Read Numbers 11:5-7. What similarities do you see between chapter 11 and chapter 21? What food did the people find “detestable?”
8. What did God send among the people as a result of their complaining, and what was the outcome?
9. What did Moses do when the people confessed their sins to him?
10. What was the antidote for the venomous snakes?
11. Why do you think God did not just remove the snakes from their midst in response to their sin confession?
12. What confuses you most about this passage?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
1. Why do you think it is so easy to forget all the powerful, good things the Lord does on our behalf?
2. Why do you think a complaining spirit flows from an impatient one?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
3. Describe some things you do to control your tongue when you want to complain against God.
Lesson 8 Lecture Notes
Lesson 9
Numbers 22:1-35
1. What happened right before this story takes place? (Read Numbers 21:32-35)
2. Who are the main characters of the story?
3. What words do you feel are important in this passage?
4. What does this story reveal to you about man’s nature?
5. What does this story reveal to you about God’s nature?
6. Why did Balak send for Balaam?
7. What convinced Balaam to finally go to Balak?
8. How many times did the angel try to get Balaam’s attention?
9. Why do you think Balaam did not react to his donkey speaking to him?
10. Why do you think the Lord waited before opening Balaam’s eyes to see the angel?
11. What confuses you most about this passage?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
1. Has there been a time in your life you knew God did not want you to do something? If so, how did you know?
2. Have you tried to change God’s mind about something because you did not like what He was allowing?
Questions for Personal Reflection:
3. Describe a time in your life God used something unexpected to get your attention.
Lesson 1-9 Recap
Lesson 1-9 Recap
Brunch Schedule:
Sept 10: Church
Sept 17: Jeanne & Susan
Sept 24: Gwynel
Oct 1: Lois & Teresa
Oct 8: Rachel
Oct 22: Kimberly
Oct 29: Kim
Nov 5: Deanne
Nov 12: Jeanne & Susan
Nov 19: Potluck
Jan 14: Gwynel
Jan 21: Lois & Teresa
Jan 28: Rachel
Feb 4: Kimberly
Feb 11: Kim
Feb 18: Deanne
Feb 25: Jeanne & Susan
March 4: Gwynel
March 11: Lois & Teresa
March 25: Rachel
April 1: Kimberly
April 8: Kim
April 15: Potluck
Important Dates:
WITW: Sept 10 - Nov 19 (2025) Jan 14 - Apr 15 (2026)
PLEASE NOTE: We will break Oct 15 & March 18*
Room Assignments:
Teresa & Lois - Chapel
Kim - Connections
Gwynel - Nursing Mom’s
Kimberly - FLC
Deanne- Conference Rm
Rachel - 282A (upstairs)
Jeanne & Susan - Cafe
W e l c o m e t o
W o m e n i n t h e W o r d ! W e ’ r e s o g l a d y o u ’ r e h e r e : )
Women in the Word
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elevator located to the left of downstairs doors
women in the word
UPSTAIRS UPSTAIRS ABSURD
elevator located to the left of downstairs doors