Monday, June 29, 2015

"Strivers in the Struggle" - Genesis 25:1-28 (June 28, 2015)

1. Have someone read the passage aloud.
2. What are the "big" questions that you're asking regarding life, purpose, etc? What do you do when those questions aren't immediately answered?
3. Why are the answers that God gives to Isaac and Rebekah both comforting and confusing?
4. Where in the passage do we see a striving for both comparison and competence among the Jacob and Esau?
5. Do you find yourself striving for one (comparison / competence)? How does this play out in your life? What is the reason for your striving?
6. Where do our strivings for answers, achievements, and acceptance find resolve? Where is one area in your life that you can rest in God for answers, achievement, or acceptance this week?

Sermon Outline:
1. Answers
   a. Comforting answers
   b. Confusing answers

2. Achievements
   a. Comparison
   b. Competence

3. Acceptance

Monday, June 22, 2015

"How to spot a Covenant Theologian" - Genesis 24 (June 21, 2015)

1. Have someone read the passage aloud.
2. In what ways do we see Abraham thinking generationally in this passage?
3. What are specific ways that we can think generationally for our church? What affect would this have on how we live today?
4. How does Abraham reflect a hope in the world to come?
5. Where are the places in your life that you can represent the world to come? What will this look like?
6. In the sermon, Ryan said that living attentively means living with humble prayers. What are the things that we / you need to be praying about?

Sermon outline:
1. Think Generationally
   a. For the flourishing of the church
   b. For the blessing of the world

2. Hope Broadly

3. Live Attentively
   a. With humble prayers
   b. With heartfelt praise

Monday, June 1, 2015

"Timing is everything" - Genesis 21:1-21 (May 31, 2015)

1. Have someone read the passage aloud.
2. What is a situation in your life when you've wondered if God's timing was correct? Think about things you've waited for, hoped for, etc.
3. How does this passage point to God's timing being perfect?
4. How does God show the characters in the passage that his timing is redemptive?
5. Where are the places in our life that we need to remember that God is faithful in his timing?

Sermon Outline:

1. Perfectly Mysterious
   a. Miraculous
   b. Confusing

2. Perfectly Faithful

3. Perfectly Redemptive
   a. Provides
   b. Delivers