Sunday, January 24, 2016

"Time to Flourish" - Genesis 39 (January 24, 2016)

1. Have someone read the passage aloud.
2. What are some of the ways we see Joseph flourishing in this passage?
3. Joseph seeks the wellbeing of Potiphar - why would motivate him to help this non-Israelite to flourish?
4. Joseph is tempted by a variety of things, why were the options before him so tempting? What are the appealing things in your life that tempt you?
5. How does Joseph respond to temptation?
6. Why is Joseph's resistance and fleeing from temptation counter cultural? How does this differ with the dominant narrative of our culture?
7. It's easy for us to fall into the belief that God will love us because of our gifts / abilities. How does this passage remedy this thinking?
8. Where are the places that you need to know / believe that God is with you?

Sermon Outline:
1. In the Spotlight
   a. Achievement
   b. Attractiveness

2. In the Shadows
   a. Persecution
   b. Prison


Sunday, January 17, 2016

"The Scandal of Grace" - Genesis 38:11-30 (January 17, 2016)

1. Have someone read the passage aloud.
2. What are Judah's sins of commission and sins of omission?
3. Why didn't Judah look for the woman who had his signet, staff, and cord?
4. What are the things that we do to hide our sin?
5. How do you respond when your sins are found out?
6. How do we see God working in Judah's heart?
7. How does this story give you hope, faith, trust, etc. in your relationship with God?

Monday, January 11, 2016

"Learning to Lament" - Genesis 37:12-36 (January 10, 2016)

1. Have someone read the passage loud.
2. Name some of the things we experience or observe that are worthy crying over.
3. What contributes to out lack of weeping / sadness over the brokenness of the world?
4. In the passage, how did the brothers respond to the evil they had just done? Do you find yourself responding to the news of evil like either of these?
5. Where do we have a clue of hope in this passage?
6. Where is a place in your life that you need to remember, "meanwhile..."?

Sermon Outline:
1. Learning to Cry

2. Learning to Hope

Monday, January 4, 2016

"Family Feud" - Genesis 37:1-11 (January 3, 2016)

1. Have someone read the passage aloud.
2. Where do we see sin being duplicated from previous generations in this passage?
3. Where do you see this in your own life?
4. How do we break the patterns of generational sin?
5. In what ways is God's providence displayed in this passage? Regarding the dreams, how do they reflect the certainty that they will come about?
6. Why is God's providential working important to us?
7. Where is an area of your life that you need to remember God is at work?

Sermon Outline:
1. The Passing Down of Sin
   a. The Father's Favorite
   b. The Brothers' Rivalry

2. The Providence of God
   a. Giving Dreams
   b. Shaping the Dreamer