"Being Changed" - Genesis 43 (February 28, 2016)

1. Have someone read the passage aloud.
2. What are the patterns that Jacob and Joseph have been in?
3. Where in this passage are there hints of Jacob being changed?
4. Like Jacob's grip on Benjamin, what are the things that you're holding tightly?
5. How does Joseph show his brother's mercy? Why would this have been so difficult?
6. What are the places in your life that you'd rather hold on to your anger or bitterness than show mercy and compassion?
7. Take some time and ask God to make your more merciful and more dependent upon him.

Sermon Outline:
1. Into Dependent People

2. Into Merciful People

"The Mission for Revival" - Acts 1:1-8 (February 21, 2016) *Guest Preacher Andres Garza

1. Have someone read the passage aloud.
2. What are the two qualities of the message that the disciples were to proclaim?
3. What is repentance hard for us? What hinders our willingness to repent?
4. How do the disciples grow in their dependance upon God in this passage?
5. What is a situation in which you're waiting on the Lord? How do you see him using this to grow your dependence upon him?
6. What is the scope of God's mission?
7. What are some practical ways that you can participate in God's mission?

Sermon Outline:
1. The Mission's Instructions

2. The Mission's Power

3. The Mission's Scope

"Where you go, there you are" - Genesis 42 (February 14, 2016)

1. Have someone read the passage aloud.
2. Joseph responded to his brothers with both anger and sadness, what are these emotions reveal about him?
3. Why do we often ignore our emotions? How can our emotions speak to our spiritual lives?
4. How is God orchestrating a confrontation between Joseph and his brothers?
5. Why does Joseph test his brothers?
6. How is God using this situation to bring healing to Joseph and his brothers?
7. Where is a place in your life that you need God to bring reconciliation?
8. How does the map and the motivation of this passage direct us in seeking reconciliation?

Sermon Outline:
1. We Hide Our Wounds
   a. Anger
   b. Sadness

2. God Heals Our Wounds
   a. Orchestration
   b. Confrontation
   c. Reconciliation

"Let my people go!" - Genesis 41 (February 7, 2016)

1. Have someone read the passage aloud.

2. 13 years passed from the time he was sold into slavery to the moment he was freed by Pharaoh. Knowing what we know about the change in Joseph's life, how did God use that time in his life? What lessons did he teach him? What comfort can we draw from seeing that God did not waste those 13 years in Joseph's life? 

3. Read Galatians 5:1. What "freedom" is Paul talking about? What "slavery" is he referring to? 

4. What are some examples of how we live to prove ourselves? How does our justification by grace alone through faith in Christ alone free us to live to promote God's glory instead? 

5. How does our culture measure how we "make a mark" in the world? How does that differ from how God measures our mark in the world? 

6. Francis Schaeffer was fond of saying that, in God's economy, there are no little places and no people. How does Joseph's life reflect this truth? Has is that encouraging for you today?

"Dreaming in Prison" - Genesis 40 (January 31, 2016)

1. Have someone read the passage aloud.
2. What was a time when you felt alone and that God had forgotten you?
3. Read Psalm 13 (the Psalm our hymn was based off). How does David's words sit with you? Do they make you feel uncomfortable? Freeing? Not sure? Why?
4. Where does this passage offer reassurance to Joseph that God has not left him?
5. How does this help us to be assured of God's presence?
6. How, in this passage, do we see Joseph's kindness?
7. How is this a picture of what the church should be and where are there places where you can duplicate this kindness?
8. Where are the places you've seen God's remembrance / presence in your life?

Sermon Outline:
1. Our Reality

2. Our Reassurance
   a. A better revelation
   b. A better representative

3. Our Response
   a. Something to do
   b. Something to say