LifeGroup Notes

BIG IDEA
The healing and preparation God enacts on our lives often requires stronger medicine than we understand. If we decide to walk closely with Him through hard circumstances, He will use those circumstances to build in us the character and trust in Him that is needed to be a fountain of blessing for others. It will probably be harder and take longer than we can imagine, but God is faithful and will do incredible things to and through those who are faithful.

Passages we’ll review:
Genesis 37:3-11; Genesis 37:18-20; Genesis 39:7-14, Genesis 39:19-21; Genesis 45: 1-15; Psalm 18:1-6

OPENING
If you could change one personality trait in yourself, what would it be and why?

READ

Read Genesis 37:3-11

What are some possible issues you see in this family? How do those affect the purposes God intended for a family?

Read Genesis 37:18-20

Joseph’s brothers end up selling him into slavery so they won’t have his blood on their hands. Have you ever been the victim of shirked responsibility or maliciousness? Have you ever been a perpetrator?

Read Genesis 39:7-14, 19-21

Have you ever found yourself being misrepresented before others? Explain.

According to 1 Peter 3:16, we should live lives with a good conscience. Other passages say we should live above reproach, in such a way that other people can’t blame us for doing wrong. Why is it important for us to walk as best as we can before people for the sake of the Gospel?

Part of maturing in Christ is caring less about what the world thinks of you and more about how Christ sees you. Why is that important?

In the next portion of the story we see Joseph imprisoned under false pretenses, but his service there awards him a role of authority and respect, even within these bad circumstances. Two of Pharaoh’s servants are thrown into prison as well, and each receive dreams that they can’t interpret. Joseph says that God can give the power to interpret the dreams, and when Joseph interprets one of the men’s dreams (Pharaoh’s cupbearer), that man is released and he promises to remember to bring up Joseph’s case to Pharaoh. But we read these sentences at the end of chapter 40 and the beginning of 41: “Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. After two whole years…”

Have you ever felt forgotten about? Is it easier or harder to seek the Lord during such times? Why?

Joseph has been betrayed by his family, thrown into prison, and forgotten about for two years. But in chapter 41 we see that the cup bearer eventually remembers Joseph and tells Pharaoh about him and his ability to interpret dreams. After Joseph interprets a dream for Pharaoh about seven coming years of plenty, and then seven years of famine, Pharaoh knows that God is with Joseph and promotes him to be second-in-command in Egypt. Through Joseph’s leadership, the country of Egypt prospers, and during the famine people from all over the surrounding areas come to buy grain from the Egyptians and are saved from starvation because of God’s warning and Joseph’s humble leadership. People come from all over to buy grain from Joseph, including Joseph’s brothers. When they arrive, they don’t recognize Joseph, but he recognizes them. He tests them with seemingly dire circumstances to discover the current state of the family, and they bow to him like they did in the dream he shared with them over ten years prior. The testing is hard on the brothers and on Joseph, and Joseph has to leave the room they are in multiple times to weep. The brothers even say, rather ironically, “What is this that God has done to us?” But when Joseph sees his brothers have changed, he reveals who he is and we see this as the result.

Read Genesis 45:1-15

This is the family that God promises will be a blessing to the whole world, the family from which Jesus comes and God spoke to us through His Word. What healing do we now see in this formerly fractured family? What blessing and benefit came from the situation?

What does this story teach you about the methods and timing of God?

DIGGING DEEPER

Read Psalm 18:1-6

David faced many enemies throughout his lifetime. In this passage, we read that during one of these times, he cried out to God and his prayer reached God’s ears in heaven. Do you ever doubt that God hears you? When do you find yourself doubting the effectiveness of your prayers? Why?

David remembered the goodness of God and described Him as a rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, shield, horn, and stronghold. What do these descriptions tell us about the character of God?

David describes several things that were causing him distress. What have you encountered, or are encountering now, that causes distress in your life? How did David respond to these challenges? How should we respond?

LET’S PRAY

Consider the following as you pray together:

1. When God puts circumstances and people in your life to mold and heal you, how will you respond? Will you keep your eyes on the Lord in the face of adversity or will you waste years of your life allowing sin to ruin you and hurt the ones you love?
   

2. Do you trust God with your life even when you don’t understand? Will you turn to the Father of love or to sin that only leads to death and destruction?
   

3. How can you honor God with your life, even in times of trouble?