Part One Part Two
Part One
Joseph was a younger brother in a large dysfunctional family. God gave him dreams that began his amazing journey from slave to administrator, prisoner and prime minister of ancient Egypt. Through Joseph, God saved whole nations from drought and famine, and ultimately kept His promise to bless all the nations through Jesus. Though people intended harm, God worked it together for good. God, You are faithful. Stir us to follow You and Your purposes more faithfully.
Discover
Read Genesis 37:3-11. To help get a good understanding of the passage, try to describe what is happening or being said in your own words. Take a moment to reflect and note down what stands out as important, significant or meaningful to you. What does this passage tell us about God? What does this passage tell us about people? How does this passage change how we live?
Discuss
1. How do you react when God’s plans for you seem at odds with your situation?
2. How do you assess whether your hopes and dreams are really God-given?
3. Read Acts 7:9-10. Joseph was caught up in God’s rescue plan. Dreams prosper others, not us. Discuss.
4. How might people benefit if you represent God wisely and with goodwill?
5. Read Genesis 50:20-21. How would your describe your role in cooperating with our good, good God?
Respond
For God-given dreams to be fulfilled, it requires God’s faithfulness and our obedience. God’s faithfulness is a given. The question is: will you obey Him? What point of obedience is in front of you in life right now? Share together and pray that in the moment of choice you will be obedient.
Part Two
Life from God’s perspective is often going to be different from our imagined ideas and plans. God is in the business of changing and moulding us and that takes time. God has a much larger view of humanity than we do, and His timing and methodology is sometimes beyond our capacity to see or understand. We can have a confidence and security in God no matter how our current circumstances appear.
Discover
Read Genesis 39:20-23. To help get a good understanding of the passage, try to describe what is happening or being said in your own words. Take a moment to reflect and note down what stands out as important, significant or meaningful to you. What does this passage tell us about God? What does this passage tell us about people? How does this passage change how we live?
Discuss
1. Have you experienced situations which have caused you to question God’s presence? Discuss.
2. How do you answer the supposition that life as a disciple of Jesus is easy or a crutch? Discuss.
3. When Jesus promises never to leave us or forsake us, does that have limitations? (Hebrews 13:5)
4. When we read about Joseph’s life, how do we feel about the events that he endured? Discuss. (Genesis 37, 39, 40)
5. Does knowing the end of God’s eternal plan, impact how you live your life? Discuss.
6. Does your theology allow room for God to be with Joseph, but for him also to be in prison? (Genesis 39:21, 23)
Respond
Take some moments of quietness and reflect on any circumstance which God may bring to your mind, which is pertinent to you right now, which God can bring a new God perspective on. If you are comfortable, share this with the group and pray into these situations.
Watch full sermons – A Dreamer’s Reality