Sanctuary

Read Genesis 41. What does this story say about the nature of God? What does it say about the character of God? What does it say about the love of God? 

As you read the text, where do you find yourself today? With what verse, scene or section do you most resonate? What is confusing and what questions arise as you read the text? 

Joseph’s life is marked by dreams, both his own dreams and his giftedness to interpret dreams. Does God still speak through dreams? Does He still gift people to interpret dreams? What is your understanding and experience of God speaking through dreams? How does God speak most personally to you? When have you engaged in others in understanding the implications of what God is saying? 

Through years of captivity, Joseph is learning how to live without the Robe, without being the favored son, without being known. He learns to trust God in the silence. Describe a time when you learned to trust in silence? How did that season change you, what spiritual qualities emerged or were deepened in this season? 

What spiritual qualities does Pharaoh recognize in Joseph? How do those qualities stir Pharaoh to trust Joseph? 

Joseph consistently points to God as the One who is all-powerful. Notice the following, “God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do . . . God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do . . . The matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon” (Gen. 41:25, 28, 32). From where does Joseph’s understanding of God derive? 

Consider your last week. How has God revealed Himself to you anew, afresh? What is God’s heart for you in understanding this revelation? 

In this text, Joseph is moved from prison to becoming one of the most powerful men in the world. What kind of pressure or weight would that bring to Joseph? How does responding to God give greater and greater authority and responsibility to Joseph? Similarly, how is God inviting you into deeper places of knowing Him, and then making Him known? Where is God taking you on your journey with Him? Where might He be calling you, yet you are uncertain of being willing to go? 

Reread Genesis 41.44-45, 50-51 and answer the following questions: Joseph says, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” What is the interconnection between suffering and blessing? How are you sensing, seeing, believing God’s fruitfulness in your own land of suffering?  Joseph marries and has children. What is the significance of the names Joseph gives to his children, Manasseh and Ephraim? What story do the names of his sons tell? 

Read Philippians 3.13-14 NLT. How are Paul’s words similar to Joseph’s story? How do you see this text as an affirmation of the call to move forward in your own life? In what beliefs about God, yourself, and others, do you need to let go and forget? What chapters of your story need to close? What chapters need to be unearthed, revisited, and explored afresh? 

The message on Sunday ended with noticing that Joseph chooses not to reconnect with his family. What do you make of that portion of Joseph’s story? How does this part of Joseph’s story connect with yours?

How is God using your family and our Faith Family as a means to declare His goodness and grace to your neighbors, neighborhood and the nations? 

Read Genesis 40. What does this story say about the nature of God? What does it say about the character of God? What does it say about the love of God?

As you read the text where do you find yourself today? With what verse, scene or section do you most resonate?

Consider the following dynamics of spiritual growth. Which of these dynamics has birthed the deepest growth in you? Explain.

• Small Group
• Reading Spiritual Books/Journaling
• Worship Experiences
• Serving
• Sermons/Studies
• Suffering

Looking back on Joseph’s life where do you see him experience suffering? Where in your life has suffering birthed spiritual growth?

Joseph was seemingly able to handle the ups and downs of life with God. Describe a season where the “rollercoaster” of life left you tired, lonely and doubting? What was the outcome of that season?

When was the last time you asked a friend or family member, “Why do you look so sad today?” What was the outcome of that conversation? When was the last time you were asked a question like this? What was the outcome of that conversation?

How does Joseph have such a capacity to see past his own sadness and engage the sadness in someone else? How is that possible?

It seems that Joseph is a “fearless truth-teller.” He shares God’s interpretation of the dreams, including the interpretation that would end in death. Who is a fearless truth-teller in your life? Who speaks truth to you, when no one else will? To whom are you fearlessly truthful?

Reread Genesis 40.23. In your own words write how this feels.

In the message on Sunday, we walked through an exercise where you were handed a script of a newborn child’s life. (Below are a few of the experiences.) After the script was read you had five minutes to erase and edit the script. What would you erase and edit? How would you rewrite the story? Be sure to consider the role of suffering in our transformative process.

• a learning disability
• struggle with sexual identity
• friend dies
• infertility
• depression
• job loss
• marital separation
• alone and forgotten

Read Romans 5.2-5

Read the story of the imprisonment of John the Baptist in Matthew 11.1-15 and answer the questions below.

What speaks most personally to you about this story?
Why does John end up in prison?
What do you make of John’s question, “Are you the one or should we be looking for someone else?”
What does Jesus say to John?
How does John receive Jesus’ message?
John ends up dying in prison. Why didn’t Jesus save him from death?
This scene ends with Jesus saying, “Whoever has ears, let them hear.” What would this mean to John and his disciples? What does this statement mean to you?

Take time to reread and reflect on Romans 5.2-5. Praise Him for His eternal goodness and everlasting grace.

What are the most frequent promises in the Bible? Note the promise and the reference. 

What is the most repeated promise in the Bible? Read the verses below and answer the questions that follow: 

• Joshua 1.9
• Psalm 23.4
• Isaiah 41.10
• Matthew 1.23
• John 1.14
• Matthew 28.20
• John 14.16-17

Which of these promises encourage you? 

Which promise do you hold most tightly? 

How have you seen these promises be fulfilled? 

How do you sense God “with you” today? 

Read Genesis 37 incarnationally. Where do you find yourself in this story? 

Where in Scripture do we first see God bless His creation? 

How have you experienced God’s blessing in your life? 

What and who does God bless through Joseph? What and who does God bless through you? 

How does Joseph resist the temptation of anger, judgment, and bitterness toward his family? 

How does Joseph resist the temptation of sexual sin? 

Reread Genesis 39.7. Describe the context of Joseph’s response. 

Read Psalm 51.1-4. How is David’s confession similar to Joseph’s response? 

How is your view of sin similar to Joseph’s and David’s? How does it differ? 

In Luke’s Gospel, we read these words, “When Satan was done tempting Jesus that he left him until he had an opportune time.” Where else was Jesus tempted? What was the “opportune time” for temptation? 

When and where are you most tempted? When do you sense you are most susceptible to sin? What is the “opportune time”? 

Read 1 Corinthians 10.13. How does this text encourage you as you consider temptation? 

The last verses of Chapter 39 find Jospeh experiencing blessing in prison. How so? 

How does the story of Joseph encourage you? How do you sense God’s being with you in the here and now? 

Scripture tells us over and over again that God longs to be with us. How are you organizing your life in such a way that you are being with God? 

Read and reflect on 1 Corinthians 13.12-13. Give God praise for His presence with you now, and His eternal promised presence. 

Read Genesis 37 incarnationally, finding yourself in the story. What does this story tell you about God? What does it tell you about His nature? What in this story draws you to His love?

How do you perceive Joseph? How do you view his 17-year-old humanity?

Read Genesis 37.6-8 and answer the following questions:

• Who gave these dreams to Joseph?
• How do you distinguish dreams that come from God, and dreams that are from any other place?
• What can you learn about dreams from these three verses?

Read Revelation 12.1-2. How do you see Joseph’s dream as an interpretation of Revelation 12?

Read Genesis 37.10-11 and answer the following questions:

• What is the difference between Joseph’s “rebuke” and him “keeping the matter in mind.”
• What is the difference between Joseph’s brothers’ hate and jealousy or envy?

When was the last time you sensed a need to deal with your own jealousy or envy? What was the outcome of that season?

Read Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28.10-19 and answer the following questions:

• What is the purpose of Jacob’s dream?
• How do you see heaven desiring to come to earth?
• What does Jacob realize after having such a dream?
• Like Jacob, describe a time when you too became aware of the presence of God, when previously not noticing?

What role did your parents play in regard to your view of God and your view of yourself? How did, or how are your parents encouraging you in your relationship with God? What are the primary beliefs your children have about God as natural and normal outflows of you being their parent?

What part of this story do you see yourself? What part of this story encourages you, convicts you, or challenges you? How do you see this story, in light of God’s Great Love Story?

Read Romans 8.28. How do you see this truth at work in the current chapter of your story? How are you viewing your current chapter as a part of God’s Great Love Story?

Spend some time praying and praising the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.