October 16, 2016

Readings for this week:

Gen 32:3-8,22-30

Ps 121

2 Tim 3:14-4:5

Lk 18:1-8

Key verse: “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

– Genesis 32:26a

Sermon Notes for

“Wilderness Wrestling”

1) Jacob and us: Living by our false-selves, and with a false God(hiding in the wilderness)

2) Jacob-Israel and us: Wrestling with, and surrender to, the true God (wrestling in the wilderness)

3) Israel and us: Living into our true-selves as people of blessing

(blessing in the wilderness)

Collect to pray this week:
(for the week of the Sunday closest to October 19)
"Set us free, loving Father, from the bondage of our sins, and in your goodness and mercy give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”

Home Group Questions

Connecting with Each Other

  1. When you hear “wilderness” what do you picture? Have you ever experienced being there geographically?
  2. Part of why Jacob was the way he was is that he had a somewhat false view of God (God as someone needing to be appeased, or manipulated). What are some false views of God that you grew up with?

Connecting with God’s Word

  1. Jacob’s ‘false-self’ identity and his ‘true-self’ identity were close to each other. From what you know of his story, describe ways in which he lived out his false-self. Describe ways in which you see his true-self manifested.
  2. Jacob asked God for his blessing after Jacob already had multiple children and a lot of wealth. What might he have meant when he asked for God’s blessing? What did that blessing look like in the following years?
  3. How would you describe your ‘false-self’ and your ‘true-self’?
  4. Jacob became ‘Israel,’ a name that fit not only him but the people of God that his family grew into. What might be ‘false’ ways that we (our small group, our congregation, our denomination) are tempted to live into our identity as the people of God? Who are we (our small group, our congregation, our denomination) as our true-selves, God-called and God-blessed? What name might God give us?

Connecting with the Week Ahead

  1. As you anticipate things you’ll face this week or this month, how might you be tempted to live them in your false-self? What might that look like? What might it look like if you live into them in your true-self?
  2. In asking God for his blessing this week, what might that look like for you?

October 16, 2016

Readings for this week:

Gen 32:3-8,22-30

Ps 121

2 Tim 3:14-4:5

Lk 18:1-8

Key verse: ““I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

– Genesis 32:26a

Sermon Notes for

“Wilderness Wrestling”

1) Jacob and us: Living by our false-selves, and with a false God (hiding in the wilderness)

2) Jacob-Israel and us: Wrestling with, and surrender to, the true God (wrestling in the wilderness)

3) Israel and us: Living into our true-selves as people of blessing

(blessing in the wilderness)

Collect to pray this week:
(for the week of the Sunday closest to October 19)
"Set us free, loving Father, from the bondage of our sins, and in your goodness and mercy give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”

Home Group Questions

Connecting with Each Other

  1. When you hear “wilderness” what do you picture? Have you ever experienced being there geographically?
  2. Part of why Jacob was the way he was is that he had a somewhat false view of God (God as someone needing to be appeased, or manipulated). What are some false views of God that you grew up with?

Connecting with God’s Word

  1. Jacob’s ‘false-self’ identity and his ‘true-self’ identity were close to each other. From what you know of his story, describe ways in which he lived out his false-self. Describe ways in which you see his true-self manifested.
  2. Jacob asked God for his blessing after Jacob already had multiple children and a lot of wealth. What might he have meant when he asked for God’s blessing? What did that blessing look like in the following years?
  3. How would you describe your ‘false-self’ and your ‘true-self’?
  4. Jacob became ‘Israel,’ a name that fit not only him but the people of God that his family grew into. What might be ‘false’ ways that we (our small group, our congregation, our denomination) are tempted to live into our identity as the people of God? Who are we (our small group, our congregation, our denomination) as our true-selves, God-called and God-blessed? What name might God give us?

Connecting with the Week Ahead

  1. As you anticipate things you’ll face this week or this month, how might you be tempted to live them in your false-self? What might that look like? What might it look like if you live into them in your true-self?
  2. In asking God for his blessing this week, what might that look like for you?