Small Group Questions – Genesis 21:8-21 - Hagar and Ishmael

This is a list to be prayerfully chosen from and not systematically worked through. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit which of these questions are right for your Small Group.

Read Genesis 21:8-21

  1. Spend some time with a list of names of those in the Small Group and pray for God to give you a prophetic word, picture, word of encouragement, word of knowledge, word of wisdom or scripture to encourage them in God. Write the word down and share it with the person.
  2. Abraham behaved in a bizarre way in sending Hagar and Ishmael away. How do we know when God is speaking to us and when he is not? When can we tell it is our imaginations and when it is God? What checks and balances could we put in place to ensure we are hearing from God?
  3. One of the names of God is “El Roi” – how do you feel about God ‘seeing all’? Is this a comforting thought or does it feel a dreadful truth? Why? How can this truth influence our actions and decisions?
  4. The American Evangelist Dwight. L. Moody said that: “I know of no truth in the whole bible that ought to come home to us with such power and tenderness as that of the love of God”. Would this be the main message that you understand from the Bible? If not, what would the message be?
  1. How is the cross the supreme manifestation of the love of God?
  1. How can we be fully assured of God’s love for us even in the darkest of circumstances? What bible passages could be a comfort for us even in the darkest moments? How does this link in with the ‘joy in the LORD’ that was spoken about a couple of weeks ago?
  1. Ask the Small Group to share times when they have experienced the love and comfort of God in their darkest hour.
  1. How does the love of God for humankind give us confidence to tell the world about the good news of salvation found in Jesus Christ?
  1. Why does God often intervene at the last minute? Does anyone have a story of when God intervened at the last minute in their lives?
  1. Even Ishmael had a destiny in God to fulfil? As the Small Group what does God have planned for their lives? Discuss the corporate destiny for the local church? How do we fulfil the plans of God together as Open Door Church?