Lessons From The Life of Joseph

 

Study Guide for Week of May 29, 2022 

This Week's Scripture:  The Story of Joseph Genesis 37-50 (portions below). This can be done as a series of group meetings six in all.

Crossroads Community Group Guide

A. Welcome: Welcome everyone, especially new people, and read aloud the purpose of your group.

B. Purpose: Our purpose is to spread the Kingdom of God. We do this by multiplying groups of people who care for each as God's family. We begin by inviting new people to our group and building them to be followers of Jesus. Each person here has the potential to be empowered to start and be the leader of a new group and spread God's kingdom.

C. Worship Time: Spend a few minutes singing a worship song. Here is one you may want to use: Come Now is the I Speak Jesus  (or pick your own YouTube video that shows the lyrics.)

D. Video Message                                                                   

       

E. Upcoming Events: Crossroads Website        

F. Review:

1. How did you do with what you wanted to apply from last week?
2. Who did you invite to the group for this week?

G. Opening Question (an icebreaker - a simple question to introduce the main theme):

• See background information

H. Background Information for this study: 

The Bible has studies of different people's lives. we learn a great deal from studying their lives. These are called charachter studies. Joseph is one of the people whose lives we can study in the scripture. 

This study will take several weeks to do. I have broken Joseph's life down into six portions. each portion can be used for one meeting. The portions are as follows:

Meeting One: Genesis 37:1-36. Opening Question - What is jealousy and why is it a sin?

Meeting Two: Genesis 39:1-23 Opening Question - Why is easy to have a bad attitude when you are treated unfairly?

Meeting Three: Genesis 40 and 41. Opening Question - Is it possible to forget bad things that have happened to you?

Meeting Four: Genesis 42 and 43. Opening Question -  Is it easy for you to cry? Why or why not?

Meeting Five: Genesis 44 and 45. Opening Question - What is something impossible in your life that if it happened you would be shocked?

Meeting Six: Genesis 46:1-7; 26-30; 49:29-33; 50:15-26 - How have you seen God turn something bad into something good? 

*** For each meeting follow the instructions that follow under J Word and K Discuss and L Commitement*** 

 

J. Word: Read the scriptures above. Read it in smaller portions aloud together several times. (The goal is for everyone to understand the Bible story or verses by retelling them in their own words; keep at it until everyone knows the story or verses.)

1. What key (important) words do you see in these verses?

2. Tell in your own words what happens in these verses.

3. What are the details?

4. What jumps out at you and catches your attention?

5. What details can you add to what others in the group have said?

K. Discuss the following general questions together. (The goal is to use these general questions to guide a discussion. The leader should not speak for more than 30% of the time; let the group discover what God is saying to them.)

1. What catches your attention in these verses?

2. What new thing did you discover in the story or verses that you did not know before?

3. What did you learn about God (Father, Jesus or Holy Spirit) from the story?

4. What do you learn about people from the story?

5. What important lessons for us do you see in this story?

 
L. Commitment - Obedience - Application

(This is the key - have everyone answer this question.) 

1. What specifically will you commit to apply in your life from this study? 

M. Prayer Time:  Break up into smaller groups of 3-4 - groups of the same sex           

1. Pray for your group to multiply.
2. Ask each other how you are doing spiritually.
3. Pray for the needs of the members of the group.

N. For Next time: Ask each person the name of someone they will invite to the group for next week.