April 14-15 Far From Home

Apr 14-15 Far From Home

Welcome to the second week of our sermon series called Finding Hope in Family Conflict. This week, we look at the process of responding to God in life’s messes as we look in the story at Jacob’s place, God’s place, our place and our response.


SHARE LIFE

Building healthy and life-giving relationships.

Updates

What has been new or challenging in your life since last time the group met? Spend 20–30 minutes checking in with each other.

Share Part of Your Story

Where did you grow up?  Where is home for you? If West Michigan isn’t home, what brought you here?

Care

This sermon series is about family conflict. What is one area of family conflict that the group can pray for you this week?


PURSUE GOD

Taking next steps toward Christ together.

Have someone read Genesis 28:11-22 aloud.

Where Am I?

Jacob finds himself traveling to Haran and using a rock for a pillow on the side of the road.  How did he get into this mess? What thoughts and feelings might have been going through Jacob’s mind?

Jacob is alone because he has been relationally reckless. What do you think it means to be relationally reckless? How has Jacob been relationally reckless? How have you seen people be relationally reckless?

Being relationally reckless isn’t just a problem for other people. We can all be relationally reckless. What relationships do you struggle with? How do you find yourself being relationally reckless? How can our reckless behavior affect others? What can you do to stop the reckless behavior?

Where is God?

Jacob is alone on the side of the road. While he is far from home—God is not far from him. Jacob sleeps and God comes to him in a dream. What happens in the dream?

God gives Jacob a blessing. What is the blessing that God gives Jacob?  What is the blessing we receive in Jesus Christ? How do you think the blessings connect?

God meets Jacob on the road and wants to meet us where we are in our life’s journey. God blessed Jacob and wants to bless us so that we may bless others. Discuss the following statement: We’re blessed to be a blessing.

God has blessed us with the offer of new life through his son, Jesus. What are some ways you can bless others?

How Will I Respond?

It’s important to note that God comes and meets Jacob right in the mess. He doesn’t wait for Jacob to get his act together, or even for Jacob to come seek him out. What can this teach us about God’s character?

After Jacob has the dream, how does he respond to God?  What does he do or say?

When God meets us, it is up to us to respond. What are some of the ways (both positive and negative) people respond to God? Do you feel like you generally respond to God?

Jacob begins to trust God, probably for the first time. How did it feel when you first started trusting in God? How does it feel to try and trust him now? What are some ways we can learn to trust God more?

Jacob still has a lot of growing up to do, but he has a newfound trust in God. He begins to trust in God even in the midst of the mess he finds himself in. How can we trust God when things in our life are not going according to plan?  What messes do you have right now and how can your group be praying for you in the midst of them?

This week we looked at the process of responding to God in life’s messes. We looked at Jacob’s place in the story, God’s place and our response. What area of this week’s message resonated the most with you? What’s one step you can take this week to focus on that idea and grow?


INVEST IN OTHERS

Valuing people outside the group and outside the faith.

Relational Investment

Words of encouragement are often a simple task easily overlooked. One of the most important ways we can show God’s love to those who don’t know Jesus is through our speech. How can you Invest in Others by building them up this week through words of encouragement? Maybe a friend or co-worker is going through a difficult time. Is there something your group can do together to encourage them?


Download a printable PDF here.