Sunday, February 17, 2013
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Discussion Questions for City Groups
Notice the overwhelming presence of God in this chapter after the apparent hiddenness of God in Genesis 37. What phrase(s) bookend this chapter?
temptation of power
- Stewardship is taking what does not belong to us and using it for the maximum benefit of the owner. How do we see Joseph doing this in this chapter?
- How are both selfish ambition and selfish avoidance of power (responsibilities, opportunities, etc.) sinful? Which is more of your tendency?
- When power has no power over you, God can do powerful things in and through you. How have you seen this to be true in your life experiences, life observations and study of God’s Word?
- How is Joseph a first fulfillment of God’s covenant promise to Abraham that his family would a blessing to all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:1-13)? What encouragement and exhortation do you find in Joseph’s work (household management, business, later government) to accomplish this?
- Our life in Citylight Church is: Sunday morning worship (remembering the Gospel), City Groups (reminding one another of the Gospel) and our individual lives and households (realizing the Gospel mission). What are the areas of life in which you have “power” (responsibility, influence) to steward for God’s glory and others’ good?
temptation of sex
- Physical intimacy/oneness is a gift of God for whole-life union in the covenant of marriage. What then are the implications of sexual immorality?
- Do you agree/disagree that sexual immorality (particularly fornication) has become an acceptable sin of the millennial generation (those born in late 70s to early 00s) and even hippie generation of 60s? If so, why do you think this is sociologically? How is this sadly ironic given the value of holistic living in our time?
- Sexual immorality says “I want you but I don’t want to entrust myself to you.”
- What are some practical ways that you live/work to avoid sexual temptation? While good, how are these ultimately not sufficient to fight this sin?
- MEN: What are your particular struggles in regards to sexual temptation? How do you understand the wiring, trappings and temptations of women?
- WOMEN: What are your particular struggles in regards to sexual temptation? How do you understand the wiring, trappings and temptations of men?
temptation of despair
- Consider the ups and downs of Joseph in Genesis 37 and 39. How could there be great temptation to despair?
- If we let our feelings follow our circumstances, we often have great temptation to despair? How have you experienced and had to resist this in the past days and weeks?
- We all fall down in this fallen world. The question is not if we will, but how we will. Read this passage from Paul’s prison letter to the Philippians (Phil. 4:11-13; also see 2 Cor.4:7-12). What is the secret for resisting the temptation of despair
Joseph was able to resist these temptation because the Lord was with him. How do we see the Lord Jesus Christ, our Suffering Savior, resist temptations to sin in his life? In particular, how does Jesus resist the temptation of quick power and quick despair?