The Bridge Church
Joseph: Living The Dream - Week 1
November 6, 2022
Locations & Times
Englewood SKY Academy
871 S River Rd, Englewood, FL 34223, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
1. Every family has dysfunctional pain that needs God’s healing
2. Give favor not favoritism
3. God’s dream for your life may be different than what you have imagined
4. Healing happens when we experience the grace of God
God is with you and for you, even in a dysfunctional family.
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time
I need to be baptized
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a small group
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
I need to join a serve team
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time
I need to be baptized
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a small group
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
I need to join a serve team
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
Dig Deeper:
1. Our first relationships in life are with our family. Why do you think God created us to be a part of a family?
2. Why are family relationships challenging at times? What circumstances or characteristics of family dynamics make it difficult?
3. Genesis is a story about a long line of family ancestry. What do you know about your ancestors? Did they pass down anything specific to your generation? If so, how has that shaped you?
4. The life of Joseph is a story of God’s faithfulness even during difficult times. Describe a time in your life when you have experienced God’s faithfulness.
5. Where did Jacob (Joseph’s father) learn favoritism?
6. Read Genesis 37:3-4. How does Jacob’s actions affect Joseph’s actions? What part of the dysfunction is Jacob responsible for and what part is Joseph responsible for?
7. How does Jacob’s actions affect the rest of his family?
8. Read Romans 2:11. How does God’s character help us in our relationships?
9. Rivalry, disappointment, and bitterness occur throughout Joseph’s family history. What is the opposite of these choices? What must we do to ensure that we don’t live a life rooted in negative responses?
10. When we hold on to bitterness, envy, etc., who does that affect – us or the person we are upset with?
11. How does our unsettled feelings towards someone else affect our relationship with God?
12. Read Genesis 37:5-11. Joseph was a dreamer, and God was the dream giver. Have you ever had a dream or calling that you knew was from God? Describe the experience and the outcome.
13. Despite the fact that God was the dream giver, Joseph could have shared his dream differently. Why do you think Joseph chose to share his dream like he did? Why do his brothers not believe him?
14. Why do you think Jacob “kept the matter in mind” (vs. 11)?
15. We all have pain and brokenness from our past. What must we remember when looking back on those challenges?
16. Whether you have been hurt or been the one who has hurt others, God is a God of all peace, mercy, and restoration. Why is it so important to forgive and seek restoration in relationships?
Live It Out:
31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you[n] in Christ. - Ephesians 4:31-32 (CSB)
If we are being honest, we’ve all been hurt by others and we’ve all hurt others. Today, you can both forgive and seek restoration, using Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on the cross as the starting point.
1. Forgive: Are you holding on to a hurt from your past that allows you to fall into sinful behavior and thought patterns? Spend time with God this week, asking for Him to change your heart, provide you with a desire to turn away from the pain, and to show you the peace, grace, and love He has for those who have hurt you.
2. Restore: Have you come to an understanding that you have hurt others through your actions or words, whether intentional or not, or have been a part of generational dysfunction? Pray to God for forgiveness and ask for strength as you reach out to those you have hurt so that the relationship may be restored.
Reading Plan:
Monday: Genesis 27:1-23
Tuesday: Genesis 27:24-46
Wednesday: Genesis 30:1-24
Thursday: Genesis 37:1-11
Friday: Jeremiah 29:11-13
Saturday: Ephesians 4:17-32
1. Our first relationships in life are with our family. Why do you think God created us to be a part of a family?
2. Why are family relationships challenging at times? What circumstances or characteristics of family dynamics make it difficult?
3. Genesis is a story about a long line of family ancestry. What do you know about your ancestors? Did they pass down anything specific to your generation? If so, how has that shaped you?
4. The life of Joseph is a story of God’s faithfulness even during difficult times. Describe a time in your life when you have experienced God’s faithfulness.
5. Where did Jacob (Joseph’s father) learn favoritism?
6. Read Genesis 37:3-4. How does Jacob’s actions affect Joseph’s actions? What part of the dysfunction is Jacob responsible for and what part is Joseph responsible for?
7. How does Jacob’s actions affect the rest of his family?
8. Read Romans 2:11. How does God’s character help us in our relationships?
9. Rivalry, disappointment, and bitterness occur throughout Joseph’s family history. What is the opposite of these choices? What must we do to ensure that we don’t live a life rooted in negative responses?
10. When we hold on to bitterness, envy, etc., who does that affect – us or the person we are upset with?
11. How does our unsettled feelings towards someone else affect our relationship with God?
12. Read Genesis 37:5-11. Joseph was a dreamer, and God was the dream giver. Have you ever had a dream or calling that you knew was from God? Describe the experience and the outcome.
13. Despite the fact that God was the dream giver, Joseph could have shared his dream differently. Why do you think Joseph chose to share his dream like he did? Why do his brothers not believe him?
14. Why do you think Jacob “kept the matter in mind” (vs. 11)?
15. We all have pain and brokenness from our past. What must we remember when looking back on those challenges?
16. Whether you have been hurt or been the one who has hurt others, God is a God of all peace, mercy, and restoration. Why is it so important to forgive and seek restoration in relationships?
Live It Out:
31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you[n] in Christ. - Ephesians 4:31-32 (CSB)
If we are being honest, we’ve all been hurt by others and we’ve all hurt others. Today, you can both forgive and seek restoration, using Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on the cross as the starting point.
1. Forgive: Are you holding on to a hurt from your past that allows you to fall into sinful behavior and thought patterns? Spend time with God this week, asking for Him to change your heart, provide you with a desire to turn away from the pain, and to show you the peace, grace, and love He has for those who have hurt you.
2. Restore: Have you come to an understanding that you have hurt others through your actions or words, whether intentional or not, or have been a part of generational dysfunction? Pray to God for forgiveness and ask for strength as you reach out to those you have hurt so that the relationship may be restored.
Reading Plan:
Monday: Genesis 27:1-23
Tuesday: Genesis 27:24-46
Wednesday: Genesis 30:1-24
Thursday: Genesis 37:1-11
Friday: Jeremiah 29:11-13
Saturday: Ephesians 4:17-32