St. Edmund's, Crickhowell
Lent 2002
Home Group Study 5
God is in Control
Leader's Copy
[Material within square brackets does not appear in the general notes]
Joseph's life had so many twists and turns that it may have seemed to be out of control. But at the end it is obvious that God's planning was perfect and that even the setbacks were essential to achieve his purpose.
Welcome
[15 mins.
This and all the following timings are for your guidance. You may tailor them or alter the sequence but beware of allowing prayer to get squeezed out.]
Share any personal stories you may have of God's guidance in your life.
Worship
[15 mins.]
Read Proverbs 3: 1 - 20
Praise God for his wisdom, mercy, and love.
Word
[60 mins.
The readings are quite short to allow them to be read aloud. It may, therefore, be necessary in this and subsequent studies to fill in some background.]
- Joseph's character.
Read Genesis 43:26 - 44,
Genesis 44:1 - 6 and
Genesis 45:1 - 4
- What aspects of Joseph's character are shown in the latter part of his story?
- Was he the same sort of person at the end of the strory as he had been at the beginning?
- What made the difference?
- Are we being changed? How?
- What do we learn of God's character through the whole story?
Read Genesis 40:1 - 5,
Genesis 41:1 - 14 and
Genesis 45:4 - 7
- Was Joseph just a lucky man who was in the right place at the right time?
- Why was it so important that Jacob and his family should be taken care of?
[God's promises to Abraham Genesis 15: 5 & 6 and the fact that the genealogies in
Matthew 1 and
Luke 3 pass through Jacob and Judah (NB not Joseph!). The story of Joseph is an integral part of God's whole plan of salvation.]
- In what ways did God guide and direct Joseph throughout his life?
- In what ways does God guide and direct us today?
[Bible Reading / Prayer / Christian Friends / Public Preaching and Teaching /
Events / Prophecy / Dreams / Visions - all these and more may be possible]
Further Thought
As Easter approaches try to take some time by yourself to think about the parallels between Joseph's story and the Easter story. They both start with rejection and mis-treatment - what else do they have in common?
Witness
[30 mins.]
- Pray for one another - that we might have a sense of God's purpose for us.
- Pray especially for those who can make no sense out of the situations they find themselves in.
- Pray for some of the world situations which seem to be beyond human resolution.
Last updated 8/3/2002