Provision for God’s Work - Genesis
Read the summary of the Sunday sermon: In chapters 46-47 God provides some foundational elements in order for this young nation to thrive in a strange land. Through vision, resources and leadership they have what they need to settle even though their future is filled with trouble and unknowns.
Read: Genesis 46:1-4, 47:1-6 & 47:13-20
Discussion Questions:
God tells Jacob in Gen. 46:1-7 that even though Canaan is still the promised land, he must go down to Egypt. How would you feel if you were Jacob in this moment?
How does this moment help us understand the surprising ways in which God fulfills his promises?
In Gen. 47:13-31, Joseph uses his God-given wisdom to ensure that the people of Egypt are able to have food. What does this say about the importance of discernment and wisdom for our mission as Christians?
Have you ever felt like God was leading you away from a situation/circumstance that seemed to be in line with what God has promised in the Scriptures? What was that experience like for you?
What are some ways we can learn to trust God’s leading even if it doesn’t make sense to us in the moment?
How does Joseph’s intercession for his family before Pharaoh point us to Jesus’s intercession for us?
How can we, like Joseph, use our positions of influence for the good of our neighbours and community?
In what ways does this story point us to the person and work of Jesus?
Prayer: Pray over your responses to question #4, asking that God would grant us greater faith to trust him even when it doesn’t fully make sense.
