CHAPTER 4 | Moses Saved

THE STORY PAGES 45-46 // Exodus 3:1-15

Opening Prayer

Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide your time together.


Review Group Member Commitments (explain any as needed):

  1. We do our part to create a safe environment.
  2. We listen to each other.
  3. We commit to share our lives with one another.
  4. We direct each other to God for the solutions to our problems.
  5. We resolve conflict.

Review from Last Week

Were you able to tell last week’s story to someone this past week?

How did God use last week’s story in your life?


Hook into God’s Word

Who is someone you know who has overcome obstacles and accomplished surprising things? What about that person encourages you?


Context of the Story

Some time after Joseph died a new Egyptian ruler came to power who knew nothing of Joseph and felt threatened by the Israelites. His solution to a growing Israelite population was the murder of all Israelite male babies. His solution to the Israelite threat was to make the Israelites slaves. What would God do? It was time to make it clear to the Egyptians that God alone was God. It was time to free the Israelite slaves and bring them back to the land God has promised to their forefather Abraham.


Tell the Story

Have the storyteller/reader say, “Here is the story from God’s Word,” before telling the story to the group.


Rebuild the Story

  1. Looking specifically any verses 7-10, What did God see, hear, and feel? What did God say he would do? What did God call Moses to do?
  2. What does this story reveal to us about people?
  3. Did you see anything new in this story?
  4. Do you have any questions about anything in this story?
  5. When God gave Moses the “upper story” perspective on the Israelite captivity how did Moses respond?

Application Questions*:

  1. Has God ever asked to you to something you did not feel qualified to do? What was it? What did you do?
  2. Do you ever find that your “lower story” perspective on circumstances makes it hard to believe God’s “upper story”?

Closing

  • Choose a storyteller/reader for next week: Exodus 33:7-11; 34:10; 40:34-38; The Story pages 67, 68, 70.
  • Share prayer requests and pray for each other.


*feel free pick and choose or to add your own questions - 

more questions can be found in the back of The Story book

Chapter 3 | JOseph Forgives

THE STORY PAGES 41-42 // Genesis 50:15-21

Opening Prayer

Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide your time together.


Review Group Member Commitments (explain any as needed):

  1. We do our part to create a safe environment.
  2. We listen to each other.
  3. We commit to share our lives with one another.
  4. We direct each other to God for the solutions to our problems.
  5. We resolve conflict.

Review from Last Week

Were you able to tell last week’s story to someone this past week?

How did God use last week’s story in your life?


Hook into God’s Word

If you have brothers or sisters, share about the general temperament among your siblings while growing up in your home.


Context of the Story

Finally things started moving. Instead of waiting a lifetime for the son of the promise (like Abraham and Sarah had to), God blessed Jacob (Israel) with twelve sons. But they didn’t get along any better than Jacob and Esau did. Instead of one of them running away (like their dad), they decided to sell their annoying brother, Joseph, into slavery.


Tell the Story

Have the storyteller/reader say, “Here is the story from God’s Word,” before telling the story to the group.


Rebuild the Story

  1. What does Joseph’s statement to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good,” tell you about God?
  2. What does this story reveal to us about people?
  3. Did you see anything new in this story?
  4. Do you have any questions about anything in this story?
  5. How did Joseph’s understanding of what God was doing to save Israel in the Upper Story help him deal with what his brothers did in the Lower Story?

Application Questions*:

  1. How does Joseph’s attitude toward his brothers challenge you in some of your own difficult relationships?
  2. Joseph could have retaliated and gotten revenge on his brothers for all the wrong they had done to him. Instead, he provided for them and extended forgiveness. What makes it hard to forgive people who have intentionally wronged us? What can we do to forgive, even when it is difficult?

Closing

Choose a storyteller/reader for next week: Exodus 3:1-15; The Story pages 45-46.

Share prayer requests and pray for each other.


*feel free pick and choose or to add your own questions - 

more questions can be found in the back of The Story book

Chapter 2 | Jacob & Esau

THE STORY PAGES 22-24 // Genesis 32:3-30

Hook into God’s Word

Tell about a time God did something in your life (or the life of someone close to you) that was totally unexpected and surprising.


Context of the Story

Jacob and Esau were the twin grandsons of Abraham. In Chapter 1 of The Story, God made humans in his image, but they sinned against God and brought all sorts of evil into the world. Sin tainted everything, but God made significant promises to Adam and Eve, Noah, and then Abraham. God chose Jacob to start his new nation, Israel, but his feuding with Esau seemed to stand in the way of accomplishing God’s purposes.


Tell the Story

Have the storyteller/reader say, “Here is the story from God’s Word,” before telling the story to the group.


Rebuild the Story

  1. Because Jacob had shrewdly acquired Esau’s birthright and stolen their father’s blessing, Jacob feared his brother’s revenge. How did Jacob prepare for his meeting with Esau?
  2. What attitude did Jacob have when he wrestled with the “man” who Jacob eventually realized was actually God?
  3. What does this story reveal to us about God?
  4. Did you see anything new in this story?
  5. Do you have any questions about anything in this story?


Application Questions*:

Is there anything that you are wrestling God about? What does your wrestling look like?

Does God’s grace toward Jacob remind you of anything in your own life? Who can you extend grace to this week?


Closing

Choose a storyteller/reader for next week: ________________

Share prayer requests and pray for each other.


*feel free pick and choose or to add your own questions - 

more questions can be found in the back of The Story book