Genesis 34-35 Discussion Guide
Sermon Date: Aug. 6, 2023
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Seek Night - Thursday, August 3rd, 6:30pm, Westview High School - childcare is not provided, but kids are welcome. Join us as we examine the character of God and worship Him together through song, spiritual gifts, and prayer.
Baptism Class - July 30 or August 6, 1:00-1:30pm, Zoom - learn what baptism is, why it matters, and how we do it here at CLB to prepare us for our Citylight Family Baptism Aug 13, 2023 @ 10am down at the Gene Leahy Mall!
Evangelism Tool - The Holy Spirit is using CLB’s google reviews to bring people in. Please consider leaving a review, as an evangelistic tool
WHY CITY GROUPS?
The point of a City Group is to help us apply God’s Word to our everyday lives through the power of the Holy Spirit, and to multiply faithful intimates of Jesus who make more disciples of Jesus. So we gather regularly to give ourselves to three basic Christian practices: sharing stories, reading the Bible, and praying.
PRAY
Ask if anyone would like to open up in prayer and ask God to bless your time together
STORY
Break the ice with a testimony..
Who has prepared their 5-7 minute story?
Who can give testimony of God’s goodness right now? (i.e. answered prayer, provision, transformation, etc.)
VISION FOR THIS DISCUSSION
We turn the corner into an ugly story that ends in redemption. In Chapter 34, Jacob’s daughter Dinah is raped, and Jacob’s sons get revenge through murdering all of the men in that town. In Chapter 35, Jacob corrects his family, instructs them to give up their pagan idols, and he leads them back to Bethel, where God will meet him again with grace.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PASSAGE
Use the OIA (Observation, Interpretation, Application) tool to read, study, and use Scripture to grow in knowing and following God.
OBSERVATION
Take time to read the passage and make observations.
Any repeated words, phrases?
Any comparison/contrast between characters, topics, passages/stories?
Specific characters—named or unnamed?
Any connecting words/phrases to bridge verses, stories, or ideas?
(“therefore..”, “however..”, “In the same way..”)
INTERPRETATION
-What?
What does Jacob instruct his family to do after his sons take revenge?
What are all the things that happen between God and Jacob at Bethel?
What have you noticed about Jacob now vs when we first met him in Genesis?
-Why?
Why does Jacob bury his family’s pagan idols?
Why do you think Jacob named the place Bethel? Why was that a meaningful name to Jacob?
Why do you think God chose to reveal Himself specifically as “El-Shaddai” to Jacob? Why did Jacob need to hear that name of God specifically?
Why do you think Jacob seems quicker and more eager to obey God?
-So what? (So what does God want me to do about it?)
So what is God telling you to bury and leave in the past? (past failures, memories, bitterness, greed, worry, specific sin behavior, etc.)
God revealed one of His titles to Jacob to encourage him. So what specific name/title/character attribute of God do you think He wants to encourage you with right now? (feel free to open your Bibles or look up online the different names/titles of God)
So what spaces in our lives are we making in order for Him to speak to us like He did with Jacob?
APPLICATION
-Inward Application (for myself)
Head—What are the biggest hurdles to becoming quicker and more eager to obey God?
Heart—How is the Holy Spirit trying to purify your desires? Is there anything you find yourself wanting so much that you’re even willing to sin to get it? (attention, credit, praise, popularity, money, security, etc.)
Hands—How is the Holy Spirit trying to cleanse you of that? What is He saying to we should desire instead? (take time to open Bibles or look up online different verses that speak into those wrong desires)
-Outward Application (for others around me)
Head—What biblical counsel would you give to someone who is struggling with burying things in their past?
Heart—What questions would you ask someone who seem addicted to their sin and don’t want to give up their idols?
Hands—Jacob had to lovingly correct his family for their best interests. Who is God telling you to move towards and help, maybe even through difficult, but loving correction? How would God have you go about it in order to best communicate your love for them?
PRAYER
Feel free to ask the group for any pressing prayer requests that would be good to pray over together.
Use the TACOS acronym to let the text you studied pray for you:
Thanksgiving - “Father, thank you…”
Adoration - “Father, You are…”
Confession - “Father, I confess…”
Others - “Father, I pray for…”
Self - “Father, please help me…”
*If size or group dynamics seem to hinder prayer, consider dividing into groups of men/women or groups of 3-4 to reduce barriers to praying out loud.