Breaking Ground
Did you play any sports growing up? If so, which ones? If not, what kind of extracurriculars did you do instead?
The Dig
This Sunday, we continued our series Covenantal by exploring the story of Jacob.
Despite being Abraham’s descendant, Jacob spends the majority of his early life making choices that directly undermine the purposes & character that God calls His People to. This leads the reader of Genesis to naturally wonder if God’s desire to reshape Abraham’s family into a unique conduit of His divine rescue mission is completely derailed. However, Jacob eventually decides to return home to reconcile with the brother he’d harmed &, along the way, he has an encounter with God that leads him to finally embrace his Covenantal calling.
With this in mind, read Genesis 32:22-32.
What stands out to you the most about this encounter? What do you make of the stranger, more mysterious elements within it?
Why does God change Jacob’s name as a result of this experience? What do you think this represents about Jacob’s identity before & after this experience?
Why do you think Jacob had to wrestle with God in order to finally surrender to God’s purposes for his life? What do you think Jacob’s wound represents as part of this life-changing encounter?
Reflect upon how this story might speak to your own experiences of struggle, wrestling, & life change.
Where have you experienced some form of “wrestling” with God, faith, spirituality, or your purpose in this world? What prompted that wrestling? How did that experience reshape your beliefs, identity, & purpose?
Ultimately, true experiences of life change are always painful to some degree. What “limp” did your experience of wrestling leave you with? How has that helped you better reflect God’s character & become a conduit of blessing to others (if it has)?
Where do you need to continue to wrestle in this season? What sort of positive change might doing so produce for you & those around you?
Getting Out of the Hole
Take time each week to reflect upon the Covenant explored in the Sunday sermon.
- Read Genesis 32:22-32. What stands out to you about Jacob’s story of wrestling with God?
- What has to happen to Jacob in order for him to be changed by God? Why do you think that is?
- Why do we so often need something outside of ourselves or our control in order to change in deep ways? Why is this often so painful?
- How does God redeem Jacob’s experience of wrestling & surrender into a conduit of blessing for the world? How might that help you reframe your own experiences of wrestling?
Journal about how this prayer practice makes you feel this week. Share your experience with your group next week.
Additional Resources*
Centered Set Church by Mark D. Baker
Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
TheBibleProject.com
Coming Up This Week:*
October 12th: Join us next Sunday as we continue our series Covenantal!
* Please see mye3.org for details.