Experience God For A Lifetime

Bible Passage: Genesis 37; 50 Joseph’s Mean Brothers and What God Meant to Do

Big Idea: God works all things according to his perfect plan.

Story Preview:

Jacob, from last month, had twelve sons. Joseph was the firstborn son of his beautiful wife, Rachel- so his father favored him, even though he had many other sons from his wife, Leah. Jacob’s favorite son quickly became the least favorite brother. His eleven brothers hated him. And after Joseph told them about the dreams that he had about them bowing down before him, they really hated him. What the brothers did next was terrible. And although really bad things happened in Joseph’s life God was with him. God had a plan for him, and through that plan he would actually save even his cruel brothers.

Watch the story here

Gospel Connection:

In Genesis 50:20, Joseph gave a great summary of his story: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” That verse is also a perfect summary of the story of Jesus. Evil happened to Jesus too, He was rejected, beaten, mocked, and even killed. As when that happened, it sure looked like evil had won. But Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered sin and evil. He crushed the snake! He took what the world meant for evil and brought about the greatest good. Our salvation!

Discussion Questions:

• Question: What does this story teach us about God? OR What did God do in the story?
  • God works all things together to take care of his people, even the bad things! 
• Question: How does that remind you of the story of Jesus?
  • God took the worst thing, Jesus dying on the cross, and made it the very best thing that’s ever happened! Because Jesus died and rose again, we get to have eternal life with Jesus when we believe He is our Savior!

Big Takeaway:

Even when bad things happen, God turns it around for good. He does that for us, because He loves us, and He does that for His glory, because He is so great! There’s nothing bad that could even happen that God won’t use for our good and His glory. Even when humans messed everything up in the garden (that was really bad) God made a way to turn it for our good. Because now we get to experience God’s grace and love through Jesus!

Prayer:

"God, Thank you for working all things according to your perfect plan. Help us to trust your perfect plan, even when things seem bad. We can look at the cross and your victory over death when we are afraid and remember that you are in control and you will rescue us! In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."

Bible Passage: The Story of Moses

Big Idea: God raises up a leader to deliver His people.

Story Preview:

The story of Joseph from last week had a happy ending. But when Joseph was old, he died, and that was sad. Because without Joseph, the people in Egypt forgot about the ways they said they would protect and take care of Joseph’s people. And they had gotten real big! Israel’s next generation had lots and lots of children (Remember, God said Abraham and Jacob’s families would get really big). But the new King of Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph, made God’s people slaves. They were slaves for over 400 years. So just when things seemed happy… it seemed they were turning for the worst. But every story we’ve learned about has had one thing in common: God has a plan for His people. Today, we’ll learn about how God is going to continue His plan to save His people.

Watch the story here

Gospel Connection:

When Jesus came to earth, He sometimes called himself “I AM.” (The same words God used when He was talking to Moses!) Jesus told the religious leaders of His day (who were kind of like the bad guys in Egypt) "Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58). Jesus existed before Abraham because He has always existed, and He will exist forever! And He always has and always will deliver His people. Just as God called Moses to deliver Israel from their slavery in Egypt, God sent Jesus to deliver sinners from their sins. When we keep on sinning without God’s grace, it’s kind of like being stuck in slavery. We need someone to save us from it! We need Jesus!

Discussion Questions:

• Question: What does this story teach us about God? OR What did God do in the story?
  • God sent Moses to save His people. God always makes a way for His people to be taken care of.
• Question: How does that remind you of the story of Jesus?
  • Just like God sent Moses to help save Israel, God sent Jesus to help save us! Jesus saves us once and for all. There is no greater rescuer and no one else ever needed but Jesus to rescue God’s people.

Big Takeaway:

God will always deliver His people. From the very beginning of the bible with Adam and Eve, to the story of Moses, and even today. God has never failed to save His people, and we can trust that through Jesus He delivers us once and for all too!

Prayer:

"Lord, Thank you for sending the greatest and most powerful deliverer, Jesus, The Great “I Am” to save us. You hear our cries when we are in need, you care about our troubles, and you save us. In Jesus Name We pray, Amen."

Bible Passage: Exodus 4-15: God Parts the Sea

Big Idea: God saves His people, even when it seems impossible.

Story Preview:

God saw Israel’s suffering, and He came up with a plan to save them. Remember the burning bush (that wasn’t burning up)? Remember when our always-and-forever God called Himself “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14)? This God said to Moses: “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have come to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of Egypt into a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Exodus 3:6-8). God always keeps His promises. Today, we’ll learn the story of the exciting rescue out of Egypt God promised His people.

Watch the story here

Gospel Connection:

Have you noticed a pattern in how God works? Trouble before triumph. Suffering before salvation. Danger before deliverance. Bad before great good! The story of our rescue through Jesus is no different. His people turned away from Him and left Him, He was arrested, He was sentenced to die. He was mocked and spit on, slapped, and finally crucified on a cross. Trouble. Suffering. Danger. But the story wasn’t over. Next comes victory, salvation, deliverance! Jesus rose from the dead! He beat death. Jesus saves everyone who believes in Him. And He will return to deliver us from trouble, suffering, and danger once and for all when we come back to make all things new!

Discussion Questions:

• Question: What does this story teach us about God? OR What did God do in the story?
  • God saved His people, when it seemed impossible! God saves us! 
• Question: How does that remind you of the story of Jesus?
  • Even though there seemed no way for us to be made right with God again because of our sin, God made a way for us to be saved through Jesus. And even when it seemed the worst had happened (Jesus had died) and the story was over, Jesus rose again!

Big Takeaway:

Nothing is impossible with God! He is in control of all things and He always makes a way to rescue His people. He has rescued us from the danger of our sin that once seemed impossible to overcome through Jesus!

Prayer:

"God, We praise you for delivering us and setting us free through Jesus. Nothing is impossible with you! In Jesus Name we pray, Amen."

Bible Passage: Exodus 19-20: The Ten Commandments

Big Idea: God gives us his good rules so we can live free lives that reflect him.

Story Preview:

Remember when God passed over houses with the lamb’s blood on their doorposts? Remember when He opened and closed the Red Sea when the Israelites were leaving? God commanded His people to remember their rescue from Egypt. Once a year the Israelites had a feast called “Passover” to celebrate what God had done in saving them from slavery and death in Egypt. But the command to remember wasn’t the only good command God gave. In Exodus 20, God gave His people 10 commandments. These ten rules show God’s people what it means to love God and love people.They are good rules that free us to serve our good and gracious God. The Israelites had been set free from their slavery in Egypt, but God wanted them to keep living free by following His commands.

Watch the story here

Gospel Connection:

God didn’t give the 10 commandments and then save Israel. First He saved Israel, then he gave them the 10 commandments. The same order is true today. God doesn’t tell us to be good so that He can save us. He doesn’t tell us to follow His rules so we can be saved. Instead, He saves us first, as a gift. Because of God’s great love, Jesus came into the world to save us from the power of the devil and forgive all our sins. But Jesus saves us for a reason: to be a special people who love God and love others. God’s commands help us to do that!

Discussion Questions:

• Question: What does this story teach us about God? OR What did God do in the story?
  • God gave commands to His people to help them because He loves them. God gives us freedom when we trust Him. 
• Question: How does that remind you of the story of Jesus?
  • We are free from the punishment of our sin when we believe in Jesus. But Jesus also called us to follow Him because He knows His commands and His way helps us to live lives that are good.

Big Takeaway:

God loves us so much that He doesn’t want us to live lives that hurt ourselves and others. He gives us commands because He knows the best way to live. Living this way doesn’t save us, only Jesus saves us. But when we believe in Jesus, God wants us to live lives that show the world that we have been saved by God!

Prayer:

"Dear God, thank you for your Word. Thank you for showing us the right way to live because you care about us. Help us to walk in your ways. Thank you for saving us and helping us to live in freedom. For your glory and for our good. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen."