CURRENT MESSAGE SERIES
"Justice For All"
Have you ever been hurt so badly by someone that you desperately wanted revenge? When we’re treated cruelly or unfairly, it’s natural to want justice. But what does “justice” really mean? Is it only about handing out consequences and punishment to the people who have wronged us? Or could it be about something more? How do we balance forgiveness and grace with truth and consequences? There’s someone in the Old Testament of the Bible whose life has a lot to teach us about justice. In this 4-week series, the story of Joseph will help us see that justice is love in action and that, when we’re wronged by others, we can hold on to hope, trust that integrity can withstand injustice, and learn to practice justice that restores what’s broken.
Here Are Our Key Takeaways or BIG POINTS For Each Week:
Some Great Discussion Questions
These questions can be used as a family devotion after dinner or even discussion questions during dinner, before school, or used on your own. Connecting as a family through what we are learning at youth group will put our parents at the forefront of their spiritual formation and help reinforce what's being learned. We are so thankful for our amazing parents!!
Week 1 Discussion Questions
THE BIBLE Genesis 37:1-11; I Corinthians 13:1-7
• What’s your favorite fictional love story and why?
• Who is someone who makes you feel loved? How do they make you feel that way?
• In Joseph’s family, who hurt who and how?
• Re-read I Corinthians 13:1-7. Using the key words in this passage, in what ways do you sometimes struggle to show love at home? In your friendships? To people you don’t know?
• What obstacles might you face when trying to love those people with your actions?
• This week, where do you want to put more love into action: at home, in your friendships, or in the world? How will you do that?
Week 2 Discussion Questions
• What’s your best quality? It’s okay to brag!
• Be honest — are you someone who tends to brag? Besides bragging, what are some other things pride makes people do?
• What are some reasons a person might attract “haters”?
• Between Joseph and his brothers, do you think there are any clear heroes or villains in this story? Why or why not?
• What are some of the ways you’ve seen people be cruel to each other? Why do you think people treat each other cruelly?
• Have you treated anyone cruelly recently? Have you been treated cruelly recently? Talk about it, if you want.
• Read Romans 8:38-39. How does Jesus’ love help us remain hopeful when we’re experiencing cruelty from others? How might Jesus’ love motivate us to stop treating each other cruelly?
• This week, which do you need to do: stop treating someone cruelly or hold onto hope because of someone else’s cruelty? How will you do that?
Week 3 Discussion Questions
THE BIBLE Genesis 39:1-23; Psalm 1:1-3; I Peter 3:15-17
• What’s the dumbest lie you’ve ever told?
• Have you ever been accused of lying when you were telling the truth? What was that like?
• In your own words, what is “integrity”?
• Share two examples from your life: once when you practiced integrity and once when you didn’t.
• Read I Peter 3:15-17. What does this passage teach us about integrity?
• What’s one area of your life where you need to develop more integrity? This week, how will you do that?
Week 4 Discussion Questions
THE BIBLE Genesis 45:1-8, 50:15-20; Luke 6:27-38; Romans 12:17-21
• What’s the weirdest reason you’ve ever had to ask someone for forgiveness?
• How would you define “forgiveness?”
• If you were in Joseph’s shoes, how would you have responded to your family?
• How is God’s version of justice different from revenge?
• Read Romans 12:17-21. Which part of this passage is most difficult for you to follow? Why?
• This week, which do you need to do: ask someone for forgiveness or take a step toward forgiving someone? How will you do that?
Did you enjoy these questions? Please let Pastor Mark know! Send a text 7406449634 and we will continue to provide them!
Parent Resource
"Sacred Parenting"
by Gary Thomas
Parenting is a school for spiritual formation, says author Gary Thomas, and our children are our teachers. The journey of caring for, rearing, training, and loving our children profoundly alters us forever…even when the journey is sometimes a rough one.
Sacred Parenting is unlike any other parenting book on the market. This is not a “how-to” book that teaches readers the ways to discipline their kids or help them achieve their full potential. Instead of a discussion about how parents change their children, Sacred Parenting turns the tables and demonstrates how God uses children to change their parents.
Stepping beyond the overly-tilled soil of method books, parents can learn a whole new side of parenting. They’ll be encouraged by stories that tell how other parents handled the challenges and difficulties of being a parent – and how their children transformed their relationship with God.
The lessons the author writes about are timeless. But in this edition, Thomas adds in some additional insights and stories that he’s learned and lived over the past fifteen years of his own parenting. Gary has found that the lessons have remained much the same but there are new applications for the readers in this generation who are just now coming to his book.