Life Groups Week of February 7, 2010 – Genesis 32:22-32 – “Jacob Wrestles with God”

(Pastor Dan will be preaching from this passage on Sunday, February 14^th.)

* Please note that a good number of questions are provided below for you to choose from as you lead the group in learning and discussion.  Feel very free to pursue different angles the Holy Spirit provides you as you prepare!

WELCOME

COFFEE / FELLOWSHIP TIME

TRANSITION TO GROUP SHARING

Bridge to the story with this transition:  Pastor Dan will continue with the series entitled, I AM the God of Jacob” in the book of Genesis.  Tonight we pick things up in Genesis 32:22-32 – “Jacob Wrestles with God”

OPEN - ING QUESTION(S):  You might try asking a few questions prior to the story to prime people’s imaginations:

When you were a kid, did you have an older sibling who would torture you until you said
“Uncle” or something similar?  Were you the torturing older sibling? J

Do you know the meaning of your name?  Do you have a second name you go by?

Can you think of different people in the Bible who had name changes?

TELL THE STORY: Genesis 32:22-32 – “Jacob Wrestles with God”

Open your Bible to Genesis 32:22-32 – holding it open in your lap.  This indicates that it is God’s story, not just your own.  Tell the story - “Jacob Wrestles with God”

RE-BUILD THE STORY FROM SCRIPTURE – Genesis 32:22-32 – “Jacob Wrestles with God”

Have the group members open their Bibles and re-tell the story chronologically using the scripture.  Look for key points that might have been left out or details that might not have been correct.  You might facilitate this by asking questions such as, Where was Jacob heading?  Who are the characters in the story?  What details unfold in the story?

DIG – INTO THE PASSAGE QUESTIONS

These questions are designed to help people wrestle with the story and the lessons that God has for us: 

What event is looming for Jacob?  What emotions do think he’s feeling?

Why do you suppose Jacob sought to be alone on the eve of his meeting with Esau?

Why was the man wrestling with Jacob?  Was he trying over-power him?  Was he seeking to rob Jacob?

Who is wrestling with Jacob?

What might God be trying to teach Jacob by wrestling with him?

Why would this method succeed while others might have failed?

Who won the wrestling match?

Why did Jacob want a blessing from the man?

What is significant about Jacob’s name change?

Why would God name his people “the children of Israel”, rather than “the children of Abraham” or “the children of Isaac”?

What’s going on with Jacob’s hip?

REFLECTION - QUESTIONS

These questions are intended to help develop deeper discussions about how the story applies to our personal lives.

With what are you currently wrestling?

-       Other people?

-       God?

-       Spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:12)

Are you winning, losing, or limping along?

If God were to change your name, what might it be?

Have you wrestled long enough in prayer to say to God, “I’m not going to let you go until you bless me?”

Has wrestling with God left you with a limp?

How does being broken by God make us more useful to Him?

PRAYER TIME – Based on tonight’s discussion, how might the group wrestle with you in prayer?

FOCUS ON SERVICE – As you begin to think about a next service project, begin to pray that God would bring about an opportunity that fits the personality of your group and springs from natural relationships you have with people in the community. 

WRAP UP/DISMISSAL