The Way of Wisdom - Discussion 2

In Pursuit of God's Supernatural Wisdom
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Joseph

Wisdom in Seeing Past The Circumstances

Pray

Pray together for the group meeting, and any pressing needs within the group.

Review

Each week you’ll spend some time reviewing the previous week’s lesson. Did anything happen last week that brought the lesson to mind, and what did you learn from it?

Watch

Watch the following discussion-starter video. It’ll set the topic of discussion for the group.

Read: Genesis 37:9-11, 26-27, and Genesis 41:25-29,33-38

  1. One person will first read the scripture selection in the King James Version.
  2. Next, another person will read the same passages in a modern language or amplified version for more clarity such as the New Living Translation (NLT), Message Bible (MSG), New English Translation (NET), Amplified Bible (AMP), etc. We recommend using the YouVersion Bible app.

Retell

  1. One person will begin retelling the scripture passage in their own words (a new person to start each week is great!) Then…
  2. As a group, work together to fill in gaps and build the story. This will help us internalize and own it. Be sure everyone participates.

Discuss

Together, share around the group how the topic and scripture setting applies to your life personally. Here are some thoughts to consider for discussion… don’t let the discussion stop here, though… what questions can you ask that will help uncover God’s message?

📚Knowledge, 💡Understanding and ⚡️Wisdom

  • When Joseph had his dreams and spoke of them to his brothers how did he describe them?
  • How did the brothers receive the truth of what he spoke?
  • 📚What attitude did Joseph have in speaking to his brothers?
  • 💡What attitude did Joseph’s brothers have in hearing?
  • ⚡️How would you feel if you were one of Josephs brothers?
  • Joseph spoke truth to his brothers at the beginning but they could not receive it. What role did Joseph’s humility play in his brothers rejecting what he said?
  • Ask the group to share: Have you ever made a “humble brag”?
  • How well was it received?
  • Is it possible to speak truth without wisdom?
  • How did Joseph do this?
  • Is it possible to speak wisdom without humility?
  • What happened when Joseph did this?
  • What are some of the ways people speak the truth without wisdom?
    [speak the truth no matter what, speak the truth only if I am cornered, speak the words that will make people like me]
  • What attitude did Joseph’s brothers have in hearing?
  • What attitude did Joseph’s father have in hearing?
  • How did Joseph end up in the land of Egypt?
  • What evidence do we have that Joseph was still trusting in God through everything?
  • When Joseph spoke to Pharaoh about his dream how did he describe the dream?
  • How did Joseph’s experience impact how he described thing to Pharaoh?
  • How did Pharaoh receive the truth and wisdom of what Joseph said?
  • If Joseph had spoken to Pharaoh like he spoke to his brothers how would things have gone?
  • What more did Joseph say to Pharaoh beyond the dream?
  • What advice did he give?
  • Joseph learned humility through his trials, he also learned something else about the perspective of the hearer. How did Joseph speak in words the Pharaoh understood instead of from Josephs own perspective?
  • If you were pharaoh what would your have thought listening to Joseph?
  • What are some of the ways people speak the truth so you would or would not want to listen?
    [A blunt person whose words are mostly about themselves, A quiet person who phrases things from your perspective, A friendly person who makes you laugh, A mean person who tells you like it is, A person who has solutions, A person who helps you think]How would the events in Joseph’s life have been different if he had spoken with humility and described things from the perspective of the hearer from the very beginning?
  • How would the events of Joseph’s life have been different if he had spoken with pride and described all the dreams from his own perspective?
  • How can speaking wisely save and preserve life? Or souls
  • This week examine how you speak truth. At the end of each day (or a couple of times a day) think back about the times you spoke truth and ask yourself your motivation for speaking. Did you take the time to know and understand the hearer and speak in terms they could relate to, humbly setting aside your own perspective, wants and desires? Ask someone you trust to give you feedback on how well you do in this area.

 

Next Week…

Jacob – Deceived by His own Lack of Curiosity- Genesis 37:29-36 and James 3:14-18