MAY 19
THE ONE WHERE I HEAL
When we truly trust Jesus, He often chooses to heal us in the context of community- our friends.
Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- At Gateway we believe that everyone in the family of God needs to Belong, Grow, Heal, and Serve. In what areas have you stepped in and engaged in each of these 4 categories and where have you held back?
- Read Genesis 50:15-21.
Make some observations about this passage (What does the text say?):
- What do you notice and what are you curious about?
Make some interpretations (What does the passage mean?)
- What do you learn about humanity?
- What do you learn about God?
- What do you see as the design of what life was supposed to be?
Now make some applications (what’s my response?)
- How are you encouraged, challenged, or convicted by this passage?
- What should be our response to this passage?
- Where have we missed living in what God designed for us?
3. Read Ephesians 4:29-32. Do you carry a spirit of forgiveness or a spirit of offense. Think of a recent example that gives evidence to where your heart is.
4. In the message you heard that God desires to heal our relational wounds, God heals in the context of family, and God heals by extending grace. Which of these three have you experienced in your walk with God? What did that look like?
KEY SCRIPTURE
Genesis 50:15-21 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge? Then he will surely repay us for all the evil that we did to him.” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, your father commanded, ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I beg you, please forgive the transgression and sin of your brothers, for they did you wrong.’ So now, Joseph, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!” But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people. Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.
Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
PRAYER
Because we are humans, we will at some point hurt one another. The question is do you have awareness of the affects of your actions on others AND what do you do when you realize that you’ve hurt someone. There are two kinds of sorrow. The first is worldly sorrow and second is Godly sorrow. Worldly sorrow focuses on regret over the consequences and says, “I’m sorry because I got caught!” Its regret over the consequences not the hurt you caused. Godly sorrow focuses on owning up to the sin in yourself that leads to this situation and how to repair the damage. It says, “ I’m sorry for who I was in that situation and that my actions hurt you and our relationship.”
Think about the past 4-8 weeks. Have there been any instances where you have caused relational hurt and you need to return to repair the relationship with that other person using Godly sorrow. Spend time praying and asking God to bring anything to mind and give you wisdom of how to approach the other person.
PRACTICE
Healing is in the family of God because we’ve Encountered the risen Jesus (he came to earth, lived a perfect life experiencing pain and suffering yet without sin, died the death we owed for our rebellion, rose from the dead defeating death, and ascended back to heave where we will follow one day). This week, take some time to ask the question: have I truly encountered Jesus and am I letting Him lead me?
a. Do I acknowledge where I fall short and am in need of Jesus? What does that look like day to day for you? Where are you holding back?
b. Do I have a strong desire to know Him more (read the bible, pray, learn from others)? How am I living this out?
c. Am I being changed or does my life look the same? Ask God to show you specific examples, and if you’re stuck ask the community around you (or staff at your campus) to help you with a next step.
d. I CANNOT help but share his goodness with others? If this isn’t true of you, what holds you back and how can you surrender that to God?
GATEWAY SURVEY
In order to better understand how we can serve you at Gateway, every two years we take 5 minutes to do a church-wide survey. We use the results to speak into our topics for teaching, groups and classes we offer, and even what we do to serve kids and students. If you have not already in one of our Inspire services, please head to gatewaychurch.com/connect to participate in the anonymous survey. In the coming months we’ll be sharing some of those findings with you so you can learn more about who is at Gateway. Thank you!
FOR THE PARENTS
Hey, families! Here’s a look at what we’re covering with your kids so you can help them continue to grow at home during the week.
THIS WEEK
This week we learned that Jesus took a boy’s lunch and blessed 5,000 people with it. He can do the same thing with us!
THE BIBLE: “All the people were amazed. They praised God and said, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2:12
THE MESSAGE:
The 5,000 people who were hungry that day didn’t know where their food was going to come from. The disciples even asked, “How are we going to feed these people?” Jesus answered all of them with one boy’s lunch. This miracle shows us that God can give us exactly what we need—and he can do it from places we don’t even expect. That’s why we trust God to provide.
THE BIG IDEA: God still works miracles today!
ASK THIS
Because sometimes you and your kid need a conversation-starter that isn’t,
“So . . . how was church?”
- From this event, what did you learn about Jesus? How can you trust in Jesus more?
REMEMBER THIS
God often works in ways for us to realize that only He can provide for our deepest needs and hungers. He wants us to know that He will provide even when it may not seem possible to us, and that He may also want to involve us (our time, our abilities, and so on) in the process. Are you aware, in this moment, how much you rely on God? That He is the ultimate provider of your food, your water, your shelter, even the air you breathe as you read these words? Praise God for the needs He meets and the unseen miracles He performs for us each day!
NEXT WEEK
Next week we learn about how the disciples found themselves in the middle of a storm while they were at sea and help came for them in the most unusual way.