Sermon Discussion

Sermon: Broken But Blessed

Text: Genesis 32:22-32

Introduction

Many times our lives seem to be a series of endless problems and struggles. However, the biggest struggle is the one we have internally with God. A God who will confront us and challenges us on “Who we are?” and “Who is in charge of us?” As we see the story of Jacob’s struggle with God, he is struggled with God to find his true identity. A identity that was given to him because he was truthful to God of his weaknesses, struggles, and sins.

Discussion Questions

1. Think back to elementary school. What did you want to be when you grew up?
2. What’s the difference between self-confidence and pride? How do you identify the difference?
3. Some say we need proper self-confidence to get things done. Is this biblical? Consider 2 Cor. 3:5-6; Phil. 4:13; John 15:5.
4. Brokenness can be a key factor in restoring strained relationships. Discuss how.
5. How do we as a community exist to remind our members of their true identity in Christ?

Moving Forward

Many of the problems we face with fall within the category of either identity or idolatry. How do we ourselves? What gives us value as a person? These are the questions that deal with identity. The other is “Who or what do we worship?” falls in the category of idolatry. The world wants us to identify ourselves by what we do and what we make of ourselves through our education, wealth, status, and relationships. In addition, we are constantly bombarded by suggestions and enticements to worship our money, our reputation, our image, and ultimately ourselves. Only through being in God’s Word and in His community are we able to be reminded and centered on God as the one who gives us our identity and the one we worship.

Meditation

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  – Galatians 3:26-28