LifeGroup Questions
Sermon Title: A Leadership Faith Crisis
Sermon Passage: Gen 16:1-18:15
Sermon Big Idea:
God is faithful, powerful, and you can and should trust him. Taking matters into our own hands results in pain, sorrow, and missed opportunity. Even when we fail, God’s ultimate purpose is not thwarted. God is present and gracious and transforms hardship into hope.
Sermon Points:
God is faithful and worthy of complete trust and obedience (Gen 16:1-18:15).
Sinning to “do the right thing” is always a bad thing (Gen 16:1-6)
Failing to exercise spiritual leadership brings disaster (Gen 16:2)
God is present and gracious and transforms hardship into hope (Gen 16:7-18:12).
God loves Hagar (Gen 16:7-16)
God loves Abraham (Gen 17:1-18:8)
God blesses Ishmael (Gen 17:20-25)
God blesses and chooses Isaac (Gen 17:21)
God loves Sarah (Gen 17:15-16, 21, 18:9-15)
God is the God of the impossible (Gen 18:13-15)
Questions: (Use, modify, be selective according to the needs of your LifeGroup)
What stood out to you from the Sunday’s message or passage (Gen 16:1-18:15)?
What causes you to take matters into your own hands rather than trusting God? How do we do that in the various areas of our lives?
In this situation, Abraham failed in his leadership. Why is leadership so hard and how do we exercise and encourage godly leadership (Eph 5:25-27)?
How do leaders know when to take help and listen (Ex 4:24-26; 1 Sam 25:31; Prov 31:11-12, 26; Matt 27:19) and when not to (Gen 3:17; 16:2; Job 2:9-10)?
How does this passage put the struggle in the middle east into perspective (Gen 17:20-21; Deut 7:6-9; 9:6; 28:1, 7, 15, 20, 25)?
Consider Hagar’s response to God in Gen 16:13. What are ways you have felt God’s love and care in the midst of struggles whether you caused them or not?