12/13 "Joseph"

by

image1 (1)

Sunday’s play list via YouTube

This Week’s Bible Readings  Dec. 13-19

Texts: Matt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:38-40;  Lk. 2; Eph. 5:25-33; Lev. 20:10; Jn. 8:1-11

IN A NUTSHELL:  First century Jewish husbands were large and in charge. The women of their lives could easily have been (and often were) viewed as little more than “arrow fillers of a man’s quiver.” Joseph’s obstacles humanly speaking were huge, but in spite  of those obstacles he chose to look at the opportunities.  Marriages that put God’s purpose before their own preferences often change the course of history for their families, our churches and even our world!

CONNECTING WITH THE TEXT

  1. How might we manage ourselves in order to turn times of obstacles into times of opportunities with our spouses? Rom. 12:16-21; Pr. 15:1; Ph. 2:4; Col. 3:13; Eph. 4:26; Jas. 1:2-4
  2. What is to be the priority for husbands toward their wives and who provided the ultimate example?
  3. What was the common reaction toward women that had been unfaithful? John 8:1-11
  4. Do we see any words describing Mary’s reaction to the news of her being pregnant? (Lk. 1:39)
  5. What specifically did Joseph decide to do to settle the issue of Mary’s alleged unfaithfulness?
  6. What all can we understand about Joseph from Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels?

REFLECTING ON OUR LIVES

  1. Did you ever wonder if Jesus thought about how Joseph handled Mary as he looked upon the woman caught in adultery?
  2. Just because your spouses’ actions gives you a just reason to react negatively toward them does Christ’s example give us the right to do so?
  3. Which is better to focus on manage our own reactions or controlling our spouses?
  4. What are your “fear buttons”?  (See "Fear Cycle" below)
  5. What are your typical reactions when your “buttons are pushed”?
  6. What do you really want in your relationship?
  7. Do your typical reactions tend to promote or detract from your “wants”?

CONNECTING TO OUR CHURCH

  1. How might the church better help families in conflict?

 Online Resources:

  1. This week’s CARE Sheet
  2. Fear Cycle - fear buttons, reactions, wants assessment - Fear Cycle
  3. TLCC’s 2015 Advent Calendar
  4. Christianity: the Best Thing that Ever Happened to Women (an article)
  5. A Test of Love tract
  6. Inspired Evidence - Devotional for 2016
  7. Conflict Resolution in the Bible
  8. Timber Lake Christian Church Website
  9. Timber Lake’s past videos (Vimeo)
Uncategorizeddougdelp