Date: February 20, 2022
The Pitfall of Bitterness
The Point: Relationships can only move forward with forgiveness.
Get Into the Study
Use the following information to introduce Question #1.
Begin by sharing this news item:
A few months ago, The Vacationer, a travel website, conducted a survey asking people “What traditional Thanksgiving food do you dislike most?” Cranberry sauce is the most disliked Thanksgiving food with 29.2% of people saying they dislike it. The second most disliked Thanksgiving food is turkey with 28.09% of the people surveyed disliking it. (That 28.09% equates to 72 million people who say they dislike turkey!) Coming in third place of the most disliked Thanksgiving foods is the green bean casserole.
Say: Maybe the food you disliked most as a kid was on the Thanksgiving table, or maybe it was served other times of the year. Then call attention to Question #1 (What item on the dinner table did you dread as a kid?) and invite volunteers to respond.
Information for this post was gleaned from: https://www.thevacationer.com/thanksgiving-travel-survey-2021/
Study the Bible
Use the following information to introduce Question #5.
Begin by sharing this news item:
Archbishop Desmond Tutu died on December 26, 2021. Tutu is famous for his work to end apartheid, the policy of racial segregation, in South Africa. Tutu was a powerful proponent of forgiveness, believing that people and communities could be transformed where forgiveness was practiced. When apartheid ended in the early 1990s, South Africa established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and Tutu was named to chair the commission. Talking about forgiveness, Tutu one time said, “Forgiving is not forgetting; it’s actually remembering – remembering and not using your right to hit back. It’s a second chance for a new beginning. And the remembering part is particularly important. Especially if you don’t want to repeat what happened.”
Say: Desmond Tutu called forgiveness “a second chance for a new beginning.” Then call attention to Question #5 (What are some rewards that result from forgiveness?) and invite volunteers to respond.
Information for this post was gleaned from:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/30/africa/mourners-tribute-archbishop-desmond-tutu-intl/index.html
— Donna McKinney wrote these Leader Extras. Donna is retired from a career with the federal government of the United States. She is a veteran Bible study group leader living in North Carolina.
Additional Questions
Icebreaker
- What’s a fruit you could live without?
- Would you say you’re good at forgiving others?
- What’s your reaction to Joseph’s life events in this study so far?
Genesis 45:1-3
- What are some ways Joseph could have responded to his brothers?
- What can we learn about Joseph in these verses?
- Do you find it easy or difficult to express deep emotions? Explain.
Genesis 45:4-5
- What are the benefits of seeking to restore broken relationships?
- How does the gospel influence our offering of forgiveness to others who hurt us?
- What can Joseph’s example teach us about forgiveness?
Genesis 45:9-11
- What demonstrates we’ve really forgiven someone?
- After we forgive someone, what next steps can we take toward reconciliation?
- How was Joseph seeking the best for his brothers in these verses?
For Those in Your Group
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
The First Step in Restoring a Relationship
Podcast
Click here for a 20-minute podcast for both the group member and the leader.
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THE PODCAST HAS BEEN HELPFUL TO ME IN PREPARING FOR TEACHING . THANK YOU