Joseph Lesson 6: The Goading of a Guilty Conscience

Apr 12, 2021 | Joseph

Quest Men’s Bible Study  | April 14, 2021  |  Genesis 42

KEY TRUTH: Time does not heal the guilt of sin. The best thing to do is to confess our sin and receive God’s forgiveness.

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Join us at 7:00 am in the Parlor at The Shepherd’s Church. (Come a little early for coffee and a light breakfast.)
  • Do you have a health risk related to COVID-19? You can participate via Zoom using THIS LINK.
  • Immediately following the large group, we break into discussion / prayer groups. If you are not yet in a group, contact Scott Wylie. 
Outline and Discussion Questions:

Introduction 

Outline

  1. The Command of Jacob (42:1-2)
  2. The Contact of the Brothers with Joseph (42:3-17)
  3. The Condition Presented by Joseph (42:18-20)
  4. The Contrition of the Brothers (42:21-24)
  5. The Concern of the Brothers (42:25-28)
  6. The Climax of the Brothers’ Return Home (42:29-38)

Implications

People often fail to carry through their purposes, but not God. He carries out whatever His will decrees, even though at times He may act slowly.

  • QUESTION: How is God’s sovereign plan on display in this chapter? Read Genesis 42:36 and 38. What is Jacob’s perception of God’s plan for his life so far? How does Jacob’s perspective line up with Paul’s perspective in Romans 8:28?

God gave us a conscience, and it’s designed to be a powerful influence in how we respond to sin. Time doesn’t heal the guilt of sin, but time can harden the conscience of an unrepentant person.

  • QUESTION: As we see these brothers come face to face with their sin and guilt, what lessons are there for us? Has God used difficult circumstances to make you more clearly aware of your sin and your need for repentance? When have you felt the conviction over your sin most deeply? What happens when men suppress and ignore their sin? What are some biblical principles for how men should deal with their sin?

It’s not enough to simply be sorry for our sin. We’re often only sorry that we were caught! We need to repent of our sin.

  • QUESTION: Read matthew 3:7-8. What does John mean when he warns the Pharisees to “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance?” What is repentance, and what is the fruit of repentance?