Series: Genesis                                                                        April 17, 2005

           Message: “The Disciplining Grace of God”                      Genesis 43:1-34

           

           Big Idea: Discipline is an inevitable part of life. Our response will deter- HeHH

 

 

 

 

 

 

           mine its value. We should ask what does God want to teach me? What

           do I need to learn? How can this draw me closer to God?

 

                  I.  THE DOCTRINE OF DIVINE DISCIPLINE  

 

A.     WHY does God discipline?

 

1.  RETRIBUTIVE discipline

 

                            2.  PREVENTIVE discipline

 

                            3.  INSTRUCTIVE discipline

 

B.     HOW will I respond?

 

1.  We may RESIST it, and REBELL against it, and REFUSE

                                 to change our way of life.

 

                            2.  We may ACCEPT it, and RECEIVE it, and be CHANGED

                                 by it.

 

               II.  THE PURPOSES OF DIVINE DISCIPLINE      

                                    

                     A.  God disciplines us to change our PERSPECTIVE      

 

                           1.  Jacob’s MISTAKES                               

                       

                                a.  JOSEPH is not

 

                                b.  SIMEON is not

 

                                c.  Benjamin will be NEXT

 

                                d.  EVERYTHING is against me

 

                           2.  Jacob’s PERSPECTIVE

                                                      

                                a.  He is thinking of HIMSELF

 

                                b.  He MISINTERPRETS his circumstances

 

                           3.  Jacob’s CHANGE

 

                     B.  God disciplines us to DEVELOP our character

                      

                           1.  Judah’s PAST behavior     

                

                           2.  Judah’s PRESENT outlook

                     

                     C.  God disciplines us to CONVICT us of sin

 

               

                     D.  God disciplines us to TRANSFORM us

 

             III.  APPLICATIONS

 

                    A.  LOVE and discipline go hand in hand.

 

                    B.  Love and discipline assure us of our family CONNECTION.      

 

                    C.  Love and discipline bring HEALING and WHOLENESS.

 

 

**Please be prayerful and quiet as we come to the end of our study.

Ask the Holy Spirit to bring life change in response to the Word. **