june 2013
celloutlines | overview
Do you feel blessed? Jacob did. In fact, blessing was a part of his family tradition! His father Isaac and grandfather Abraham knew God’s blessing. Jacob was symbolically blessed several times throughout his long life, and went on to give specific blessings to his own children who would become the 12 tribes of Israel. It could be said that he chased blessing throughout his entire life, initially even being willing to encourage a blessing inappropriately. Despite being blessed, Jacob did not have an easy life. He had a great many choices to make of significant consequence. This month’s cell notes will help young people wrestle through the decision-making process, and help equip them with tools for life. We will look at the relationship between the decisions we make and our ability to feel God’s blessing.
Theme: As children of the 90’s, your cell group will no doubt associate film director Danny Boyle with the Olympic Opening Ceremony, or the movie Slumdog Millionaire. Unless they have older siblings, they may not be familiar with his earlier work. A long time ago in a galaxy far away, in the 90’s, the movie Trainspotting and its accompanying iconic theme tune ‘Choose Life’ made him a world-famous success. Boyle is known for making gritty, sometimes tough to watch movies, and this early movie edition played a big part in setting that foundation. In some ways, it is a good thing our young people will most likely have not seen this graphic tale, as sadly it is not a model for making good choices. (Spoiler Alert!) The movie was about a group of young people who were trying their best to navigate life in Edinburgh, whilst feeling that at any given time everything was against them. Feeling that somehow, the choices they wanted to make to fully embrace and enjoy life were being hampered by powerful forces beyond their control. The fairly amoral but mostly likeable group end up engaging in alcohol, hard drugs (heroin) and a raft of other dangerous and illegal activities as a form of escapism, to somehow make life feel a little bit more real. Sadly, there are some horrific consequences along the way that scar certain characters for the rest of their lives.
celloutlines
As mentioned, this movie was accompanied by a brilliant soundtrack that was probably equally as famous as the movie, and captured the mood of the nation. Whilst there are far too many expletives in it to print word for word here, the title and general theme of the track was ‘Choose Life’. For the theme this month, we are more interested in this theme than in the movie. ‘Choose Life’ cleverly listed lots of things that we as individuals are encouraged to choose by society, to somehow make life that little bit more liveable. It contains products and lifestyles that promise to make us more loveable, and yet as the verses progress the song reveals that the items do not live up to the hype. Instead of fulfilment, we slowly ‘rot away, watching mind-numbing gameshows and inevitably becoming an embarrassment to those around us’. Quite a bleak picture, but that is how the main characters of Trainspotting viewed the world. Scholars and movie geeks worldwide have picked up on this theme of ‘decision makers as consumers’, writing essays on other silver screen classics such as Fight Club, the Matrix trilogy and even The Simpsons and Harry Potter movies, as examples of the joys and pitfalls that await us as we attempt to choose a fulfilling life. Through the coming month’s cell material, we will play games, discuss big topics and worship the God who blesses us: the God who designed our lives to be filled to the brim with love and delight; the God who is with us in our decision making; the God who wants us to truly choose life. We will also employ some tangible tools from the world of youthwork and mentoring to help young people make and live with their choices – seeking help from appropriate agents where necessary. And it is worth noting continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | overview (continued...) that, as the young people begin to digest the material and think about decisions they have made or will make, this may bring up emotional feelings and questions that may be directed to you, the leader. It is worth thinking ahead of time how you might support them through tough decisions, and also where you yourself might find support. So let’s begin our month of June, following one of the founding leaders of the faith – Jacob. Let’s consider key decision points in his life and reflect on the influences and consequences of his decisions that have impacted the nation of Israel and Christianity right through to today. Central to Jacob’s story is the idea of God’s blessing. We will reflect on Jacob’s triumphs and failures and consider how we can learn lessons from a man who featured in the book of Genesis when we face the contemporary decisions of 2013. Let’s be blessed!
Resources required in addition to the usual Bible, pens and paper etc: Week 1: Markers, large paper, Post-it Notes, YouTube or other access to worship song. Week 2: Chocolate in wrappers (Celebrations, Heroes etc), string, markers, A5 card, paper. Week 3: Large paper, YouTube or other access to worship song. Week 4: Video camera/phone.
celloutlines
*Don’t forget, you can take pictures of any of the exercises you do as a group and send them to the ALOVE Facebook page!
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week one These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources
Decisions, Decisions Welcome Over the coming month we will be exploring some of the tough decisions we make as young people who are trying hard to live by faith in a way that is pleasing to God. We will also look at what goes on when we make decisions, and how each individual might process things differently. We recognise that this is a vital time of life, where there are all manner of decisions to be made, affecting the short to long term. Decisions such as: What to eat What to wear Who to spend time with What subjects to study When to study or when to play What music to enjoy What TV shows to watch Where to surf Healthy food or kebabs? Which sport to play Sunday football or church?
celloutlines
What cause to support Which celeb to follow Who to ‘add as friends’, and who needs ‘unfriending’ on Facebook Task 1: On large sheet of paper, as a group continue to add decisions to the list above. Feel free to cross out any of the items you do not believe should be there, or make changes. Task 2: Split into pairs, and decide between the following statements: Eat 25 burgers in one day, or eat 1 burger each day for 25 days? Have three strands of spaghetti hanging from each ear, or, have two little legs on your chin? Be Superman or Batman / Supergirl or Batgirl? Listen to every song ever featured on the hit TV show Glee, or listen to every hit song your parents ever liked? Wear clothes fashioned from nature, or have your friends decide what you will wear each day? To help us on our cell note journey, we will consider the life of a man who lived well over 3,000 years ago at the very formation of the Hebrew people. Jacob (son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham) lived the life of a shepherd. continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week one (continued...) He was born a twin, and would later trick his brother and his father into offering him both an inheritance and a blessing that would shape entire nations. He would also work on his own character, wrestling with God and eventually becoming the man worthy of the name Israel. We can learn a great deal from this real-life leader.
Fun Activity 2: 1. Sit in a group circle. 2. Hand out two or three small scraps/pieces of paper to each person. 3. Each person should write a positive adjective (descriptive word) on the scraps of paper. Be adventurous. Examples from other youth groups have included: Fantastic
Scrumptious
Amazing
Lush
Charming
Tinky (the words can be made up, mashed up, or obscure)
Splendid
4. Move around the circle; have the leader ask each person to read out one word in turn. 5. The leader is to add the adjectives into the spaces below in order, completing the letter, without showing the rest of the group the template. 6. Go around the circle until 12 words have been offered and written down, and then have the leader read the letter to the rest of the group.
Cell group letter to friends and family: Dear Friends and Family, We just thought we’d write you a letter from cell group because you are so _______ and we love you. We thought you might like to know what we get up to each week.
celloutlines
We arrive _______ and early. It smells a bit _______ and on first impression it’s¬ always¬ _______. Our leader is _________, always well prepared and knowledgeable. Occasionally there is food, and it tastes so _________ – it would be too much to expect it every week! We do study the _______ ALOVE material each time, though, and find it ________. We are feeling blessed today! We are feeling blessed today to be a part of cell group. It is ________. We don’t always individually feel blessed, as it can be tough being a young person. In fact, even recently some of us have felt particularly low. But we’re praying, and other people pray for us, and this month we will be looking at Jacob from Genesis and how he found blessing whilst making tough decisions. So now it’s all __________ and ________. We know God has exciting dreams and plans for our ________ lives, and whilst it won’t always be easy, we know we’ll be OK because we have friends around us and a God who cares for us. Best wishes, Cell group 7. *Extension Activity – Continue the letter with fresh paragraphs, or swap the words around to your favourite combination if you wish.
continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week one (continued...) Word Task 2: Read Genesis 25:19-34 and Hebrews 12:16b-17. There are three parts to the Genesis verses: the pregnancy prophecy of Rebekkah, the birth and naming of the twins Esau and Isaac, and the stealing/giving of the elder son birthright. The passage in Hebrews helps us understand how God might view Esau’s giving up of the birthright. What do you make of each story? Both sons were given names that would reflect their characters in later life. What word or name would you like to have to reflect who you are as a person? Why was Esau giving his birthright to Isaac such a big deal? What was the birthright anyway? How does the relationship of the twins reflect relationships you might have to brothers or sisters? Whilst we may not approach birthrights in quite the same way here in the modern UK, what dynamics do you see in terms of the relationships within your own families? Do some siblings feel more heard than others? Do you agree with Jacob’s offer of soup for the sale of birthright?
Time for Prayer Take some time to pray over the passages you have read today. Pray for any siblings in your group or at church, that they will be able to be there for each other in the kind of relationships God would want for each family.
Worship Below are the lyrics to Matt Redman’s brilliant worship song ‘Never Once’. Download the track, or search for a live version on YouTube such as www.youtube.com/watch?v=722zPX1npc A&playnext=1&list=PLV7_ReHOTpxzJoTYQal9ClzDTVeQnHmsF Print out the lyrics for those who would like them.
celloutlines
Listen to the track together prayerfully.
‘Never Once’ [You’ll need to cite the copyright details at the end (I’ve put that in) and say ‘reproduced by permission’, assuming you’ve got it!]
continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week one (continued...) Standing on this mountaintop Looking just how far we’ve come Knowing that for every step You were with us
Never once did we ever walk alone Never once did you leave us on our own You are faithful, God, you are faithful You are faithful, God, you are faithful
Kneeling on this battle ground Seeing just how much you’ve done Knowing every victory Is your power in us
Scars and struggles on the way But with joy our hearts can say Never once did we ever walk alone Carried by your constant grace Held within your perfect peace Never once, no, we never walk alone
Scars and struggles on the way But with joy our hearts can say Yes, our hearts can say Never once did we ever walk alone Never once did you leave us on our own You are faithful, God, you are faithful
Never once did we ever walk alone Never once did you leave us on our own You are faithful, God, you are faithful Every step we are breathing in your grace Evermore we’ll be breathing out your praise You are faithful, God, you are faithful You are faithful, God, you are faithful
Matt Redman, Jason Ingram and Tim Wanstall, © 2011 ThankYou Music
Task 3: Discuss: What does this song say to you about God’s role in our decision making? How does this level of interaction from God affect our free will? What are your favourite lyric lines? Why?
celloutlines
(More worship/) Witness As well as praying for friends, sometimes we are called to get stuck in to messy situations, to try and be as supportive as we can. But do you ever get confused by the decisions your friends and family make? We are all completely unique, and the way we each process the world and make decisions is very different. That often means we get frustrated with the decisions other people make, particularly if they impact us. Before we can truly be helpful and supportive to others who might struggle with tough decision making in their lives, we must take time to be self-reflective. Let’s pause and think about how we view the world around us, and what is actually happening in our own decision-making processes. For example, when deciding something, do we first engage our mind, our heart or our actions? Some people prefer to think over concepts for a long time until they are convinced they have the right solution. Others (often in action movies!) decide to jump in feet first and sort out the strategy along the way; and some people are very much led by their emotions – if someone is hurting, they are great friends to have around. If we get better at reading what type of decision maker we are, and what type our friends are, this will make us more effective in our prayer life and friendships. Some of you may have a mentor or youth worker at your corps. This will be the first time this month we take a continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013 celloutlines
celloutlines | week one (continued...) look at resources from the world of mentoring and youthwork. This is a snapshot of a much bigger Canadian resource called Life Languages. Life Languages describes seven key ways in which we communicate as individuals. They are described as languages, and whilst we can all ‘speak’ each language, some will be stronger than others. People generally have a ‘Top Three’. We will respond to different situations, particularly stressful ones, with one of our major languages. For example: If you are a ‘Mover’ and something tough happens, you are likely to want to act on it and deal with it quickly so that you can move on to more pleasant things. You may then take time to think and reflect on how the situation made you feel later down the line. The seven ‘languages’ are: Language name:
Decision response:
Major desire:
Filters the world by thinking:
Need from others:
Influencer
Feel/Think... Act
To encourage others
Am I relating to others?
Encouragement, inclusion, play.
Shaper
Think... Act... Feel
To lead
Do you have a good plan?
Agreement and support.
Mover
Act/Feel... Think
To be creative
Are you what you say you are?
Action, honesty.
Responder
Feel... Act/Think
To please others
Do you really care?
Affection and acceptance. Share feelings.
Doer
Act... Think... Feel
To complete projects well
Are you doing your share?
Approval of deeds.
Producer
Think... Feel/Act
To manage projects and processes
Are you generous and wise with your time?
Appreciation and thoughtful gifts
Contemplator
Think/Feel... Act
To know and understand things
Am I really interested in this topic?
Affirmation and quality time.
No language is better than another. There are certain similarities and differences amongst them, and so that explains to a degree why you might find it easier to bond with certain people more quickly than others. The key message here is that you are fluent in all languages, and so with a little commitment you can get on with even those most different from yourself.
continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013 celloutlines
celloutlines | week one (continued...) Life Language Quiz: Please score each word below from 0 to 3, on whether you identify with the characteristic: 0 = not at all, 1 = a bit, 2 = mostly, 3 = very much. Responder
Influencer
Shaper
Contemplator
Compassionate
Enthusiastic
Patient
Loyal
Passionate
Optimistic
Organised
Peaceful
Sensitive
Persuasive
Visionary
Reflective
Relational
Diplomatic
Strategic
Complex
Accepting
Communicator
Delegating
Inquisitive
Affectionate
Forward thinking
Leader
Likes alone time
Sympathetic
Values learning
Communicator
Deep thinking
Peace-maker
Finds solutions
Likes challenge
Likes facts
Avoids conflict
Friendly
Encourages
Good listener
Dislikes change
Group oriented
Problem solver
Patient
Total =
Total =
Total =
Total =
Producer
Mover
Doer
Resourceful
High standards
Trustworthy
Thoughtful
Direct
Dedicated
Responsible
Courageous
Observant
Gracious
Ambitious
Conscientious
Hospitable
Perceptive
Diligent
Well-rounded
Innovative
Practical
Money manager
High energy
Dependable
Generous
Honest
Finisher
Helper
Discerning
Desire to be useful
Conscientious
Strong-personality
Avoids spotlight
Total =
Total =
Total =
For next week: Think about how you approach decisions. Do you think, act or feel first? How does this knowledge help you be a better friend, sibling, student this week? *Note: This is just a taster test in the style of Life Languages. For the full official Life Languages Profiler Tool please visit www.lifelanguages.com **Don’t forget, ALOVE have launched their Change The World app. Why don’t you commit as a group to trialling this every week for the coming month!
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week two These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources
Who will be my God? Welcome Welcome back to Week 2 of Decisions, Decisions – June Cell notes. We will delve right into the challenge of letting God into our decision-making process, and at the same time enjoy some chocolaty treats! Task 1: On a large sheet of landscape paper, write the word Birth on the left-hand side in the centre. This is to be the start of your decision tree, or timeline. Write today’s date on the far right-hand side opposite the word Birth. Think back to some of the earliest decisions you made for yourself. Write the very first you can remember near the word ‘birth’, and then draw a line joining them up (or cut and tape some string between them if you are feeling particularly creative). This is the first branch of your timeline / decision tree. Add more decisions at appropriate points between your birth and today (it is likely to get a lot more busy as you move towards today, so leave plenty of space). Link them up with timeline branches. Think about the different places where you make decisions (church, school, home) – this should help you fill the page. Some decisions lead to others, so you can demonstrate this by branching them off each other. Once you have lots of decisions on your tree, look back and decide which you think were positive ones. Mark them out by taping a sweet wrapper to the decision. (Eat the chocolate first, and feel free to fold the wrapper into a great shape if you are gifted at origami!)
Key Questions: Looking back over these important life moments, who actually makes the decisions?
celloutlines
At what age do you believe you started making decisions for yourself? As a group, are there any trends in the types of decisions you have made? Write a list (or add to the one you began last week) of types of decision to be made by young people, and rate them from Easy to Tough. Why are some decisions easier to make than others? Did the decisions you have marked with wrappers mostly affect you, or did they also have consequences for others?
Word Read Genesis 28 together: New International Version (NIV) 28 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him: ‘Do not marry a Canaanite woman. 2 Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. 4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now reside as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham.’ 5 Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob and Esau. continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week two (continued...) Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, ‘Do not marry a Canaanite woman,’ 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. 8 Esau then realised how displeasing the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac; 9 so he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had. 6
Jacob’s Dream at Bethel 10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the Lord, and he said: ‘I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.’ 17 He was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.’ 16
18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God 22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.’ 20
Discussion Questions Why do you think Isaac was so keen for Jacob to find a wife from his own people?
celloutlines
Isaac blessed Jacob, but he still had to choose to take the long and dangerous journey. What do you think was the risk if he instead chose to stay home and marry a Canaanite? Look at verses 13-15. Did God’s promise to Jacob come true? How long would it take? Verses 18-22 show Jacob making a symbolic altar, and making a vow (or long-term decision). Why does Jacob do this, even though there is no one around to witness it? Have you ever made a similar commitment?
Worship Task: On an A5 card, spend some time designing something to remind you of Jacob’s long-term decision, and God’s faithfulness to him throughout his entire life. If you consider yourself arty, perhaps sketch the ladder running from earth to Heaven, with angels processing up and down, and God himself standing at the top. If you are less arty, cut the card into the shape of the rock with which Jacob made his covenant. Whichever route you choose, be sure to write down verses 12-15 as a reminder of how big God’s promise is to us. He chooses to be our God. continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week two (continued...) Keep your card at home or in your Bible as a reminder that God is with you and knows when you feel safe or worried about the future. Spend some time in prayer: God provided for Jacob, and knew that he needed food, clothes and safety. What do you feel you need from God at the moment? Ask him for it! Thank him for what he has given in the past. Pray for other people who you know might be on a tough journey at the moment.
Witness Skip back a chapter to Genesis 27 and you will see that a big part of Jacob’s journey was influenced by the fact that, in stealing his brother’s blessing, he put his own life in danger. Esau was not a man to be messed with, and with Isaac close to death he swore he would kill Jacob. Despite this, God still chose to meet Jacob on his dangerous trek and blessed him there. This probably says a lot more about God’s nature than Jacob’s, although it was at this point that Jacob started to become a more godly man. Where will you journey this coming week? On paper, draw out your likely trips: to school, the sports field, the shopping centre. Plan some prayer trails. Who can you be praying for as you make your daily trips? Also, decide to pray for the big decision makers in your area, such as: Parents and carers Teachers Employers Corps officers and other leaders Your local council Those at DHQ
celloutlines
The Government Pray that God will find a way to break into the decisions that are made every day that affect people in your community. Pray that his will may be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week three These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources
Fear Factor Welcome Start this week with a bout of arm/thumb wrestling. We will be considering what it means to wrestle with God, and think about how to avoid becoming a casualty of the church. Task 1: On large paper, fill one side with all the things that help young people thrive at church. Fill another side with all the reasons in your experience why young people leave church. What can your role be in encouraging the first set of factors? With the second set of factors, have you noted any points that could serve as indicators that more support is needed to prevent friends leaving your corps/church? Often young people leave over things like: Theological differences Anxiety about sin or moral choices Loneliness (not feeling loved or that they belong) Clashes of programme with other interests We might wrestle with these feelings of anxiety or even anger before choosing to leave and, whilst making the decision to stay or to go, we might: Attend the corps/church less frequently
celloutlines
Stop giving financially Stop worshipping Write negative letters/emails to leaders At this decision stage, it is a great time for you to invest in some of the factors from your first page – the thriving page – to help give people a reason to stay within the community. Have you seen young people leave your church/corps? Do you have things in place to prevent loneliness? Have you ever felt like you might drop out? What changed your mind? Task 2: Pray for young people feeling insecure about their faith, or disconnected from their place of worship.
Word Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau - Genesis Chapter 32 Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, ‘This is the camp of continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week three (continued...) God!’ So he named that place Mahanaim. Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 He instructed them: ‘This is what you are to say to my lord Esau: “Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. 5 I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, male and female servants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favour in your eyes.”’ 3
When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, ‘We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.’
6
In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well. 8 He thought, ‘If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape.’
7
9 Then Jacob prayed, ‘O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, Lord, you who said to me, “Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,” 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. 12 But you have said, “I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.”’
He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift for his brother Esau: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, ‘Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.’ 13
17 He instructed the one in the lead: ‘When my brother Esau meets you and asks, “Who do you belong to, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?” 18 then you are to say, “They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.”’
He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: ‘You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 20 And be sure to say, “Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.”’ For he thought, ‘I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.’ 21 So Jacob’s gifts went on ahead of him, but he himself spent the night in the camp. 19
Jacob Wrestles With God That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for it is daybreak.’
celloutlines
22
But Jacob replied, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’ 27
The man asked him, ‘What is your name?’
‘Jacob,’ he answered. Then the man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.’ 28
29
Jacob said, ‘Please tell me your name.’
But he replied, ‘Why do you ask my name?’ Then he blessed him there. 30
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.’
31
The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week three (continued...) the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon. This chapter begins with Jacob and Esau coming back into contact years after Jacob ran away from his brother’s wrath. How do you think Jacob would be feeling? What passage makes you feel this way? Jacob decides to split his people in half so that they were less likely to all be killed, and then he prayed. How might he have dealt with this better? This is an indication that he is still relying first on his own cunning. For the second time, God chooses to bless Jacob despite his fear and lack of faith. What do you like, dislike or find challenging about verses 22-31?
Worship This part of the Jacob story is brilliant, because it just feels so relevant and current for a story thousands of years old! By now, Jacob has tricked people, repented, been tricked himself (having to work 14 years to get the girl – see Genesis 25:14), resorted to more trickery and is now in fear for the lives of his family and all their possessions as they journey to the promised home. Then he has a life-changing event. After several times where he has fled the scene to avoid conflict, he wrestles with God himself and emerges with a new name – one that we recognise instantly as being full of significance. He becomes Israel. Choose a worship song to play in the background as you prayerfully consider or journal the best way to wrestle with God and be refined into the person he wants you to be. Good song suggestions for this topic: ‘You alone can rescue’ – Matt Redman ‘Nothing but the blood’ – Matt Redman ‘Our God is greater’ – Chris Tomlin Task 3: As a group – create a poem or verse that describes your experience of wrestling with God.
celloutlines
Feel free to illustrate your efforts.
Witness It is good occasionally to wrestle with God, particularly if you feel unclear about how he would want you to behave under certain circumstances. There are many areas of life in the modern world where Scripture seems to be silent (or at least more challenging to interpret), and also many areas where Christian tradition has argued or changed course on subject matter. Are you wrestling with anything at the moment that you can ask friends to support you with? How can we help others who are facing tough decisions or crises of faith? Suggestions: 1. You can offer to pray for friends. If you do so, offer to do this in a very specific way (eg, ‘I’ll pray for your decision making every morning this week before breakfast’), and be sure to follow through. 2. Offer to pray with them then and there as an opportunity occurs. This can be very powerful for the person receiving prayer. Make sure you have listened to what they want prayer for. Do not make any assumptions, and ask God to be clear if he has a particular direction for them, and for him to step closer so that they can feel his presence, love and support as they wait for resolution. continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week three (continued...) 3. Your friend may ask you to just listen to them, and help them evaluate options. This is a tricky task, as you might offer poor advice, inaccurate information, or even leave your friend reliant on you for future decisions. There is an excellent mentoring tool that can help you with this type of listening scenario. It is called the ‘non-advice approach’. Non-Advice approach: There are number of easy-to-remember steps that can help you be an even better friend and listener: 1. Ask them what decision they are struggling with. 2. Do not jump in half-way through an explanation with solutions or advice. Wait to be sure you fully understand what it is they are struggling with. 3. How does this make them feel? 4. Emotions are so important. Sometimes both rational and irrational feelings can leave us feeling drained. 5. Why do they feel that way? 6. Is it possible to help them reflect on what has caused the feelings? Is this due to an event, comment, series of actions etc? 7. What options are available to them as a decision maker? 8. Even though this technique is called non-advice, you may think of some options that they have not, so once they have gone though all their thoughts, you can offer helpful additions – just be careful not to weight them as more significant than the other options. 9. What option is their preference? (And why?) 10. You can memorise this technique, and find ways of asking the questions so that it doesn’t come out in parrot fashion. Many managers, pastors and youthworkers use this type of questioning as an effective way of listening to young people and helping them take control of their own decision making and responsibility for their own lives. 11. Once a decision has been made, you can add steps 6 and 7: 12. Pray for your friend. 13. Ask them how the decision and course of action has played out. It could be that they now have more decisions to make, and can revisit the first five steps.
celloutlines
Role Play: Split your group into pairs, and practise the Non-Advice approach with one of the following scenarios: ‘I feel like I might quit going to the corps/church’. ‘My teacher said my coursework is awful and I won’t get the grades I need to progress.’ ‘I’m considering changing my subjects.’ ‘I don’t know which job to take...’ Task 4: Scribble down the Non-Advice approach steps, and look over them through the week, looking out for opportunities to be a great listener and a more effective pray-er for your group of friends.
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week four These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources
Strategy wins the game! Welcome How strategic are you? Do you have a good idea of how to win a game, pull team mates together to complete a task well, or how to shape your essays to get the maximum scores from your teachers? Almost every task in life can be boiled down to strategy – how you manage events in the short, medium and long term. If you get it right, you can be efficient with your resources and win. If you get it wrong, it could mean a task taking a lot longer to complete, and you may find that you have slipped up along the way. Most games and gameshows also operate this way. If you are a fan of The Young Apprentice, Big Brother, I’m a Celebrity, or board games like Monopoly, or even console titles like Halo Wars, you will know that if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail! As Christians we can include God in our decision making – the ultimate strategist. He has designed the very world that we live in, and won the victory over death through Jesus, so that we can all enjoy the goal of eternal life in his presence. How does God’s inclusion in our life change the way we might think about strategy? Task 1: Spit the group in half. Each mini-group should design the concept for a new game. You should: Come up with a title. Come up with a game format (eg, board game, computer game, outdoor game). Design a promotional poster.
celloutlines
Come up with a paragraph, blurb or slogan to help sell your game to the general public. Do a sales pitch to the other team. *You could choose to do this by making a short video! * You could play your game at the end of the session if time allows.
Word We are now going to skip towards the end of Jacob’s long life, and see how he included God in the long-term plans for his children. Read Genesis 49: Genesis 49 New International Version (NIV) Jacob Blesses His Sons 49 Then Jacob called for his sons and said: ‘Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.
continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013 celloutlines
celloutlines | week four (continued...) ’A ssemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel. 3 ’Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honour, excelling in power. 4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it. 5 ’Simeon and Levi are brothers – their swords are weapons of violence. 6 Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. 7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel. 8 ’Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. 9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness – who dares to rouse him? 10 The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. 11 He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk. 13 ’Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon. 14 ’Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying down among the sheep pens. 2
When he sees how good is his resting place and how pleasant is his land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labour. 16 ’Dan will provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel. 17 Dan will be a snake by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward. 18 ’I look for your deliverance, Lord. 19 ’Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels. 20 ’A sher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king. 21 ’Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns. 22 ’Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. 23 With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. 24 But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, 25 because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb. 26 Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers. 27 ’Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.’ 15
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him. 28
The Death of Jacob Then he gave them these instructions: ‘I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.’ 29
continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week four (continued...) When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
33
Why do you think Jacob chooses to give his sons individual blessings? Do you agree with what he says for each one? How do you think the sons would respond to his words? How important do you think blessings are giving to the life of Jacob? Are a blessed life, and a happy life the same thing? Read Matthew 5:3-12.
Worship Spend time in groups of three discussing and praying for your future decisions. What are the upcoming things that will need your urgent attention in: 1 year? 3 years? 5 years? 10 years? 30 years? Pray that God will continue to journey with each of you throughout your entire lives, as he did with Jacob, his father Isaac, his grandfather Abraham, and all his descedents through the 12 tribes of Israel (including Jesus himself, who brought us into the family as adopted sons of God). Recommit your lives to him, and thank him for being generous and unswerving in his commitment to you.
Witness
celloutlines
Now at the end of the story, we see Jacob still placing importance in the blessing of God. We are reminded of parallels with the beginning of his story, where he cheated the birthright and blessing from his brother Esau (who did not treat them as things to be cherished) as he now blesses his sons. Interestingly Rueben, like Esau, misses out on the birthright to a younger brother because he fails to live up to being worthy of the title.
Discuss: What do Esau and Reuben do to lose favour? What are the long-term consequences? Why is it that leaders often fail?
Quote ‘Character is made up of the small moments of our lives’ P. Brooks How can we build and protect our character? Some reasons for young (and older) leaders failing are: 1. Unsustainable lifestyle – taking on too many responsibilities, working too many hours, pretending everything is OK when really they are close to burn out. continued over u
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove
june 2013
celloutlines | week four (continued...) 2. Unmastered appetites – The contemporary world still places too much worth in things such as money, sex and power. Christians are just as susceptible as others to fall into traps if they cannot control temptations and insatiable appetites. 3. Unaccountability – Are we being honest with our leaders, family and friends? Do we have people who can tell us when they think we might have got something wrong and need to seek God’s forgiveness? Consider how as a group you might help support each other around topics such as: Bible study Chastity Prayer Fasting Time alone with God Sharing Giving Worship Simple living Task 2:
celloutlines
Spend some time as a group over the coming week summing up what you have learnt about Jacob and decision making in a short video or PowerPoint presentation. Find an opportunity to play this at your corps, or send it in to ALOVE!
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove