January 05, 2020: Episode 24 | Speaking of Physical Altercations
The message that sparked the conversation ... Mercy In This Dojo.
Have you ever been in a fist fight? What about wrestling or the martial arts? No matter what your experience level with physical altercations, this podcast gives the topic a whole new twist with the story of Jacob and his sons.
Discussion Questions
- Share whether or not you've ever been involved in a physical altercation.
If yes, tell us a little about that. If no, tell us how you avoided a potentially physical altercation. - What do physical altercations (and their cousin, verbal altercations) tell us about human nature?
- Do you have any experience with martial arts? What can you tell us about that?
- The life of Jacob recorded in Genesis is marked by altercations. Jacob fights with his brother in the womb (Gen 25:22). His name means "cheater" or "manipulator" (25:26). Later, Jacob has a physical altercation with God and gets the nickname, "God fighter," Isra-el (Gen 32). His sons repeatedly deal with their problems through violence and trickery (Gen 37-50). Through all this, God is revealed as the ultimate Martial Artist--using their evil against them for good (Gen 50:20).
Listening to Genesis 37, to whom can you relate in the story? How? - What do you get to know more deeply about God through this?
- How does this help you frame or re-frame a past or present pressure-point/pain-point in your life?
- How is this good news for you?