Strangers In This Land [Trust God's Protection] Discussion Guide

Summary
In this sermon, Jonathan continues the series on Abraham's life, focusing on Genesis 20 where Abraham lies about Sarah being his sister instead of his wife to protect himself from King Abimelech. Despite Abraham's deception, God intervenes by warning Abimelech in a dream and protects both Sarah and the king. This marks the second time Abraham has used this deception out of fear, showing his failure to trust God's protection.
The sermon emphasizes several key lessons: the importance of integrity and truthfulness, the value of accountability, how fear can lead to poor decisions, the impact our actions have on others, God's sovereign protection even when we fail, and God's faithfulness to His promises despite our shortcomings. Jonathan encourages listeners to trust in God's protection rather than relying on their own plans or physical security measures.

Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we gather to discuss Your Word today, we thank You for Your faithfulness even when we stumble. Just as You protected Abraham and Sarah despite their lack of trust, You continue to watch over us with Your sovereign hand. Open our hearts to receive the lessons You have for us today about trusting in Your protection rather than our own plans. Help us to be honest with ourselves about where we place our trust and give us the courage to surrender our fears to You. Guide our conversation and deepen our understanding of Your unfailing love. In Jesus' name, amen.
Ice Breaker
What's the most creative excuse you've ever made up (or heard someone make up) to get out of a difficult situation?

Key Verses

• Proverbs 28:26
• Genesis 20:11-13
• 2 Timothy 1:7
• Hebrews 10:23
• Psalm 20:7

Questions

• Abraham lied about Sarah being his sister because he feared for his life. When have you been tempted to compromise your integrity out of fear?
• Jonathan said, 'The real problem wasn’t whether or not the fear of God was in that place, the real problem was the fear of God was not in Abraham.' What do you think it means to have the 'fear of God' in your life?
• How has accountability from others helped you stay on the right path in your faith journey?
• The sermon mentioned that 'fear has consequences.' Can you share a time when fear led you to make a decision you later regretted?
• Abraham's actions affected not just himself but Sarah, Abimelech, and Abimelech’s entire household. How have you seen your actions (good or bad) impact others around you?
• Jonathan stated, 'My stupidity is not powerful enough to stop God's plan.' How does this truth bring you comfort in your own failures?
• What are some 'chariots and horses' (physical representations of security) that you tend to put your trust in instead of God?
• How can we practically shift our trust from our own plans and resources to God's protection in our daily lives?

Life Application
This week, identify one area of your life where you're trying to protect yourself through your own plans or strategies rather than trusting God. It might be in your finances, relationships, career, or health. Write down your fears about this situation and then write a prayer surrendering this area to God. Each day, take a moment to remind yourself that God's protection is sovereign and that He is faithful to fulfill His promises in your life. When you feel anxiety rising about this situation, practice saying aloud, 'I trust in the name of the Lord my God, not in my own strength.' At the end of the week, reflect on how your perspective has changed.

Key Takeaways

• Integrity is important - as followers of Christ, we are called to be truthful in all we do, even when facing difficult circumstances.
• Fear can lead us to make poor decisions - when we act out of fear rather than faith, we often create more problems than we solve.
• Our actions impact others - the choices we make affect not only ourselves but also those around us.
• God's protection is sovereign - He watches over us and intervenes on our behalf even when we fail to trust Him.
• God is faithful despite our failures - our mistakes and shortcomings cannot thwart God's plans or promises.

Ending Prayer
Lord God, we thank You for the powerful lessons from Abraham's life that still speak to us today. Thank You for showing us that even when we try to handle things our own way, Your sovereign protection remains. Forgive us for the times we've trusted in our own wisdom rather than Yours, when we've let fear drive our decisions instead of faith. Help us to live with integrity, embracing accountability, and recognizing how our actions affect others. We're grateful that our failures don't derail Your perfect plan. This week, give us the courage to surrender our fears and place our complete trust in You rather than in the temporary security this world offers. May we boast only in Your name and find our protection in You alone. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.