Address the Mess - Week 7
May 23, 2021
Notes
Address the Mess - Week 7
Isaac and the Mess of Family Favoritism
Genesis 25:19-34
stronghold: A pattern of thought and behavior that defies the principles of God’s word and opens our lives to the control of sin and Satan
generational sin: When a single moral failure becomes a spiritual stronghold and eventually a predictable pattern of moral failure across multiple generations.
Genesis 25:23
Genesis 25:27-28
favoritism: the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person at the expense of another
Outcomes of Favoritism
1. Value becomes associated with distinguishing markers.
Genesis 25:24-26
2. Parental love is communicated as conditional.
Genesis 25:27-28
3. Unhealthy competition for the affection of their parents is created among siblings.
Genesis 25:29-34
4. A family economy of bitterness and envy is built.
How do we address the mess of favoritism?
1. Acknowledge that favoritism is not the heart of God.
James 2:1, 9
2. Confess it to God, your spouse, and your children.
3. Commit to equitable treatment.
4. Personally own any setbacks.
5. Commit to helping your children break the cycle.
Genesis 37:3-4
James 3:17
Discussion Guide
Use these questions to reflect on this week's message as a family or group.
If you had siblings growing up, did you ever think one of you was the favorite or least favorite of a parent or grandparent? How did this affect your family?
How does a stronghold grow into a generational sin?
In Genesis 25:23, what is so unique about Rebekah having two nations in her womb?
Describe the favoritism between parents Isaac and Rebekah and their twins Jacob and Esau. What can we learn from the relational description that we see in Genesis 25:27-28?
How is favoritism generally expressed in a family?
Read James 2:1,9. What guidance does James give us when it comes to favoritism?
Bringing peace to a family or relationship is the key when we address the mess. How can we apply the words that we read in James 3:17?
