Genesis Bible Study For Youth – Lesson 8: Genesis 37-50

Lesson developed byJill Olds, Victoria Crook and Zachary Ludwig

Materials Checklist

Exercise 1: Role Play

Break the youth up into groups of three and give them a scenario to “mediate”.
Two students are in a disagreement while the other serves as the “mediator”. It can as simple as two neighbors are in a disagreement about what to do with stray cats in the neighborhood, but they have to reach decision by the end of it.
Give the groups up to 10 minutes to resolve the conflict.
Discuss what the process was like, and ask what it took to come to an agreement/reconciliation? Were they able to come to an agreement/reconciliation?

Exercise 2:

Watch together this clip of Joseph revealing himself to his brothers. (Though do note that this scene is whitewashed)

Reflect Together on the Following Questions:

What does it mean to see that God works things towards good in the end? What about for those of us stuck in the middle? Does this strike you as hopeless or hopeful?
This story brings to mind the theme of “reconciliation,” where a relationship that was broken is brought back together. Do those things ever really heal, especially when there is abuse involved? (The difference between forgiveness and reconciliation might be helpful here, as would be highlighting the need for safety about all else.)
What emotions can be found in the midst of reconciliation? How does that change a person? Where is God in it?
What might reconciliation look like in our communities? In our country? Our world?

Close the lesson in prayer (either the leader or a group member)