Session 3

A Deceiver

Genesis 27:18-30

Memory Verse: Luke 21:8

God accomplishes His purposes through flawed families and people.

Prior to the session:

Display Pack Item 3 (Poster: The Patriarchs),
and Pack Item 5 (Poster: Key Moments in Jacob’s Life)
for reference during the next few sessions.

ENGAGE

Introduce:

“fake news.”
According to one source,
“fake news” is false or misleading information presented as news.
Sometimes fake news goes viral and is quickly considered truth.

Explain that when we can’t verify the accuracy of information,
distinguishing the truth is not always easy.

Reflect:

Read the lesson introduction on page 28 of the PSG.

There’s a story about the first mate of a ship who despised the captain.
In the ship’s log, he wrote: “The captain was sober today when he was on the bridge.”
The truth of the matter was the captain was always sober when he was on the bridge.
The first mate’s written words may have been truthful;
nevertheless, what he communicated was misleading and deceitful.
Deceitfulness is an egregious sin and will always come with consequences.
Still, God is able to accomplish His purposes through flawed-and even deceitful-people.

Lead the group in a brief discussion
about honest communication and the dangers of being deceptive.

Ask:

• How should knowing that God is able to accomplish His purposes through flawed people impact us? (PSG, p. 28)

Contextualize:

Using Understand the Context,
share the background leading up to the focal passage.
summarize the conflict between Jacob and Esau.

Transition:

Jacob, with Rebekah’s help, deceived his father, Isaac.
Knowing the rest of the story and how Jacob was used by God,
we are reminded of how God uses flawed and even deceitful people
to accomplish His purposes.