Session 8

Renewed

Genesis 35:1-15

Memory Verse: Genesis 35:11

ENGAGE

Prior to the session:

Display Pack Item 1 (Map: The Travels of Jacob),
and Pack Item 5 (Poster: Key Moments in Jacob’s Life).
Gather one sheet of black paper and one sheet of white paper for reference during the session.

God gives His people an identity He expects them to fulfill.

Introduce:

Write these words on the board:
driver’s license, passport, family tree, address, name.

determine what they have in common.
share that all the words relate to our identity.

State:

But our identity is much more than documents with our name, or where we lip on them.

Reflect:

Reflect on how their identity might be described by others, including their family members.
read the introduction on page 73 of the PSG.

In our increasingly digital world, identity theft has become a major concern.
As a result, identity theft protection companies promise
to defend our information, monitor for any changes, and provide a guarantee against financial losses.
Similarly, when we accept Christ as Savior, He gives us a new identity (2 Cor. 5:17);
and He expects us to fulfill our new identity by growing toward spiritual maturity.

Because we all experience lapses in living up to our identity in Christ, we also need times of spiritual renewal.
In today’s session, Jacob and his family returned to Bethel to renew their commitment to the Lord.

Ask:

• How has your family impacted your sense of personal identity? (PSG, p. 73)

Emphasize that God gives His people an identity He expects them to fulfill.

Transition:

In today’s session,
we’ll see how Jacob grew in his commitment to God.
Decades after his experience at Bethel, he was called to return to the place where he had met God
and to renew His loyalty to Him alone.