Keep Dreaming (Part 3): Sensing The Dreams Of Others

TO START

This week, we continued our 4-week series on the power, the necessity and the possibility of dreaming as children of the God who dreams. At the end of worship this week, we were invited to answer the third dream prompt for the series which is the question for y’all to encounter together to begin group.

  • What dreams do you have for Round Rock Church of Christ?

TO DISCUSS

To start the message, Zane identified that our dreams can have two destinations, one is through an absence of faith (i.e. John Lennon) and the other is through the fulfillment of of faith (i.e. MLK). And we have to decide which of these two ways we will choose as we dream.

  • Do you see faith as a deterrent to our dreams together or do you see faith as a propellant of our collective desires and dreams? In other words, how does your faith in God inspire your dreams for your church, your community and/or for the world?

Before going further, let’s jump into a story that might begin to help us to sense what’s possible with God… Read Genesis 40:1-15 & 20-23

  • Why do you think Joseph was able to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker?

  • In the story, Joseph said, “Do not interpretations belong to God?”.... How often do you use God as your dream interpreter? What does it look like for you to let God enable you to interpret your dreams?

In the sermon, Zane points us to the fact that at this point in Joseph’s life, he completely understands what it means to lose any sense of possibility. And what’s fascinating is that in the story, Joseph can interpret everyone’s dreams around him but can’t figure out his own life.

  • How often do you have the experience of seeming to know exactly what’s best for everyone else but not for yourself? Why do you think that’s so often the case?

  • How do you get unstuck when your dreams aren’t coming true? How do you pivot when all you hear is silence? How do we go about the ending of our dreams just as well as we started? 

Additionally, Zane mentions that God leads and transforms us through desires. We see this in Joseph becoming Pharaoh’s right-hand man. In particular, Zane argues that Joseph comes to find his dreams in a new way by listening to the dreams of others. His dreams come to pass through the process of helping others and the process of caring about the desires and flourishing of someone else’s dreams. 

  • How often do you think about the dreams of others? Those in your small group? 

  • And how have you seen the dreams/aspirations of others unlock your own dreams or help you to see a dream that you never could’ve found for yourself?

To close discussion, read this quote by priest and theologian, Gerhard Lohfink about the local church:

“There must be a place--visible, comprehensible, subject to examination--where liberation and healing begin, that is, where the world can become what is meant to be according to God’s plan. Starting from this place, then, the new thing can spread abroad...Human beings must have the opportunity to view the new thing and test it. Then if they want to they can allow themselves to be drawn into the history of salvation and the story of peace that God is bringing into being.”

  • Where are the places in your school, community, church and city that need liberation and healing that only God can bring? How can you help or how can we help begin that healing process?

TO CLOSE

We want to encourage you to pray over the dreams that your group has for Round Rock Church of Christ (consider having different willing group members to pray over one another’s dreams about this church) .

And then close with this prayer:

Lord, may you illuminate our tired and weary hearts.

Show us what’s possible in a world where everything feels impossible right now

Empower us to dream together. 

In Jesus’ name. 

Amen.

Matt DeLano