Hagar Bible Study Guide: In the Face of Rejection, God Says I’m Significant
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About this ebook
The women in the Bible asked the same three questions we all still ask today: How does everyone else see me? How do I see myself? How does God see me?
Hagar’s story, found in Genesis 16, is a story of cultural victimization. She was betrayed, abandoned, and scorned. Her response? She did what most of us would do when deeply hurt by someone we trust–she ran away. She got defensive. She retreated to a place where she felt safe. She felt justified in her anger and hurt. But deep in her core was a woman who longed to be seen and hoped for redemption.
This Bible study will take you through Hagar’s story as she learns from hurt and heartache that what is unresolved is not unseen by God. The lack of finality in Hagar’s story teaches us to trust God with the ending–believing he sees us and he knows.
This study guide features video notes, group discussion questions, and between-session activities like reflecting on the drama and teachings, studying the character story in Scripture, memory verses, and journaling.
Sessions include:
- Exposing the Lie of Shame
- Rejected to Accepted
- Trusting after Betrayal
- Transformed and Seen
Designed for use with Known By Name: Hagar Video Study (9780310096498), sold separately.
Jada Edwards
Jada Edwards is an experienced Bible teacher, author, and speaker who has committed her life to equipping women of all ages with practical, biblical truth. Alongside her husband, Conway Edwards, the Senior Pastor, she serves as the Women’s Pastor and Director of Creative Services at One Community Church in Plano, Texas. Jada teaches a midweek women’s Bible study and is the author of the book Captive Mind and a contributing teacher In the Known by Name Bible study series. She and her husband have a son, Joah, and a daughter, Chloe.
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Hagar Bible Study Guide - Jada Edwards
How This Study
Works
Hagar: Overlooked? Not Invisible.
Hagar was manipulated and betrayed by people in authority over her. People she trusted to know what was best. How would you respond in that situation? Hagar first lashed out and then ran away. Her story invites us to look at our own lives and ask, What hurts have propelled me into shame and hiding from others or from God? Where am I paralyzed by a fear of rejection? What experiences have led me to question whether I matter in this world? Do I recoil at the idea of forgiving certain people? When it feels like things will never be okay again, is God still there? Does he even see me?
Hagar’s story doesn’t wrap up with a neat bow. We are left not knowing what happened to her. Her story teaches us that we don’t always get to see the happy ending, but the unresolved things in our lives compel us to trust the God who knows the ending and is at work for our good.
Hagar: In the Face of Rejection, God Says I’m Significant is a study for women who want to get into the real, messy parts of our lives that are usually under wraps. Through each video session, we will engage with a Bible teacher, a Christian counselor, and an actor portraying present-day scenarios. These leaders will help us explore the human perspective of Hagar: how she felt, how she saw herself, and how others saw her, as well as how we see ourselves. We will also discover God’s perspective: how God sees Hagar, and how God sees us. Through these perspectives, we will find our own stories in the pages of Scripture.
A session of this study will go like this:
Check In. In Session 1 you’ll introduce yourselves. In later sessions you’ll have a chance to share something you discovered about yourself in-between the sessions.
At a Glance: Hagar. This is a quick snapshot of an age-old problem we still deal with today, Hagar’s age-old solution or mistake, and a taste of God’s wisdom on the subject.
Video Notes. Each video segment is 18–28 minutes long. It opens with a drama and then moves into a fast-paced teaching. Session 1 begins with all three of the presenters together, talking about the theme of the series. This study guide contains space for you to take notes on what you see in the video.
Group Discussion. The heart of the study is your conversation with the other women in your group. You’ll be talking mainly about the real experiences of your lives. However, because this isn’t group therapy, we strongly recommend that you commit yourself to the group ground rules discussed below.
Closing Prayer. End with your group leader or a volunteer reading aloud the prayer suggested in this section. Of course, any offered prayer is acceptable.
Keep This Close. These are a few short, memorable lines from the video that you may want to copy into your phone to go back to during the week.
On Your Own. Finally, you’ll find activities you can select from to carry your exploration of the topic deeper during the week. There is one verse of Scripture you can memorize and come back to over the four sessions of the study. There are journaling ideas. You can read Hagar’s story in the Bible. You can pray with guided quiet time or reflect on the drama. Do whichever of these activities you find helpful. Don’t feel pressure to do more than you have time for. You’ll have a chance to share something you got out of these activities when your group gathers next time. You’ll also have a chance to recite your memory verse together.
Group Ground Rules
This study gives you more of an opportunity to open up about your real life than most studies. You won’t be pushed, but you will be invited, to talk about how you see yourself and how you live. But your group is not a therapy session. It’s not led by a counselor. If you need professional counseling or a forum to share the story of your past, ask your group leader or church officials to recommend resources.
The following ground rules will help you stay on