Joseph Series

The Story of Us

Joseph

January 22, 2012

Most of us believe God has a design or plan for our lives. How we get there depends more on us than we think.

1. How do we handle the promises?

Joseph is 17

Genesis 37:3-9 NIV

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. 5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." 8 His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. 9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

Luke 2:19-20 NIV

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

2. How do we handle temptations?

Genesis 39:8-12 NIV

“But he refused.” With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. 11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

There are sins we’re told to run from immediately.

2 Timothy 2:22 NIV

“Flee the evil desires of youth …”

3. How do we handle influence?

Genesis 41:46-49

“Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh's presence and traveled throughout Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. 48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. 49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.”

At the age of 17, he was not ready, but here at 30, he was.

Some of you who are teens really are hearing some big promises, but you cannot imagine how God will ever so such a thing in your life.

For the nation of Israel, namely Jacob’s family, the storehouses of Egypt were the salvation of God’s people.

John 17:15-16 NIV

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

Joseph is a foreshadowing of Jesus.

Rejected by his brothers, betrayed for money, descended into a pit, numbered with the criminals, exalted to the highest place to be a blessing to everyone.