The Story of Joseph

ILLUSTRATION:

Discuss a time when the food you got was not the same as the food in the picture. You can also bring out real food from fast food places and compare to the picture on the menu.

Sometimes life lets you down. Whether it was an unmet expectation at a fast food restaurant, rejection from a dream school, an unexpected breakup, conflict in your family, or a nonexistent social life, we have all faced the discouragement that happens when life doesn't live up to our expectations.

What happens when our experiences don't match our expectations? Disappointment.

Scripture is stacked full of stories that discuss disappointment.

The Israelites were disappointed during their journey in the wilderness.

Jesus' hometown was disappointed with his homecoming.

The disciples were disappointed when they watched Jesus die on the cross.

If you've ever felt the sting of disappointment, then you're in good company.

Today, we are going to examine the disappointment-packed journey of Joseph -- a key character towards the end of Genesis.

• Joseph was the favorite child. This was no secret.

• In Genesis 37, a young man named Joseph had two vibrant visions. As he slept, Joseph saw his whole family bowing down to him. As the dream carried on, "the sun and moon and eleven stars bowed down.”

• Talk about a lofty dream for a teenager who hardly had hair on his chin. Joseph woke up in a cold sweat and ran to his brothers to tell them about his visions.

• As you can imagine, his message was not received with open arms or bent knees.

• I am sure his brothers thought, “What is this kid thinking? What makes him think that he's any more special than us? This all started when dad gave Joseph that special, colorful jacket.”

• Joseph's dreams made his brothers jealous (Genesis 37:11).

• Joseph was the father's favorite. There was no question about that.

• Dad was always quick to compliment and slow to correct his youngest boy. His brothers toiled away in the hot sun while Joseph was pampered by his parents.

• After his peaceful and restful morning, Joseph stepped outside to see his brothers in the fields. He tossed on his tie-dye cloak for a walk into the fields to visit his brothers.

• The jealous brothers saw him walking towards them on the horizon. Wiping sweat from his brow, one of them whispered, "Here comes that dreamer. Let’s kill him" (Genesis 37:20 MSG).

• Wait, slow down. Are you telling me that a colorful coat turned these men into killers?

• Yes, but there is some important context.

• Clothes were famously boring and simple in this era. They were monochromatic and bland. Colored thread was reserved for royalty (2 Samuel 13:18).

• Weaving multiple colored threads together was lavish, luxurious, and a little unnecessary. The vibrant jacket sent a clear message to the rest of the family -- "Joseph is my favorite. He will be King one day.”

• This made his brothers burn with envy.

• In a vengeful frenzy, Joseph's brothers ripped off the multicolored cloak, beat him up, and threw him into a pit to die.

• They didn't want to risk their father finding the body, as they knew he'd spare no expense searching for his beloved son.

• Consequently, they hatched a plan worse than murder. They waved down a caravan and sold their little brother into slavery.

• As you can imagine, Joseph’s experience didn’t match his expectations. He was the favorite child with his own technicolor wardrobe and comfortable bedroom. Now, he was piled into the back of a wooden wagon in route to God-knows where.

• Well, actually, God did know. What happens next is a testament to God’s supernatural ability to bring something amazing out of something awful.

• Where does Joseph end up? Let’s keep reading.

Contextualizing this Passage:

• Imagine being Joseph. You were ripped from your comfortable home, despised by your own family, stripped of your colorful cloak, thrown into a muddy pit, robbed of your identity, and maliciously sold to an ancient slave market.

• Joseph had every reason to throw in the towel and forsake God's name, but he didn't. • He kept believing that something better was coming.

• Ultimately, he landed in Egypt where he was purchased by Potiphar, a high-ranking official in the Pharaoh's palace (Genesis 39:1-2).

• Joseph was a slave to a wealthy ruler living on the King's estate.

• This is far from ideal, but God was up to something.

• Everything Joseph touched turned into success.

• Potiphar noticed his Midas touch, so he kept granting Joseph more freedom and more responsibility.

• Even though Joseph was sold into slavery, God used this sick situation to bless him. Joseph went from the pit to a palace. The king put Joseph in charge of the entire palace.

• Prosperity often leads to pushback. This is what happens in the story of Joseph.

Contextualizing this Passage:

• At the peak of his success, the ruler's wife tried to tempt Joseph into questionable behavior.

• She tempted him, but he resisted. His hard-to-get approach made her angry.

• After refusing her advances, she accused him of assault. This made Potiphar's blood boil, so he threw Joseph into jail (Genesis 39:20).

• Talk about a rollercoaster of a story. Joseph was sold into slavery, rose the ranks in the royal family, tasted success, and then he was thrown into jail. Every passage represents a new twist and turn. Joseph went from pit to palace to prison. He traded in his colorful cloak for a prisoner's jumpsuit.

• Joseph did everything perfectly, but still ended up in prison.

• Here are three lessons about disappointment we can learn from this story.

APPLICATION 1: God is present in your disappointment.

• It's easy to think, "Why has God abandoned Joseph?" He didn't. This passage explains that ""the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did" (Genesis 39:23).

• Yes, he was in prison.

• Yes, he watched his life collapse because of a lie.

• Yes, he was only eating stale bread and drinking murky water. However, God's presence helped him push through disappointment.

• The Lord was with Joseph. The Lord is with you too. Cling to his presence in times of disappointment.

• Joseph relied on God's presence, despite his powerlessness.

• I’m sure it wasn't simple, but it led to success.

• God's presence helped transform tragedy into victory. When he was in the pit, God was with him.

• When revenge robbed him of his identity, God was with him. When he was promoted in the house of royalty, God was with him. God was with Joseph.

• God is with you too.

• When you find yourself in the pit of despair, God is with you.

• When you feel as though your life is directionless, God is with you.

• When tragedy takes over your home, God is with you.

• God was always with Joseph -- in the good times and the bad times.

• God was with him in both the pain and the prosperity.

• The same message is true for you. Strive to rely on God's presence when you face pain and suffering.

• God will transform your setbacks into success. God loves redeeming seemingly hopeless situations. Just keep holding on. God is with you.

APPLICATION 2: God wants you to win wherever you are.

• God was with him and he still saw success.

• Joseph just had to redefine it.

• The guards eventually allowed him to oversee the jail. Sure, he wasn't leading a palace, but he was leading a prison.

• God wants you to win, but you have to be willing to win where you are.

• Even if you find yourself in a circumstance that feels like a jail cell, know that God wants to help you succeed right where you are.

• Those prison moments may protect you.

• Those prison moments may prepare you. God isn't waiting for your circumstances.

• He's just waiting for you to turn to Him, then He will help you win.

APPLICATION 3: God uses pain as preparation.

• Two years is a long time. That's 730 days.

• A lot can happen in that time.

• You can get an Associate's degree, learn a new language, and drink thousands of cups of coffee in two years.

• That's how long Joseph remained behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit.

• Something amazing happens after those two long years though.

• Let me give you the spark notes to what happens.

• One morning, the Pharaoh seemed groggy. He looked as if he had seen a ghost, so his assistant asked him what was wrong.

• He went on to describe a troubling dream he had the night before. No one was able to make sense of the wild imagery (which involved dead cows and a bunch of crows).

• A former prisoner’s mind flashed back to his short stay in prison. • He spoke up, "Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us" (Genesis 40:12).

• The king was delighted and called the guards to get this Hebrew dream interpreter from prison.

• In an instant, Joseph was standing before the most powerful man in the world.

• The dream's meaning was grim, but Joseph obediently shared the truth God revealed.

• The king was struck by Joseph's wisdom and discernment, so he made a bold declaration. "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt," announced the Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:41).

• Joseph went from pit to palace to prison, and now he was back in a palace (the biggest one in the world).

• If he was not wrongfully imprisoned, he never would have met the king's assistant who ultimately propelled him to a place of prosperity. (Though he was about two years late.)

• Joseph’s punishment was actually an appointment.

• Joseph's incarceration was preparation. Without his time behind bars, he never would have made the connections that brought him before the Pharaoh. • His time in the pit prepared him.

• His time in the palace prepared him.

• Even his time in prison prepared him.

• God used his pain as preparation. When you're in God's hands, obstacles are actually opportunities.

• Without the pain of a setback, you will never experience the glory of a comeback.

• Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

• In God's hands, pain is preparation.

• God may use that rejection to give you a better-defined direction.

• God may use that disability to strengthen you.

• God may allow something to leave you to make room for something better.

• In God's Kingdom, what's next is always best. Let the time in transition serve as preparation.

• When we look back at the story of Joseph, God brought something awesome out of awful circumstances.

• Ultimately, the pit led to a palace.

• Then the palace led him to prison.

• Then prison led him back to the palace.

• Every single pain point was preparation.

• He went through some terrible circumstances, but God distilled some good from his disappointments. God didn't necessarily cause it, but He was able to use it.

• Look at your life through the same lens. What disappointments are you facing?

• Partner with God while you process the pain.

• It will prepare you.

• Share you suffering with God.

• He will make you stronger.

• If your circumstances seem impossible and impassable, give it to God.

• He loves bringing the possible out of the impossible.

• He didn't necessarily cause it, but I know he can use it.

As we break for small groups, go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff.

Q1: Can you describe a disappointing time when your experience didn’t meet your expectations?

Q2: Genesis says, “The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.” How did his “success” in slavery and prison look different than the way you normally think of success?

Q3: How do you typically respond to disappointments?

Q4: What kind of perspective did Joseph have during disappointing circumstances? What can you learn from that?

Q5: Work as a group to make a list of truths about God when you are facing disappointments. Which of these truths about God do you want to work on embracing through your disappointments?

READING PLAN

Read these passages in order over the next week:

Ephesians 1:7-10

Luke 15:1-7

Luke 15:8-10

Luke 15:11-32

Colossians 1:3-6

Romans 3:22-24

Psalm 139

Do the following with each passage: 

ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.

READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life and experiences?

RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered.