Beyond Belief? The life of Joseph Genesis 37:1-8 6/24/2012

Sermon 6-24-12 Beyond Belief? The life of Joseph Genesis 37:1-8

37 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed,(A) the land of Canaan.(B)
2 This is the account(C) of Jacob.
Joseph,(D) a young man of seventeen,(E) was tending the flocks(F) with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah(G) and the sons of Zilpah,(H) his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report(I) about them.
3 Now Israel(J) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons,(K) because he had been born to him in his old age;(L) and he made a richly ornamented[a] robe(M) for him.(N) 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him(O) and could not speak a kind word to him.
5 Joseph had a dream,(P) and when he told it to his brothers,(Q) they hated him all the more.(R) 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves(S) 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.”(T)
8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?”(U) And they hated him all the more(V) because of his dream and what he had said.

Story of josephs life

17 years old. Dearly loved
Arrogant dreams
Coat of many colors
Sold to Ishmaelites – sold to Potipher in Egypt
favor
Potiphers wife
favor
Prison –long time
Favor
Interprets the dreams of baker and cupholder
Years later pharoh has a dream about drought
Joseph is made Ruler
Grace to brothers
You meant it for evil, God used it for good
God always means it for good

What is the story- Joseph was mistreated
Is there another story? What is the other narrative?
Joseph continually showed grace
He established himself as a favorite
Difficulty and response

Grace in the face of difficulty

What is the message of the church – [transition]

Is it about behavior?
Then we will never get it right.

These people were a mess. Jacob and essau, Jacobs random children. Joseph marries out of Israel
Joseph works with their priests

It is about grace?
It is unstoppable

Grace brings good news to the world
What if we started bringing such news?

Creasy dean
Name of group – improve everywhere
The surprise wedding reception
The baseball game turned into the world series - video

This is what grace is like
The world is a selfish place.
Grace is the message of the kingdom?

Gods amazing love. you cant earn it. It just goes out to you

Grandparents have this reputation with grandkids……

What do your neighbors think of you?
Oh, man those are the nicest people?
Or hmmm so this is what they are teaching them at that woods chapel

James-
You want to show me your faith by what you believe
I will show you my faith by my works
I will show you my faith by my love

How can you give grace to another person?
Is this baseball game beyond you?

Sue kibbey
Block party
Church doesn’t know until the fire department called

It doesn’t have to be extravagant; it is just an act of love

Model this. Hug somebody
Openly praise somebody

Make a dinner for someone

Conclusion- what is a sermon about?
Sermon – the last word or the first word
This person is going to solve this
Does it end a thought or begin a thought
Let the discussion begin
In your ss class, in your home, in your heart

And grace goes out
Gods love is shared
And in one small place, the kingdom has come