Sermon Tone Analysis

We saw the account of Jacob’s life last week.

This week, the focus of history in Genesis shifts to Joseph, one of Jacob’s sons.

One of my favorite historical accounts in Scripture.

Addresses common lies we hear and believe:

Good things happen to good people

Bad things happen to bad people

Family Environment Determines one’s future

When bad things happen, God is not at work

As we saw last week, for a good portion of Jacob’s life, he was not a follower of God.

He was a manipulator, deceiver, and self-centered.

The home in which Joseph was raised was dysfunctional at best.

We saw that Jacob had two wives, one loved and the other not.

Those wives were sisters who were constantly vying for supremacy through having children.

They even used their handmaids to have children.

Sadly, sex being used as a means of self-centeredness was a theme in this environment.

We know this affected the children as we see at the end of Genesis 35, Jacob’s oldest son sleep with one of Jacob’s wives.

Our Family Environment has an Influence in our Lives

We praise the Lord that he patiently worked with Jacob, and Jacob finally turned to the Lord the night before he met his estranged brother, Esau.

At that point, God gave him a new name and a new identity, Israel.

Now, he was no longer, deceiver and manipulator.

He was now an overcomer in God.

Jacob’s story continues in Genesis 34, where we see Jacob’s sons learned deception and manipulation well from their father, as they tricked the men of a city to be circumcised, and then slaughtered them, taking all of their belongings as plunder.

Then, we pick up the history in Genesis 35.

Here we see the Lord again appearing to Jacob.

God’s Reminders

Genesis 37, shift to Joseph

Joseph - stood for what was right, told his father

More loved

hated

1st Dream - brothers hated him all the more

2nd dream - brothers plotted to kill him, father rebuked, but kept it in mind

Jacob sends Joseph for a report

Brothers saw him coming and plotted to kill him

Reuben says, don’t kill him

throw him into a cistern, after all what do we gain… let’s sell him for money!

brothers lie to father about Joseph

Joseph sold to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's guard

Judah and Tamar - In the line of Christ.

God is still at work even though we sin

God is still at work even when others sin

Joseph in Potiphar’s house

Potiphar’s wife

Family has Influence, not Determination

Potiphar jailed Joseph - usual punishment would have been death…

Likely did not believe wife, but could not let Joseph off in order to save face

Again, Joseph did not do anything wrong

But suffering because of other’s sins

Joseph jailed for doing what was right

God still at work

two prisoners

Pharaoh’s dreams

Joseph exalted

30 years old.

23 years after God revealed what would happen, he is becoming ruler of Egypt

Now, 7 years of plenty, followed by 7 years of famine.

Gen 42 Brothers come to Egypt

Do they care for Benjamin?

3 tests

Lies we believe:

Family environment determines ones life

Family environment is only an influence in your life.

What choices will you make?

Good things happen to good people, bad things happen to bad people

Bad things happen, even if we are good

When bad things happen, I don’t see God in this

God is at work, even when we or others sin

God is Faithful to all His Promises