This is our worship service for Sunday, 10-24-2021.
Countdown to Worship
“Lion and the Lamb,” Leland.
First Worship Offering
“The Center of It All,” Max Powell.
Second Worship Offering
“Ryan Stevens,” The Eye of the Storm.
Third Worship Offering
“Nobody,” Casting Crowns.
Communion Service
Dana Smith.
“Only Jesus,” Casting Crowns.
Today’s message
Saints & Struggles: Joseph
Pastor Andy Funes
Closing Prayer: Ken Smith.
Sermon Notes:
Saints & Struggles: Joseph
Pastor Andy Funes
“All throughout Joseph’s life, we see him get knocked down and hit with crisis after crisis, but we also see God’s provision and protection.” This week Pastor Andy Funes takes us through Joseph’s crises and how God showed up for him. God works with and for us through our struggles! When life keeps hitting, God keeps working!
- To be a Saint is to be in the struggle.
- God wants us to know these struggles because their struggles of yesterday are our struggles today.
- We overcome our struggles through the power of Jesus Christ.
- Struggles (bad things) can and will happen to good people.
- May people look great on the outside but are struggling on the inside.
- God uses imperfect people to accomplish His perfect will.
Who is the favored one in your family?
Jacob’s son Joseph was the youngest and the most favored, so much so his brothers hated him.
Genesis 37:17-19 New International Version
So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.
19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. 22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.
Genesis 37:25-28 New International Version
25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
Genesis 37:36 New International Version
36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.
Joseph life changed from a savored and favored status to being betrayed and sold into slavery by his brothers.
Genesis 39:6-7 New International Version
6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
Genesis 39:8-12 New International Version
8 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.
Potiphar believed his wife and threw Joseph in jail.
Joseph was never alone; the Lord was with Him always.
Genesis 39:21 New International Version
21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
Joseph made himself a name while in prison of being able to interpret dreams.
Pharoah was tormented by the same dream, night after night and sent for Joseph to make sense of it.
Genesis 41:14-16 New International Version
14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
16 “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
the prison.
Genesis 41: 28-41 New International Version
28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon. 33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.” 37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God[a]?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 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.” 41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”
So all of Egypt follows Joseph’s orders and when the famine came Egypt had so much surplus it sells the extra to other countries who have not made provision.
Joseph family comes to purchase grain.
Genesis 45: 4-5 New International Version
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.
Genesis 50:20 New International Version
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Joseph understood that God was working through him.
Romans 8:28 New International Version
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
People can be evil but God is always good.
God is always greater.
God brings clarity to every situation.
Life can be painful but God will make it work for your good.
Despite our pain and suffering God is always working for our good.
When life keeps hitting God keeps working.
|
