Walking in the Covenant, Building the Kingdom

Thanksgiving! Lutheran Church

Pastor Bruce L Kotila

February 7, 2010

Joseph and the Dream Giver

Genesis 37:18-36

Outline

Verses 18-28, Joseph sold into slavery

Verses 29-35, Jacob deceived by his sons

Verse 29, Joseph sold to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s captain of the bodyguard

Key Verse

“Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams” (Genesis 37:20).

“Meanwhile, the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard” (Genesis 37:36).

Observations from Genesis 37:18-36

1.      Joseph’s hubris makes him oblivious to the depth of his brother’s hatred, the current danger and leads him to a sense of invincibility (a weakness of the young). Verses 18-20

2.      The account, viewed in its entirety, demonstrates the sovereignty of God over the affairs of human kind and that the plans of the Lord cannot be thwarted. Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-6; Luke 22:31-32

3.      In the days following the giving of the dreams the exact opposite of what was prophesied happens in the life of Joseph. Verse 24

4.      The heart can grow unbelievably cold when filled with hate for extended periods of time. Verse 25, also Hebrews 12:15

5.      We are told twice, for emphasis, that Joseph is sold into slavery in Egypt. Verses 28, 36

The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson

Ordinary Leaves His Comfort Zone (21-26)

Ordinary Meets Bullies in the Borderland (27-33)

Living Past the Edge (72-85)

“The closer we get to our own invisible Wall of Fear, the more fear we feel, and the more likely we are to believe a dangerous misconception. Ordinary expressed it this way: “But if I was supposed to do this Big Dream, then I’m sure I wouldn’t feel so afraid. (91)

Misconception #1  Since I feel fear, my Dream must not be from God

Misconception #2  I can’t go forward unless God takes my fear away

Unexpected Opposition (100-111)

Our New Dream was to serve God in Africa. Without a doubt, it was the biggest most unexpected change our family had ever experienced. Still, I knew it was the right thing to do. My wife and family knew it, too. And God had confirmed it in several highly specific ways. But the moment the Dream was announced, people started lining up at our front door. They had come to let us know, in the kindest but strongest way possible, that we were wrong, wrong, wrong!

Who’s In Your Borderland

1.      A Border Bully Opposes You

·        The Alarmist

·        The Traditionalist

·        The Defeatist

·        The Antogonist

2.      A Border Buddy Affirms and Supports You

3.      A Border Buster Helps You Pursue Your Dream