The Dreamer They Hated

It’s great to be together as a family this evening.

Today, we are going to learn about a very interesting character in the Bible.

1. Joseph the dreamer

Genesis 37:1-11
1 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.
2 This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him.
4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.
6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had:
7 We were binding sheaves 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."
8 His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."
10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?"
11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Joseph was a son of Jacob. He was the youngest of Jacob’s sons.

He was born to Jacob in his old age. Joseph was 17 years old when he used to tend his father’s sheep.

Because he was the youngest, his father showed favoritism to him and that created jealous attitudes among Joseph’s brothers.

Joseph was a dreamer. He dreamt about becoming a leader or a king.

His brothers hated his dreams to the point that they decided to kill him. But what we can learn about Joseph is that at a very young age, as a teenager, his dream was to lead. God gave him that dream.

Dreaming to be a leader is having high expectations from oneself.

Not settling for a lukewarm life. Joseph had lots of family problems but still he wanted to lead. All these dreams he had was from God and it came true in Ch.42.

What kind of dreams do you have today? Lustful, horrific nightmares, movies etc.

When you are innocent and soft at heart you will have Godly dreams.

You will have dreams to do great things for God and His kingdom.

Let’s dream Godly dreams.

2. Joseph the blessed

Genesis 37:36
Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard.

Joseph was sold by the Midianites to Potiphar who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.

Gen 39:1-6 In Vs 2, the Lord was with Joseph.
- In Vs 3, the Lord gave him success.
- In Vs5, the Lord blessed Potiphar because of Joseph.

Joseph had a great relationship with God.

He wasn’t discouraged because his family ill-treated him.

He didn’t curse God but instead trusted God.

How are we today? Are we close to God like Joseph?

Will God bless everything and everybody who are along with us?

When we are close to God we will see success.

So, let’s get our prayer times deeper and passionate.

3. Joseph the loyal and righteous

Genesis 39:7-12
7 and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!"
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’s wife was lustful and disloyal to her husband.

She wanted to sleep with Joseph. She called Joseph to come to bed with her but

Joseph ran off. Joseph was loyal and righteous.

Joseph could have taken advantage of the image he had created in Potiphar’s mind and could have slept with Potiphar’s wife.

But he was righteous enough to run away from the sin.

How are we today? Do we have a double life?

In front of our leaders one and at home or office another one.

How do we act when we are alone?

Today we learnt three things from Joseph. Let’s be like Joseph.