New Beginnings: Joseph's Dreams

From Rejection to Restoration

Genesis 37:1-11

Focus: Christ’s life was one of blessed persecution for us so that we might rejoice and be glad.” Matthew 5:10–12

Function: That my hearers believe that sanctification is Christ active in us for our neighbor

Structure: Expository (Question Answered)

Teaching: Sanctification.

How this passage could point to Christ: In Joseph's journey from rejection to redemption, we see a foreshadowing of the ultimate redemption brought by Jesus Christ. Just as Joseph's suffering led to the salvation of many, Jesus' sacrifice on the cross brings redemption to all who believe in Him. Fulfillment of the Abrahamic Promise (in part in Joseph in full in Jesus)

Big Idea: Our lives includes both rejection and redemption. Christ is faithful and will keep you and sanctify you through the work of the Holy Spirit even in the midst of our struggles.

1. Favored even when you are Forsaken

Genesis 37:1-4

Have you ever watched a butterfly emerge from a cocoon? It is hard to believe that something so beautiful is coming out of the cocoon when you remember that a rather ugly “Caterpillar” made it. The new insect is the same animal genetically as it was before the change, yet it looks so very different that we wonder if it is really a new creature. In a small and inadequate sense, that is what sanctification is about. Because of Jesus, God works a wonderful, miraculous transformation in us.

When the Caterpillar becomes a Butterfly. I wonder how the other Caterpillar’s felt? (You think your better than me!?!?!?!

I wonder, hypothetically, if the other worms get jealous? Upset? Angry? What would that look like (imaginative conversation DA Carson Style)

This might have been what a discussion between Joseph’s brothers had been like when when they saw him in his coat of many colors. What might it have sounded like when they talked about daddy playing favorites and the favored position of little Joseph among his bigger brothers. They were jealous for the gift of the coat from Jacob and the status it gave. But here’s the funny thing, they already had Jacob’s love… its just hard isn’t it ...seeing a change in someone else’s life and noticing the deficit in your own life. (Law of God when we see graciousness on others). What about us? Fair question… rejection is hard… jealousy is hard… especially when we turn it into envy… then it becomes hostile and hateful. How can we find redemption when we are filled with rejection. By realizing that like all of Jacob’s children: I am loved by my Father AND I love that for them (people need grace… even the grace you want for yourselves).

God's plans for people’s lives can sometimes set them apart in ways that are not easy for us to understand or accept.

Like if you’ve been a Christian/Lutheran your whole life and you see that new convert and they have the new convert zeal… you know what I mean… that new convert smell. Rather than relying on what you know to be true you get jealous and envious of what other have so loudly/confidently in front of you.

This is how the pharisee’s felt about Jesus. Clearly He has God’s special approval and favor. Jesus is actually kind of throwing it back at them like Joseph did… When he would do a miracle he would send them to the temple to show them that the Messiah and the Messianic age is here (Matthew 8:4; Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14). This upset them… and that makes sense… they weren’t just jerks. Their jealousy (that they couldn't do what Jesus did… and that made them feel rejected (they thought of themselves as the leaders) (By doing this Jesus was saying… MOVE OVER) and this led them on the path to envy and hatred and rejection of Jesus). Christ was rejected by His own. Think about that. How do we receive that? How do we receive the fact that… left on our own… we would reject Him too!?! TURN AWAY from rejection. LOOK to the love of the Father which is clearest on Jesus, BELIEVE that He did that in Jesus for you. And you know what, we love seeing that in Jesus… don’t we. We need that grace that God has given us in Christ. Because that is the acceptance and love that we need from the Father too. Jesus does more than display that grace… he actually gives it to us through the salvation which we have because of His death and resurrection. In sin we reject him (and the cross settles that debt) BUT NOW in the resurrection we get that new beginning we have been talking about. This is how we travel the road form rejection to redemption.

Today we are unpacking a teaching of the faith called Sanctification (

Sanctification talks about how God is always working for the good in our lives, leading us to Christ, Keeping us in Christ, every day of our lives.

In the Bible when it talks about sanctification, it is always referring to the lifelong work of the Holy Spirit to change us here in time for eternity. The word “sanctification” comes from two Latin words, sanctus (holy) and facere (to make). But what does it mean that God makes us “holy”? Well there’s two ways of thinking about it… a very wide and general, that’s when sanctification refers to the working of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people. (2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 13:12). But there is also a more specific or narrower that the Bible talks about how the Holy Spirit makes us “holy”, a more precise sense. The narrower sense talks about an inward spiritual transformation in us through the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. Today we are talking about this narrow sense only.

Today when we talk about Sanctification we are talking about when the Holy Spirit creates a new spiritual life in you (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Through the means of grace (John 17:17; Galatians 5:25) the “image of God” which we lost in the Garden of Eden after the fall (Colossians 3:10) begins to be restored and we grow in our relationship with our God. That’s the normal experience of being a Christian. However, as you read the Bible you can see that the normal experience of a believer does not mean that we reach spiritual perfection or that we are free from being a sinner or having sinful nature. The biblical picture is much more complex and is much more true to regular life, If you were hoping for the silver bullet… the Bible rarely talks that way... we have to account for both our fallen nature and our new life as children of God. And the struggle that happens between both as we become what God is making us to be.

You might ask… so when does Sanctification start… well immediately when you get saved by grace through faith… what we like to call around here... justification. When you are saved by grace… God first declares you His children because of Christ (justification), then the gradual process of becoming what-God-has-declared-you-to-be (sanctification) begins. Sanctification is an act of becoming. This is critical not to mix these two tings up… or to make them the same thing. They are not. First God has declared you to be holy a saints, his child. Then and only then does the Holy Spirit immediately work a change in you through the same means that created our faith: the Gospel. (John 15:5).

What’s the change? well you might have notices that God produces a desire and a holy life in you (Galatians 2:20). There was a time when we were God’s enemies, hostile to anything that had to do with God (Romans 5:6, 8, 10). But the Spirit gave us the gift of faith in Christ, and we were justified. and now by Christ through the working the Spirit your saving faith naturally and inevitably produces good works (Ephesians 2:8–10). Like a tree… if you plant an apple tree… what does it naturally produce (Apples).... (without effort, or will, or emotion)… it does it because that’s what it was designed by God to do. Christ is the seed… faith is what grows… the fruit of a new life happens naturally. And just like a tree Sanctification happens your whole Christian life (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Jesus makes us holy (John 17:17) “according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4) and the Spirit creates new attitudes along with new behaviors that may even surprise you (Philippians 2:13). The Law not only confronts our of sin, but now it also serves as a guide (Romans 12:1–2). This is what inspires us to love and serve our neighbor (1 Peter 2:2). The sacraments, like the Lord’s Supper, nurture and strengthen our faith as we receive Jesus at this altar (Acts 2:42, 46; 1 Corinthians 10:16). That’s how the Spirit, through these means, produces the fruit of faith in your heart and life. The means of grace demonstrate, once again, that it is God who works in and through in sanctification.

Put simple: Sanctification is Christ in action in you for your neighbor. Sanctification is like being clothed with Christ’s righteousness. So that when people see the good in your life… they see the righteousness of Christ all over you. Christ put that on you!

Embrace the Holy Spirit led unique paths and the grace of God in Christ in your life, even when it leads to misunderstanding or rejection by others.

If you are a student who feels rejected by those around you and are struggling with self-doubt. Remember, even in the pain, God is your comfort and strength, you can trust that His love for you is unwavering.

If your a person who has experienced rejection in your career or relationships because of your faith. As you endure that pain look to Christ who endured pain with you and for you. Let Christ guide you in your integrity and suffering.

Or maybe you’re in College or a recent grad and you are grappling with feelings of rejection from their social circle because your faith puts you at odds with the ways of this world. In the midst of emotional turmoil, find solace in Jesus, find those places in your Bible when Jesus experienced rejection and know that He understands your pain.

For anyone experiencing rejection because of your faith don’t allow bitterness to take root, Have faith and trust in God's love for you in Christ. There is power in the Holy Spirit to strengthen your faith in the midst adversity.

2. Dreams Drawing Discontent

Genesis 37:5-8

In the first part we deal with the coat but now in verses 5-8 we move on to Joseph's dream and the reaction of his brothers to it.

Let’s explore this from another angle. Because Joseph ins’t Jesus. I mean he isn't perfect. Was it okay for Joseph to talk about his dreams or was that boasting and wrong headed.

Have you ever heard the saying: Discretion is the better part of valor (define). Perhaps Joseph would have been wiser to realize that his dreams were a gift from God to fulfill his promises to Abraham in the future. He would have done well to know the danger of bragging and avoided the whole mess. These dreams where a gift of God for the future. Don’t you remember the end of Joseph’s story! His dreams were to help them understand God’s plan in the future (Summary of the connection to the end of the story). It takes strength to be humble when all you want to do is let all that good stuff out the second it happened. But these dreams were not for his private glory. They were preparing Joseph for what he would need to know for the future, while also preparing his family to be able to receive that when the time came as well. His dreams were a witness to the Word of God… not a private approval of God (for just himself) or his (behavior alone).

So what about when we talk about God and His work in our lives? Are we being holier than thou? Well… as long as we are not trying to be better than others, as if God really loves you and approves of you more than others. It’s very hard to not fall into the trap… sometimes it can come off as a “holy brag,” which looks a little like this (Humble brag examples Break the Fourth Wall) God’s work in your life is a witness to His word. Not something to draw attention to yourself. Done correctly... God actually get all the credit.

But even done correctly… God's promises to us can still often be met with opposition, even from those closest to us.

It parallels with the way Jesus was misunderstood and opposed by many. (John 5:30) John 7:17; John 8:28 (John 12:49; John 14:10) They accuse Him of glorifying Himself. Jesus says: “I do not glorify myself but I bring the glory to my father John 8:50… If I stood alone I would be false but these testify John 5:31) Jesus wasn’t out there on His own, trying to bring recognition and glory to Himself, He wasn’t trying to brand or market the Messiah. He was being the Messiah and bringing all the glory that His Father gave Him and returning it back to Him. 1 Corinthians 15:24 he delivers the kingdom to God the Father. That God may be all in all (v.28)

The key here is holding onto God's promises, even with the opposition coming at you, which then, in turn leads from 'rejection' to 'redemption' in Christ. Think of all the people who rejected Christ but then ultimately accepted him. Just look at Nicodemus in the Gospel of John.

3. Vision Versus Violence

Genesis 37:9-11

In the second round of the dreams of Joseph there was increased hatred from his brothers but growing concern from his father. Look at how his father changed his mind about it. He started to see the word and work of God in his testimony. He saw the sanctifying work of God in His son’s life and the next thing he did was really profound... he pondered these things in his heart. JUST LIKE MARY DID… when the shepherds came to her in with visions of angels and the message from God about what he was going to do in her child’s life Luke 2:19)

Sometimes it takes time to see... fully... the divine purposes in life. Because God’s plans are not only challenging for others to accept but they may even be challenging for us to fully grasp. Think of James the half brother of Jesus… it was only after the resurrection that he came around to beleiving in Jesus… His own brother.... it came when Jesus after his resurrection paid his half brother a visit. 1 Corinthians 15:7 Maybe a little sibling rivalry… but I think more seriously out of love… In mercy he comes and says. I know it was hard to accept John 7:5 I know you didn’t fully grasp it until the upper room Acts 1:14 but now I have a role for you in the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13 and 21:18) you will be sent by me Galatians 1:9 and even become a pillar of the community of Christ Galatians 2:9. But that is a road he had to travel down for a while in order to go from rejection to redemption.

I guess what I am saying is that it may take time for the Holy to do the work He wants to do in someone or anyone’s life. That may come with some rejection for now. So be careful to stay out of the humble brag zone… keep the focus on Jesus as God is doing a work in them that we cannot see.

BECAUSE (Explanation of the third article of the creed). God is active and moving through his church to bring about a great salvation through Jesus Christ who is the one who was slain but who is alive and reigns.

If this is difficult for you… remember that sanctification isn’t what saves you. God takes care of that saving all at once... when He justified you freely on account of Christ’s death and resurrection. But sanctification is a process and Christ begins and completes that in us over time through the Holy Spirit. If you struggle with your sanctification just remember : 1: it’s justification by grace through faith and 2: sanctification is the struggle. The struggle is real… but so is your God and if you struggle with your sanctification you are in good company. Because Christ's mission was difficult for His disciples too… they were literally with Him and they still struggled. My favorite thing Jesus did to help them see that struggle was in the example of the man who was blind who need a second healing… because Jesus was showing the disciples their stubbornness to believe only has hope for saving in him alone Mark 8:14-25)

Story of when I converted how I lost some friends. But others had to saw the redemption and it mattered (Voss,Mills)

Christianity is just one beggar telling another beggar where they found bread.

Jesus said

I am the bread of life.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Jn 6:48–51.

If you are a student who feels rejected by those around you and are struggling with self-doubt. Remember, even in the pain, God is your comfort and strength, you can trust that His love for you is unwavering.

If your a person who has experienced rejection in your career or relationships because of your faith. As you endure that pain look to Christ who endured pain with you and for you. Let Christ guide you in your integrity and suffering.

Or maybe you’re in College or a recent grad and you are grappling with feelings of rejection from their social circle because your faith puts you at odds with the ways of this world. In the midst of emotional turmoil, find solace in Jesus, find those places in your Bible when Jesus experienced rejection and know that He understands your pain.

For anyone experiencing rejection because of your faith don’t allow bitterness to take root, Have faith and trust in God's love for you in Christ. There is power in the Holy Spirit to strengthen your faith in the midst adversity.