Joseph - God is Always with His People

The focus turns from Jacob to Joseph in chapter 37. Joseph is one of my favorite stories…

start with a game of Never Have I Ever with bad stuff about life feeling out of control, throw a funny one in there

Here’s what’s happened in Joseph’s life so far…

God is always with his people, working through every situation.

A bad situation doesn’t mean God is gone.

1-6

God is always with us, no matter what’s going on.

When Parker was three months old he fell off the bed… Kristen and I took him to the ER and part of them checking him out was getting an xray. You have to be still for an xray, but three month old babies aren’t very still, so you have to make them be still. They rigged him up in this contraption to keep him still…

He wasn’t happy about it, it wasn’t a good situation. But Kristen and I were right there the whole time…

Moses told God’s people at the end of his ministry

Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Rest in knowing his presence is with you, no matter what situation you’re facing…

God being with us doesn’t mean trouble is gone.

7-20

You might think about it kind of like an epi-pen. Lot’s of people seem to have those now, a lot of people are allergic to a lot of things. There weren’t as many allergies when I was a kid and I really think it’s because people weren’t so afraid of it and they gave kids peanut butter so they got used to it. If you want my advice, cover your babies in peanut butter and they won’t end up allergic to peanuts. It’s ridiculous that y’all can’t have a PB&J in school!!!

Anyway, having an epi-pen doesn’t keep you from getting in a situation where you need it. But if you get into that situation, you know you’ve got it!

God is with us, but we are still in this world, and in this world there will be trouble.

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Don’t be caught off guard when trials and temptations come your way, Scripture guarantees us that they will. Prepare yourself to stand against them, to remain faithful in their face…

God is still at work even when things don’t look good.

21-23

God’s hands are never tied, He is always able to accomplish his plans no matter what situation we are in.

point to the Jesus painting on the wall

This painting over here, I wasn’t here when it was done, but I’ve been told it was painted upside down… As that’s coming together, people were probably looking at it thinking it was chaos until they saw it come together.

Sometimes your life may feel like it’s been turned upside down, and it may have been! But even then, God is still working in your life!

Romans 8:28 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

And what is the purpose he has for his people?

Romans 8:29 ESV

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Most of the book of Revelation is full of some wild and scary stuff…

But through all of it, God is with his people, accomplishing his plan for his Kingdom.

What we are called to do, what the Holy Spirit equips God’s people to do, is to faithfully trust that God is at work in the midst of the chaos, even when life feels upside down!

There is chaos in this world because of sin. As long as there is sin, as long as we sin, there will be chaos. But God made a way for his people to be saved from the chaos of sin, to have hope in the midst of chaos…

Gospel presentation