Established in the Hidden

WEEK 1 — ESTABLISHED

Established in the Hidden

What God Is Doing When You Don’t See Anything Happening

WELCOME (PASTORAL, GROUNDING)

Good evening, church. Welcome to The Vine Collective.

I want to say this clearly and intentionally at the very beginning:

If this is your first time here… if you’re unsure about faith… if you’ve been hurt by church… or if you walked in tonight carrying questions you don’t even know how to ask—

You are welcome here.

Tonight is not about religion. It’s not about pressure. It’s not about pretending.

Tonight is about truth, hope, and Jesus.

And I believe that God brought you here on purpose.

OPENING PRAYER (SLOW, SETTLING)

Let’s pray.

Father, we come before You tonight with open hearts. Some of us are strong in faith. Some of us are tired. Some of us are searching.

Holy Spirit, speak clearly tonight. Not just to our minds, but to our hearts.

Let Your Word come alive. Let Jesus be lifted high.

And let no one leave this place unchanged.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

INTRODUCING THE SERIES (WHY THIS MATTERS)

Tonight we are beginning a new series called ESTABLISHED.

And before I explain what that means, I want to explain why it matters.

We live in a world that is obsessed with speed.

Everything around us says:

faster is better

bigger is success

visible means valuable

You can become known overnight. You can build a platform quickly. You can look successful without being healthy.

But at the same time, we are seeing:

people burning out

leaders collapsing

families breaking

faith falling apart

Not because God failed them— but because they were never rooted.

So this series is not about doing more. It’s about becoming stable.

Because nothing that lasts grows without being established first.

THE CORE TRUTH OF THE SERIES

Here is the foundation of everything we are going to talk about:

God does not expand what He has not first established.

Before God grows a life outwardly, He works on it inwardly.

Before God changes circumstances, He shapes character.

Before fruit appears publicly, roots grow privately.

This is not punishment. This is preparation.

CONNECT TO THE IDENTITY OF THE HOUSE

This is why God gave us the name The Vine Collective.

Jesus said in John 15:5:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever remains in Me and I in him will bear much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Christianity is not about striving. It’s not about fixing yourself. It’s not about trying harder.

It’s about remaining connected to Jesus.

Fruit is not forced. Fruit flows from connection.

PLANT ILLUSTRATION

Let me give you a picture everyone understands.

When you plant a seed in the ground, nothing happens on the surface for a while.

You water it. You wait. You check it.

And day after day, it looks like nothing is happening.

But that doesn’t mean nothing is happening.

The most important work is happening underground.

Before a plant grows upward, it grows downward.

Roots form before stems. Strength before height. Stability before fruit.

And if a plant grows too fast without roots, the first storm will knock it over.

So hear this:

What you don’t see is what determines what you will see.

That’s how God works in people.

TRANSITION INTO THE STORY (ASSUME ZERO BIBLE KNOWLEDGE)

Tonight we’re going to look at the life of Joseph, found in Genesis, the very first book of the Bible.

Joseph is not a pastor. He’s not a king. He’s not a prophet.

He’s a young man from a deeply broken family who receives a promise from God— and then everything falls apart.

FAMILY CONTEXT (VERY IMPORTANT)

Joseph is one of twelve brothers.

His father, Jacob, loves him more than the others.

📖 Genesis 37:3

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons.”

That favoritism creates jealousy, resentment, and division.

Joseph grows up favored—but immature.

And this matters, because:

Favor does not mean readiness.

THE DREAMS — GOD SPEAKS

God speaks to Joseph through dreams.

📖 Genesis 37:5

“Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.”

The dreams show Joseph ruling and leading.

The dreams are real. They are from God.

But Joseph is only 17 years old.

He has the promise, but not the maturity to carry it.

Here’s a key truth:

God can give you a real promise long before you are ready to walk in it.

The problem wasn’t the dream. The problem was the heart of the dreamer.

BETRAYAL — LIFE GOES BACKWARD

Joseph’s brothers plot against him.

📖 Genesis 37:24

“They took him and threw him into the pit.”

This is not symbolic

Its physical

Its real

Joseph stripped of his robe—the symbol of his fathers favor.

And they throw him into an empty pit.

Then it gets worse.

📖 Genesis 37:28

“They sold him… and Joseph was taken to Egypt.”

From favored son, to slave. From promise, to pit.

I want you to listen to this

Joseph did nothing wrong, to deserve this

This is where many people lose faith.

Because we assume:

if God is with me, life should go better

if God called me, things should move faster

But the bible shows us another reality

GOD IN THE HIDDEN- His presence never left

Joseph is sold to an Egyptian official named Potiphar.

The bible repeats a phrase that we need to learn

📖 Genesis 39:2

“The Lord was with Joseph…”

God’s presence did not remove pressure. It accompanied Joseph through the pressure.

God is not just with us when we are winning.

God is with us through the process.

POTIPHAR’S HOUSE — CHARACTER FORMATION

Joseph serves and works faithfully.

📖 Genesis 39:4

“Joseph found favor… and he became his attendant.”

Joseph receives responsibilities

Then Joseph is tempted.

📖 Genesis 39:9

“How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”

joseph did not respond with “I am strong”

Joseph responded with “I love you Lord”

And here is the lesson:

Character is who you do when no one is applauding you.

God is establishing Joseph in private what will sustain joseph him in public.

FALSE ACCUSATION — DOING RIGHT STILL HURTS

Joseph is falsely accused.

📖 Genesis 39:20

And they put him in prison...

And this powerful because:

Joseph did what was right, and still suffered.

But Scripture says again:

📖 Genesis 39:21

“The Lord was with him…”

God is still working.

PRISON — THE LONG WAIT

Joseph spends years in prison.

He serves others. He interprets dreams.

Then he is forgotten.

📖 Genesis 40:23

“The chief cupbearer… forgot Joseph.”

This is the hardest part.

When you did everything right— and nothing changes.

THE KEY VERSE — WHAT GOD IS DOING

📖 Psalm 105:19

“Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him.”

The promise tested Joseph. The delay refined Joseph. The process established Joseph.

God was not ignoring him. God was forming him.

GOD’S TIMING — SUDDEN EXPANSION

Years later, Pharaoh has dreams.

Joseph is brought out.

📖 Genesis 41:16

“I cannot do it… but God will give Pharaoh the answer.”

Same dream. Different heart.

Joseph is promoted in one day.

📖 Genesis 41:41

“I put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”

Years of preparation. One day of promotion.

That’s how God works.

SPEAK TO THE ROOM (PASTORAL)

Some of you feel hidden tonight.

You feel delayed. Overlooked. Frustrated.

Hear this clearly:

Hidden does not mean forgotten. Delay does not mean denial. God is not late. He is establishing you.

THE GOSPEL — JESUS GREATER THAN JOSEPH

Joseph saved people from famine. But Joseph could not save souls.

Joseph points us to Jesus.

Jesus was:

betrayed

falsely accused

rejected

But unlike Joseph, Jesus didn’t just preserve life.

📖 Romans 5:8

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Christianity is not about effort. It’s about grace.

INVITATION TO SALVATION (CLEAR, GENTLE)

If you are here tonight and you feel far from God, this is your moment.

You don’t clean yourself up first. You come as you are.

📖 Romans 10:9

CLOSING DECLARATION

Church, receive this:

God is not done. God is not distant. God is not late.

He is establishing you.

FINAL PRAYER

Father, root us deeply in Christ. Establish our hearts.

And when You expand us, may we carry it with humility and faith.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.