Untitled Sermon (11)

The Pursuit of Happiness

The format of a 5 structure Story

The Exposition: This is where the setting is introduced. The Characters are developed and the conflict is introduced.

Rising Action: This is where the action is which leads to the climax.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

The Climax: The pinnacle part of the story. The turning point.

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

Falling Action: The story begins to come to a close.

9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

Resolution: The final outcome of the story.

The story relates how Israel came to Egypt

Where a small family turned into millions and established a nation.

In fact, God spoke to Abraham in and said

Genesis 15:13–14 ESV

Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.

It’s in chapter 37 where the story of Joseph begins.

Joseph is 17 years old, the youngest of his brothers and the favorite of the family.

How many are the oldest in the family? Middle Child? (the lord bless you and keep you) where are the youngest?

Most cases the youngest get away with everything.

Joseph is shepherding in ch 37 and brings back a bad report about his brother

His bro. did not like him at all.

Joseph and his dreams

Josephs favoritism was not discreet. In fact it was flaunted.

He got to shoppe at Sax 5th avenue and his brothers on Craigslist.

As the curtain rises in this story, Joseph is looked at as a spoiled brat arrogant.

Joseph has his dream and says “Hey guys listen to this”

I dreamed there were sheaves in the field....wait for it.....and ALL of your Sheaves bound down to mine....What’s UP?

We don’t know if Joseph thought twice before

Given the tension growing between them, it is hard to imagine there wasn’t an element of gloating

The outcome was not surprising: his brothers hated him even more (

(Side note) hate/ un forgiveness will take you farther than you ever wanted to go…be careful

He tells his brothers his dream and they hate him for it.

Don’t Be Surprised if People Close to You Don’t Believe You

First of all the dream was given to you not them

1 Thessalonians 5:21 ESV

but test everything; hold fast what is good.

But reamind yourself the dream was given to you not anyone else

DOn’t let the approval or non approval steal away what God is driectring you to do

Genesis 37:20 ESV

Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.”

Genesis 45:3–7 ESV

And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.

Joseph has a significant vision from God and NO ONE CELEBRATES WITH HIM

Genesis 37:5 ESV

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.

Gen

Genesis 37:6 ESV

6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed:

Genesis 37:9–11 ESV

9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

:9-11

You cannot let the negativity of people drive the dream that God places in your heart

To continue with God’s vision you must have a vital relationship with God

That is exactly why Joseph was able to weather the tough times

Genesis 39:2 ESV

2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.

Genesis 39:21 ESV

21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

Gen 39

Genesis 39:23 ESV

23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.

Even though in this story begins to take a turn for the worse, I believe Joseph kept his dream alive by deepened walk with God and FAITH

Prepare Yourself to be tested during your pursuit of your dream

After Joseph shares his dreams

His brothers fake Joseph death and sell hi into slavery

The dream went to a nightmare fast

To make matters worse he gets accused of rape and sent to prison

Helps the butler while in prison “Don’t forget me when you get out”

IN the pursuit of your dream it’s not if you get tested its when you get tested

Follow EACH SETBACK with COMEBACKS

Sent to Prison Learned how to manage

Framed for rape In prison he learned to solve problems

Seven Years of Famine Prepared an entire nation for the famine

Don’t Be Surprised if Your Dream takes detours

We may not always see the effects of our faith but we can be confident that God will honor our faithfulness

He did not get his dream right away in fact it took a could of decades before his dream became a reality

Don’T let detours tear you Down rather let it increase your faithfulness

It may not have been Joseph timing but Gods

You wonder why God hand’t allowed you to move from point A to B....It could very well be Gods providence is still at work

Illust: AEP

The providence of God

Just because there are detours doesn’t mean God is not at work

7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors.

Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Don’t underestimate what God can do through your pain.

You may not be able to determine how long you go through it but you can determine how you go through it.

Genesis 45:7 ESV

And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.