Sermon Tone Analysis

Sibling rivalries have existed from the dawn of time.

My brother and I are not much different.

He is very smart, more feisty than I am, and three years younger.

However, he did not mix well with the way we do school in this country.

Poor guy had to have the same teachers I had four years earlier and deal with the expectation that he would get the same grades.

Of course, he had his ways of getting back at me.

I found out about 10 years ago that he also does not like brussel sprouts, but that he would ask for them every chance he had because he knew I despised them.

Please, when bringing your toppings for the potato bar, don’t bring brussel sprouts.

But nothing pushes sibling rivalry over the edge like favoritism.

This month we are going to visiting the school of hard knocks, from which Joseph graduated with honors, though it took a long time to get there.

Let’s look at Genesis 37:1-11 together:

In Joseph’s family there was built in sibling rivalry.

6 of Joseph’s brothers were born to his Aunt who was also married to his father.

There was rivalry between the sisters that even caused them to give their hand-maids to their husband so that they could get more children through them.

His father, Jacob, had tricked his own brother Esau out of his birthright, and Jacob’s father Isaac’s mother Sarah, sent Isaac’s older half-brother Ismael away because she didn’t want him to get any of the inheritance that was due Isaac.

Jacob’s mother Rebekah favored him while his father Isaac favored Esau.

Favoritism is not just a sin, it is a sin that is passed generation to generation.

Favoritism fractures families.

Favoritism impedes the gospel.

God doesn’t play favorites.