Here Comes That Dreamer

HERE COMES THAT DREAMER

GENESIS 37:1-11, 19, 20

1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. 4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. 9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. 20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

I.                   JOSEPH  DREAMED WHEN HE WAS YOUNG

A.   THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH. Most people accept Christ as their Savior before they reach age 18, and most people who accept the call of God to full-time ministry do so before they are 21.

B.   THESE PEOPLE DREAMED WHILE YOUNG:

1.     Pascal wrote a great work at 16 and died at only 37.

2.     Alfred Tennyson wrote his first volume at 18.

3.     Isaac Newton was 24 when he formulated the law of gravity.

4.     Charles Spurgeon pastored the largest church in London at 25.

C.   DREAMS ARE ALSO FOR THOSE WHO ARE OLDER. Joel 2:28 “Your old men will dream dreams”

D.   YOU ARE YOUNGER THAN YOU THINK:

1.     Moses was 80 when God called him to deliver Israel.

2.     Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel on his back on a scaffold at nearly 90.

3.     Webster wrote his dictionary at 70.

4.     Verdi produced the famous piece “Ave Maria” at 85.

5.     Tennyson published “Crossing the Bar” at 83.

II.                JOSEPH HAD A GOD-GIVEN DREAM

A.   THE TWO DREAMS CONFIRMED THAT THE DREAMS CAME FOR GOD AND WERE GUARANTEED BY GOD’S PROMISE.

B.   THE PROBLEM OF SELF-CONTRIVED DREAMS

C.   HOW TO HAVE A GOD-DREAM FOR YOUR LIFE: Look at you talents and gifts and form a dream for your life based on what God has given you. Also be open to God leading you into an area of ministry and service.

III.             JOSEPH KNEW HOW TO MAKE HIS DREAMS BECOME REALITY. It takes faith and patience to turn dreams into reality.

A.   FAITH. It took tremendous faith for him to share his dream with his family.

B.   PATIENCE. This means to be long-suffering and to be undismayed by difficulties.

C.   PERSEVERANCE IS REQUIRED BECAUSE ALL DREAMERS MUST BE TESTED. James 1:4 “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”