“Faith Through

Generations: Joseph”Hebrews 11:21

A legacy continues…•Three generations after God’s promise to Abraham, Joseph comes along•He proves to be a child of faith•He had dreams from God•Despite the tragedy of his life story he remained faithful to God•God rewarded him for it

“ By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.”

Hebrews 11:22, NASB

A. Joseph’s story…•The account of his life is found in Genesis 37•Joseph was Jacob’s favorite, and a dreamer•This did not endear him among his brothers•After telling his brothers a dream, they sold him into slavery

“23 So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; 24 and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it. 25 Then they sat down to eat a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing aromatic gum and balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother

and cover up his blood? 27 Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.”

Genesis 28:18-22, NASB

A. Joseph’s story…•Joseph easily could have cursed God for his situation•But he did not•Then he rises to the position of Potiphar’s house man•But the unthinkable happens to him then•He accused of crimes he did not commit and goes to Prison

B. Joseph’s Imprisonment•Accused of rape, he’s thrown into prison and forgotten•Did he lose faith then? Not after 30 years in prison!•You know the story after he got out, he became Pharaoh’s right arm

C. Joseph’s blessing…•You remember last week we talked of Jacob blessing Joseph’s sons•As Joseph was dying, he made his brothers promise he’d be buried in the Promised Land

“24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.” 26 So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.”

Genesis 50:24-26, NASB

C. Joseph’s blessing…•Biblical scholars think Joseph’s coffin was never buried in Egypt, upon his orders•And by Faith, he went home

“19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, ‘God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you.’”

Exodus 13:19, NASB

C. Joseph’s blessing…•Biblical scholars think Joseph’s coffin was never buried in Egypt, upon his orders•And by Faith, he went home•Joseph was brought up in faith, and lived out his life that way (Train up a child…)

Take Home Tips•Let your children see you read

God’s Word and pray EVERY DAY•Tell your children how you are

growing and learning new things from the Bible•Pray with your children every day,

not just the meal time prayer and bedtime prayer--begin today• If your children are no longer under

your roof, pray for them daily for the Lord’s will