The Old Testament story of Joseph is the story of how God grew the promised line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It's the story of how God took the line of Jacob from Canaan to Egypt, which ultimately sets up the account of the exodus and eventual conquest of the promised land. But there's also a backstory contained in the biblical material. The backstory is one of relational conflict and forgiveness. It's a story of adversity and severe trial. It's a story of growth and transformation. Above all, it's a story of God's providence.
In relation to God's providence, four themes emerge from Joseph's experiences: (1) God is in control; (2) God is at work even when it doesn't seem obvious; (3) God's work in our lives is complex and multifaceted; and (4) Even if everything is against us, God is for us. These and other points are featured in our study of January 10, 2010; which can be downloaded here: http://www.hamiltonhills.org/320804.ihtml.
If you are passing through a time of adversity, severe trial, or relational crisis, or even if your life seems to be running smoothly right now, I encourage you to listen to the sermon and then work through the following applications/study questions:
1. Take time to commit Genesis 50:20 to memory.
2. Has there been a time in your life when someone did something evil to you, but God turned into something good for you? Share what happened with your spouse or a close friend.
3. The bottom line for Joseph was that he trusted God through very difficult circumstances. How do you show trust in God when things go south in your life or when someone mistreats you?
No comments:
Post a Comment