Welcome!

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

In this session:

• An intro video from Scott for our session today • A cartoon re-enactment of our story

• An exploration of the greatest history book of ALL TIME… • Reflections and prayers • Some optional extras

So: It’s been another strange week, hasn’t it!? How have you found this week?

Different weeks can be up and down and that’s ok! Sometimes, we have weeks

where feel very anxious and uncertain about things at the moment and other times

we have more positive weeks. If you’re someone who’s feeling like this, then you’re

in good company – we all feel like this in different ways.

We miss you guys a lot and can’t wait until we’re all back together! What are you

missing the most, do you think? Aside from family and friends, I really miss the

cinema!

Welcome to our session together today, before you go any further, check out my

video intro for you guys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkdyXKI1IBk

Remember Joseph?

Send me something you’ve been up to: scottr@testwoodbaptist.org

SO, I’m excited, are you?

Remember Joseph? Here is a reminder if not:

Joseph

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Meet Joseph: Hi! I’m Joseph!

Did you know: I have

11 brothers! 11, can

you believe it??

I’m also like the

second youngest,

which means I don’t

get heard much!

What’s the first

thing you think of

when you think

about my story?

I live in a place called

Canaan (“Kay-nun”)

with my father,

Jacob (who’s also

called ‘Israel’

Most people think

of my colourful coat,

or Egypt, where lots

of my story takes

place (hence the

funky theme!)

The most exciting thing

about my story, is that it all

points to Jesus (yes, like

actual Jesus, in like 1000

years time!) Crazy right?

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Joseph Intro Questions:

• Do you have a favourite farm animal?

• Have you had any crazy dreams recently? (yes, today are more dreams!)

• Have you, or perhaps a family member, ever grown fruit or beg in the

garden? What have you grown? Do you remember how long it takes?

• Has a parent or maybe a teacher ever given you responsibility over

others? Do you remember how it felt, receiving that trust?

The Story so far…

Do you remember the story of Joseph so far?

Joseph is the son of Jacob (also called Israel) and has 11 brothers. Joseph was

Jacob’s favourite son and he gave Joseph a spectacular robe! But his brothers got

jealous of this (I can see why!) and began to hate him.

Joseph then had two dreams from God, one involving grains of wheat and the

other, the moon and stars. Both dreams were about him ruling over his brothers

(remember these dreams we real and from God).

Joseph’s brothers then plotted to kill him but settled

with selling him to some foreigners who took him to

Egypt! Joseph worked under Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s

officials and Potiphar’s wife tricked Joseph and plotted

against him, ending up in Joseph’s prison sentence.

While Joseph was in prison, he interpreted dreams for

Pharaoh’s chief baker and cupbearer, and they came

true…

Today, 2 years has passed, and Pharaoh hears of what

happened while Joseph was in prison, and…

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Joseph

Bible Reading:

Grab a Bible and turn to Genesis 41 v 1-40

Do you remember why we read the Bible? Because the Bible is God’s Word, and

therefore every time we read the Bible, God actually speaks to us – how

incredible is that!?

Why not pray right now that God would speak into your heart as we read

together, and that we might see Jesus and know Him more?

Give Genesis 40:1-40 a read and we’ll go through it together!

It’s a slightly longer reading today, meaning we’ll be able to get through the

whole of Joseph’s Narrative – enjoy it

You can also read it here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+41%3A1-40&version=NIV

Video Story:

Before we go through the passage, let’s

watch that story to help us picture it better!

We join the video story as Pharaoh ask Joseph to interpret his dreams.

Watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWiJ8VQXJzY&list=PLcfK69wvRgGfl_k7phl2z

iPALYa3jlWBo&index=15

Joseph

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Bible Study: Keep your Bible open at Genesis 41 v 1-40

Here are some questions to focus in on as we go through our passage together:

• Have a look back to 40v23 – do you remember that Joseph was forgotten

about in prison?

• How long was Joseph left there in 41v1?

• Still think Joseph was deflated and lost all hope??

• Back to dreams – who has a dream now in v1? (He is like the top dog!)

• Can you summarise Pharaoh’s two dreams in v2-7?

• Who did Pharaoh first send for to aid him in v8?

• Who then comes back into the story in v9? What does he share with Pharaoh

in v10-13?

• Pharaoh then send for Joseph from prison, how does Joseph reply to

interpreting dreams in v16?

• What do you think this shows us about Joseph’s character?

• What does Joseph say the dreams mean in v25-27? (v29-30 may help you)

• What does Joseph then encourage Pharaoh to do in response in v33-36?

• How does Joseph’s journey then take a massive turn in v40?

• How many people will be above Joseph’s authority in Egypt in v40?

• Suddenly, Joseph has gone from betrayal, loss, family break-up and prison to

basically Prime Minister, 2nd in charge of the whole nation – how do you

think Joseph would have been feeling?

• Do you think this was part of God’s plan the whole time? Why do you think

it’s taken so long to play out like this?

Next week, we’ll find out what happens when Joseph is in charge!

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Joseph

What an amazing turn around! Now, do you remember we said that as amazing

and crazy as Joseph’s story is, what is more amazing, is that Joseph’s story points

us to Jesus?

How does Joseph point us to Jesus?

If all the Bible is about Jesus (and it is), then how can

someone who lived like 1000 odd years before Jesus

actually point us to Jesus and be the intention of the

story?? This is something we’re going to look at every

week as hear about Joseph.

Next week, this section of the narrative will continue and we will see Jesus a lot

easier, but why not take this opportunity to think about all of Joseph’s narrative so

far and write down everything you remember about how Joseph points us to Jesus

You may remember points about how Joseph and Jesus were both betrayed, or

about how Joseph and Jesus were both sold for money. You might think about,

from our passage today, about how Joseph says that God is the true interpreter of

dreams and how Joseph continues to faithfully live out God’s plan for himself,

even when it got touch, and Jesus did the same!

Remember the bigger picture of how Joseph’s story actually points

forward to the Lord Jesus – how cool is that!

sd

Joseph

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Now, why is this important?

Why does any of this matter?

And what has it got to do with us?

We can often go weeks or months struggling to hear directly from God. If that’s you

right now, then please know that’s ok! We all experience times like this. But as we

look at the narrative of Joseph, we see someone who faithfully plods on and on

and on, for years in his journey, appearing to get worse and worse.

Joseph goes from sibling rivalry, to full on betrayal, nearly killed, sold off, set up and

framed and imprisoned – it would seem like God surely can’t be blessing Joseph’s

journey here, but all the way through Joseph keeps pointing us back to God, Joseph

remains faithful to God the whole time. And today, we heard that God honoured

that but appointing Joseph second in command!

Joseph is a brilliant example to us about how to remain faithful to God even in

times where we feel like God isn’t speaking into our lives or when we don’t know

where we’re going in life etc. Remember, God speaks to us through His Word, the

Bible, and His Spirit is with us always in every circumstance.

Look to Joseph for example and encouragement – God’s plan are always working in

our lives, we need to ask for the strength and faith to trust Him. God honours those

who walk faithfully with Him, as Joseph did. So, let’s strive to be young men and

women who do the same, knowing that Joseph really points us to the Lord Jesus,

who gives us grace for every short fall and strength for every step.

I want to encourage you to take some time to reflect on that and come to God in

prayer (scroll down)

Reflection:

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

We’re praying for you, we miss you, we love you – keep being thankful for the

positive things and seeing Jesus in everything – and keep in touch!!

Scroll down for optional extras

Scott Rushby, TBCYouth, May 2020©

Our wider church family are looking at a 4 session series on Prayer, based

on these 4 points – today they’re thinking about YIELD.

I want to encourage you to spend a bit of extra time on that section today.

P – PAUSE – take a minute in silence, and bring your worries and thoughts

to God. Are you finding daily time to pause and meet with God? What does

physical rest look like for you in this time? What about mental rest? And

Spiritual rest? Pausing is really important.

R – Reflect/Rejoice – Take some time to reflect on Joseph’s and Jesus’

emotions throughout their journeys. Joseph has gone from the lowest of

lows to the second most important person in all the land! Why not spend

some time reflecting on where and how Jesus has been faithful to you in

your life, where He has helped you etc?

A – ASK – We serve a God who is able to do immeasurably more than we

can ever think or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) We can ask anything of Him! Do

you have things you want ask God for? Peace, comfort, joy maybe in this

time? Are there things you want to ask God for about other people around

you? We can come to God with anything, He loves listening!

Y – YIELD/YES – To Yield for God means to actively want Him more. How

can you actively try and seek Jesus more this week? How can we be faithful

plodders, like Joseph, even in lockdown? Why don’t you ask for God’s help

with that