Teenage Dreamer

Be careful men and women how you measure the point of God. We tend to equate his plan with longsleeved, surrounded by loving people, but his plan may mean the office as you yield to Jesus Christ, who by the way, is illustrated by Joseph, more than any other character in the Old Testament for Jesus Christ also was the beloved son.

He also was sent to his brethren. He also was rejected by them.

He also was sold for a handful of silver. Jesus Christ did that for whom you by God to rescue Egypt from starvation during the seven-year famine. He also rescued God's people by bringing them into Egypt where there was food, but earlier in life.

Things were rough. His family life was so troubled that several of his brothers sold him into slavery today on wisdom for the heart. Stephen Devi begins a series on a son who was sold as a slave and who later became a prince. It's a series on the life of Joseph called God meant it for good. Today will see young Joseph as we begin this series with a message called teenage dreamer. One of the great delight of the book of Genesis is been hearing people, that they never realized how practical an Old Testament book can be predicted is book for the first time I've often come to a passage in Genesis and I have read it and then I stopped and said okay Lord. Nothing hit me that time I'll read it again and again and again.

And yet, perhaps as you have experienced with the instruction of the Holy Spirit in being surrounded by books written by men who have come this way before me. Genesis is come alive and it is been a real thrill at this point feed you from the pastureland of this great book I've been asked the question why is it that we do study the Old Testament if we are New Testament believers is a really relevant and I appreciate that kind of question.

In fact, let me answer that a little bit more than I normally have turned in your Bibles to Romans chapter 15 Romans chapter 15 where the apostle Paul tells us why we in fact should study the Old Testament. It is not a dead section of the Bible.

It should not be dusty in detail this in Romans chapter 15 verse four. Why for whatever was written in earlier times you want to write into the margin. Your Bible OTR Old Testament because that's what he is referring to. In fact, let's read it that way for whatever was written in the Old Testament was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. So in studying the Old Testament we have been given the promise of two things. First of all present instruction that is teaching that would edify the New Testament believer. I have not found anyone more than Joseph who could teach us as one man wrote, we will observe him and learn from him as he blazes a trail through the jungle of Miss treatment, false accusations, undeserved punishment and gross misunderstanding will observe how he lives and how he acts and what a future hope. We will learn from Joseph how to forgive others how to be free from bitterness, how to have rocksolid faith and by the way Joseph had rocksolid faith in a God and he never saw God never appeared to Joseph. God never spoke directly to Joseph as he did Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob. And yet Joseph trusts and we will learn how to trust him to. It's interesting. Before we begin the biography of Joseph that there are only two people in the entire Scriptures, but nothing negative is that about their character or their life. One is Joseph and the other one is Daniel and it was fascinating to think that both of those men were sold into captivity.

They were deposited into paganism when they had once been so secure our indoor home life as young men we have a lot to learn from this individual who will show us. It is possible to live up your in an impure society.

It is possible to have character in a morally chaotic society but start in Genesis chapter 37. You cannot help but notice the contrast between chapter 37 and if you have been reading along chapter 36. In fact, I think it's a subtle contrast because chapter 36 begins by listing the genealogy of Esau Jacob's brother and it's impressive counted sometime and you'll find it. Esau had five sons and from that he had 27 chief and eight kings verse one of chapter 36 now these are the records of the generations of Esau that is the king of Edom and how impressive the genealogy is now you come over to chapter 37 and it says now these are the records of the generations of Jacob, Joseph, when he was yet 17.

I think it's an implication of contrast that is all that the world would consider impressive. The 27 chief and the eight kings and the king of Edom, as contrasted to a 17-year-old boy named Joseph as I pondered the thought, it occurred to me that what the world would consider noteworthy may not even make the back page and heavens news release while the world would consider Esau impressive in his genealogy something to take note of God will spend chapter after chapter recording the life of one who starts out as a teenage boy I really thought that illustrated this point if Dan Rather had been living in 1809.

His evening news would have centered not on Britain or America, but on Austria.

In fact, all eyes would have been on Napoleon as the swept across the canvas of civilization bringing emperors to their knees and controlling vast empires. What could have been more important on the international scene. The Napoleon pool more important to more noteworthy than this little dictator and yet in 1809, a teenager took the book from the shelf of his father's library and he went out behind the barn and you begin to read in the phrase captured is thought as you read over and over again, and if work Christ, that boy got on his knees and he accepted Jesus Christ and not long after Jay Hudson Taylor with the China and founded the China inland Mission that literally would bring millions of Chinese that Jesus. I think it's interesting that we see a teenager compared to the impressive genealogy would get God to find that noteworthy. He takes note and he wants us to as well.

Let's begin. Chapter 37 verse one now Jacob lived in the land where his father had sojourned in the land of Canaan and these are the records of the generations of Jacob, Joseph, when 17 years of age was pastoring the flock with his brothers while he was only a teenager or still you along with the sons of Bill Hahn, the sons of Zilpah.

His father's wives and Joseph brought back a bad report about them to his father.

Now Israel.

Another name for Jacob loved Joseph more than all his sons now he will give us in this passage to phrases that will occur now to reveal to us the first thing that strikes me about Joseph biography and that is the favoritism of his father toward Joseph, the first phrase is this because he was the son of his old age, that this is an Joseph small or Jacob's perhaps for considering Joseph a favorite of his. Because the phrase could be translated, the son of the ages.

It's a reference to a child who is very perceptive and discerning compliant and obedient Joseph the son of the ages, though he is 17 he has the maturity of a 20 or 30 or 40-year-old. He has the perception of one who was far beyond his years and how easy it would be as a father to give more note to that boy who would be called a compliant child in the books.

Today he is the dream of every parent, never a conflict out of Joseph always obedient to your parents for just a moment imagine that I expect conflict around our home. I expected a daily portion. I can imagine a compliant child who would be considered a sign of the ages and yet Joseph was that kind of boy and so Jacob is endeared to him.

As a result of this compliancy in Joseph's home 11 brothers were constant trouble they would grow up to be rebellious and immoral, and while they are growing up. Joseph is growing into a mature, obedient, godly young man. The second phrase that reveals, perhaps, I think an exaggerated favoritism is the phrase, and he made him last part of verse three of very colored tunic or a coat of many colors. Now the many color idea comes from that culture where nobility would wear robes that had been expensively dyed, the literal Hebrew translation comes from the word pass scene, which is not many colored but extremities or wristed in other words, this tunic reached Joseph's wrists and his ankles. That was the garment of the nobility. It's interesting that a person who would wear that garment would be obviously recognized as someone exempt from hard labor.

He sees in that day. The men wore cut all tunics that came to their knees so that they can move easily and work and sweat, but here comes Joseph dressed in a garment that reaches to his wrists and to his ankles. It was a garment of nobility and literally meant Joseph. You don't have to work you are exempt from hard labor. Perhaps an unwise move for his father. So Joseph is given the honored position obviously is the heir to the blessing, but he is also given the favored position of one who oversees the work everybody else is working in Joseph, who is second to the youngest is calling the shots. To make matters worse Joseph in the last part of verse two if you missed it brought back a bad report about them to their father. Here is the straw boss out on the scene not working.

He's watching and he notices the immorality of his brothers and so he goes back and he tells his father some commentators suggest that this is tattletale and I don't think so.

In fact, the more you learn about Joseph. The more you will learn that his conscience is easily correct by immorality, and he feels a sense of duty to his brothers who are bringing the family name through the mud and so he goes back to his father, Jacob, and tells him what they are doing what is Jacob's response. It is characteristic. It is silent. Jacob is a classic example of a passive father who is unwilling to confront the sins of his sons. If I ignore it and maybe it'll go away if I excuse it maybe won't seem so bad it would be easier to ignore and excuse and confront my friend passive in the in the home silenced in response to sin will literally make this home an illustration of Proverbs the child who was given his own way brings shame to his mother and father, but you will note, if you've been studying with us the Jacob's passivity started years ago as he silently watched Leah and Rachel fighting for preeminence in the home and then his daughter Diana is raped and he is uncharacteristically silent about father who would seem to leap in her defense, and then when his sons rise up and massacre. An entire city. Jacob is silent as his sons develop their immorality and it's become known as Jacob quiet now. His sons hate and openly disdain. One of their own, and Jacob never says a word. I want you to notice the inevitable response.

Joseph's brothers to such passivity and partiality. Verse four and his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all of his brothers so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.

They literally could not speak to him. Shalom they could not say peace to him. They hated the site of then Joseph had a dream.

Verse five and I think perhaps in his naivety he comes along and he shares his dreams with his brothers. You know the story. Let's look quickly at it please. Verse six. Listen to this dream which I have had for behold we were binding sheaves in the field below my she rose up and stood around to hold your sheaves gather around and bow down the Pisces that Joseph had a legitimate dream and a 17-year-old going up his brothers and say hey brothers, I had a dream and I was a sheep in the field and how down in my seat when you think that dream number one is basically this Joseph is saying I am heir to Jacob's blessing. Dream number two basically says I am the future leader of the Jewish nation. Look at verse nine. Now he had another dream and related it to his brothers and said hello. I have had. Still another dream of the hold now son in London and 11 stars are bowing down to me. Now this is gonna be just an ordinary field now mom and dad, the sun and the moon in the 11 stars you are bowing down to me, that is, I will be the roller of the future Jewish nation and that exciting guys. It's tragic that instead of responding, they reacted in fact I think part of the problem is the fact that they were bitter against God as I want to reveal and just a moment. Let's look on in verse 12. Then his brothers went to pasture their father's flock at Shechem in Israel or Jacob said the Joseph are not your brothers pastoring the flock you know now that Joseph is not with them anymore.

He's no longer even working he's exempt he has the coat, I will send you to them. He said although that is not and find out how they're doing. They said to him, go now and see about the welfare of your brothers in the welfare of the flock. Verse 18 when they saw him coming from a distance that is the 11 brothers and before he came close to them.

They plotted against him to put on the death. Can you imagine the immorality that associates into their hearts that now they will kill their half-brother.

Now, let us kill him.

Verse 20 and throw them in the one of the pit they by the way our Indocin inductance is literally translated to cistern. This is the place of two wells, and they said let's go throw him in one of the two well well know what they do, they will say, verse 20, middle part a wild beast devoured him the let us see note this then let us see what will become of his dreams. But Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, does not take his life.

Reuben, by the way is his full brother Ruben further said that them shed no blood, throw them into this pit that's in the wilderness and do not lay hands on him that he might rescue him out of their hand back later to restore him to his father, not came about when Joseph reached his brothers that they stripped Joseph of his tunic. You can almost see all that has incensed us because of what it stands for.

The first thing they did was they went that off his back. They took him and through him. Verse 24 into the pit. Now the pit was empty.

Evidently one of the cisterns didn't have any water in it. The crassness of their character. They sat down to eat a meal another later passage of Scripture tells us that while they are eating they can hear the pleading of Joseph, the intriguing, as he calls out my brothers please Ruben showed up. Can you hear me save my life and Dave were sitting there within earshot eating a meal how hard they had become. Verse 26 Judah said it was brothers with profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood, verse 27 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 listen to him. Then some Midianite traders pass by and they pulled them up and lifted Joseph out of the pit and sold under the Ishmaelites for 20 shekels of silver. That's the price of a crippled slave thusly brought Joseph into Egypt. Verse 31, so they took Joseph's tunic that longsleeved things they so despised and they slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in his blood and it was fascinating as I read this. Having studied Jacob that while Jacob had one time deceived his father by slaughtering a goat and pretending to be Esau now he is about to be deceived by the blood of the goat and they sent the very colored tunic and brought it to their father and said we found this please examine it to see whether at your son's tunic or not. That is what I can actually lie to you that you make up your mind what you think happened. The examiner did and said it's my son's tunic, a wild beast devoured him. Joseph is surely bent toward peace so Jacob tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his loins and mourn for his son many days then all of his sons and daughters arose the comfort a medical man is gone long enough, but he refused to be comforted and said surely I will go down the she goal in morning for my son so his father wept for him. Meanwhile the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh's officer. The captain of the bodyguard the crimes of his brothers now yield three consequences for Jacob.

It meant incredible sorrow that would last until he sees Joseph again face-to-face will take years for the 11 brothers it means now living in guilt and they will live in guilt because one day they see Joseph and their hearts are terrified by the recalling of that incident that played over and over in their minds. One day when Jacob will die.

They will live in fear that Joseph now will retaliate their guilty consciences of rob them of joy and defeat has been rottenness to their bones for Joseph. It resulted in slavery. Let me give you a quick fashion. Three principles of application from the specimen from the lives of Jacob and Joseph and Joseph's brothers first. While parents may not be perfect. They must not be passive.

We are living in a day and age when more than ever the voice of an action and correction and discipline the voice of purity must be heard by hello, the preacher will absolutely but I would agree with the old proverb that says an ounce of motherhood is worth a pound of clergy.

It is time that they hear your voice no longer refusing to ignore or excuse their sinful bent and their wayward path and would your children how in protest will rise up well they threaten perhaps to retaliate. Will they threaten you by rejection and say mom I don't love you anymore, absolutely think that's what motivated Mark Twain though not a believer. He said something rather truly said when I was 15 I thought my father was a fool. Then I turned 20 and it amazed me how much he had learned in five short years. But you know as I read this passage again. It struck me not only that Jacob lacked discipline, but he also lacked six questions of law for his 11 son. It's interesting that you never see him doing anything for his other sons and it led me to think. In fact, it convinced me in my mind that a parent who was unwilling to wince truck apparently was unwilling to discipline and to correct is a parent who in reality is not expressing biblical genuine love job.

That's what Solomon meant when he wrote these words listen to this. He who refuses discipline hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently a passive parent like Jacob is one refuses to discipline and to express his love and ultimately Jacob is apparent who refuses or somehow ignores his children, so that he is never involved in their lives. I don't really think he was that involved in Joseph's. He certainly wasn't in the 11 son. I don't think there's a parent alive who, though not disciplining or not showing expression would say at least I'm involved. When is the last time we have taken our children to a park. When is the last time you called your son in college just to say when is the last time we sat on the edge of their bed and expressed our love for them. David Jeremiah records in a book that is just written. The average father has less than three meaningful encounters with his children every day and each encounter lasts no more than 15 second mom and dad. It is time to put the newspaper away store the golf clubs to put the vacuum away. I learned something from Joseph's brothers from this passage envious actually a symptom of bitterness against God. This is clearly seen in their response to his dreams slip back in chapter 37 verse 20 the last part a wild beast will say devoured him then let us see what will become of his green strike. So what if your little brother if you had one came up to you one day and said hey. One day I'm going to be the President of the United States and you're going to be the janitor that will clean the bathrooms outside the Oval Office and they better be clean you what you do it full of laughter your sides friend that's great. Keep it up Gerard clean why because the little thing going on through Joseph's dreams in send them. It angered them enough to make them want to kill him. Why, because they know Joseph's dream would come true, and their envy and their bitterness was really against not Joseph John because God didn't feel that hand submitted that plan all away. We will not serve from Joseph circumstances that may give you this thought while God's blessings seem to stop this plan never hesitates to imagine the first 17 years of Joseph's life surrounded by loving attention, wearing the tunic, declaring that he is the heir apparent total respect from his father and from the adults knowing here is the next patriarch now see him bound and fettered in a long line of slaves who are headed for Egypt.

He will be sold to a man.

He is never mad. He will be introduced to a country he's never been to people here a language he does not understand. He will be abandoned but yet one day Joseph will be God's man in a foreign country who will ensure the survival nation of his that would help them much. Now he told be careful men and women how you measure the plan of God.

We tend to equate his plan with longsleeve tunics surrounded by loving people, but his plan may mean the opposite. As you yield to Jesus Christ, who by the way, is illustrated by Joseph, more than any other character in the Old Testament for Jesus Christ also was the beloved son.

He also was sent to his brethren. He also was rejected by them. He also was sold for a handful of silver. It's interesting that Joseph went through that so his brethren would find food when famine came like that Jesus Christ did that for whom you so that you and I sent so that our souls that are parched and needy will find refreshing as you yield to him, the one who is tasted it all and recognize it as plain as Reynolds. Everything is going according is purpose according to his plan. That was Stephen Davies with today's message called teenage dreamer here on wisdom from the heart. This lesson launched us into a series on the life of Joseph called God meant it for good. We have a companion study guide that goes along with this series, this book would be a great resource for you to follow along. Through this series. It's also a good tool to use for a class or a group Bible study if you call us today. We can help you get a copy.

The book is also called God meant it for good and we have it available as one of our resources. Call us today at 86 648 Bible or 866-482-4253 were in the Eastern time zone in our office is open today from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM to learn more about us and all of our Bible-based resources we offer.

Visit our website which is wisdom online.org. Once you go there, you'll find the complete archive of Stephen's Bible teaching ministry he's been teaching God's word for over 35 years and all of that content is posted online.

The archive of Stephen's teaching is available on that site free of charge and you can access at any time@wisdomonline.org if you have a comment, question, or would like more information you can send us an email if you address it to info@wisdomonline.org once again the email address is info@wisdomonline.org well. Thanks again for joining us today were so glad you were with us and I hope you be with us for our next Bible lesson tomorrow right here on wisdom for the hearts