THE STORY OF JOSEPH, THE STORY OF LIFE, HIS STORY

GENESIS 37:1-2, 41:39-46

Pastor Rick Jackson

Most of us are familiar with the story of Joseph--- how God took this young man and used him to save the fledgling nation of Israel from starvation or absorption by other nations. You might read this story and think the future of Israel was dependent upon a 17 year old boy--- IT WASN'T! Nor was Israel's future dependent upon an 40 year old Moses or an 80 year old Moses. It wasn't dependent upon David as he faced Goliath, or Joshua at the walls of Jericho, or Peter at Pentecost, or Paul and his missionary journeys... The future of Israel & the future of the church, yes, even the future of mankind has always been dependent upon God Almighty.

The future of Bradford Baptist Church does not depend on Rick Jackson or Henry Hodges or anyone else. The future of Bradford Baptist Church depends on God Almighty. Now does God call individuals to do His will? Yes He does. Does God have something He wants us to do? Yes He does. Will all His plans fail if we don't do it? Let Mordecai's words to Esther be the answer.

Esther 4:14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

But this is the story of life... to be used of God... to live for him is spite of circumstances this fixes our place in His Story. Look at Joseph's life, look at the:

I. YEARS OF BURDENS

1. Caused by the Looks of Others [37:3-4, 17-21, 25-28, 36]

2. Caused by the Lies of Others [39:7, 10-20]

3. Caused by the Lack of Others [40:1-8, 12, 20-21, 23]

but when we are in the Lord's will, the Years of Burdens can also be:

II. YEARS OF BLESSINGS

1. even if considered a Dreamer for believing God [37:5, 19]

2. even if considered a Slave for obeying God [39:8-9]

1 Corinthians 7:21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
1 Corinthians 7:22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
1 Corinthians 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

3. even if considered a Prisoner for living for God [39:20-23]

Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called
2 Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

yes, they were years of Burdens ad they were years of Blessings because God was using them as:

III. YEARS OF BUILDING

1. God was Building a Man [41:14-16, 25, 28, 32-40]

2. God was Building a Leader [41:41-44]

3. God was Building a Life[41:45-46, 50-52, 42:5-9, 45:1-8]