Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Today lets venture into a new passage.

I want us to look at the biblical character of Joseph, and with it his life and the story he can communicate to us as we look at the Word of God.

So what do we know about him…

Joseph is the eleventh and favorite son of Jacob, He is the described as a son bore to him in His old age.

And we know that he is the first son of Rachel, the true love of Jacob’s heart above all things.

Now Jacob, and his presence will stir a lot of emotions in this family, he will be loved and hated, despised and mourned over the course of his days...

But no matter what is happening, we know this God is with him.

Now you might say, with all that happened to him over the course of his days, why did God allow him to walk some difficult paths?

God allows us to walk through difficult places that His will and purposes might be accomplished, and it is true that through it all, we are not alone, He is with us.

So this morning lets walk with Joseph and see where the Lord will lead us, pray that the Lord will speak to you as you listen today.

Lets look at

So lets begin looking at this first thought today...

1.

A Favorite Son....

As we open the Bible and look at the life of Joseph, we find this account of His life in Genesis, Joseph is a popular character and rightly so....

He is one of the 12 sons of Israel, the great grandson of Abraham.

He is the continuation of the promise God made to him when He decided to follow where the Lord was leading....

His father, Israel (Jacob) loved him more than any of this other sons, because he was born to him in his advanced years, but also please know this, Israel loved Rachel, and he was the first son bore to her.

So Joseph was indeed special to him.

But please note that God had great plans for Joseph.

But please note that God had great plans for Joseph.

This truth is one we cannot ignore, God had great plans for every one of His children.

Now when you look at the relationship of Israel and Joseph, we see that this was more than just words, Israel considered his son Joseph to be the prince of sorts.... of great value over all the rest.

Now why would I say this…

Consider the costly coat… This favorite son received a gift from His Father....look back at verses 3-4

A robe or coat as we might call it, a jester of love if you will...

The coat of many colors, we have heard about this coat, seen it illustrated in many, many ways from television to Broadway plays… it is something that we are familiar with...

The coat is special, and there is meaning tied to the coat…

The coat signified a Father’s love… The Bible says that Israel loved Joseph more than the other eleven sons....

A father loves his children but it is un-natural to place one as a favorite far above all the rest.

Yet it seems to parallel Israel’s early life.....

If you remember the story of Jacob and his twin Esau.

They were at odds with one another about being the favorite.

There was a time when trying to secure the birthright and blessing from His father, he disguised himself with a coat, a vesture of animal skins to make his father think that he was Esau.

Jacob longed to be the first born and longed to he His Father’s favorite.

And while He tricked his Father out of the blessing of the birth right, God did indeed work through Jacob and changed his name ....We will address that event in the future at some point...

But for now, just as Jacob longed to to be the favorite, this son of his was the favorite… it caused controversy, it spurred jealously, yet understand God was in control of this situation and would use it for His glory and for the good of His children.

We will address that event in the future,

But for now, know this, Israel loved all his son’s but Joseph was a favorite son, for several reasons..

Now, let move on to our second thought for the day...

2. A Costly Coat...

C. The coat reveals the jealously of the other eleven brothers, they hated Joseph because their Father loved him more than any other.

Joseph was indeed a favorite son, a son who was adored and cherished more than of the other sons… His life, His walk before the father, His virtue, all of these points remind us that je was special in the eyes of Israel.

But lets move on today… lets continue to look at the costly coat that was given to Joseph.

So this is my second thought today...

2. A Costly Coat...

The Bible tells us as we have already mentioned briefly that Israel loved Joseph more than any of the other brothers, he was his father’s favorite.

Now think of this with me… How much did Israel love his son? ------

And as such, Israel too the time to

He loved him enough to spend the time to acquire the different colors of cloth that he would use to make this garment, realize that isn’t a simple task, it wasn’t that he went to the Walmart and bought a little bit of this material or a little bit of that…

He prepared Joseph something very special.

He was indeed a measure of great love.

But what did it all mean?

A. A coat of that nature, made by sewing together different patches of colored cloth, was a coat of distinction.

2. A Costly Coat

B. As a coat of distinction, it was a Princely garment, it was a proof of his love for Joseph, but it was a symbol of giving, Giving his place and power and giving it to this son he loves so much

B. A coat of that nature, made by sewing together different patches of colored cloth, was a coat of distinction.

C. The coat reveals the jealously of the other eleven brothers, they hated Joseph because their Father loved him more than any other.

D. It is a symbol of what is to come… this coat of many colors, this coat of distinction, would symbolize his role in the future.

In the future, Joseph would save his people.

That coat of many colors is a picture of the priestly garments, the multi colored ephod that Aaron would wear as he ministered before the people Israel.

It would be a foreshadowing of the beautiful garments we will wear in the days to come… as we walk in the brilliance of the Son...

It was a beautiful coat all because Israel loved his son… we will wear a garment one day all because the Father loved us....

Joseph was indeed a favorite son, a son who was adored and cherished more than of the other sons… His life, His walk before the father, His virtue, all of these points remind us that He was special in the eyes of Israel.

But remember as we walk and have breath, as Joseph was special in front of Israel, so God loves us and we are special in His eyes

We are special in that God has loved us…

How wonderful that the father loves us

How wonderful that the father loves us

So this is my second thought today...

But one last thought today.....

3. A Evil Plot...

The brothers hated Joseph, they were jealous of their father’s love for him and the unique place he held in their father’s life.

And through it all, God is there.

God has been revealing the future to Joseph but sadly has Joseph shares those things to his family, even though most of the future is hidden from them… they only became more and more frustrated with their brother....

Now one day, Israel sent Joseph out check on his brothers who were out tending the flocks and herds… but when the brothers saw him coming, verse 19-20, they plotted to kill Joseph.

Now one brother, Reuben, thought secretly that he might be about rescue Joseph from his brothers plot by swaying them to only throwing him in a pit.

Now they did this, they stripped the “dreamer” as they called him of his precious coat.

Now one brother, Reuben, thought secretly that he might be about rescue Joseph from his brothers plot by swaying them to only throwing him in a pit.

Now they did this, they stripped the “dreamer” as they called him of his precious coat.

Now Reuben went away, perhaps to do something with the herds, but when he returned Joseph was gone...

The brothers had sold him into slavery.... look at verses 26-28

Those Midianite traders took Him down into Egypt…

Can you Imagine, He is the father’s favorite son, one of the younger of the boys, and they seek to harm him.

Life seems like chaos, this favorite son is now a slave and soon will be serving in the house of another…

Life seems like chaos, this favorite son is now a slave and soon will be serving in the house of another…

The brothers are richer and Israel is grieving....

The son he loved is gone, dead he believes because the brothers dipped his coat in animal blood saying he has been attached and ripped to shreds....

Now this story sets the stage for so much more.... it reminds us that God is in control… but it also reminds us of the life of Christ

Now this story sets the stage for so much more.... it reminds us that God is in control… but it also reminds us of the life of Christ

The son of God, laid aside his royal robe and became like a man.

His brethren saw him, heard him, watched him do many wonderful things, he healed the sick, He raised the dead and yet they plotted against Him, seeking to kill Him.

God had special plans for Joseph...

Joseph’s life was given for the benefit of so many others… what those brothers meant for evil God mean for God...

What man plotted in their hearts to do to Jesus, God was changing the world through… He would save the world through the sacrificial death of His son..

Now what can we take away from all of this.... remember Jesus sacrificed all that we could be rescued.... How do you live to remember him?

Remember you are created for the benefit of another..

How do you know Preacher, I beleive God intends to use each of us for his glory, Some cultivate, some plant, others water and yes some harvest… but all had a part in the kingdom of God and his work

Pray

As the days went on we know that things were about to change, The Lord began to speak to Joseph, he began to give him dreams about the future that he didn’t fully understand and unfortunately only angered his brothers more..

Look with at verses 5-8