01(Gen 37) Dare to Dream Again

Do you have a dream? You need one. Dreams give hope. They display a powerful image of what life can be. Has your dream been shattered? Worse yet, has your dream turned into a nightmare?

Joseph was called, derisively, the dreamer. Some of his dreams were prophetic. He saw himself as a leader of men.

We begin tonight to study one of the most exciting biographies in the Bible, that of Joseph and his brothers. The entire story illustrates the sovereignty of God and his providence in the lives of His people.

Joseph is a type of Christ. Rejected by his own only to become their savior. His story should also be seen from our life view, for how God deals with Joseph is how he deals in all our lives.

I.    Joseph’s Dreams (37:5-11).

A.    He believed the dream. He knew its source.

B.    He came to understand its implication. God gave him a vision for leadership.

C.    What he doesn’t know, is how God will bring it to pass.

D.    The road from dream (vision) to fulfillment is full of detours, necessary detours.

1.     He must go from being a spoiled seventeen year-old, to a man who has both the wisdom, and the compassion to lead.

II.  Judah’s Scheme (37:12-28).

A.    They hated the dreamer because they hated the dream.

“Do you hate me because I tell you the truth?”

B.    The acted in rebellion to God, not just Jacob.

III. Jacob’s Sorrow (37:29-36).

A.    The trickster is himself tricked.

B.    Had he been sensitive to God’s will for Joseph, he might have avoided the sorrow.

1.     God’s will be done. Even if it brings disruption to family, even when it brings sorrow.

Conclusion:

Do you notice the presence of God in your life? Do you believe he has a plan for you? If not, you need to dare to dream again.

Has the day-to-day life worn you down? If so, you need to dare to dream again.

Have you wondered if God has deserted you, or if your life has any purpose at all?

My prayer is that God will give you a dream if you do not have one.  That he will restore your dream if it has been shattered.  That he will give you courage if your dreams have turned to nightmares. Dare to dream again.

If you have no dream, you are already dead.

A ship in a harbor is safe. But that is not what a ship is built for.