JOSEPH!
A HERO'S JOURNEY
Sunday, September 4th, 2022
Every HERO has a JOURNEY. So do you.
During this series we are learning about the AMAZING JOURNEY of one of the GREATEST HEROES of the Bible - Joseph. Through many challenges, Joseph never lost sight of the promise God made to him as a child. He kept his focus on God and experienced the REWARD of a life lived faithfully for God through the difficult times. We can experience the same if we will stick with God when the going gets tough!
We love blockbuster movies! And the biggest and most successful movies feature a hero we can cheer for. If you pay close attention to these epic movies, you’ll begin to notice a pattern to them. The hero doesn’t just show up and “save the day.” There is usually a journey that the hero must go on before they are ready to be the hero we long for in the story. While each story is different, there are some aspects of this journey that appear in almost every hero story. We'll be exploring those in this series and what we can learn from them.
OUR LESSON TODAY:
Joseph Interprets the Dreams of Prisoners
READ ABOUT IT: Genesis 40:1-23
The biggest and most successful movies feature a hero we can cheer for. If you pay close attention to these epic movies, you’ll begin to notice a pattern to them. The hero doesn’t just show up and “save the day.” There is usually a journey that the hero must go on before they are ready to be the hero we long for in the story. While each story is different, there are some aspects of this journey that appear in almost every hero story.
The biggest and most successful movies feature a hero we can cheer for. If you pay close attention to these epic movies, you’ll begin to notice a pattern to them. The hero doesn’t just show up and “save the day.” There is usually a journey that the hero must go on before they are ready to be the hero we long for in the story. While each story is different, there are some aspects of this journey that appear in almost every hero story.
If Shoes Could Talk!
Episode One: Ready to Run!
Watch as a running shoe and a flip-flop—who discuss the need to run a good race in the Christian life.
Featured Verses: Proverbs 4:26; 1 Corinthians 9:24
THE POINT: Joseph was a great example of “running the race” for God and today we will see how things started to turn around for him because of his faithfulness to God!
Featured Verses: Proverbs 4:26; 1 Corinthians 9:24
THE POINT: Joseph was a great example of “running the race” for God and today we will see how things started to turn around for him because of his faithfulness to God!
HERE IS THE MAIN POINT FOR THIS WEEK:
The Hero’s Hope
Joseph has been on the Hero’s Journey. He has passed through the Hero’s Calling, Plight, Test, and Trial and finally is experiencing The Hero’s HOPE! In every epic Hero story we see, our heroes go through these stages. They have to through the “valleys” so we will feel the “mountain peaks” with them and cheer with them when the Hope appears! You’ll recognize it now when you see it in blockbuster movies and animated films! Watch for it!
Let's review the stages in the Hero’s Journey and introduce this week’s stage:
It's is finally time for The Hero’s Hope – Finally, things start to look up for the hero. They meet a mentor, or find a map, or make some friends who join them – something happens that shows them that they are on the right path. There may still be a battle ahead, but they know they will win if they press on!
We cheer with Joseph as we experience with him the HOPE that he might finally be FREE and perhaps finally, he will see the dream he had as a child come true. If you know the story already, you may know how it ends. Maybe you’ve seen the movie Prince of Egypt, but as funny as it sounds, keep in mind, Joseph hadn’t seen the movie! He DIDN’T KNOW how the story would end. All he knew was that he loved God and was trusting God to be faithful to him. He wasn’t going to give up on his God, no matter how bad things might seemed at the moment. It’s a lesson to us to do the same. Even when our present situation might look bad, God can not only see us where we are, but He sees the future too – and that should give us HOPE!
What was Joseph’s secret?
Part of Joseph’s secret was his focus on others even when he was in a bad situation. He had helped the Cup Bearer and Baker. That ended up being his “ticket” out of prison. What if he had been so focused on himself that he didn’t bother to care about them and talk to them and listen to them and help them when they had their bad dream?
Wherever we are, no matter how hard it is, when we focus on others and helping others, we find hope. Often, we are looking for OUR way out, but when we focus on helping others, that may end up being our way out of a bad or difficult situation.
Object Lesson: Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Joseph has been on the Hero’s Journey. He has passed through the Hero’s Calling, Plight, Test, and Trial and finally is experiencing The Hero’s HOPE! In every epic Hero story we see, our heroes go through these stages. They have to through the “valleys” so we will feel the “mountain peaks” with them and cheer with them when the Hope appears! You’ll recognize it now when you see it in blockbuster movies and animated films! Watch for it!
Let's review the stages in the Hero’s Journey and introduce this week’s stage:
- The Hero’s Calling – Some event or person that calls them to some higher purpose for their life.
- The Hero’s Plight – Before our hero can save the day, they always have a setback. It can be a villain, but often it is something within them that holds them back that they need to overcome.
- The Hero’s Test – Next, our hero usually must face some kind of test to determine whether he or she is worthy of being the hero we hope they will be. They must decide if they will be honorable and noble, or if they will cheat or lie or take a short-cut. We cheer when they make the right decision. It makes them worthy of rooting for.
- The Hero’s Trial – After our hero passes the test, there is always a trial that causes them to second-guess whether they made the right choice. They have a chance to cheat up, turn around, or quit. If they are to be a hero, they must pass the trial.
It's is finally time for The Hero’s Hope – Finally, things start to look up for the hero. They meet a mentor, or find a map, or make some friends who join them – something happens that shows them that they are on the right path. There may still be a battle ahead, but they know they will win if they press on!
We cheer with Joseph as we experience with him the HOPE that he might finally be FREE and perhaps finally, he will see the dream he had as a child come true. If you know the story already, you may know how it ends. Maybe you’ve seen the movie Prince of Egypt, but as funny as it sounds, keep in mind, Joseph hadn’t seen the movie! He DIDN’T KNOW how the story would end. All he knew was that he loved God and was trusting God to be faithful to him. He wasn’t going to give up on his God, no matter how bad things might seemed at the moment. It’s a lesson to us to do the same. Even when our present situation might look bad, God can not only see us where we are, but He sees the future too – and that should give us HOPE!
What was Joseph’s secret?
Part of Joseph’s secret was his focus on others even when he was in a bad situation. He had helped the Cup Bearer and Baker. That ended up being his “ticket” out of prison. What if he had been so focused on himself that he didn’t bother to care about them and talk to them and listen to them and help them when they had their bad dream?
Wherever we are, no matter how hard it is, when we focus on others and helping others, we find hope. Often, we are looking for OUR way out, but when we focus on helping others, that may end up being our way out of a bad or difficult situation.
Object Lesson: Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Life is like a recipe – there are many ingredients. By themselves, they aren’t always very tasty. (Salt? Flour? Baking soda? Raw eggs?)
You can do this object lesson just by describing it and talking about it, but it is far better if you gather the ingredients and have kids try tasting some of them! Show the recipe and ingredients. Ask some kids to taste what is safe. Talk about how the oven is HOT and probably not that enjoyable to be in! In fact, an oven can burn you. But the result? Oh, the result! But it takes time, and every ingredient is necessary.
That’s how it is with life. God is making a wonderful recipe with our life. Some of the ingredients by themselves are bland, some don’t even taste that great at the time. Add in the oven – life can get hot – but what God is up to is baking something amazing with our life! If we are patient, and trust God with the process, the end result will be worth it!
Maybe you can get your Mom or Dad to bake you some yummy cookies!
RECIPE:
3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup white sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup butter, softened
2 cups chocolate chips 2 eggs
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix flour, baking soda and salt
3. Cream together the butter and sugar
4. Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy
5. Mix in all ingredients and add chocolate chips
6. Roll dough into balls and place on baking sheet
7. Bake for about 10 minutes in preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned
READ: Lamentations 3:25-26 (Below)
You can do this object lesson just by describing it and talking about it, but it is far better if you gather the ingredients and have kids try tasting some of them! Show the recipe and ingredients. Ask some kids to taste what is safe. Talk about how the oven is HOT and probably not that enjoyable to be in! In fact, an oven can burn you. But the result? Oh, the result! But it takes time, and every ingredient is necessary.
That’s how it is with life. God is making a wonderful recipe with our life. Some of the ingredients by themselves are bland, some don’t even taste that great at the time. Add in the oven – life can get hot – but what God is up to is baking something amazing with our life! If we are patient, and trust God with the process, the end result will be worth it!
Maybe you can get your Mom or Dad to bake you some yummy cookies!
RECIPE:
3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup white sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup butter, softened
2 cups chocolate chips 2 eggs
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix flour, baking soda and salt
3. Cream together the butter and sugar
4. Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy
5. Mix in all ingredients and add chocolate chips
6. Roll dough into balls and place on baking sheet
7. Bake for about 10 minutes in preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned
READ: Lamentations 3:25-26 (Below)
This Bible verse hadn’t been written yet, but Joseph already understood that putting his hope in the Lord and trusting God would pay off. God hadn’t forgotten Him.
READ: Psalm 27:14 (Below)
READ: Psalm 27:14 (Below)
When we find ourselves in a tough place or difficult situation, it can be hard to wait. But if we are willing to wait, our reward will be worth it.
FAMILY DISCUSSION GUIDE!
Use this PYRAMID to discuss the lesson as a family! If you want to re-play the game, compete as a family and build PYRAMIDS with plastic cups!
DOWNLOAD AND READ!
This weekly guide will give you some Scriptures to look up, family discussion questions and more so you can learn more about our Rock Solid Adventure from The Outpost this week!
DOWNLOAD AND READ!
This weekly guide will give you some Scriptures to look up, family discussion questions and more so you can learn more about our Rock Solid Adventure from The Outpost this week!
If you are catching up, here is the link to NEXT WEEK. (If not linked, it's not live yet.)
THIS MONTH'S SCRIPTURE CHALLENGE!
WE ARE WORKING TO MEMORIZE THIS PASSAGE:
