Bible Passage: Genesis 42—47; 50 (Joseph, Part 2)storage.cloversites.com/.../TS_1-9_Joseph2_SG.pdf · Bad things may happen without reason. Even so, God is sovereign. We have ...

God Saves

ScheduleAnticipate

5–10 minutes

Celebrate & RespondLarge Group

35–55 minutes

Respond & BlessSmall Group

20–25 minutes

Bible Passage: Genesis 42—47; 50 (Joseph, Part 2)

Environment: IDENTITYIn this lesson we see the environment of IDENTITY in how God used the circumstances of Joseph’s life to fulfill His plan to send the promised Redeemer, that through Him we could become children of God.

REMEMBER VERSEFor he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and

blameless in his sight.Ephesians 1:4

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© 2013 David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.

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Tori FunkhouserTruStory Team

InspireI have a friend who tried to help a struggling family buy a house. In the end, she and her husband lost tens of thousands of dollars because the other family swindled them. This painful situation didn’t make sense at the time. However, other neighbors had been watching it unfold. They had seen the faith of my friend and her husband in the midst of everything. These neighbors came to know the Lord because of it!

Hebrews 11 talks about believers who suffered even though they’d done nothing wrong. These were tortured, stoned, imprisoned, “destitute, persecuted and mistreated” (v. 37) They “were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised” (v. 39).

In our lifetime, some of us may see the outcome of our faith. Others may not. Bad things may happen without reason. Even so, God is sovereign. We have to believe that even though we might not understand why things happen, God knows why and intends to use these situations for good. We have to believe that our faith can be used by God for “the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20).

N O T E S :

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EquipGod saves. He saved the life of Joseph, only one of two major characters in the Bible about which nothing negative is mentioned (the other person is Daniel). Just about every other person in The Big God Story had some kind of flaw or issue they were dealing with. But it seems Joseph really knew who he was. He was confident in his God and knew that God saves. Even the arrogance some attribute to him in his youth can be seen simply as youthful honesty and naïveté.

At every opportunity where Joseph might have fallen, he reaffirmed his faith in the power, sovereignty, and salvation of God. One lesson he would learn through life experience is that the road to glory leads inexorably through suffering and trials—it is the way God grows our faith. Throughout Joseph’s enslavement, he knew that God saves. Throughout all the false accusations and imprisonment, Joseph knew God saves. And throughout the severe famine, Joseph knew God saves. Through these trials, Joseph was learning obedience and endurance.

It was this confidence in who he was (and whose he was) that helped Joseph avoid the temptation of sin with Potiphar’s wife, of taking credit for the interpretation of dreams, and of taking revenge on his brothers when they learned who he was. Joseph knew God’s plans are higher than ours. When we trust in who God made us to be, and we trust that He is the One who saves, we can learn that suffering is not always bad. It is a tool God can use to shape and refine us for His use. And we can learn that regardless of our circumstances, God is in control and He is working for our good and His glory (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28).

Environment of IDENTITYThis environment highlights who we are in Christ. According to Ephesians 1, we have been chosen, adopted, redeemed, sealed, and given an inheritance in Christ … all of which we did nothing to earn. This conviction allows children to stand firm against the destructive counter identities the world will offer.

The 10 Environments give us ways to create a climate that puts God on display. Encourage your families to discover more about creating the environment of IDENTITY in their homes by checking out HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource and Spiritual Parenting by Michelle Anthony.

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SupportJoseph’s life gives us a powerful testimony to the greatness of God’s saving power as well as His wise plans. What a rollercoaster—sold into slavery, then granted the privilege of running an important official’s household, then falsely accused of attempted rape, then thrown into prison, then ultimately elevated to second-in-command of Egypt!

From our perspective, it’s easy to see God’s sovereignty and salvation in Joseph’s life. We have the whole story. But, of course, Joseph didn’t. Imagine bouncing along a dusty road, captured by slave owners who’d ripped you away from everything you’d ever known. Or imagine sitting in a jail cell, falsely accused of attacking a prominent man’s wife. Imagine the hopelessness and fear of those moments when you have no idea what’s ahead.

Today, as you read through a passage of Scripture you’ve likely heard before, ask God to give you fresh insight. Ask Him to give you a new appreciation and awareness of His sovereign control over every situation in your life. Pray that your children would know God’s presence as they walk through difficult circumstances in their own lives and trust that He knows exactly what He’s doing. Pray that they would take comfort in knowing that they’re God’s beloved children and that He is mighty to save.

ADAM & EVE

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OUR FUTURE WITH JESUS

YOU & ME

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ISAACJACOB

MOSESJOSEPH

JOSHUA

SOLOMON

JOHN THE BAPTIST

CENTURIONNICODEMUSPETERLAZARUS

PAUL

JOSEPHMARY

DAVID

TIMELINE

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Lesson Overview

N O T E S :

Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List at tru.davidccook.com)

Anticipate//Small Group Check-In

5–10 min.

Encourages interaction among kids, leaders, and parents; engages the kids in curiosity and anticipation of the lesson; and creates an inviting atmosphere.

My ID• identification cards template

(see tru.davidccook.com) • card stock (1 sheet per 4 kids)• scissors (1 pair)• pencils or pens• markers or colored pencils • black ink pad• hand wipes

Celebrate//Large Group

20–35 min.

Establishes community andtells stories both personaland biblical in a fun andengaging way.

Traditions• mementos for your church Traditions

(rocks, marbles, gumballs, etc.)• Remember Verse cards, slide, and animation

(see tru.davidccook.com)

Connect Question• Connect Question slide (see tru.davidccook.com)

Connect Activity: Secret Handshake• Connect Question slide (see tru.davidccook.com)

The Big God Story • Bibles (1 per child)• Timeline slide and animation (see tru.davidccook.com)

Respond//Large Group

15–20min.

Creates space for childrento respond to the Holy Spiritin worship and communityas a large group.

• optional: soft worship music (suggestion: “Thank You,” TruWorship Sincerely Yours)

Respond//Small Group

15–20min.

Discusses truth, reflectson the lesson, engages inrelationships, and createsa project or a piece of artindividually or together.

Reflect: God Saves• Bibles (1 per child)

Engage: Famine Flee• small plastic bins (2)• buckets (2) • small drawstring backpacks (2)• oatmeal, grain, or rice (enough to fill both bins) • disposable cups (2; same size)• mini award trophies (30–40; www.partycity.com)• stopwatch or timer

Bless//Small Group

5 min. Sends the kids out with a sense of peace and blessing so they can be a blessing to their families and others.

• Bible• HomeFront Weekly (1 per child; tru.davidccook.com)• HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource

(1 per child; see tru.davidccook.com or www.HomeFrontMag.com)

*To make metric conversions, search the Internet for a metric conversion chart or calculator.

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ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

Anticipate// 5–10 min.

An energizing time for parents and kids to start engaging with the material that will be presented in the lesson.

It is intentionally designed to spark curiosity and cultivate a sense of awe and wonder about God.

Encourage parents to participate in this time with their kids.

Small Group Leaders

SMALL GROuPS E C T I O N

As we saw in last week’s lesson, Joseph endured many ups and downs in his life, both difficulties and triumphs, and in doing so took on many different identities—including favored son, slave, prisoner, and respected ruler.

The children in your group likely face pressure to conform to various identities, some of them destructive. With the following activity, get the kids thinking about how they see themselves and, more importantly, how God sees them.

My IDSUPPLIES• identification cards template (see tru.davidccook.com) • card stock (1 sheet per 4 kids)• scissors (1 pair)• pencils or pens• markers or colored pencils • black ink pad• hand wipes

SET UPPrint the identification cards onto card stock and cut them apart. Each child will need at least one, but print a few extras as well.

ENGAGEA couple of weeks ago we heard how God changed the heart and life of a man named Jacob. God even changed Jacob’s name—to Israel. And last week we learned a little bit about one of Jacob’s sons: Joseph. Today we’ll discover more about how God worked in Joseph’s life and gave him a new identity.

Let’s spend some time thinking about identities. Have you ever seen your mom or dad’s driver’s license? That’s an identification card. It describes that person and tells things about him or her. Why don’t we make our own identification cards to describe ourselves?

Give the identification cards to the children and allow them to spend a few minutes filling out and coloring their cards. Also encourage them to press a finger into the ink pad and stamp it onto their card (keep hand wipes nearby). As the kids work, ask open-ended questions to get them thinking about our identity in Christ. For example, you might ask, “Who does God say that we are?” or “What does it mean to be part of God’s family?”

When the kids finish their cards, invite them to share their work with their friends. If time permits, you might let them use the extra cards to create identification cards for people they know—or, for fun, people they make up!

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Reflect: God SavesJesus is the One who came to save all of us from our sin. How God saved Joseph and his family is amazing and important because it is part of The Big God Story, but Jesus is at the center of The Big God Story. Every other part of the story points to Him and leads up to His birth, death, and resurrection. How amazing that God wants us to be a part of this story too! He wants to save us from our sins so we can live with him forever in heaven. He also desires to rescue us from our sadness and fears. He loves us deeply and desires to be in relationship with us. (Encourage kids to look up the following passages in their Bibles.)

Questions for Younger Kids• How did Joseph respond when he saw his brothers? (Genesis 45:1–2)• How did God use the difficult parts of Joseph’s life for good? (Genesis 45:1–8) • What does God save us from? • Have you been saved by God? If so, tell us about it.

Questions for Older Kids• Why do you think Joseph did so many strange things to his brothers, such as

throwing them in prison and hiding the silver cup in Benjamin’s bag? • (Read Genesis 45:12–16 with the children.) How do you think you might respond in

a similar situation? Would you respond like Joseph, or do you think you’d have a difficult time forgiving them?

• What difficult situations has God saved you from? How do you think He might want to use those situations for good?

• Have you been saved by God? If so, tell us about it.

Engage: Famine Flee SUPPLIES• small plastic bins (2)• buckets (2) • small drawstring backpacks (2)• oatmeal, grain, or rice (enough to fill both bins) • disposable cups (2; same size)• mini award trophies (30–40; www.partycity.com) • stopwatch or timer

SET UPFill both bins with oatmeal, grain, or rice. Divide the trophies between the two bins and hide them in the grain. Place the bins at one side of the room, with plenty of room

ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

A time to engage in relationship, reflect on the lesson with spiritual conversation, and/or create a meaningful project or piece of art.

Respond// 15–20 min. Small Group Leaders

SMALL GROuPS E C T I O N

N O T E S :

Resource Tip“Science Experiments” activities are available for this lesson. Premium, Unlimited, and Combo users may access this resource at tru.davidccook.com.

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ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

N O T E S : between them. Put one cup next to each bin and a backpack near each bin. On the other side of the room, place both empty buckets.

ENGAGEDuring a season of famine, Joseph’s brothers desperately needed food. They travelled all the way to Egypt to find it. Little did they know that their brother—whom they’d sold into slavery—was a powerful ruler of Egypt! God had saved Joseph and worked through difficult situations in his life to eventually save many, many people.

Divide the kids into two teams, and explain that they’re going to play a game involving grain. Have each team line up behind a bucket, and point out each team’s bin of grain and backpack. One at a time, a child from each team should run to the bucket, use the cup to fill up the backpack with grain, and then run back to the bucket and dump the grain into it. They’ll have five minutes to try to fill the entire bucket with grain.

Before you start the game, let the kids know there’s a twist: Small award trophies have been hidden in the grain, similar to how Joseph hid the silver cup in Benjamin’s bag of grain. Each team will lose one point for every cup that winds up in the bucket on the other side of the room.

At the end of five minutes, examine both of the buckets and add up the scores. The team with the most points wins.

How to score each team’s points:

• Filling up the bucket before the other team: 5 points • Filling up the entire bucket: 10 points• If neither bucket is completely filled, the team whose bucket is most full gets 2 points. • Optional bonus: Each team member who participated in the relay gets 1 point per run.

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ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

Bless// 5 min. Small Group Leaders

SMALL GROuPS E C T I O N

A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words of encouragement or guidance.

Blessings can be offered in order to ask God’s Spirit to overflow from the child’s life to bless others or prayed over a child for the purpose of declaring God’s protection, joy, or wisdom.

As you bless your kids, tell them they have the opportunity to also be a blessing to others. Encourage them to freely share the joy and love they have received from God.

Encourage the kids to hold their hands in front of them, palms up.

God cares for us; we are His children. He has adopted us into His family and loves us more than we can even imagine. In light of that, God feels sad when He sees His children hurting and desires to save them. God often uses difficult things in our lives for something good.

Sometimes, in the midst of challenging times, it can be hard to see that God is working things together for good. Sometimes we need to be reminded of that truth. Today, as I read this blessing over you, I want you to repeat each line after me. As you repeat it, think about the words and invite the Holy Spirit to make them personal to you.

Open a Bible and read Psalm 62:1–2, 5–8, pausing after each line to allow kids to repeat after you:

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. (Kids repeat.)

Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (Kids repeat.)

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. (Kids repeat.)

Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. (Kids repeat.)

My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. (Kids repeat.)

Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. (Kids repeat.)

Finish with the following blessing:

May you know how much God loves you and that He is mighty to save. May you rest in your identity as His beloved child.

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N O T E S :

ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

HomeFront: A Spiritual Parenting Resource: This magazine gives families ideas for creating fun, spiritually forming times in their homes—setting aside a sacred space for family in the midst of their active, everyday lives! As the new issue becomes available each month, you may choose to print them for families or encourage them to visit www.HomeFrontMag.com to subscribe to have the magazine sent directly to their inbox. HomeFront is also available as an app for your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.

HomeFront Weekly: Be sure to send home the HomeFront Weekly for next week’s lesson! This preteaching tool for parents encourages families to spend time in God’s Word together before children arrive at church.