Dear Parents, We hope the following summary of the Sunday School lesson will help you in discussing the lesson with your children and in working through this booklet together. SCRIPTURE PASSAGE: Genesis 45 – 50
Joseph He Chose to Obey
BIBLE STORY SUMMARY: Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and they were afraid. He told them that he forgave them and that it was really God’s plan that he was in Egypt to save lives. He sent for his entire family to come to Egypt, and they settled in the best part of the land. After his father died many years later, his brothers still did not accept that Joseph had forgiven them. LESSON FOCUS: To understand that Joseph offered forgiveness to his brothers, but they did not accept it. To understand that Jesus offers forgiveness for my sin, but I must accept it. WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT GOD: God is willing to forgive me no matter what I have done, just as Joseph forgave his brothers after they had done something terrible to him. LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE’VE LEARNED: When Joseph first told his brothers who he was, why were they afraid? For many years, they had carried the heavy burden of guilt for selling him into slavery and bringing much grief to their father. Joseph was now very powerful and could bring great harm to them if he chose to get back at them. At the time of their father Jacob’s death, the family had prospered in Egypt under Joseph’s care. Why did the brothers then lie to Joseph, saying that he needed to forgive them because their father said so? They still did not believe that Joseph had truly forgiven them. What was Joseph’s response? He cried when he saw that they still did not accept his forgiveness. He told them again not to be afraid—God had used their actions to bring about great good, the saving of many lives. What does it mean to forgive? To lay down your right to get even and instead, treat those who have hurt you with kindness.
Will you ask God for His power to forgive those who have hurt you and give up your right to get even? Have you confessed your sin to God and received His gift of forgiveness and eternal life?
God Offers His Gift of Forgiveness
Joseph’s Family This Week’s Memory Verse We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son.
See you on Sunday!
Copyright 2007 Berean Baptist Church 309 E. Co. Rd. 42 Burnsville, MN 55306 952-432-7168
Romans 8:28-29a
November 17, 2013
MONDAY – TIME TO GIVE THANKS
SATURDAY – THIS WEEK’S PUZZLE
(Today, we’re looking at God’s Word in Genesis 45:16 to 46:1.)
When Pharaoh heard that Joseph‘s brothers had come back to Egypt, he was happy! He said they should go and get their father and their families and all move to Egypt. He promised them the very best of the land. Joseph gave them carts and Pharaoh filled the carts with all kinds of good things for the journey. Read Genesis 45:21 to 23. Draw a line under the gifts from Pharaoh. Jewels
New clothes
Food
Money
Read Genesis 45:25 to 28. What did Jacob think when his sons told him that Joseph was still alive? He was shocked! He thought they were lying again. He believed them after he listened some more and saw the carts with gifts from Pharaoh. He decided he would go see Joseph in Egypt. On the way to Egypt, Jacob stopped to give thanks to God. What do you think Jacob thanked God for? God had protected Joseph, and he was still alive! God always keeps His promises. Something else: _______________________________________ Write one thing that you are thankful to God for. ____________________________ Talk to God and tell Him what you are thankful for. Practice saying the last two lines of our memory verse.
“FORGIVENESS” What does forgiveness mean? To find out, write the alphabet letter that matches the number in the chart below. Letters E, S, T have been done for you.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
15
4
6
7
1
21
12
3
24
9
13
14
18
N
0
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
10
5
19
17
8
2
25
26
11
16
20
22
23
FRIDAY – FORGIVING LIKE JESUS
TUESDAY – TOGETHER AGAIN!
Read Ephesians 4:32. Fill in the missing words:
(Today, we’re looking at the true story in Genesis 46:26 to 47:12.)
Be _____________ and compassionate to one another, ______________________ each other, just as in Christ God ____________________ _________. Do you find it easy to forgive someone when they have hurt you?
_______________
Mark an X by things that you have felt before: _____ I have rights too! _____ I am going to hurt them for hurting me. _____ That person doesn’t deserve my forgiveness. _____ I just can’t forgive! It’s natural to feel that way. That natural feeling is called SIN. God asks us to forgive others, just as He has forgiven us. When you refuse to forgive others, you are disobeying God. The good news is that God will give you the power to forgive when you make the choice to obey Him. God helps us let go of the wrong things others have done. He is able to take away our desire to get even. Will you ask God today to help you forgive those who have hurt you?
Yes No
Will you choose to forgive rather than get even?
Yes No
Will you let God use the hard things in your life to make you more like Jesus? Yes
No
I’ll ask God to help me
Can you say all the lines of our memory verse?
Jacob, his 11 sons, their wives, and children all came to Egypt so Joseph could take care of them. Read Genesis 46:27 to 29. How many people were in Jacob’s family? _________ How do we know that Joseph could hardly wait to see his father after so many years? A. He had his chariot ready so he could hurry and meet his father. B. As soon as Joseph saw Jacob, he gave him a big hug. C. Joseph cried tears of happiness when he saw his father. D. All of the above. Pharaoh told Jacob and his sons to live in the land of Goshen – the best land! Read Genesis 47:12. What else did Joseph and Pharaoh provide for Jacob and his family of 70? __________________________ Read Genesis 46:3 to 4. God had given Jacob a promise when he stopped to worship Him on the way to Egypt. God had told him “I will go with you.” Do you think Jacob felt like God was with him?
Yes
No
What has God done for you that helps you know that He is with you? _________________________________________________________________ Tell God how you feel when you know He is with you. Look at this week’s memory lines. Then try to say them two times without peeking.
WEDNESDAY – LIFE IN EGYPT
THURSDAY – REALLY FORGIVEN!
(Today we’re thinking about God’s Word in Genesis 47:13 to 31.)
(Today we’re looking at the true story in Genesis 50:15 to 26.)
The famine kept on year after year, just as God had said. Soon the people ran out of money to buy food. What did they use instead of money so they could buy food from Joseph? (Genesis 47:17) ______________________ When they no longer had animals, what did they sell next? (Genesis 47:19) Themselves to be slaves
Their land
Pharaoh soon owned all the animals, all the land, and all the people as his slaves. Because Joseph took care of Jacob’s family, they always had enough food, livestock, and land. God was with them. God had shown Jacob how He would bless his sons, and Jacob told these things to them. How old was Jacob when he died? (Genesis 47:28) __________ years old They had the best land in Egypt, but Jacob wanted to be buried back home in Canaan. God had promised that land to Jacob’s grandfather Abraham, and to his father Isaac. He promised it to Jacob and all of his family who came after him. Were God’s promises important to Jacob? Yes No
After their father died, Joseph’s brothers worried that Joseph might be holding a grudge against them. (Verse 15) What does it mean to hold a grudge? Hold something heavy Stay mad at someone They were afraid, and they lied to Joseph to try to make sure he would still be nice to them. They told Joseph that he should obey their father’s wishes and forgive them for selling him into slavery many years before. Read Genesis 50:17. Draw a face that shows how Joseph felt when he got his brothers’ message. Even though Joseph had helped them so much and told them he forgave them, they still didn’t believe him. Read Genesis 50:19 to 21. What did Joseph say to his brothers? Mark a T for True if Joseph said it. Mark an F for False if he did not say it. _____ You intended to harm me.
_____ God intended it for good.
_____ I will get even with you.
_____ I will provide for you.
_____ Don’t be afraid.
_____ You don’t deserve forgiveness.
Joseph had no need to get even because he knew that God used the bad things to bring about good. Read Genesis 50:22. How old was Joseph when he died? ____________ years old. Did God keep all of His promises to Joseph?
Yes
No
Will you ask God to help you learn His promises to you?
Ask God to help you remember He keeps His promises to you.
Say last week’s memory lines (the first lines of the verse) with those for this week.
How many of our memory lines can you say without peeking?