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 PASSAGES: Genesis 35:9-29, 37:1-11
Joseph He Chose to Obey
BIBLE STORY SUMMARY: God had a future for Joseph which He revealed to him in dreams, but suffering was also a part of God’s plan for him. Joseph chose to believe that God would bring about His purposes for his life. LESSON FOCUS: God loves me and has a plan for my life, and I must choose to obey Him and accept His plan. Suffering and hard things are a part of God’s plan for me, and they are necessary for me to grow and to be ready to serve Him. WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT GOD: God has a plan for me, He loves me, and He knows that bringing about His plan for me may sometimes involve my suffering. LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE’VE LEARNED: What name did God give to Jacob, Joseph’s father? What promises did God make to Joseph’s father and his sons? God gave Jacob, the name Israel. He promised Israel and his sons that He would make them a great nation, and the land would be theirs. What was the special gift Joseph received from his father? What meaning did it have? A multi-colored coat, richly ornamented. It signified that Joseph was his father’s favorite. His brothers resented Joseph’s special status. Joseph had two special dreams. What were they about? In the first dream, Joseph was gathering grain with his brothers. Joseph’s bundle stood up straight while his brothers’ bundles of grain gathered around Joseph’s and bowed down to it. In the second dream, the sun, moon, and eleven stars all bowed down to Joseph. These represented his mother, father, and all of his brothers. How did Joseph’s family react to these dreams when Joseph told them? His brothers were jealous and very angry. They hated him even more than they had before. His father scolded him after being told of the second dream, but he kept it in mind. Will you believe that God is using the hard things in your life to bring about His good plan for you? Will you obey God in all things each day, not complaining, and let Him bring about His perfect plan for your life?
See you on Sunday!
Copyright 2003 Berean Baptist Church 309 E. Co. Rd. 42 Burnsville, MN 55306 952-432-7168
God Always Has a Perfect Plan for My Life
Joseph’s Dreams and His Brothers This Week’s Memory Verse “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 29:11-14a
MONDAY – JACOB HEARS GOD’S PROMISE For the last few weeks we have been learning about Abraham. Now we are learning about Joseph, Abraham’s great-grandson! Have you heard anything about your great-grandparents—your grandma or grandpa’s mom and dad?
Yes
No
October 13, 2013
Read Genesis 35:11 to 13. God gave Joseph’s dad, Jacob, a very special promise. Earlier, God had also given Abraham a promise. (Genesis 17:4-8) Look at what God promised Abraham in the list below. Mark a smile by each thing that is the same in God’s promise to Jacob. God had promised Abraham:
Read Genesis 37:5 to 8. When Joseph had a dream he knew that it had special meaning. God often spoke to people in dreams. What happened in Joseph’s dream? Mark a T for true by the things that happened in Joseph’s dream. Mark an F for false by the things that were not in his dream. ___ Joseph and his brothers were tying up bundles of grain. ___ Joseph’s bundle bowed down to his brothers’ bundles. ___ They gave their grain to hungry people.
_____ I will make nations of you.
___ Joseph’s bundle stood up.
_____ Kings will come from you.
___ The brothers’ bundles came around Joseph’s bundle and bowed down to it.
_____ I will give this land (Canaan) to your descendants. Jacob knew something great about God. In the Hebrew language, God called Himself El Shaddai. How does your Bible say that name for God in English? (Verse 11)
______________________________________ Jacob learned that God is The All-Sufficient One and He always keeps His promises. What is something that God provides for you? _______________________________ Will you pray and thank God for what He provides for you? THURSDAY – JOSEPH’S FIRST DREAM
When his brothers thought about their little brother Joseph ruling over them, “they _______________ him all the _______________.” (Verse 8) Can you think of a time when you showed someone that you hated him or her? ___________________________________________________________ How did you feel afterward? Guilty
Good
I was sorry that I did it.
Talk to God about the times when you are unhappy with others. Ask Him to help you know what to do. Can you say our memory verse lines with your eyes closed?
SATURDAY – THIS WEEK’S PUZZLE
FRIDAY – JOSEPH’S SECOND DREAM Read Genesis 37:9 to 11. Draw a line around what was in Joseph’s second dream. Sun Sheep Stars Moon
Can you find the nine words listed from our lesson and circle them in the word find? (They can go forward, backward, across, up and down, or diagonal!) ANGRY JEALOUS ROBE
R G S U O L A E J
B O F K M Q N D A
DREAM JOSEPH BROTHERS
J S B P W H G Y O
X O C E L L R I V
C J S N J A Y B J
Z D R E A M N D A
JACOB RACHEL PLANS
I P E H P A T S C
S E R A C H E L O
B R O T H E R S B
Match the things from the dream with what they stood for. Sun Joseph’s 11 brothers Moon Joseph’s Jacob Stars
dad,
Joseph’s mom, Rachel
What did Joseph’s father say to him about this dream? You are my favorite son; I will bow at your feet. Do you think we will all come and bow down to the ground before you? Draw a line around the word that tells how you would have felt if you were one of Joseph’s brothers. (Or, write in your own word.) Happy
Angry
Jealous
Other __________________
Joseph’s brothers found many reasons to be angry at him. He was their dad’s favorite, he tattled on them, he had the special coat, and he had two dreams about ruling over them. To be kind to them, Joseph could think of what he had learned about God — God had a plan for his life, and obeying God is always the best thing to do. Do you think God knows ahead of time what will happen to you? Yes
No way
Read Jeremiah 29:11. What does God say to you? “I _____________ the ______________ I have for _______________” (Write your name)
Pray and ask God to help you follow Him.
TUESDAY – JOSEPH FEELS GOD’S COMFORT
Can you say all of this week’s memory verse lines?
Joseph was part of a very big family. His father, Jacob, had four wives and many children. Read Genesis 35:23 to 26. Can you count how many sons Jacob had? 2 6 9 12 15 So, Joseph had 11 brothers! He also had sisters. Do you know anyone with a family like Joseph’s? Yes
No
Joseph’s father loved his mother, Rachel, very much. But she died when Joseph’s little brother, Benjamin, was born. Rachel was buried on the way to a small town called Bethlehem. (Genesis 35:16 to 19) Can you think of someone born in Bethlehem almost 2,000 years later?
J ___ ___ ___ ___ Think of two words that tell how you would have felt if you were Joseph. ___________________ ___________________ At this sad time Joseph probably spent a lot of time with his father. Jacob loved God. He would have helped Joseph remember that God was with him when he felt sad. Jacob taught Joseph that God would take care of him. Joseph felt comfort from his dad and from God, his heavenly Father. Can you think of one time when you have felt comfort from God? ___________________________________________________________________ Tell God if you are sad about something. Thank Him that He will help you. Say our memory lines out loud at least two times.
WEDNESDAY – JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHERS Read Genesis 37:2. Joseph and his brothers helped with the family chores. One job they had was to take care of the sheep. But one day his brothers must not have done a good job, because Joseph gave their dad a “bad report” about them. He tattled. Do you like it if someone gives a bad report about you? How do you think Joseph’s brothers felt when he told on them? They got mad
They were glad he pointed out their wrongs Read Genesis 37:3 to 4. How did Joseph’s dad feel toward him? (God had given Jacob the name Israel.) He “_____________ Joseph ___________ than any of his other sons.” What gift did Joseph get from his dad? _____________________________
Draw Joseph’s fancy new coat.
Had Joseph done anything wrong? Did Joseph do anything to get even?
How did his brothers feel towards Joseph then? They were happy. They hated him. They could not speak a kind word to him. Yes Yes
Maybe Maybe
No No
Later verses tell us that Joseph chose to obey God and be kind even when others hurt him. He knew that God was in control of all things. God is in control of all things in your life too. He wants to help you to obey even when others hurt you. Tell God “thanks,” that He will help you obey Him even when it’s hard to do. Think about our memory verse lines. What kind of plans does God have for you?