G E N E S I S : You are Your Brother s Keeper Genesis 37:1-22 Dr. Paul Jorden, Associate Pastor
Genesis 35:1-22 Jacob lived in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. -
4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. 5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf. -
8 His brothers said to him, Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us? So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me. -
10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you? 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. 12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them. And he said to him, Here I am. -
14 So he said to him, Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word. So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, What are you seeking? 16 I am seeking my brothers, he said. Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock. 17 And the man said, They have gone away, for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. -
18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams. 21 But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, Let us not take his life. -
22 And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. (ESV)
I. We need to love those who hate us. A. Love those who gossip and slander us, don t retaliate. 1 Jacob lived in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.
I. We need to love those who hate us. A. Love those who gossip and slander us, don t retaliate. Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I. We need to love those who hate us. A. Love those who gossip and slander us, don t retaliate. Matthew 5:44-46 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
I. We need to love those who hate us. A. Love those who gossip and slander us, don t retaliate. 2 Corinthians 12:20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.
I. We need to love those who hate us. B. Love those who are favored over us, don t envy them. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
I. We need to love those who hate us. B. Love those who are favored over us, don t envy them. Mark 7:20-23 And he said, What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.
I. We need to love those who hate us. C. Love those who hate us, do good to them. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. Luke 6:27-28 But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
I. We need to love those who hate us. C. Love those who hate us, do good to them. 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,
II. We need to trust in God s sovereign plan for our lives in spite of opposition. A. Trust in God s sovereign plan in spite of hatred and jealousy. 5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered -
II. We need to trust in God s sovereign plan for our lives in spite of opposition. A. Trust in God s sovereign plan in spite of hatred and jealousy. around it and bowed down to my sheaf. 8 His brothers said to him, Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us? So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
II. We need to trust in God s sovereign plan for our lives in spite of opposition. A. Trust in God s sovereign plan in spite of hatred and jealousy. Matthew 5:21-22 You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be -
II. We need to trust in God s sovereign plan for our lives in spite of opposition. A. Trust in God s sovereign plan in spite of hatred and jealousy. liable to the council; and whoever says, You fool! will be liable to the hell of fire.
II. We need to trust in God s sovereign plan for our lives in spite of opposition. B. Trust in God s sovereign plan in spite of rebuke and correction. 9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me. 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, What is -
II. We need to trust in God s sovereign plan for our lives in spite of opposition. B. Trust in God s sovereign plan in spite of rebuke and correction. this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you? 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
II. We need to trust in God s sovereign plan for our lives in spite of opposition. B. Trust in God s sovereign plan in spite of rebuke and correction. 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. -
II. We need to trust in God s sovereign plan for our lives in spite of opposition. B. Trust in God s sovereign plan in spite of rebuke and correction. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
III. We need to be concerned about the welfare of family. A. Seeking the welfare of family takes time and effort. 12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them. And he said to him, Here I am. 14 So he said to him, Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word. -
III. We need to be concerned about the welfare of family. A. Seeking the welfare of family takes time and effort. So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
Jacob asked Joseph to go find his brothers, who were grazing their flocks near Shechem. When Joseph arrived, he learned that his brothers had gone on to Dothan, which lay along a major trade route to Egypt. There they plotted against him to kill him. But Rueben convinced his brothers to throw Joseph into a pit instead.
III. We need to be concerned about the welfare of family. B. Seeking the welfare of family may take divine guidance and human help. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, What are you seeking? 16 I am seeking my brothers, he said. Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock. 17 And the man said, They have gone away, for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. -
III. We need to be concerned about the welfare of family. B. Seeking the welfare of family may take divine guidance and human help. So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
III. We need to be concerned about the welfare of family. B. Seeking the welfare of family may take divine guidance and human help. 2 Corinthians 13:10-14 For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down. -
III. We need to be concerned about the welfare of family. B. Seeking the welfare of family may take divine guidance and human help. 11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. -
III. We need to be concerned about the welfare of family. B. Seeking the welfare of family may take divine guidance and human help. 13 All the saints greet you. 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
IV. We need to preserve the lives of those in danger. A. There are those who don t like us and seek our downfall. 18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.
IV. We need to preserve the lives of those in danger. A. There are those who don t like us and seek our downfall. 3 John 1:9-10 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.
IV. We need to preserve the lives of those in danger. B. We are responsible for the welfare of others and are to rescue those in danger. 21 But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, Let us not take his life. 22 And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.
IV. We need to preserve the lives of those in danger. B. We are responsible for the welfare of others and are to rescue those in danger. Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
IV. We need to preserve the lives of those in danger. B. We are responsible for the welfare of others and are to rescue those in danger. Jude 1:22-23 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
As those who trust and obey the Lord, we are responsible to protect our brothers and sisters by: Loving those who hate us. Trusting God in spite of opposition. Being concerned for other s welfare. Preserving people s lives.
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