Joseph the Dreamer – What Color is Your Coat? Gen 37:23-28, 39:1-6 and 39:19-23

Introduction - identity Foreigner in a strange land – what is your identity? https://vimeo.com/223537471

JOSEPH the DREAMER Question of identity and vocation -vocation comes out of identity, not the other way round -What was Joseph’s identity and how did that affect how he lived?

1. Joseph – Daddy’s Boy Young Joseph: Brought a bad report about his brothers Father’s favorite – coat of many colors Needed to feel special – dreamer Brothers hated him – plotted to kill; in the end sold as slave Loss of IDENTITY

2. Joseph – House Steward Potiphar’s Chief Steward The LORD was with Joseph – blessed him (Gen 39:2) Identity as beloved of the Lord Brought shalom, flourishing to the household Potiphar’s wife harasses him – Joseph flees Wrongly accused; thrown in jail

3. Joseph – prison steward Chief Steward of the prison The LORD was with Joseph – blessed him (Gen 39:21) Identity as beloved of the Lord Brought shalom, flourishing to the prison Steadfast through trials –because he knew his identity What Color is YOUR COAT?

4. Joseph – Dream Reader Asked to interpret dreams Forgotten by his friends Sought by Pharoah Pharoah sees the Spirit of God in Joseph – makes him governor Job Description changes – identity stays the same

5. Joseph – Governor of Egypt Saved Egypt – Saved Israel Egypt prospers – Israel prospers The LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in everything he did (Gen 39:3, 39:23) Faithful to his identity as the beloved of God

6. Joseph – faithful servant, beloved of God Faithful to his calling as beloved of God Lived out Jer 29:8 – sought the shalom of the city to which he had been exiled; it prospered Forgave his brothers – GOD meant it FOR GOOD

WHAT ABOUT YOU? WHAT IS YOUR IDENTITY? BELOVED OF GOD