Understanding the text

The story of Joseph and his fancy, multicolored coat has to be one of the best-known and well-loved stories in the entire Bible. Joseph, the youngest son born to an older father, becomes the object of his brothers’ jealousy because of the dream God gave him in which Joseph is given a unique position of power over his family. Is this just a younger brother trying to irritate his siblings or is there more to it?

As it would turn out, the dream was prophetic and spoke to the deliverance Joseph would ultimately bring to his family. What his brothers initially despised would turn out to be for their own salvation. But in the meantime, their jealously would lead to Joseph’s enslavement and years of sorrow and suffering.

Additional scripture

1. Psalm 139:1-17
2. Psalm 29
3. Exodus 20:17

Applying the text

1. Do you think Joseph shared the details of his dream with his family out of a sense of superiority or was he just being open and honest about what he had experienced?
2. What motivated Joseph’s brothers to dispose of him? How have you experienced similar desires in your own heart towards others?
3. In what sense does the story of Joseph mirror the story of Jesus?

Understanding the text

What happens physically in this story demonstrates what has been going on in Jacob’s life for quite some time. Jacob was wrestling with God. This is how God would reveal himself to Jacob and also how God will reveal who Jacob is to Jacob himself! Jacob was alone. It is often the case that God does His greatest work in our hearts when we are alone and removed from all distractions.

Through Jacob’s encounter with God, he learns two very important things. First, God has great and incredible power. By simply touching Jacob’s hip, He was able to injure Jacob. Second, Jacob saw that though he had indeed wrestled with God, God had withheld His great power and not destroyed Jacob. God’s power was used for Jacob, not against Jacob. Jacob would be reminded of this important truth by the limp that would accompany him from that day forward.

Additional scripture

1. Proverb 26:7
2. Romans 12:3
3. Psalm 37:7

Applying the text

1. Why do you think God waited until Jacob was alone to have this encounter with him? What does this teach us about the importance of getting alone with God?
2. In what sense can Jacob’s wound and limp be seen as a gift from God?
3. How does this story reveal both God’s great power and His gentle care?

In this episode of Sermon B-Sides, Pastor Jon Needham and Pastor Rusten Harris dive into the material that wasn't able to fit into the past two sermons in our Jesus Stories sermon series. They talked about topics like how we ought to interpret parables, loose living, lost sons, effectual calling, and more.

Related sermons:
April 19, 2020 — Jesus Stories — The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
April 26, 2020 — Jesus Stories — The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)