23/08/2026 - Matt Robinson
Genesis 37-501. An Unlikely HeroGenesis 37:3
Joseph was favoured by his father and given dreams from God about his future.
But Joseph wasn’t the obvious choice:
- He wasn’t the firstborn.
- He came from a complicated family.
- His brothers looked down on him.
God doesn’t look for what people look for. He looks at the heart.
God is a good Father. He gives good gifts, calls the unexpected and uses people others might overlook.
2. Raised Among Injustice – Yet Defiant in CharacterJoseph’s brothers betrayed him, threw him into a pit and sold him into slavery.
Genesis 37:28
Joseph had received a promise from God, yet his life immediately became filled with suffering.
God’s promise doesn’t mean a pain-free life.Pain, suffering and betrayal aren’t proof that God has abandoned us. They remind us of our need for a faithful God.
Joseph eventually became successful in Potiphar’s house.
Genesis 39:2–6
But notice what Joseph did:
He worked.
His promotion didn’t mean less responsibility but more responsibility.
Joseph chose to honour God through his work, even when his circumstances were unjust.
When everyone else is doing wrong, choose to do what is right.Doing the right thing may cost you in the short term, but God sees your faithfulness.
Don’t expect righteousness to always be easy, but trust that God sees your faithfulness.
3. The Innocent PunishedJoseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife.
When temptation came, Joseph ran.
Genesis 39:11–15
Sometimes the most faithful response to temptation is simply to run from it.
Joseph did the right thing, but was falsely accused and thrown into prison.
Yet Joseph didn’t give up.
Even in prison, he worked, served others and remained faithful.
Being in a difficult place doesn’t mean God has stopped working.Joseph interpreted dreams for other prisoners, and eventually his gift brought him before Pharaoh.
What looked like another setback became the pathway to his calling.
4. Yet God’s Spirit Is Upon HimGenesis 41:38
“Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?”
Joseph had remained faithful from the pit to the prison.
He understood that God was still:
- Speaking
- Teaching
- Saving
- Using him
What if we lived with the same perspective?Even when our circumstances don’t make sense, what if we believed:
God is still speaking.
God is still teaching.
God is still saving.
God is still using me.
God’s Spirit brings:
- Restoration
- Peace
- Unity
- Freedom
- Life
God’s Spirit is available to you.
5. Through Which Salvation ComesJoseph was eventually raised up to a position where he could save countless people from famine.
But God wasn’t only saving Joseph.
God was using Joseph to bring salvation to others.
He also eventually saw restoration between himself and his family.
God doesn’t just want to bless us – He wants to use us.Joseph’s story points towards a greater story:
An unlikely hero
↓
Raised among injustice
↓
Innocently punished
↓
The Spirit of God upon Him
↓
Through whom salvation comes
The Story of JesusThe Old Testament is filled with stories of unlikely people who God uses.
But ultimately, no ordinary person could fulfil the story.
Until Jesus.
Born in Bethlehem.
Raised among sinners.
Betrayed by those He called brothers.
Sold for silver.
Innocently punished for the guilty.
Yet He overcame death and brought life.
Jesus did what no person could do.
He made a way.
He bridged the gap.
He opened the gates.
So that all humanity could follow Him.
The story of Joseph echoes the greater story of Jesus.
What Does This Mean For Us Today?Maybe today you feel like:
The unlikely hero
You feel inadequate or overlooked.
Raised among injustice
You’re surrounded by things that don’t seem right.
In a pit of despair
Your circumstances seem to have taken away your hope.
But remember:
God knows.God sees.God is still at work.He is looking for people who will allow His Spirit to work through them to bring salvation and restoration to the world around them.
Trust in the Lord.
He knows what He is doing and He is still doing it today.