Raintree Community Church

Text: Genesis 39

God's Presence in Our Success (Gen. 39:1-6a)

• God was with Joseph through uncertainty and hardship as he is taken as a slave to Egypt.
• God was with Joseph as the source of his success in Potiphar's household.
• We must look to God through every season knowing that anything we receive is from His good hand of providence.

God's Presence in Our Temptation (Gen. 39:6b-18)

• God was with Joseph in the midst of sexual temptation.
• Joseph resisted temptation out of integrity to his authority and his commitment to God's ways.
• We must look to God as we are tempted, knowing that He is more satisfying than anything sin can offer us.

God's Presence in Our Adversity (Gen. 39:19-23)

• God was with Joseph as he was falsely accused and forced into prison.
• God displayed His steadfast love and favor to Joseph.
• We must look to God in our hardships as our hope and help in all circumstances.
• In Christ our Savior we have "God with us" who is in us and will never forsake us (Matt. 1:21-23; Heb. 13:5-6).

Main Idea: God is with us and at work within us through all circumstances to empower us to live faithfully and trust in His providence.

Text: Genesis 38

A Disastrous Rejection of God's Ways (Gen. 38:1-11)

• Judah disobeyed God by marrying outside His covenant family.
• Judah's sons died by God's hand for their wickedness.
• Judah sinned against Tamar by cutting her off from the family.

A Deceitful Plot to Seek Justice (Gen. 38:12-23)

• Tamar acted in a sinful way to address the injustice Judah has caused her
• Judah's sinful heart is revealed in his immorality.
• Tamar secures the evidence that will protect her and expose Judah.

A Dramatic Revelation and Repentance of Sin (Gen. 38:24-26)

• Judah's hypocrisy is revealed as he condemns Tamar's immorality before examining his own sin.
• Judah's sin is exposed as Tamar reveals the identity of the father of her child.
• Judah repents of his sin and recognizes Tamar's case for justice.

God's Design to Preserve and Provide Salvation (Gen. 38:27-30)

• The line of Christ will extend through Judah, Tamar, and other broken sinners (Gen. 49:9-10; Matt. 1:3).
• God sovereignly protected and provided salvation according to His plan of redemption (Rev. 5:1-10).

Main Idea: God's grace is displayed in saving and using broken sinners for His plan of redemption.

Text: Genesis 37

Favoritism Leads to Jealous Resentment (Gen. 37:1-11)

• Jacob's favoritism paved the way for sibling rivalry.
• Joseph's dream caused division among his brothers.

Resentment Leads to Hateful Betrayal (Gen. 37:12-36)

• Joseph's brothers plot to betray him by selling him into slavery.
• Joseph's brothers deceive their father by telling him that Joseph was killed.
• Jacob is crushed with inconsolable grief over the loss of his son.

TRACING GOD'S HAND OF PROVIDENCE

• The story of Joseph points us to God's providence over all circumstances (Gen. 39:2-3, 21, 23: "The Lord was with Joseph)"
• The story of Joseph proves that God is at work for His glory and our good (Gen. 50:20: "God meant it for good").
• The story of Joseph points us to Jesus, who suffered and died under the predetermined, redemptive plan of God (Acts 2:22-24)

Main Idea: God is sovereignly at work through our sinful actions and family conflict to accomplish His redemptive purposes.

Text: Genesis 36:1-43

A Persistent Rejection of God's Ways (Gen. 36:1-8)

• Esau was driven by his own desires (Gen. 25:29-34; Heb. 12:16-17).
• Esau was driven to disobeying God (Gen. 26:34-35; 28:6-9).

A Perilous Pursuit of the World's Values (Gen. 36:9-43)

• Esau prized wealth and prominence over faith in God.
• Edom eventually faced God's judgment for their wickedness (Obadiah 1:10; Malachi 1:4-5).

LIFE APPLICATION: WHAT WILL BE YOUR LEGACY?

• A Legacy of Unbelief: Gaining the world and losing your soul (Mark 8:34-37)
• A Legacy of Faith: Believing in Christ and Treasuring Christ above all things (Phil. 3:7-11)

Main Idea: Your greatest legacy is not what you build in this life, but who you are trusting in for eternity.

Travis Thompson preaches to us from Psalm 78:1-8.

Text: Genesis 35

Repentance and Renewal (Gen. 35:1-8)

• God calls Jacob to return to Bethel and renew his faith.
• Jacob proves his repentance by purifying himself and forsaking the foreign idols of the culture.
• God's call to return is matched with His protection.

Promise and Purpose (Gen. 35:9-15)

• God reminds Jacob of his true identity and His unchanging character.
• God reaffirms His covenant promises to Jacob.
• Jacob responds by offering a sacrifice of worship to the Lord.

Funerals, Failure, and Fulfillment (Gen. 35:16-29)

• Jacob is faced with the deaths of his wife Rachel and his father Isaac.
• Jacob is confronted with the sinful failure of his son Reuben.
• Jacob's family is a result of God's fulfilled promises.

Main Idea: God is able to bring His people back from failure to a life of renewed faith in His never-failing promises.

Texts: Genesis 34:1-31; Psalm 94:1-23; Revelation 19:1-3; Romans 12:17-13:4

Shameful Acts of Injustice (Gen. 34:1-4)

• Dinah makes an unwise decision to "see the women of the land."
• Dinah suffers through violation and humiliation.

Sinful Responses to Injustice (Gen. 34:5-31)

• Jacob's disgraceful indifference
• The brothers' deceptive plot and deadly vengeance
• Jacob's damaging pursuit of self-preservation

The Right Response to Injustice

• God will execute perfect justice against the wicked (Psalm 94:1-23; Revelation 19:1-3).
• We must overcome evil with good and leave vengeance to God and government (Romans 12:17-21, 13:1-4).

Main Idea: Human sin produces escalating destruction when it is answered with more sin. We must look to God for justice and deliverance.

Texts: Genesis 33:1-20; Ephesians 2:12-19

From Separation to Reconciliation (Gen. 33:1-11)

• Jacob's posture of humility toward Esau
• God's faithfulness in bringing about Esau and Jacob's reconciliation
• Jacob's gratitude for God's provision, acceptance, and protection

From Reconciliation to Redirection (Gen. 33:12-20)

• Esau's sincere offer to Jacob to join him at his home
• Jacob's cryptic refusal and redirection toward the Promised Land
• Jacob's altar of worship to the God of Israel

Gospel Connection: Because of Christ, we can go from being separated from God to being reconciled to God (Eph. 2:12-19).

Main Idea: Reconciliation is made possible by the transforming work of God.

Text: Genesis 32:1-32

Grappling with Fear Leads to Self-Reliance (Gen. 32:1-21)

• God reassures Jacob of His abiding presence and protection.
• Jacob grapples with his greatest fear and resorts to self-reliance instead of depending on God.
• When we are struggling with fear, our only hope is found in trusting in God (Ps. 27:1-3; 56:3-4).

Wrestling with God Leads to Total Transformation (Gen. 32:22-32)

• God wrestles with Jacob in order to wrestle him out of self-reliance to submission and surrender to Him.
• Transformation happens when God brings you to the end of yourself and you turn to Him as your only hope.

MAIN IDEA: God transforms us by taking us from self-reliance to total surrender and dependence upon Him.

Text: Philippians 3:7-11

Main Idea: Enjoying fellowship with Christ is worth any hardship for Christ

1. Jesus is worth suffering the loss of all things
2. Hardship for Christ produces deep fellowship with Christ
3. Deeper fellowship with Christ is the supreme reward for faithfulness