RISEN

With such a great transition ahead for our graduating seniors, it is God's providence that we close out our series in the book of Genesis with one last short devotion that reveals how God works everything out for His people in this message titled, God Meant It For Good.

4 So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 45:4–8)

Cross References

• 37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 41:37–41)

• 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (Genesis 50:20)

RISEN is a ministry of the Sheboygan eFree Church for students in grades 6 - 12 that aims to transform lives by proclaiming the resurrected Jesus Christ in all of His grace and glory.

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Genesis 40:1-23 ESV

Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.

5 And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” 8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. 14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, 17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” 18 And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”

20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Cross References:

• 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

Discussion Questions

1. What were some of the highlights and lowlights of your week? What has God been teaching you? Be honest, be real.

2. In one of the lowest points in his life, Joseph shows compassion to the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. Why is it hard for us to show compassion to others when we are in a low spot?

3. Can you think of a time when someone showed compassion to you? What was it like?

4. Joseph had to continually trust and depend on God during his suffering and trials. What areas of life is it easy for you to depend on God? What areas of life are hard?

5. We see that Joseph trusted and depended on God, but he also experienced disappointment. Put yourself in his shoes. How would you have reacted?

6. What trials have you faced, or are you facing in life? How can you practice compassion, trust/dependency on God, and enduring right now? Close in prayer for each other.

RISEN is a ministry of the Sheboygan eFree Church for students in grades 6 - 12 that aims to transform lives by proclaiming the resurrected Jesus Christ in all of His grace and glory.

Would you like to join us? Find more information at our website.

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The presence of God brings great blessing and power into our lives. In this message titled, 'The Lord Was With Him', we see what happens when God stays by the side of Joseph as he's sold into slavery, tempted by an adulteress, and put into prison.

GENESIS 39:1–23

Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. 5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field. 6 So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. 

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 7 And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. 9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” 10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. 

11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 12 she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. 13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, 14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” 16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, 17 and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. 18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.” 

19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. 20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed. 

Cross-References 

- 18 Flee from sexual immorality. (1Corinthians 6:18)

- 22 So flee youthful passions… (2Timothy 2:22)

Discussion Questions

1. What were some of the highlights and lowlights of your week? What has God been teaching you? Be honest, be real.

2. Perhaps you’ve heard people talk about the power of God’s presence in their lives, but how about for yourself? Can you think of any ways God has made His presence known to you? 

3. One of the results of God’s presence in Joseph’s life was that God blessed and gave him success in his work. What would you want God to bless and make successful in your life? 

4. When it comes to sexual sin, what are some of the common messages we hear from music, movies, and social media?

5. Because God was with Joseph, he was able to resist the temptation of Potiphar’s wife “day after day.” How might this encourage us in our fight against sin and temptation? And how might we seek to “flee” from sexual sin or any other temptation in our lives?

6. Pray for one another! 

RISEN is a ministry of the Sheboygan eFree Church for students in grades 6 - 12 that aims to transform lives by proclaiming the resurrected Jesus Christ in all of His grace and glory.

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Even on the worst day of our lives, God is working all things together for our good. In this message titled, Thrown In The Pit, we see how God uses the most painful moment of Joseph's life to bring about the best day of his life. 

GENESIS 37:12–36

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. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. 24 And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. 

25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt. 

29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes 30 and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?” 31 Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.” 33 And he identified it and said, “It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard. 

Cross-References 

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. (Genesis 37:4)

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. (Genesis 37:5)

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. (Genesis 37:8)

11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. (Genesis 37:11)

21 Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” (Genesis 42:21)

Discussion Questions

1. What were some of the highlights and lowlights of your week? What has God been teaching you? Be honest, be real.

2. Like the brothers felt about Joseph, sometimes there are people in our lives who deeply irritate or anger us by their very presence; people you just can’t stand. What provokes you to get angry and upset with family, friends, classmates, co-workers, etc.?

3. Because he was favored by their father, Joseph’s brothers became very jealous of him. What are some things that provoke students to be jealous of one another? Perhaps share what are some things that typically provoke jealousy within you?

4. The anger and jealousy of the brother led them to plot Joseph’s murder, and ultimately sell him into slavery. How have you seen unchecked anger and jealousy damage important relationships at home, school, and work? And how do you personally deal with your own anger and jealousy so that you don’t let it get out of control?

5. What was one of the hardest days of your life so far?

6. In tonight’s passage, Joseph has the worst day of his life; all hope seems lost as he’s taken from his father, thrown into a pit, and finally carted off by strange men to be sold in the slave market. Meanwhile, God is using every painful moment of that tragedy to do something amazing in Joseph’s life and the world.

The same was true for Jesus. He was betrayed, beaten, falsely accused, sold for a bag of money, and eventually crucified, yet God used that unjust tragedy to save the world. How can the examples of Joseph and Jesus help you during the worst days of your life?

RISEN is a ministry of the Sheboygan eFree Church for students in grades 6 - 12 that aims to transform lives by proclaiming the resurrected Jesus Christ in all of His grace and glory.

Would you like to join us? Find more information at our website.

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God works through imperfect families to bring about His plan. In this message titled, Hope For Broken Families, we see how God purposefully places Joseph in a dysfunctional family in order to get Joseph exactly where He wants him.

Genesis 37:1-11

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. 

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. 

Discussion Questions

1. What were some of the highlights and lowlights of your week? What has God been teaching you? Be honest, be real.

2. We see that God’s work in Joseph’s life begins by placing him in a broken and dysfunctional family. Joseph’s mom died while he was young, his dad has multiple wives and plays favorites, and his brothers hate him. What about in our day? What are some common examples of dysfunction that you see within families today?

3. Why do we often try to handle our family dysfunction by ourselves and keep it hidden from others? Who might we talk to about our problems at home?

4. Many people get stuck in the trap of self-pity, blaming their parents and families for all their problems. How do we not let our problems at home define our identity and direct our destiny in life? 

5. As we move forward in Joseph’s story, we’ll see that God is going to use his dysfunctional family to work powerfully in his life. How might God be using your home struggles to shape, mold, and work in your life?

6. I’ve heard it said before that “if you’re not part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem.” How might we be contributing to our family dysfunction? And how might we change to help bring restoration?

RISEN is a ministry of the Sheboygan eFree Church for students in grades 6 - 12 that aims to transform lives by proclaiming the resurrected Jesus Christ in all of His grace and glory.

Would you like to join us? Find more information at our website.

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1. Alone (22-24)

22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children,[a] and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone.

2. Difficult (24b-25)

And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.

3. Desperate (26)

26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 

4. Powerful (27-28)

27And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,[b] for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 

5. Intimacy (29-31)

29Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel,[c] saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 

CROSS REFERENCES

- Genesis 32:6-7a

And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "we came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and htere are four hundred men with him." Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed.

- Matthew 6:6

Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children.

- Matthew 6:6

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What were some of the highlights and lowlights of your week? What has God been teaching you? Be honest, be real.

2. Why do you think many young people struggle to be alone in silence with their thoughts?

3. What are some of the difficulties that we face in prayer? Some people think prayer should be easy and come naturally. Explain whether you agree or not.

4. Jacob was desperate to receive God's blessing in prayer. When you pray, how would you describe your mindset or attitude in prayer?

5. Why do you think prayer has the power to change us? What's so special about prayer? How has prayer changed you? Explain. 

6. None of us will persist through the difficulties of prayer, unless we truly desire to see God "face-to-face." In this season of your life, on a scale of 1-10 (1 being weak and 10 being strong), where would you place your desire for God? Explain.

Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching, but where does our motivation for integrity come from? In this message titled, The Heart of Integrity, we see that out of a heart to honor and obey God, Jacob lived with integrity, even amidst most unfair and challenging circumstances.

Through it all, no matter what comes our way, God promises to remain by our side. In this message titled Faithful Through It All, we see Jacob take the next step in his spiritual transformation as he learns the all-important lesson of God's faithfulness.

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble; therefore, we need humility! In this message titled, 'Humiliation Before Humility,' we see how an utterly humiliating moment in Jacob's life contributes to his radical spiritual transformation by teaching him the all-important lesson of humility.