This document compares Joseph and Samuel and discusses why God chooses people. It notes that Joseph and Samuel both came from barren mothers and went on to become important prophets and leaders for Israel. God chooses people who are weak by the world's standards, like those from barren wombs, so that he can be glorified through their lives. The document argues that God chooses believers to bear his name, stand for what is right, and proclaim his excellencies, so that they can make a difference in the world.

1. Chosen to make a
difference
Comparison of Joseph and Samuel’s life

2. • He is the Son of Jacob and Rachel
(Gen. 30:23-24)
• He is one of the twelve Tribes of
Israel (Exodus. 1:1-5)
• He is a dreamer (Gen. 37:19)
• He is Israel’s favorite Son (Gen. 37:3)
Who is Joseph?

3. • He is the Son of Elkanah and Hannah
(1Sam. 1:1-2)
• He is Eli’s Disciple and a minister of
God (1Sam. 3:1)
• He is God’s Prophet (1Sam. 3:20)
Who is Samuel?

4. JOSEPH SAMUEL
• He is the Son of Jacob and • He is the Son of Elkanah
Rachel (Gen. 30:23-24) and Hannah
• He is one of the twelve (1Sam. 1:1-2)
Tribes of Israel • He is Eli’s Disciple and a
(Exodus. 1:1-5) minister of God (1Sam.
3:1)
• He is a dreamer • He is God’s Prophet
(Gen. 37:19) (1Sam. 3:20)
• He is Israel’s favorite Son
(Gen. 37:3)
Do they have something
in common?

5. JOSEPH(‘s) SAMUEL(’s)
• Father, Jacob had more • Father Elkanah had more
than one wife, Leah, than one wife, Peninnah
and Hannah (1Sam. 1:2).
Rachel their maidservants
• Mother, Hannah was also
(Gen. 29-30). barren. (1Sam. 1:5)
• Mother, Rachel was • Became God’s Prophet to
barren. (Gen 29:31) Israel and saved thousands
of lives against the
• Became a governor in Philistines. (1Sam 3:20)
Egypt (Gen 42:6) and • Became a Judge of Israel
saved thousands of lives all the days of his life
when famine struck them. (1Samuel 7:15)
Things they have in common.

6. Gen. 11:30 Now Sarai was
barren; she had no child.
1. Sarah, Abraham’s wife Gen. 25:21 And Isaac prayed to
The mother of Isaac the LORD for his wife, because
she was barren. And the LORD
2. Rebekah, Isaac’s wife
granted his prayer, and Rebekah
The mother of Jacob and his wife conceived.
Esau. Judges 13:2 There was a
3. Manoah’s wife certain man of Zorah, of the
The mother of Samson tribe of the Danites, whose name
was Manoah. And his wife was
4. Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife. barren and had no children.
The mother of John the Baptist Luke 1:7 But they had no
child, because Elizabeth was
barren, and both were advanced
in years
Barren women

7. All of these men came
from barren women. All of
ISAAC them are imperfect but
JACOB made a difference.
Their names are,
JOSEPH obviously, written in the
SAMUEL annals of History because
they stood for the Lord
SAMSON and served Him. And
JOHN THE BAPTIST Their lives revealed His
strength in weakness.
From these women, these significant
names existed in the Scriptures;

8. 1Co 1:26-29 For consider your calling, brothers: not many
of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many
were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the
wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the
strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world,
even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
James 2:5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God
chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith
and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those
who love him?
Why did God choose them?

9. • John 15:16-17 You did not choose
me, but I chose you and appointed you that
you should go and bear fruit and that your
fruit should abide, so that whatever you
ask the Father in my name, he may give it
to you.
• These things I command you, so that you
will love one another.
How about us? Why did
God chose us?

10. • To bear His name and Characteristics (John 15)
that we may be the light and salt of the earth
(Mat 5:14).
God chose us;

11. John 15:4-8 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you
are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is
that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a
branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown
into the fire, and burned.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask
whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my
Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to
be my disciples.
Mat 5:13a-14 "You are the salt of the earth…
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be
hidden.
1. To bear His name and Characteristics that
we may be the light and salt of the earth

12. • To bear His name and Characteristics (John 15)
that we may be the light and salt of the earth
(Mat 5:14).
• To stand for what is right (John 15:19; Col
3:12).
God chose us;

13. • John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world
would love you as its own; but because you are not
of the world, but I chose you out of the
world, therefore the world hates you.
• Col 3:12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy
and beloved, compassionate
hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and
patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a
complaint against another, forgiving each other; as
the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
And above all these put on love, which binds
everything together in perfect harmony.
2. To stand for what is right

14. • To bear His name and Characteristics (John 15)
that we may be the light and salt of the earth
(Mat 5:14).
• To stand for what is right (John 15:19; Col
3:12).
• To proclaim His excellences (1Pe 2:9).
God chose us;

15. • 1Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
for his own possession, that you may
proclaim the excellencies of him who
called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light.
3. To proclaim His excellencies

16. …We are all chosen to make a difference
in this world we are in. We must be ready to
answer the world’s questions not just by words
but by actions. We do not go with its flow but
against it.
Like them we are chosen by God to make
a difference in our society. Chosen to be leaders
of righteousness. Chosen because we are God’s
best and not the least. And chosen to bear much
fruit that we may be instruments of Change.
Like Joseph and Samuel …