The Story of The People of God: Part VI - Threats to the Promise, ep.2

1. PRAYER
Through dreams and visions, O God,
you broaden the horizon and hope of your people,
that they may discover the meaning of your
covenant, even in the midst of trial and exile.
Produce the fruit of your Spirit in us,
and may all people may joyfully respond
to your call and share in your promises.
Amen.

2. the CHURCH calendar: SUNDAY, 7.30.23

3. The Story of the People of God: Part V
THREATS to the PROMISE: ep.2

4. OTHER “HIGHLIGHTS”WE’RE
NOTCOVERING…
• Isaac and Rebekah ch.24
• Jacob and Esau ch.25, 27
• Jacob’s ladder dream ch.28
• Jacob, Leah, Rachel ch.29

5. Jacob continues his journey
and meets his future wife Rachel
by a well. She is Laban’s youngest
daughter of two. Jacob is smitten with
passion and Laban promises
to let him marry her – in return for
seven years of work. What’s seven
years’ hard labor compared to getting
to marry your cousin?

6. OTHER “HIGHLIGHTS”WE’RE
NOTCOVERING…
• Isaac and Rebekah ch.24
• Jacob and Esau ch.25, 27
• Jacob’s ladder dream ch.28
• Jacob, Leah, Rachel ch.29
• Jacob wrestles with God ch.32

7. OTHERCHALLENGINGSTORIES
WE’LLGETTO…
• Sodom and Gomorrah ch.19 – 8.13.23
• Dinah and her brothers ch.34 – 8.20.23
• Tamar and Judah ch.38 – 8.20.23

10. South South
North

11. GENESIS 37, 39-47
• 17yr old dreams; coat/stripped; Judah/slavery 37
• Potiphar’s wife; stripped; sent to prison ch.39
• Two dreams; Joseph is the man; forgotten ch.40
• 2 yrs; Pharoah’s dreams*; Joseph’s rise/clothes 41
• Brothers to Egypt; Simeon; back to Canaan ch.42
• Brothers return to Egypt w/Benjamin ch.43
• Benjamin detained; Judah pleads for him ch.44
• Joseph’s identity revealed ch.45
• Jacob brings family to Egypt ch.46
• Famine in Egypt; Jacob there 17yrs ch.47

12. GENESIS 45:7-8
God sent me before you to preserve
for you a remnant on earth, and to keep
alive for you many survivors. So, it was
not you who sent me here, but God;
he has made me a father to Pharoah,
and lord of all his house and ruler
over the land of Egypt.

13. Change a few words and
the Israelites could be saying
the same thing after the Exodus
and especially after the return
from Babylonian exile –
‘God preserved us, a remnant,
and delivered us from harm’ …
Genesis (in the end) is Israel’s story
to show that God can be counted
on, from the very beginning.

14. 1. Yours is not the only dysfunctional
family
2. The foolishness of youth
can progress to maturity
3. Good things really can come from
horrible circumstances
GOOD NEWS

15. A Prayer For The People of God
To fulfill the ancient promise of salvation,
O God, you made a covenant with our ancestors
and pledged them descendants more numerous
than the stars. Grant that all people may
share in the blessings of your covenant,
accomplished through the death and
resurrection of your Son and sealed
by the gift of your Spirit. Amen.