Joseph's Vision

I am speaking this sermon at my dad's church tonight!

Dream On
Vision #2
Intro
§ Prov 29:18 KJV 18Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he.
Obj
Gen 37:19-20 NLT
19 “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. 20 “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”
§ You have got to be able to dream dreams in order to receive vision.
Premise
§ Other people will always be there to criticize the vision because they can’t see God using you that way. Or you don’t qualify in their eyes.
§ “We’ll see what becomes of his dreams”.
Vision
§ Vision is a picture of the future
§ A reason for existence, & gives timeless unchanging core values
§ A vision is simply an aspiration or a description of a desirable world that exists within the imagination that can inspire people, bring meaning to their work, mobilize them to action, and help them decide what to do and what not to do in the course of their work.
§ An effective vision strikes a chord in people, motivates them by tapping their competitive drive, arouses desire for greatness or interest in doing the right thing, tantalizes them with personal gain, or appeals to their need to make a difference in the world.
§ A vision is an idealized picture of the future and it expresses a reason for existence.
§ Visions grab people and then bring them into the fold.
When a leader's vision is effective and strong, people get caught up in what they are doing, absorb the vision, and commit themselves to the goals and the values of the leaders.
How do you create a vision?
Dream Big
§ Dreaming is the first step.
§ Go ahead and dare to dream about what you can do and what is possible to accomplish.
§ Don't be afraid to dream big.
§ You can always scale down to meet the realities of the situation, but dreaming big allows you to think about ideas that may not seem likely, yet are in fact possible.
§ Thinking big also forces you to think about the long term, always a useful thing to do.
§ You have nothing to lose; it doesn't cost a nickel.
§ Can you recall a time when you got a wild idea in your head and your heart started beating fast and you wondered what it would be like if you could make that idea happen?
§ Ex: I would dream about what it would be like to be a husband, father, now all my dreams have come true.
§ Maybe you think, "Oh that's impossible.
§ How can I be so foolish as to think that!"
§ However, often the ideas that feel foolish, may have the most potential.
§ They are often ideas that are new to the world.
§ Learn to value and trust your God given dreams
§ If you get an idea that makes your heart sing, chances are good that others will come to sing along with you.
Joseph’s story Gen 37-50.
Gen 37:2-5 NLT
This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked for his half brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.
3 Jacob[a] loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe.[b] 4 But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.
5 One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever
Joseph’s Dreams
1. Tying Bundles of grain, my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine.
2. The sun, moon and 11 stars bowed low before me.
§ What kind of dream is that? Will your mother and I bow before you? His father wondered what the dreams meant.
The pit-thrown in by jealous brothers, sold into slavery by his brothers to the Ishmaelites. 30 day journey through the desert chained on foot all the way to Egypt.
Potiphar’s house- purchased by Potiphar, Egyptian officer, captain of the guard for Pharaoh, King of Egypt.
The prison-Joseph worked on first floor while family occupied upper stories, wrongfully convicted for raping Potiphar’s wife, 2 years in prison.
The palace- interprets some dreams, released out of prison for interpreting dreams for Pharaoh himself, giving him a 14 year survival plan to see Egypt get through famine.
§ Pharaoh makes Joseph 2nd in command in all Egypt and all his family, Father and sons bow before Joseph because of his dreams.
§ There were 7 years of famine, but there was grain in all Egypt.
§ God used Joseph’s dreams, to preserve his family inspite of his family.
§ Joseph’s dreams were fulfilled for his family, but that is where he found the initial resistance
§ Joseph was 17 when sold into slavery, now 30 years old when he became the ruler over Egypt
§ He spent 13 years as an Egyptian slave and as a prisoner.
Conclusion
§ He was betrayed by his family, deserted, exposed to sexual temptation, punished for doing the right thing, endured long imprisonment, and forgotten by those he helped.
§ His positive response transformed each setback into a step forward.
§ He didn’t spend much time asking why
§ His approach was “what shall I do now?”
§ Those around Joseph new that wherever he went and whatever he did, God was with him.
§ When you are facing a setback, a Joseph like attitude is to acknowledge that God is with you
§ Nothing like the presence of God to shed new light on a dark situation.
Gen 50:20-21
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.
§ All because Joseph had a dream, dream on.