Welcome!

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

In this session:

• An intro video from Scott for our session today • A cartoon re-enactment of our story

• An exploration of the greatest history book of ALL TIME… • Reflections and prayers • Some optional extras

So: How are you this week? Has this week been an up week or a down week? Is there a

highlight from your week, perhaps? Please send me some pictures of what you guys

have been getting up to – I’d love to see them!!

Sarah and I got Disney+ this week and have been watching loooooooads of Disney

and Marvel and Star Wars – it’s been SO GOOD!!

Send me something you’ve been up to: scottr@testwoodbaptist.org

SO, I’m excited, are you?

Remember Joseph? Here is a reminder if not:

Joseph

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Meet Joseph: Hi! I’m Joseph!

Did you know: I have

11 brothers! 11, can

you believe it??

I’m also like the

second youngest,

which means I don’t

get heard much!

What’s the first

thing you think of

when you think

about my story?

I live in a place called

Canaan (“Kay-nun”)

with my father,

Jacob (who’s also

called ‘Israel’

Most people think

of my colourful coat,

or Egypt, where lots

of my story takes

place (hence the

funky theme!)

The most exciting thing

about my story, is that it all

points to Jesus (yes, like

actual Jesus, in like 1000

years time!) Crazy right?

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Joseph Intro Questions:

• Are you a forgetful person, do you think?

• Have you ever felt forgotten?

• Do you like to bake?

• What’s your favourite baked good?

• Have you had any crazy dreams recently?

• Ever thought, I wonder what that dream meant!?

Check out Scott’s video intro for you here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAHFYGEbVmg

The Story so far…

Do you remember the story of Joseph so far?

Joseph is the son of Jacob (also called Israel) and has 11 brothers. Joseph was

Jacob’s favourite son and he gave Joseph a spectacular robe! But his brothers got

jealous of this (I can see why!) and began to hate him.

Joseph then had two dreams from God, one involving grains of wheat and the

other, the moon and stars. Both dreams were about him ruling over his brothers

(remember these dreams we real and from God).

Joseph’s brothers then plotted to kill him but settled

with selling him to some foreigners who took him to

Egypt! Joseph worked under Potiphar, one of

Pharaoh’s officials and Potiphar’s wife tricked Joseph

and plotted against him, ending up in Joseph’s prison

sentence… as if things couldn’t get worse! Well…

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Joseph

Bible Reading:

Grab a Bible and turn to Genesis 40 v 1-23

Do you remember why we read the Bible? Because the Bible is God’s Word, and

therefore every time we read the Bible, God actually speaks to us – how

incredible is that!?

Why not pray right now that God would speak into your heart as we read

together, and that we might see Jesus and know Him more?

Give Genesis 40:1-23 a read and we’ll go through it together!

You can also read it here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+40%3A1-23&version=NIV

Video Story:

Before we go through the passage, let’s

watch that story to help us picture it better!

We join the story in prison with Joseph the Cupbearer and the baker.

Watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuAHdW8FdLs&list=PLcfK69wvRgGfl_k7phl

2ziPALYa3jlWBo&index=12

Joseph

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Bible Study: Keep your Bible open at Genesis 40 v 1-23

Here are some questions to focus in on as we go through our passage together:

• So, we know Joseph is in prison for a crime he didn’t commit – let’s remind

ourselves of the responsibility Joseph was given in chapter 39v22?

• And what truth are we reminded of in chapter 39v33?

• Which two characters are we now introduced to 40v1?

• What happens to these two in v1-3?

• What happens to these two while in prison (v5)?

• Who does Joseph say interpretations belong to (v8)?

• Can you summarise the Cupbearers dream in v9-11?

• What does Joseph say it means in v12-13?

• What does Joseph also ask of the Cupbearer in v14?

• Can you summarise the Baker’s dream in v16-17?

• What does Joseph say it means in v18-19?

• As we reach v20-22, does all of what Joseph interpreted come true?

• What doesn’t happen in v23?

• How do you think Joseph was feeling about being in prison for something he

didn’t do?

• How do you think he would have felt being left and forgotten after helping

the Cupbearer?

Having interpreted dreams for both Joseph’s brothers and now Pharaoh’s

officials, next week we’ll read of interaction between Joseph and Pharaoh

himself, and guess what… there are more dreams!!

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Joseph Now, do you remember we said that as amazing and crazy as Joseph’s story is,

what is more amazing, is that Joseph’s story points us to Jesus?

How does Joseph point us to Jesus?

If all the Bible is about Jesus (and it is), then how can

someone who lived like 1000 odd years before Jesus

actually point us to Jesus and be the intention of the

story?? This is something we’re going to look at every

week as hear about Joseph.

Here’s a short exercise for you:

Take 2-3 mins (or longer if needed) and list, either in your head or on paper, all

the things you think link Joseph and Jesus together from our story today

Here’s my thoughts about the links between Joseph and Jesus from our passage:

• The Lord was with Joseph always even when he didn’t feel it / the Father

was with Jesus always, even when He didn’t feel it

• Joseph was imprison for a crime he did not commit and was innocent /

Jesus was also imprisoned for crime He didn’t commit and was also

innocent

• While in prison, Joseph helped free someone also suffering in prison /

while on the cross, Jesus brought someone eternal freedom also hanging

on a cross

• Joseph interpreted dreams, almost as future prophesies / Jesus not only

told of future things, but came to fulfil all prophesies

• Joseph felt forgotten in prison / Jesus yelled “why have you forsaken

me” and felt forgotten on the cross

So there you have it – a bigger picture of how Joseph’s story actually

points forward to the Lord Jesus – how cool is that!

sd

Joseph

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Now, why is this important?

Why does any of this matter?

And what has it got to do with us?

Life is a rollercoaster journey, isn’t it!? (I really love rollercoasters…) sorry distracting.

Sometimes it can feel (especially in the low parts of life) that God forgets us. Perhaps

we think: “If God exists, why is everything happening like this?” or we feel like we do

everything right and still it just feels too hard. Perhaps you feel (or have felt in the past)

that God just isn’t there with you, or that’s He’s a monster that doesn’t really care

about you… Well I can tell you, He’s not. And He does care.

Let’s finish on 3 things as we close today:

1. God uses our past sufferings for his purposes – we never suffer pointlessly. If

we’re going through hard times, there’s a reason for it, and part of that reason is

God shaping us to be the men and women of God that He wants us to be. Joseph

has been through so much suffering so far and, though He doesn’t know it yet, it

all serves a greater purpose and God His working His miracle plans throughout

the entire narrative of Joseph.

2. Knowing Jesus doesn’t make everything all baked good and trains rides…

(which both sounds great), and by that I mean, it doesn’t make everything easy

and plain sailing. It can be tough living for Jesus, but God never forgets us, He

never leaves our side or forsakes us. We can know God’s close peace and

comfort every step of our journey.

3. The reason why God is able to never leave or forsake us and never forgets us is

because Jesus cried out on the cross: “why have you forsaken me?” In other

words, Jesus, in that moment, felt forgotten, and experienced that feeling so

that we don’t have to! How amazing is that!?

Now in light of all that, we’re going to

spend some time thanking God in prayer (scroll down)

Reflection:

@testwoodyouth Testwood Youth

Well done! (You’ve finished) We’re praying for you, we miss you, we love you – keep being thankful for the

positive things and seeing Jesus in everything – and keep in touch!!

Scroll down for optional extras

Scott Rushby, TBCYouth, April ‘20©

Our wider church family are looking at a 4 session series on Prayer, based

on these 4 points – today they’re thinking about ASK.

I want to encourage you to spend a bit of extra time on that section today.

P – PAUSE – take a minute in silence, and bring your worries and thoughts

to God. Are you finding daily time to pause and meet with God? What does

physical rest look like for you in this time? What about mental rest? And

Spiritual rest? Pausing is really important.

R – Reflect/Rejoice – Take some time to reflect on Joseph’s and Jesus’

emotions throughout their journeys. Jesus felt that feeling of being

abandoned and forgotten on the cross so we never have to feel like that.

Why not take a moment to ponder that… Why not spend some time

thanking Jesus for going to the cross for you?

A – ASK – We serve a God who is able to do immeasurably more than we

can ever think or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) We can ask anything of Him! Do

you have things you want ask God for? Peace, comfort, joy maybe in this

time? Are there things you want to ask God for about other people around

you? We can come to God with anything, He loves listening!

Y – YIELD/YES – To Yield for God means to actively want Him more. How

can you actively try and seek Jesus more this week? Why don’t you ask for

God’s help with that

Thanks for tuning in today!