hated him all the more. He said to them, listen to this dream I had. We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and they bowed down to it. Verse 8, his brothers said to him, do you intend to reign over us?
Will you actually rule us? And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. Genesis chapter 39. Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, pot of fur and Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials.
The captain of the guard bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master when his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did. Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and he had trusted to his care everything he owned.
From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything pot of fur had both in the house and in the field so he left in Joseph's care everything he had. With Joseph in charge he did not concern himself with anything except the food that he ate. Now Joseph was well built and handsome and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said come to bed with me but he refused.
With me in charge he told her my master does not concern himself with anything in the house. Everything he owns has been entrusted to my care. No one is greater in the house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife.
How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God and though he spoke to Joseph day after day he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. One day in verse 11 he went into the house to attend to his duties and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said come to bed with me but he left his cloak in her hand and he ran out to the house. When he saw that he had left his when she had saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and run out of the house she called her household servants.
Look she said to them this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us. He came in here to sleep with me but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house. She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home.
Then she told him this story that Hebrew slave you brought us came to make sport of me but as soon as I screamed for help he left his cloak beside me and he ran out of the house when his master heard the story. His wife told him saying this is how your slave treated me. He burned with anger. Joseph's master took him and pulled him in prison the place where the king's prisoners were confined.
But when Joseph was there in the prison the Lord was with him. He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. The warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
Father we pray as we pause before you to try to discover the beauty of the life that you have planned and purpose for us. We pray God that you will enable us through your grace to sense the future. We might anticipate your purpose and greater plan that's down the road but as for now Lord we pray as we journey on through life that we would not become so easily discouraged or distracted by the details of life. For Lord we know that your goodness and your favor is all over us and yet sometimes we feel more like prisoners being sold, being accused, being condemned and yet by faith we trust that the dreams you've been parted to us in the past.
Those dreams are still just as few true for the future. May we learn to anticipate a life of longing to please you and trust that as you choose to bless us you will accomplish your greater purpose for all of your plans that you have for your people in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Turn back with me to Genesis chapter 37 I want to read verses 19 and 20.
Here comes that dreamer they said to each other, come now let's kill him and throw him in one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal has devoured him then we'll see what comes of his dreams. I think one of the hardest things that you and I may struggle with in our journey of faith is trying to sometimes distinguish between all the voices that might work into our minds and into our hearts. There's times that it becomes so clear that the voice of God is laying upon us a sense of truth that God has a purpose and plan for every one of us and yet sometimes between all the mixture of the circumstances and the details of life we can lose sight of that dream that God may have laid upon our heart. We get distracted with life we get busy with life we journey through life and we realize that sometimes the concept of a group of a dream sometimes irritates more people than it brings any pleasure or joy in our hearts.
It's said that most people by the time they get to their mid 20s really don't dream a whole lot more about life and so in some sense we might look back on life and say there were times in our life particularly if you've been walking with the Lord a long time is you know what it's like to sense in your heart that God has a unique purpose and plan for your life and yet life and it's course and it's direction and all of the demands and all the responsibilities begin to work in our lives and the concept of dreaming almost sounds ridiculous. Typically speaking not only do we have a tendency to lose our capacity to dream when we begin to age a little bit through life but sometimes we begin to lose that sense of joy that we talked about last week that the joy that God gives you seems to run its own kind of course and again the trials the hardships the temptations the pressures of life begin to work against us and we begin to lose that joy of knowing that I can trust God in where he's leading and is a direction. Joseph is one example of a young man whose dreams did in fact come true but it wasn't an easy journey. He was one long haul of one trial and one hardship and one temptation compounded upon another as we sung in our worship time this morning some of us are like grapes being squashed but it's not that it's over it's God's creating a much deeper richer abiding reality in our hearts but sometimes we don't always have the capacity or the maturity in our walk with Christ to distinguish the difference between a dream today and a dream that anticipates into tomorrow.
I realize that there are not given a whole lot of details about really where Joseph was as far as his real relationship with God other than we can pretty much tell that as Jesus said a tree is known by its fruit that we can gather the evidence or the outcome of life that he was a man of great quality and certainly an amazing amount of depth in his and journey but I trust that we can be assured that God is faithful and that God is just and that God is fair and that God will accomplish his great purposes. Now everybody dreams and sometimes we may not be aware as much about the dream that begins to work in our hearts and minds but not everybody's dreams come from God sometimes we simply dream and anticipate what we would like to accomplish what we would like to fulfill inevitably when you were younger there was almost pressure upon you to dream about what you want to do someday when we grow up sometimes we chuckle and say well I'm still in the growing stage I'm still in the searching stage I'm still trying to dream about this a dream about that but those of us who have sensed a relationship with Jesus Christ that that dream that he gave you once he hasn't forgotten about you and I might journey on wondering where are those elements where are the fruit of that how can I truly I'll be sure in that relationship with God some of us have dreams that tend to be flavored quite a bit about God and his purpose and plan for us and other times that dream might seemingly have been flavored a lot by that's simply what I wanted to do it takes a journey it takes many circumstances in life to come to the place where we once again return with a passion to say Lord I want your dream I want your dream and purpose for my life the first thing that we want to consider pertain to that concept is that we all are quite well aware that God is a dream giver that God is the one that is leading and directing our lives the God is the one that has a unique purpose and plan for life familiar scriptures are found in Jeremiah chapter 29 and verse 11 if you like to turn with me there Jeremiah chapter 29 and verse 11 you and I must recognize that as much as the concept of a dream might seem foreign to us you and I need to realize God still has a purpose he still has a plan for every single one of us and that truth is a foundation that begins to be established in our commitment to God and in our following God as we are anticipating his dream for our lives Jeremiah chapter 29 and verse 11 for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you a hope and a future I think the most difficult times of accepting and embracing the concept of the dream is when it appears that right now we're going through more nightmares than we are dreams that give us hope that give us a sense of direction no doubt when you and I go through the hardships of life that look that confidence of God's dream and plan for our lives begins to fade it's important though to allow ourselves to entertain the thought that the dream is not so much something that we would just like to have it's a place that we want to be it's a longing in a relationship which God has laid upon our heart and as you and I long to be in his place in his purpose he begins to communicate that to us now there's some other things that can help bring agreement and alignment in the heart of those of us that want God's dream much more than simply we want to dream about doing something unique or different second Chronicles chapter 16 and verse 9 please turn in your Bibles to second Chronicles chapter 16 and verse 9 the basis for a God given dream is number one that God is the one that has this unique purpose for your life he has a plan for your life it may not seem like a big plan he has for your life but he still has a plan it might not seem to be as great as somebody else's dream but it's still God's plan for your life in mind our problems sometimes is our dreams when we begin to hear them they might seem too small and the important thing is that what makes the dream big is not so much whether it seems to be so appealing to us what makes the dream big is because it comes from the dream giver himself what gives it it's it's beauty what gives it it's richness is because the creator of the universe has created you has customized you has put together all things working together for his our good and his glory God is at work and has put together all the pieces so the greatness of the dream is because God's greatness over our lives this ties together with second chronicles 16 9 that sometimes it's tough to distinguish the difference between a dream that God gives and simply one that sounds appealing to us is in second Chronicles 16 and verse 9 for the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him if our commitment to God is off to the left to the right so will our understanding of the dream what brings clarity to the dream what gave clarity to Joseph's life is Joseph's heart was fixed upon the Lord from a very young age he had a devotion and a richness a quality to life that carried him through a lot of the struggles and so he could have great assurance that the dream that God has given is a God given dream and his brothers only knew about one kind of dream that is let's see what happens to this dreamer we'll put him through the mill we'll give him a workout we're gonna make life very interesting for him because they only understand dreams that come from an issue of ourselves and what often can challenge us is to ask ourselves have we come to the place where our heart is committed to Christ have we come to the place where we want nothing but God's dream and purpose for life and we come to the place where the real issues are settled I want this to be about God a second thing that's close together with that concept is in John chapter 15 the gospel of John chapter 15 we want to look at verses 14 through 16 what's important to know that what will give you momentum in life and give you clarity to life and it'll give you success in life as far as our relationship with God is that we understand that the dream that God has given us is the dream that he will fulfill John chapter 15 verses 14 through 16 it's sort of a similar concept to that in second Chronicles but bear with me as I read in chapter 15 of John verses 14 through 16 you are my friends if you do what I command I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his master's business instead I have called you friends for everything that I have learned from my father I may know to you you did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit fruit that will last then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name which important in the understanding of the dreams that God lays upon our heart is it comes because Jesus shares the master's business when God begins to work in your life your dreams are about giving and serving when God begins to work in your life it's about being sent when God begins to work in your life is you begin to become clearer in your journey that this life is all about him and it's not so much about me but to dream that way we'll get your brothers against you to dream that way we'll begin to create opposition to dream that way is going to take us through journeys of challenges and tests but God is in the process of purifying and bringing about a quality of life a maturity life a depth of life because God wants to accomplish purposes and he wants to use common people like you and I he wants to work in a way that that becomes a burden that we share with God himself the point is that Joseph clearly knew his dreams were from God and you and I as we journey through life we need to be assured that the dreams that are in our heart are coming from the dream giver and when the dream giver brings clarity to your heart and gives you the same burden and he shares you his business and he shares you your heart holding on not simply to the idea of the dream but letting your focus be upon the dream giver himself we can get caught up a lot in the dream itself and lose sight of the experience of knowing him the experience of following him the experience of committing ourselves to the person who gives us that dream let's go back to Genesis chapter 37 now Genesis chapter 37 we talk quite a bit about the concept of a relationship with the Lord and realize that that becomes rather common information within our community as a as a church but we can never bypass the importance of developing that relationship and assuring that the relationship is the most important components in all of our journey in life because when that relationship begins to be altered or tampered or twisted then the dreams begin to take on more of our focus than the dream giver himself Genesis chapter 37 verses 3 and 4 now Israel meaning loved Joseph more than any of his other sons because he had been born to him in his old age and he made a richly ornamented robe for him when his brother saw that their father loved him more than any of them they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him now this seems like a really strange story number one the dad has a favorite and number two he's dressed them in this coat of many colors and I don't know about you but that might sound all right if I'm about seven or eight years old but 17 I'm not sure I want this coat that's just a little bit extreme it's a little bit radical and so you and I need to humble ourselves and say it's not about appearances here it is much deeper and much richer in its significance and meaning and so as you and I become a dreamers that God has placed upon your heart one thing is certain if your relationship is with Christ as it ought to be you're going to begin the sense God's leading God's prompting God's direction the stirring in your heart is going to want to serve it's going to want to give it's going to want to worship it's going to want to do the things which the Bible teaches us we ought to do there's going to be the reality of you know that you are loved by God and he wants to put you in some cute little robe well how does that translate into some thoughts that begin to develop in the formation of life and the direction of life and the ministry that that possibly God is even leading you into is the first thing that you and I need to recognize is God gives us a robe not simply because you are better and smarter and brighter or whatever but in some sense he loves you more than can you handle that most of us don't like that kind of theology because it kind of puts you in a different category but you and I need to get used to some some fundamental principles about the fact that God in grace has worked his way into your life and personalized himself in your life and you are set above now the danger is what that makes me better but the truth is it should drop you to your knees turn with me to Deuteronomy chapter seven and verse six I want to just look at some scriptures but you and I got it used to that cute little robe is something more than a cute little robe it is a reality that will shape your dream capacity and your willingness to handle the beauty of that dream because if we're here today still somehow kind of believing that our relationship with God is because I made the right choices and pushed the right buttons and pulled the right levers that's entirely different than the God who speaks into your life and he says you are my favorite we need to learn how to humbly handle the fact that God has put his favor on our life and to use that for his purposes or we can use them for hours we can treat the salvation experience as if I know I'm going to heaven and I'm not worried about whether anybody goes to hell again these are evidences these are dynamics that begin to reveal the real quality of a heart but you and I must understand God is the one that shows us he's the one that began to work in our life and he's brought us to a place where you and I cannot miss it it becomes evident it becomes obvious you know that God has his favor on you he's put his robe upon you and you and I have to get used to wearing that robe some days we love it and some days we cringe because what comes with the robe is your identity Deuteronomy chapter 7 and verse 6 for you are a people holy to the Lord your God the Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his treasured possession now I realize that this is written to the Jewish people who believe they are the chosen people of God well as Christians we understand that we just read in the gospel of John that he chose us we didn't choose him he appointed us he destined us but you and I need to realize that that robe isn't just a cute little robe it's not so much that the colors need to be identified but you and I must realize that for whatever reason God has put his love and affection on you and you and I have to get used to it we have to accept the fact that we are loved simply because it's a gift we have to accept the fact that we are chosen for unique purposes and plans dreams get different they get money they get discolored when you and I believe well of course God chose me check it out if we think somehow that we have become more qualified or somehow that we believe we've earned it in some way it is to bring us to our knees that the dream is not about me it's about the dream giver one of the secrets to keeping God's dream alive is you and I realize if you touch it you can defile it if you try to bend it or force it you can mess it up you and I need to realize all through life what God's purpose and plan for you and I is sacred and to hold it as sacred to keep it as precious and to realize it has its purpose for God and to lose sight of that Joseph I can share the dream though his brothers may not understand though all the significance of that cannot be explained one thing he was assured this dream is about God and it's not about me I trust as we prepare hearts for communion this morning we remember once again God's love is simply given to us as a gift and you and I can't add to that we can't try to manipulate it we can't try to force it we can't do anything other than to say why he chose me I don't know but one thing I can be assured is him so how do you wear this coat of many colors with dignity and with a real sense of assurance that it is all about God Ephesians chapter one let's go towards the New Testament the book of Ephesians chapter one dreams become different when you know they didn't come from you dreams become different when you know it was God dreams become different when you know the origin and source of your relationship with God is because God has intruded in your life he stepped into your world and he's begun to speak in your heart and draw you to himself you and I are well aware whether or not that the dynamics of our maturing relationship have been about ourselves controlling or whether or not it is a responding to the voice and the prompting of the Holy Spirit and if we're here today and we know that our agenda has been about God and our commitment is all about his glory and his majesty it's going to dream in different colors it's going to look differently it's going to express it one thing you'll know is that God who speaks to you is God speaking to us and that's what gives us the courage the strength to press on through the trials of hardship is this is simply obedience to what God is doing in our lives Ephesians chapter one four through six he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight in love he predestinized to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace which he has freely given us in the one he loves now when we look at the concept of this this robe you and I need to realize that when the prodigal son came to his senses and he came back one of the first things that his father did is he called to get the fatted calf ready and then he went for the robe and he put it on his son and that's important that you and I understand the robe is about an identity and his father was clearly making a statement that his covering is in the gift of that robe and your standing in mind before a holy god is the robe has been put upon us and we delight in the robe not because it's colorful not because it's bright but because of what it represents that you and I are connected with Jesus Christ and our identity is in the gift of his righteousness that has been imputed or imparted on our behalf but what goes with that is getting used to the fit and the feel of the robe not only is it a position or identity in Christ but it's also a new way of living and a walk if you turn with me to Romans chapter six we find not only in the concept of that imputed righteousness that is granted to us by faith but there's also a response to that like I said the robe feels good at parts of our life when we first come to faith we didn't lighten the fact that the Father has put upon us a robe of righteousness the challenge is when Potiphar's wife comes knocking the challenge comes when your testimony is being challenged the struggles you and I face has to do with deep character and moral issues when nothing is on you and you and I stand bare before a holy god the righteousness has to be more than simply an appearance it has to be more than simply a covering Romans chapter six verses 15 to 18 what then shall we sin because we are not under wall but under grace by no means don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves your slaves the one whom you obey whether you are slaves to sin which leads to death or to obedience which leads to righteousness but thanks be to god that though you used to be slaves to sin you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you've been entrusted you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness the challenge we face is whether or not we're willing to wear the robe that the Father has put upon us Joseph was willing to take a stand and we find experiences all through his life that he not only would understood the beauty of being favored but he understood the importance that this robe what it truly represents as we come and partake of the holy sacraments today is an opportunity to acknowledge that our righteousness comes through Jesus Christ because he is the righteous one he is the atoning sacrifice that has poured out his life he shed his blood so that you and I can have a garment of righteousness but not only is that righteousness granted to us because of the person of Jesus Christ but we also are taught in 1 John 1 9 that if we confess our sins he is faithful and Justin will forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness righteousness has two sides to the robe one is that which covers us the other is how we stand when the covering is lifted the beauty of this relationship with Christ is that God not only has provided a means of allowing you and I to be recognized as being holy in his sight but he's also given us the means to be transformed so that that work of righteousness accomplishes its great purpose I trust that we realize the dreams that God has for our life are pretty much dependent on surviving Potiphar's wife pretty much the plans that God has for us as we have to get through the chapters of the temptations the trials the hardships of life because they become the channels they become the ways in which life takes us through the course and it's important to understand that our relationship with Christ not only brings about an initial righteousness but that same relationship keeps us in the direction in place where we ought to be I'd like to invite the ushers to come forward at this time as we prepare to celebrate the holy sacraments together let's pray God's blessing here Father we are reminded over and over again that you've chosen us you have set us apart you've called us to a unique lifestyle so that not only your favor could become evident upon our lives but the secret to the true blessing made well within our hearts we thank you for your son Jesus Christ that has provided the means that now we experience real deep personal quality of righteousness we thank you foremost for what you've done in spite of our past and then we thank you again for what you will continue to work in our lives give us the courage to believe that the dream you've called us to walk in and to trust you're more than able to finish what you've begun we commit ourselves to being those who look to you as the dreamgiver we commit ourselves to trusting that your purpose and plan will be accomplished we pray today for this moment for this season in life and we might find ourselves brought back to our first love and may our first love truly be in you Lord Jesus father I pray as we hold this cracker even this morning we might remember so much that your body was crushed that you were broken so that we could be made whole and we say thanks to you for all that you remind us of may our hearts be in tune with you in Jesus name amen everyone please hold the cracker till we're all served and we will protect it together the worship team is going to lead us in a worship time I trust that we might allow those thoughts of these words to begin to speak into our minds and hearts this morning