Bible ReadingGenesis 37:1-36 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. Jacob 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. 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. One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. “Listen to this dream,” he said. “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!” His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them. Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!” This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant. Soon after this, Joseph’s brothers went to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. When they had been gone for some time, Jacob said to Joseph, “Your brothers are pasturing the sheep at Shechem. Get ready, and I will send you to them.” “I’m ready to go,” Joseph replied. “Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are getting along,” Jacob said. “Then come back and bring me a report.” So Jacob sent Joseph on his way, and Joseph traveled to Shechem from their home in the valley of Hebron. When he arrived there, a man from the area noticed him wandering around the countryside. “What are you looking for?” he asked. “I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph replied. “Do you know where they are pasturing their sheep?” “Yes,” the man told him. “They have moved on from here. I heard them say, ‘Let’s go on to Dothan.’” So Joseph followed his brothers to Dothan and found them there. When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. “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!” But when Reuben heard of their scheme, he came to Joseph’s rescue. “Let’s not kill him,” he said. “Why should we shed any blood? Let’s just throw him into this empty cistern here in the wilderness. Then he’ll die without our laying a hand on him.” Reuben was secretly planning to rescue Joseph and return him to his father. So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead down to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime. Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed. So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt. Some time later, Reuben returned to get Joseph out of the cistern. When he discovered that Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in grief. Then he went back to his brothers and lamented, “The boy is gone! What will I do now?” Then the brothers killed a young goat and dipped Joseph’s robe in its blood. They sent the beautiful robe to their father with this message: “Look at what we found. Doesn’t this robe belong to your son?” Their father recognized it immediately. “Yes,” he said, “it is my son’s robe. A wild animal must have eaten him. Joseph has clearly been torn to pieces!” Then Jacob tore his clothes and dressed himself in burlap. He mourned deeply for his son for a long time. His family all tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “I will go to my grave mourning for my son,” he would say, and then he would weep. Meanwhile, the Midianite traders arrived in Egypt, where they sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was captain of the palace guard.
[00:06]Matthew 14:22-33 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.
[18:50]Matthew 14:27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”
[20:13]Observation questions- In Genesis 37, what specific things seem to intensify the brothers’ jealousy toward Joseph before they throw him into the pit? [13:07]
- What do Joseph’s brothers do after throwing him into the pit, and what does that reveal about how far their hearts have hardened? [17:11]
- In Matthew 14, what is happening around the disciples when Jesus comes to them, and how do they first interpret what they see? [19:06]
- What does Jesus actually do when Peter begins to sink, and how quickly does he respond? [20:43]
Interpretation questions- Jacob’s favoritism helps explain the family tension, but it does not excuse the brothers’ cruelty. Why is that difference so important in family conflict, church conflict, and public life? [13:41]
- Joseph’s brothers move from hurt to jealousy to cruelty. What does that progression show about what jealousy does when it is left unchecked? [13:19]
- The disciples mistake Jesus for a ghost because fear has distorted their vision. How can fear, grief, anger, or resentment keep a person from recognizing help when it is right in front of them? [19:28]
- Jesus reaches for Peter before Peter can show perfect faith. What does that suggest about how Christ meets people in moments of weakness, confusion, and failure? [20:50]
Application questions- When someone else receives recognition, praise, or an opportunity that feels wanted, what thoughts usually rise up first? How can jealousy begin shifting from “I wish I had that” to “they do not deserve that”? [01:14]
- Where has missing information been filled in with a story about someone else’s motives—at home, at work, in church, or in friendship? What would it look like to slow down and ask a better question before reacting? [12:45]
- Is there a relationship right now where expectations have become heavier than grace? What might change if more attention were given to what the other person may be carrying? [11:56]
- Boundaries can be part of faithful compassion. Where might resentment or exhaustion be growing because healthy limits have not been named? What would a truthful and loving boundary sound like there? [09:50]
- Someone else’s storm does not have to become the weather inside the wounded person. What storm created by another person still threatens to live inside the heart—criticism, jealousy, abandonment, unfair judgment, or something else? [21:29]
- Joseph’s brothers shaped part of his story, but they did not get to determine who Joseph became. Who or what has had too much authority over a sense of worth lately, and what would it mean to place that authority back in God’s hands? [22:45]
- Jesus says, “Take heart. Do not be afraid.” In this season, where is the need to hear that word most clearly—in grief, conflict, caregiving, misunderstanding, or private anxiety? What might it look like to trust God’s presence there one step at a time? [24:10]
