TEACHING OBJECTIVE

Sometimes life lets you down. Whether it was an unmet expectation at a restaurant, rejection from
a dream school, an unexpected breakup, con ict in your family, or a nonexistent social life, we
have all faced the discouragement that happens when
  life doesn't live up to our expectations.
What happens when our experiences don't match our expectations? Disappointment.

In this stand-alone message, we are going to examine the story of Joseph, who exempli ed what it
looks like to overcome disappointment. He clung to God’s presence while God used his pain as
preparation. When we look back at the story of Joseph, God brought something awesome out of
awful circumstances. He will do the same in our lives too.

Preparing for Your Talk

• Discuss a time when the food you got was not like the food in the picture. You can also bring out
real food from fast food places and compare to the picture on the menu.

• Print the small group discussion guide (or text it to your leaders)

Sources & Suggested Study Materials

• Nelson, Thomas, and Max Lucado. NIV, Lucado Encouraging Word Bible, Thomas Nelson, 2020.

• Longman Tremper, and David Garland. Expositor’s Bible Commentar, Zondervan, 2012.

BIG IDEA: SMALL GROUP OBJECTIVE: SCRIPTURE USED:

In God's hands, pain is We will examine places in our Genesis 37:3-5; 21-24

preparation. lives where our experiences Genesis 37:36

didn’t match our expectations. Genesis 39-19-20

Then we will evaluate how God Genesis 40:12; 41

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TEACHING OUTLINE

ILLUSTRATION:
Discuss a time when the food you got was not the same as the food in the picture. You
can also bring out real food from fast food places and compare to the picture on the
menu.

Here is how I worded it:

"I'd like two Cheesy Gordita Crunches, please," I shouted towards a little purple box in
the Taco Bell drive through. A distorted robotic voice mumbled back at me with some
numbers, which I assumed was the cost. The mu ed noise was impossible to
understand. "It's either ve or thirty- ve dollars," I think to myself before pulling around
to hear the real total. I am relieved to see it's only $5.50 as I hold out my credit card
with a smile. They hand me a bag full of warm food before I drive o into the distance.

Anticipation de ned my entire drive home. I was looking forward to the massive meat-
lled treat I saw on the glowing screen. Like a kid at Christmas, I unwrapped my food
with delight, which quickly morphed into disappointment. The object in front of me
looked nothing like the picture at the restaurant. It was broken, messy, and sad looking.
I had been lied to by the food photographers at Taco Bell headquarters.

TENSION / ILLUSTRATION

• Sometimes life lets you down.

• Whether it was an unmet expectation at a fast food restaurant, rejection

from a dream school, an unexpected breakup, con ict in your family, or a
nonexistent social life, we have all faced the discouragement that happens
when life doesn't live up to our expectations.

• What happens when our experiences don't match our expectations?

Disappointment.

• Scripture is stacked full of stories that discuss disappointment.

• The Israelites were disappointed during their journey in the wilderness.

• Jesus' hometown was disappointed with his homecoming.

• The disciples were disappointed when they watched Jesus die on the cross.

• If you've ever felt the sting of disappointment, then you're in good

company.

• Tonight we are going to examine the disappointment-packed journey

of Joseph -- a key character towards the end of Genesis.

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BIBLE STUDY: 
READ: Genesis 37:3-5; 21-24

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born
to him in his old age; and he made an ornate[a] robe for him. When his brothers saw
that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak
a kind word to him. Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they
hated him all the more.

When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his
life,” he said. “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness,
but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him
back to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe
—the ornate robe he was wearing — and they took him and threw him into the
cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

Contextualizing this Passage:

• Joseph was the favorite child. This was no secret.

• In Genesis 37, a young man named Joseph had two vibrant visions. As he
slept, Joseph saw his whole family bowing down to him. As the dream
carried on, "the sun and moon and eleven stars bowed down.”

• Talk about a lofty dream for a teenager who hardly had hair on his
chin. Jospeh woke up in a cold sweat and ran to his brothers to tell
them about his visions.

• As you can imagine, his message was not received with open arms
or bent knees.

• I am sure his brothers thought, “What is this kid thinking? What makes him
think that he's any more special than us? This all started when dad gave
Joseph that special, colorful jacket.”

• Joseph's dreams made his brothers jealous (Genesis 37:11).

• Joseph was the farther’s favorite. There was no question about that.

• Dad was always quick to compliment and slow to correct his

youngest boy. His brothers toiled away in the hot sun while Joseph
was pampered by his parents.

• After his peaceful and restful morning, Joseph stepped outside to see his
brothers in the elds. He tossed on his tie-dye cloak for a walk into the elds
to visit his brothers.

• The jealous brothers saw him walking towards them on the horizon. Wiping
sweat from his brow, one of them whispered, "Here comes that dreamer.
Let’s kill him" (Genesis 37:20 MSG).

• Wait, slow down. Are you telling me that a colorful coat turned these men into
killers?

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• Yes, but there is some important context.

• Clothes were famously boring and simple in this era. They were
monochromatic and bland. Colored thread was reserved for royalty (2
Samuel 13:18).

• Weaving multiple colored threads together was lavish, luxurious, and a little
unnecessary. The vibrant jacket sent a clear message to the rest of the
family -- "Joseph is my favorite. He will be King one day.”

• This made his brothers burn with envy.

• In a vengeful frenzy, Joseph's brothers ripped o the multicolored cloak, beat him
up, and threw him into a pit to die.

• They didn't want to risk their father nding the body, as they knew he'd
spare no expense searching for his beloved son.

• Consequently, they hatched a plan worse than murder. They waved down a
caravan and sold their little brother into slavery.

• As you can imagine, Joseph’s experience didn’t match his expectations. He was
the favorite child with his own technicolor wardrobe and comfortable bedroom.
Now, he was piled into the back of a wooden wagon in route to God-knows-
where.

• Well, actually, God did know. What happens next is a testament to God’s
supernatural ability to bring something amazing out of something awful.

• Where does Joseph end up? Let’s keep reading.

READ: Genesis 37:36

Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an o cer of Pharaoh, the

captain of the guard.

Contextualizing this Passage:

• Imagine being Joseph. You were ripped from your comfortable home, despised
by your own family, stripped of your colorful cloak, thrown into a muddy pit,
robbed of your identity, and maliciously sold to an ancient slave market.

• Joseph had every reason to throw in the towel and forsake God's name, but
he didn't.

• He kept believing that something better was coming.

• Ultimately, he landed in Egypt where he was purchased by Potiphar,

a high-ranking o cial in the Pharaoh's palace (Genesis 39:1-2).

• Joseph was a slave to a wealthy ruler living on the King's estate.

• This is far from ideal, but God was up to something.

• Everything Joseph touched turned into success.

• Potiphar noticed his Midas touch, so he kept granting Joseph more freedom
and more responsibility.

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• Even though Joseph was sold into slavery, God used this sick
situation to bless him. Joseph went from the pit to a palace. The king
put Joesph in charge of the entire palace.

• Prosperity often leads to pushback. This is what happens in the story

of Joseph.

READ: Genesis 39-19-20

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 put him in prison, the
place where the king’s prisoners were con ned.

Contextualizing this Passage:

• At the peak of his success, the ruler's wife tried to tempt Joseph into
questionable behavior.

• She tempted him, but he resisted. His hard-to-get approach made her angry.

• After refusing her advances, she accused him of assault. This made
Potiphar's blood boil, so he threw Joseph into jail (Genesis 39:20).

• Talk about a rollercoaster of a story. Joseph was sold into slavery, rose the
ranks in the royal family, tasted success, and then he was thrown into jail.
Every passage represents a new twist and turn. Joseph went from pit to
palace to prison. He traded in his colorful cloak for a prisoner's jumpsuit.

• Joseph did everything perfectly, but still ended up in prison.

• Here are three lessons about disappointment we can learn from this story.

APPLICATION & LANDING

• ONE: God is present in your disappointment.
• It's easy to think, "Why has God abandoned Joseph?" He didn't. This passage
explains that "the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he
did" (Genesis 39:23).

• Yes, he was in prison.

• Yes, he watched his life collapse because of a lie.

• Yes, he was only eating stale bread and drinking murky water. However,
God's presence helped him push through disappointment. 

• The Lord was with Joseph. The Lord is with you too. Cling to his
presence in times of disappointment.

• Joseph relied on God's presence, despite his powerlessness.

• I’m sure it wasn't simple, but it led to success.

• God's presence helped transform tragedy into victory. When he was in the
pit, God was with him.

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• When revenge robbed him of his identity, God was with him. When he was
promoted in the house of royalty, God was with him. God was with Joseph.

• God is with you too.

• When you nd yourself in the pit of despair, God is with you.

• When you feel as though your life is directionless, God is with you.

• When tragedy takes over your home, God is with you.

• God was always with Joseph -- in the good times and the bad times.

• God was with him in both the pain and the prosperity.

• The same message is true for you. Strive to rely on God's presence when you
face pain and su ering.

• God will transform your setbacks into success. God loves redeeming
seemingly hopeless situations. Just keep holding on. God is with you.

• TWO: God wants you to win wherever you are.

• God was with him and he still saw success.

• Joseph just had to rede ne it.

• The guards eventually allowed him to oversee the jail. Sure, he

wasn't leading a palace, but he was leading a prison.

• God wants you to win, but you have to be willing to win where you are.

• Even if you nd yourself in a circumstance that feels like a jail cell,

know that God wants to help you succeed right where you are.

• Those prison moments may protect you.

• Those prison moments may prepare you. God isn't waiting for your
circumstances.

• He's just waiting for you to turn to Him, then He will help you
win.

• THREE: God uses pain as preparation.

• Two years is a long time. That's 730 days.

• A lot can happen in that time.

• You can get an Associate's degree, learn a new language,

and drink thousands of cups of co ee in two years.

• That's how long Joseph remained behind bars for a crime he

didn’t commit.

• Something amazing happens after those two long years though.

• Let me give you the spark notes to what happens.

• One morning, the Pharaoh seemed groggy. He looked as if he had

seen a ghost, so his assistant asked him what was wrong.

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• He went on to describe a troubling dream he had the night

before. No one was able to make sense of the wild imagery
(which involved dead cows and a bunch of crows).

• A former prisoner’s mind ashed back to his short stay in prison.

• He spoke up, "Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a

servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams,
and he interpreted them for us" (Genesis 40:12).

• The king was delighted and called the guards to get

this Hebrew dream interpreter from prison.

• In an instant, Joseph was standing before the most

powerful man in the world.

• The dream's meaning was grim, but Joseph obediently shared the
truth God revealed.

• The king was struck by Joseph's wisdom and discernment,

so he made a bold declaration. "I hereby put you in charge of
the whole land of Egypt," announced the Pharaoh. (Genesis
40:41).

• Joseph went from pit to palace to prison, and now he was back in a
palace (the biggest one in the world).

• If he was not wrongfully imprisoned, he never would have

met the king's assistant who ultimately propelled him to a
place of prosperity.

• (Though, he was about two years late.)

• Joseph’s punishment was actually an appointment.

• Joseph's incarceration was preparation. Without his time behind

bars, he never would have made the connections that brought him
before the Pharaoh.

• His time in the pit prepared him.

• His time in the palace prepared him.

• Even his time in prison prepared him.

• God used his pain as preparation. When you're in

God's hands, obstacles are actually opportunities.

• Without the pain of a setback, you will never

experience the glory of a comeback.

• Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to
you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge
of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with
respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

• In God's hands, pain is preparation.

• God may use that rejection to give you a better-de ned direction.

• God may use that disability to strengthen you.

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God may allow something to leave you to make room for something
•
better.

• In God's Kingdom, what's next is always best. Let the time in

transition serve as preparation.

• When we look back at the story of Joseph, God brought something

awesome out of awful circumstances.

• Ultimately, the pit led to a palace.

• Then the palace led him to prison.

• Then prison led him back to the palace.

• Every single pain point was preparation.

• He went through some terrible circumstances, but God

distilled some good from his disappointments. God didn't
necessarily cause it, but He was able to use it.

• Landing: Look at your life through the same lens. What disappointments
are you facing?

• Partner with God while you process the pain.

• It will prepare you.

• Share you su ering with God.

• He will make you stronger.

• If your circumstances seem impossible and impassable, give

it to God.

• He loves bringing the possible out of the impossible.

• He didn't necessarily cause it, but I know he can use it.

— Break for Small Groups —


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TALK IT OUT 
Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stu .

Q1: Can you describe a disappointing time when your experience didn’t meet your
expectations?

Q2: Genesis says, “the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he
did.” How did his “success” in slavery and prison look di erent than the way you
normally think of success?

Q3: How do you typically respond to disappointments?

Q4: What kind of perspective did Joseph have during disappointing circumstances?
What can you learn from that?

Q5: Work as a group to make a list of truths about God when you are facing
disappointments. Which of these truths about God do you want to work on embracing
through your disappointments?

READING PLAN
Ephesians 1:7-10 

Luke 15:1-7 

Luke 15:8-10 

Luke 15:11-32 

Colossians 1:3-6 

Romans 3:22-24

Psalm 139 

Do the following with each passage: 

ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present.
Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.

READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you,
reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life and
experiences?

RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways
to live out what you’ve uncovered.

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