A Tale Of Two Brothers
(Genesis 37:1-11)
Introduction: What came to your mind when you read or heard the title of today’s lesson? Prodigal son and his brother? Most people would think this. We want to look briefly at the lives of two other brothers, Judah and Joseph, who were sons of Jacob (Israel).
A. They were the great grandsons of Abraham.
B. They were two of twelve sons of Jacob.
C. Both of them served useful roles in God’s service.
D. Their lives were different considerably in conduct.
E. Both are remembered in the Bible as men of God.
F. Let us remember the basic role of Genesis is to introduce us to God. To show us the love, patience and purpose of God in our lives.
I. Joseph And His Brothers (Genesis 37-50).
A. Joseph had dreams in which his Father, Mother and brothers bowed down to him. This made them angry and Joseph’s brothers wanted to kill him. Reuben prevented this and they put him in a pit and were eating a meal. Midianite traders came by and Judah persuaded them to not kill Joseph but to sell him to the traders.
B. Brothers deceived their father, Jacob and he thought Joseph was dead.
II. Judah Left Home (Gen. 38).
A. He married while he was away (read vv. 1-5)
B. Things do not go very well for his family (vv. 6-11).
C. His wife died and he went to visit his friend again, perhaps to look for another wife.
D. Some interesting events occur on this trip (vv. 12-23).
E. Judah’s reaction to Tamar’s pregnancy (vv. 24-30).
III. Joseph In Egypt.
A. His faithfulness to God under some very trying conditions.
B. His interpretation of Pharoah’s dreams of the coming drought and the preparations the Egyptians make under his leadership.
C. His encounter with his brothers when they came and finally revealed himself to them.
D. Joseph’s family came to live in Goshen and enjoyed a good life because of Joseph.
IV. God’s Choice Of The Brothers For Jesus’ Lineage.
A. Whom would we have chosen?
B. Whom did God choose? (Read Psalm 78:65-69).
C. A strange ending in the tale of two brothers.
V. Apply To The Church Today.
A. Never give up on anyone!! We need to do a better job of reclaiming the erring (Gal. 6:1; James 5:16).
Do not write someone off when they commit a sin.1.
2. What if God did this to us?
3. Some churches and preachers are very unforgiving.
4. Eddie George (Titans) fumbled the ball on a crucial play. He ran the ball on the first play of the next series for a long gain.
B. Never give up on yourself. God loves us and does not want us to be lost. He will forgive and forget if we truly repent and come to Him. Then we need to forgive ourselves.
C. Expect God to test us occasionally. Test of Judah in (Gen 44:18-34). This was the final test that Joseph put upon his brothers and Judah had a great part in them making a passing grade!!
Robert L. Brown