Connect Where might it be costly for you at the moment to follow Godʼs ways?

Warm-Up

1. What do you make of dreams?

Read Genesis 40:1-23

2. How does Joseph meet the cupbearer and the baker? What does he notice about them? What were they hoping for? Who does Joseph point them to?

3. What interpretation does Joseph give? How are Josephʼs interpretations tested and what is the result?

4. What changed about Josephʼs situation? How do we know what Joseph longed for?

5. Have you ever felt disappointed or grieved by the Lordʼs timing? What was or is the cause of it?

6. Why is Godʼs different timing to ours, not a sign he is not at work? What helps reminds you that the outworking of Godʼs good plans for us are not always visible to us?

Read Genesis 41:8-32

7. Who does Pharaoh seek to understand his dreams? How does he come across Joseph?

8. How does Joseph respond to Pharaohʼs request to interpret his dreams? Identify the five instances that Joseph points to how God is the source of the revelation.

9. What specifically has God revealed to Pharaoh through Joseph? How would this revelation be significant not only for Pharaoh, but for the whole country of Egypt?

10. Why shouldnʼt we be focused on finding someone to interpret our dreams? What was the purpose of Godʼs revelation to Pharaoh through dreams? In what other ways has God revealed to us his plans?

11. What do you do when you are uncertain about aspects of your life? What has God revealed to us that we can be certain about? How can that ground the parts of our life we donʼt know?

Read Genesis 41:33-57

12. What is Josephʼs advice? How does Pharaoh respond? What does Pharaohʼs response reveal?

13. How are Godʼs plans for the world revealed through Joseph? Why was it also necessary for Joseph to respond to Godʼs revelation?

14. What are Godʼs ultimate plans for the world revealed in Christ? How does this also need a response?

Apply Amongst whom do you need to have a sense of urgency for people to respond to Godʼs revelation in Jesus?

Pray Lord of all, thank you for your revelation to us, given to us in your Word and by your Spirit. Please help us respond to all you have revealed to us in Christ, for our salvation and the salvation of the world. Amen.

On Your Frontline this Week Is your frontline changing at the moment? Here is a helpful article to ponder: https://licc.org.uk/resources/lessons-from-monty-don/

For Families • Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org

Listen, Watch, and Read • Listen (sermon): “The Revealing God” by Glenn Nesbitt: https://stebbes.org/sermons/the-revealing-god/#sermons • Listen (sermon): “Nightmares of a Leader” by Paul Enns: https://www.allsouls.org/Groups/252325/L163_The_Boy_with_Big.aspx?show_media=141567&show_file =152651 • Watch (sermon): “When Dreams Come True” by Aneirin Glyn: https://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/talk/54914/ • Watch (workshop): “Dreamers in Pharaohʼs Prison” by the Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/classroom/joseph/sessions/11/ • Listen (podcast): “Decoding Dreams” by John Dickson (UnDeceptions): https://undeceptions.com/podcast/decoding-dreams/

Series Resources • Read: “Genesis” by Derek Kidner. • Read: “Genesis for Everyone: Part 2” by John Goldingay. • Read: “How to Read Genesis” by Tremper Longman III • Read: “Genesis: Story of God Bible Commentary” by Tremper Longman III • Watch: “Genesis 12-50” by the Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/genesis-12-50 • Watch: “How should we read the Old Testament?” by Dan Paterson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJtba-JyPVg Available to borrow from the St Bartʼs Library (Toowoomba): stbarts.com.au/library