OT 23 Pharaoh’s Dreams

Reference: Genesis 41:1-40

Story Summary: 
God gave Pharaoh two special dreams. In the first, seven fat cows ate grass near the river. Then, seven skinny cows came and ate the seven fat cows. In his second, Pharaoh saw seven healthy heads of grain. But seven skinny heads of grain came and swallowed up the seven healthy ones.
   Pharaoh called his wise men and asked them what his dreams meant, but they couldn’t understand them. However, Pharaoh’s wine taster remembered that Joseph had previously told him what his dream meant, back when he was in prison. So Pharaoh had Joseph brought to him and told him his dreams. With God’s help, Joseph explained what they meant.
   The seven fat cows and seven healthy heads of grain meant seven good years of plenty of food for Egypt. The seven skinny cows and heads of grain that ate the others meant seven years where no food would grow. Joseph told Pharaoh to appoint someone to collect extra food during the seven good years and eat it during the seven bad years. Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph's wisdom and understanding that he picked Joseph to be second-in-charge of all of Egypt.

Big Idea and Motions: God knows everything about the future.
God - point up
Knows - tap your brain
Everything - gesture your arms in a wide circle
Future - hold out your hands, wiggle your fingers and speak in a spooky voice

Verse / Motions: Isaiah 46:9-10, ESV - I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning...
I am - point to yourself with two thumbs
God - point up
None - wave your arms, palms down, parallel to the ground
Me - point to yourself with two thumbs
Declaring - make your hand talk like a puppet
End - point far to your right with two index fingers
Beginning -  point to your far left with two index fingers

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
How many dreams did Pharaoh have? // Two.
Why did these dreams upset Pharaoh? // He didn’t understand what they meant
What happened in Pharaoh’s first dream? // Seven skinny cows ate seven fat cows
What happened in Pharaoh’s second dream? // Seven skinny heads of grain ate seven fat heads of grain
Why did Pharaoh call for his wise men and magicians? // To tell him what his dream meant
Who told Pharaoh that Joseph had told what dreams meant? // Pharaoh’s wine taster
What did Joseph say the dreams meant? // There’d be 7 good years, then 7 bad years with no food
Why did Joseph know what the dreams meant? // God helped him understand the dreams
What did Joseph say Pharaoh should do? // Put someone in charge of saving food during the 7 good years
Who did Pharaoh pick to be in charge of collecting food? // Joseph

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/5FQlP2
Resources - http://goo.gl/T9xdut

OT 22 Joseph in Prison

Reference: Genesis 40

Story Summary: 
Pharaoh became angry with his baker and wine taster. He threw them into the prison where Joseph was. While there, God gave them each a special dream. They were both sad because they didn't understand what their dreams meant.
   Joseph told them that only God knows what dreams mean. He asked them to share their dreams with them. God would help him understand what their dreams meant. The wine taster shared his dream, where he saw three bunches of grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup, and served the cup to Pharaoh. Joseph explained that, in three days, Pharaoh would give the wine taster his job again. Joseph asked the wine taster for a favor. He wanted him to tell Pharaoh that Joseph was in prison even though he'd done nothing wrong.
   The baker shared his dream to Joseph. He'd dreamt there were three baskets on his head, and birds ate food from the baskets. Joseph said this dream meant that, in three days, Pharaoh would punish the baker.
In three days, both dreams came true, like Joseph said they would. But the wine taster forgot his promise to talk to Pharaoh about Joseph.

Big Idea and Motions: Even when things look bad, God still has a good plan.
Even when - shrug your shoulders and hold out your hands
Bad - two thumbs down
God - point up
Good - two thumbs up
Plan - pretend to write on your palm

Verse / Motions: Romans 8:28a, ESV - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good...
Know - tap your brain
Those - point to other people with both index fingers
Love - hand over your heart
God - point up
All things - point up
Work together - bump one of your fists on top of the other
Good - two thumbs up

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who ended up in prison with Joseph? // Pharaoh’s wine taster and baker
What did the wine taster and baker have in prison? // Special dreams
Why were the wine taster and baker sad? // They couldn’t understand their dreams
Who is the only person who knows what dreams mean? // God
What did the wine taster dream? // He picked from three bunches of grapes and made wine for Pharaoh
What did Joseph say the dream meant? // In three days, the wine taster would get his job back
What did the baker dream? // Three baskets of food on his head, the birds ate from the basket
What did that dream mean? // In three days, Pharaoh would punish the baker
Did these dreams come true like Joseph said? // Yes
What favor did Joseph want from the wine taster? // To tell Pharaoh that he’s in prison, but did nothing wrong
Did the wine taster remember his promise to Joseph? // No

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/XGm8dl
Resources - http://goo.gl/h2WXrm

OT 21 Joseph Works for Potiphar

Reference: Genesis 21


Story Summary: 
After traders brought him to Egypt, Joseph was sold as a slave to Potiphar, a man in charge of Pharaoh's guard. Even though he was a slave, God was with Joseph and gave him success in everything he did. Potiphar saw that God was with Joseph, so he placed Joseph in charge of his entire house. God blessed Potiphar's house because of Joseph. Potiphar didn't have to worry about anything except what he ate.
   But Potiphar's wife told a horrible lie. He told Potiphar and his servants that Joseph had tried to hurt her. Potiphar believed his wife's lie and became very upset at Joseph. Even though he had done nothing wrong, Joseph was thrown into prison by Potiphar.
   However, God was also with Joseph in prison. God gave him great success in everything he did. Because God was with him, the jailer decided to place Joseph in charge of the prison. The jailer didn't have to worry about anything because God gave Joseph great success in everything he did.

Big Idea and Motions: God is with us in tough times of trouble.
God - point up
With us - hug yourself
Tough times - bump one of your fists on top of the other
Trouble - put your hands on your cheeks and look worried.

Verse and Motions: Matthew 28:20b, ESV - And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Behold - cup your hands around your mouth and say “Behold!” dramatically
I am - point
With you - hug yourself
Always - draw repeated circles in the air with your finger
End - pound the bottom of your fist down onto your upward palm
The age - trace an ∞ in the air with your finger

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Who bought Joseph as a slave? // Potiphar
Who was Potiphar? // The captain of Pharaoh’s guard
Who was with Joseph when he was a slave? // God
When he saw God was with Joseph, what did Potiphar do? // Put Joseph in charge of his house
What happened because God was with Joseph? // God gave him success and blessed Potiphar’s house
What evil thing did Mrs. Potiphar do to Joseph? // Lied and said Joseph tried to hurt her
When Potiphar believed his wife’s lie, what did he do? // Threw Joseph in prison
Who was with Joseph in prison? // God
What happened because God was with Joseph in prison? // God gave him success, he was put in charge
Who promised to be with us always, to the end of the age? // Jesus

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/lNSgLK
Resources - http://goo.gl/LUrmk1

OT 20 Joseph is Sold by His Brothers

Reference: Genesis 37:12-26


Story Summary: 
Jacob sent Joseph to go check on his brothers. They were watching his flock in a place called Shechem, about 50 miles away. When the brothers saw Joseph approaching, they said to each other, "Let's kill that dreamer! We'll tell our father that a wild animal ate him!"
   One of the brothers, Reuben, spoke up. He convinced them not to harm Joseph, but to instead throw him into an empty well. Reuben's planned to release Jacob later. So, they took off Joseph's robe and threw him in a well.
   As the brothers ate lunch, a group of traders appeared. Judah, another of the brothers, said, "If we kill Joseph, we'll get nothing. Let's sell him to these traders instead." And so they sold Joseph to the traders for eight ounces of silver. The traders took Joseph to Egypt, where he was sold as a slave to a man named Potiphar.
   The brothers took Joseph's robe, the one his father had given him, and soaked it into the blood of a goat. When Jacob eventually saw the robe, he said, "A wild animal has eaten Joseph up." Jacob wept for his son for days. He had believed the lie his sons had told him.

Big Idea and Motions: Evil deeds come from evil in the heart.
Evil - frown and use your index fingers to give yourself “horns”
Deeds - bump the bottom of one fist onto the top of the other
Come from - gesture from your heart out towards another
Evil - frown and use your index fingers to give yourself “horns”
Heart - tap your heart


Verse / Motions: Jeremiah 17:9, ESV - The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Heart - put your hand over your heart
Deceitful - rub your palms together and look around deviously
All things - gesture your arms in a wide circle above your head
Sick - grab your stomach and look/sound sick
Who - shrug your shoulders and hold out your hands
Understand - tap your brain

Questions to Ask Throughout the Week
Why were the brothers away from home? // They were looking after Jacob’s sheep
What did Jacob send Joseph to do? // Check on the brothers
When they saw Joseph coming, what did the brothers say? // Let’s kill that dreamer
What did Reuben say? // Don’t kill him, throw him into an empty well
What did they take from Joseph before they threw him into the empty well? // His beautiful robe
Who came while the brothers ate lunch? // Some traders
What plan did Judah come up with? // Sell Joseph as a slave to the traders
Where did the traders take Joseph? // To Egypt
What did the brothers do with Joseph’s robe? // Dipped it into blood
What did Jacob think happened to Joseph? // He was eaten by an animal

Google Docs Links:
Lesson - http://goo.gl/t8MSIl
Resources - http://goo.gl/fCkBTO