A MOST

BELOVED SON
AN EDGE NIGHT ON JOSEPH
SCRIPTURE SUPPLIES NEEDED • Song: “Praise You in This
Genesis 37 • Storing Up Grain Handout Storm” by Casting Crowns
• Serenity Prayer (Lifesong, Reunion Records)
CCC • Pens
• Construction paper • Song: “I Will Not Fear” by
2840
• Markers Mary Castner (By Faith, Mary
• Scissors Castner)
YOUCAT • Tape
524 • Edge Video Support: "Old
Testament's Got Talent:
MEDIA
KEY WORDS Joseph" (Edge Video Support
Providence SUGGESTIONS 14)
Trust • YouTube: “Joseph: King of
Famine Dreams part 1/8-8/8” by
MrMatto91

EDGE NIGHT GOAL
The goal of this Edge Night is to introduce Joseph
to the middle school youth as an example of trust
and hope in God. The youth will explore what it
really means to trust and how that trust can aid
OUTLINE
list of blessings to turn to when they do not feel
His presence. The Edge Night concludes with the
youth making cards of blessing for their families
as pledges to give back from the abundance
which God has given them. The Serenity Prayer

in other aspects of our faith, such as forgiveness. closes the night.

They will be encouraged to examine their own
relationship with God and assess how willing they
are to trust in His loving care.
A MOST BELOVED SON
ENVIRONMENT
Because this night is all about Joseph, some kind
of setting based in his story would help insert the

EDGE NIGHT AT A GLANCE
This Edge Night is an introduction to the person of
Joseph and his example of trust. It begins with an
adapted form of charades that relates to Joseph’s
dream interpretations and paves the way to
begin his story. Once his life has been shared, the
youth will have an opportunity to discuss their
own moments of trust in God and construct a
youth into his experiences. The theme of God,
even in our low points, could be highlighted by
turning the room into a dungeon with gray paper
on the walls and paper towel or wrapping paper
rolls painted black for bars in the doorways and
windows.

42 EDGE SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE

CORE TEAM FORMATION
Joseph faced incredible persecution from his own
family and those he loved and trusted the most.
He was treated horribly for no reason other than
having the love and affection of his father. Joseph
is an incredible example of forgiveness, especially
of our own families. God blessed him abundantly
for his faithfulness in the midst of all the trials of
his life, and he was also extremely generous with
those blessings. Read the story of Joseph’s life in
Genesis (chapters 37-50).
• Who are people in your family you need to
forgive? Who do you need to ask forgiveness
from?
• If you were in Joseph’s situation, would you have
reacted the same to your brothers?
• What are some blessings in your own life,
and what are ways that you can share those
blessings with others?
• How are you going to make the story of Joseph
relevant to the middle school youth?
GATHER
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
(5 min)
Gather all the youth together, introduce any new
youth, and recognize any birthdays. Give a brief
overview of the night and then begin in prayer
asking for the courage to trust God and His
providence, and for openness and understanding.
After the prayer, play the video "Old Testament's
Got Talent: Joseph" to introduce the Bible
character for the night.
INTERPRETING DREAMS
(15 min)
This game is a mixture of charades and telephone.
Break the youth into small groups and have each
EDGE SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE
TO THE PARENTS
This week at Edge we discussed the story of
Joseph and how God called him to trust even in
the midst of miserable circumstances. We also
talked about how God’s gifts in our lives leave
us with a responsibility to give as well. Here are
some questions to ask your youth about the Edge
Night:
• In what ways in our own family could we
celebrate or highlight the beautiful gifts and
blessings of each member better?
• How are family members able to trust in God
through hardship or difficulty?
• What are some ways we as a family can give
from the bounty that God has given to us?
group form a single file line. Instruct the youth
that once they are in these lines, no one is allowed
to talk.
Have the person in the back of the line come up
with an action. These can either be made up on
the spot or pre-written. An example would be
“washing an elephant.” Once that person is ready,
they should notify the youth in front of them to
OUTLINE
turn around with a tap on the shoulder. They
must then act out the action for the youth in front
of them. When they are done, that person will
turn around and “pass on” the action to the next
youth until everyone has acted it out except the
A MOST BELOVED SON
first person in line. That person will then make a
guess as to what the original actor intended.
These rounds can continue by rotating the person
in the front to the back of the line. Give a specific
time frame for groups to play within. Celebrate
particularly creative or accurate “interpretations.”
43
 It is also fun to have the Core Team do a round
of this at the front of the room to give them an
example: be really goofy so that the youth feel
more comfortable entering into the game.
PROCLAIM
“A MOST BELOVED
SON” TEACHING
(10 min)
This teaching can be found on pages 46 to 48.
Here are the main points from the teaching:
• Joseph was a man who experienced incredible
hardship and betrayal but was able to trust God
through it all.
• Because of this trust, Joseph was not only able
to save the entire land of Egypt, but he was able
to reconcile with the family he had lost as a
young person.
• God has a plan for each of us, and if we are
willing to trust in Him and cooperate, no matter
how bad life can get, God can make something
great come out of it.
BREAK
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION
(10 min)
Break the youth into small groups. Begin in prayer,
and discuss the following questions.
OUTLINE
• Joseph had several moments when it would
have been hard to trust that God was caring
for him. Have there been any moments in your
own life when it was hard to trust in God?
A MOST BELOVED SON
• How can the story of Joseph help us in the
moments where it is hard to trust God?
• Joseph forgave the brothers who had betrayed
him by selling him into slavery. What would be
your reaction to someone close betraying you
in that way?
44 EDGE SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE
• What are some times in your life when you have
struggled to forgive someone?
• How can we learn to trust God even when our
lives seem to be going in a negative direction?
STORING UP GRAIN
(10 min)
Supplies:
• Storing Up Grain Handout
• Pens or pencils
Hand out to each youth the Storing Up Grain
Handout on page 49. Give them a few minutes
to write down a list of all the blessings God has
placed in their lives. Afterwards, have them share
some of those blessings with the small group.
After everyone has had a chance to share, read
the verse from Matthew 6 together. Encourage
them to continue to update this list and to look
back at it when they are struggling.
TAKING IT DEEPER: SMALL GROUP
ADAPTATIONS FOR 8TH GRADE
Instead of doing the handout, continue the
discussion with the 8th graders about the
blessings in their lives. Help them to recognize
the times that they may not be thankful for the
blessings or the times that they have turned from
God. Discuss the importance of the Sacrament of
Reconciliation, and challenge the 8th graders to
make it to Confession this week.
SEND
BLESSING CARDS
(15 min)
Supplies:
• Construction paper
• Markers
• Scissors
• Tape
Gather all of the youth back into the main meeting
room and tell them something similar to the
following.
Joseph recognized that his trust in the Lord was not
just for his own benefit. God had blessed him so that
he could in turn bless the whole land, especially his
own family. It is important for us to remember that
when God gives to us, it is expected that we share
that wealth with others in whatever form it may take.
This not only builds community and love, but it also
reminds us that what we have first belongs to God.
Provide construction paper, markers, scissors,
tape, or any other fun card-making supplies. Have
the youth create blessing cards for their families.
These cards should say something about the
many ways in which God has blessed them and
how they in turn desire to share Christ’s loving
gifts with their families. Have them include some
concrete ways they can give back to their families
(i.e. offering to do an extra chore, babysit so
parents can go on a date, make a special meal, etc.)
Tell them to give their cards to the appropriate
family member(s) before they go to bed.
SERENITY PRAYER
(5 min)
Supplies:
• Serenity Prayer Cards
Pass out to the youth the Serenity Prayer cards
found on page 48 or project the prayer at the
front of the room. Explain to the youth that this is
a great prayer for times when they are struggling
to trust in God. Close the night saying this prayer
together.
FURTHER ADAPTATION IDEAS
• While the full story of Joseph would probably
take too long to read during the Proclaim,
choose some of the major parts of the story to
read together as a large or small group.
• For the Gather game, have a few youth go to the
front and play the game rather than everyone
playing it in their small groups.

Notes

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A MOST BELOVED SON

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EDGE SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE 45

 A MOST
BELOVED SON
TEACHING

KEY WORD Trust - God educates His Famine - An extreme scarcity

people to trust in Him through of food in which many people
DEFINITIONS the Holy Spirit, who recalls do not have enough to eat.
the actions of God throughout This could lead to wide spread
Providence - The ways
history and attributes them starvation.
in which God guides His
to his absolute Lordship over
creation towards perfection,
history and the world (CCC
protecting, governing and
304).
providing for all creation (CCC
302).

Thus far, as we have taken a look at some of the key characters of

Genesis, we have explored people whom God encountered, revealing
Himself and speaking with them. To each of these individuals He Hebrews 11:6-7
gave a specific task, which they in their faith strove to live out to the Key Word
best of their ability. He asked each of them to trust in Him and His CCC 304
plan for their lives. What an amazing gift! Can you imagine what it
would be like to have God actually come down and tell you exactly
what He wanted you to do?

Unfortunately, for most of us, the odds of God appearing in our

TEACHING

room with a divine “to-do list” are pretty slim. We may wonder,
“What is God asking me to do?” Or perhaps, without that face-to-
face encounter, we even ask ourselves, “How do I know He even YouCat 21-22
cares?” These can be hard questions sometimes, but God asks us CCC 215
to trust in Him and His loving providence. Trust is hard. Even in Key Word
our human relationships we struggle with really trusting. So many CCC 302
A MOST BELOVED SON

different things chip away at our trust, causing us to hesitate so

that we do not get hurt, and if there was ever a person who could
understand broken trust, betrayal, and the hurt it can cause, it was
a man named Joseph.

Joseph was the great grandson of Abraham. As the second youngest

of 12 brothers, he was his father, Jacob’s, favorite son. Jacob loved Genesis 37
Joseph so much that he even gave him a special coat as a sign of

46 EDGE SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE

 Joseph’s special place in his heart. As you can imagine, Joseph’s
brothers were not too pleased. To make things even worse, Joseph
had dreams. In these dreams, he predicted that each of his brothers,
and even the stars, sun, and moon would bow down to him one day.
Not the best thing to tell your already jealous older brothers.
In fact, after the revelation of his dreams, the Bible says Joseph’s
brothers hated him. They hated him so much that they began to
plot against him. Now, I am sure any of you with a younger sibling
Genesis 37
can imagine a variety of things they wanted to do to this young
Psalm 37:12-13
brother. They were so angry at this “dreamer” though, that many of
Proverbs 27:4
them felt they should actually kill him. Fortunately for Joseph, the
oldest brother convinced them that murder was not a good idea.
Instead, they bound their brother, took his coat, and sold him to
slave traders… a much nicer option. They then shredded his coat
and covered it in the blood of a goat, telling their father that a wild
animal had killed their poor brother. Jacob grieved greatly, and no
one was able to console his sorrow. Meanwhile, Joseph’s woes were
just beginning.

Betrayed by his very family, Joseph was quickly sold to the captain
of the Egyptian guard, a man named Potiphar. While most of us
would probably have taken this as a golden opportunity to throw
the world’s biggest pity party, Joseph tried to make the best of his
situation. He prayed and trusted that he was in God’s hands now
and that the Lord would see him through. Potiphar noticed how
successful Joseph was in every task and decided to place him in
Genesis 39-40
charge of all his property. However, Potiphar’s wife took a different
Joshua 1:9
kind of liking to the handsome young man, and when he refused her
Psalm 9:9-10
advances, she claimed Joseph had raped her, so Potiphar quickly had
Ephesians 6:5-8
him thrown into Pharaoh’s prison. Fortunately, Joseph’s excellence
was recognized even in prison, and he was soon placed in charge of
all the other prisoners. One day, he encountered two imprisoned
servants of Pharaoh who had had strange dreams. God gave Joseph
the ability to interpret their dreams, predicting the freeing of one
and the execution of the other. He begged the one who was freed
to remember him and ask Pharaoh for his freedom, but the servant
forgot, so Joseph continued to trust.

Two years later, when Pharaoh himself had a terrible dream, the

TEACHING
servant remembered Joseph and the dreams he had interpreted.
Genesis 41 So, Pharaoh summoned Joseph, whom God helped to promptly
Galatians 6:9 interpret his dreams. His dreams were a prediction of a great
Colossians 3:23-24 famine that would come over the land. So impressed was Pharaoh
Key Word that he put Joseph in charge of the whole land of Egypt, second
only to himself, and tasked him with preparing for this great famine.
A MOST BELOVED SON

Joseph’s trust in God had once again liberated him.

When the famine came, Jacob sent Joseph’s ten older brothers into
Egypt to buy food since they were unable to grow any on their own.
Genesis 42-50
When they came, they bowed before Joseph but did not recognize
Matthew 5:21-24; 6:14-15
him. So Joseph decided to test his brothers. He requested that
CCC 2840-2844
they bring back the youngest brother, their father’s favorite since
Joseph’s apparent “death.” When they did, Joseph planted gold in

EDGE SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE 47

 this brother’s bag so that it looked like he had stolen it from the
grain providers. The older brothers begged that Joseph not arrest
their youngest brother, even offering themselves in his place. Seeing
that his brothers had changed, Joseph had pity on them, revealed
his true identity, and forgave them for their betrayal. He brought
them and all of his family back into Egypt, reuniting with his father
and caring for all of them with all the power that Pharaoh had given
him.

Many things went wrong in Joseph’s life. His family betrayed him,
he was framed by Potiphar’s wife and imprisoned, and he was even
forgotten by the freed servant. Yet Joseph never gave up his trust in
God. He knew that God was the true guide of his life, and confident
in that truth, he was able to do great things and even rose to
become the second most powerful person in the world at his time. Romans 8:28
His trust also allowed him to do one more amazing thing: forgive 1 John 4:20
the brothers who had sold him into slavery. Through his great faith YouCat 524
Joseph was able to say “it was not you who sent me here, but God;
and he has made me a father to Pharaoh… ruler over all the land of
Egypt.” (Gen 45:8) He knew that God had taken the tragedy of his
brother’s actions and turned them into something great because of
his faithfulness.

In the end, Joseph is a witness of something Jesus would say

hundreds of years later: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well” (Mt 6:33). Matthew 6:25-34
He shows us that God desires us to have faith in Him, to trust in His CCC 301-308
guidance and love. Everything else we need will come in time, if we
just have the courage to let Him take control.
TEACHING
A MOST BELOVED SON

48 EDGE SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE

A MOST BELOVED SON HANDOUT

STORING UP GRAIN

Pharaoh’s dream was a warning of the famine that would stretch over
Egypt. Joseph was thus put in charge of storing up grain so that the
people of the land would still be able to survive. Sometimes our faith
life can fall into little famines when it is hard to trust in God’s loving plan
for our lives. During these times it is important that we store up in our
hearts the knowledge and memory of God’s love in our lives.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Take a few minutes to think about the many ways in which God has
blessed your life. Write down as many blessings and moments of grace
as you can think of in the space provided. If you need more space, use
the back. Whenever your soul hits a spiritual famine, take a look back at
this list and remember God’s presence and love in your life. Maybe even
add blessings as they continue to be poured into your life.

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HANDOUT
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A MOST BELOVED SON

Matthew 6:31-34:
“Do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or
‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father
knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry
about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its
own evil.”

EDGE SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE 49

 A MOST BELOVED SON HANDOUT
50
SERENITY PRAYER
“God, grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things
I can, and the wisdom to know
the difference. Living one day at
a time; enjoying one moment at a
time; accepting hardships as the
pathway to peace; taking, as He
did, the sinful world as it is, not as
I would have it; Trusting that he will
make all things right if I surrender
to His will; that I may be reasonably
happy in this life, and supremely
happy with Him forever.”
—Reinhold Niebuhr, 1892-1971
SERENITY PRAYER
“God, grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change,
EDGE SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE
the courage to change the things
I can, and the wisdom to know
the difference. Living one day at
a time; enjoying one moment at a
time; accepting hardships as the
pathway to peace; taking, as He
did, the sinful world as it is, not as
I would have it; Trusting that he will
make all things right if I surrender
to His will; that I may be reasonably
happy in this life, and supremely
happy with Him forever.”
—Reinhold Niebuhr, 1892-1971
SERENITY PRAYER
“God, grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things
I can, and the wisdom to know
the difference. Living one day at
a time; enjoying one moment at a
time; accepting hardships as the
pathway to peace; taking, as He
did, the sinful world as it is, not as
I would have it; Trusting that he will
make all things right if I surrender
to His will; that I may be reasonably
happy in this life, and supremely
happy with Him forever.”
—Reinhold Niebuhr, 1892-1971
SERENITY PRAYER
“God, grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things
I can, and the wisdom to know
the difference. Living one day at
a time; enjoying one moment at a
time; accepting hardships as the
pathway to peace; taking, as He
did, the sinful world as it is, not as
I would have it; Trusting that he will
make all things right if I surrender
to His will; that I may be reasonably
happy in this life, and supremely
happy with Him forever.”
—Reinhold Niebuhr, 1892-1971
SERENITY PRAYER
“God, grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things
I can, and the wisdom to know
the difference. Living one day at
a time; enjoying one moment at a
time; accepting hardships as the
pathway to peace; taking, as He
did, the sinful world as it is, not as
I would have it; Trusting that he will
make all things right if I surrender
to His will; that I may be reasonably
happy in this life, and supremely
happy with Him forever.”
—Reinhold Niebuhr, 1892-1971
A MOST BELOVED SON HANDOUT
SERENITY PRAYER
“God, grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things
I can, and the wisdom to know
the difference. Living one day at
a time; enjoying one moment at a
SERENITY PRAYER
time; accepting hardships as the
pathway to peace; taking, as He
did, the sinful world as it is, not as
I would have it; Trusting that he will
make all things right if I surrender
to His will; that I may be reasonably
happy in this life, and supremely
happy with Him forever.”
—Reinhold Niebuhr, 1892-1971
A MOST BELOVED SON CHECKLIST

EDGE NIGHT CHECKLIST

EDGE NIGHT DATE: WEEK PRIOR TO EDGE NIGHT:

____________________________________________ ⃞ Hand out/email the Edge Night to the Core

Members
EDGE NIGHT TOPIC:
⃞ Assign duties to the Core Team
____________________________________________
⃞ Pick videos and/or songs

CORE TEAM ASSIGNMENTS: ⃞ Gather all the supplies

Environment ________________________________ ⃞ Email Core Team the Edge Night Core Formation

Opening Prayer ______________________________

WEEK OF THE EDGE NIGHT:
Games _____________________________________
⃞ Prep for games and the environment
Proclaim ____________________________________
⃞ Meet with the Core Member doing the Proclaim
Closing Prayer _______________________________ (if applicable)

Videos: ____________________________________ DAY OF THE EDGE NIGHT:

____________________________________________ ⃞ Email parents the information about the Night
and any announcements
____________________________________________
⃞ Gather and set-up for the night
Songs: ____________________________________
⃞ Pray!
____________________________________________

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Notes CHECKLIST
A MOST BELOVED SON

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EDGE SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE 51

 A MOST BELOVED SON EVALUATION

EDGE NIGHT EVALUATION

INSTRUCTIONS:
Evaluation is a key to successful ministry. Use the following questions to discuss
and evaluate your Edge Night.

What is going well at our Edge Nights? What can Would you be interested in leading prayer,
we improve? explaining games, or giving a Proclaim teaching?

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Was there one particular part of this Edge Night Are our Core meetings effective? How can I
you did not think was necessary? What and better serve you as a youth minister? What can
Why? we do to better serve our youth?

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EVALUATION

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A MOST BELOVED SON

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52 EDGE SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE

Notes

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NOTES
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A MOST BELOVED SON

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EDGE SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE 53