DARE TO DREAM: A STUDY OF JOSEPH

A MOUNTAIN CALLED DISAPPOINTMENT

GEN 40:1-41:1 s-joseph03

Joseph interprets their dreams. V. 9-14. Verse 14 reveals Josephs desire. Verse 15 tells his story. Baker encouraged by favorable outcome asks for his interpretation. Verse 16-19. Verse 20. Notice the 100% accuracy of the prophet. Verse 23 but the cup bearer forgets.

INTRODUCTION:
ill. . .Mountain of Disappointment What a stunning word picture for how disappointment feels. Its like a mountain, you climb and fight and claw your way to the top and look over as far as you can see what youre looking for is not in sight. Some of you have been there. Others are there now. Maybe not geographically, but emotionally you are facing a mountain. Dare to Dream. Tough to do in the shadow of a mountain called disappointment. Joseph was in a pit when he faced this mountain. Gen 40. Retell the events of Potiphers wife. Falsely accused, misunderstood. Confined. The next scene, into his world comes the tiniest sliver of hope. The kings two servants share the cell block.

41:1. two full years. Put yourself in Josephs sandals for those two years. Expecting. Really hopeful at first. Every day checking the mail. Every time he hears the jailers keys rattle thinks this is it they are coming. Every morning expecting it to be the day. Joseph must be wondering, Why is it taking so long? Playing out reasons in his head. Paper work. Beurocrisy. Maybe the kings out of the country. Day after day he waits. Then weeks. Then months. And that tiny shred of hope like a dying flame flickers and then goes out. Ever been there. If you have then you know what a mountain disappointment can be. Proverbs says, hope deferred makes the heart sick.

I. THE SHAPE OF THE MOUNTAIN.

Lets take a hard look at disappointment. See what its about. How it happens. . .how to cope. Originates in unmet expectations. Disappointment occurs in two key areas: 1. Placing hope in the wrong thing. In Josephs place: hope in the cup bearer. And that I think is the core of the problem. 2. Hanging unrealistic expectations onto hope.

Verse 1. Offense perhaps related to their position. Maybe poisoning. Or even indigestion. The king thought hed been poisoned. Verse 2-4. Confined for some time. Maybe so the Pharough could investigate to find out which one was guilty. Task of baker is self-evident. The cup bearer was to test for poisoning in drink. If king had donuts and milk and got sick couldnt be sure if it was the donuts or the mild. This is before Miranda rights so every suspect is jailed during the investigation. While they are there Joseph meets them and the tiniest of hope is born. Then the hope turns into more. Verse 6-8.

A. Hope In the Wrong Thing.

Joseph was accurate to see the possible role the cup bearer would play in his release. But what he could not see was Gods strategy. The

tendency when you get a little hope is to put it all onto a person or a circumstance and forget God. Joseph never did that. He refused to despair because he realized that even if the cup bearer disappointed him God never would. Must be careful not to put all of our hope in people. They will disappoint you every time.

Even today I cannot understand her pain. Thats a big mountain. But the smaller ones can be every bit as deadly. ill. . .Yanceys story of the night his care broke down. Did God even care? (see card disappointment.) Josephs was somewhere between the two. But just as potentially devastating. Two years. . .two stinking lousy years. FULL years. Waiting. . .hoping. Wondering. Timing is important. Some little disappointments can have dramatic effect.

B. Hanging Too Many Expectations on Hope.

Second trap is to expect too much. Put constraints on God as to when and how He will move. ill. . .See this a lot in Pentecostal. Gods not poor and He doesnt intend for you to be either. Seed faith. Positive affirmation. Tremendous disappointment. (see card depression Houston Post Jan 16, 1993) Two long years drug by and I dont care how many positive affirmations or books on faith Joseph read, the circumstances were not going to change until God said so. And He wasnt going to say so until everything was ready. Verses 1-2 Famine is coming. What Joseph couldnt have seen but we see now is that God did not just want him out of jail he wanted him to run the country. Two years would pass. Dont hope in people. Dont limit God with too many expectations.

III. SCALING THE MOUNTAIN

2 important principles Ive tried to reduce to usable nuggets:

A. Feel For Gods Hand

ill. . .Scientist studying the universe. Most of the substance is unseen. How do you know its there? Its effects. Weve been saying that for years! Learn to feel for his hand. See the hand of God in Josephs story:

II. THE SIZE OF THE MOUNTAIN.

Now that we see something of the shape lets talk about size. Disappointment comes in all shapes and sizes. Tend to only think of the giant mountains. Death of a loved one. Divorce. Child on drugs. ill. . .Suzy Swearengin. Jennifer 14 killed herself. Went to the hospital. Suzy looked at me. Would you like to pray? Will it bring her back? Probably not. Then why pray?

1. The Jailer. Could be any jailer. One that trusted Joseph. 2. Jail. Must have been many jails in Egypt. Joseph just happened to be in one of the kings servants went to. 3. Inmates. This is obvious. Close to the king. Look closer and you can see the hand of God. Look closer at your disappointment and God is there too. 1. Understand usually small things. ill. . .Me wanting to go to Autumn Creek. Waiting. Get word. Later they call. 2. Usually Easiest in retrospect.

From here its obvious when youre in t he pit facing a mountain you cant see it nearly so clearly. Must not forget we know it would be two years. but Joseph did not. As far as he could see it was life without parole.

B. Trust God When You Cannot See.

ill. . .Yancey Faith is believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse. Even if he couldnt feel Gods hand he still had Gods promise. The dream. Sheaves and stars. Never gave up on the dream.

CONCLUSIONS:
ILL. . .GOT ANY RIVERS. God can and will get you over this mountain of disappointment. Feel for his hand and trust Him even when you cant see.