YEA Lesson Library
What’s Your Response?
About This Lesson
This lesson continues Joseph's story: Joseph’s dream of his brothers bowing before him came true when his brothers came to Egypt for food during the famine. Using this story, the students are encouraged to respond in a Godly way in every situation; honoring God results in blessings.
Scriptures
Genesis 42
Matthew 26:36-42
Romans 8:27-31
2 Corinthians 8:1-5
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
2 Corinthians 10:5
Ephesians 6:5-8
1 Thessalonians 5:12-18
1 Peter 3:14-17
Words to Know
SULLEN- angry and pouting
SUBMISSION- the act of allowing someone else to have their way
RESOLVED - decided, determined
FACILITY - building
CONDUCT - actions
HARSHLY - acting in a way that is mean or cruel
The Lesson
Jenny loved going to Six Flags with her family. Once a summer, every summer, the whole family would spend three days riding rides, eating junk food, and generally wearing themselves out walking around the park and having fun. Tonight, Jenny and her family would sit down to discuss the upcoming annual trip. She could hardly wait.
Four hours later, a very quiet and sullen Jenny stomped to her bedroom. Her parents had shocked the whole family! They had announced that they were not going to do the annual Six Flags trip this year. Instead, Mom and Dad had volunteered the family to help the local pro-life and pregnancy center move into their new facility. The building needed the old tile replaced and all the walls painted. It would take the three days usually spent at Six Flags.
Jenny sat at her desk. She glanced at the Daily Devotional Bible calendar before her. The words that she had not fully understood this morning jumped out at her. "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). Suddenly Jenny bowed her head in submission to her parents' will. She resolved to enjoy tearing out tile, laying new tile and painting. This, after all, was a worthwhile cause. It could help to save the lives of unborn babies. Unlike going to Six Flags, when these three days were over, she would have something positive to show for them.
Joseph, too, learned to submit to God's guidance. He suffered a lot in Egypt. But he followed God's laws. He honored God with his words and conduct. He praised God for the two sons he and Asenath had. And God blessed him. Then, in the middle of the famine, his dream came true.
Remember how Joseph dreamed his brothers would bow down to him? Joseph was about to see it. Here's how it happened:
The entire region was affected with the same famine that Egypt had. Word spread quickly that there was food in Egypt. So Jacob sent his ten oldest sons to buy some grain. Joseph's brothers had to come to him because he was the one selling the grain. They bowed to him with their faces to the ground. As soon as Joseph saw them, he recognized his brothers. But they didn't recognize him. Now Joseph had a choice. He could either welcome his brothers and give them all the grain they wanted, or he could have them bound and put into prison or even killed. He could pay them back for selling him to be a slave.
What was Joseph's reaction? Well, Joseph pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. He asked lots of questions. He accused them of being spies and of telling lies. Then he demanded that the brothers bring Benjamin, Joseph's younger brother, to Egypt. And then he put them all in prison. After three days, Joseph talked to his brothers again (using an interpreter). He demanded that one brother stay in prison while the other nine returned home to get Benjamin. The brothers were sure they were being punished because of how they had treated Joseph. When Joseph heard them talking this way, he turned and wept. But then, Joseph had Simeon bound before their eyes. He sold them the grain they wanted. And when they arrived home in Canaan, guess what they found? Their money was in the grain sacks! So the brothers told the whole story to Jacob. He refused to even consider letting the brothers take Benjamin to Egypt.
There are many stories in the Bible of the reactions people have had in different circumstances. Some people reacted with their human emotions. Others reacted in a very godly way. The most important example of this is Jesus, when he was praying in the Garden of Gethsamane. Jesus struggled with knowing the torture and death He was about to face. He asked His Father if there was any other way - any way that He would not have to go through this. Yet, at the end, He said, "Not as I will, but as you will . . . may your will be done."
Just as Jesus learned to submit to God and react in a godly way, we must learn to choose God's will instead of our own.That's not easy. It may not seem like much fun. Just as Jenny and her family chose to paint walls rather than going to Six Flags, God may want you to make choices that show you put Him first.
It would have been much easier for Joseph to hug his brothers than to put one in jail and send the others home. It would have been much easier if Jesus had not been tortured and killed for our sins. But we would be without a Savior if He hadn't submitted His will to His Father's. God isn't interested in just today. He is interested in your future - your being with Him for all eternity. It may mean that you will have to do some things you don't want to. It may mean that you will have to do without some things that you want. It could even mean that you may have to suffer. But remember, just as all of Joseph's bad treatment by his brothers and even being sold and thrown in jail worked out for his good, God can work things out for you too. God wants every thought you have, and every thing you do, to please Him. Then He will bless you. You can count on it.
Student Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me learn to seek your ways and to submit to your will, even when I don't want to. I know you want the very best for me.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday: Genesis 42:6-8, 24
Monday: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Tuesday: Romans 8:27-31
Wednesday: 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
Thursday: Ephesians 6:5-8
Friday: 1 Peter 3:14-17
Saturday: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Continue the story of Joseph- through the brothers coming to Egypt.
2. Tell Joseph's reaction to seeing his brothers.
3. Relate how Jesus submitted to God's will.
4. Tell that we must learn to submit to God's will regardless of the circumstances.
5. Explain why we must learn to submit to God’s will regardless of the circumstances.
Topics & Themes
Benjamin
Blessings
Egypt
Famine
Gethsemane
God’s Will
Honor God
Honor Your Father and
Mother
Integrity
Joseph
Joseph’s Brothers
Submission
Materials Needed
Bibles, YEA students' and teacher's books, pencils and pens, attendance and memory verse charts, stars, songbook, CD or cassette tape, music player, blackboard, chalk, game board, index cards, glue, construction paper, clear contact paper (optional), dice, markers, rewards - i.e. mini candy bars
Preparation
Make the cards: Write the following situations out on cards: (These are from the students' Activity. They will be doing the Activity in preparation for class.) Make two sets of cards for you and two sets for each student in your class.
1.Your parents won't give you permission to go to the new PG-13 movie with your friends.
2. Your younger brother gets into your room and makes a big mess.
3. Your parents tell you they don't have the money to buy the shoes you wanted. You'll have to get some less expensive ones.
4. Your best friend tells the whole class your most embarrassing secret.
5. Your older sister leaves her homework and books all over the kitchen table and Mom just told you to set it for supper.
6. For boys: Mark tells Sarah that you really like her. Now she won't quit following you around. For girls: Sarah tells Mark that you really like him. Now he won't quit following you around.
Then create a human response and a godly response to each situation. On the back of your first set of cards, write the human response you came up with. On the back of your second set of cards, write the godly response you came up with. Do not label as godly or human.
Make the game board: Cut out shapes from bright construction paper. Glue them on a black poster board in a meandering trail. Label and finish with the students' memory verse: 2 Corinthians 10:5. Laminating will increase the longevity of the board and cards, but is not necessary. You can cover them with clear contact paper in lieu of laminating, if you wish.
How to Teach This Lesson
What’s Your Response Game - Play the game with the set of cards you have made. (See Preparation for card and board construction.) Directions: I) Draw a card. 2) Read the situation on the card out loud. 3) Then turn it over and read the response. 4) Decide whether the response is a human response or a godly response. 5) If human, move backwards 6 steps. If godly, move forward six steps. 6) When someone reaches the finish, they must recite their memory verse. 7) Give each winner a reward. Once there's a winner, proceed with the lesson. You'll play the game again at the end of the lesson, having added their cards and the dice to determine forward and backward movement. (See Activity.)
Pick up the Story - Ask: Where did we leave Joseph last? (With famine in Egypt.) Was the famine only in Egypt? Who else felt the famine? Discuss Jacob sending his ten oldest sons to Egypt to buy grain. From whom would they buy grain?
Joseph’s Dream and Response - Ask: In Joseph’s dream about his brothers, what would they do? Describe what happened when Joseph's brothers bowed to him. Why didn't they recognize him? (They weren't expecting to see him there; he was using an interpreter; he was older; his "royal" clothing may have masked some of his features, etc.) What did Joseph accuse them of? (Being spies.) Discuss Joseph putting them all in prison for three days, letting them all go but Simeon, putting the money back in their newly-purchased sacks of grain. What kind of response did Joseph have towards his brothers?
Bowing to God's will- Discuss that God had told Joseph in his dream many years before that his brothers would bow down to him. Remind them that God had blessed Joseph greatly in Egypt. Discuss the different ways Joseph might have responded to his brothers.
Jesus' will - Similarly, discuss Jesus' reaction to the will of the Father - in the Garden of Gethsamane specifically. Even to the point of torture and crucifixion, Jesus submitted His will to God's will.
Submitting ourselves - Connect the activity you started the lesson with to the stories ofJoseph and Jesus. Tell the students that their responses to situations are good indicators of how well they submit to the will ofGod. A human response takes each of us farther from the will of the Father, a godly response brings us closer to Christ, to God's will, and to the blessings we have in Christ. We, like Joseph and Jesus, will suffer even as we follow His will. But remember that God is working for our eternity with Him. There are no shortcuts. What we go through today presents us an opportunity for response. Our response shows God where our hearts are toward Him.
Review Questions
1. Why did Joseph's brothers go to Egypt?
2. What was Joseph's response when he recognized his brothers?
3. Who did Joseph insist on seeing?
4. Who did he keep in prison when the others left?
5. What is a good biblical example of submitting to God's will?
6. Why do we have to learn to submit to God's will?
Teacher-Directed Activity
What's Your Response Game.Give the students two sets of the activity cards you made for them. For each situation, have them write their human response on the back of one set and their godly response on the back of the second set. Mix all of the cards into one deck and play the game with the game board and dice. For game directions, see "How to Teach This Lesson." Play as directed, except this time, have the students use the dice to determine the number of forward and backward steps. (This is analogous to the many choices we have in responding, some with greater consequences than others.)
REACH Activity
Back to the Bible: Blessings and Curses
Deuteronomy 28 is an amazing chapter. Read it all! Verses 1-14 talk about the blessings you will receive if you obey God. Obedience to God’s way is like following the owner’s manual for a car. If you want it to function smoothly, treat it this way. Similarly, if you want life to work well for you, obey God’s commandments.
But! If you want to do things your own way, you will reap the consequences of that choice. The rest of Deuteronomy 28 (verses 15-68) talk about the terrible things that will happen to you if you choose to disobey God’s commandments.
Right in the middle of the curses is verse 47. I think it’s one of the scariest passages in all of the Bible. The NIV states Genesis 28:47-48 this way: “Because you did not serve the LORD your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the LORD sends against you . . .” It’s not enough to just go through the motions of obeying God’s laws; we need to recognize our blessings, thank God always, and live our lives joyfully because of what He has blessed us with!
Write about this topic in your Bible notebook. Where could you be more joyful about the events in your life?
Journal Jot: Take Every Thought Captive
Paul uses a very vivid word picture to paint the concept of our thoughts flying all over the place. We must not let our thoughts run wild - especially because our human nature is enmity against God (Romans 8:7). One member in our church fellowship likes to say that his first thought is bad and his second thought is criminal. He is very aware that the human mind, if not brought into subjection to God, will naturally move towards evil (Genesis 8:21).
Think about this topic. What can you do to take every thought captive? What thoughts do you have that you know need to be reined in? What is the problem with allowing your thoughts free rein? (Don’t you love the implied analogy of a horse with a bridle in its mouth, directing its activities by the pressure put on the reins?) Write your thoughts in your Bible notebook.
Word Study: arguments
Maybe you don’t like looking up the Greek or Hebrew meanings in a Bible dictionary. Did you know that you can look up the way different translations render a word in order to get a pretty good idea of what the word means? The word translated “arguments” in the NIV version of 2 Corinthians 10:5 is translated at least 8 other ways. Find several different Bible versions and look up this verse. Write down the ways “arguments” is translated. Or use biblehub.com to find different renderings. Write down what you find.
Just Toolin’ Around: Egyptian or Hebrew
One of the reasons that Joseph’s brothers didn’t recognize him was because Joseph would have been dressed as an Egyptian. Using a Bible encyclopedia, look up Egyptian vs. Hebrew dress. How were their clothes different? How were their appearances different? For example, Hebrews wore beards and Egyptians were clean-shaven. How were their customs different?
Find five areas in which they were different. Write these down in your Bible notebook and share what you find with your family.
Did you Know? Spies
Although Joseph knew that these were his brothers, he accused them of being spies, looking at Egypt in preparation for overthrowing it. This was a serious charge, but spying out an enemy’s fortifications, defenses, and resources has been around a long time. In fact, the Hebrew word for spy “is suggested by the secrecy with which such an individual did his work.” (Source: NIV Archaeological Study Bible, 2005, p. 69.)
Stretch It Out: Drawing
Make a side-by-side drawing. On one side, draw the grain sheaves bowing down to Joseph’s grain sheaf (Genesis 37:7). On the other side, draw the brothers bowing down to Joseph (Genesis 42:6). Add color to your drawing and write the scripture citation at the bottom. Display your drawing.
Music Notes: Crown Him With Many Crowns
This hymn is on page 9 of the CEM Hymnal.
The text for this hymn was originally written by a Catholic, Matthew Bridges. In response, an Anglican, Godfrey Thring, wrote additional verses from a Protestant perspective. People chose the best of both versions - and that’s what we sing today. (Source: Near to the Heart of God, Robert Morgan, 2010, March 25th) The tune is called Diademata, which is the Greek word for “crowns.” It was especially composed for the text of this hymn by George Elvey, a noted organist at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England. (Source: Amazing Grace, Kenneth Osbeck, 1990, p. 146.)
I love that this spirited hymn is a team effort of three talented musicians. It speaks to the fact that someday the whole world will be united in crowning Jesus Christ will all the glory and honor and power! Anyone who is ruling will throw their crowns at His feet. He will be King of kings and Lord of lords.
Joseph’s story is a picture of Jesus in so many ways - and here’s one more instance! Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are able to be adopted into the very family of God. That means Jesus is our older brother. At His return, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. When Joseph’s brothers bowed before him, it was a picture of what will happen when Jesus returns.
As you sing this hymn, rejoice at the picture it paints of the return of Jesus Christ and His official coronation ceremony as King!
Questions?
Write down any questions you have in your Bible notebook so that you can remember to ask your parents or your pastor.
Song
"I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" is on page 23 of Kids Classics Collection. Suggestion: Play the song for the students as they are playing the initial game - "How to Teach This Lesson.”
Closing Prayer
Lead the students in prayer asking that God will help each student to always seek His ways regardless of the situation.
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