Message of the Week

The Little White Community Church

Series on the Story of Joseph

Scripture: Gen. 41: 25-45 June 14, 2026 

Message: “Blessed to Be a Blessing!”

By Pastor George Gnade

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9:34

Introduction:

1. As most of you know, we have been studying the story of Joseph who at the age of 17 was sold into slavery by his brothers and ended up in Egypt (Gen. 37).

a. There he was purchased by Potiphar, the captain of the guard, where he served faithfully until Potiphar’s wife claimed sexual abuse.

b. Normally that would have resulted in his death, but Potiphar must have had doubts about the evidence.

c. Being the captain of the guards, he chose to place Joseph in prison instead where he remained until he was 30 years old (Gen. 39:19- 41: 46).

2. Through all of this, God was with Joseph; and it became known that he was a man of wisdom who could interpret dreams. Having helped the butler understand his dream (Gen. 40), two years later he was asked to help Pharaoh himself (Gen. 41:9-14).

a. In Pharaoh’s dreams, he saw seven fat cows come up out of the Nile River, followed by seven lean cows. Then the lean ones ate the fat ones. 

b. This was followed by a second dream in which he saw seven fat ears of corn on one stalk followed by seven withered ears of corn. This time the seven lean ears ate the seven fat ones (Gen. 41:1-8).

3. That brings us the passage we are studying today in which Joseph explained these dreams to Pharaoh.

a. He told Pharaoh that seven years of great prosperity would be followed by seven years of famine. But the seven years of famine would be so severe that the good years would be quickly forgotten.

b. When asked what should be done, Joseph recom-mended that someone who was wise be given authority to work under Pharaoh to collect the great excess during the years of plenty and store it up to be used during the seven years of famine.

c. This proposal pleased Pharaoh, who after some discussion, recommended that Joseph be appointed to this high position of honor to carry out the plan.

A. Let’s begin our study today by considering why Joseph was chosen for this position of honor.

1. Remember, he was a son of Jacob, an Israelite. Not only that, he was a slave who had been thrown into prison. Why choose him?

a. Scholars agree that this occurred while the Hyksos were in charge of Egypt. They were not Egyptians themselves, but had invaded the land and taken control.

b. To elevate a non-Egyptian like themselves to a position of power because of his wisdom and skill would actually make a lot of sense. Pharaoh would have more confidence in Joseph who had just helped him than in some Egyptian who might have other motives.

c. That is why Joseph went from a position of complete humiliation to a position of great power.

2. Suddenly the dreams and prophesies he made about himself (Gen. 37) came true. He was made second in command with only Pharaoh over him, with thousands of people bowing down before him (Gen. 41:41-45).

B. Secondly, let us look at Joseph once again as a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. It is very important to understand that many godly people in the O.T. were used by God to become types of Christ, illustrating through their lives, what would happen to Jesus Himself.

a.  If this just happened once, it could be considered a coincidence. But when it happens over and over with great accuracy, it is prophetic.

b. In previous sermons, we already pointed out some of the ways Joseph was a picture of Christ. Today let me share some more.

2. Joseph went as low as he could go, before being raised up as high as he could go. This illustrates the humiliation and exaltation of Christ.

a. As God’s beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased, Jesus was sent to help His brethren (Matt. 3:17, Gal. 4:4).

The same was true of Joseph (Gen. 37: 3, 12).

b. This required Jesus to humble Himself, laying aside His godly attributes, so He could become a servant among men (Gen. 37:26-30; Phil. 2:1-11).

c. Here He “was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”(Is. 53:1-13). Then He was sold for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave, and falsely accused, tormented, and crucified (Matt. 26 & 27).

3. In death, Jesus went to the prison house of death for us and finally suffered the pangs of hell for us. Thus, Jesus came from the heights of glory and willingly went to the depths of hell itself, just for us (Gen. 39:20; I Peter 3:18).

a. The amazing thing is how many ways Joseph’s life illustrates what happened to Jesus, how he went as low as he could go before being raised up as high as He could go.

b. Having illustrated the humiliation of Christ, let us now consider the exaltation of Christ.

4. Raised from the dead, He ascended into heaven, and is now seated at the right hand of His Father (Gen.41: 42045; Eph. 1:15-23). In terms of His deity, He has now been restored to His place of honor. To the degree He laid aside His divine attributes, He obviously has taken them back. 

a. It is not that God can ever cease to be God, only that He could deliberately limit what He did. All of this is tied up in the mystery of how God could become a man.

b. The Bible says Jesus was truly a man with flesh and blood, just like us. As a man, His sufferings were very real, His humiliation beyond our comprehension. How He could be-

come a sin offering for us and experience the wrath of God for us, we will never be able to comprehend or fully appreciate. 

c. But now as the God-man, as our representative, He has truly been raised up to rule over the universe. As God, He is God. As a man, He acts in submission to His Father in heaven (I Cor. 15:20-28). This parallels Joseph being second only to Pharaoh.

5. As God predicted what would happen to Joseph, so God predicted all that would happen to Jesus. As Joseph was wise and capable, so the Lord Jesus is wisdom itself (Prov. 8).

He is “the Word made flesh” who came to dwell among us (John 1:14).

a. In I Cor. 1:30-31, the Bible teaches us: “He is the source your life in Christ Jesus whom God made to be our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and redemption; therefore, let him who boasts, boast about the Lord.”

b. Thus Joseph’s elevation is used to illustrate Jesus’ exaltation.

C. Thirdly, the story of Joseph was meant to teach us how the blessings we receive are meant to be a blessing to others.

1. Joseph told Pharaoh that the seven years of blessing were meant to prepare them for the seven years of famine. Thus the food must not be wasted. The gift was going to be given to help others in their time of need.

2. Joseph was sent to teach them how to save as much as possible so it would be available to help as many people as possible in the time of famine.

a. This truth could also be applied to countries like our own. God has blessed us so we can be a blessing to others. Many times we have.

b. Sadly, many times we have also simply been greedy. We must never forget that God will be our judge.

3. What applies to countries, certainly applies to the church. 

Only through prayer can we constantly remind ourselves that we are blest so that we may be a blessing.

a. This goes beyond just helping the poor and people with special needs. It includes preaching the gospel to the ends of the earth.

b. We who have been blessed with the gospel should never forget Jesus command that we share it with people around the world (Matt. 28:18-20; I Cor. 9:19-24).

4. Finally, this also applies to us individually. In II Cor. 8:13-14, Paul writes: “I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of equality your abundance at the present time should supply their want , so that their abundance may supply your want, that there may be equality.”

a. Notice, according to this spiritual law, if we use our abundance to help others, the day will come when they will use their spiritual gifts to help us.

b. We may bless them with a gift of money. They may bless us with a gift of encouragement or administration or hospitality. 

c. Not only that, in II Cor. 9:8, Paul wrote that “God is able to make all grace abound toward you so that you, having all you need in all situations may abound unto every good work.” In other words, you can never out give the Lord.

In conclusion: 

Jesus is the greater Joseph whom God sent to help all of us. After being humbled, even to death on the cross, God has now raised Him up to offer God’s blessings to us and teach us how to be a blessing to others. May we live up to our potential through the help of the Holy Spirit.  Amen!