Joseph... But God
Sunday 11th May 2025
Joseph’s story in Genesis 37–50 is a rollercoaster one, and long. We are going to explore the beginning of it today (chapter 37), but also give the children an idea of what happened next. At the end of chapter 37, Joseph is in a terrible situation. He has been sold into slavery by his brothers and taken off to Egypt. And yet, as his story progresses, we can see that he has not been forgotten by God.
‘But God…’ is often a phrase we hear when God intervenes to change someone’s situation. As Joseph says in Genesis 50:20: “You tried to harm me, but God made it turn out for the best, so that he could save all these people, as he is now doing.” Joseph knew that God was in control and bringing about a great saving plan (saving the people from famine) through the terrible things that had happened to Joseph. We can sometimes wonder today when God will intervene, but Joseph’s story teaches us that we need to be patient.
This session may help you understand that God is with you, even if things aren’t going well, and that you can trust him to “make it turn out for the best”.
Sunday Kids Work Video
Storytelling Video
Things You May Need
‘Scenes from Joseph’s Story’ printed on separate cards
Memory verse printout
Paper
Pens
Questions & Thoughts
Share out some refreshments and enjoy eating and drinking together. Start to talk about the Bible story using these questions:
Which part of this story do you like best?
What is the most important thing about this story?
Who is behaving well in this story and who is behaving badly? Why?
Where is God in this story? What is he doing?
What do you think happens next? Do the family get back together again?
Chat & Create
Give out the cards with these descriptions and read them together. Then, re-enact the five scenes as one group.
The favourite: Joseph had eleven brothers but their dad loved him best. Joseph got a special coat from his dad, and his brothers were really jealous. They started to hate him.
The dreamer: Joseph had a dream that he and his brothers were collecting sheaves of corn at harvest time. He dreamt that his brothers’ sheaves all bowed down before his. He had another dream that the sun, moon and eleven stars were bowing down to him. The dreams made his eleven brothers hate him even more.
The victim: Joseph’s brothers got him on his own, ganged up on him and attacked him. They threw him in a pit and left him to die.
The slave: Joseph’s brothers decided to sell him as a slave instead. They sold him to some passing travellers who took him to Egypt.
The lost son: Joseph’s brothers covered his special coat with goat’s blood and told their dad that a wild animal had killed his favourite son.
Work together as a group, to create freeze-frames of these key scenes, as if you have paused a film of Joseph’s story. Focus on using bodies and faces to express emotions. Someone among you should try their hands at directing, standing outside the scene to compose it.
When the you’re ready, ‘perform’ each scene. After each scene, ask each other why you think the characters acted in the way they did.
Worship
These are the worship songs being played in our kids groups this morning, if you wish to listen to the same
Under 5s
My God is So Big
My Lighthouse
My Whole Self
Over 5s
The Stand
Superhero
Encounter
The brothers and Jacob may have been reunited with Joseph, but not for many years, and not after Joseph has had to endure some terrible situations. However, when they met again, Joseph was in a position of great power and the brothers were in great need. In the end, Joseph helps his family and saves them from starvation.
Read Genesis 50:20: “You tried to harm me, but God made it turn out for the best, so that he could save all these people, as he is now doing.”
Point out that, even though Joseph and his brothers fell out and Joseph ended up a slave far from home, God turned these events into something that resulted in the family reuniting.
Try and think about something in your lives that you would like God to resolve. If you have time, you can write or draw a prayer asking God for help. If not, just say a simple prayer.
At the end of your time, come back together and ask him to step into the situations you have written, drawn or talked about. Thank God that you know he is in control.
Growing in Faith
Today, we have explored the first episode in the life of Joseph and his brothers from Genesis 37 and looked ahead to what happened when God brought the family back together again.
For all Children
Experience the whole of Joseph’s story. Start with this video from today’s session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNEPXefoe2shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3QkZsKLU2o. Then go on from there. Alternatively, read the whole story from a Bible storybook or from Genesis 37, 39–47.
Keep exploring the Bible passage by using this creative way of retelling and exploring the story: https://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/search/label/Joseph.
When you’re going about your day-to-day lives, perhaps in the car or walking to school, chat about the things God has done for you. Has he answered your prayers to change a situation? Has he provided you with what you needed when you needed it? Talking about these things will help your child(ren) reflect on how God acts now in their lives – not just in Bible stories! It will help build their trust in God and their understanding of God’s faithfulness.
Create some Bible art around Genesis 50:20: “You tried to harm me, but God made it turn out for the best, so that he could save all these people, as he is now doing.” Write out the verse and then work together to decorate the words and the space around them. Tell the children that, after the family had been reunited in Egypt and Jacob had died, the brothers were worried that Joseph might take revenge for what they did. But Joseph knew that God was in control. What things in your family’s life do you want to God to intervene in and make it work for the best. Chat about pray about those things as you work.
