2. ESAU AND JACOB (the prequel)

3. “Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.”” (Genesis 25:29-34 ESV)

4. “Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.” (Genesis 25:29-34 ESV)

5. “Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”” (Genesis 27:41 ESV)

6. “And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. (Genesis 33:1-3 ESV)

7. JOSEPH’S LIFE (so many chances to interpret the story)

8. “Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.” (Genesis 45:1-4 ESV)

9. “So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. (Genesis 45:1-4 ESV)

10. WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE HEART AND MIND OF JOSEPH?

11. “But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. (Genesis 33:4 ESV)

13. “It is not what happens to us that determines our reactions, but, rather, how we appraise what happens to us” David Hume

14. HOW DOES JOSEPH MAKE SENSE OF HIS ENTIRE LIFE STORY?

15. When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” (Genesis 50:15-20 ESV)

16. “Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:15-20 ESV)

17. … As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good … (Genesis 50:20 ESV)

18. “… the most important learning experiences in human life are tragedies, deaths and other traumas that force people to take new perspectives on life” Abraham Maslow

19. POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER Discovery (shell shock) Man Up Medicate Post traumatic growth

20. WHY ARE WE IN THE GIFTED SERIES?

21. WHO SHAPES YOUR STORY? Other people? Yourself? God?

22. “We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope” Martin Luther King Jr.

23. THE ENDING OF GENESIS (and the redemption story)

24. … As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good … (Genesis 50:20 ESV)

25. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10, ESV)

26. WHAT IS THE TRUE STORY OF YOUR LIFE?