Genesis 40 & 41

Lesson Aim

To understand that God controls events.

Hook 1: Rags to riches

Have some rags to dress Joseph in. If you cannot find any rags then use a bin liner with holes cut out for his head and arms. Tie the bin liner round his waist with a piece of string. Then sit Joseph in a corner with a sign above him saying jail.

At the appropriate point in the story Joseph should be brought out and dressed in fine clothes and sat in the centre of the room on a throne (the best chair in the room).

Hook 2: Cows

For Pharaoh’s dream have a picture of seven thin cows and another of seven fat cows. Put the cows into thought bubble shapes.

Hook 3: Porridge and chocolate.

Emphasise Joseph’s plight in prison by having a bowl of cold porridge and some ‘dirty’ water to drink. At the end of the story he could have whatever he wanted – a large box of chocolates and  a large drink of coke (it does not matter that these foods did not exist in ancient Egypt).

Hook 4: Questions

What is the worst situation a person can be in? Joseph had been hated by his family; his brothers planned to kill him and now he was in prison. Can anything get worse than this?

Story Tips:

It is important when telling the story of Joseph to keep the story moving. There are parts of the story which you would not want to tell to young children e.g. about Potiphar’s wife accusing him of rape and the dream of the Baker. The Butler’s dream and Pharaoh’s second dream can also be omitted.

Application

God is in control and God was looking after Joseph despite all sorts of horrible things happening in his life.  God controlled events and made him ruler over Egypt.