The Dolores star., 1923-04-13
MFRovD Uuf0RM INTERNATIONAL
Su1nldaySchool q
' Lesson '
tBy REV. p. B. FITzwATER. D. D.,
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
Copyright 1929 Western Newspaper Union.
LESSON FOR APRIL IS
JOSEPH, THE PREsERvER OF HIS
PEOPLE


| GOLDEN TEXT-HOnor thy father
| and thy mother. that thy days may be
| long upon the land which the Lord
thy God giveth thee.-ENodus 2O:l2.
REFERENCE MATERIAL - Joshua
| 24:32; Psalm 1O5:lG22; Hebrews 11:2l-
| 22.
PRIMARY ToPIC-Joseph Forgiving
| Brothers.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Joseph. the ForgIv
| ing Brother
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
| IC-Joseph as Son and Brother.
| YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
| IC-The Inspiring Example of Joseph.
While the climax of the story is
reached in Joseph's revelation to his
| brethren yet his life should be briefly
| sketched in order to get the full force
of this climax.
|. Loved by His Father; Hated by
| His Brethren Genesis 80. The be-
trayal of the fathers partiallty In
creased his brothers hatred for him.
His dreams were prophecies Of Gods
dealing with them.
II. Sold Into Slavery Genesis 80.
| SO intensely did they hate him that
they proposed to kill him. This mur.
| derouS purpose was turned aside by
the proposition to sell him into slav'
| cry. They sold him to merchantmen
| who We're going down into Egypt and
in turn they sold him as slave.
III. Cast Into Prison (Genesls 39).
While serving as slave he was false
| ly accused and sent to prison. Jo-
| seph's character had so impressed
| Potiphar that he doubted his wife's
| charges against him. If he had be-
| lieved her he would have put this
| Hebrew slave to death.
~. Made Prime Minister Genesis
| AZ. Though falsely accused and i'm
prisoned the hand of the Lord was so
upon him that he was soon exalted to
| the throne Of Pharaoh.
V. His Dealing With His Brethren
| Genesis 41-iD. He dealt harshly
with them, desiring to test their char
| them.
VI. Joseph Reveals Himself to His
Brethren Genesis 45 LID.
l. Alone With His Brothers wv.
| 1-2). When his pent-up emotions could
| no longer be restrained he ordered all
| the men to withdraw. Here alone
| with his brethren he made himself
known to them. There are some emo
tions too sacred to disclose in the
presence Of unsympathetic men.
2. Conscience Smitten Brothers ".
81. When Joseph disclosed his iden-
tity they stood condemned in his pres
| ence. They were smitten with guilty
conscience. A score of years before
they had put him into a pit to die, but
later lifted him out and sold him into
slavery. Now they are before him with
reversed positions. They are at his
mercy. Some day every man shall
face his sins unless they be Cancelled
| in the blood of Jesus.
3. Divine Providence Interpreted
wv. 4-S). Q His gracious invitation
| ". ~. Come near, l am your broth
er." How like the Savior. He is say
| ing unto sinners who have wronged
him, Come near, l am your brother"
| (2) "Be not grieved' ". %. He sought
| by these words to allay the distress
| in which his brothers We're. Jesus Is
| saying the same kind words to repent
ant sinners today. (3) God sent me
to preserve life" wv 5-S). God turned
| the wicked thoughts of these brethren
to good. God is today making the
wrath of men to praise him. All that
| Satan can do but furthers Gods pur-
poses The very wicked thoughts of
these brothers in attempting to de-
stroy Joseph We're turned to the pres
ervatfon of their lives.
4. Joseph's Message to His Father
| wv. 9-13). G) God hath made me
Lord of Egypt ". 81. He made them
| hasten to his father with the assur-
| ance that God had elevated him to
place of lordshio In Egypt. (2) Urgent
| Invitation wv. 9-1O). His father
| is invited to come, bringing his
| children, grandchildren and flocks.
| This must have been a great and JOY
full surprise to Jacob when famine and
death were facing him. (3) Promise Of
nourishment during famine ". 1D.
Jospeh did not allow his prosperity to
| make him selfish. His character stood
the test Of prosperity. (D Tell father
of all my glory in Egypt ". 13). This
was not Boosting but an effort to con-
vince his father of his ability to care
| for him
5. Joseph's Forgiving Love wv. IA
l5). Joseph weeping upon the neck
of his brethren is "A most touching
scene. There was entire forgiveness;
| there was full reconciliation. This
| trnnscendant scene causes Joseph's
character to shine forth in Its true
glory.