Chase Radford
Sep 14, 2025
Genesis 37:1–4
1 Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
2 These are the generations of Jacob.
Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.
3 Now Israel [Jacob] loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.
4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.
God’s Plan > Our Pain
John Piper: "God is so sovereign over the disasters and the disappointments of our lives that He is able to make every one of them serve our everlasting joy. This sovereign grace is the ground of your joy IN sorrows — not after sorrows, but in the sorrows of deep disappointment."
Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.
God will use life's disappointments to shape you into a disciple worthy of His calling (Eph. 4:1)
Look again at the life of Joseph: from the pasture to the pit, Potiphar's house, and prison… this was all preparation for the palace.
What is God preparing you for?
Charles Spurgeon: “the Lord’s presence did not shield Joseph from hatred or temptation or slander or pain or disappointment. The Lord does not promise us that we will have what looks like prosperity, but we will have what is real prosperity in the best sense.”
The Source of Who We Are
John 5:39
…the Scriptures testify of me [Jesus].
Galatians 3:26-29
...for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
God’s chosen people, holy and dearly beloved (Col. 3:12; 1 Peter 2:9)
A royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9)
Vessels of mercy which He prepared beforehand for glory (Rom. 9:23)
Overcomers (1 John 5:4-5; Rev. 12:11)
More than conquerors (Rom. 8:37)
The righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21)
Blessed of the Father (Matt. 25:34)
Brothers and sisters of Jesus (Matthew 12:48-50)
The Bride of Christ (Eph. 5:25-27; Rev. 19:7-9)
Seated with Christ in the Heavenlies (Eph. 2:6)
Heirs of the new Heaven and Earth (Gal. 4:7)
Sons and daughters (Eph. 1:5; Rom. 8:29)
Accepted and beloved (Eph. 1:6)
God's treasure (Mal. 3:17)
Children of the Promise (Rom. 9:8; Gal. 3:29)
Children of the Light (John 12:36; 1 Thess. 5:5)
Children of God (1 John 3:1)
This became your identity when you trusted in Jesus!