LESSON OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS
In Genesis 41:53-47:12, we discover how God used Joseph to save his entire family during a terrible famine. When Joseph’s brothers traveled to Egypt seeking food, they had no idea the powerful Egyptian official before them was their long-lost brother whom they had cruelly sold into slavery twenty-two years earlier. Joseph recognized them immediately but chose to test their hearts before revealing his identity. He wanted to see if they had changed and if they were truly sorry for their past actions.
Joseph’s response to his brothers demonstrates extraordinary grace and forgiveness. Rather than seeking revenge for their terrible betrayal, Joseph saw God’s greater purpose in his suffering. He understood that God had positioned him in Egypt to preserve not just the Egyptian people, but also his own family line. When Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers, he wept with joy and immediately forgave them. He invited his entire family to move to Egypt where they could live safely during the famine. Pharaoh welcomed them and gave them the fertile land of Goshen. This beautiful story teaches us that when we forgive others as God forgives us, we open the door to restored relationships and God’s blessings.
OPENING ACTIVITY 6:00-6:15 | Rice Bag Craft
Items Needed:
- Brown paper bags
- Dried rice
- Yarn or ribbon
- Stickers
- Markers
- Foil
Give each child a small brown paper bag. Let them decorate it with markers and stickers. Then give each child a sheet of foil. Have them tear off pieces and make balls to drop inside of their bag. Help them put a small amount of rice inside. Tie the top with yarn. Talk about how in today’s Bible story, Joseph gave his brothers bags of grain and hid silver inside of them.
SONG 6:20-6:30
PRAYER 6:30-6:40 p.m.
WHISPER A PRAYER SONG & FORM CIRCLE
Transition kids to the floor for prayer time. Sing a simple prayer song while children fold their hands. Pray for God to help us forgive our friends and family when they hurt our feelings, just like Joseph forgave his brothers.
BIBLE VERSE GAME 6:40-6:50 | Find Benjamins Cup
Items Needed:
- Plastic Cup
- Several bag or boxes
Hide a plastic cup in one of several bags or boxes around the room. Tell them Joseph hid a cup in Benjamin’s bag. Let children search for the cup. When found, talk about how Joseph was testing his brothers to see if they had changed their hearts.
BIBLE STORY 6:50-7:00
Question 1: Where is this found in the Bible? Genesis
Question 2: Is this in the Old Testament or New Testament? Old Testament
A long, long time ago, there was a man named Joseph. Can you say “Joseph”? [Wait for response]
Joseph had a big family with lots and lots of brothers. How many brothers and sisters do you have? [Let a few children respond] Joseph had TEN brothers! Can you hold up ten fingers? [Show ten fingers]
But something very sad happened. Joseph’s brothers were mean to him. Can you make a sad face? [Make sad face with children]
His brothers sent him far, far away to a place called Egypt. Let’s point far away! [Point]
Years went by! Joseph grew up and became a very important helper to the king of Egypt. God helped Joseph be very, very wise. God gave Joseph a special job, to save food for the people!
Joseph saved grain. That’s like the cereal you eat for breakfast! Let’s pretend to scoop grain into bags. Ready? Scoop, scoop, scoop! [Do scooping motions together] Joseph saved SO much grain!
Meanwhile, back at Joseph’s old home, his family was very hungry. Can you rub your tummy like you’re hungry? [Rub tummies together]
There was no food! This is called a famine. Can you say “famine”? [Wait for response] A famine means no food is growing.
Joseph’s dad said, “Sons, we need food! You must travel to Egypt!” So Joseph’s brothers took a long, long journey. When the brothers got to Egypt, they had to ask the important man for food. But guess what? That important man WAS Joseph, their brother! But they didn’t know it!
Joseph saw his brothers and his heart went [tap chest] boom, boom, boom! He was so happy! But he remembered they had been mean to him. Joseph thought, “I wonder if my brothers are still mean, or if they are kind now?”
So Joseph had an idea. He gave them food. But he also did something tricky. Joseph had a special cup and he hid it in his youngest brother Benjamin’s bag.
Then Joseph’s helpers looked in the bags and found the cup! “Oh no!” they said. “Someone took Joseph’s cup!” The brothers were so scared! Can you make a scared face? [Make scared face] Their knees were shaking! Let’s shake our knees! [Shake]
The helpers brought all the brothers back to Joseph. The brothers said, “Please, please, PLEASE don’t punish us! We are so sorry!” And you know what? Joseph saw that his brothers HAD changed! They weren’t mean anymore, they were KIND!
When Joseph saw they were sorry, he couldn’t keep his secret anymore! Joseph said, “I AM JOSEPH! I AM YOUR BROTHER!”
The brothers were SO surprised! Can you look surprised? [Make surprised faces]
Now, Joseph could have been mean back to his brothers. Should Joseph be mean? [Let kids respond] NO! Joseph chose to FORGIVE! Can you say “forgive”? [Wait for response]
Joseph said, “I forgive you! Come here!” And he gave his brothers BIG hugs! Can you give yourself a hug? [Hug self] Then Joseph said, “Come live with me in Egypt! I will take care of you!”
The brothers went home and told their dad, “Joseph is ALIVE!” The dad was so happy! The whole family moved to Egypt to be with Joseph.
Joseph forgave his brothers, and God was so pleased! When we forgive others, God smiles! Can you smile really big?
Theological Questions:
- Who helped Joseph be wise and save food for people? (God did!)
[Point up to heaven when they answer] - Did Joseph choose to be mean to his brothers or to forgive them? (He chose to forgive them!)
[Give thumbs up when they answer correctly]
Life Application Questions:
- When someone is mean to you, what does God want you to do? (Forgive them, like Joseph did)
[Practice saying “I forgive you” together] - How can you be kind to your brother, sister, or friends this week? (Share toys, say kind words, give hugs, say sorry)
[Let several children share ideas]
Prayer:
“Dear God, thank You for Joseph’s story. Thank You that Joseph forgave his brothers even when they were mean to him. Help us to forgive our friends and family when they hurt our feelings. We want to be like Joseph and show love to others. Amen.”
BIBLE CRAFT 7:00-7:10 | What’s In My Heart
Items Needed
- Crayons
- Heart Stickers
- What’s In My Heart Cutout
Print out the hearts and pre-cut them for each student. Have the kids color the outside of the heart red. On the inside of the heart, have them place heart stickers inside of the heart. Remind them that when our heart is full of God’s Word and love, we can forgive other people.
Optional: Handwrite on the outside of each of heart when it is folded closed “What is in my heart?”
SNACK TIME & CENTERS 7:10-7:25
Items Needed:
- Coloring Page
- Crayons
- Snack
Pass out snacks and allow kids time to eat snacks. A coloring sheet will be available for kids to color while they eat their snack.
BONUS ACTIVITY | Beach Ball Forgiveness Game
Items Needed:
- Beach ball
- Marker
Draw simple pictures on the beach ball with marker (heart, smiley face, hands shaking). Sit in a circle and toss the ball. When a child catches it, whatever picture is under their right thumb, talk about:
- Heart = love your family
- Smiley face = be happy when you forgive
- Hands = make up with friends.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (KJV)
Genesis 41:53-57 “And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.”
Genesis 42:1-8 “Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him. And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan. And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.”
Genesis 45:1-5 “Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.”
Genesis 46:1-7 “And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: His sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.”
Genesis 47:11-12 “And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families.”
PARENT TAKE HOME SHEET
Today’s Key Takeaway:
Joseph Forgives
What I Learned Today:
Joseph’s brothers were mean to him when he was young, but Joseph forgave them. God helped Joseph save his family by storing food during the famine. When we forgive others like Joseph did, it makes God happy and brings families together.
Questions to Ask Me:
Theological Questions:
- Who helped Joseph be wise and save food? (God did)
- Where did Joseph’s family go to find food? (Egypt)
- Did Joseph forgive his brothers? (Yes)
- Who wants us to forgive others? (God)
- What book of the Bible is Joseph’s story in? (Genesis, the Old Testament)
Life Application Questions:
- How can you forgive someone who hurts your feelings? (Say “I forgive you” and be kind)
- What can you do when your brother or sister makes you mad? (Take a deep breath, forgive them, tell a grown-up)
- Who in your family can you give a hug to today? (Any family member)
- How does it feel when someone forgives you? (Happy, loved, relieved)
- What is one kind thing you can do for someone this week? (Share toys, help clean up, say nice words, give hugs)