Chosen to make a differenceComparison of Joseph and Samuel’s life

Who is Joseph?

• He is the Son of Jacob and Rachel (Gen. 30:23-24)• He is one of the twelve Tribes of

Israel (Exodus. 1:1-5)• He is a dreamer (Gen. 37:19)• He is Israel’s favorite Son (Gen. 37:3)

Who is Samuel?

• He is the Son of Elkanah and Hannah (1Sam. 1:1-2)• He is Eli’s Disciple and a minister of

God (1Sam. 3:1)• He is God’s Prophet (1Sam. 3:20)

Do they have something in common?

JOSEPH• He is the Son of Jacob and

Rachel (Gen. 30:23-24)• He is one of the twelve

Tribes of Israel

(Exodus. 1:1-5)• He is a dreamer

(Gen. 37:19)• He is Israel’s favorite Son

(Gen. 37:3)

SAMUEL• He is the Son of Elkanah

and Hannah (1Sam. 1:1-2)

• He is Eli’s Disciple and a minister of God (1Sam. 3:1)

• He is God’s Prophet (1Sam. 3:20)

Things they have in common.

SAMUEL(’s)• Father Elkanah had more

than one wife, Peninnah and Hannah (1Sam. 1:2).

• Mother, Hannah was also barren. (1Sam. 1:5)

• Became God’s Prophet to Israel and saved thousands of lives against the Philistines. (1Sam 3:20)

• Became a Judge of Israel all the days of his life (1Samuel 7:15)

JOSEPH(‘s)• Father, Jacob had more

than one wife, Leah, Rachel their maidservants (Gen. 29-30).

• Mother, Rachel was barren. (Gen 29:31)

• Became a governor in Egypt (Gen 42:6) and saved thousands of lives when famine struck them.

Barren women

Gen. 11:30 Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.

Gen. 25:21 And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

Judges 13:2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children.

Luke 1:7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years

1. Sarah, Abraham’s wife

The mother of Isaac

2. Rebekah, Isaac’s wife

The mother of Jacob and Esau.

3. Manoah’s wife

The mother of Samson

4. Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife.

The mother of John the Baptist

From these women, these significant names existed in the Scriptures;

ISAAC

JACOB

JOSEPH

SAMUEL

SAMSON

JOHN THE BAPTIST

All of these men came from barren women. All of them are imperfect but made a difference.

Their names are, obviously, written in the annals of History because they stood for the Lord and served Him. And Their lives revealed His strength in weakness.

Why did God choose them?

1Co 1:26-29 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

James 2:5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?

How about us? Why did God chose us?

• John 15:16-17 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. • These things I command you, so that you

will love one another.

God chose us;

• To bear His name and Characteristics (John 15) that we may be the light and salt of the earth (Mat 5:14).

1. To bear His name and Characteristics that we may be the light and salt of the earth

John 15:4-8 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Mat 5:13a-14 "You are the salt of the earth…

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

God chose us;

• To bear His name and Characteristics (John 15) that we may be the light and salt of the earth (Mat 5:14).

• To stand for what is right (John 15:19; Col 3:12).

2. To stand for what is right

• John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

• Col 3:12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

God chose us;

• To bear His name and Characteristics (John 15) that we may be the light and salt of the earth (Mat 5:14).

• To stand for what is right (John 15:19; Col 3:12).

• To proclaim His excellences (1Pe 2:9).

3. To proclaim His excellencies

• 1Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Like Joseph and Samuel …

…We are all chosen to make a difference in this world we are in. We must be ready to answer the world’s questions not just by words but by actions. We do not go with its flow but against it.

Like them we are chosen by God to make a difference in our society. Chosen to be leaders of righteousness. Chosen because we are God’s best and not the least. And chosen to bear much fruit that we may be instruments of Change.