Daily Devo: Still Jesus: Joseph
Daily Devo based on a sermon preached by Mike Johnson 5/17/26
There Is a Happy Ending: Joseph, Jesus, and Us
Day 1: The Arc of the Story
Scripture: Romans 5:8–10
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”
Devotion:
The Bible is filled with stories, but those stories are not disconnected events. They are part of one greater story. Again and again, we see the same redemptive arc appear:
Love
Rejection
Forgiveness
Salvation
Abundant Life
We see it in Joseph. He is loved by his father, rejected by his brothers, chooses forgiveness, saves his family from famine, and provides them life in the best of the land.
We see it in Jesus. He is the beloved Son of the Father, rejected by His own people, offers forgiveness from the cross, provides salvation through His death and resurrection, and gives abundant life to all who believe.
And we see it in us. We are loved by God, yet we have rejected Him through sin. Still, Jesus offers forgiveness, saves us from the judgment we deserve, and brings us into restored fellowship with God now and forever.
Joseph’s story points forward. Jesus’ story fulfills the arc. Our story is changed by it.
Reflection Question:
Which part of the redemptive arc stands out to you most right now: love, rejection, forgiveness, salvation, or abundant life? Why?
Prayer:
Father, help me see Your redemptive story clearly. Thank You that the Bible is not just a collection of stories, but one great story pointing to Jesus. Help me understand how Joseph’s story points to Christ and how Christ changes my story. Amen.
Day 2: Love
Scripture: Genesis 37:3
“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a multicolored tunic.”
Devotion:
Joseph’s story begins with love. He is the beloved son of his father. That love is visible, personal, and costly. Jacob gives Joseph a special tunic, marking him as uniquely loved.
Jesus’ story also begins with love. At His baptism, the Father declares, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Jesus did not live trying to earn the Father’s love. He lived from the Father’s love.
Our story begins with love too. Before we ever turned to God, before we ever obeyed, before we ever understood grace, God loved us. We were made in His image, created for relationship, and designed to know Him. Our sin did not create God’s love, and our sin did not destroy God’s love. Romans 5:8 says God demonstrated His love while we were still sinners.
This matters because the Gospel does not begin with our failure. It begins with God’s love. Our rebellion is real, but it is not the first word in the story. The first word is love.
Joseph was loved by his father.
Jesus is loved by the Father.
We are loved by God.
Reflection Question:
How does it change the way you view yourself to know that your story begins with God’s love, not your failure?
Prayer:
Father, thank You that I am loved by You. Thank You that Your love came before my obedience, before my understanding, and even before my repentance. Help me live today from Your love, not for it. Amen.
Day 3: Rejection
Scripture: John 1:11
“He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him.”
Devotion:
Joseph was loved, but he was also rejected. His brothers hated him, betrayed him, and sold him into slavery. The rejection was not distant or impersonal. It came from his own family. Those who should have protected him became the ones who wounded him.
Jesus also knew rejection. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. Judas betrayed Him. Peter denied Him. His disciples scattered. The religious leaders plotted against Him. The crowds cried out for His crucifixion. The Romans nailed Him to a cross.
Jesus was rejected by the very people He came to save.
Our story also includes rejection, but in a different way. We are not only people who have been hurt by rejection. We are people who have rejected God. Through sin, we have turned from His holiness, resisted His authority, and chosen our way over His. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
This is why the Gospel is so stunning. God did not love us because we accepted Him. He loved us even when we rejected Him. Jesus did not come for people who had already made themselves worthy. He came for sinners, rebels, and enemies.
Joseph was rejected by his brothers.
Jesus was rejected by His own people.
We rejected God through sin.
But rejection is not the end of the story.
Reflection Question:
Why is it important to honestly admit both the rejection we have experienced and the ways we have rejected God?
Prayer:
Father, help me see sin honestly. Help me not minimize my rebellion or excuse the ways I have chosen my way over Yours. Thank You that even when I rejected You, You still loved me and came for me through Jesus. Amen.
Day 4: Forgiveness and Salvation
Scripture: Genesis 50:20
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive.”
Devotion:
When Joseph finally stands before his brothers, he has every earthly reason to seek revenge. He has power, authority, memory, evidence, and opportunity. But instead of punishing them, Joseph forgives them. Then he saves them. The very brother they rejected becomes the one through whom they are rescued from famine.
Jesus fulfills this in a greater way. He is rejected, betrayed, beaten, mocked, and crucified. Yet from the cross He says, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” But Jesus does more than speak forgiveness. He purchases it. On the cross, He takes the punishment our sins deserve. Through His death and resurrection, He provides salvation for all who believe.
Our story is changed because of His forgiveness and salvation. We rejected God, but Jesus offers forgiveness. We deserved judgment, but Jesus took our place. We were separated from God, but Jesus reconciles us to Him.
Joseph forgave his brothers and saved them from famine.
Jesus forgives sinners and saves them from judgment.
We receive forgiveness and salvation by faith in Christ.
Forgiveness is not God pretending sin does not matter. Forgiveness is possible because Jesus paid for sin in full.
Reflection Question:
What does it mean to you personally that Jesus did not merely forgive your sin, but also saved you from the judgment your sin deserved?
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for forgiving me. Thank You for taking my place and bearing the punishment I deserved. Help me receive Your forgiveness fully and live with gratitude for the salvation You purchased for me. Amen.
Day 5: Abundant Life
Scripture: John 10:10
“I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.”
Devotion:
Joseph’s story ends with abundant life. His brothers are forgiven, saved from famine, brought near to him, and settled in the best of the land. What began with betrayal ends with provision, restoration, and life.
Jesus offers the greater abundant life. Through His death and resurrection, He does not merely rescue us from punishment. He brings us into restored relationship with God. He gives eternal life in heaven one day and abundant life with Him now. That abundant life includes peace with God, freedom from condemnation, fellowship with Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our story can now have a happy ending because of Jesus. Sin is not the end. Rejection is not the end. Betrayal is not the end. Suffering is not the end. Death is not the end. In Christ, the ending is secure.
But abundant life is not only future. It begins now as we walk with Jesus. We live as forgiven people. We forgive others because we have been forgiven. We trust God with pain because He can bring good out of evil. We obey because His Spirit empowers us. We hope because Jesus has already secured the ending.
Joseph’s family was brought into life in Goshen.
Jesus rose from the dead and gives life to all who believe.
We are invited into abundant life now and eternal life forever.
That is the happy ending.
Reflection Question:
What would it look like for you to live this week as someone whose happy ending is secure in Christ?
Prayer:
Father, thank You that Jesus gives abundant life. Help me not merely believe in eternal life someday, but walk in fellowship with You today. Teach me to live in the freedom, peace, forgiveness, and hope that Jesus purchased for me. Amen.
There Is a Happy Ending: Joseph, Jesus, and Us
Day 1: The Arc of the Story
Scripture: Romans 5:8–10
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”
Devotion:
The Bible is filled with stories, but those stories are not disconnected events. They are part of one greater story. Again and again, we see the same redemptive arc appear:
Love
Rejection
Forgiveness
Salvation
Abundant Life
We see it in Joseph. He is loved by his father, rejected by his brothers, chooses forgiveness, saves his family from famine, and provides them life in the best of the land.
We see it in Jesus. He is the beloved Son of the Father, rejected by His own people, offers forgiveness from the cross, provides salvation through His death and resurrection, and gives abundant life to all who believe.
And we see it in us. We are loved by God, yet we have rejected Him through sin. Still, Jesus offers forgiveness, saves us from the judgment we deserve, and brings us into restored fellowship with God now and forever.
Joseph’s story points forward. Jesus’ story fulfills the arc. Our story is changed by it.
Reflection Question:
Which part of the redemptive arc stands out to you most right now: love, rejection, forgiveness, salvation, or abundant life? Why?
Prayer:
Father, help me see Your redemptive story clearly. Thank You that the Bible is not just a collection of stories, but one great story pointing to Jesus. Help me understand how Joseph’s story points to Christ and how Christ changes my story. Amen.
Day 2: Love
Scripture: Genesis 37:3
“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a multicolored tunic.”
Devotion:
Joseph’s story begins with love. He is the beloved son of his father. That love is visible, personal, and costly. Jacob gives Joseph a special tunic, marking him as uniquely loved.
Jesus’ story also begins with love. At His baptism, the Father declares, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Jesus did not live trying to earn the Father’s love. He lived from the Father’s love.
Our story begins with love too. Before we ever turned to God, before we ever obeyed, before we ever understood grace, God loved us. We were made in His image, created for relationship, and designed to know Him. Our sin did not create God’s love, and our sin did not destroy God’s love. Romans 5:8 says God demonstrated His love while we were still sinners.
This matters because the Gospel does not begin with our failure. It begins with God’s love. Our rebellion is real, but it is not the first word in the story. The first word is love.
Joseph was loved by his father.
Jesus is loved by the Father.
We are loved by God.
Reflection Question:
How does it change the way you view yourself to know that your story begins with God’s love, not your failure?
Prayer:
Father, thank You that I am loved by You. Thank You that Your love came before my obedience, before my understanding, and even before my repentance. Help me live today from Your love, not for it. Amen.
Day 3: Rejection
Scripture: John 1:11
“He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him.”
Devotion:
Joseph was loved, but he was also rejected. His brothers hated him, betrayed him, and sold him into slavery. The rejection was not distant or impersonal. It came from his own family. Those who should have protected him became the ones who wounded him.
Jesus also knew rejection. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. Judas betrayed Him. Peter denied Him. His disciples scattered. The religious leaders plotted against Him. The crowds cried out for His crucifixion. The Romans nailed Him to a cross.
Jesus was rejected by the very people He came to save.
Our story also includes rejection, but in a different way. We are not only people who have been hurt by rejection. We are people who have rejected God. Through sin, we have turned from His holiness, resisted His authority, and chosen our way over His. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
This is why the Gospel is so stunning. God did not love us because we accepted Him. He loved us even when we rejected Him. Jesus did not come for people who had already made themselves worthy. He came for sinners, rebels, and enemies.
Joseph was rejected by his brothers.
Jesus was rejected by His own people.
We rejected God through sin.
But rejection is not the end of the story.
Reflection Question:
Why is it important to honestly admit both the rejection we have experienced and the ways we have rejected God?
Prayer:
Father, help me see sin honestly. Help me not minimize my rebellion or excuse the ways I have chosen my way over Yours. Thank You that even when I rejected You, You still loved me and came for me through Jesus. Amen.
Day 4: Forgiveness and Salvation
Scripture: Genesis 50:20
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive.”
Devotion:
When Joseph finally stands before his brothers, he has every earthly reason to seek revenge. He has power, authority, memory, evidence, and opportunity. But instead of punishing them, Joseph forgives them. Then he saves them. The very brother they rejected becomes the one through whom they are rescued from famine.
Jesus fulfills this in a greater way. He is rejected, betrayed, beaten, mocked, and crucified. Yet from the cross He says, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” But Jesus does more than speak forgiveness. He purchases it. On the cross, He takes the punishment our sins deserve. Through His death and resurrection, He provides salvation for all who believe.
Our story is changed because of His forgiveness and salvation. We rejected God, but Jesus offers forgiveness. We deserved judgment, but Jesus took our place. We were separated from God, but Jesus reconciles us to Him.
Joseph forgave his brothers and saved them from famine.
Jesus forgives sinners and saves them from judgment.
We receive forgiveness and salvation by faith in Christ.
Forgiveness is not God pretending sin does not matter. Forgiveness is possible because Jesus paid for sin in full.
Reflection Question:
What does it mean to you personally that Jesus did not merely forgive your sin, but also saved you from the judgment your sin deserved?
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for forgiving me. Thank You for taking my place and bearing the punishment I deserved. Help me receive Your forgiveness fully and live with gratitude for the salvation You purchased for me. Amen.
Day 5: Abundant Life
Scripture: John 10:10
“I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.”
Devotion:
Joseph’s story ends with abundant life. His brothers are forgiven, saved from famine, brought near to him, and settled in the best of the land. What began with betrayal ends with provision, restoration, and life.
Jesus offers the greater abundant life. Through His death and resurrection, He does not merely rescue us from punishment. He brings us into restored relationship with God. He gives eternal life in heaven one day and abundant life with Him now. That abundant life includes peace with God, freedom from condemnation, fellowship with Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our story can now have a happy ending because of Jesus. Sin is not the end. Rejection is not the end. Betrayal is not the end. Suffering is not the end. Death is not the end. In Christ, the ending is secure.
But abundant life is not only future. It begins now as we walk with Jesus. We live as forgiven people. We forgive others because we have been forgiven. We trust God with pain because He can bring good out of evil. We obey because His Spirit empowers us. We hope because Jesus has already secured the ending.
Joseph’s family was brought into life in Goshen.
Jesus rose from the dead and gives life to all who believe.
We are invited into abundant life now and eternal life forever.
That is the happy ending.
Reflection Question:
What would it look like for you to live this week as someone whose happy ending is secure in Christ?
Prayer:
Father, thank You that Jesus gives abundant life. Help me not merely believe in eternal life someday, but walk in fellowship with You today. Teach me to live in the freedom, peace, forgiveness, and hope that Jesus purchased for me. Amen.
Posted in daily devotion, Faith, How to read the Bible, Is God real, is there a God, Jesus, Old Testament, Sermon
Posted in argyle, argyle churches, argyle churches who preach the Bible, argyle community church, argyle community church texas, argyle tx bible believing church, bible studies in Argyle, christian church in argyle texas, churches near 76226. who preach the Bible
Posted in argyle, argyle churches, argyle churches who preach the Bible, argyle community church, argyle community church texas, argyle tx bible believing church, bible studies in Argyle, christian church in argyle texas, churches near 76226. who preach the Bible
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