WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.960 All right. Well, good morning, church. Thank you for being here this morning. 00:00:07.540 --> 00:00:10.220 How many of y'all think the devil messes with the technology sometimes? 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:16.899 We had a little kind of half concert, half participation, and that's all right. 00:00:17.059 --> 00:00:22.420 But thank y'all for worshiping with us, even when it's not all working according to plan. 00:00:23.260 --> 00:00:28.260 Genesis chapter 42 this morning. Genesis chapter 42. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:31.000 Genesis chapter 42. 00:00:41.820 --> 00:00:44.939 We are finishing our series this morning 00:00:44.939 --> 00:00:56.140 on the life of Joseph. Principles from the life of Joseph. 00:00:56.140 --> 00:01:08.079 Meant for good. What do we mean by that? We find it in our series text in Genesis 50, but we'll get 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:12.640 there in just a moment. But I want to do a little bit of a recap of what we have learned over the 00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:19.280 past four weeks in the life, from the life of Joseph. Week one, we talked about how he was favored but 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:26.060 fallen. He was the favorite son of his father, Jacob, his mother, Rachel. And then he was fallen 00:01:26.060 --> 00:01:32.799 from his high position in that family, even as the youngest son with 10 older brothers. 00:01:33.219 --> 00:01:37.939 He was bottom of the pecking order, but he was lifted up, showed all kinds of favoritism. 00:01:37.939 --> 00:01:45.500 And the takeaway from our sermon in week one was pride and envy can be warning signs, but the start 00:01:45.500 --> 00:01:51.700 of Joseph's story points us to Jesus. And all throughout the story of Joseph, we are pointed 00:01:51.700 --> 00:01:57.939 to the Son of God himself. Because Joseph was what we call a type of Christ. Someone in the Old Testament 00:01:57.939 --> 00:02:04.680 whose attributes in their life would point us forward to the coming of Jesus Christ. They were not God, 00:02:04.680 --> 00:02:10.780 were not Jesus, but they were someone who would point us forward to and remind us of certain 00:02:10.780 --> 00:02:16.939 attributes of Jesus Christ himself. And then in week two, we talked about how Joseph was tempted 00:02:16.939 --> 00:02:24.420 and tried. Tempted and tried. A man, he had befallen so much evil at the hands of his brothers, and then 00:02:24.420 --> 00:02:29.280 he was sold as a slave into Egypt, and he landed in the house of Potiphar, the captain of the guard, 00:02:29.659 --> 00:02:34.560 started doing well, started getting elevated to the highest position as a slave. He could hold 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:41.800 in Potiphar's house, and then he was tempted by his master's wife, unjustly accused of sin, which he 00:02:41.800 --> 00:02:47.719 did not give in to that temptation. But instead, even though he did not give in to that temptation, 00:02:47.860 --> 00:02:53.860 he was still punished for it and thrown into prison. And so the takeaway was that the trials God allows 00:02:53.860 --> 00:03:00.039 in your life and mine are always designed to draw us into closer relationship with him. Because we see 00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:07.079 that in the meantime of that prison sentence that Joseph had to endure, he was faithful, 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:14.299 but not forgotten. Boy, I'm sorry, faithful, but forgotten. Of course, he was never forgotten by God, 00:03:14.359 --> 00:03:22.879 but he was forgotten seemingly by everyone else, even the butler or the cupbearer whose life he saved, 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:32.240 whose interpretation of his dream came true, and he was freed from prison, but he was still forgotten by 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:40.359 this man. So he had to sit in prison for two years, faithful, but forgotten. And our takeaway was to let 00:03:40.359 --> 00:03:46.919 your season of divine delay make a discernible difference in how you live your faith. We see that 00:03:46.919 --> 00:03:55.459 in the life of Joseph. Don't waste this season of delay. And then last Sunday, we saw Joseph filled 00:03:55.459 --> 00:04:01.879 and fruitful. Finally, his time came. His time came, and he was released from prison after he interpreted 00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:08.259 Pharaoh's dreams accurately. He gave all the glory to God for this, said, I can't do it, but God can. And so 00:04:08.259 --> 00:04:17.959 our takeaway was that God can do whatever I cannot do. And when I'm empty, he fills me. When I am empty, 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:24.199 then I'm filled with the Spirit of God, and then God can work through me to accomplish what I cannot. 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:30.599 So we see Joseph filled with God's Spirit, even by Pharaoh's own testimony. Man, I've never seen anybody 00:04:30.599 --> 00:04:36.539 filled with such a Spirit of God, someone who wasn't even a believer, a follower of Jesus, or God 00:04:36.540 --> 00:04:43.720 himself, the one true God, recognized that this man was different. So today, we're looking at Joseph, 00:04:44.220 --> 00:04:51.920 blessed and a blessing. Blessed and a blessing. Let's read our text together from the screen, if you can, 00:04:52.220 --> 00:04:59.840 our series text, Genesis 50 and verse 20. Ready? You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, 00:04:59.839 --> 00:05:08.000 to save many people. Let's do it one more time. You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:13.699 to save many people. Now today, I'm going to preach through eight chapters, all right? 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:20.639 See, y'all buckle up. We'll get out of here about four o'clock. That's a joke. All right, here we go. 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:30.120 First off, we have Joseph released from prison, interpreted the dream of Pharaoh correctly. 00:05:30.579 --> 00:05:36.919 Pharaoh is blown away by God's presence in his life, his power exhibited through Joseph, and he says, 00:05:37.019 --> 00:05:43.860 I've never seen a man like this, and he elevates him to second in command over all of Egypt. God has 00:05:43.860 --> 00:05:53.920 finally visibly blessed Joseph in such a unique and special way. And now, in chapter 42, we pivot 00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:59.000 again, because there was famine in the land, wasn't there? Just like God predicted through the mouth of 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:04.780 Joseph, there's going to be seven years of plenty, so store up all the food you can, because seven years 00:06:04.780 --> 00:06:10.740 of famine are coming when there is no food. I was looking through some of the children's question time, 00:06:10.740 --> 00:06:15.740 and we didn't have time in the service to do that today. We'll probably bring it in again very soon, 00:06:15.879 --> 00:06:20.960 but I wanted to draw attention to this one question that came in. They said, what does the word famine 00:06:20.960 --> 00:06:27.259 mean? So famine, somebody tell me, what does famine mean? No food, right? Pretty simple explanation. 00:06:27.879 --> 00:06:33.480 So whichever kid wrote that question, there's your answer. It means no food. There's no food anywhere. 00:06:33.480 --> 00:06:43.220 Usually across an entire area, there's no crops. There's no grain. There's no corn, wheat, rice, etc. 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:51.960 Nothing is growing, and so there's no food, very little food to eat. But according to the wisdom 00:06:51.960 --> 00:06:59.280 of Joseph that came from God and was accepted by Pharaoh, Joseph's plan was put into place, 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:05.399 and Egypt had plenty of food stored up to last them through this famine, not just for them, but for the 00:07:05.399 --> 00:07:11.919 surrounding countries. So we pick it up in chapter 42, and Jacob learns that there was grain in Egypt. 00:07:12.099 --> 00:07:18.819 There's food in Egypt. So he said to his sons, why do you keep looking at each other? Listen, I've heard 00:07:18.819 --> 00:07:24.119 there's food in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so we'll live and not die. That's always the goal, 00:07:24.120 --> 00:07:31.300 to live and not die, right? Am I alone in that? Y'all with me? Come on, people, let's go. Here we go. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:37.399 Ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. Notice only ten went. Who didn't go? 00:07:38.500 --> 00:07:43.379 Benjamin, the youngest brother that was born after Joseph had left the house, was made to leave the 00:07:43.379 --> 00:07:49.019 house, and Joseph had never met him, right? Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his 00:07:49.019 --> 00:07:53.040 brothers because he thought something might happen to him. Well, he had good reason to think that 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:57.379 because the youngest son, something had already happened to him, right? He said, we're not doing 00:07:57.379 --> 00:08:03.700 this again, so I'm keeping Benjamin back. So he sends the brothers down to Egypt, and they come down 00:08:03.700 --> 00:08:10.720 to buy food there, and what happens? His brother came, his brothers came and bowed down before Joseph 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:16.980 with their faces to the ground. They didn't know who he was. He looked so different. He'd been 00:08:16.980 --> 00:08:23.700 Egyptianized, probably, with his haircut, with the clothes he wore. He had aged, obviously, from the 00:08:23.700 --> 00:08:31.439 time they last saw him. They had no clue that this was their brother, the grand vizier of Egypt. So 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:41.840 imagine this scene. Joseph is sitting here. Another group comes in asking for food from another country, 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:48.040 as was happening all the time these days, because the famine was all throughout this region of the 00:08:48.040 --> 00:08:55.580 world. And they're all coming to seek food from Joseph, and he has to give his okay to every one 00:08:55.580 --> 00:09:01.920 of them. So they get an audience with Joseph, and they come, and they bow their faces to the ground, 00:09:02.320 --> 00:09:08.940 and he saw them, and he recognized them. But he treated them like strangers, just like he would 00:09:08.940 --> 00:09:14.220 anybody else. And he says, where do you come from? From the land of Canaan to buy food. 00:09:16.280 --> 00:09:24.300 And he says, you're spies. You've come to see the weakness of our land. No, my lord, 00:09:24.880 --> 00:09:32.140 your servants have come to buy food. We're all sons of one man. We're honest. Your service are not spies. 00:09:32.139 --> 00:09:35.980 And he's probably thinking, yeah, how honest exactly are you? 00:09:37.819 --> 00:09:43.240 No, you've come to see the weakness of the land. No, no, no. We, your servants, are 12 brothers, 00:09:43.379 --> 00:09:48.039 the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one 00:09:48.039 --> 00:09:56.460 is no longer living. Can you imagine Joseph's reaction internally as they tell the story? 00:09:56.460 --> 00:10:01.120 No longer living? Yeah, there's a little more to the story there, my brothers. 00:10:04.780 --> 00:10:14.720 Joseph says to them, I have spoken. You are spies. This is how you'll be tested. As surely as Pharaoh 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:20.840 lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. You see Joseph's 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:27.160 playing. I have a brother. I have another brother, and he's not one of you guys. Wonderful. I got to 00:10:27.160 --> 00:10:33.580 meet this kid, but he can't say that. So he's got to, he's got to work it according to his plan here. 00:10:33.720 --> 00:10:38.000 Send one from among you to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned. I'm going to give 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:43.740 you a little taste of my medicine so that your words can be tested to see if they're true. If not, 00:10:44.200 --> 00:10:49.879 then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies. So he imprisoned them together for three days. He's 00:10:49.879 --> 00:10:54.960 probably thinking, guys, I made it there for years. You can handle it for a few days. You'll be all 00:10:54.960 --> 00:11:01.500 right. On the third day, Joseph says to them, I fear God. Do this and you will live. If you are 00:11:01.500 --> 00:11:06.639 honest, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse. The rest of you goes and takes the grain to relieve 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:13.379 the hunger of your households. So it seems like none of the brothers stepped forward to say, okay, 00:11:13.379 --> 00:11:18.919 I'll be the one to go back and get Benjamin. You know why? Because nobody wanted to face Jacob 00:11:18.919 --> 00:11:25.219 and try to get Benjamin to leave him and go to Egypt. There's no way somebody wanted to step 00:11:25.219 --> 00:11:31.379 forward and volunteer for that task. There's no way Jacob was going to release Benjamin, 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:39.299 his new youngest son, to go out on this long journey where something could happen to him. 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:45.819 So he says, okay, now one of you stay and the rest of you go back and bring your youngest brother 00:11:45.820 --> 00:11:54.280 so your words can be confirmed. Otherwise, I believe you're spies. These guys are losing it 00:11:54.280 --> 00:12:00.080 at this point. This did not go how we thought it was going to go. We heard that if you just go to 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:04.760 Egypt and ask for food, they'll give you food. And now he's given us the runaround. 00:12:05.879 --> 00:12:12.180 He's accusing us of spies, being spies, and all this has just gotten so much more complicated. 00:12:12.179 --> 00:12:20.159 So they said, obviously, we're being punished for what we did to our brother. Huh? You think? 00:12:21.419 --> 00:12:29.559 We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble 00:12:29.559 --> 00:12:36.459 has come to us. At least they got self-aware at this point, right? All these years ago, 00:12:36.460 --> 00:12:43.300 and now they're finally coming back to, guys, we might have messed up. This might not have been the 00:12:43.300 --> 00:12:47.980 best idea to kidnap our brother, think about killing him, and then sell him into slavery. 00:12:48.600 --> 00:12:52.280 Well, did you think that was a... Yeah, I'm glad you finally figured out that wasn't the best plan. 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:59.720 So Reuben steps forward and says, didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? If you just want to listen to 00:12:59.720 --> 00:13:04.280 me back then, I don't think that's exactly how it went, but close enough. But you wouldn't listen. 00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:09.579 Now we must account for his blood. They didn't realize that Joseph is sitting here listening 00:13:09.579 --> 00:13:15.240 and understanding this entire conversation. But of course, he had only spoken to them before 00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:20.699 through an interpreter as he was speaking Egyptian. By the way, there's no longer a language called 00:13:20.699 --> 00:13:25.679 Egyptian. It's a dead language. But back then, that's what they spoke. I don't know any Egyptian. 00:13:25.819 --> 00:13:29.000 I'm sorry. I never learned that in seminary. They didn't teach it. 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:37.799 But at this moment, he's watching what's going on, and he turns away from them, and he can't hold the 00:13:37.799 --> 00:13:45.759 tears back anymore. And so he hides his face. And then he turns back after he's wiped away his tears, 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:52.399 and he takes Simon from the... Simeon, I'm sorry, from the crowd, and has him bound in chains before their 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:59.539 eyes. And then he gives the order, watch this, to fill their containers with grain, and then return 00:13:59.539 --> 00:14:07.620 each man's silver, his payment for the food, back to his sack, and then give them supplies for their 00:14:07.620 --> 00:14:14.480 journey. So the order was carried out. They loaded the grain of their donkeys and left there. So the 00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:22.980 brothers are now leaving Egypt. Simeon is staying as a prisoner. They're going back to get Benjamin and 00:14:22.980 --> 00:14:28.320 bring him back, try to convince Jacob to let him go. One of them, they spent the night, they stopped for 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:35.100 the night, and he looks in his bag and sees the silver lying there. And he says, my silver has been 00:14:35.100 --> 00:14:42.580 returned. It's here in the bag. And it says their hearts sank. They're thinking, oh great, 00:14:42.580 --> 00:14:48.600 what happened here? Somebody messed up, and we're going to get blamed for it. 00:14:49.620 --> 00:14:54.660 Their hearts sank. They turned to one another and said, what is this that God has done to us? 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:58.500 Now finally, they're starting to recognize God's sovereignty over all things. 00:15:00.259 --> 00:15:06.139 What is God doing to us? He's going to get us in so much trouble with the Egyptians. And finally, 00:15:06.259 --> 00:15:10.460 they get home, and they reach their father, Jacob, and they tell him all that happened to them. 00:15:10.460 --> 00:15:14.500 And there's the man who's lord of this country spoke harshly to us, accused us of spying, 00:15:14.700 --> 00:15:20.340 but we told him we're honest and not spies. And they tell the tale. And he said, this is how I know 00:15:20.340 --> 00:15:24.240 if you're honest. Leave your brother with me. Take food to relieve the hunger of your households, 00:15:24.340 --> 00:15:29.100 and go and bring back your youngest brother. And then I'll know you're not spies, but honest men. 00:15:29.680 --> 00:15:33.500 And then I'll give your brother back to you, and you can trade in this country. 00:15:33.500 --> 00:15:39.220 They emptied their sacks, and they found that every one of them had their money returned. 00:15:39.940 --> 00:15:45.139 And they were so scared, afraid, terrified. And their father, Jacob, says, 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:53.679 it's me that you make childless. Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone. Now you want to take Benjamin. 00:15:54.120 --> 00:16:00.379 Everything happens to me. Jacob is having a meltdown here, having a little pity party for a moment. 00:16:00.379 --> 00:16:08.460 Understandable, right? He's about to lose maybe his third child. Reuben says, you can kill my two sons 00:16:08.460 --> 00:16:15.559 if I don't bring him back to you. Put Benjamin in my care. I'll return him to you. Jacob says, no, 00:16:16.220 --> 00:16:26.340 can't do it. I won't let him go. Now, time passes. Simeon's still in prison. Nobody's gone back to Egypt 00:16:26.340 --> 00:16:32.300 because Jacob won't let Benjamin go. In chapter 43, the famine gets worse. The famine of the land 00:16:32.300 --> 00:16:37.580 was severe. They used up all the grain that they brought back from Egypt. And his father said, 00:16:38.160 --> 00:16:45.560 go back and buy more. Judah says, we can't go back. And thus, we bring Benjamin with us. He won't sell 00:16:45.560 --> 00:16:53.180 us any more food. He'll throw us in prison, accuse us of being spies again. Jacob says, called Israel, 00:16:53.179 --> 00:16:59.299 by the way. God had changed his name to Israel. And he says, why did you tell the man you had another 00:16:59.299 --> 00:17:07.339 brother? What were you thinking? He says, they kept asking us about our family and is your father 00:17:07.339 --> 00:17:15.319 still alive? Do you have a brother? I don't remember that being in the record here. Now, maybe they didn't 00:17:15.319 --> 00:17:20.179 put everything that Joseph said in here. So, we got one of two choices. Either we don't know that 00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:31.480 Joseph asked him that or Judah's making it up. Well, he was pushing us for info, dad. And we answered 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:37.620 him accordingly. How could we know that he would say, bring your brother here? So, Judah said to his 00:17:37.620 --> 00:17:44.299 father Israel, apparently, when Reuben offered, Jacob wasn't interested. When Judah offered, Jacob finally 00:17:44.299 --> 00:17:50.339 gave in. And he said, send the boy with me. We'll be on our way so that we may live and not die. Neither 00:17:50.339 --> 00:17:55.379 we nor you nor our dependents. I'll be responsible for him. You can hold me personally accountable. 00:17:55.759 --> 00:18:02.039 He didn't offer to have his sons killed. Grateful for that, especially since Jesus was going to come 00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:08.220 from his line. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, I'll be guilty forever. 00:18:08.220 --> 00:18:14.960 However, if we had not delayed, we would have come back twice by now. We should have gone already, 00:18:15.100 --> 00:18:21.940 dad. Father Israel says to him, it must be so. Then do this. Take some gifts. Take the best that 00:18:21.940 --> 00:18:27.920 our land has to offer. A little balsam, honey, aromatic gum and resin, pistachios, almonds. Take 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:35.539 twice as much money as was in your bags when you came back. Return this plus interest, guys. This is how 00:18:35.539 --> 00:18:42.339 you need to handle this. And may God cause this man to be merciful to you. So they go, they do it. 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:47.639 They bring the money back twice the amount that they, that was in their bags. They bring Benjamin, 00:18:47.779 --> 00:18:52.980 they bring the gifts, and they immediately went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. And Joseph 00:18:52.980 --> 00:18:59.879 finally gets to see Benjamin. And he says to his servant, take these guys to my house. Kill an animal, 00:19:00.059 --> 00:19:05.059 prepare it, and we're going to have a big feast at noon. The man did what Joseph said. 00:19:05.539 --> 00:19:10.079 Brought him to Joseph's house. And these guys are getting nervous. They were afraid because they 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:15.779 were taken to this great man's house. They said, we've been brought here because of the silver that 00:19:15.779 --> 00:19:20.019 was in our bags the first time. They're going to overpower us, seize us, make us their slaves, 00:19:20.159 --> 00:19:27.220 and take our donkeys. Why they were so worried about the donkeys. But anyway, so they approached 00:19:27.220 --> 00:19:32.220 Joseph's steward and spoke to him at the doorway of the house. They said, my Lord, we really did come 00:19:32.220 --> 00:19:36.819 down here the first time only to buy food. When we came to the place that we were lodged for the 00:19:36.819 --> 00:19:43.960 night, opened our bags of grain, each one silver was at the top of his bag. They said, it wasn't our 00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:49.539 fault. We didn't do this. Now we brought additional silver to buy food. We brought the full amount back 00:19:49.539 --> 00:19:55.299 and we brought more. We don't know who put it in our bags. And the servant says, relax guys, 00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:59.279 don't be afraid. That's me paraphrasing. Okay. That's not what my Bible says, but I'm just 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:04.740 paraphrasing. Y'all stick with me. Your God and the God of your father. Ooh, little clue there. 00:20:05.639 --> 00:20:13.700 Your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your bags. I received your silver. 00:20:14.519 --> 00:20:19.039 That's interesting. How does this guy know about their God? Maybe because it was Joseph's God too. 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:25.039 The steward brought the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:29.480 and got feed for their donkeys. And they'd heard that there was going to be a meal there. They 00:20:29.480 --> 00:20:33.879 prepared their gift for when Joseph was going to arrive. He comes home. They bring in the gift 00:20:33.879 --> 00:20:37.980 they'd carried into the house and they bowed down before him. And he asked if they were well. 00:20:40.259 --> 00:20:47.059 How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive? Our father's well. He's still alive. 00:20:47.059 --> 00:20:54.460 Joseph. And they look up. Joseph looks up and he sees Benjamin. And he says, is this your youngest 00:20:54.460 --> 00:20:59.659 brother that you told me about? He said, yes. He said, may God be gracious to you, my son. 00:21:00.659 --> 00:21:06.019 And Joseph, that's all he would get out. He got so emotional. He sees this brother he didn't even 00:21:06.019 --> 00:21:15.000 know existed. And he comes, he leaves the room, weeps, cries, washes his face, regains his composure, 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:21.519 and comes back and says, serve the meal. They served him by himself, his brothers by themselves, 00:21:21.900 --> 00:21:28.099 and the Egyptians eating over here because Egyptians would not eat with Hebrews since that was detestable 00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:35.819 to them. There was racism even back then, okay? Egyptians, Hebrews, nah, we're not gonna eat with 00:21:35.819 --> 00:21:43.039 those guys. They didn't know that Joseph was also Hebrew, right? They were seated before him in order 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:48.879 by age from the firstborn to the youngest. Then the men looked at each other in astonishment because 00:21:48.879 --> 00:21:55.899 portions of food were brought to them from Joseph's table. And Benjamin's portion was five times larger 00:21:55.899 --> 00:22:02.519 than anybody else. He's like, I got a lot of spoiling to do of my little brother here. Gotta catch up. 00:22:03.559 --> 00:22:09.659 They drank and became drunk with Joseph. That is not an okay to go out and get drunk, okay? Folks, 00:22:09.660 --> 00:22:18.779 don't do that. Chapter 44, Joseph commands his servant, fill the men's bag with as much food as 00:22:18.779 --> 00:22:24.920 they can carry, and once again put each one's silver at the top of his bag. And then put my cup, 00:22:25.340 --> 00:22:32.440 my personal royal cup, this big silver cup, at the top of the youngest one's bag along with the silver 00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:38.620 for his grain. He's setting them up again. So it happens again. They leave the next morning. They hadn't 00:22:38.619 --> 00:22:45.299 gone very far. Joseph sends his servant, get up, go after him, stop him, and say, why have you repaid 00:22:45.299 --> 00:22:50.279 my kindness with evil? What in the world? I was so nice to you guys, and now you stole my cup. 00:22:52.139 --> 00:22:58.899 What have you done? It's wrong. And so it happens. He goes. He overtakes them, comes back, 00:22:59.899 --> 00:23:06.759 and says, guys, I can't believe you did this. My master was so nice to you, and then you stole his royal cup. 00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:14.000 How could you? He says, the one whose bag we find this in, he's coming back as a slave. And the 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:19.640 brothers are all denying this. What? We didn't steal anything. Are you crazy? There's no way we would do 00:23:19.640 --> 00:23:24.539 that. He was so nice to us. Tell you what, search our bags. Search our bags. You won't find anything. 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:30.460 Fine. We agree to your terms. The one whose bag you find this in, he can be the slave of Joseph. 00:23:30.460 --> 00:23:39.860 Of course, they find it in Benjamin's bag. And then they had been riding so high. Everything was so 00:23:39.860 --> 00:23:50.640 great. And then it all fell apart. It all crumbled. What? Benjamin? How in the world? And what happens? 00:23:51.220 --> 00:23:59.500 Judah says, they get back to Egypt, and Joseph says, what is this you have done? Didn't you know a man like me 00:23:59.500 --> 00:24:05.519 could uncover the truth by divination? Like, guys, I interpret dreams. You didn't think I knew 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:12.579 that you stole my cup? He's putting it on for him. Judah says, what can we say? How can we plead? How 00:24:12.579 --> 00:24:17.960 can we justify ourselves? God has exposed your servant's iniquity. We're now your Lord's slaves, 00:24:18.579 --> 00:24:24.099 both we and the one in whose possession the cup was found. And Joseph says, I swear I will not do this. 00:24:24.099 --> 00:24:29.859 Only the man whose possession the cup was found will be my slave. The rest of you can go in peace 00:24:29.859 --> 00:24:36.459 to my father. Why do you think he did that? Because his big plan was to get his family to Egypt. 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:41.019 And he knew the only way that he was going to get Jacob there was to keep Benjamin. 00:24:42.779 --> 00:24:48.359 Judah approached him and said, my Lord, please let your servant speak personally to my Lord. Let me talk 00:24:48.359 --> 00:24:55.059 to you, please. Don't be angry with us, for you're like Pharaoh. You said, do we have a father or a 00:24:55.059 --> 00:24:59.639 brother? And we said, yes, we have an elderly father, a younger brother. The boy's brother is dead. 00:25:01.019 --> 00:25:09.339 He's the only one of his mother's sons left, Rachel. His father loves him. He said, the boy cannot leave 00:25:09.339 --> 00:25:15.859 his father. If he were to leave, his father would die. Then you said, if your younger brother doesn't come 00:25:15.859 --> 00:25:21.019 down with you, you'll not see me again. So we went back, we told my dad, and he finally let him go with 00:25:21.019 --> 00:25:27.079 us. And now this has happened. And he said, so if I come to your servant, my father, and the boy's not 00:25:27.079 --> 00:25:34.039 with us, my dad's life is wrapped up in his son's life. When he sees that he's not with us, he'll die. 00:25:34.959 --> 00:25:43.899 Please don't do this to us. So he said, I told my dad, if I don't return him to you, I'll always bear the 00:25:43.900 --> 00:25:49.540 guilt for sinning against you, my father. So please let me remain here as the Lord's slave. 00:25:50.740 --> 00:25:57.380 Judah says, in place of my brother Benjamin, let him go back with his brothers. How can I go back 00:25:57.380 --> 00:26:02.519 to my father without the boy? Could not bear to see the grief that would overwhelm him. 00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:11.220 That did it for Joseph. He finally dropped the charade. And he could no longer keep his composure 00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:17.440 in front of all his servants. So he called out, everyone clear the room. Give me the room, please. 00:26:17.940 --> 00:26:23.500 He said, send everyone away from me. No one was with him. And then he had revealed his identity to 00:26:23.500 --> 00:26:29.380 his brothers. He wept so loudly. He cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard it outside the room. 00:26:29.980 --> 00:26:36.779 And Pharaoh's household heard it in their rooms of the palace. And Joseph said to his brothers, 00:26:36.779 --> 00:26:44.720 I'm Joseph. Is my father still living? But they couldn't even answer him. They're looking at him. 00:26:44.779 --> 00:26:53.240 They're terrified like, what? What? He said, please come here, get close. I am Joseph, your brother. He had 00:26:53.240 --> 00:27:01.399 to tell him twice. The one you sold into Egypt. Don't be grieved or angry with yourselves for selling me 00:27:01.400 --> 00:27:09.540 here because God sent me ahead of you to preserve your life. Folks, Joseph understood that all the 00:27:09.540 --> 00:27:15.860 trouble that had befallen him, all this hard road that he had had to walk, God had a greater purpose 00:27:15.860 --> 00:27:22.860 for it. And he's telling them, guys, you did me evil, but God, what? Meant it for good. 00:27:22.859 --> 00:27:33.039 So he says, God sent me ahead because this famine has come and he has sent me ahead to establish you 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:38.899 as a remnant within the land to keep you alive by great deliverance. Therefore, verse eight, it was not 00:27:38.899 --> 00:27:48.099 you who sent me here, but God. What a story. What a powerful tale. It's incredible. 00:27:48.099 --> 00:27:57.799 Now, what happens? Joseph throws his arms around his younger brother, Benjamin, weeps. Benjamin weeps on 00:27:57.799 --> 00:28:03.339 his shoulder. Joseph catches up with his brothers. Everyone's rejoicing. They can't believe that Joseph 00:28:03.339 --> 00:28:09.299 is not only alive, but he's speaking kindly to them. He's seemingly not holding a grudge. 00:28:10.019 --> 00:28:16.079 It's blowing his mind. The news reaches Pharaoh's palace. Joseph's brothers have come, and Pharaoh was 00:28:16.079 --> 00:28:20.939 all excited. Joseph was pretty high in his estimation. He's like, I like this Joseph guy. 00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:26.740 I want to meet his brothers. This is great. He said, tell Joseph, I'm sorry, Pharaoh told Joseph, 00:28:26.879 --> 00:28:32.199 tell your brothers, go back, get your animals, get your families, get your father, come back to me. 00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:38.879 I'll give you the best land of Egypt, and you can eat from the richness of this land and take wagons 00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:44.340 from the land of Egypt. Bring everything, all your people, all your servants, all your animals. 00:28:44.840 --> 00:28:48.560 Don't be concerned about your belongings. You don't have to pack up your house. We'll give you 00:28:48.560 --> 00:28:53.000 everything you need here, and it'll be a whole lot better than what you have. He said, all the best of 00:28:53.000 --> 00:28:58.460 the land of Egypt is yours. So they did that. They brought, they came back, they brought the family, 00:28:58.460 --> 00:29:10.420 and what happens. Let's jump ahead all the way to chapter 50. Israel, Jacob is blown away. His sons 00:29:10.420 --> 00:29:21.860 come back, and they said, Jacob, Joseph's alive. While you're turning to chapter 50, I'll just read that 00:29:21.860 --> 00:29:26.539 part to you. They went up from Egypt, and they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. They said, 00:29:26.539 --> 00:29:35.559 Joseph is still alive, and he's ruler over all the land of Egypt. Jacob was stunned, for he did not 00:29:35.559 --> 00:29:40.859 believe them. You think? Would you believe that little bit of information? But when they told Jacob 00:29:40.859 --> 00:29:46.539 all that Joseph has said, and he sees the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, his spirit 00:29:46.539 --> 00:29:53.379 is revived, and he said, enough. I get it. My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die. 00:29:53.380 --> 00:29:58.660 He's thinking, this journey is going to kill me, but it's worth it, because I'm going to go see my son 00:29:58.660 --> 00:30:05.480 who was dead, and now he's alive. He was lost, and now he's found. So now we get up, and they arrive 00:30:05.480 --> 00:30:12.100 in Egypt. Jacob says, Joseph, you got to come meet us. We're not coming to the palace. We're going to 00:30:12.100 --> 00:30:17.160 drop our stuff where we're going to stay, and you just got to meet us there. So they go and have this 00:30:17.160 --> 00:30:22.500 great meeting in the land of Goshen, where Pharaoh had said, this is where you should stay, since you 00:30:22.500 --> 00:30:29.480 are shepherds. And Pharaoh welcomes Jacob. He welcomes the brothers. He meets them all. He gives 00:30:29.480 --> 00:30:39.740 them a hero's welcome into Egypt. All this beautiful ending to the story was made possible because Joseph 00:30:39.740 --> 00:30:49.000 kept his faith in God. Because Joseph did not allow the evil that had come into his life 00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:58.160 to pull him away from God. So God's ending was able to be realized. God's ending came to pass. 00:30:58.720 --> 00:31:01.140 But you and I have a hard time with that, don't we? 00:31:01.140 --> 00:31:09.420 If we will hold on and not lose our faith, then we get to experience the ending that God has. 00:31:10.180 --> 00:31:18.200 But if we lose our faith when the storms get dark and rough, then oftentimes we miss the ending that 00:31:18.200 --> 00:31:27.480 God had for us. So I'm reminded of something else. This journey to Egypt that Jacob and his family made 00:31:27.480 --> 00:31:36.200 was because Egypt was providing a place of safety during a time of trouble for Jacob and his family. 00:31:37.160 --> 00:31:45.140 And this was all made possible because of God's plan for Joseph. Centuries later, God had a plan for 00:31:45.140 --> 00:31:52.579 another man named Joseph. Once again, Egypt would provide a place of safety during a time of trouble 00:31:52.579 --> 00:32:02.319 as Joseph and his wife, Mary and the Christ child, Jesus would flee away from Herod and his plan to kill 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:12.379 Jesus into the land of Egypt. So once again, God used this heathen nation to provide a place of safety 00:32:12.379 --> 00:32:20.099 that would protect the line of Jesus back in Joseph's day and then Jesus himself 00:32:20.099 --> 00:32:29.839 when Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt. God is in charge. God is sovereign and he can use anything 00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:38.059 and anybody at any time. Sometimes we look down our nose at what God chooses to use. Sometimes we 00:32:38.059 --> 00:32:46.939 question, well that can't be part of God's plan. God can use Egypt. He can use anything to see his plan 00:32:46.940 --> 00:32:55.920 come to pass. As a Roman province under Emperor Augustus himself, God used Egypt to get, which was 00:32:55.920 --> 00:33:01.900 outside of Herod's rule. You understand that? King Herod is the one who was trying to kill Jesus and 00:33:01.900 --> 00:33:08.980 issued that terrible decree to kill all the boys two years and under. But Egypt would have been outside of 00:33:08.980 --> 00:33:14.880 Herod's rule, couldn't touch him there. And so they escaped Herod's decree of a certain and premature death 00:33:14.880 --> 00:33:23.260 for the Christ child. So this journey to Egypt holds great significance of what would later happen. 00:33:24.060 --> 00:33:31.160 Verse, I'm sorry, you're in chapter 50 and then verse 19. Look at verse 19 to chapter 50. 00:33:33.640 --> 00:33:36.780 This is awesome, you guys. This is the end of the story. Here we go. Ready? 00:33:36.780 --> 00:33:36.860 Ready? 00:33:36.859 --> 00:33:47.119 Let's back up to 15 first. Look at 15, verse 15, Genesis 50. Now that their father was dead. Wait, 00:33:47.199 --> 00:33:55.240 what happened? Jacob died. Jacob died. He didn't last long, but he lasted about 17 years. So he got to 00:33:55.240 --> 00:34:00.000 live about 17 years in Egypt, which in the grand scheme of things back then where people are living 00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:06.880 to be 150, 200, 300 years old. That wasn't that long. But he got to enjoy the land of Egypt. All his 00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:14.840 family, Jacob, Joseph, Benjamin, all the sons together. He got to meet his two grandsons, Manasseh and 00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:22.539 Ephraim, that were Joseph's sons. And so he gets to experience all this together. And then in verse 15, 00:34:22.539 --> 00:34:30.599 what happens? Jacob has now died. They buried him. Everything was great. But then the brothers 00:34:30.599 --> 00:34:35.139 started worrying again. When Joseph saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, 00:34:35.139 --> 00:34:42.400 if Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he's been holding this 17-year grudge, 00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:50.099 now he's certainly going to repay us for all the suffering we caused him. Maybe they thought that 00:34:50.099 --> 00:34:58.339 Jacob was the only reason that Joseph wasn't exacting his revenge. They didn't understand 00:34:58.339 --> 00:35:05.139 still the heart of Joseph. Seemingly, they were struggling to understand still the God of Joseph 00:35:05.139 --> 00:35:12.539 and Joseph's commitment and faith in his God because they were still nervous. So they sent this message to 00:35:12.539 --> 00:35:22.539 Joseph. Joseph, before he died, your father gave a command. Say this to Joseph, please forgive your 00:35:22.539 --> 00:35:27.380 brother's transgression and their sin and the suffering they caused you. And therefore, please 00:35:27.380 --> 00:35:33.300 forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father. And please don't do anything to us. 00:35:33.779 --> 00:35:38.800 And we're really scared. And you're a really nice guy. So we believe that. So please be one. 00:35:38.800 --> 00:35:41.660 I think that was included in there somewhere. 00:35:44.660 --> 00:35:47.220 Joseph wept when their message came to him. 00:35:49.140 --> 00:35:54.920 His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him and said, we are your slaves. 00:35:56.220 --> 00:36:02.720 Joseph, please don't do anything to us. We know dad's dead now. And it seemed like that was maybe the 00:36:02.719 --> 00:36:14.659 only barrier between you and us. You hurting us. Y'all don't miss these next verses. This is the key 00:36:14.659 --> 00:36:16.739 to the whole story. This is it. You ready? 00:36:21.739 --> 00:36:27.739 God's children are already forgiven and have nothing to fear. 00:36:27.739 --> 00:36:39.079 Joseph's brothers were already forgiven and had nothing to fear. They didn't know that. 00:36:40.239 --> 00:36:50.359 And they allowed fear to get in their minds, their hearts, and undermine their faith in Joseph 00:36:50.360 --> 00:37:00.700 and their faith in God. They didn't know what he would do. And fear got in and messed up their 00:37:00.700 --> 00:37:06.380 relationship with Joseph. And it wasn't anything that he did. It was all in their own heads. 00:37:07.860 --> 00:37:14.400 That is how the devil gets to you. He gets to you in your heads through fear. 00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:21.920 And he convinces you that everything is wrong. Everything is not as it should be. Something 00:37:21.920 --> 00:37:25.920 bad is going to happen. God doesn't really love you anymore. 00:37:28.220 --> 00:37:33.680 There's all kinds of ways that the devil gets inside your minds, just like he did with these 00:37:33.680 --> 00:37:41.200 brothers. 17 years they had been with Joseph. You think he couldn't have gotten his revenge at some 00:37:41.199 --> 00:37:48.019 point? But they got this narrative in their head. Well, it was just dad. He didn't want to do anything 00:37:48.019 --> 00:37:52.839 while dad was alive. But now dad's dead. He's going to take it all out on us now. 00:37:54.579 --> 00:37:59.639 And so it completely affected their relationship with him. How many of you don't raise your hand, 00:37:59.639 --> 00:38:07.939 but how many of you can say my relationship with my heavenly father has been affected because of fear, 00:38:07.940 --> 00:38:14.619 because of uncertainty, because of doubt, time and time again in the dark of night, 00:38:14.960 --> 00:38:18.420 or sometimes in the middle of a storm that you're going through in your life, 00:38:18.840 --> 00:38:25.159 your relationship with Jesus is strained. It's affected. Your faith is undermined by this fear. 00:38:25.880 --> 00:38:30.840 Our disciple group on Wednesday nights has been going through this book talking about faith over fear. 00:38:30.840 --> 00:38:38.700 And I can't tell you that enough that that is arguably the number one cause of doubt 00:38:38.700 --> 00:38:47.220 in your walk with Jesus is fear. But Satan is the author of fear. He is the father of fear. 00:38:48.140 --> 00:38:56.880 And he is the father of lies. So don't believe the lies. Look at the truth, the reality of who God is, 00:38:56.880 --> 00:39:03.360 how he has treated you, how he has brought you this far, how he has blessed you. If they had stopped 00:39:03.360 --> 00:39:08.740 and looked back at the kindness that Joseph had already shown them, they could have been assured 00:39:08.740 --> 00:39:16.500 that he would never change how he treated them. So he breaks down crying, guys, I can't believe you 00:39:16.500 --> 00:39:21.059 would believe this about me. I can't believe you would think that I would do this to you. 00:39:21.059 --> 00:39:35.059 And in verse 19, don't miss this. He says, don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 00:39:35.059 --> 00:39:45.360 Am I in the place of God? Church, how often do we put ourselves, our ideas, what we have constructed 00:39:45.360 --> 00:39:54.640 in our own minds, our values, in the place of God? We build up this whole world apart from God 00:39:54.640 --> 00:40:01.920 because we place ourselves in the seat of God. We give ourselves his level of power and authority. 00:40:02.400 --> 00:40:08.420 I told our starting point course this morning, we were talking about the church and according to the Bible 00:40:08.420 --> 00:40:12.620 and talking about what all that means. And we talked about the structure of the church. And we said, 00:40:12.619 --> 00:40:17.819 look, it's been said before, kind of jokingly, that if Jesus himself showed up at a church business 00:40:17.819 --> 00:40:20.639 meeting and wanted to do something apart from the bylaws, he'd get voted down. 00:40:23.699 --> 00:40:31.219 Because we often place ourselves or our human constructs in the place of God. And all of it 00:40:31.219 --> 00:40:39.159 must come under the authority of Jesus. Joseph said, look, I have to come under the authority of Jesus. 00:40:39.159 --> 00:40:44.759 All authority has been given to me in the land of Egypt. Pharaoh has held nothing back from me. 00:40:44.899 --> 00:40:51.399 He will let me do whatever I want in this land. But I must submit myself to a higher power. 00:40:52.259 --> 00:41:00.399 I cannot be in the place of God. What a way to respond. I'd love to think that's how I would respond 00:41:00.399 --> 00:41:08.179 if someone wronged me like he had been wronged. But I don't know. That's tough. He said, guys, 00:41:08.179 --> 00:41:15.139 don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? He didn't just say, guys, it's okay. I'm not going to 00:41:15.139 --> 00:41:23.299 hurt you. He made the point, just like he always had every step of the way to give glory to God. 00:41:23.980 --> 00:41:29.579 At every moment when he interpreted the dreams, when he was tempted by his boss's wife, 00:41:29.819 --> 00:41:37.099 every moment of the journey, Joseph had said, I can't do this to God. This miracle comes from God. 00:41:37.099 --> 00:41:45.679 It all comes from God. He said, I am not in the place of God. You planned evil against me, verse 20. 00:41:46.920 --> 00:41:55.000 But God planned it for good. Joseph consistently chose God's truth over his own feelings. Joseph 00:41:55.000 --> 00:42:01.139 consistently chose God's truth over his own feelings. Folks, that's where we go wrong. 00:42:01.139 --> 00:42:09.139 That's where you and I go wrong. We get seduced, sidetracked by our feelings. 00:42:10.420 --> 00:42:11.500 And instead, 00:42:12.139 --> 00:42:18.139 we need to stay steady and grounded in God's truth. 00:42:19.279 --> 00:42:23.000 When we say steady and grounded in God's truth, 00:42:23.139 --> 00:42:27.539 then we can't be pulled aside or swayed by our feelings. 00:42:27.539 --> 00:42:31.099 James talks about that. It says, you're pulled or blown 00:42:31.099 --> 00:42:36.880 to and fro with every wind of doctrine. Everything that comes along that sounds good to you, 00:42:37.199 --> 00:42:38.539 appeals to your feelings, 00:42:38.920 --> 00:42:42.980 pulls you one way or another, and instead you stay steady 00:42:42.980 --> 00:42:45.920 and grounded on the bedrock, the firm foundation, 00:42:46.380 --> 00:42:49.619 which is God's truth. God's truth is that he loves you, 00:42:50.059 --> 00:42:51.219 he values you, 00:42:51.219 --> 00:42:52.619 he has forgiven you, 00:42:52.619 --> 00:42:55.599 and he has a plan to use you for his glory. 00:42:56.659 --> 00:42:59.899 And when we stay grounded in that truth, 00:43:00.259 --> 00:43:05.539 then God can do powerful things that you and I cannot imagine, 00:43:06.019 --> 00:43:07.379 just like he did with Joseph. 00:43:07.779 --> 00:43:08.579 And then verse 20. 00:43:09.159 --> 00:43:11.759 You intended to harm me, but God meant it all for good. 00:43:11.839 --> 00:43:13.159 He brought me to this position 00:43:13.159 --> 00:43:16.480 so I could save the lives of many people. 00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:19.800 Genesis 50, 19 through 21 00:43:19.800 --> 00:43:23.820 are three of the most powerful verses in the story of Joseph, 00:43:23.920 --> 00:43:25.559 and that's what we're concluding with today. 00:43:27.159 --> 00:43:28.740 I am not in the place of God. 00:43:29.900 --> 00:43:31.139 Evil came against me, 00:43:31.260 --> 00:43:32.880 but God meant it for good 00:43:32.880 --> 00:43:34.679 to save many people. 00:43:35.019 --> 00:43:36.179 And I just want to remind us, 00:43:36.360 --> 00:43:38.500 God is always working 00:43:38.500 --> 00:43:39.599 behind the scenes 00:43:39.599 --> 00:43:41.440 to accomplish his purposes. 00:43:41.719 --> 00:43:43.500 We've seen it every step of the way, haven't we? 00:43:43.980 --> 00:43:45.039 Every step of the way, 00:43:45.039 --> 00:43:47.759 God was working where Joseph didn't even know. 00:43:49.139 --> 00:43:50.639 During the two years in prison, 00:43:51.119 --> 00:43:52.860 when he was on the back of a donkey 00:43:52.860 --> 00:43:54.739 as being sold into slavery, 00:43:55.079 --> 00:43:55.840 headed toward Egypt, 00:43:56.019 --> 00:43:57.679 he didn't know what was going on, 00:43:57.739 --> 00:43:59.579 but God was working behind the scenes, 00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:02.500 arranging for him to be sold into Potiphar's house 00:44:02.500 --> 00:44:04.599 to complete the next step of the journey. 00:44:05.199 --> 00:44:07.199 How is God working in your life? 00:44:07.460 --> 00:44:09.679 Sometimes it's easy to look back at the past 00:44:09.679 --> 00:44:11.860 and see how God connected the dots 00:44:11.860 --> 00:44:13.699 to get you where you are today 00:44:13.699 --> 00:44:15.159 or to get you where he wants you to be. 00:44:15.439 --> 00:44:16.419 But until then, 00:44:17.239 --> 00:44:18.819 until we can connect the dots, 00:44:18.819 --> 00:44:20.359 we just have to trust 00:44:20.359 --> 00:44:22.219 that he's got it all figured out. 00:44:23.099 --> 00:44:25.099 We just have to stay walking with him 00:44:25.099 --> 00:44:27.279 and not get pulled to the side 00:44:27.279 --> 00:44:29.779 by our own feelings or our own fears. 00:44:30.619 --> 00:44:33.339 God is always working behind the scenes 00:44:33.339 --> 00:44:35.599 to accomplish his purposes. 00:44:35.599 --> 00:44:39.219 No matter how hard Satan tries to stop you, 00:44:39.599 --> 00:44:41.779 no matter how dark the night gets, 00:44:42.099 --> 00:44:45.319 no matter how rough the opposition against you comes, 00:44:46.259 --> 00:44:47.980 God can win. 00:44:48.920 --> 00:44:49.380 Guess what? 00:44:49.460 --> 00:44:50.659 God will win. 00:44:51.839 --> 00:44:53.980 Tertullian, the great church father, 00:44:54.380 --> 00:44:56.839 wrote this many, many centuries ago. 00:44:56.940 --> 00:44:57.219 He said, 00:44:57.339 --> 00:45:00.619 Our numbers increase the more you destroy us. 00:45:00.860 --> 00:45:03.679 The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. 00:45:03.679 --> 00:45:05.239 You see, during that time, 00:45:05.619 --> 00:45:07.699 the church was being stamped out. 00:45:08.279 --> 00:45:10.000 That was the mission of the government, 00:45:10.279 --> 00:45:11.460 to stamp out the church. 00:45:11.559 --> 00:45:14.299 They were literally killing Christians, 00:45:14.980 --> 00:45:16.679 people who would name the name of Jesus 00:45:16.679 --> 00:45:19.419 and identify themselves as followers of Jesus, 00:45:19.599 --> 00:45:21.239 would be subject to death. 00:45:22.279 --> 00:45:25.239 But the church was spreading like never before. 00:45:26.179 --> 00:45:27.500 Y'all, we put our hope in elections. 00:45:28.199 --> 00:45:30.079 We put our hope in political candidates. 00:45:30.079 --> 00:45:33.500 And I'm looking back at the history of the church, 00:45:33.799 --> 00:45:37.000 and the church grew more under opposition 00:45:37.000 --> 00:45:40.119 than it did in times of peace. 00:45:42.980 --> 00:45:45.559 God's plan will win, 00:45:46.159 --> 00:45:48.199 regardless of who's in the White House. 00:45:49.119 --> 00:45:50.639 God's plan will win, 00:45:51.360 --> 00:45:53.940 regardless of whether it's legal or not 00:45:53.940 --> 00:45:56.099 for us to gather in buildings like this. 00:45:56.099 --> 00:45:58.619 Tertullian said, 00:45:58.799 --> 00:46:02.059 Our numbers increase the more you destroy us. 00:46:02.659 --> 00:46:03.920 The blood of the martyrs, 00:46:03.980 --> 00:46:07.139 those who gave their life for Christ, 00:46:07.599 --> 00:46:10.799 is the seed from which the church grows. 00:46:11.420 --> 00:46:13.199 What a powerful statement. 00:46:14.219 --> 00:46:16.559 And we see that in the life of Joseph. 00:46:17.259 --> 00:46:19.599 All the opposition that came against him, 00:46:19.940 --> 00:46:22.000 God used it to grow, 00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:23.099 to maximize, 00:46:23.699 --> 00:46:25.760 to make his name famous, 00:46:25.860 --> 00:46:27.380 to bring glory to himself 00:46:27.380 --> 00:46:29.000 and good to his people. 00:46:29.739 --> 00:46:30.699 And then in verse 21, 00:46:31.599 --> 00:46:32.320 Don't be afraid. 00:46:33.119 --> 00:46:34.099 I will take care of you. 00:46:35.079 --> 00:46:37.780 I will continue to take care of you 00:46:37.780 --> 00:46:39.000 and your children. 00:46:39.119 --> 00:46:40.900 That's our last theme for today. 00:46:42.199 --> 00:46:44.659 Joseph is once again a type of Christ. 00:46:44.980 --> 00:46:46.460 He showed mercy and grace 00:46:46.460 --> 00:46:50.059 to those who had sinned against him, 00:46:50.059 --> 00:46:52.159 and he promised that it would continue 00:46:52.159 --> 00:46:53.400 in perpetuity. 00:46:53.759 --> 00:46:54.659 It would not end. 00:46:56.420 --> 00:46:57.980 Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1. 00:46:58.539 --> 00:46:59.340 Would you stay with me 00:46:59.340 --> 00:47:00.360 for just one moment more? 00:47:00.840 --> 00:47:04.139 Ephesians 2 and verse 1. 00:47:06.019 --> 00:47:08.679 You were dead in your trespasses and sins 00:47:08.679 --> 00:47:10.900 in which you previously lived 00:47:10.900 --> 00:47:12.440 according to the ways of this world. 00:47:12.860 --> 00:47:14.480 Just a reminder from Paul there. 00:47:14.779 --> 00:47:15.279 By the way, 00:47:15.360 --> 00:47:16.559 you weren't always cleaned up, 00:47:16.619 --> 00:47:17.779 looking nice, acting nice. 00:47:17.780 --> 00:47:19.860 You too were sinners, 00:47:20.160 --> 00:47:22.280 just like all of us still are. 00:47:23.380 --> 00:47:25.100 But you were dead in your sins, 00:47:25.220 --> 00:47:26.320 and you previously lived 00:47:26.320 --> 00:47:27.600 according to the ways of this world, 00:47:27.780 --> 00:47:29.240 the ruler of the power of the air, 00:47:29.320 --> 00:47:30.440 the spirit now working 00:47:30.440 --> 00:47:30.780 in the disobedient. 00:47:31.860 --> 00:47:34.200 We too all previously lived among them 00:47:34.200 --> 00:47:35.480 in our fleshly desires, 00:47:35.900 --> 00:47:37.240 carrying out the inclinations 00:47:37.240 --> 00:47:38.420 of our flesh and thoughts. 00:47:38.600 --> 00:47:41.440 And we were by nature children under wrath, 00:47:41.660 --> 00:47:43.080 as the others were also. 00:47:43.460 --> 00:47:44.780 But watch this in verse 4. 00:47:44.780 --> 00:47:46.640 But God, 00:47:47.480 --> 00:47:49.180 who is rich in mercy 00:47:49.180 --> 00:47:50.960 because of his great love 00:47:50.960 --> 00:47:52.120 that he had for us, 00:47:52.320 --> 00:47:54.040 made us alive 00:47:54.040 --> 00:47:55.940 with Christ, 00:47:56.420 --> 00:47:57.700 even though we were dead 00:47:57.700 --> 00:47:58.680 in our sin, 00:47:58.740 --> 00:47:59.540 our trespasses. 00:48:00.200 --> 00:48:03.120 You are saved by grace. 00:48:04.220 --> 00:48:06.740 And then he also raised us up with him. 00:48:07.160 --> 00:48:08.400 You see what happened to Joseph 00:48:08.400 --> 00:48:10.660 and how he's describing this? 00:48:11.000 --> 00:48:11.760 You were dead, 00:48:11.760 --> 00:48:12.640 you were gone, 00:48:12.740 --> 00:48:13.500 you were lost, 00:48:13.800 --> 00:48:14.860 you had no hope. 00:48:15.580 --> 00:48:17.420 But then God forgave you, 00:48:17.760 --> 00:48:18.880 he transformed you, 00:48:18.980 --> 00:48:20.360 and he raised you up 00:48:20.360 --> 00:48:21.880 and seated us with him 00:48:21.880 --> 00:48:23.320 in the heavens with Christ Jesus, 00:48:23.520 --> 00:48:24.860 so that in the coming ages 00:48:24.860 --> 00:48:26.120 he might display 00:48:26.120 --> 00:48:27.640 the immeasurable riches 00:48:27.640 --> 00:48:28.440 of his grace 00:48:28.440 --> 00:48:30.200 through his kindness to us 00:48:30.200 --> 00:48:31.380 in Christ Jesus, 00:48:31.520 --> 00:48:32.480 for you are saved 00:48:32.480 --> 00:48:33.980 by grace through faith. 00:48:34.140 --> 00:48:35.720 And this is not from yourselves. 00:48:36.420 --> 00:48:37.700 It is God's gift. 00:48:38.700 --> 00:48:39.820 Not from works. 00:48:39.820 --> 00:48:41.460 So no one can boast. 00:48:41.960 --> 00:48:42.840 This is the problem 00:48:42.840 --> 00:48:44.280 with the Catholic Church 00:48:44.280 --> 00:48:44.980 and with others 00:48:44.980 --> 00:48:46.240 that preach 00:48:46.240 --> 00:48:47.780 that we can be saved 00:48:47.780 --> 00:48:49.260 by the works that we do. 00:48:49.420 --> 00:48:51.160 It's in direct conflict 00:48:51.160 --> 00:48:53.680 with Ephesians 2, 8, and 9. 00:48:54.039 --> 00:48:55.880 Not by works. 00:48:56.300 --> 00:48:58.220 There's nothing that I can do 00:48:58.220 --> 00:49:00.080 to achieve God's favor. 00:49:01.240 --> 00:49:03.160 There's nothing that those brothers could do 00:49:03.160 --> 00:49:05.559 to achieve Joseph's favor. 00:49:06.500 --> 00:49:08.160 He gave it by grace. 00:49:08.159 --> 00:49:12.219 God gives his favor to us 00:49:12.219 --> 00:49:14.079 not because we're nice, 00:49:14.319 --> 00:49:15.639 high society church people. 00:49:16.679 --> 00:49:18.799 He gives his favor to us 00:49:18.799 --> 00:49:21.719 because of his son's payment 00:49:21.719 --> 00:49:24.619 for your sins, for mine. 00:49:27.099 --> 00:49:29.000 And if you think you've been forgiven 00:49:29.000 --> 00:49:31.259 for any other reason, 00:49:33.259 --> 00:49:34.960 then maybe you haven't been forgiven yet 00:49:34.960 --> 00:49:38.599 because you haven't yet humbled yourself 00:49:38.599 --> 00:49:41.079 and admitted that you're a sinner 00:49:41.079 --> 00:49:43.099 in need of a Savior. 00:49:44.139 --> 00:49:45.480 And I pray that today 00:49:45.480 --> 00:49:47.260 would be that day for you 00:49:47.260 --> 00:49:49.400 when you get to experience 00:49:49.400 --> 00:49:51.780 what those brothers experienced, 00:49:52.019 --> 00:49:56.119 that pure, no-strings-attached grace 00:49:56.119 --> 00:49:58.960 from the one they had sinned against 00:49:58.960 --> 00:50:00.260 so much. 00:50:00.260 --> 00:50:04.160 You think you've sinned against God? 00:50:05.320 --> 00:50:06.880 Do you realize how much 00:50:06.880 --> 00:50:08.060 you've sinned against God? 00:50:09.060 --> 00:50:09.960 Do you realize 00:50:09.960 --> 00:50:12.520 how much our sin, 00:50:12.800 --> 00:50:13.400 my sin, 00:50:14.100 --> 00:50:15.620 put Jesus on that cross? 00:50:16.760 --> 00:50:17.900 When we see it 00:50:17.900 --> 00:50:18.920 personally, 00:50:19.320 --> 00:50:23.520 then we get to experience 00:50:23.520 --> 00:50:24.620 his personal grace, 00:50:25.320 --> 00:50:26.560 his personal forgiveness. 00:50:26.559 --> 00:50:26.719 forgiveness. 00:50:28.340 --> 00:50:28.699 So, 00:50:29.699 --> 00:50:32.159 that's how we know. 00:50:36.059 --> 00:50:37.119 That's how we know 00:50:37.119 --> 00:50:39.320 that all things 00:50:39.320 --> 00:50:40.519 will work together 00:50:40.519 --> 00:50:41.519 for good 00:50:41.519 --> 00:50:43.619 because God 00:50:43.619 --> 00:50:44.380 keeps 00:50:44.380 --> 00:50:45.480 his promises. 00:50:46.699 --> 00:50:48.059 So I want you to believe this morning 00:50:48.059 --> 00:50:50.179 that it's going to be okay. 00:50:51.019 --> 00:50:51.500 Why? 00:50:52.239 --> 00:50:54.139 Because we have the same promise 00:50:54.139 --> 00:50:56.119 that Joseph gave to his brothers 00:50:56.119 --> 00:50:58.579 I will take care of you. 00:50:59.199 --> 00:51:00.940 Not because of anything you've done. 00:51:02.000 --> 00:51:04.639 In spite of everything you've done, 00:51:05.039 --> 00:51:07.420 I will take care of you. 00:51:07.779 --> 00:51:09.460 So I can stand before you 00:51:09.460 --> 00:51:11.659 on this Sunday in November 00:51:11.659 --> 00:51:12.659 and tell you 00:51:12.659 --> 00:51:14.519 it's going to be okay. 00:51:16.599 --> 00:51:18.859 You ever had somebody try to tell you 00:51:18.859 --> 00:51:20.139 it's going to be okay 00:51:20.139 --> 00:51:21.239 when you're all stressed out 00:51:21.239 --> 00:51:21.679 and you're worried? 00:51:22.679 --> 00:51:23.940 How effective was it? 00:51:23.940 --> 00:51:26.179 Not very, right? 00:51:26.980 --> 00:51:28.260 But I can stand 00:51:28.260 --> 00:51:29.059 with the authority 00:51:29.059 --> 00:51:30.280 of Almighty God 00:51:30.280 --> 00:51:31.440 and promise you 00:51:31.440 --> 00:51:33.400 it's going to be okay. 00:51:34.039 --> 00:51:35.079 How do we know that? 00:51:35.200 --> 00:51:36.700 Because God promised it. 00:51:36.980 --> 00:51:37.920 Romans 8, 28, 00:51:38.119 --> 00:51:38.780 we know that 00:51:38.780 --> 00:51:40.300 for those who love God, 00:51:40.780 --> 00:51:41.760 it doesn't say 00:51:41.760 --> 00:51:42.500 that for those 00:51:42.500 --> 00:51:43.340 who do everything 00:51:43.340 --> 00:51:44.519 that they're supposed to do, 00:51:44.820 --> 00:51:45.440 it says 00:51:45.440 --> 00:51:46.780 for those who love God, 00:51:46.940 --> 00:51:48.460 all things work 00:51:48.460 --> 00:51:49.639 together for good 00:51:49.639 --> 00:51:50.980 for those who are called 00:51:50.980 --> 00:51:52.460 according to his purpose. 00:51:52.460 --> 00:51:53.780 We are called 00:51:53.780 --> 00:51:55.099 according to his purpose. 00:51:55.460 --> 00:51:56.199 He called us, 00:51:56.519 --> 00:51:58.300 2 Thessalonians teaches us this, 00:51:58.559 --> 00:51:59.240 we are thankful 00:51:59.240 --> 00:52:00.800 that God chose you 00:52:00.800 --> 00:52:02.599 to experience salvation, 00:52:02.960 --> 00:52:04.119 a salvation that came 00:52:04.119 --> 00:52:04.760 through the Spirit 00:52:04.760 --> 00:52:06.199 who makes you holy 00:52:06.199 --> 00:52:08.460 and through your belief 00:52:08.460 --> 00:52:08.980 in the truth, 00:52:09.300 --> 00:52:10.380 he called you 00:52:10.380 --> 00:52:11.579 to salvation 00:52:11.579 --> 00:52:13.139 when we told you 00:52:13.139 --> 00:52:13.860 the good news. 00:52:14.159 --> 00:52:15.059 So when someone 00:52:15.059 --> 00:52:15.900 came to you 00:52:15.900 --> 00:52:16.699 and told you 00:52:16.699 --> 00:52:17.880 the good news of Jesus, 00:52:18.360 --> 00:52:19.960 then God opened your eyes, 00:52:20.280 --> 00:52:20.920 called you 00:52:20.920 --> 00:52:22.139 from darkness to light, 00:52:22.380 --> 00:52:23.460 you were saved 00:52:23.460 --> 00:52:25.860 and so now you can share 00:52:25.860 --> 00:52:26.880 in the glory 00:52:26.880 --> 00:52:28.700 of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:52:28.940 --> 00:52:29.980 So you are called 00:52:29.980 --> 00:52:32.079 according to God's purpose. 00:52:32.780 --> 00:52:33.579 Are you fulfilling 00:52:33.579 --> 00:52:34.460 God's purpose 00:52:34.460 --> 00:52:35.579 in your life? 00:52:35.659 --> 00:52:36.360 If you're not, 00:52:36.880 --> 00:52:37.480 that's probably 00:52:37.480 --> 00:52:38.280 why you're sad. 00:52:38.559 --> 00:52:39.360 That's probably 00:52:39.360 --> 00:52:40.059 why you're depressed. 00:52:40.980 --> 00:52:41.619 That's probably 00:52:41.619 --> 00:52:42.920 why you can't figure out 00:52:42.920 --> 00:52:43.740 why things aren't 00:52:43.740 --> 00:52:44.380 as satisfying 00:52:44.380 --> 00:52:45.420 as they should be 00:52:45.420 --> 00:52:46.420 because you're not 00:52:46.420 --> 00:52:47.500 fulfilling the purpose 00:52:47.500 --> 00:52:49.420 that God called you to. 00:52:52.119 --> 00:52:52.880 Called you 00:52:52.880 --> 00:52:54.739 out of darkness 00:52:54.739 --> 00:52:56.039 into his light 00:52:56.039 --> 00:52:57.219 and then he says 00:52:57.219 --> 00:52:58.139 that all things 00:52:58.139 --> 00:52:59.380 work together for good 00:52:59.380 --> 00:53:00.860 for those who are called. 00:53:02.059 --> 00:53:03.079 If you're a child 00:53:03.079 --> 00:53:03.960 of God this morning, 00:53:04.380 --> 00:53:05.199 you're called. 00:53:07.360 --> 00:53:08.199 So everything 00:53:08.199 --> 00:53:09.860 is going to be okay. 00:53:11.119 --> 00:53:12.119 You might end up 00:53:12.119 --> 00:53:12.599 in a dungeon. 00:53:13.719 --> 00:53:14.780 You might end up 00:53:14.780 --> 00:53:15.619 sold by your brothers. 00:53:15.619 --> 00:53:17.500 There might be 00:53:17.500 --> 00:53:18.980 dark, dark storms 00:53:18.980 --> 00:53:20.599 that you have to endure 00:53:20.599 --> 00:53:21.659 but trust 00:53:21.659 --> 00:53:22.859 that everything 00:53:22.859 --> 00:53:24.319 is going to be okay. 00:53:24.880 --> 00:53:26.179 God's going to use you 00:53:26.179 --> 00:53:28.099 for his greater purpose. 00:53:28.699 --> 00:53:29.339 So the question 00:53:29.339 --> 00:53:30.079 we're left with, 00:53:31.239 --> 00:53:33.759 who's your God? 00:53:36.440 --> 00:53:37.460 What's your God? 00:53:39.559 --> 00:53:40.739 If your God 00:53:40.739 --> 00:53:41.739 is Joseph's God, 00:53:43.239 --> 00:53:44.279 then you can claim 00:53:44.279 --> 00:53:44.859 those promises. 00:53:45.619 --> 00:53:47.880 But if you're 00:53:47.880 --> 00:53:48.480 your own God, 00:53:49.279 --> 00:53:51.539 if your retirement 00:53:51.539 --> 00:53:52.719 is your own God, 00:53:53.480 --> 00:53:54.779 if your bank account 00:53:54.779 --> 00:53:55.339 is your God, 00:53:56.139 --> 00:53:56.980 if your kids 00:53:56.980 --> 00:53:57.579 are your God, 00:53:58.279 --> 00:53:58.859 if your spouse 00:53:58.859 --> 00:53:59.440 is your God, 00:54:00.500 --> 00:54:03.059 if your desires 00:54:03.059 --> 00:54:04.039 are your God, 00:54:04.599 --> 00:54:08.440 then it's going to be 00:54:08.440 --> 00:54:08.859 hard to claim 00:54:08.859 --> 00:54:09.380 those promises. 00:54:09.380 --> 00:54:09.440 Jesus. 00:54:12.440 --> 00:54:13.700 But if you follow 00:54:13.700 --> 00:54:14.559 the God 00:54:14.559 --> 00:54:15.260 of Joseph, 00:54:15.800 --> 00:54:17.900 then you get 00:54:17.900 --> 00:54:18.440 to see 00:54:18.440 --> 00:54:19.220 the ending 00:54:19.220 --> 00:54:20.740 of Joseph's story. 00:54:21.940 --> 00:54:22.519 Doesn't mean 00:54:22.519 --> 00:54:22.800 you're going to be 00:54:22.800 --> 00:54:23.539 put second in command 00:54:23.539 --> 00:54:23.960 of Egypt. 00:54:25.960 --> 00:54:26.700 But it means 00:54:26.700 --> 00:54:27.360 God is going to 00:54:27.360 --> 00:54:28.039 show you 00:54:28.039 --> 00:54:29.099 great and mighty 00:54:29.099 --> 00:54:29.619 things 00:54:29.619 --> 00:54:31.280 which you can't 00:54:31.280 --> 00:54:32.099 even possibly 00:54:32.099 --> 00:54:32.500 know 00:54:32.500 --> 00:54:33.559 what's coming. 00:54:34.559 --> 00:54:35.380 So our takeaway 00:54:35.380 --> 00:54:35.920 this morning 00:54:35.920 --> 00:54:37.900 is in any situation, 00:54:38.539 --> 00:54:39.340 God can use 00:54:39.340 --> 00:54:40.019 my faith 00:54:40.019 --> 00:54:40.960 to show 00:54:40.960 --> 00:54:41.760 his goodness. 00:54:42.000 --> 00:54:42.880 It doesn't matter 00:54:42.880 --> 00:54:43.740 what situation 00:54:43.740 --> 00:54:44.539 you're in this morning. 00:54:45.019 --> 00:54:45.260 Say, 00:54:45.340 --> 00:54:45.539 preacher, 00:54:45.659 --> 00:54:46.180 you don't know 00:54:46.180 --> 00:54:46.940 my situation. 00:54:47.380 --> 00:54:47.860 You don't know 00:54:47.860 --> 00:54:48.400 what's going on 00:54:48.400 --> 00:54:49.000 with my family. 00:54:49.460 --> 00:54:50.019 You don't know 00:54:50.019 --> 00:54:51.099 what's going on 00:54:51.099 --> 00:54:51.820 at work. 00:54:51.900 --> 00:54:52.260 You don't know 00:54:52.260 --> 00:54:53.039 what's going on 00:54:53.039 --> 00:54:54.559 with these things 00:54:54.559 --> 00:54:55.480 that I'm so stressed 00:54:55.480 --> 00:54:55.820 out about. 00:54:55.900 --> 00:54:56.200 You don't know 00:54:56.200 --> 00:54:56.740 what's going on 00:54:56.740 --> 00:54:57.340 with our country. 00:54:57.720 --> 00:54:58.059 You don't know 00:54:58.059 --> 00:54:58.680 what this person 00:54:58.680 --> 00:54:59.320 did to me. 00:55:00.360 --> 00:55:00.559 No, 00:55:00.639 --> 00:55:00.980 I don't. 00:55:00.980 --> 00:55:01.480 But I know 00:55:01.480 --> 00:55:02.380 that somebody else 00:55:02.380 --> 00:55:03.119 walked a road 00:55:03.119 --> 00:55:04.079 that most of us 00:55:04.079 --> 00:55:05.440 will never have to walk 00:55:05.440 --> 00:55:06.639 and his name was Joseph 00:55:06.639 --> 00:55:08.059 but he kept his faith 00:55:08.059 --> 00:55:08.579 in Jesus 00:55:08.579 --> 00:55:10.000 and God used him 00:55:10.000 --> 00:55:11.139 every step of the way 00:55:11.139 --> 00:55:12.500 and God grew him 00:55:12.500 --> 00:55:13.559 every step of the way 00:55:13.559 --> 00:55:14.719 and one day 00:55:14.719 --> 00:55:15.719 he stood before 00:55:15.719 --> 00:55:16.880 those who had wronged him 00:55:16.880 --> 00:55:17.599 and said, 00:55:17.880 --> 00:55:18.719 you meant it for evil 00:55:18.719 --> 00:55:20.619 but God used it for good 00:55:20.619 --> 00:55:21.659 and he blessed 00:55:21.659 --> 00:55:22.619 my faith, 00:55:22.699 --> 00:55:23.800 my little bit of faith 00:55:23.800 --> 00:55:25.079 that I held on to. 00:55:25.219 --> 00:55:26.240 God blessed it 00:55:26.240 --> 00:55:27.380 and used it 00:55:27.380 --> 00:55:28.519 to show his goodness 00:55:28.519 --> 00:55:30.199 and then many years later 00:55:30.199 --> 00:55:31.239 somebody else 00:55:31.239 --> 00:55:31.879 walked a road 00:55:31.879 --> 00:55:32.439 that you and I 00:55:32.439 --> 00:55:33.539 will never have to walk 00:55:33.539 --> 00:55:34.619 and he walked 00:55:34.619 --> 00:55:35.639 for 33 years 00:55:35.639 --> 00:55:36.339 on this earth 00:55:36.339 --> 00:55:37.859 and he did many miracles 00:55:37.859 --> 00:55:40.719 and he poured himself out 00:55:40.719 --> 00:55:41.259 for the good 00:55:41.259 --> 00:55:42.439 of the people around him 00:55:42.439 --> 00:55:43.719 but the religious people 00:55:43.719 --> 00:55:44.819 of the day hated it. 00:55:45.559 --> 00:55:46.179 Imagine that. 00:55:47.059 --> 00:55:47.759 Religious people 00:55:47.759 --> 00:55:48.339 hating things. 00:55:49.659 --> 00:55:49.939 He said, 00:55:50.099 --> 00:55:50.219 no, 00:55:50.299 --> 00:55:50.899 we don't like that. 00:55:50.960 --> 00:55:51.579 We don't approve. 00:55:51.699 --> 00:55:52.439 That's not according 00:55:52.439 --> 00:55:53.139 to our traditions. 00:55:53.319 --> 00:55:54.119 That's not according 00:55:54.119 --> 00:55:55.219 to our laws. 00:55:55.619 --> 00:55:56.879 We don't like that 00:55:56.879 --> 00:55:58.539 and they crucified him. 00:55:58.739 --> 00:55:59.819 They put him on the cross 00:55:59.820 --> 00:56:00.640 and they killed him 00:56:00.640 --> 00:56:01.559 and that's a road 00:56:01.559 --> 00:56:02.059 that you and I 00:56:02.059 --> 00:56:03.019 will never have to walk 00:56:03.019 --> 00:56:05.000 but thank God Jesus did 00:56:05.000 --> 00:56:08.519 and then he was lifted up 00:56:08.519 --> 00:56:09.860 and glorified 00:56:09.860 --> 00:56:11.840 for the good 00:56:11.840 --> 00:56:13.140 of all of us. 00:56:14.140 --> 00:56:15.580 So now we can come 00:56:15.580 --> 00:56:16.720 and kneel before him 00:56:16.720 --> 00:56:19.539 and he can show us grace 00:56:19.539 --> 00:56:20.980 and mercy 00:56:20.980 --> 00:56:22.460 and say, 00:56:22.860 --> 00:56:23.800 Satan meant it for evil 00:56:23.800 --> 00:56:26.660 but God used it 00:56:26.660 --> 00:56:27.960 for good 00:56:27.960 --> 00:56:30.920 to save many people. 00:56:31.539 --> 00:56:32.200 To save you 00:56:32.200 --> 00:56:33.500 and to save me. 00:56:34.400 --> 00:56:35.180 Joseph's story 00:56:35.180 --> 00:56:36.480 points us 00:56:36.480 --> 00:56:37.340 to Jesus. 00:56:39.620 --> 00:56:40.660 Would you bow your heads 00:56:40.660 --> 00:56:40.940 with me? 00:56:42.039 --> 00:56:42.440 God, 00:56:42.500 --> 00:56:43.560 in any situation 00:56:43.560 --> 00:56:45.019 that our church congregation 00:56:45.019 --> 00:56:46.500 finds itself in, 00:56:48.039 --> 00:56:49.600 please use their faith 00:56:49.599 --> 00:56:51.980 to show your goodness. 00:56:53.239 --> 00:56:53.739 God, 00:56:53.779 --> 00:56:54.699 we got hurting people 00:56:54.699 --> 00:56:55.279 in this room. 00:56:56.619 --> 00:56:57.500 Got people who are 00:56:57.500 --> 00:56:58.480 in financial trouble. 00:56:59.559 --> 00:57:00.380 Got people with 00:57:00.380 --> 00:57:01.539 relationship problems. 00:57:02.559 --> 00:57:03.539 Got people overcome 00:57:03.539 --> 00:57:04.319 by fear, 00:57:05.139 --> 00:57:05.880 by darkness, 00:57:06.059 --> 00:57:06.639 by doubt. 00:57:07.819 --> 00:57:08.779 Got people overcome 00:57:08.779 --> 00:57:09.500 by pride. 00:57:12.199 --> 00:57:13.319 Self-absorbed. 00:57:13.320 --> 00:57:14.800 God, 00:57:14.860 --> 00:57:15.380 we struggle 00:57:15.380 --> 00:57:16.480 with the same sins 00:57:16.480 --> 00:57:17.460 that anybody else 00:57:17.460 --> 00:57:18.160 struggles with. 00:57:19.960 --> 00:57:20.880 We're human. 00:57:22.220 --> 00:57:23.800 But you just ask us 00:57:23.800 --> 00:57:25.600 to have enough faith 00:57:25.600 --> 00:57:27.580 to stick with you. 00:57:29.160 --> 00:57:30.580 And then you will show 00:57:30.580 --> 00:57:32.059 your mighty goodness. 00:57:34.580 --> 00:57:36.080 Thank you for teaching us 00:57:36.080 --> 00:57:37.080 from the life of Joseph. 00:57:41.120 --> 00:57:41.700 God, 00:57:41.760 --> 00:57:42.660 help us to honestly 00:57:42.659 --> 00:57:43.539 answer the question 00:57:43.539 --> 00:57:44.139 right now, 00:57:44.539 --> 00:57:45.619 who is our God? 00:57:46.579 --> 00:57:47.940 If we polled the audience, 00:57:48.059 --> 00:57:48.679 every one of us 00:57:48.679 --> 00:57:49.460 would say the Lord 00:57:49.460 --> 00:57:50.079 is our God. 00:57:52.119 --> 00:57:52.980 But the habits 00:57:52.980 --> 00:57:53.859 of our daily life 00:57:53.859 --> 00:57:54.899 don't always support that. 00:57:57.019 --> 00:57:57.460 Sometimes, 00:57:57.599 --> 00:57:58.059 too often, 00:57:58.779 --> 00:57:59.899 we allow other things 00:57:59.899 --> 00:58:00.920 to become God 00:58:00.920 --> 00:58:01.460 in our life. 00:58:03.739 --> 00:58:04.719 And then our story 00:58:04.719 --> 00:58:05.859 doesn't turn out 00:58:05.859 --> 00:58:06.359 like Joseph. 00:58:07.420 --> 00:58:08.239 Sometimes we've got 00:58:08.239 --> 00:58:08.960 to go through things 00:58:08.960 --> 00:58:09.759 that you never intended 00:58:09.759 --> 00:58:10.440 us to go through. 00:58:10.440 --> 00:58:13.119 But you stay with us 00:58:13.119 --> 00:58:13.440 anyway. 00:58:15.360 --> 00:58:15.980 Right now, 00:58:16.059 --> 00:58:16.200 God, 00:58:16.240 --> 00:58:17.760 I pray over my congregation, 00:58:17.900 --> 00:58:18.860 over your congregation, 00:58:19.079 --> 00:58:19.240 that 00:58:19.240 --> 00:58:22.519 your truth 00:58:22.519 --> 00:58:25.200 would triumph 00:58:25.200 --> 00:58:25.940 over the lies. 00:58:27.840 --> 00:58:28.760 That faith 00:58:28.760 --> 00:58:29.840 would win 00:58:29.840 --> 00:58:30.400 over fear. 00:58:33.220 --> 00:58:34.240 We would learn 00:58:34.240 --> 00:58:35.280 from Joseph's story 00:58:35.280 --> 00:58:36.780 that you can use 00:58:36.780 --> 00:58:37.200 anything, 00:58:37.199 --> 00:58:38.519 any situation 00:58:38.519 --> 00:58:40.379 to show your goodness, 00:58:41.259 --> 00:58:42.819 your glory. 00:58:43.639 --> 00:58:44.579 It's in Jesus' name 00:58:44.579 --> 00:58:44.899 we pray. 00:58:45.500 --> 00:58:45.759 Amen. 00:58:45.759 --> 00:58:45.819 Amen. 00:58:45.819 --> 00:58:45.859 Amen. 00:58:46.039 --> 00:58:46.259 Amen. 00:58:46.259 --> 00:58:46.299 Amen. 00:58:46.299 --> 00:58:46.739 Amen. 00:58:46.739 --> 00:58:46.879 Amen. 00:58:46.879 --> 00:58:46.980 Amen. 00:58:46.980 --> 00:58:47.039 Amen. 00:58:47.039 --> 00:58:47.939 Amen. 00:58:47.980 --> 00:58:48.039 Amen. 00:58:48.039 --> 00:58:48.159 Amen. 00:58:48.159 --> 00:58:48.179 Amen. 00:58:48.179 --> 00:58:58.059 Amen. 00:58:58.059 --> 00:59:06.500 Amen.