All right, so we are continuing on in our series today on the life of Joseph, meant for good.
And just by way of reminder, our series text is Genesis chapter 50 and verse 20.
You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good to save many people.
A few weeks ago, we covered Genesis chapter 37, and that was the beginning of the story of Joseph, favored but fallen.
And our takeaway was pride and envy are warning signs, but the start of Joseph's story points us to Jesus.
He is a type of Christ, someone in the Old Testament that points us to the future coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
And we see that throughout his story.
And then in week two, we talked about Joseph tempted and tried.
Tempted and tried as he was sold to Potiphar's house as a slave and rose up through the ranks.
And then the boss's wife tried to seduce him, and he stood firm in his faith in God and would not sin in that way.
And so the trials that God allows us to endure are always designed to draw us into closer relationship with him.
And then last Sunday, we talked about Joseph faithful but forgotten.
Faithful but forgotten.
Finding himself in prison, in Pharaoh's prison, after being falsely accused.
And our takeaway last Sunday was to let your season of divine delay make a discernible difference in how you live your faith.
Not just giving lip service to your faith, saying this is what I believe, but actually how does that affect your life?
We saw Joseph continue to grow throughout this season of delay, this in the meantime season for Joseph.
So now we're on to week four, and that is filled and fruitful.
Joseph, filled and fruitful.
Would you turn to Genesis chapter 41 with me?
And just because you've been sitting a little while, if you're able to join us in standing,
would you mind joining us in standing as we read Genesis chapter 41?
Just the first eight verses, and we'll continue on following that.
Genesis 41, verse 1.
I'm reading from the New Living Translation this morning.
Two full years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River.
In his dream, he saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass.
Then he saw seven more cows come up from behind them from the Nile, but these were scrawny and thin.
These cows stood beside the fat cows on the river bank.
Then the scrawny, thin cows ate the seven healthy, fat cows.
At this point in the dream, Pharaoh woke up.
But he fell asleep again and had a second dream.
This time he saw seven heads of grain, plump and beautiful, growing on a single stalk.
Then appeared seven more heads of grain, and these were shriveled and withered by the east wind.
These thin heads swallowed up the seven plump, well-formed heads.
Then Pharaoh woke up again and realized it was a dream.
The next morning, Pharaoh was very disturbed by the dreams.
So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt.
And when Pharaoh told them his dreams, not one of them could tell him what they meant.
Let's pray together now.
God, please give us insight to the reading of your word.
Let your spirit transform the text to apply individually to our lives
and teach us what we need to learn from this morning.
I pray that you would call each of us into a season of fruitfulness by your Holy Spirit.
We'll give you the glory for it.
It's in your name we pray.
Amen.
You may be seated.
Thanks for standing.
So the introduction here to our passage is that a full two years have passed
since Joseph had this amazing victory where God gave him the interpretation of the dreams
for the two VIP prisoners, Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker.
God used him so powerfully, growing him through this time, giving him this wisdom and insight
like he does to all of us as he grows us often in difficult seasons of life.
But then two years passed.
Can you imagine after Joseph had had this breakthrough moment
where God gave him the interpretation of these dreams,
he shared it with these guys,
and then perhaps he had received word that they got out of jail
and it happened exactly as God had said it would.
like it always does.
But can you imagine every day for two years waiting,
wondering if that cupbearer would remember you?
Would you ever get out?
It all worked out great for him.
Not so great for the baker,
but it all worked out great for the cupbearer,
but it hadn't yet worked out for Joseph.
You ever been there?
You ever been in a waiting season of life?
Especially when someone else around you is thriving?
They seem to be in a season of victory and you're just not there.
You're just not experiencing it.
You're thinking,
what's wrong with me?
God,
why aren't you coming through?
What am I not doing?
I'm asking,
I'm seeking,
I'm knocking at the door,
and you just don't seem to be answering.
You don't seem to be coming through.
Why?
May I remind you
that while we're waiting,
God is working.
While Joseph was waiting,
God was working.
And we see it happen.
The Bible teaches us that one day,
in God's eyes,
is as a thousand years.
Now that may not give a lot of encouragement to you,
and you say,
man,
a thousand years seems like a long time,
and
that's just one day in God's eyes.
Not sure if I can wait that long, God.
Need you to come through a little faster than that.
I can't imagine what that two years was like for Joseph.
Thinking,
God,
I stayed faithful to you.
I did what you required of me.
I did not give in to the temptation.
I gave the accurate interpretation that your spirit gave to me,
to these two guys,
and now,
I'm paying this price
that I don't believe I deserve.
Let's look back at verse 1 of Genesis 41.
Two full years later,
Pharaoh dreams a dream.
These dreams are very similar.
The fat, healthy cows
versus the scrawny, thin cows.
And then he has the second dream,
the seven heads of grain,
plump and beautiful,
and then the seven heads of grain
that were shriveled and withered.
And of course,
the shriveled and withered
and the thin and scrawny
ate that which was healthy and plump.
And so what does this mean?
Well, Joseph is going to get his chance.
But first,
Pharaoh turned to those that he thought
could interpret it.
He turned to those
that in the system of ancient Egypt
Egypt were set up
to interpret these dreams.
His wise men,
his magicians,
he called them
and he told them his dreams
and not one of them
could tell him what they meant.
Surprise, surprise.
When it comes down to it,
the world will always fail.
Worldly wisdom
will always ultimately fail you.
So may I remind you, church,
as people of God,
why would we then turn
to that which will ultimately fail?
But we find ourselves doing it
like Pharaoh
time and time again.
The difference is
Pharaoh didn't know better.
That's all he knew to do.
But we as the people of God
should know better
than to turn ourselves
to worldly wisdom.
But we do it.
We do it continually.
We do it when it comes
to the areas of life
that we're not sure about.
And our trust in God
starts to fade
and we turn to the wisdom
of this world
and we find ourselves
making decisions
based on the wisdom
of this world
rather than the wisdom
that comes from God.
And that always
will ultimately lead us
to failure.
At some point,
you're going to run out
of human answers.
At some point,
we will always run out
of answers or explanations
for the season
we're going through.
I'm sure Joseph
ran out of reasons
for why God
was allowing him
to sit in that prison.
And Pharaoh certainly
had no answers
for the interpretation
of his dream.
Have you ever been
at a point where you
tried to figure out
why God was doing something?
You ever tried to do that?
Maybe even in hindsight
looking back,
well, maybe God
was doing this.
Guys,
we don't know
why God does
what he does.
But we can trust
that what he does
is good
and what he does
is right.
And what he does
is best.
So worldly wisdom
will always ultimately
fail.
I had it on the screen.
There it is.
Worldly wisdom
will always
ultimately fail.
Romans 1.22
gives us a great text
about that.
They claim to be wise
but they are fools.
You ever run into somebody
that claimed to be wise
and they thought
they had all the answers
but after they taught
for a while
you realize
he's a fool.
She's a fool.
Nothing but foolishness
ends up coming out
although in their own minds
they are so wise.
Y'all,
ultimately
the wisdom of the world
will always lead.
Those wisest
in all of its pursuits
will ultimately
reveal themselves
to be fools
apart from God
and his wisdom
because human answers
are eventually
going to run out.
Genesis 41
verse 9.
Let's get down
and continue our story.
Finally,
what Joseph
had been waiting on
happened.
The king's chief
cupbearer spoke up.
Today I have been
reminded of my failure
he told Pharaoh.
Some time ago
you were angry
with the chief baker
and me
and you imprisoned us
in the palace
of the captain of the guard.
Boy,
I wouldn't have wanted
to bring that up again
if I was the cupbearer.
Remember that thing I did
that made you so mad
that you threw me
in prison?
Just kind of would have
wanted Pharaoh
to move on from that
and not dredge that memory up,
right?
But he realized
how critical
this situation was
and so he reminded
Pharaoh
of what
had happened
and he said
one night
the chief baker
and I
each had a dream
and each dream
had its own meaning
and there was
a young Hebrew man
with us
in the prison
who was a slave
of the captain
of the guard
Potiphar,
right?
We told him
our dreams
and he told us
what each of our
dreams meant.
Wow!
Pharaoh's got to be
looking at him.
You're just now
telling me this?
And everything
that happened,
everything happened
just as he had
predicted.
I was restored
to my position
as cupbearer.
The chief baker
was executed
and impaled
on a pole.
Yikes!
Verse 14
Pharaoh sent
for Joseph
at once
and he was
quickly brought
from the prison.
Well yeah,
if all his wise men,
if the system
had failed Pharaoh,
everyone who was
supposed to be able
to give him answers
had no answers
and now one of his
most trusted advisors
who he had gone
through a trial
with,
a storm with,
and he had
doubted his loyalty
and had to throw him
into prison
and then finally
had it reconfirmed
somehow
and trusted the guy
again and now
he's telling him,
by the way,
there's a guy
in that prison
that I was in.
Who can explain
this to you?
Then he said,
get him here.
Then he sent
for Joseph,
he was quickly brought
and after he shaved
and changed his clothes,
Joseph went in
and stood before Pharaoh.
Verse 15,
then Pharaoh
said to Joseph,
I had a dream
last night
and no one
here can tell me
what it means
but I've heard
that when you hear
about a dream,
you can interpret it.
This was Joseph's
big moment.
Joseph could have said,
yeah,
listen, Pharaoh,
I got this special gift,
all right?
I got this special ability.
You tell me what you need,
I'm your guy,
okay?
I'll tell you
what it means
but that's not
how Joseph responded.
This was his big moment
to win the favor
of the king,
Pharaoh to impress him,
to get high up
in his regard.
He could have let
Pharaoh make him
possibly the chief
wise man
in Egypt
but instead he said,
I'm sorry, Pharaoh.
I can't do this.
That's what he said.
He said,
it's beyond my power
to do this.
I can't help you.
I can't tell you
your dream.
And in my playing
out of this story,
there's a dramatic
pause right there.
And Pharaoh's
probably looking at him,
well, that's not
what I heard about you.
That's disappointing.
And then he's probably
giving the side eye
to the chief cupbearer
saying,
I thought this guy
was supposed to be able
to come through for me.
But then Joseph
kept talking.
He said,
but God
can
tell you
what it means
and set you
at ease.
I can't
but God
can.
And that's a reminder
that I believe
every one of us
needs to walk out of here
with this morning.
It's beyond my power
but God
can.
Listen,
you might come up
up against something
that you cannot
figure out a way through.
It's beyond your power
but God
can.
As a child of God,
you know that.
You have full knowledge
and understanding
and belief
and faith
that God can.
Otherwise,
you never would have
put your faith in him
for the forgiveness
of your sins.
But if you believe
that God
can
forgive your sin,
conquer death,
rise victoriously
from the grave,
then you believe
also that God
has power
over whatever
you're coming up
against in your life.
And that kind of power
is available to you
all day,
every day.
So when you come up
against a problem,
it's not,
oh man,
what are we going to do?
It's not pulling out
your hair
and thinking
this is it,
this is the end.
It's thinking
I can't
but God can.
If there's a problem
at work,
if there's a problem
with your finances,
if there's a problem
with a relationship,
if there's a problem
with your mind
and your struggle
and your own self
and your own heart,
I can't
but God can.
powerful words
from Joseph
spoken to this Pharaoh.
It's beyond
my power
but God
can.
He had the opportunity
to give himself
the glory
but he pointed
all glory
to God.
How many times
do you and I
do that?
Or do we
instead
try to give
all the glory
to ourselves
and forget
to give God
the glory
for what he's done?
all the glory
and the honor
to the son.
My sins are forgiven.
My future is heaven.
I thank God
and I give him
the glory
for what he's done.
Worldly wisdom
had failed Pharaoh
and now Joseph
tells him
I'm sorry
I can't help you.
I'm just like
all your other wise men.
I can't help you
but there is
a God in heaven.
Just like Daniel said
we talked about it
last week
when he was facing
King Nebuchadnezzar
in Babylon
many years later
he said
there is a God
in heaven
who can help you
with this
and Joseph
told him the same thing.
God can tell you
what it means.
At some point
folks
we're going to run out
of human answers
and we've got to turn
to that God in heaven
and say God
I know you can.
Whatever it is
I know you can.
Back in King
Jehoshaphat
2 Chronicles
chapter 20
and verse 12
King Jehoshaphat
was leading God's people
up against attacks
from the armies of Moab
and the armies of Ammon
two of the most powerful
armies of the day.
They were certainly outnumbered.
They certainly had no chance
to win this victory
and King Jehoshaphat
turned to God
as the leader of God's people
and said
our God
we have no power
to face this vast army
that's attacking us.
We do not know what to do
but our eyes
are on you.
2 Chronicles
20-12
I think if there's a verse
you can commit to memory
that has to do
with this theme
this is one of the best ones
you can find.
Our eyes
are fixed
on you.
Our eyes
are turned
toward you.
We have no power
against this enemy.
We don't know
what to do.
Admitting that
is hard for us.
It's hard for American men
but listen
it's hard for any of us
right
to admit that
we don't know
what to do
in this situation
but sometimes
that's what we have to do
and just say
God
I don't know
what to do.
Boy it's hard
for bosses
to admit that.
You're supposed
to have all the answers.
You're supposed
to have a plan.
You're supposed
to have a vision.
The king himself
had to stand
before God
and say
God
I don't know
what to do.
I don't know
how to win this.
We've got an army
coming up against us.
Two armies
joined together.
They knew
they couldn't
maybe defeat us
single handedly
against themselves
because we have
God fighting for us
but now they've
joined together.
We have no might here.
We have no power here.
There's no military strategy
that allows us
to win this battle.
Our eyes
are on you.
What are you
going to do God?
What did he do?
God said
stand still
and see
the salvation
of the Lord.
He said
don't do anything.
Let me fight
this battle for you.
Sit this one out.
I'll fight it for you
and God won
one of those
powerful battles
that we have
victories
that we ever see
recorded in scriptures
or in history
that day.
That's not the only time
we see this happening.
2 Corinthians 12
verses 5 through 10
the apostle Paul
you might think of him
as one of the greatest
Christians that we ever
get to see in the Bible.
He had a special
relationship with God
but he reveals
his vulnerability
here in 2 Corinthians.
He said
I will boast
only about my weaknesses.
If I wanted to boast
I would be no fool
in doing so
because I would be
telling the truth
but I won't do it.
He said
I have a lot
to boast about.
Humanly speaking
I've accomplished
a lot
both before Christ
and after I was
converted
I have done
a lot of great things
I have a lot of things
to boast about
but you're not going to
catch me boasting
about them.
I'm not going to
give you
all the records
of my exploits
and accomplishments.
I'm not going to
point it
all the attention
to myself.
I'm going to be
like Joseph
and I'm going to say
I can't
but God can.
He said
I won't do it
because I don't want
anyone to give me
credit
beyond what
they can see
in my life
or hear
in my message.
That's what it was
about for Paul.
It was about
follow me
as I follow Jesus.
What you see me
doing in my life
and the message
that you hear me
proclaiming
in our starting point
course this morning
the foundational
discipleship truths
that we're going through
with some of our folks.
We talked about
the gospel message
this morning.
That is the mission
of the church.
That is the message
of scripture
from the Old Testament
to the New Testament
from Genesis
to Revelation
everything that we see
in the Bible
points to a single message
salvation in Jesus.
That's before you're saved
and that's after you're saved.
There's still salvation
in Jesus.
He's still the one
we turn to
and so Paul said
I don't want them
to see anything beyond
what they hear
in my message
what they see
in my life
even though I've received
wonderful revelations
from God
but to keep me
from becoming proud
I was given
a thorn in my flesh
a messenger from Satan
to torment me
and keep me
from becoming proud.
People have tried
to figure out
what that thorn
in the flesh was
that Paul was talking about.
He never really told us
but whatever it was
it kept him humble.
It was his weak spot.
Was it a physical problem?
Was it a sin problem?
We don't know
what it was for Paul
but it was something
that aggravated him
like crazy.
It bugged the fire
out of him.
He wished
he could overcome it.
He wished
he could conquer it
but he couldn't
ever do it.
You ever had something
you just can't overcome?
You just can't get past?
Maybe it's a physical problem.
Maybe it's a mental hang up.
Something that you just
can't seem
to resolve.
You're right there with Paul.
He said it kept me
from becoming proud
because those of us
who maybe have a blind spot
toward our weaknesses
maybe we've become
a little proud.
Maybe we feel like
we've got it all figured out.
We would never say
that we're sinless
but we kind of
act like we are.
We would never say
that we can't be wrong
but we kind of
act that way.
Paul didn't want
that to happen.
He said God
three different times
I begged God
to take this thorn
in my flesh
away from me
and each time
he said
my grace
is all you need.
Don't miss this.
My power
works best
in weakness.
So now I'm glad
to boast about my weaknesses
so the power of Christ
can work
through me.
That was what it was about
for Paul.
He said
that's why I take pleasure
in these weaknesses.
I've grown to the point
in my Christian faith
where I'm not trying
to be perfect anymore.
I'm thanking God
for the weaknesses
that he's given me
because I realize
that when I am weak
then I am strong
in his strength.
I take pleasure
in the weaknesses.
I take pleasure
in the insults.
I take pleasure
in the hardships.
I take pleasure
in the persecution.
I take pleasure
in the trouble
that I suffer
for Christ
because when I am weak
then I am strong.
So
it's beyond my power
but God can.
It's one of the biggest themes
of Genesis 41 here.
I don't want you to miss it.
Let's look back
at the text.
Verse 17.
So
what happened?
Pharaoh told Joseph
his dream.
Joseph said
I can't do it.
It's beyond my power
but God can tell you
what it means
and set you at ease.
Boy,
Pharaoh was happy
to hear
that God
this God of Joseph
could set him at ease.
So he said
why not?
Let's give it a try.
In my dream
he said
I'm standing
on the bank
of the Nile River.
I saw seven fat
healthy cows
come up out of the river
began to grazing
in the marsh grass
but then I saw
seven sick looking cows
scrawny and thin
coming up after them.
I've never seen
such sorry looking animals
in all the land of Egypt.
Pharaoh was kind of
giving his commentary
about his dream.
These thin scrawny cows
ate the seven fat cows
but afterward
you wouldn't have known it
for they were still
as thin and scrawny
as before.
Then I woke up.
Then he had another dream
and in my dream
I also saw
seven heads of grain
full beautiful
growing on a single stalk
then seven more heads
of grain appeared
but these were blighted
shriveled and withered
by the east wind
and the shriveled heads
swallowed the seven
healthy heads
and I told these dreams
to the magicians
but no one could tell me
what they mean.
So Joseph responded
both of Pharaoh's dreams
mean the same thing.
God is telling Pharaoh
in advance
what he is about to do.
The seven healthy cows
the seven healthy heads
of grain
both represent
seven years of prosperity.
Basically Pharaoh
this was the same dream
and you had it twice
using two different examples.
Alright?
The seven thin scrawny cows
that came up later
the seven thin heads
of grain
withered by the east wind
represent seven years
of famine.
This will happen
just as I have described it
for God has revealed
to Pharaoh in advance
what he is about to do.
Pharaoh you should
consider yourself blessed
because God has revealed
to you
what he is about to do.
The next seven years
will be a period
of great prosperity
throughout the land of Egypt
but afterward
there will be
seven years of famine
so great
that all the prosperity
will be forgotten
in Egypt.
Famine will destroy
the land.
This famine
will be so severe
that even the memory
of the good years
will be erased.
As for having
two similar dreams
it means that
these events
have been decreed
by God
and he will soon
make them happen.
Just in case
you missed the first one
God gave you
another one
so you're sure
that this comes
from him
and this is going
to happen.
Therefore
Pharaoh should find
an intelligent
and wise man
and put him in charge
of the entire land
of Egypt.
Then Pharaoh
should appoint
supervisors
over the land
and let them collect
one fifth
of all the crops
during the seven
good years.
Have them gather
all the food
produced in the good years
that are just ahead
and bring it
to Pharaoh's storehouses.
Store it away
and guard it
so there will be
food in the cities.
That way there will be
enough to eat
when the seven years
of famine
come to the land
of Egypt.
Otherwise
this famine
will destroy
the land.
Verse 37
Joseph's suggestions
were well received
by Pharaoh
and his officials.
So Pharaoh
asked his officials
can we find
anyone else
like this man
so obviously
filled
with the spirit
of God?
Did you catch that?
Can we find
anyone else
like this man
so obviously
filled
with the spirit
of God?
Here's my question.
Is it obvious
to those around you
that you're filled
with the spirit
of God?
Boy it was obvious
in that moment.
Pharaoh is sitting
here
as Joseph
starts to just
go off.
He's explaining
I feel like
a mile a minute
just how this
is going to go
and then God
gives him wisdom
in this moment
and not only
does he explain
what the dream
means
he gives Pharaoh
advice on what
to do.
Here's what it
means now here's
how you should
handle this.
And Pharaoh's
just sitting here
looking at him
like man I
haven't heard
anybody like
this.
All these wise
men all these
magicians that I
have surrounded
me they don't
hold a candle
to this guy.
this guy is
filled with the
spirit of a
real God.
A true God
that actually
gives him wisdom.
He didn't know
it was the one
true only God.
So is it obvious
to those around you
that you're filled
with the Holy Spirit?
Or is it more
obvious that you're
filled with another
spirit?
I'll be honest
with you I'm the
pastor and that
means pastors wake
up and go to bed
and all the hours
in between we are
filled with the
spirit of God
right?
Why y'all laughing?
Course not.
We're human like
anybody else.
We have to be
filled moment by
moment with God's
spirit just the same
as you do.
Joseph needed
wisdom for that
moment.
God's spirit filled
him and gave it to
him and it was so
evident.
evidence.
When was the last
time that somebody
said wow you are
filled with the
spirit of God?
If not have you
got to spend a
little more time
with God?
Have you got to
intentionally carve
out time in your
day whenever that
is?
Whether it's waking
up earlier or
staying up a little
later or carving
out some of your
lunch break or
whatever it is
finding time
throughout your day
to intentionally
stop and turn
your eyes back to
Jesus.
Get in the word.
Man it's never been
easier.
The Bible gets to
go around with us
on our phones now.
We always have
access to God's
word and we
always everywhere we
go have access to
prayer.
Talking to our
Lord.
Anytime, any
place we can stop
and be filled again
with the spirit of
God.
He's always
present.
He's always with
us.
We believe that if
you place your
faith in Jesus
Christ then his
spirit comes and
lives inside and
goes around with you
everywhere.
But if you want to
be filled with the
fullness, with the
goodness, with the
power, with the
transforming grace,
love, the attributes
of the spirit of God,
the fruit of the
spirit of God, you
want to be filled
with that and see
that make a
difference in your
life?
You got to stop
and make time for
him.
See what he has to
say.
Listen to him.
Let him speak to
you.
So is it obvious that
you're filled with the
spirit of God like it
was for Joseph?
And then in verse
39, we're picking it
up and we're almost
finished.
Then Pharaoh said to
Joseph, first he looks
at the guys around him,
can you believe this
guy?
We've never seen
anything like him.
This guy is filled
with the spirit of God.
And then he said to
Joseph, since God has
revealed the meaning
of the dreams to you,
clearly no one else is
as intelligent or wise
as you are.
Something that no one's
ever said to me.
No one else is as
intelligent or wise as
you are.
That's all right.
You will be in charge.
If y'all come up after
church and say that to
me, I'm going to know
that you're not being
sincere, okay?
You will be in charge
of my court and all my
people will take orders
from you.
Only I sitting on my
throne will have a rank
higher than you.
Wow!
Joseph went from zero
to hero in no time
at all.
This guy was promoted
in the blink of an eye.
I have to question
maybe Pharaoh's methods
of promoting staff here,
but elected officials,
there was no elected
officials, was there?
This guy is now second
in command of all of
Egypt just because
Pharaoh was amazed at
the way he interpreted
his dream.
But Pharaoh sensed
something about this
guy.
He knew that there was
something different.
He knew that it was
God's spirit and I
believe God maybe
prompted him to do
this.
So he said,
now you only answer
to me.
You are in charge of
everything else in my
nation.
Pharaoh said to Joseph,
I hereby put you in
charge of the entire
land of Egypt.
Can y'all just stop and
realize what's happening
here?
Joseph's ship finally came
in.
Anybody know what that
means when your ship
comes in?
I heard that growing up.
It's like the big great
thing that you've been
waiting for finally
happens.
Everything had been
going bad for Joseph
time and time and time
and time again and then
finally, boom, it all
came together.
And Pharaoh says,
now I place you in
charge of the entire
land of Egypt.
Last night you slept
in a jail cell.
Tonight you're sleeping
in the palace.
Then Pharaoh removed
his signet ring from his
hand and placed it on
Joseph's finger.
He dressed him in fine
linen clothing and hung
a gold chain around his
neck.
Then he had Joseph ride
in the chariot reserved
for his second in
command.
And wherever Joseph
went, the command was
shouted, kneel down.
So Pharaoh put Joseph in
charge of all of Egypt
and Pharaoh said to him,
I am Pharaoh, but no
one will lift a hand or
foot in the entire land
of Egypt without your
approval.
Don't mistake this,
Pharaoh, Joseph.
I'm still in charge,
all right?
I'm still Pharaoh.
But besides me, you're in
charge of everyone else.
I finally found a guy I
can trust.
I finally found a guy I
believe in.
I finally found a guy I
have absolute confidence in
because you're different.
So I'm putting you in
charge of everyone else.
Then Pharaoh gave Joseph
a new Egyptian name,
Zephanath-Paneah.
I like Joseph better
myself, but that's all
right.
He gave him a wife whose
name was Asenath and she
was the daughter of
Potiphar, the priest of
On.
Just in case you're
thinking, it seems like
those are two different
people, okay?
If you're thinking,
Potiphar and Potiphar,
the same people, it
seemed like they were
two different people.
If you want to argue
that with me, we can
talk after.
That's all right.
But at first I was
looking at this.
Did he marry Potiphar's
daughter?
How crazy would that
be?
It seemed like they were
two different people.
For one, this guy was a
priest and the other
one was the captain of
the guard.
So Joseph, sorry, a
minute, just lost my
place.
Here we go.
So Joseph, end of
verse 45, right?
There we go.
Joseph took charge of
the entire land of
Egypt.
Can you believe this?
What a transformation.
And Joseph is a type of
Christ.
Joseph was first humbled
and then he was exalted.
Philippians 2 says this,
let us be like Christ
Jesus who took the humble
position of a slave.
He humbled himself in
obedience to God.
Now God has elevated him
to a place of the highest
honor and given him the
name above all other
names.
So at the name of Jesus,
every knee should bow.
You see what was
happening in Egypt with
Joseph.
They would all have to
kneel to him as he drove
by in the chariot.
And someday every knee
will bow to Joseph,
to Jesus.
I'm sorry.
Not Joseph.
Yeah, not, not, not
Joseph.
They're not going to bow
to Joseph anymore.
That was just for that
time.
But now for all ages,
every knee someday will
bow to Jesus in heaven
and on earth and under
the earth and every tongue
will declare that he is
Lord to the glory of God
the Father.
So once again, we see a
type of Christ here.
And that is the nations
blessed through him.
So we see that Jesus was
lifted up.
He was a slave and then
he was lifted up.
And then we're going to
see that the nations were
blessed through Joseph,
just like the nations will
be blessed by Jesus.
So before we get there,
would you look here?
Verse 46.
Let's look back at verse
46.
He was 30 years old when he
began serving the court of
Pharaoh.
Can I just throw a little
interjection in here?
Don't despise young people.
Okay?
Joseph was younger than I am.
I'm turning 40 in a couple
months.
But I'm still young, right?
How many of y'all think I'm
young?
The rest of you can just leave,
all right?
I'm young.
Messing.
Don't leave.
I am young, all right?
Young people, I am young.
You're old, man.
No, I'm not.
Don't despise young people.
The Bible even says, as a
challenge to young people,
don't let anyone despise your
youth.
Let it be an example of the
believers.
Boy, that's exactly what we see
Joseph doing here.
This guy was in the prime early
years of his life when all this
was going on.
And by age 30, he sees himself
second in command of all of
Egypt.
That had to be just a shocking
reality for him to wake up to
every day.
God brought Joseph from the pit to
the palace, but he was careful to
give God credit for every blessing.
Now, as predicted, God came
through.
Every time that Joseph predicted
something, we know it came from
God because God came through just
as Joseph had predicted it.
In verse 47, seven years the land
produced bumper crops, and Joseph
gathered all the crops grown in
Egypt and stored the grain from the
surrounding fields in the city,
piled up huge amounts of grain like
sand on the seashore.
Finally, he stopped keeping records
because it was too much to
measure.
And during this time, before the
famine years, two sons were born to
Joseph and his wife, Asenath, the
daughter of Potiphar, the priest of
On.
His oldest son was named Manasseh,
and he said, God has made me forget
all my troubles and everyone in my
father's family.
And then the second one was named
Ephraim, for he said, God has made
me fruitful in this land of my
grief.
God gave Joseph everything that he
thought maybe was never going to come
to pass.
Sitting in that jail cell for two years,
wondering, is God ever going to come
through?
His faith stayed with him.
And in just a blink of an eye, his
moment came.
Your moment will come.
I don't know what it's going to look
like.
Can't promise you that you're going to
be made wealthy.
Can't promise you you're going to be
put in charge of anything.
I don't know what it's going to look
like for you, but I know that at some
point, God is going to have a moment
for you like he had for Joseph.
And then the waiting period will end.
The in-between period will end.
And then God will say, I need you now.
And Joseph was ready.
He was called, dragged from the prison
cell.
Before Pharaoh, boy, his faith had to be
strong.
Had to be ready in that moment.
God, I need you.
I need you right now.
Tell me the meaning of this dream.
And he did.
And then God brought Joseph from nothing
to everything.
And then gave him a family.
Gave him sons.
And these names of his sons show that God
gave, Joseph gave God credit for every
success and every blessing.
And then the nations were blessed
through him.
Galatians chapter 3, verse 8.
The scriptures look forward to this
time when God would make the Gentiles
right in his sight because of their
faith.
God proclaimed this good news to Abraham
long ago.
This is the Abrahamic covenant we learned
about a couple Sundays ago.
All nations will be blessed through you.
So all who put their faith in Christ
share the same blessing that Abraham
received because of his faith.
And now Christ has rescued us from the
curse pronounced by the law.
So all of us can now partake in the
same promise that God gave to Abraham
because of Jesus.
When he was hung on the cross, he took
upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing.
Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the
Gentiles with the same blessing that he
promised to Abraham.
So now we who are believers might receive
the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
Listen, God blessed the nations through
Joseph, but that was just a pale picture of
someday that how God would bless all
nations through Jesus Christ.
And you and I get to be part of that
blessing.
D.L.
Moody said this quote.
Famous preacher, one of the most famous
preachers in our nation's history.
He said, no one can sum up all God is able to
accomplish through one solitary life,
wholly yielded, adjusted, and obedient to
him.
We have a hard time with the adjusting part,
don't we?
We're willing to say, God, I yield myself to
you.
Whatever you want, I'll do it.
God, I will obey you.
If you command me to do something, I'll do it.
The hard part is adjusting.
What if God wants you to change something?
What if God wants you to stop doing something?
What if God wants you to start doing something?
We fight that sometimes, don't we?
But I think he got it right when he said,
there's nothing that God can't accomplish.
We can't even begin to sum up what God can
accomplish through one person, adjusted to God.
God, always willing to adjust to what God says.
So, we see at the end of Genesis 41,
the nations carried out what Joseph said.
The wisdom of God came through.
Egypt prospered when the famine came.
They were ready.
The grain was stored up.
And he was able to feed the nations because of
the wisdom that God had given him.
Folks, there's no limit to what God can do through you.
There's no limit.
The only limit is us.
Joseph was filled with the Spirit of God.
So much so that the heathen Pharaoh saw it,
called it out, said,
this man is filled with the Spirit of God.
But to be filled, we have to be empty.
We have a hard time being filled with God's Spirit
because we're filled with everything else, aren't we?
We fill ourselves with everything else under the world.
So we don't have room left for God's Spirit to adjust us,
to change us.
But there's no limit to what God can do.
Our takeaway this morning is God can do what I cannot do
when I am empty and he fills me.
We saw that play out in Genesis 41.
I can't do it, God, but you can.
So I empty myself and I offer myself to you.
God, fill me and use me to accomplish what you want to do.
Maybe you're going to bless the nations through me.
Maybe you're going to bless my family through me.
Maybe you're going to bless my friends through me.
Maybe you're going to bless my workforce through me.
Maybe you're going to bless my coworkers.
Maybe you're going to bless this county.
Maybe you're going to bless this church.
Maybe you're going to bless far beyond
what I could ever see or predict.
But I've got to empty myself so you can fill me.
Would you bow your heads with me right now?
God, we ask you to do what only you can do.
There are people in this church who love you.
There are people in this church who've been following after you
for many, many years.
But God, sometimes over the course of following you,
we get filled up with things other than you.
God, empty us today.
Church, can I ask you this question?
How many of you would say, I know I'm a sinner
and I know that Jesus died for me
and I've never placed my faith in Jesus
for the forgiveness of my sins.
I believe that he died, that he rose again,
that he's alive, and I want to place my faith in Jesus
for the forgiveness of my sins to become his child.
Would anybody here who would say that,
say, I've never done that and I'd like today to be the day.
Thank you.
Let me ask you this question.
How many of you would say,
I need to empty myself this morning
so the Holy Spirit can fill me and work through me?
Would you slip your hand up and just say, that's me.
Thank you.
God, there's too many hands to count.
And I just need you right now
to work with each person supernaturally.
You can speak to each of us at the same time
and you can show us exactly what we need to let go of,
exactly what we need to change,
exactly what we need to start.
Empty us, God.
We're full of pride.
We're full of fear,
full of jealousy,
full of discontentment,
full of worry,
full of fatigue.
Sometimes we find our joy in things other than you.
Sometimes we find our confidence in things other than you.
And God, that just fills us up,
not with your Spirit,
but another Spirit.
Empty us, God.
We'll give you the glory for it.
It's in Jesus' name we pray.