It's on page 51 of the Red Church Bibles.
When the news reached Pharaoh's palace that Joseph's brothers had come,
Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, tell your brothers, do this,
load your animals and return to the land of Canaan,
and bring me, your father, and your families back to me.
I will give you the best of the land of Egypt,
and you can enjoy the fat of the land.
You were also instructed to tell them, do this,
take some carts from Egypt for your children and your wives,
and get your father to come.
Never mind about your belongings,
because the best of all Egypt will be yours.
So the son of Israel did this.
Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded.
He also gave them provisions for their journey.
To each of them he gave new clothing,
but to Benjamin he gave 300 shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.
And this is what he sent to his father,
ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt,
and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread
and other provisions for his journey.
Then he sent his brothers away,
and as they were leaving he said to them,
don't quarrel on the way.
So they went up out of Egypt
and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.
They told him,
Joseph is still alive,
in fact he is the ruler of all Egypt.
Jacob was stunned,
he did not believe them.
But when they told him everything that Joseph had said to them,
and when he saw the carts that Joseph has sent
to carry him back,
the spirit of their father Jacob revived.
And Israel said,
I'm convinced my son Joseph is still alive.
I will go and see him before I die.
So Israel set out with all that was his.
And when he reached Beersheba,
he offered sacrifices to God of his father Isaac.
And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said,
Jacob, Jacob, here I am, he replied.
I am God, the God of your father, he said.
Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt,
for I will make you into a great nation there.
I will go down to Egypt with you,
and I will surely bring you back again.
And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes.
Then Jacob left Beersheba,
and Israel's sons took their father Jacob
and their children and their wives
in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport them.
So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt,
taking with them their livestock
and possessions that they had acquired in Canaan.
Jacob brought with them to Egypt
his sons and grandsons
and his daughters and granddaughters
and all his offspring.
Thank you, Louise.
So let's keep our Bibles open there
at Genesis 45, 46,
and you can follow along.
Let's pray as we look at God's word.
Father, thank you for these great stories,
these true accounts of your people
who lived so long ago,
but yet speak truth for us today.
And so we ask for your help
that we would be able to apply that truth to our lives,
that it may change us and help us
as we walk with you.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, it was an emotional moment.
After years of division,
lies, and heartache,
finally, there's reconciliation and restoration.
Just look back, chapter 45, verse 4.
22 years had passed,
and then Joseph said to his brothers,
come close to me.
When they had done so, he said,
I am your brother Joseph,
the one you had sold into Egypt.
Verse 14.
And Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin
and wept.
And Benjamin embraced him weeping.
And Joseph kissed all his brothers
and wept over them.
22 years of shame and guilt
had been confessed and forgiven.
It was a turning point for the brothers.
It was a fresh start and a new beginning.
And now as we continue on in the account,
we discover that they're on their way to Egypt.
And as we follow them on their journey,
there are three things we're going to learn
that will help us on our journey
as we walk with God.
There's a warning,
there's a reminder,
and a guarantee.
A warning,
a reminder,
and a guarantee.
Three things we're going to follow
on this journey.
So first,
the warning,
beware the sins of your fathers.
Now,
following the brothers' dramatic transformation
came this unexpected invitation.
Verse 17.
Pharaoh said to Joseph,
tell your brothers,
do this,
load your animals
and return to your home,
to the land of Canaan,
and bring your father
and your families back to me,
and I will give you
the best of land in Egypt,
and you can enjoy the fat
of the land.
All they would ever need
is promised to them.
They've gone from famine
to fortune.
They could hardly believe it.
But old sins
threatened
to ruin it all.
You see,
we've all got
our weaknesses,
haven't we?
Our Achilles heel.
For Jacob
and his family,
it was
favoritism.
And it appears
there was a history
to it.
Apparently,
it all started
with Jacob's parents,
Isaac and Rebecca.
They had two children,
Esau,
and the other one
was Jacob.
And the story tells us
in chapter 25
that Isaac
loved Esau,
but Rebecca
loved Jacob.
Now,
that's never good
for family dynamics,
is it,
to have parents
loving one
more than the other?
In fact,
as we read on
in the account,
it set a pattern
that practically
divided
and destroyed
the family.
Later on,
we learn that
Jacob married
two women,
Leah and Rachel.
And once again,
favoritism came through.
The story tells us
in chapter 29
that Jacob's love
for Rachel
was greater
than his love
for Leah.
Favoritism.
And this
seeped through
into the love
for the children.
Chapter 37,
verse 3,
tells us,
now Jacob
loved Joseph
more than
any of his
other's sons.
Favoritism.
And the brothers
hated him
for it.
They were filled
with jealousy
and envy
and they sold him
as a slave.
That's what we've been
looking at
over the weeks.
But with Joseph
gone,
Jacob's favoritism
jumped to
Benjamin.
So when the news
came to Jacob
that if the family
were going to receive
any more food
from Egypt,
they would have to
send Benjamin
down there.
And Jacob
would adamant,
have a look at
chapter 42,
just go back
a couple of pages,
chapter 42,
verse 38.
So the request
has been to bring
Benjamin down
to Egypt.
And Jacob said,
my son will not
go down there
with you.
His brother,
thinking of Joseph,
is dead.
And he is the
only one
left.
Well,
he wasn't the
only one left,
was he?
Jacob had
ten other sons,
but of all
the sons,
it seems
only one
son mattered.
Generations
torn apart
by favoritism,
envy,
and jealousy.
Now let's go
back to
chapter 45.
But all
seems to be
different now.
The brothers
had repented,
they've been
reconciled to
Joseph,
it's a new
beginning,
it's a fresh
start,
but sin
once again
raises its
ugly head.
Did you
notice it
when we
listened to
the reading?
Verse 21,
Joseph gave
them carts
as Pharaoh
had commanded,
and he also
gave them
provisions for
the journey.
To each of
them he gave
new clothing.
nothing.
But to
Benjamin,
he gave
300 shekels
of silver.
Now that's
enough to
pay off his
mortgage,
buy himself
a nice new
car,
and have
money left
over for a
lovely holiday.
But not
just that,
five
walk-in
wardrobes.
it seems
that Joseph
has got
his own
favourite.
And there
was potential
for further
upset.
Was envy
and jealousy
beginning to
strike again?
Look at
verse 24.
And Joseph
sent his
brothers away,
and as they
were leaving,
he said to
them,
don't quarrel
on the
way.
It seems
Joseph has
his own
favourites,
and he knew
the danger
of favouritism.
But it seems
he's blind
to his own
behaviours.
The sins
of our
fathers
are never
too far
away.
Now
favouritism
mightn't be
your issue.
It could
be stubbornness,
or maybe
it's control.
Or maybe
it's lies,
or
unforgiveness,
or
manipulation,
or keeping
a grudge.
And if
you're not
quite sure
what your
sin struggle
is,
well then
ask your
spouse or
a close
friend,
because they'll
know what
it is,
and they'll
tell you.
You see,
we learn
behaviours,
don't we?
We repeat
patterns.
that's why
people say
things like
this,
oh he's
an old
chip off,
he's a
chip off
the old
block.
Or she's
got her
mother's
ways.
We know
what we
mean when
we say
that.
You see,
God in
his grace
has given
us so
much and
he's blessed
us,
not least
with family
and friends,
but how
often are
those
relationships
broken and
shattered,
and remain
broken and
shattered
because of
pride and
anger and
stubbornness and
favouritism.
Are we able
to spot and
recognise the
sins that
continue down
through our
family and in
our own
life?
Of course,
we have sins
that are similar
to Adam,
our first
father.
sin of
selfishness,
living as
we please
and doing
as we
want.
You see,
we not only
need to
recognise our
sin,
we need to
confront it
and deal
with it,
admit to
it,
own up,
confess it
to God.
Because if
we don't
deal with
our sin,
it will
come to
the surface
in divisive
and destructive
ways.
just as it
did in
Jacob's
family and
as it
seems to
be arising
once again
with Joseph.
So as we
journey along,
first,
beware the
sins of
your fathers.
second,
a reminder,
remember the
promises
from our
God.
Jacob's
life has
been filled
with trouble
and trials,
primarily as
we've just
seen,
by his own
doing,
especially the
sin of
favouritism.
Yet God
doesn't give
up.
he sticks
with sinners.
The brothers
return home
to their
father,
and it's
not just
with provisions
and an
invitation to
go to
Egypt,
but with
some great
news.
Look at
verse 26.
The brothers
told their
father Jacob,
Joseph is
still alive.
In fact,
he's the
ruler of
all Egypt.
Jacob was
stunned.
He couldn't
believe it.
22 years
have passed.
And when
they told
him everything
Joseph had
said to
them,
and when
he saw
the carts
Joseph had
sent to
carry him
back,
the spirit
of their
father Jacob
revived.
And
Israel said,
I'm
convinced.
My son
Joseph is
still alive.
I will
go.
and see
him before
I die.
Now,
the question
we're all
asking is,
did the
brothers tell
their father
what they
did to
Joseph?
Do you
think they
did?
Well,
we're not
told,
are we?
We're not
told what
they told
their father.
It appears
that that
particular piece
of information
is an
important,
important.
If it
really was
important,
it would
be recorded
for us,
but it's
not.
Instead,
we're told
of something
else that
is more
important,
and this
is where
our focus
should be.
we don't
get an
answer,
we do
get a
promise.
Look at
chapter 46
verse 2.
God's
name.
And God
spoke to
Israel in
a vision
at night
and said,
Jacob,
here I
am,
he replied.
I am
God,
the God
of your
father,
he said.
God's
calling out
to Jacob
in a
vision is
specific
and
intentional.
God is
introducing
himself to
Jacob as
the covenant
God,
the God
who makes
promises
and keeps
promises.
I am
God,
the God
of your
father,
he said.
this is
the commitment
that God
gives.
He is
the one
who makes
promises
and keeps
promises.
And to
enable Jacob
to trust
God,
he gives
another
promise.
Look at
verse 4.
Or sorry,
verse 3,
we'll take
it up in
verse 3.
I am
God,
the God
of your
father,
he said.
Do not
be afraid
to go
down to
Egypt,
for I
will make
you into
a great
nation.
And now
here comes
another
promise.
I will
go down
to Egypt
with you
and I
will surely
bring you
back again.
That's the
commitment of
God.
That's his
loyalty.
He proves
his promises
by his
presence.
Verse 4,
I will
go
with you.
I will
bring you
back.
I will
do it.
you see,
if we
have the
presence of
God with
us,
then we're
on solid
ground.
We don't
need to
fear and
we don't
need to
worry.
That's the
confidence the
writer of
Psalm 46
has.
Read along
with me.
God is our
refuge and
strength,
an ever
present help
in trouble.
God is the
end of the
earth.
God is the
end of the
heart of
the sea.
Did you see
the solid
ground we
have there?
Do you see
the promise?
Get your
highlighter out,
your pen,
scribble,
mark,
ever
present.
Ever
present.
It's a
guarantee.
It's a
promise.
Our God is
the ever
present God.
He doesn't
leave us.
He never
forsakes us.
You see,
this isn't just
a nice
sentiment that
we text to
our friends
without any
thought.
Oh,
God is with
you.
We just
palm it
off.
No,
this is a
truth that
provides
security and
stability.
I will
go with
you.
You see,
it doesn't
matter whether
we're travelling
down to
Egypt like
the brothers
or having
to go and
visit the
doctor over
some concern
or we're
starting into
a new job.
Yes,
we will
have fears
and worries,
but we
are not
alone.
The
Creator
God,
the
Almighty
God,
the
covenant
God who
makes
promises
is
ever
present.
I
will
be
with
you.
Yes,
he is
with people
like you
and me
who mess
up and
sin just
like Jacob
did,
but he
sticks
with us.
So
first,
beware of
the sins
of our
fathers
and
remember the
promises
of our
God
and
third,
here's the
guarantee,
recall the
assurances
for our
life,
recall the
assurance for
our lives.
So with
the promises
of God
given to
Jacob,
his family
pack up
and they
head for
Egypt,
verse 7.
Jacob
brought with
him to
Egypt his
sons and
grandsons and
his daughters
and granddaughters
and all his
offspring.
Now,
that's enough
information,
isn't it?
Isn't that all
we need to
know?
Jacob and
his family
headed off
down to
Egypt.
But what
we get
is another
catalogue of
one of those
genealogies,
those boring
details,
like how
many of us
start reading
verse 8,
these are the
names of the
sons of Israel,
Jacob and his
descendants who
went to
Egypt,
Reuben,
the firstborn
of Jacob,
the sons of
Reuben,
Hanok,
Palu,
Hezron,
Carmi.
Do you want
me to keep
going?
Do we really
need to know
everybody's
name?
I mean,
the writer
could have
just saved a
lot of
research and
time and
just stopped
at verse 7
and jump all
the way to
verse 28
where the
story continues.
So why
have we
got all
this list
of names?
Does he
just like
names?
Has he
got a
particular
hobby?
No,
it's much
deeper and
richer than
that.
But this
list of
names reveals
to us
God's
faithfulness
or to be
more accurate
God's
assurances
to his
people in
times of
great failure.
look with
me at
this list
of names.
They're
recorded or
broken up
into four
groups.
So starting
in verse 8
we have a
list of
names of
sons and
then come
to verse 15
and we're
told these
are the
sons of
Leah born
to Jacob.
And then
we have a
list of
other sons.
And we
get to
verse 18
and we're
told these
are the
children born
to Jacob
by Zilpah.
And then
we've got
more names.
And then
verse 22
these were
the sons
of Rachel
who were
born to
Jacob.
And then
a few
more and
in verse
25 these
are the
sons born
to Jacob
by Bilhah.
What's
going on?
why all
these
kind of
references
to their
mothers?
Well
Leah was
Jacob's
first wife.
And remember
we learned
this just
now.
Jacob
didn't love
Leah.
He loved
Rachel.
And it
sparked off
a baby
war.
Who could
get the
most babies
out of
Jacob?
And when
they couldn't
have more
babies they
got their
maidservants
involved.
Zilpah
and Bilhah.
It sparked
was all
sparked off
by favoritism
which led
to envy
and rivalry.
One family
but here
they are
divided
and broken
in four.
You see
that's what
favoritism
does.
That's what
sin does.
It wrecks
and it
destroys.
They are a
family that
have been
broken up.
But yet
here they
are all
listed,
all named,
all recorded.
Not one
of them
is missing.
They're all
accounted
for.
Why?
Because God
had made
a promise
that he
was going
to make
this ragamuffin
bunch of
failures
into a
great nation
so that
they in
turn could
go and
be a
blessing
to the
nations.
It's a
wonder that
they've
actually
made it
so far.
In one
sense these
names shouldn't
be here
but they
are.
And it's
all down
to God's
stubborn
faithfulness
to a
bunch
of failures.
And so
as we look
at this
list of
names
we don't
go
isn't
that
boring.
we are
amazed at
what God
has done.
Verse 27
With the
two sons
who had
been born
to Joseph
in Egypt
the members
of Jacob's
family which
went to
Egypt
were 70
in all.
Now 70
isn't much
of a nation
is it?
And they
don't seem
to be doing
much blessing.
Maybe you've
got 70
in your
family you
wouldn't
call yourself
a nation.
Well nations
have to
start somewhere
don't they?
And that's
where the
story brings
us.
God
assures us
that he
keeps his
promise.
He said
he would
have a
nation
and here
he's
building
a nation.
But our
story doesn't
end there.
You see
from this
broken
family
God was
going to
bring his
promise
to
fulfillment.
from the
family line
of Jacob
would come
eventually
down through
the years
the saviour
of the
world
Jesus
Christ.
The one
who brings
the blessing
of new
life and
eternal
hope to
all the
nations.
You see
God may
have started
out way
back in
Genesis
with a
nation of
70.
God's
love to
God.
But today
there are
hundreds of
millions of
people who
have been
brought into
the family
of God
by trusting
in Jesus
Christ.
Listen to
what the
apostle Peter
reminds us.
You can
follow it on
the screen.
Peter says,
I now
realize how
true it is
that God
does not
show
favouritism.
Our
problem
often is
favouritism
but not
with God.
He accepts
people from
every
nation.
The one
who fears
him and
does what
is right.
Everyone
who believes
in him
receives
forgiveness
of sins
through his
name.
You see
just as
God said
he is
building a
nation,
a people
belonging to
him,
a bunch
of failures
who have
been forgiven
and are
welcomed into
God's
family.
And God
loves
everyone
equally.
Each one
is treasured.
There is
no favouritism
within the
family of
God.
And everyone
is remembered
and everyone
is accounted
for.
This family,
this nation
is what we
call the
church.
That's who
we are,
a nation
gathering
together,
who have
been commissioned
by the
risen Jesus
to go
and bring
blessing to
the nations.
Remember what
Jesus said?
The end of
Matthew's
gospel,
chapter 28.
Go and
make
disciples
of all
nations
and surely
I am with
you always
to the very
end of the
age.
There's
that promise
again.
The
ever-present
promise.
These are
the last
words of
Jesus
recorded by
Matthew in
his gospel.
And of
all the
things Jesus
wants us
to remember,
it's this
promise that
as you go
as my
people,
I am
with you
always.
grace.
I am
ever-present
in whatever
you do.
You see,
the account
of Jacob's
family
enables us
to recall
the assurances
of God.
It gives us
assurance that
God will do
what he says
he will do.
God is
working through
his people,
people like
us, who
are gathered
here in
Carigaline,
to build
his church,
to share
the good
news of
Christ, so
that all
nations, all
people, might
be welcomed
in.
And how do
we know it's
going to
happen?
Because of
this story.
Because of
what God
started and
what he's
continuing to
do.
And it
happens by
the stubborn
faithfulness of
God.
So as we
follow the
journey with
these brothers,
let's learn
from them.
As we
journey with
God together,
let us be
aware of the
sins of our
father.
Deal with
it.
Otherwise it
will come up
to the surface
and it will
be destructive
and divisive.
And as we
journey, let
us remember
the promises
of our
God.
He is
with you.
He is
ever
present.
And let's
together recall
the assurances
for our
life.
That God
will keep
his promise
and God
will build
his church.
change.
Let's
pray together.
our
father God,
there is
much for
us to
learn as
we walk
our path,
as we
journey with
you.
would you
please help
us to
learn these
three things
that we've
looked at
today.
Father,
help us
not to
hide our
sin,
but to
deal with
it, to
confess it,
so that it
doesn't become
divisive or
destructive.
father,
thank you
for the
wonderful
promise
that you
are ever
present with
us this
week,
wherever we
go,
whether it's
to school
or college,
or maybe
we have to
go and see
someone and
we're a bit
worried.
You are
with us.
And thank
you for the
great assurance
that you have
given to us,
your church,
your people.
that you
are building
a people
and you
will see
that your
promises are
fulfilled.
So help us
to walk with
you together.
Help us to
trust you,
knowing that
you are good.
and it's in
Jesus' name
we all
pray.
Amen.
Well, we're
going to
sing a
song which
is one of
praise.
We join in
with all
creation to
praise our
great God
God who
works with
sinners like
us, who
is present
with us,
and the
God who
gives us
great assurance.
Let's