22 years ago, the brothers had sold their brother Joseph into slavery.
Not only that, they had tricked their father into thinking he had been killed by a wild animal.
It was a horrendous crime, one the brothers had kept hidden and had kept buried deep in their life.
Unbeknownst to them, throughout those years, Joseph becomes ruler of all of Egypt at the time of great famine.
And he's given the title or the job of selling food to all the other people.
And the brothers are sent down to Egypt to buy food.
And on their arrival, they encounter Joseph.
Joseph immediately recognises his brothers, but the brothers don't recognise Joseph.
Now here's the question.
How would you respond if you were Joseph?
With all the power that you had, being ruler over all,
after all the brothers had done to you, what would you want to do to them?
Well, I would want my pound of flesh.
I would want revenge.
Get even.
Make them pay.
Make them suffer.
Well, surprisingly, Joseph doesn't demand justice at all.
Instead, Joseph treats them with mercy and grace.
In chapter 42, on their first visit down to Egypt to get food,
Joseph doesn't punish them, but he provides for them.
He doesn't treat them as their sins deserve.
He shows them mercy.
And then in chapter 43, on their second visit down to Egypt to get more food,
Joseph amazingly gives them their money back.
And then he invites them to dinner.
He gives them what they do not deserve.
That's grace.
Grace.
After all the brothers had done to Joseph,
he doesn't respond with justice, but with mercy and grace.
It's an extraordinary response of love and kindness.
And now in chapter 44,
still keeping his identity from them,
it seems that grace and mercy have been put to one side.
And now it's all bubbled to the surface,
and he is out to get revenge.
Verse 2, look with me.
Joseph gives instructions for his silver cup
to be hidden in the youngest brother,
Benjamin's sack.
Why would he do this?
After all that had happened,
why?
Why would he want to try and trick them?
What's Joseph up to?
Well, I think there's two reasons.
The first one is,
it seems Joseph is testing his brothers
to see if they have changed.
Has the mercy and grace they received
had any effect or any impact in their life?
And second, he chooses Benjamin
because he's the youngest.
When they're confronted with the stolen cup,
are they going to treat Benjamin
the same way in which they treated young Joseph
all those years before?
You see, the big question is,
has mercy and grace made any difference to their life?
Now that's a great question to ask ourselves.
Because God has shown us grace and mercy
that is immeasurable.
Every day, God is good and kind to us.
This is how Psalm 145 puts it.
The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger,
rich in love.
The Lord is good to all.
And he has compassion on all he has made.
That all includes you and I today.
Justice is what we deserve
for our rebellion against God
and for pushing God out of our lives.
But yet he's good to us.
He shows us mercy and grace.
Now the big question for us is the same.
What difference has grace and mercy made to your life?
You see, mercy and grace doesn't mean,
well, I can live however I please.
Sure, God is merciful and God is gracious.
Sure, that's his job, isn't it?
He forgives people.
No, the reason is to change us
and to transform us.
To make us different kinds of people.
So three things we're going to see.
That when we look at mercy and grace,
it leads to true repentance,
loving sacrifice,
and humble acceptance.
So first, mercy and grace
leads to true repentance
for our sin.
Look at verse 3, chapter 44, verse 3.
As morning dawned,
the brothers were sent on their way
with their donkeys,
or if you like in modern terms,
in their four-wheel jeeps
as they headed out across the desert.
Verse 4,
they had not gone far from the city
when Joseph said to his steward,
quick, go after them at once.
Catch them.
You see, there they are,
driving along,
minding their own business,
when all of a sudden
they hear the sirens
and see flashing blue lights.
Pull over.
It's Joseph's chief of police.
Someone has stolen
the master's silver cup.
verse 7,
but they said to him,
why does my Lord say such things?
Far be it from your servants
to do anything like that.
We wouldn't dream of it.
Verse 9,
if any of your servants
is found to have the cup,
he will die
and the rest of us
will become my Lord's slaves.
Well, very well then,
said the chief of police,
let it be as you say.
Whoever is found to have it
will become my slave.
The rest of you,
well, you can carry on your way.
So there,
verse 11,
a search was conducted
all the way,
verse 12,
from the youngest,
from the eldest
down to the youngest.
There they are,
all lined up
with their bags before them
and the police
go searching one by one.
Nothing here,
nothing here.
Ah!
And then finally,
Benjamin's sack
is opened
and there's the cup.
Verse 13,
at this they tore
their clothes
and they loaded up
their donkeys
and they returned
to the city.
So there they are,
under guard,
taken back
to face
the master of Egypt,
Joseph himself.
They couldn't believe it.
Verse 15,
Joseph said to them,
what is this
you have done?
Don't you know
what a man like me
can find,
how we can find
things out
by divination?
What can we say
to you,
my Lord,
Judah replied?
What can we say?
How can we prove
our innocence?
You see,
the brothers know
that they didn't
steal any cup.
They know it's a set-up.
They know it's been planted.
They aren't trying
to come up with
an excuse
for something
they didn't do.
In fact,
the chief of police
back in verse 10
told them
that those
who didn't have
the cup,
well,
they were free
from blame.
No,
this is much
bigger
than that.
Look at what
he says
in the middle
of verse 16.
Judah cries out,
God has uncovered
your servant's guilt.
We are now
my Lord's slaves.
we ourselves
and the one
who was found
to have the cup.
You see,
for the first time
in their lives,
they are admitting
to their guilt
and shame.
Yes,
they are innocent
of stealing the cup,
but he's still saying,
we're guilty.
But what are they
guilty of?
Well,
it's the sin
of selling their brother
and telling lies
to their father.
All these years,
that sin
that has been hidden
and pressed down,
no longer
are they hiding it.
They are taking
ownership of it
and they admit
to it.
Of course,
they don't know
who Joseph is,
but God
has been making
things known
to them.
Verse 16,
God has uncovered
your servant's guilt.
You see,
that's the effect
that grace
and mercy
has on people's lives.
It slowly
softens
hardened hearts.
And people
begin to admit
as God
shines the light
into their heart
and reveals
what is going
on inside.
You see,
without the work
of God
in our life,
we would never
admit to anything
unless God
uncovers
our guilt.
Well,
we would continue
to keep it
covered
and pushed
down.
None of us
by ourselves
are rushing
to repent
before God.
If we were,
well,
our new Taoiseach
Simon Harris,
well,
that would be
the first thing
on his agenda,
to call the whole
country to repentance
because we all
need to turn
to God.
it's not on
his agenda
and it's not
on our country's
agenda.
Left to ourselves,
we would always
keep our sin
and our guilt
and our shame
covered up.
We don't want
anyone to know.
But it's only
because of God's
mercy and grace
at work within
our life
that exposes
the truth
that we
eventually
come clean
and we repent
of our sin.
Have you ever
wondered why
God is so
kind to us?
Why he
continues to
pour out
grace and
mercy on us
day after
day?
Well,
it's not so
that we can
go on living
as we please
and do whatever
we like.
No,
it's to lead
us to own
our sin
and to
confess
our sin.
Listen to
what scripture
says.
Do you
show contempt
for the riches
of his kindness,
forbearance
and patience,
not realizing
that God's
kindness is
intended to
lead you to
repentance?
Well,
today
is a day
of God's
rich
kindness.
The God
who reveals
and uncovers
our sin
not to
squash us
and squish
us,
but so that
we can freely
come before
God in
repentance
and be
covered
over
by his
forgiveness.
God is
kind to
us.
He is
so very
kind.
So first,
mercy
and grace
leads to
true
repentance
of all
of our
sins.
There's
a second
change.
Mercy
and grace
lead us
to loving
sacrifice
for each
other.
Now,
as we
read this
account,
some will
see
Judah's
repentance
as a
confession
in a
crisis.
You know
those kinds
of
confessions.
We get
found out.
Somebody's
ratted on
us.
Oh,
we say
sorry,
but after
a while
we're back
to our
usual
self.
The old
routine,
the same
old
habits.
But not
for Judah.
You see,
as we look
at his
life,
we see
true
repentance
which is
seen in
a changed
life,
a transformed
life,
because that's
what mercy
and grace
do.
It changes
us from
the inside.
Look at
how Judah
responds
to the
charge
that Benjamin
is now
going to
become a
slave.
We'll pick
it up in
verse 17.
Joseph
said,
far be
it from
me to
do such
a thing.
I'm not
going to
make all
of you
slaves.
Only
the man
who was
found to
have the
cup will
become my
slave.
The rest
of you,
well,
you're free
to go
back to
your father
in peace.
Well,
in days
gone by,
Judah would
have accepted
that deal
without a
second thought,
wouldn't
he?
It was
survival is
the strongest
as far
as he
was
concerned.
But now
his
sincerity
shines
through,
that he
genuinely
has
repented.
Look at
verse 18.
Then Judah
went up to
Joseph and
said,
pardon your
servant,
my lord.
Let me
speak a
word to
my lord.
Do not
be angry
with your
servant,
though you
are equal
to Pharaoh
himself.
And what
follows is
a retelling
of how
much
Benjamin
means to
his father
Jacob,
and the
climax of
that comes
to us
in verse
30.
Let's pick
it up in
verse 30.
Joseph,
or Judah
says to
Joseph,
so now,
if the
boy is
not with
us when
I go
back to
your
servant,
my father,
and if
my father
whose life
is closely
bound up
with the
boy's life,
sees that
the boy
isn't
there,
he will
die,
it will
break his
heart,
it will
kill him.
Your
servants
will bring
the grey
head of
our father
down to
the grave
in sorrow.
Your
servant
guaranteed
the boy's
safety to
my father.
I said,
if I do
not bring
him back
to you,
I will
bear the
blame before
you,
my father,
all my
life.
Well,
words are
cheap,
aren't
they?
Anyone
can say
that.
But Judah
not only
remembers his
promise,
he is now
ready to
fulfil it.
Look at
what happens,
verse 33.
Now then,
please let
your servant
remain here
as my
Lord's
slave in
place of
the boy
and let
the boy
return
with his
brothers.
What a
transformation
of life.
Judah,
who had
instigated
the whole
selling of
his brother
Joseph as
a slave,
is now
willing to
become a
substitute
for his
brother
Benjamin.
In this
instance,
as far
as the
cup is
concerned,
Judah is
innocent.
Joseph has
declared him
free to
go home.
And Judah
could have
easily have
taken off
home and
made up
some story
about
Benjamin
finding a
wife and
wanting to
stay in
Egypt.
He could
have returned
home and
had an
easy and
comfortable
life.
But no,
his life
has been
changed.
Judah is
willing to
exchange
himself with
his brother.
Judah will
become a
slave to
Joseph so
that his
brother can
go free.
You see,
mercy and
grace lead
to a
changed
life, a
life of
loving
sacrifice
towards
other.
isn't
that what
we're
called to
if we
claim we
are
disciples of
Jesus
Christ?
Listen
again to
what
scripture
says.
This is
how we
know what
love is.
Jesus
Christ laid
down his
life for
us and
we ought
to lay
down our
lives for
our brothers
and sisters.
sisters.
That's
talking about
the church
family.
Whoever
claims to
love God
yet hates
a brother or
sister is a
liar.
For whoever
does not
love their
brother or
sister cannot
love God.
You see,
God has
shown us
such mercy
and grace.
God
has given
us the
Lord Jesus
Christ who
laid down
his life
for us,
who lovingly
sacrificed
his life
for you
and for
me.
Jesus
became a
slave.
He became
a servant
so that we
could be
set free.
Although
innocent of
any sin,
he became
our sin so
that we
could now
live a
new kind
of life,
a life
that puts
others
before
ourselves,
a life
that is
willing to
take the
cost so
that others
can be
blessed.
So second,
mercy and
grace lead
to loving
sacrifice
towards
others.
So
repentance,
sacrifice,
and then
third,
mercy and
grace lead
to humble
acceptance
of God's
salvation.
Look at
chapter 45.
Verse 1,
Then Joseph
could no
longer control
himself before
all his
attendants,
and he
cried out,
Get out!
All of you,
out!
so there
was no
one with
Joseph when
he made
himself known
to his
brothers,
and he
wept so
loudly
that the
Egyptians
heard him,
and Pharaoh's
household
heard about
it.
An
outpouring
of emotion
built up
over 22
years.
finally the
plug is
released and
it all
comes out.
All that
Joseph had
gone through,
all that
had happened
to him,
and now
before his
brothers and
to see them
changed.
Verse 3,
Joseph said
to his
brothers,
I am
Joseph.
Is my
father still
living?
But his
brothers were
not able to
answer him
because they
were terrified
at his
presence.
Now,
why are
they terrified?
Well,
I am sure
they are
terrified of
what Joseph
might do
to them.
After all
that has
happened,
well,
I think
there is
another
reason for
why they are
terrified.
I think
their fear
is different.
You see,
Joseph could
have done
whatever he
wanted to
his brothers.
He has
had umpteen
opportunities.
However,
instead of
justice,
he continued
to show
mercy and
grace.
And that's
what terrifies
the brothers.
They are
faced
with
mercy
and grace
and they
realise
there is
nothing
they can
do.
It's as
if
with
inside
they are
crying out,
how could
we ever
repay
the kindness
you have
shown to
us?
They feel
the weight
and the
burden
of somehow
having to
pay it
all back
and they're
crushed.
They are in
complete
despair.
Look at
verse 5
verse 4
Joseph said
to the
brothers
come close
to me
and when
they had
done so
he said
I am
your brother
Joseph
the one
you sold
into Egypt
and now
don't be
distressed
and do
not be
angry with
yourselves
for selling
me here
because it
was to
save lives
that God
sent me
ahead of
you.
Do you
see what
Joseph is
saying?
You can
never pay
it back.
There's
nothing you
can do.
Don't be
distressed.
Don't be
angry with
yourself.
God has
been at
work to
save you
verse 6.
For two
years now
there's been
a famine
in the
land and
for the
next five
years there
will be
no ploughing
and reaping.
But God
sent me
ahead of
you to
preserve for
you a
remnant
on earth
and to
save your
lives by
a great
deliverance.
So then
it was not
you who
sent me
here but
God.
22 years
of guilt
and shame
and it's
all been
met by
mercy and
grace.
This they
do not
deserve but
more than
that the
brothers are
finally beginning
to see that
God and
his sovereignty
has been in
control of
all that
has been
going on.
He's been
at work in
their sin
and through
their sin
to achieve
their salvation.
The end of
verse 7
to save
your lives
by a
great
deliverance.
grace.
You see if
we think
that God's
mercy and
grace is
something we
have to
pay off
it will
crush you.
You will
be terrified.
It will
leave you in
desperate
despair.
Not even a
lifetime can
be enough to
pay off God's
mercy and
grace.
The debt
we owe
is immeasurable.
the only way
for us to
experience God's
mercy and
grace is to
humbly accept
that it is
God's work of
salvation in
you.
It's not what
we have done
that saves us
but despite
what we have
done.
And if we
could look back
over every
aspect of our
life we could
say the same
that God has
been at work
in and
through our
sin to
achieve our
salvation.
You see
once we
grasp this
once we
see how
great and
awesome God
is to
bring about
our salvation
it changes
our relationship
with him
forever.
Look at how
the brothers
respond to
Joseph or
how Joseph
responds to
the brothers.
verse 14
it's a
beautiful picture
of how God
the Father
responds to
those who
accept his
salvation.
Verse 14
then he
threw his
arms around
his brother
Benjamin and
wept and
Benjamin
embraced him
weeping and
he kissed
all his
brothers and
wept over
them and
afterwards his
brothers talked
with him.
Do you see
the mercy
and grace
leads to
an embrace
of one
another.
And so
as we
turn to
God in
true
repentance
as we
humbly
accept his
work in
our life
he weeps
over us
he embraces
us
and one
day we
will see
Christ
he will
be revealed
to us
in all
his glory
and he
will throw
his arms
around you
restored
forgiven
and welcomed
and we
will talk
to him
for an
eternity.
What's
mercy and
grace done
in your
life?
It
changes us
it
changes us
to freely
repent of
our sin
knowing that
he will
cover it
all.
It leads
to a change
of life
where we
love others
sacrificially
and it
leads us
to humble
acceptance
of God's
amazing gift
of salvation.
Let's pray
together.