Handling Forgiveness Genesis 45

Sermon Nuggets Mon Dec 31 Handling Forgiveness

Gen 45:1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. ² And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.

        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.

       ⁴ 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 sold into Egypt! ⁵ And now, do not 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. ⁶ For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

        ⁸ “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. ⁹ Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. ¹⁰ You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. ¹¹ I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’

Handling Forgiveness

As we enter into a new year my wish for us all is to be able to forget the past hurts grudges, resentments, and sins. This story of Joseph may help us all handle forgiveness better but I believe cannot really happen without the Lord. I am not sure that those who experienced traumatic experience can forget it. Those who have been victims have not come to grief if they think forgiveness is denying real emotion.

This Christmas there were many tears with families who laid to rest their little children killed in Newtown, Connecticut by a madman. How about a young girl raped by a drunken relative, or person who was mugged and beaten and is in the hospital.

 More healing will have to take place and it begins from within not on any outside circumstances.

           

You and I may not face such tragic heartache as the murderous and senseless death of a family member and loved one. But most of us know the hurt of innocent or evil offenses. Some may be physical or sexual abuse, or incest; others may be the victims of cruel teasing by school classmates. Most of us have been victims of lies or gossip. Some have been cheated upon in different ways.

            When we are hurt we want to strike back. When someone wrongs us we want them to pay. When we suffer at the hands of another physical, emotional, or mental offense, we want the offenders to suffer also. We want justice for crimes. God speaks clearly about offenses that need to be punished.  Laws teach us about retribution.

            Joseph had lots of reasons to be bitter and hold grudges against his brothers. But when all the tests were over, He embraced them and wept over them and offered the best of what he can provide. He forgave them. There was a new beginning for that family- a new year.  

Now when someone wants to be forgiven the offended party has two options. One is to forgive and the other is not. For the Christian the Bible teaches us the importance of forgiveness. We have an option to either obey or disobey; to receive the healing and blessing and help from God or seek to resolve it on our own.  Does that sound hard?

I think the first step in understanding the subject of forgiveness as a Christian is to concentrate on God’s attitude toward us. We have been forgiven people. He forgave people we would never think of forgiving. He brought reconciliation to evil people who repented. He brought salvation to you for no good reason. None of us can match the requirements we would need to do to be forgiven except to accept it as a gift from the one whose love goes beyond our offenses. He paid the price to make it right. Now there is no need to go beaten ourselves up and not forgiving ourselves, not because we deserve it, but he took all our sin on the cross and wiped it away. We may have consequences from an earthly point of view for our actions, but before God we are deemed righteous. It is grace to understand forgiveness from Gods’ perspective.

What is hard is also to realize that people that have offended us in coming to Christ have also been forgiven by him. Christ death not only took our sins, but the sins of the one whom we resent, hate, or over whom we hold a grudge. If they have not come to the Lord then they are to be pitied and prayed for.

Ultimately all sin needs to be faced before our Holy God. It is either by high priest, Jesus Christ, or it is by the death and separation from Him eternally. We need a mediator and it is that same mediator, Christ, who stands with our offender as a brother or sister in the Lord.

Freely you have received. Freely give.

Start with confession to the Lord and receive the freedom of forgiveness first for yourself. Believe by faith you are free from all guilt and enjoy His grace.

For Joseph forgiveness came when he saw the hand of God in his life and it gave him a different perspective. As a slave he became a most respected leader in Egypt. It was grace that allowed him to move beyond his offenders.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Jan 1 – Initiation Forgiveness

Gen 45: ⁴ 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 sold into Egypt! ⁵ And now, do not 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. ⁶ For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

⁸ “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. ⁹ Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. ¹⁰ You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. ¹¹ I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’

Initiating Forgiveness

 I think we can act in forgiveness before we will feel forgiveness. That means we must extend our hand first. We must utter the first word; we must make the call or write the note; we must make the first move. There are so many broken relationships because people are sitting and waiting for someone else to make the first move.

            I appreciate one of the deacons at my previous church in Trade Lake Baptist who would tell people, “You are the mature Christian it is up to you to make the first move to make things right.” I thought that was good advice.

The reason Joseph was able to face his brothers and provide forgiveness is because he put them to a test. He saw their genuine repentance, regretting their sin with regard to Joseph, and reversing their actions when a similar situation was presented with regard to Benjamin.

Joseph demonstrated his sincere and total forgiveness of his brothers for the evil they had committed against him. Forgiveness is a vital part of the Christian experience. It is necessary in terms of our relationship with God: For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions Mt 6:14-15

Since the school shooting in Newtown people are remembering other previous tragedies. In 1998 two middle schoolers dressed in camouflage and rang the fire alarm at Jonesboro, Ark. While students and teachers filed out they began shooting.

Four students were killed and one teacher Shannon Wright tried to protect her students and got in the way and was shot and died. Because of a loophole in the law each of the shooters were released free of charges on their 21^st Birthdays.

 Michael Wright the husband of the slain teacher was a Christian. He knew that he must fight against being consumed by rage. He began on the very Sunday after the horror, asking his church family for support. The stakes, he realized, were high. First, there was his 3 year old son, Zane.

"When my wife was dying, she said, "I love you, and take care of Zane.' Well, if I lose it, then I can't take care of him." And then there was the spiritual issue. "If you let the hate and anger build in you, that's a very strong sin," he says softly. "I need to be able to totally forgive. To me, forgiveness would be that when these boys get out, I can see them on the street or in a Wal-Mart and not want to . . " He voices trails off. He concedes, "I am not at that point yet." At least he knows unresolved anger leads to bitterness, hostility, and revenge. Forgiveness leads to freedom and reconciliation

Now Joseph had a good deal of time to think about this. He had time to work out some of his feelings. When it comes to anger and arguing the instructions of Ephesians is do not let the sun go down on your anger. Work it out before bitterness creeps in. But it seemed almost premature that the night after Columbine shootings some students posted signs saying we forgive you Eric and Dylan.

I imagine that it took time for Joseph to work things through with God. I'm sure that it took awhile before Joseph saw God's hand in the circumstances that surrounded him. But Joseph kept working on it. I don't know how long it took. And I don't know how long it will take you. What happened to Joseph was certainly awful, but I know that many of you have had awful things happen to you as well.

Initially I come up with lots of rationalizations for not forgiving someone when they have offended me. But I admit that after all his said and done I am reluctantly faced with a door that I do not want to open. It is the door of truth of the Bible that teaches by illustration and direct commands I need to be the one who initiates forgiveness. I've looked for loopholes. I've longed to find a reason to not forgive those who hurt me. But those reasons aren't there. In the Lord's Prayer we pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

In Mark 11:25 we read the words of Jesus. "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

Jesus is not implying that forgiveness of others is a prerequisite for salvation. But a true believer must manifest the character of the Father. If we don't forgive we show that we have not experienced (or don't appreciate) God's forgiveness. He told Peter and all of us don’t just forgive someone 7 times, but 7 times 70.

In other words, the Bible tells us that we have been forgiven a great debt. We have experienced what it means to be set free so we should extend that grace to others. I know this is difficult to hear but I believe it to be true: We do not forgive, because we do not appreciate what we have been forgiven. We feel that what others have done to us is worse than what we have done to God. Maybe it would be better stated this way: We do not forgive because we have not grasped the serious nature of our offense against God.

Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Col. 3:13) Our pattern for forgiveness is supposed to be Christ. It is a required step if we are going to find peace of God within. The opposite of forgiveness is bitterness and resentment. From a purely selfish standpoint, it is foolish not to forgive. Why continue to live with bitterness? Why do that to ourselves? Why not "let it go?" Even if the other person never realizes the hurt they inflicted, WE are better off if we forgive. When we refuse to forgive, we erect a barrier to joy. What someone did to us was painful . . . but let's not compound that pain by playing the hurt over and over in our minds.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds Jan 2 Reconciliation

Gen 45:8-14

Reconciliation

It seems that when Joseph saw the heart and the pain of his brothers. He wept and wailed and I believe a deep desire for reconciliation. Reconciliation is the step to do what it takes to make things right again. It is to bring two or more parties together in agreement and remove the barriers that divide. The offense against another party divides them. And sometimes retribution will take the barrier away. Sometimes paying for the offense will take the barrier away, but the best way is Gods way and it is forgiveness.

“But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you; in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; (Mt 5:44).

Joseph revealed himself to his brothers because they had evidenced real repentance, which made reconciliation possible. Now that it was time to reveal himself. I read one preacher who believes the reason Joseph sent the Egyptians away was in order to deal with the matter of the sin of his brothers in strictest privacy. Not just to keep his emotions from his slaves, because they all know anyway and it reached Pharaoh’s ears.

Now if you were to put yourself in the shoes of the brothers, I am not so sure their reactions were unusual. Once Joseph told them who they were they were terrified even more than just a ruler of Egypt. It was bad enough to stand before a powerful Egyptian governor who was angered at the theft of a cup, but to realize that he was their brother whom they had sold into slavery—that was too much! Before, they at least had a hope that this judge would be impartial and that mercy might motivate him to accept their appeal. But now their judge must surely be their enemy, whom they had unjustly condemned. No wonder they were petrified.

Now reconciliation is not easy. I believe it is a faith step. One needs to ask God to help you. We are much better at being angry than we are at being loving. Even when we want to do what is right, we need God's help to do so. Ask God to help you to let go and to "remember no more".

 Not until Joseph had demonstrated that he had forgiven them and loved them did they speak. Since they have come to recognize the magnitude of their sin, Joseph need not belabor that point. The stress, instead, falls upon the totality of the forgiveness he has given them or, as the song writer has described it, “grace greater than all my sins.”

In general, we can say that forgiveness is a conscious decision on the part of the offended party to release the offender from the penalty and guilt of the offense committed. This release not only frees the offender from guilt and punishment, but it also frees the forgiver of anger and bitterness.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Dec 3 Refocus

Gen 45

Refocus

To help in handling forgiveness change your focus from the circumstances of the offense, to God’s sovereignty. Take the step of turning it over to God who loves you than seeking to somehow punish the offender in your own way. Faith is a step that acknowledges the sovereignty of God.  Nothing happens that God doesn't know about. There are no surprises with God. And the very details that brought about the sale of Joseph into Slavery into Potipher's house are the exact details used of God to bring about the salvation of the Israelites.  Joseph was at the right place at the right time under the direction of God for his greater purpose.

The refocused step realizes as one person said. “Our disappointments are Gods’ appointments” The things that would cause us to be discouraged are the things that God uses to bring bout good or growth or understanding or dependency upon Him. “Consider it all joy,” James tells us, “when you face trial of many sorts, for the trying of your faith produces maturity. Making you complete and perfected by God. 

Joseph’s words are filled with hope and encouragement. “You sold me,” Joseph said, “but God sent me”. Their purpose was to destroy, but God’s was to save. Men may sin by attempting to do what is unacceptable to God, while at the same time they are accomplishing what God has purposed. God brought good out of the situation.  

Refocus on the power and plan of God. Focus on God's Sovereignty rather than your pain. Salvation, not destruction, was the purpose of God in what had happened. How, then, could Joseph even consider doing to his brothers what they feared? Joseph would thus be reminding them that his humiliation and suffering were the means to his promotion and exaltation. Joseph is able to forgive because he sees his situation from an eternal perspective. Paul says, "God is working for our good in ALL things". (Rom 8:28)

Part of that refocusing is to remember the attitude that was shown by Christ Himself. Jesus set aside His rights and prerogatives in order to be rejected of men and hanged (innocently) upon a cruel cross.  Forgiveness is not so difficult for the humble as it is for the haughty. If our sinless Savior was willing to die on the cross for sinners, is it such a great thing for Him to ask us to sacrifice our own interests for those of others?

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri Jan 4 - Restoration

Gen 45: 14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.

16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan, 18 and bring 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.’

19 “You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. 20 Never mind about your belongings, because the best of all Egypt will be yours.’”

21 So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey. 22 To each of them he gave new clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes. 23 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. 24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”

25 So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.” Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them. 27 But 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. 28 And Israel said, “I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Restoration

Joseph made plans to bring his family to Egypt so they can all be together. Plans and provisions were given so Jacob could know that Joseph is alive and he will also be given land and resources under the Pharaoh’s order. Provisions for the journey would probably have been grain, bread to eat, something to drink, and fodder for their animals. Also, each of the brothers was given a change of clothing. Of course when the silver cup was discovered in Benjamin’s sack all of the brothers tore their garments as a sign of mourning. They probably needed something.

Restoration realizes that forgiveness is not free. Sin must always have a price that is paid. But forgiveness is the decision on the part of the offended to suffer the penalty due the offender. If a banker pardons a loan, it means that the borrower does not have to repay his debt, but it also means that the lender suffers the loss of the money loaned and not repaid. If society pardons a criminal, it means that society suffers the consequences of the criminal’s act, not the criminal. If I go to your house and break a vase and you forgive me for my error, you suffer the loss of the vase. If however I pay for the vase that is not forgiveness it is redeeming myself by paying the consequences myself for my sin.

True forgiveness is not earned. If a man commits a crime and he serves out his prison sentence, he is not forgiven; he has simply paid his debt to society. If a man cannot pay back a loan within the time allotted but is forced to pay it out over some more extended period of time, his debt has not been forgiven. If our forgiveness is the kind that demands that the person “pay for it” before we will forgive, then we are not giving forgiveness. That may be justice, but it is not mercy. It may be law, but not grace. Just as we can in no way contribute to the forgiveness and salvation which Christ has accomplished on the cross of Calvary, so no one we forgive can be forgiven and yet forced to pay for their offense against us.

Perhaps the best analogy comes from the dealing of God in the life of the disobedient saint. Since all the sins of the Christian, past, present, and future, are forgiven at Calvary, God will not punish the saint who is forgiven once for all. But there is still the need for discipline and correction. The forgiveness of our sins assures us that God is rightly related to us, but discipline causes us to draw more closely to him. (Heb 12:5-11).

           

Joseph told them not to argue. Although they were forgiven, they would face a great temptation to try to assess the precise measure of guilt of each person. The buck would be passed, and a heated argument would no doubt ensue. All of this was profitless since all had been forgiven. Their trip would be a happier one if they focused upon grace and not guilt.

When they returned home they told the news to Jacob who couldn’t believe it. He had seen grace demonstrated in their lives and say Joseph provided for the entire family during the famine. He not only forgave but out of love gave abundantly as a picture of salvation and the inheritance that is ours because of our Savior Jesus.

Some think to forgive means we have to forget.

I realized forgiving someone does not mean I may not trust them because I need to know are trustworthy. Do you suppose Joseph could forget what had been done to him? Instead of forgetting, he reminds them! "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good."

To forgive means things have to go back to the way they were. . Forgiveness is simply making a new start. But some scars are so deep that we feel we could never forget what happened. And we are not sure we should forget.

Forgetting has more to do with relationship than memory. God says “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." (Isa. 43:25). But since God is all knowing it isn’t his inability to remember but a figurative way to say they are as if we never sinned because the debt is paid. It will not be brought up again. What God does is to make a choice to not allow what has happened in the past to affect His relationship with us in the present. We may not be able to literally forget what another has done but we can refuse to let the past influence our relationship in the present.

Likewise, forgiveness does not mean subjecting ourselves to the same hurt over and over again. Joseph had no animosity for his brothers but he was not going to make himself vulnerable again until he knew that they had changed. Joseph had no bitterness but he also had no desire to be victimized again. In other words, forgiveness precedes a restored relationship.     

Suppose a person is being abused by their spouse. The abuser says he is sorry. You believe him. You forgive them. But you also tell the person that unless he gets some help you will not return to the house. Is that incompatible with forgiveness? No, you can care about the person; you can forgive them and still insist that something change. In fact, if you care about the relationship you know that there will have to be change. Forgetting becomes possible when both parties seek to establish a new relationship that will keep this kind of thing from happening in the future. Forgetting requires true repentance on the part of the offender and a resolve not to wallow in self-pity in the offended.

           

A forgiven embezzler doesn't become a treasurer again. A forgiven child molester should never be in a day care.   It is idealistic to say that forgiveness means things can go back to the way they were before; sometimes they can/can’t.  But forgiveness can still take place!

Pastor Dale

Handling Sin - Genesis 44

Sermon Nuggets Mon Dec 24 Handling Sin

Gen 44

Repentance

Some of you know that during my Junior and Senior year of college I worked as a summer missionary with Youth Development Inc. out of East Harlem New York. The ministry started and run by an ex-gangster, Jim Vaus. Jim Vaus had a movie made of his story how he was a wire tapper working for West Coast gangster Mickey Cohen. It was during the Los Angeles Crusade with Billy Graham that Vaus gave his heart over to the Lord and although it would probably cost him his life he left Cohen’s gang and moved to New York to start a ministry to youth gangs.

Some time afterwards, Vaus also witnessed to Cohen. Billy Graham met with the two of them privately and after one long night session, he was urged to open the door and let Christ in. Cohen responded. But as the months passed, people saw no change in his life of crime. When confronted, he responded that no one had told him he would have to give up his work or his friends. After all, there were Christian football players, Christian cowboys, Christian politicians; why not a Christian gangster?

It was at this time that Cohen was told about repentance. And at that point Cohen announced that he wanted nothing to do with Christianity.

It is possible to find the gospel of Jesus Christ attractive for a number of reasons, because of the promise of forgiveness from sin, because it holds out the hope of life after death because it talks about blessings and peace in this life, because it will help you fit in with the group of people.

But the person who "comes to Christ" for any of these reasons is not really a child of God. They have not come to believe in Christ that allows for Him to change them. They have never come to grips with the nature of their need to change their thinking, their lives, and their priorities,  

What is hard for some people to understand is that we cannot clean up our act before coming to faith in Christ for if we could that would be salvation by works. But to submit ourselves to His control and be willing to give ourselves to Him and trust Him for our salvation results in letting Him do the work in our lives. There will be a change or there is apparently no repentance. Paul preached in “First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” Acts 26:20 People don’t like to see their actions as sinful.

Secular psychology can tell us that things are only right or wrong in each person’s eyes, and guilt feelings can be changed when we learn to accept ourselves that way we are. Guilt has been taken out of sin out of life and penance is a symbolic ritual to be done only when you feel a need to talk to someone.

Very little is said anymore on the place of repentance as an essential ingredient in our spiritual relationship with God. Our Lord’s last words to His disciples speak of the necessity of repentance: and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations—beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46-47).

When Peter began the first Gospel sermon filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost he preached Acts 2:38-39 "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-- for all whom the Lord our God will call."

Simply put repentance is more than just agreeing with God about your spiritual need but repentance as believing Christ resulting in following Him.

           

Have you been wondering why Joseph waited so long to reveal his identity? It seems Joseph is trying to find out if his brothers had changed and desiring to be reconciled to his family again. His love was greater than any hurts or resentments he could have had. Were they ready to receive him as their brother again?

Pastor Dale

           

Sermon Nuggets Tues Dec 25- 

Gen 44: ¹⁶ “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.”

Awareness of Sin

            This Christmas Day let us remind ourselves of what our Lord said, “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” That is why the people can rejoice. Joy is restored to the lost. The redeemer has come. The one who will deliver us from bondage has arrived to begin his work.

Like Zacchaeus facing Jesus made him aware that he had stolen money in his job as a tax collector. Now his heart was changed and saw life from a godly perspective having been with Jesus. He left his greed and entered generosity for the sake of the Lord.

That is repentance. It is changing how we lived to self and now living for the Lord by the power of his grace and spirit. How is it Joseph was used to help the brothers face their guilt? The love they had for their father and the realization how much Jacob loved Joseph and now Benjamin was more than they could take when the silver was found in Benjamin’s sack. Let’s face it; sin is not a popular subject anymore. Many will use words like mistakes, poor choices, inappropriate thinking.

            Now the problem wasn't the offense the brothers were being accused of. When the steward found the silver cup in Benjamin’s bag that wasn't his sin or anyone else’s sin. Instead they were feeling that God was judging them for their real sin and the way they tried to kill and then sell Joseph some 22 years earlier. Judah and Reuben each had illustrations pointed out on their sexual sins in other chapters.

             

I also don’t believe Joseph used the silver cup for divination especially since he had the revelations by God in dreams, but this was one of the ways the Egyptians used occult practices and I believe Joseph used that cup as part of the masquerade to led them to believe he had magical powers to know the truth. Whereas he knew the truth because he was their brother who they sold into slavery. So in a sense he is giving them a symbol that says, “Don’t lie to me because I have other ways of finding out the truth.”

Some people never come open with the truth unless they are caught straight out in a lie. None of the brothers were lying, nor had they to Joseph, but neither had they been honest with their father or others about what really happened to Joseph. This was on their hearts and minds all these years.

           

All of the brothers tore their clothes as a sign of grief and mourning, and all of them returned to Joseph’s house. Had they acted only in self-interest, they would have renounced Benjamin as a thief, deserted him, and fled from Egypt as quickly as possible. But something different was taking place. These were not the same men that had determined to do away with Joseph at Dothan, and yet it was as though they were reliving the event in the person of Benjamin.

           

Now they were faced with a similar situation. Benjamin was most loved by their father Jacob just as Joseph was. He was far from home. Benjamin was accused of a terrible crime. Just like they left Joseph they could have left Benjamin. This was a test.  More than twenty years later, the same temptation faces these men. Will they evidence a change of heart, or will they act in self-interest? That is what Joseph must know. The moment of truth has arrived.

Maybe this Christmas is a time to get rid of burdens of the past that plague you. It is to see Jesus as one who came to save the lost and free us from the bondage of oppression, even the oppression of sin. Be free. Be joyful. Celebrate our savior and His love for you.

Pastor Dale

           

 Acknowledgment of Guilt  v. 16

Gen 44: ¹⁶ “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.”

            When Judah talks about guilt here, what is he talking about since there is no need to confess something they didn’t do? We know that the brothers did not take the cup. I don't think Judah is confessing to stealing the cup, it seems Judah is confessing on behalf of the brothers to the guilt in regard to Joseph. Notice that Judah says "God has uncovered your servant's guilt". Judah sees this event as God's way of judging them for their sin against Joseph. So, it seems, Judah is confessing their past sin! No more excuses. No rationalizations. He doesn't try to get out of it. He comes clean: they are guilty.

And that is the first step to a person coming to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. There must be an admission of guilt. No rationalizations. No excuses. It's just us and our sin standing before the Lord.

Proverbs 28:13 People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy.

We cannot be right with God until we accept responsibility for our actions. Until we recognize that we are wrong we cannot know the restoration that comes from God's forgiveness. You can't seek forgiveness if you don't recognize that you need to be forgiven. Now they fall prostrate before him, no longer seeking justice as before (verses 7-9), but mercy. Joseph rebuked them for their wicked deed, again reminding them of his ability to learn the true facts of the matter. They could not deceive him; he knew all. That is the thrust of his words.

According to vs. 16 there is an awareness and acknowledgment that it is God against whom they have sinned. But Joseph responded as one might think he should if they subject was the cup. Why should all suffer for the sin of one? No, all would be sent home to their father except Benjamin, and he would remain as Joseph’s slave (vs 17).

Recently, I had offended someone. I found myself making excuses and trying to pretend I wasn’t really all that responsible. The Holy Spirit continued to convict me of my sin. At first I tried to ignore it. But then the guilt I felt was undeniably from the Lord. The only way to find inner peace was to ask forgiveness and seek restitution and reconciliation. Then the guilt I felt between me and God was removed. It changes the relationships with others as well.

When someone gets a glimpse of God’s holiness or love there is a response that is humbling. It is an awareness of the need for grace and the need for mercy.

Acknowledgment of guilt is related to the song, “It’s me, it’s me oh Lord standing in the need of prayer. Not my brother or my sister, but it’s me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer.”

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Dec 27- Sorrow

Gen 44: 13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city. 14 Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him.

Authentic Sorrow

We read that they "tore their clothes." This was an act of mourning. It was something you did when you were in the throes of sorrow. Repentance often is prompted by sorrow for sin. It involves, sorrow that we have offended a Holy God- sorrow that by our actions we have shown such incredible ingratitude for what God has done for us; sorrow for the barrier that our act erects between us and God; sorrow that we have polluted the beauty of God's creation.

 I think there is a genuine humility in the brothers. They understand that they have not simply "broken the rules", they have severed their relationship with God. They take the posture of people who have no hope except to plea for mercy. They don't come presenting their credentials . . . they come for mercy.

The truly repentant person does not come trumpeting his goodness. He has come to a new understanding that any apparent goodness is façade. He understands that his only hope is through the grace of God. He know that he cannot even muster the requisite faith without a touch from God.

The brothers seemed sorry; they felt that they were getting their just rewards. Some people are only sorry they get caught. Many will confess to get out of trouble. It would be tempting to show remorse for the purpose of getting out of the consequences. This is not uncommon. The abusive spouse might say he is "sorry" after a violent outburst. But is he sorry enough to get help if this hasn’t stopped? Or is he sorry enough to convince his wife not to file charges or divorce him?

The drunk driver is "sorry" after someone is injured or killed in an accident. But it is for their behavior or is he sorry that he is facing adverse consequences?

The thief is sorry after he is arrested but may only be sorry for getting caught;

The promiscuous person is sorry that she "didn't take better precautions" but not for her sin.  The gossip is sorry that things got "out of control" but she sees the problem with others and not herself. It is even possible for a person to feel sorrow because he is afraid of hell and yet not be sorry for the wrong he has done. They are not sorry for the offense against God -they just don't want to be punished!

Many people live their spiritual lives this way. It is a ritual that may not have real meaning when they offer “confession”. Repentance involves change of heart, mind and action.

But once you realize your sin and the rightful penalty that should be yours—once you come to God, not to barter and bargain for blessings, but to cast yourself upon His mercy—then you will come to see the other side of God. He is a loving Father, who desires to pour out His blessings upon you. He wants to save you and to enable you to live a life that pleases Him and you.

            Judah reports what happened. And the loss of Benjamin would literally kill their father whom they loved and respected. He is suggesting that Joseph would consent to a substitution. He is willing to take the punishment himself for his brother’s proposed guilt.

Let him remain as Joseph’s prisoner, Judah pled (verse 33), for he could not bear to face his father without Benjamin. He would prefer to remain a slave in Egypt than to be free in Canaan and witness the pain and suffering he had helped to impose upon his father.

He is exhibiting godly conviction, sorrow and repentance.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri Dec 28 Change

Gen 44:18-34 & Gen 45:1-15

Actual Change

            The final result to repentance is to see actions change. This is the one thing most people ignore over. If the sin is gossip stop gossiping and start praising, If it is lying, don’t continue to lie. Tell the truth. If it is stealing, stop stealing and be like Nicodemus who wanted to give it back and even with very generous interest. It is retribution and makes things right to the victim.

.           There was a cartoon in a magazine that depicted young George Washington  standing with an axe in his hand. Before him lying on the ground is the famous cherry tree. He has already made his smug admission that he did it -- after all, he "cannot tell a lie." But his father is standing there exasperated saying, "All right, so you admit it! You always admit it! The question is, when are you going to stop doing it?"

I wonder how often God says the same thing of all those who confess their wrongs but do not change. The true evidence of repentance is a changed behavior. To repent is to go in a different direction. But what if we cannot stop and have tried and tried and tried. 

The key to the passage is Joseph received them into his grace and mercy. It was ultimately love that brought a change of heart. Is that any different with God? When we try by our own efforts we often will be discouraged. When we re-focus on rebuilding our relationship with the one we love, Jesus Christ, we find He gives power when we are powerless. Romans 7:26,27 Who will rescue me from this body of death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! “

Do we see a genuine change in the brothers of Joseph? You bet we do. God has done his work. The brothers have acknowledged their guilt, have pled for mercy, and have shown that they are pursuing a new life. But ultimately the change came when Joseph brought them into his forgiveness and love. Look at the evidence,

            There is no longer fury of jealousy at the favoritism. Neither now when they stand up for him or earlier when they were eating and Benjamin received five times more than they are for dinner. Before they wanted money for Joseph in the wilderness, now they were offering themselves in exchange for their brother. Before they lied to their father regarding Joseph’s loss not they’re pleading for mercy on behalf of Benjamin.

Jesus told his disciples that they would be able to tell the true followers from the false followers by "their fruit."

Jack Eckard was the owner of a chain of drug stores called Eckard drugs. After he became a believer he pulled all the pornography off of the shelves of his stores even though it cost him 3 million dollars a year in profit. Why? Because he could no longer pander in sin if he was going to follow the Lord.

Please understand, most of us will have certain things that we struggle with all our lives. We will sin, have genuine sorrow intend on making real change and then we fall again. It happens. That does not mean someone has not repented.

The prodigal son sinned by demanding his inheritance and squandering it on loose living. He eventually came to suffer the consequences of his sin, feeding swine in a far country and having no food but that which he fed the hogs. His regrets eventually turned to repentance. He realized the foolishness of his sins and yearned for fellowship with his father, even as a hired servant. He came to his senses and returned home to his father, not seeking justice, but mercy, and his father warmly received him.  That was biblical repentance. Genuine sorrow for sin brought about a change in this son’s thinking and actions. He forsook his sins and returned to his father, who gladly received him back.

The rich young ruler, on the contrary, came to Jesus in order to gain salvation without changing his values, priorities, or lifestyle. He went away sorry, but not repentant or saved, for he could not part with his old way of life 

The wonderful news of the grace of God is that He has not only made provision for our salvation, but He also has made provision for our sanctification: Romans 7:24-8:4

Mickey Cohen saw Christianity as something that would be advantageous. He didn't want to go to hell- he liked the idea of being sure of Heaven. If all he had to do was say a certain prayer great! It was a small price to pay for a great benefit.

Many want the benefits of God and have no desire to turn from their sin or honor God with their living. For some of you, you need to take that initial step of coming to Christ with the broken pieces of your life. You need to admit your hopeless situation and humbly seek and gratefully receive the grace that He extends in Christ. It's really not about the words you say it's the attitude of the heart. Perhaps you need to "come clean" and to place your hope, trust and confidence in Jesus Christ. Maybe today, you need to trust God to do in you, what you are incapable of doing for yourself.

But maybe you have done that. Maybe you have genuinely come to a point of receiving God's grace. You are a child of God. But you lack power. You lack a sense of victory and joy. It's possible that this is because you are pandering with sin. By faith, give it over to him also by faith. God's Spirit has been convicting you. You know where change is necessary, but you are stubbornly refusing to let God have that area of your life. Replace the effort of man with the filling of the Holy Spirit and spend time with God in prayer, in Scripture reading and serving Him. You will notice change. Turn from habits that hinder and develop a resolve to replace those habit with that which is up building and good. Turn off the TV. Stop “chatting” with someone you are flirting with. Pay back what doesn't belong to you. Seek a friend with whom you can pray and be accountable.

Perhaps it is time to come clean and to trust Him to lead you in the best way to live. It's time for you to repent and discover the grace and goodness of God.

Pastor Dale

Handling Problems Genesis 43

Sermon Nuggets Monday Dec 17 Handling Problems          

Gen 43

Handling Problems.

            Since I recycle older sermons in my “Nuggets” I made 10 practical points illustrated by the lives Jacob, Judah and Joseph and the different ways they faced problems. Let them serve as examples to us.

I also apologize for two things. First had this devotional ready on Monday but just forgot to it the send button.  Secondly, I admit I have a problem with alliterations. I think there must be help for me, but maybe it is too late. All 10 points begin with the letter P. I promised I would give this up last New Years in my resolutions, but old habits don’t die very well.

            Remember, Joseph was a slave in Egypt, but by God’s work in his life Joseph now became the second ruler in Egypt. He used his God given leadership and organizational skills to save his country from starvation during a famine, as well as reuniting and saving his own family.  When the brothers came from Canaan seeking food Joseph recognized them and because of the accusation of being spies he said they should return with the youngest brother, Benjamin. While in jail they thought about their crime against Joseph many years earlier and wondered if God wasn't punishing them. Simeon was taken into prison.

            After they returned home and told their story to their father, Jacob, there was no way was he going to let Benjamin return with his brothers to Egypt. He was content to eat the food and leave Simeon in jail. But now there was a problem. They were running out of food again and had no place else to turn. Jacob did not want Benjamin to go and Judah could see no other alternative but to obey this Egyptian ruler and bring Benjamin out.

           

1. One way some people handle problems is PROCRASTINATION.

Some people don’t handle problems they just keep putting off facing them. Maybe they will hope it will go away. Jacob’s first response to the problem was to “put it off,” to delay in taking action until the matter had finally reached crisis proportions.                 

Joseph had made an agreement with his brothers that they would take the desperately needed grain home and then return with Benjamin. But Jacob hoped for a better crop. Nothing more is said about going to get Simeon. Judah put his finger on Jacob’s procrastination when he said, “For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice” (Genesis 43:10).

           

I usually put off decisions and facing problems when my actions are uncomfortable. Confronting some people is not fun. Rather than face it squarely I have a tendency to procrastinate and not get around to doing what is uncomfortable to do.

            Many students know they have a paper or test due and keep putting it off until the last minute when they can no longer let it go. I talked to one person who was delaying telling his parents some news because it would cause angry feelings. He said, “Well maybe the Lord will come and solve all our problems.” If you wait long enough the Lord will come, but most of the problems will be solved after as well, but this isn’t the will of God. Procrastinator find not only the problem facing them they also find they have usually made matters worse by letting it go. Sometimes problems with personnel or kids, or neighbors, until things just keep getting worse and you have to face it.

             The brothers purposed to go back to Egypt with Benjamin, pick up Simeon and get for grain, but they were prohibited by Jacob, who refused to let Benjamin leave his side. Not until their grain had virtually run out did Jacob face up to the matter.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Dec 18 Pretending

Gen 43:2b their father said to them. “Go back and buy us a little more food.

    “ But Judah said to him, The man warned us solemnly. “You will not see your face again unless your brother is with you.”

    6 Israel asked, “why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother”

2. Another way of handing problems is PRETENDING.

           

Pretending that the problem doesn't really exist or isn't as important as it really is. Some people like to ignore the problem thinking it would go away.

Jacob minimized this matter of the famine, Simeon’s captivity, and the inevitable fact that all his sons would have to return to Egypt. I find a clue to this in verse 2 where Jacob said, “Go back, buy us a little food.” Why would he possibly tell his sons to buy only a little food? Why would they not buy all the grain they could carry? Naturally, he did not know that the famine was to last another five years, but he was aware that the famine was severe. Rather than face the problem head on, Jacob wanted to dabble with it a piece at a time. More than anything, perhaps he hoped that if only a little grain were sought, perhaps the governor (Joseph) would not hold to his original demand that Benjamin accompany his brothers on their next trip.

Judah, however, was unwilling to accept the minimizing of his father. After all, it was not Jacob who would have to stand before that Egyptian governor and explain Benjamin’s absence. Joseph had insisted that he would not see these men again unless their youngest brother was with them. Judah had to face dear old Dad with reality. They would not return for more grain unless Benjamin accompanied them.

Pretending there isn't a problem is a common occurrence. Psychologists call this denial. Doctors see this a lot in patients who have had a persistent health symptom that they ignored and pretended it didn’t exit until they were finally confronted with it’s severity. It reminds us of the ostrich that sticks it’s head in the sand.

           

One of the tragedies of World War 2 was that many of the Christians in Germany found it easy to ignore the plight of the Jews and pretended they were just in a camp or relocation ghetto instead of facing the obvious problem that required intervention.

            Think about your problems. Have you been tempted just to pretend it isn't there? Sometimes waiting can solve situations. But pretending you don’t have a problem doesn't change the situation. To admit a problem is the first step to resolving a problem. To admit you need help is a solution. To keep pretending everything is okay can make matters worse. Facing situations as soon as possible will often allow us to deal with it while it is still small instead of growing.

            What problem are you ignoring when you can be doing something about it?

3. Some seek to face their problems by PERJURY.

 That is the fancy word for lying.

I know I have a problem and I am unable to control it. Every time I preach a sermon I try hard not to make my points start with the same letter. This outline really must be given to a therapist to show how bad I am. 10 points all starting with the letter P. Sorry about that.

            .  Perjury means lying. If you can’t procrastinate, and can’t pretend it isn’t there, then perjure yourself by making up a story. That’s the way some people handle problems.

Jacob rebukes his sons for telling the truth. In other words, why didn't they lie about having anymore family at home?  It was not just a matter of telling family secrets out of school—it was an issue of being truthful. The information they gave to Joseph was in response to very direct questioning. Of course, Joseph would know they were lying if they didn’t admit to another brother at home. He knew the answers, but was testing them. Good thing they didn’t lie.

Sometimes we are tested as well if we are going to tell the truth or lie. The old ways of deception were still there, and in times of adversity Jacob did not hesitate to employ them. Jacob is saying why did you tell him you had another brother? Why not lie about it for protection?

           

Kids are very good at that? Something it broken, what happened? I don’t know what happened.  Or, “I found it that way when I came into the room.” (That is perjury- that’s an outright lie). Folks tell some very interesting stories to try to get out of trouble only to find they have to keep telling bigger lies to cover up the previous lies. It’s easy to remember the truth, it’s much harder to keep straight stories that aren't true. 

            The Bible says be sure your sins will find you out and lying about something doesn't do any good. It is letting you solve the problem your own way vs. God’s way.

           

            Is there something you are covering up or lying about so that you will not have to face a problem?

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds Dec 19 Passing Blame and Priorities

Gen 43: ⁶ Israel asked, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?”

⁷ They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’ he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’ We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”

4. PASSING Blame is another way many will seek to solve problems.

           

Hoping to alter the course of history, Jacob sought to change the minds of his sons by placing the responsibility for their circumstances solely on them. In effect, Jacob said to his sons, “It’s your entire fault. None of this would have happened if you hadn't told the Egyptian about your youngest brother.” If it were their entire fault, then why should they be belligerent about trying to solve the matter on their own without jeopardizing the life of Benjamin and the happiness of their father?

They will come up with all kinds of excuses as to why it isn’t their fault and really someone else’s fault.

           

I really get upset in our society when all the problems are someone else’s fault no one will admit they were wrong. No one will take ownership of the problem. I like the fact that Waddle commander of the ship is taking some responsibility for the sinking of the sub, but even there he was blaming some inexperienced personnel and one of the admirals said, “But that is your ship. If he didn't want an inexperienced person running it then get someone else.”

            We are a society that is especially skilled at rationalizing and blaming. When someone is caught in wrong you might hear, “I come from a dysfunctional home (I'm not responsible . . .blame my upbringing); This is just the way I am (I'm not responsible . . . blame my genes . . . or God!); They started it (I'm not responsible . . they are)

I didn't know that was against the law (I'm not responsible . . . you didn't tell me);

I have been oppressed (I'm not responsible . . . society is) ;

There is an old story about the time Emperor Frederick the Great visited Potsdam Prison. He spoke with the prisoners, and each man claimed to be innocent, a victim of the system. One man, however, sat silently in the corner.

The ruler asked him, "And you, sir, who do you blame for your sentence?"

His response was, "Your majesty, I am guilty and richly deserve my punishment." Surprised, the emperor shouted for the prison warden: "Come and get this man out of here before he corrupts all these innocent people.”

           

We are experts at passing the blame and not facing problems that need to be faced 

5. A good way to solve problems is to Sort out the PRIORITIES.

            Judah looks at the options open to them. One you can ignore the problem and die, or you can pretend it isn't serious and die; You can pass the blame but that isn’t going to solve the problem. Lying isn’t going to do any good.

           

When you have a problem a very important place to begin is to think about the priorities and ask yourselves the probably consequences of each option you can think of. What is the worse thing that can happen and what is the best thing that can happen. Is it really a priority matter or not?

            Judah presents the problem with the priority in the right place. If the boy doesn't go back with us all our children will die, including Benjamin, so let’s take emotions out of this and look at the facts. The most important thing is getting food and the way to get food is to obey the ruler. So as far as he was concerned the matter had to be broken down to the simplest solution. Life or death. He’s going to die this way, but he won’t die with that option, so now we eliminate plan A.

           

Now let’s look at alternatives as to what might happen and make a proposal. I will guarantee his safety. I will personally see to it that nothing happens to him. Reuben made a similar claim in 42:37 put both my sons to death if I don’t bring Ben back. Now it seems Reuben isn't in the picture as the leader of the brothers, but Judah is.

            When you are trying to decide on problems to the best of your abilities based on the information that you have write down all the possibilities and make priorities as to which is the best plan second best and back up plans and evaluate them  That helps you prioritize your plan.

As they discuss the priorities of the plan Jacob finally is confronted with the situation and must do something. He suggests the option of giving gifts. That worked for him when he met his brother Esau a number of years earlier when he feared for his life. He made retribution and gave him many fine presents to show his desire for peace and for reconciliation. Jacob instructs his sons to bring a few of the choicest products of the land of Canaan. Certainly these delicacies would not offend the governor of Egypt and might even win his favor.

If the family had faulted Joseph in any way he know it would be wise to give the ruler gifts and double portion of the silver so he knows they didn‘t try stealing anything.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Dec 20 Plan Proceed and Perspective

Gen 23: ¹¹ Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds.¹² Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. ¹³ Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. ¹⁴ And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

¹⁵ So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. ¹⁶ When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare dinner; they are to eat with me at noon.”

¹⁷ The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house. ¹⁸ Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”

¹⁹ So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. ²⁰ “Please, sir,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food. ²¹ But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us. ²² We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”

²³ “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

6. Pray about the PLAN. V. 14

           

Now you might call the blessing, but it is a reminder that God is in charge. Turn your plans over to the Lord. We do that by a commitment of prayer, or dedication of humility. Lord this is what we have planned. Change it. Demonstrate your glory or mercy or love, or discipline. What is it that God has in mind?  How does the Lord want to use it?

            Proverb 3:5,6 says it clearly and plainly. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.”

            After Jacob had a chance to think through all his options and confrontation by his sons and the matter before his was to turn his family over to the Lord. The daughters-in-law and the children stayed behind with Jacob, but now the desire was the God go with them to the land that everything goes well.

            Jacob had been in this place before in his own life. He wrestled with an angel before he met Esau again. He had a dream with angels up and down ladders before he went into a foreign land. He had meetings with God and God had given to him a promise of offspring greater than sand and stars in the heavens. So this idea of all being killed was not going to happen if he had faith in the prophecies of God to Abraham, Isaac and to himself. They generation wasn’t going to end there. They would continue in ways that only God knows.

            When you are faced with a problem put your confidence in God and let him lead you. Pray about all the matters and if he directs you clearly and directly, praise God, obey him. If however you do not get any direct leading by the Holy Spirit  through the word or prayer objective or subjective then go to the next point, Proceed with the plan.

7. PROCEED with the plan.

           

Plan the work, and work the plan. They proceeded to do what they planned to do and put feet and action to their plans.

            Joseph’s brothers came with a plan of action previously outlined by their father. Now it was important to do what they planned to do. Some people have great plans, but never do anything about it. I usually set up goals and then steps to achieve those goals and find that some I work at and a lot I don’t. When I was at study break I came up with some priorities and set for a vision and a plan and then wrote down some steps to accomplish some of those plans. I dare say some of those things are working and some of them aren't  Some had to be changed because of circumstances that one didn't know at the time, so you change them.

Whenever you proceed with a plan let me add that you are making decisions based on the information that you have at the present. Only God knows the future. We are going to talk about Gods’ will in a minute, but after you pray and think and plan, then don’t second guess yourself. Proceed. Move on. If it is a mistake then corrected, but do something. There are some plans that are sitting there. I read them on my goals for the year and say, “Well that is not my number one priority at this time so I’ll have to let that one go for now.” Some are a priority and need the discipline to address it, not ignore it..

As I read on in the chapter I think Joseph also had a plan. His plan was to reunite his family and allow the brothers to repent of their sin. He had a plan and worked out steps of mercy as well as allow for conviction of their own spirits. Joseph instructed his servant to take these men into his house and to prepare a meal for them in a way that parallels the reception of the prodigal son in the New Testament (Luke 15:11-32).

8. Another way to handle problems is to gain PERSPECTIVE from others.

The brothers were afraid for their lives when they were taken to Joseph’s house. The dungeons were also part of the house of the rulers and this is no doubt where Simeon was being kept, and now they feared that was what would happen to them.

They talked to Joseph’s steward and got another perspective. They plead their case to the servant who told them they were not in trouble. He saw things they didn't see. He saw what was going on to some extent and was able to calm their fears.

In our lives it is good to get the perspective of others in advice, counsel or prayer.

           

The steward sought to calm their fears by assuring them that he had received the money for their grain. Indeed he had, but he did not mention to them that it was he, under Joseph’s orders, who also returned it. The steward informed these men that it was their God and the God of their father who had provided this money. To further assure them, he brought out Simeon and returned him to them.

            It is good to talk with other people and get different perspectives for best solutions

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri Dec 21 Perseverance and Providence.

Gen 43 ²⁶ When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. ²⁷ He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?”

²⁸ They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed low to pay him honor.

²⁹ As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” ³⁰ Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.

³¹ After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, “Serve the food.”

³² They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians. ³³ The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment. ³⁴ When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

9. PERSEVERANCE 

            Someone sent me an email. On the bottom it read, “If at first you don’t succeed, don’t try sky diving.”

           

I look at the extent of Joseph’s plan as it is played out. He made a deal out of sitting a different table so as to keep his disguise to bring them to repentance, to found out as much as he can about his family. He demonstrated love to his brother.

            Joseph’s whole life in looking at problems is characterized by perseverance. One poem Cork and the Whale

A little brown cork

Fell in the path of a whale

Who lashed it down

With his angry tail.

But, in spite of the blows,

It quickly arose,

And floated serenely

Before his nose.

Said the cork to the whale,

"You may flap and sputter and frown,

But you never, never can keep me down:

For I'm made of the stuff

That is buoyant enough

To float instead of to drown."

            Joseph was made of the stuff that would continue and not drown. 

10. PROVIDENCE -God’s good grace.

I don’t know how many have seen Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor coat with Donnie Osman. Weber and Rice took Joseph’s story and turned into a musical but missed the whole point of the story. Through entertaining and upbeat music they present the story line that if you dream dreams and pursue them they will come true.

Joseph had nothing to do with his dreams, God did. Joseph had nothing to do with becoming the leader of Egypt God did. Joseph was the tool God used to bring about Gods’ will and for God’s glory. God is taken completely out of the picture of Broadway And unfortunately God is taken out of the picture for many who seek to solve their problems man’s way.

Interestingly the providence of God is reminded by an Egyptian servant. Has he been around Joseph so long that he now too believes in God. He reminds these Hebrews that it is their God who has provided. They are under the care of the Lord.

The predominant theme exemplified by Josephs brothers were “fear” and “works.” The brothers’ fears, like their father’s, are completely unfounded. They sought by the works of their hands to win Joseph’s acceptance and favor. When Joseph brought them to his house for a feast, they feared that it was designed to be an opportunity to take them as slaves. Joseph, however, wished only to shower them with blessings.

Joseph brought them into his home and gave them a magnificent meal. If Jacob and his sons were filled with fears, Joseph’s eyes were filled with tears, tears of love and compassion. His only desire was to see a change of heart in his brothers and to once again see his father.

To Joseph’s brothers nothing was more important than those pistachio nuts and almonds. These nuts, along with the other products of the land of Canaan, were expected to win Joseph’s favor. He never gave them a glance. He did not ask how they were grown or what year they were produced. He didn’t care. Joseph was only concerned with people, not pistachio nuts; he cared about his brother Benjamin, his father Jacob, and the rest of his brethren. His first utterance sought information on the health of his aged father. Next he turned his attention to Benjamin, who he had not seen for over twenty years. Joseph pronounced upon Benjamin a blessing which should have sounded strange coming from an Egyptian. Seeing his full brother, the only other son of his mother was too much for Joseph to contain. Quickly he left the presence of his brothers to weep and to regain control of his emotions. He saw the providence of God demonstrated in that his family was before him bowing just like God said would happen. He was not filled with revenge, but mercy and grace.

What a beautiful picture this chapter provides us of the discipline which God exercises in the lives of His children. Only Joseph fully recognized all of these things as coming from the hand of a loving and caring God which he speaks of later.

When some did realize that their trials were from God, it would appear that they perceived an angry God who was only seeking vengeance. This is just the way they viewed Joseph, as a harsh and angry man  But whatever discipline which comes from God is from a heart filled with grief and injured love. Its desired end is not revenge, but restoration. It seeks to bring us to the place where His blessings may once again flow freely into our lives.

Joseph’s brothers provide us with an excellent illustration of salvation. In their current spiritual state they faced Joseph with the greatest fear. They perceived their only “salvation” to be in their “works” of returning the money they found in their sacks and in the pistachio nuts and other presents they brought from Canaan. The first was refused by the steward, and the second was ignored by Joseph. It was not their works that endeared these brothers to Joseph; it was their relationship to him. That is what they did not yet realize.

In the same way today sinful men dread the thought of standing before a righteous and holy God. The future must be faced with great fear. Frantically men and women seek to gain God’s favor and acceptance by their “pistachio nuts” of good works. Such things as trying to live by the Golden Rule or the Sermon on the Mount, joining the church, and being baptized, are unacceptable to God as a basis for salvation. What saves a man or a woman is a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. When we stand before the throne of God, the only thing God will be interested in is our relationship to His Son, Jesus Christ. If you stand today as one who does not have the assurance of going to heaven you have a big problem. It is provided for by the grace of God giving given to us Jesus to be your savior. Will you deal first with that problem?

What can we learn about problems.

1. Procrastination- Face them soon so they don’t turn into bigger Problems.

2. Pretending-  Be realistic and objective.

3. Perjury- Be honest with yourself and others.

4. Passing blame- Be responsible for your issues (not others)

5. Priorities- What needs to be done first what is most important how do you get there?

6. Pray- Lay it out before God for wisdom and direction.

7. Proceed- Work the Plan to the best of your ability.

8. Perspective- Get advice from others who know, or have wisdom.

9. Preserve- Don’t quit

10. Providence- Realize that in all things God is ultimately in charge and can change your plans for his purposes.

Matthew 6:33 puts everything else in a nice package. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be given to you as well.”

Pastor Dale