back to index2019-10-20 God Meant It
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As many of you guys know, before coming back to Borean, we spent about five and a half 00:00:12.440 |
And during my time in Korea, I attended about a half dozen funerals. 00:00:18.220 |
And funerals in Korea are done a little differently from how they're done in the States. 00:00:23.860 |
After the service, which is often held at the chapel in one of the wings of the hospital, 00:00:29.020 |
the body is transported in a casket to a crematorium about an hour or so away. 00:00:36.140 |
And the mourners, they will ride a special bus with a casket underneath, and then they 00:00:44.800 |
And one thing I found extremely traumatic about the way Koreans send off their dead 00:00:50.780 |
is that immediate family members have to stand in front of this window. 00:00:54.580 |
And as a casket is being put into the cremation chamber, the immediate family actually has 00:01:03.380 |
And that was such an unpleasant experience for me, watching the families watch the box 00:01:12.400 |
After the body is cremated, the ashes are placed in a small box, and then they're carried 00:01:19.500 |
I never heard that word before, but that's where urns and stuff are kept because Korea 00:01:23.780 |
land is sparse, and so usually most of the dead are cremated. 00:01:30.340 |
And they're placed in urns and then housed in viewing cases and shelves. 00:01:34.180 |
So from the time the body is transported from the hospital to the time it is placed in an 00:01:38.680 |
urn in the columbarium, every single person is fully aware at all times where that body 00:01:49.960 |
And every person there probably has the deceased person heavily on their minds. 00:01:56.060 |
And if someone's bones or ashes travel with you, you're gonna wonder who that person is. 00:02:03.520 |
So you would ask, "Who was he?" or "Who was she?" 00:02:06.920 |
And the person would have to be of significance if we were to carry around these bones. 00:02:12.060 |
So wherever the bones were moved, the people would be aware. 00:02:18.580 |
Well throughout the entire wilderness wandering, Joseph's bones traveled with the Israelites. 00:02:25.720 |
So everyone was aware of where his bones were. 00:02:29.380 |
Every young child was likely made aware of the person of Joseph the moment he or she 00:02:37.740 |
And we often call Hebrews 11 the Hall of Faith, as many of the Hebrew heroes are commended 00:02:45.700 |
Joseph's bones were very symbolic and they were very important in the wilderness wandering. 00:02:51.220 |
So in fact, they were so important that they're just about all that is mentioned about Joseph 00:02:58.740 |
It says, "By faith, Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of 00:03:04.680 |
Israel and gave orders concerning his bones." 00:03:08.740 |
And allow me to walk you briefly through the biblical record of Joseph's bones. 00:03:13.060 |
You've probably never heard a sermon introduced this way in your life, but just allow me to 00:03:21.620 |
"Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, 'God will surely take care of you, 00:03:29.640 |
So Joseph died at the age of 110 years, and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in 00:03:36.200 |
So Joseph makes it clear that he does not want his bones to be buried in Egypt long 00:03:44.000 |
"Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly 00:03:48.280 |
swear, saying, 'God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from 00:03:54.600 |
These bones were of such importance that Moses, even in haste to lead the people in the exodus 00:04:01.040 |
from Egypt, made sure he got Joseph's bones out of the coffin and took them with him. 00:04:08.160 |
And if you read Joshua 24, 32, which is about 50 years after the exodus from Egypt, "Now 00:04:14.520 |
they buried the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt." 00:04:21.820 |
So we see from the time of exodus all the way to the conquest and the settling in of 00:04:26.440 |
the promised land, Joseph's bones were always with this ginormous caravan. 00:04:32.840 |
So in fact, the book of Joshua, which details all of Israel's conquests, pretty much closes 00:04:42.480 |
So this begs the question, this is not in any of the children's Bibles, right? 00:04:47.040 |
But this begs the question, why were Joseph's bones so important to the Israelites in the 00:04:59.120 |
As you guys know, Joseph, the son of Jacob, perhaps, is the most celebrated, one of the 00:05:06.880 |
And there are very few individuals found in the scriptures like Joseph. 00:05:12.000 |
He's got so much written about him, and yet it's amazing that there is almost no mention 00:05:17.120 |
of a glaring character flaw, a sin, or a lapse in judgment. 00:05:22.440 |
And I'm not sure if you guys just were ever aware of this, but Joseph's story takes up 00:05:32.040 |
And if you've been here at Berean with us for a length of time, you know that the more 00:05:37.320 |
ink or detail something gets in the Old Testament, usually the more important it is to the original 00:05:47.640 |
So when most people think of the book of Genesis, they think of creation, of Adam and Eve, and 00:05:54.400 |
But the book of Genesis is more about God's selection of the Hebrew race than it is about 00:06:02.140 |
And that is why more than a quarter of the book is devoted to Joseph, and just two chapters 00:06:09.400 |
So remember, the original recipients of the book of Genesis were the second generation 00:06:16.740 |
So Joseph is very much the person of interest for them. 00:06:21.580 |
So to this generation of Israelites, he may actually be much more important to them than 00:06:29.420 |
So I'd like for us to read today's text, which is a very important section of Scripture, 00:06:41.320 |
When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph bears 00:06:47.760 |
a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him?" 00:06:52.660 |
So they sent a message to Joseph saying, "Your father charged before he died, saying, 'Thus 00:06:57.620 |
you shall say to Joseph, 'Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers 00:07:05.880 |
And now please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.' 00:07:13.840 |
Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, 'Behold, we are your 00:07:18.840 |
But Joseph said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? 00:07:24.860 |
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring about 00:07:29.740 |
this present result, to preserve many people alive. 00:07:33.460 |
So therefore do not be afraid, I will provide for you and your little ones.' 00:07:37.720 |
So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them." 00:07:41.400 |
I want to give you a visual timeline of Joseph's life. 00:07:46.440 |
So if you look on the screen, Joseph is 56 years old when Jacob dies. 00:07:54.380 |
And Joseph lives another 54 years after the text that we just read together. 00:08:00.760 |
And between Genesis 50 verse 21 and the rest of the chapter, the rest of the book, 54 years 00:08:08.380 |
pass before Joseph gives instructions concerning his bones. 00:08:12.840 |
So only five verses are devoted to the rest of, the half of Joseph's life. 00:08:18.420 |
So the book of Genesis pretty much ends with Joseph still having half his life to live. 00:08:24.820 |
So why is the story of Joseph's forgiveness of his brothers just about the last major 00:08:33.600 |
Because it's of supreme importance to the original audience. 00:08:39.340 |
There's something about this event that God wants them to remember at all times, every 00:08:48.700 |
The book of Genesis is more descriptive than prescriptive. 00:08:53.540 |
And it was written primarily to remind the Israelites of something. 00:08:57.660 |
So the book of Genesis is actually more informational than it is instructional. 00:09:03.540 |
So when you're doing your quiet time, you got to be careful not to misapply some of 00:09:09.460 |
the things that we see in the book of Genesis. 00:09:12.120 |
So the second generation of wanderers, they're about to enter the promised land. 00:09:18.200 |
And what is it that God wants them to remember about this famous patriarch? 00:09:25.320 |
The first thing, Joseph's forgiveness demonstrated absolute trust in God's goodness and sovereignty. 00:09:34.280 |
And if you guys have your app, all of the stuff that's on the slides are already on 00:09:37.340 |
there for you, so you don't have to do a mad scramble to write. 00:09:40.200 |
First point, Joseph's forgiveness demonstrated absolute trust in God's goodness and sovereignty. 00:09:47.340 |
Verse 20 to 21, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring 00:09:53.320 |
about this present result, to preserve many people alive, so therefore do not be afraid." 00:10:00.620 |
So what was this evil that the brothers meant? 00:10:03.300 |
If you guys have grown up in the church, you've heard a lot of Joseph. 00:10:08.000 |
But for the sake of those who haven't, let me walk you through Joseph's evil brothers. 00:10:14.380 |
Joseph had 10 older brothers who were jealous of him because he was daddy's favorite. 00:10:19.300 |
These 10 brothers actually are a bunch of irresponsible, spoiled brats. 00:10:25.980 |
If you don't believe me, go read for yourself. 00:10:28.260 |
Okay, the 10 brothers, they're disobedient to their father and they actually go to Dothan, 00:10:34.940 |
very far away from where their father had told them to go, and where they're partying 00:10:40.300 |
And Jacob sends Joseph to crash this party, to check up on his brothers. 00:10:44.500 |
And Joseph goes there and they put him in a pit to kill him. 00:10:51.900 |
But then they decide, "You know, we can make some money off this guy." 00:10:59.060 |
And they rip up Joseph's coat of many colors. 00:11:02.020 |
You guys may have heard Technicolor, but that's actually not the case. 00:11:06.380 |
They rip it up, they lather it with animal blood, and then they tell their father at 00:11:11.340 |
home, even though they know it's going to break his heart, they tell him, "Perhaps 00:11:21.340 |
So this is the evil that Joseph acknowledges his brothers have done. 00:11:26.700 |
But in a sense, when you read this passage, Joseph is saying, "God did this. 00:11:35.860 |
Joseph does not say, "God caused you to devise evil against me." 00:11:41.500 |
But what he is saying here is, "God ultimately purposed this." 00:11:46.820 |
God willed Joseph's being sold off into slavery. 00:11:49.980 |
God willed the brothers lying to their father. 00:11:53.540 |
God willed Joseph's being approached by Potiphar's wife. 00:11:57.420 |
God willed Joseph's being wrongfully put in prison for 13 years. 00:12:04.940 |
God willed all of this, yet he did not cause sin. 00:12:11.180 |
Now if you are a normal person, nod your heads if you are a normal—okay, good, most of 00:12:18.580 |
If you are a normal person, if you're paying attention, there should be some tension rising 00:12:26.540 |
Whenever the topic of God's perfect will and sovereignty versus man's free will is brought 00:12:32.180 |
up, our finite minds start spinning in circles. 00:12:37.900 |
It's nearly humanly impossible to fully grasp an all-powerful, sovereign God who hates sin 00:12:49.180 |
And if you let your theologically finite minds run a little bit, you will hit this tension 00:12:58.820 |
Because God's sovereignty means this for you and me. 00:13:03.420 |
Every single horrible thing that has happened in our lives, God has allowed. 00:13:16.740 |
Every single difficult, horrible thing, he's allowed. 00:13:28.420 |
And yet, he's not the one responsible for the evil that befell you. 00:13:31.780 |
So like I said, it would be very strange if you didn't have any tension in your brain 00:13:40.980 |
Here in Genesis 50 and much of the rest of the first five books of Moses, Moses doesn't 00:13:50.060 |
In fact, this tension is all over the first five books. 00:14:19.900 |
Even the root of why the Israelites are wandering in the wilderness, there's this tension. 00:14:27.540 |
If you only read through the book of Numbers, if you get past Genesis, Exodus, and you get 00:14:31.580 |
to, past Leviticus, and you get to Numbers, if you read only the book of Numbers, you'll 00:14:36.900 |
conclude that the Israelites are in the wilderness because of their sin, their disobedience, 00:14:41.340 |
That's what you would conclude, and you would not be incorrect. 00:14:44.860 |
But if the only source of your information was the book of Deuteronomy, you would conclude 00:14:49.980 |
that the Hebrews were wandering in the wilderness because God deliberately sent them there, 00:14:55.940 |
and he sent them in there to protect them from their enemies. 00:15:03.300 |
Numbers, they're in the wilderness because they sinned. 00:15:06.060 |
They're in the wilderness because they disobeyed. 00:15:07.500 |
Deuteronomy, they're in the wilderness because God set them there. 00:15:09.740 |
They're in the wilderness because God put them there for their protection. 00:15:19.780 |
So for the first five books of Moses, this tension is all over the place. 00:15:25.220 |
And though you may want to, and though the unbelieving world may demand that you do, 00:15:37.940 |
We don't need to explain this tension away because we cannot. 00:15:42.340 |
What we see in Joseph's response here in Genesis 50 is that he fully trusts in the goodness 00:15:48.260 |
of God, and that trust enables him to forgive and repay with kindness and generosity. 00:15:55.340 |
Now Joseph does acknowledge that his brothers meant evil, and his brothers, they did an 00:16:04.580 |
So he was 17 years old when he was sold off as a slave, and he's basically either a slave 00:16:13.080 |
So he is robbed of 13 years at the prime of his life. 00:16:16.940 |
But more than the physical hardship of the imprisonment, I'm sure it took an emotional 00:16:21.220 |
toll on him as well because he loved his father and he loved his full brother Benjamin, and 00:16:29.640 |
And he was probably worried about them worrying about him. 00:16:33.880 |
If I were to be taken away somewhere, my mind would immediately go to my wife, my kids, 00:16:44.020 |
And just imagining my wife and my kids not knowing what became of me is enough to make 00:16:48.460 |
me kind of cringe, and even tear up a little bit. 00:16:53.980 |
If I were to be taken away somewhere, or if I was killed and one of you had to go to my 00:16:59.020 |
wife to tell her what had happened, just thinking about that would break my heart. 00:17:08.700 |
And Joseph had all the time in the world to imagine and to think and to wonder and to 00:17:16.260 |
And one thing that we don't get in the book of Genesis is the conversation that he may 00:17:23.820 |
I can't but imagine that there were times where I'm sure he was upset, he was bitter, 00:17:27.260 |
he was confused, but cool thing is we don't have those prayers at our access. 00:17:35.020 |
But what we do have is Joseph's trust in God's goodness and sovereignty in the face of evil. 00:17:43.660 |
So first thing that we are to learn, Joseph's forgiveness demonstrated his absolute trust 00:17:51.020 |
Joseph's forgiveness puts God's faithfulness to his covenant promises on display. 00:17:57.780 |
Joseph's forgiveness put God's faithfulness to his covenant promises on display. 00:18:03.020 |
In Genesis 12, two to three, a lot of you guys already know this because this is the 00:18:08.220 |
And I will make you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great so you 00:18:15.740 |
And I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse. 00:18:19.540 |
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. 00:18:23.420 |
So we see throughout the book of Genesis the beginning of God making good on his promises. 00:18:27.880 |
So the promises here in Genesis 12, two to three, will ultimately be fulfilled in the 00:18:35.440 |
But we get a little snapshot here through Joseph's rise to power in Egypt. 00:18:45.940 |
Joseph is handpicked by God to practically save the world from hunger. 00:18:50.180 |
Joseph rises to power and uses his wisdom and skill to prepare for the seven years of 00:18:54.180 |
famine that would come on the Mediterranean world. 00:18:58.100 |
All the nations were coming to Egypt to buy food. 00:19:05.820 |
So the nations were indeed saved from death because of Joseph, the man of God. 00:19:12.340 |
And Joseph proved to be exceptionally wise and the entire Mediterranean world benefited 00:19:28.860 |
Would Joseph have been in the wrong if he paid his brothers back in full? 00:19:35.880 |
Would he have been in the wrong to bear a grudge as they had feared? 00:19:43.980 |
Joseph had every human right to be vindictive and no one would have blamed him since everyone 00:19:48.780 |
in Egypt saw him second only to Pharaoh who they saw as a god. 00:19:54.960 |
So justice would have been served if he just kicked them out. 00:19:58.380 |
But here in Genesis 50, we see that Joseph could have single-handedly rebelled against 00:20:07.680 |
Every extended member of his family, if he kicked them out of Egypt and focused solely 00:20:11.820 |
on his two sons because there would be less competition, right? 00:20:18.820 |
But he didn't do that and God only knows why. 00:20:23.500 |
So Joseph's forgiveness proved faithful, the declaration of God to Abraham in Genesis 15, 00:20:33.180 |
God said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land 00:20:37.060 |
that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed 400 years. 00:20:42.340 |
But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve and afterward they will come out 00:20:52.140 |
Joseph's forgiveness of his brothers displayed God's faithfulness to his covenant promises 00:20:55.220 |
and later the Israelite slaves walk out of Egypt with most of their wealth. 00:21:06.940 |
Third, Joseph's forgiveness gave testimony to the benevolent character of the Messiah 00:21:14.780 |
Joseph's forgiveness gave testimony to the benevolent character of the Messiah to come. 00:21:22.020 |
In Genesis 50, if you read closely what comes out of Joseph's mouth, Joseph closely resembles 00:21:31.020 |
His compassion, love, mercy, and kindness here, they mirror the character of Jesus Christ. 00:21:37.460 |
And I noticed five parallels between Joseph and Jesus the Messiah, and I'm going to have 00:21:42.380 |
First, like the Messiah, Joseph was the sovereign with all authority given to him. 00:21:50.060 |
He was a sovereign in the land, second only to Pharaoh himself. 00:21:54.500 |
See I have set you over all the land of Egypt. 00:21:57.900 |
When Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hands and 00:22:01.660 |
clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the necklace around his neck, he had him 00:22:05.540 |
ride in a second chariot and they proclaimed before him, "Bow the knee," and he set him 00:22:17.880 |
So any attack, any slight, any offense given to Joseph was akin to the attack on Pharaoh 00:22:26.060 |
And I'm sure that during the 17 years prior to their father's death, Joseph's brothers 00:22:38.780 |
Second, like Jesus the coming Messiah, Joseph learned humility and he learned to submit 00:22:45.860 |
to God the Father through hardship and suffering. 00:22:50.080 |
We read in Hebrews chapter five, verse eight, "Although he was a son, he learned obedience 00:22:56.340 |
Third, Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, by his kinsmen, by his own, and still like 00:23:05.220 |
the Messiah who would come about 1800 years later, he did not cast them out and he was 00:23:16.740 |
For both he who sanctifies, Hebrews 2, 11 to 12, and those who are sanctified are all 00:23:20.900 |
from one father for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren. 00:23:28.060 |
Fourth, he suffered as a criminal though he was innocent. 00:23:32.860 |
He suffered as a criminal though he was innocent. 00:23:35.980 |
And fifth, he was indeed wronged, but he repaid the wrong with kindness, provision, and protection. 00:23:46.700 |
Joseph choosing not to exact vengeance or retribution would have been an incredible 00:24:02.100 |
And his provision and kindness and encouragement for the next 54 years is an act of pure and 00:24:12.740 |
So there are five parallels that you see between Joseph and Jesus the Christ. 00:24:21.940 |
When his brothers come and bow down before him, Joseph says, "Do not be afraid for 00:24:28.940 |
In the Egyptian context, actually he could have said, "Yes, I am in God's place." 00:24:34.660 |
But Joseph does not because he understood that Yahweh alone is God. 00:24:41.300 |
So I asked in the beginning, why are Joseph's bones so important? 00:24:46.420 |
Because the person of Joseph represented the perfect sovereignty of God and the preservation 00:24:55.300 |
The people of God in the wilderness needed this symbol of God's sovereignty and preservation 00:25:08.140 |
The people of Israel would not be who they were and where they were had it not been for 00:25:13.500 |
If there ever was a man who could have messed up God's plan, it was him. 00:25:28.740 |
Joseph submitted himself to the sovereign purposes of God. 00:25:33.480 |
So God was pleased to let Joseph suffer as an innocent man to preserve many people alive. 00:25:48.420 |
Jesus submitted himself to the sovereign purposes of God and God was pleased to crush him and 00:25:58.620 |
to let him suffer as an innocent man, Isaiah 53.10, also to preserve many people alive. 00:26:10.340 |
Joseph's forgiveness demonstrated his absolute trust in God's goodness and sovereignty. 00:26:14.420 |
Joseph's forgiveness put God's faithfulness to his covenant promises on display. 00:26:18.100 |
Third, Joseph's forgiveness gave testimony to the benevolent character of the Messiah 00:26:24.980 |
So what is it when you read through Genesis and you're learning, okay, this is more informational 00:26:29.640 |
than instructional, but what is it then that we can learn from Joseph's life, especially 00:26:37.080 |
What is it that we can learn and apply into our lives? 00:26:45.100 |
He is working out every single detail of your life, either for good or for your good. 00:26:51.980 |
In Genesis 8.28, God is sovereign and he is working out every detail for the good of those 00:27:07.440 |
No matter how bleak the circumstance, no matter how long the hardship, you can trust him. 00:27:17.380 |
Second thing we can learn, God's plan has always been to bless his people in order to 00:27:27.700 |
God's plan has always been to bless his people in order to bless through his people. 00:27:33.140 |
And more often than not, we see the means by which he blesses, it's sacrifice and suffering. 00:27:41.980 |
The ultimate vehicle of blessing would be the cross of Christ. 00:27:46.420 |
And you and I are invited that if we would follow after him to deny ourselves, to take 00:27:52.860 |
up our cross and to follow because he will bless through our suffering. 00:28:03.220 |
And one other lesson that we can glean, forgiveness naturally lends itself to the sharing of the 00:28:13.220 |
Were you guys not blessed in recent weeks watching the video of 18-year-old Brent Jean 00:28:18.220 |
forgiving and extending the love of Jesus toward his brother's killer? 00:28:22.060 |
Pastor Peter mentioned this two weeks ago, but I'm gonna bring it up again. 00:28:26.140 |
I doubt that Brent Jean foresaw his act of forgiveness, his request for a hug, and his 00:28:37.300 |
He was hoping primarily to give hope to the cop who killed his brother, but he ended up 00:28:46.540 |
And the internet trolls, they were stunned and they had nothing to say. 00:28:53.580 |
There aren't many trolls that can say anything. 00:28:57.780 |
And I will not be surprised if Amber Geiger puts her faith in Christ if she hasn't done 00:29:08.540 |
Forgiveness naturally lends itself to the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:29:14.940 |
You're here because of someone's forgiveness. 00:29:19.420 |
So for the original recipients of the book of Genesis, this account of Joseph's story, 00:29:24.340 |
again, is more descriptive than prescriptive. 00:29:29.520 |
So there is no "therefore, go and do likewise" in Genesis 50. 00:29:38.860 |
So I'm not going to go beyond the text to exhort you to forgive those who've wronged 00:29:44.860 |
To be sure, forgiveness in other parts of scripture is absolutely commanded. 00:29:50.980 |
Just read the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18 to see what Jesus has to say 00:29:57.020 |
In fact, there are many places in scripture that lead me to conclude that no genuine Christian 00:30:11.220 |
If you read the scriptures, you will conclude that no genuine Christian could ever bear 00:30:23.060 |
Genuine Christians cannot but forgive because that is the fruit of the Spirit of God working 00:30:32.300 |
So this text, forgiving those who have sinned against us, is not our main application from 00:30:40.500 |
The 12 tribes hearing this story of Joseph did not think, "Huh, maybe I should forgive 00:30:48.140 |
They wouldn't dare to think that because the 12 tribes, when they hear the story of 00:30:52.820 |
Joseph, they're like, "We are here because of Joseph's forgiveness." 00:30:56.700 |
They would not put themselves in the place of Joseph ever. 00:31:00.860 |
So when we read the scriptures, we want to first think, how would the original audience 00:31:10.160 |
So forgiveness is not the main point in this passage. 00:31:15.340 |
When you read this passage of Joseph's forgiveness, here's a litmus test. 00:31:22.100 |
Do you see yourself as Joseph or do you put yourself in the brother's position? 00:31:32.880 |
As you're hearing this story and you naturally put yourself in the place of Joseph, there 00:31:46.260 |
So as I get older and as I mature in my faith, I realize that I am just like Joseph's brothers 00:31:56.020 |
There are many things that I've regretted over the years. 00:31:59.100 |
There are many impetuous, selfish, and rash things that I've done out of jealousy or selfish 00:32:07.500 |
I am way more like his brothers than I am like Joseph. 00:32:11.560 |
And like his brothers, whenever I fall into a failure or I find myself with regret, I 00:32:22.660 |
And I cannot help but say, "I have no right to be here." 00:32:32.120 |
And I cannot help but feel utterly helpless because I know the wrong that I've done. 00:32:38.460 |
But I know that I'm in good company because most of the heroes that I read about in the 00:32:41.520 |
Bible also resemble Joseph's brothers more than they do Joseph. 00:32:48.640 |
Most of the heroes that I read about in the Scripture are deeply flawed like me. 00:32:52.840 |
They have tripped over themselves just like me. 00:32:57.380 |
And one thing that I notice in Joseph's brothers is they have a hard time fully embracing forgiveness 00:33:05.240 |
They doubt the benevolence of Joseph and are fearful of judgment and wrath. 00:33:09.300 |
I mean, there's nothing they could have done to make amends. 00:33:14.420 |
Genesis 50 is not the first exchange like this between Joseph and his brothers. 00:33:19.220 |
A very similar exchange took place about 17 years before in Genesis 45. 00:33:26.140 |
"Now, do not be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here for God sent me before 00:33:35.220 |
God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth and to keep you alive 00:33:41.940 |
Now therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God. 00:33:45.440 |
Do not concern yourselves with your goods for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours." 00:33:53.260 |
So perhaps this forgiveness felt too good to be true. 00:33:57.100 |
Perhaps the brothers couldn't move past their shame and their regret. 00:34:03.440 |
What I see here is that even though Joseph had been nothing but kind to them for 17 years, 00:34:08.220 |
they're worried that the kindness is now going to stop because their protection, their father 00:34:16.660 |
The brothers of Joseph are normal human beings and as normal human beings, they are deeply 00:34:24.100 |
And praise God that the scriptures are filled with examples of God using deeply flawed people 00:34:31.580 |
So if you see a Joseph's brother in your life, take heart. 00:34:39.460 |
And I will give you one example of a deeply flawed person that comes up in the scriptures 00:34:52.780 |
At the last supper, Apostle Peter arrogantly pledges to never abandon Jesus even to the 00:35:01.280 |
But Peter said to him, "Even though all may fall away because of you, I will never fall 00:35:07.700 |
Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that this very night before a rooster crows, you 00:35:16.820 |
Here's the first time, Peter, but he denied it before them all second time. 00:35:21.160 |
And again, he denied it with an oath third time. 00:35:24.260 |
Then he began to curse and swear, 'I do not know the man.' 00:35:31.740 |
So in the span of about 16 hours or so, Peter goes from pledging his life to fight for Jesus 00:35:37.660 |
to denying Jesus even to the point of swearing curses upon himself out of fear and confusion. 00:35:45.300 |
And don't you think that Peter felt that he committed an unforgivable sin? 00:35:49.660 |
Do you not think he feels absolute shame and regret? 00:35:56.700 |
He has abandoned his beloved brother and teacher in time of need. 00:36:02.140 |
And knowing that Jesus was going to go to trial and be executed as an innocent man, 00:36:10.820 |
and knowing that he did nothing except deny him three times, probably messed Peter up. 00:36:24.500 |
He denies him the third time and then the rooster crows. 00:36:28.380 |
In Luke 22, 61, you actually, Luke writes, "And then Jesus looked at him right when the 00:36:38.160 |
You hear the rooster and at the same time you hear the rooster, you see Jesus' eyes 00:36:47.860 |
I wonder what was going through his mind when he made eye contact with Christ. 00:36:52.340 |
He had denied the son of God and in his moment of truth, proved himself a coward and a liar. 00:37:00.700 |
So after Jesus' resurrection, he appears to his disciples several times, but you don't 00:37:05.220 |
see Peter excited, okay, except the first time. 00:37:08.860 |
But we find that initially, so they've all gone back to fishing as I would. 00:37:18.860 |
If I had abandoned my Savior in time of need, I wouldn't go back to fishing because I didn't 00:37:26.500 |
I would go back because I feel like such a loser. 00:37:30.620 |
I would be ashamed, I would be broken, I would be embarrassed and humbled and that betrayal 00:37:37.540 |
So when Peter finds Jesus cooking breakfast for them at the seaside, Peter's probably 00:37:47.060 |
And I want to show you this account in John chapter 21. 00:37:52.340 |
So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon, "Peter, Simon's son of John, 00:37:58.340 |
And he said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." 00:38:04.140 |
And he said to him a second time, "Simon's son of John, do you love me?" 00:38:07.140 |
And he said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." 00:38:14.220 |
He said to him the third time, "Simon's son of John, do you love me?" 00:38:18.380 |
Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" 00:38:22.980 |
And he said to him, "Lord, you know all things. 00:38:31.420 |
Peter's hurt the third time Jesus asks him about his love and commitment. 00:38:35.340 |
And I've highlighted the word love on there for you on the screen. 00:38:39.860 |
In Greek, love that is unconditional, a love that a mother has for a child, 00:38:44.380 |
the love that God has for the world is usually written agape love. 00:38:48.140 |
And you guys who've grown up in the church have heard this word before, 00:38:55.580 |
The Greek word for love that is more conditional, perhaps similar in warmth, 00:39:01.820 |
but definitely not as loyal or fierce is the word phileo, brotherly love. 00:39:08.100 |
And I want to show you something about this exchange between the Lord and Peter. 00:39:14.100 |
First time, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon's son of John, do you agape me?" 00:39:20.540 |
And Peter says, "Yes, Lord, you know that I, phileo, love you." 00:39:26.140 |
He said to him a second time, "Simon's son of John, do you agape me?" 00:39:31.060 |
And he said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I, phileo, love you." 00:39:38.580 |
And Jesus says to him the third time, "Simon's son of John, do you even phileo me?" 00:39:45.460 |
And Peter's grieved because he said to him this third time, "Do you phileo love me?" 00:39:52.460 |
And he said to him, "Lord, you know all things. 00:40:09.260 |
It's because the third time Jesus asks, it almost seems like he's questioning Peter. 00:40:19.580 |
You see, before the arrest of Jesus, Peter in his mind had an agape love for Jesus Christ. 00:40:26.260 |
But you see through this exchange that Peter no longer has confidence in his own heart. 00:40:30.980 |
His love for the Son of God had to be first and foremost founded on the Son of God's love 00:40:39.020 |
The Holy Spirit does a lot through the life of Peter. 00:40:44.580 |
But why did Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in his sovereignty allow Peter to deny him? 00:40:53.940 |
To remind Peter as he did the Israelites wandering in the wilderness, that there was nothing 00:41:01.820 |
The twelve tribes in the wilderness had to learn that every single aspect of their relationship 00:41:09.220 |
And none of it was by their merit or their loyalty. 00:41:12.420 |
So Peter, like the Israelites, needed to be humbled. 00:41:20.160 |
As A.W. Tozer writes, "Before God will use a man greatly, he will hurt him deeply." 00:41:28.340 |
Before God will use a man greatly, he will hurt him deeply. 00:41:44.580 |
I find this ironic because there are roosters everywhere. 00:41:52.260 |
That was probably Peter's alarm clock every single morning he woke up for the rest of 00:41:58.940 |
Maybe when he was being crucified upside down, he heard a rooster. 00:42:04.600 |
Every single morning the Apostle Peter woke up, he woke up with the reminder of his betrayal. 00:42:09.420 |
He woke up with the reminder of the surpassing goodness of this gracious God. 00:42:15.520 |
And I'm sure that upon that rooster call, he was reminded of his charge to agape love 00:42:26.120 |
And Peter can now agape love the flock of God because the agape love of God the Father 00:42:34.340 |
So you see, humbled people, broken people tend to be a more grateful people and a more 00:42:47.360 |
Humbled and broken people naturally tend to be more thankful, appreciative, and more loving. 00:42:55.560 |
And being broken of our pride and being released from our fears and our guilt is a process 00:42:59.020 |
and perhaps with each passing year, God is showing you more and more of the sin and frailty 00:43:07.000 |
And some of you, because of this process of seeing your failure again and again, may feel 00:43:14.020 |
Some of you are living your lives filled with shame. 00:43:17.080 |
It doesn't mean that you're not believing in Jesus Christ, it just means that you feel 00:43:27.420 |
And when you hear your spiritual rooster crow every day, one thing I want to remind you 00:43:33.880 |
of is you're in very good company in the scriptures. 00:43:37.480 |
God uses broken, messed up, flawed people to bring about his plan of salvation. 00:43:45.420 |
God knows our weaknesses, he knows our frame, he knows our limitations, he knows the offenses 00:43:49.460 |
that we have already committed in the past, he knows the offenses that we will commit 00:43:53.380 |
in the future, he knows the offenses that we're committing now, and yet he extends kindness 00:44:01.060 |
And like the song that we're going to sing in a little bit, "My sins, they are many, 00:44:10.480 |
And God is the one who is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure, 00:44:17.380 |
So as God is working in you, one thing you'll look back in your life and just see progress 00:44:27.340 |
And you will see just a hatred, a healthy hatred toward yourself. 00:44:39.460 |
So what is the word of God teaching us today? 00:44:42.660 |
I read up to Genesis 50, 21, but the chapter goes on for five more verses, and we learn 00:44:47.180 |
that the next 54 years of Joseph's life, he's extending grace and showing kindness to his 00:44:55.740 |
Jesus, who is exponentially more gracious, who is eternally unashamed, calls us brothers. 00:45:04.740 |
That he is going to spend eternity lavishing upon us kindness. 00:45:13.540 |
And I'd like to close with both an invitation and a charge. 00:45:18.140 |
First John 1, 9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us 00:45:25.780 |
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 00:45:30.340 |
And later we'll read that there is no fear in love. 00:45:36.740 |
And as we are being made righteous, 1 John 3, 23, this is his commandment that we believe 00:45:41.220 |
in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, and God pay love to one another, just as he commanded 00:45:52.500 |
Brothers and sisters, this morning, for you guys who belong to the Lord Jesus, I just 00:45:57.100 |
wanted to remind you that you've been forgiven. 00:46:01.860 |
And as forgiven people, let's worship in spirit and in truth the one who's forgiven us. 00:46:08.960 |
And as we've been forgiven, let us live lives of forgiveness. 00:46:23.860 |
By this, all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. 00:46:31.040 |
May we worship the Lord because he is worthy. 00:46:37.980 |
That's the purpose of our life, to give glory to God and to build his kingdom.