Joseph // A USABLE FAITH THAT REMEMBERS GOD

5 And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation.

6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. [compassion]

7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?”

8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

The CupBearer’s Dream

“So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”” (Genesis 40:9–11, ESV)

Interpretation:

“Then Joseph said to him:

“This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”” (Genesis 40:12–15, ESV)

The Baker’s Dream

“When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.”” (Genesis 40:16–17, ESV)

Interpretation:

“And Joseph answered and said,:

“This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”” (Genesis 40:18–19, ESV)

Pharaoh’s Birthday

“On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. [for two years]” (Genesis 40:20–23, ESV)

Title: A USABLE FAITH THAT REMEMBERS GOD

Body:

Things To See:

Don’t Let Your Situation Harden Your Heart:

Genesis 40:6–7 (ESV)

6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled.

7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?”

Joseph’s situation hasn’t hardened his heart…he is still seeing the trouble of others, and asking what’s wrong.

Sometimes the residue of our struggle tints our heart towards others

We get angry when we see others not struggling like us

We get cold towards others and their light afflictions

We stop SEEING the struggle of others and stop ASKING what’s wrong

Jesus encountered a situation like this: Matthew 14:13-23

Jesus gets news that His relative [cousin] John the Baptizer has be beheaded [murdered]

Jesus wants to get away…to mourn in private

Matthew 14:13 (ESV)

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself.

Unfortunately, the crowds followed Jesus

The crowds didn’t know that Jesus was suffering the loss of a family member

The crowds didn’t know that Jesus needed to be alone to mourn and process

The crowds just wanted to be with Jesus

Jesus places His pain to the side…sees the crowd…has compassion…serves them.

Jesus didn’t ignore His pain…He didn’t cancel His appointment to the mountain…He decided to serve others before Himself.

Matthew 14:23 (ESV)

23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

Application:

Sometimes all we can see is our pain

We must remember that others are suffering [it may not be in the same way…but they are suffering]

Don’t let your struggle narrow your vision and harden your heart towards others.

Live out your faith everywhere :

Joseph has a choice to make in Gen 40:8

Genesis 40:8 (ESV)

8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.”....

Joseph could have placed his faith in God on pause and pretended he couldn’t help these officials.

Joseph could’ve been bitter about his situation and let the gift of God within him stay hidden....besides, they would’ve never known the difference.

BUT Joseph allows himself to be used by God, NOT KNOWING if it would benefit him at all.

Genesis 40:8 (ESV)

8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

Question:

Where is it the hardest for you to live out your faith?

work, at a family reunion, at a resturant, etc.

When is it the hardest to live out your faith?

when you are in a crowd, when you’re going thru a hard time…

Why is the temptation to stay

easier, no risk of offending/confusing someone, no risk of being judge or stereotyped

Jesus say that our Faith is to be put on display:

Matthew 5:14–16 (ESV)

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Light is not beneficial unless darkness is present

Sometimes God may want to use you while you walk alongside someone in a season of struggle....or maybe when you are in a season of struggle!

Don’t hide the gift of God…even if you’re in prison

Allow God to use you in EVERY SEASON of your life…not just the good ones!

Paul wrote the 4 of the NT letters from a PRISON CELL

Philemon is written regarding a runaway servant who Paul met in prison and led to the Lord!

WITH GOD…NOTHING IS WASTED!

Remember GRATITUDE:

Joseph shares ONE REQUEST…to be remembered and mentioned

He allows himself to be used by God for the benefit of others

“Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house.” (Genesis 40:14, ESV)

For the first time Joseph pleads for help

Joseph is forgotten for 2 years

The Cup Bearer forgot about Joseph’s generosity/grace/kindness towards him!

“How prone are men to forget and neglect in prosperity” - Commentator

Sometimes the blessing is so great that we forget about where it came from!

Sometimes we experience the grace of God and forget what it was like without it!

Sometimes we “forget and neglect” gratefulness.

Jesus experienced this too: [Luke 17:10-19]

Jesus is approached by 10 men with leprosy

They plead with Jesus, “Master, have mercy on us!”

Jesus tells them to “Go and show [themselves] tot he priests”

As they went [obedience to what Jesus said…] they were cleansed!

Luke 17:15–19 (ESV)

15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;

16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.

17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?

18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

Out of the 10 who recieved healing, ONLY ONE gave praise to the source of their healing!

Samaritans and Jews hated each other

Samaritan = unclean + Leprosy = unclean

Sometimes we forget what it was like to be unclean [not saved]

When we become self righteous, we can’t see the faithfulness of God on our life

When we become proud or entitled, we forget that “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness there of” -Ps. 24:1

When we forget how life was without Jesus, we forget that “every good gift and perfect gift comes from God” - James 1:17

Leon Morris says this regarding the 9 lepers who didn’t return:

“If people do not give thanks quickly, they usually do not do so at all.”

What’s keeping you back from being grateful to God today?

Shouldn’t the gift of salvation be enough to worship God!?

Everything we do is out of gratefulness:

We worship

We give

We serve

We care for others

We share our faith

Have you shown gratefulness to the at person who helped you get to where you wanted to be?

Have you showed appreciation to that person who prayed with you, gave you money, stayed up late with you, drove you to school, ....etc?

It’s too easy, to be ungrateful....gratefulness is a CHOICE we MUST make NOW.

QUESTIONS:

What is God saying?

What are you going to do about that?

CALL PRAYER TEAM UP

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