Come to Me! (Genesis 45.24-46.7;46.28-30)
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Then he sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Do not quarrel along the way.”
So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.
And they told him, “Joseph is still alive! He is even ruler over all the land of Egypt.” He was stunned; he could not believe them.
The children of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two; all the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.
Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I must go and see him before I die.”
When Israel set out on his journey with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.”
Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.
I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph’s own hand shall close your eyes.”
Then Jacob set out from Beer-sheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
They also took their livestock and the goods that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him,
his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters; all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.
Israel sent Judah ahead to Joseph to lead the way before him into Goshen. When they came to the land of Goshen,
Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. He presented himself to him, fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
in the cave in the field at Machpelah, near Mamre, in the land of Canaan, in the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site.
Intro:
Freedom......
.....this morning I want to deal with what it feels like to be agitated between the tension of hope and fear!
- is it going to work out?
- Can God be God?
and then at the same time……
God I trust you…..
God you said…………
(pause)
Because.........
.......I am under the persuasion that one of the most important actions we will ever have to take is the one that includes both........
Our fears
and.....
Our hopes
(pause)
The place where......
We are scared out of our mind to move forward......
and at the same time......
Hope is like a gravitational pull motivating us to take a chance!
(pause)
What do you do........
........when you can taste recovery
......but you're too scared to take a step?
(pause and expound)
In previous verses Joseph has revealed himself to his brothers and explained his heart towards them and how everything that they did was necessary.......
.......and his last instructions was to go back and tell their father Jacob to gather everything they own and come to Egypt.
(pause)
and.......
.....it is in verse 24 that we lean into the ending of the conversation of he and his brothers before they head back to Canaan to speak with their father Jacob.
(pause)
look at it......
Then he sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Do not quarrel along the way.”
Joseph says to his brothers........
.........I already know how this is gonna go
......so when y'all get on the road
(slight pause)
Don't start that fighting and arguing........
(pause)
Because what Joseph understands is........
.........when they start considering the crucial conversation that they are going to have to have with their father Jacob
...........emotions are going to increase to an exponential level of confusion between these brothers
(pause)
Because now they got to deal with their stuff......
Their cruelty towards Joseph
Their deception towards their father Jacob
How Reuben and Judah tried to save Joseph, while the others insisted and strategized to propel him into the pit.....
(pause)
Because see......
.......if Jacob is anything like any of our parents or grandparents
......there's no talking your way through this without giving all the details!
(pause and expound)
And the only thing that just might save them.........
......is the fact that Joseph is still alive!
(pause)
And Freedom........
........there are some people in your lives that better be glad you made it!
(pause)
Because the only thing that is saving them.....
......is the fact that you're still here!
(pause and expound)
watch the text....
So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.
And they told him, “Joseph is still alive! He is even ruler over all the land of Egypt.” He was stunned; he could not believe them.
And in my spiritual imagination I hear Jacob saying.......
“This is too much to wrap my mind around!”
.............first of all I can't believe y'all lied to me about something so important
........secondly I am blowed away that you could treat your brother the way that you did him
(pause)
Now.......
........I know y'all could pull some stunts
.....but my goodness
(pause)
And now you saying.......
.........that Joseph is still alive
.......and not only is he alive
.....but that my son is a GOVERNOR in Egypt!
(pause)
And the Bible says,
Jacob is STUNNED!
(pause and expound option)
Now look at verse 27.....
But when they told him all the words of Joseph that he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.
Freedom this is amazing.......
and the reason this is phenomenal is......
......that there are two reasons that Jacob is revived!
They told him the words of Joseph
He saw the wagons that Joseph sent to bring him to Egypt
(slight pause)
Now let me open this up........
Because I want to show you the power behind Joseph's words!
Remember........
......in Joseph's dream that he shared with his father
....how there sheafs of grain would bow down to his, and how the moon and stars would show him respect
(pause)
And so........
........now as the brothers are speaking....... for Joseph
.......Jacob is hearing ..........Joseph!
(pause)
and I hear Jacob saying.......
“Wait a minute..........
......they might be telling the truth!”
because.......
.....this sounds like something Joseph would say!
(pause)
Freedom........
......Joseph’s words right now
..........have the same character they had back then when he was dreaming!
(pause)
And then the text says....
Jacob looks over and he sees the resources that have been sent....by Joseph
and.....
.........realizes immediately that there is hope!
(pause)
And the Bible says......
........the spirit of Jacob Revived!
(pause)
Freedom.....
This word revived in the Hebrew means......
.....to be refreshed
…or to recover
(Pause)
and in verse 28......Jacob says
Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I must go and see him before I die.”
Now I want you to see something.........
notice how.......
…when the Bible is dealing with weakness and unbelief the name Jacob is used
but.......
.......when the text is describing faith and strength the name Israel is used
(Pause)
and in my spiritual imagination.......
Jacob represents our old man.........
and.......
Israel suggests the new man!
(pause)
But here's what I love........
Faith in our new man will always be willing to go to war with the doubt in our old man!
(pause)
What are you saying Pastor.....?
.........Hope will always speak to Faith!
(pause)
In my spiritual imagination
When Jacob..........
......was having difficulties believing the report of his sons.
Hope said........
.......let me speak to Faith
......because doubt will never accept me!
(pause)
But Faith is willing to stretch out and look for something to believe in.....
......and that's when the Bible says,
Israel said “That's enough!”
......my faith has found my hope!
(pause)
and I'm ready to go see my son before I die.......
(pause)
Look at it now......
When Israel set out on his journey with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
Beersheba is a 25 mile journey from Mamre.......where Israel lived
and the Bible says......
Israel (notice again the name change from Jacob because he is still standing in his strength)
.........takes a remarkable action as his next step
.......he offers sacrifices
......or he examples for us a model of offering devotion to God by seeking Gods presence!
(pause)
But here's what I really want to point out!
because the text says......
“he offers sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac”
(pause)
Parents.........
.......It is vitally important that your babies will be able to say
“My mother and/or my father taught me about God!”
(pause)
Evrything else is good.........
......take them where they want to go
........provide nice things
(slight pause)
But make sure you teach them abou the God of our ancestors!
(pause and expound)
Because......
......when life hits harder than a MACK truck going 90mph in a 35 zone
.......Gucci, and adidas can't get them out of that!
(pause)
They need to be able to speak the words that the narrator says about Israel in this text that says....
“he offered sacrifices to the God of his father!”
(pause)
Watch the text......
God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.”
Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.
According to the text in this eighth appearance between God andJacob......
God shows up and explains to Jacob that there is no need to fear.
Now.....you must understand that the reason Jacob is fearful to enter back into Egypt
.... is because his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham have been fobidden to do so.
(pause)
and so God says to Jacob........
“I am permitting you to go down to Egypt!”
(pause)
and Freedom this is.....
…a classic example of seeking spiritual counsel
.....when dealing with life's options.
(pause)
Because even when there is an option for Jacob to be reunited with his son Joseph.....
....He still consults God to find out if it's ok?
“Lord I want this.......
....but is this what you want?”
(pause)
And what Jacob knows .......
......is that the worst thing you can ever do
…is move without Gods consent and find yourself in worst off shape!
(pause and expound) - it sounded good until we got down there.....
The text says....
God granted promises to Jacob in this vision.....
I will make you a great nation. (In Egypt)
I will go down with you into Egypt.
. I will bring you out of Egypt again.
Joseph will put his hands on your eyes.
......it was customary for the closest of kin to close the eyes and kiss the deceased at their time of transition.
(pause)
Look at it....
genesis 46.5-7 (summarize)
These verses state that........
everyone loaded up their belongings and headed towards Egypt.
. All of Jacob sons and their families....
his daughter Dinah, and her family.
All of his offspring
(pause)
In verses 8-27 of this chapter....
....the biblical writer chronicles the 66 seeds that come from Jacob that are in route to Egypt to see Joseph.
11 sons and one daughter
Reubens 4 sons
Simeon's six sons
Levi's three sons
Judas five sons and grandsons
Issachars 4 sons
Jebulons 3 sons
Gads 7 sons
Ashers 7 sons and grandsons
Dans 1 son
Nephatali’s 4 sons
Benjamins 10 sons
(pause)
look at it....
Israel sent Judah ahead to Joseph to lead the way before him into Goshen. When they came to the land of Goshen,
the text basically says......
....Jacob tells Judah to go ahead of them and ask Joseph for instructions on how they should enter the city
(pause)
But when Joseph finds out from Judah that the rest of the family is so close.........
......he gets so excited that he goes out to meet them in verse 29.
(pause)
look at it....
Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. He presented himself to him, fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
Freedom.....
I don't care what nobody say........
Every child needs their daddy!!
(Pause)
and remember.....
you're talking to somebody who grew up in a single parent household with mamma...
And I still say........
every child....
.....needs their daddy!
(pause)
Freedom.....
Joseph has not seen his father for over 2 decades.....
.....and even though Jacob thought he lost his son
........Joseph for 2 decades still wondered in my spiritual imagination
“…when will I see my father again?”
(Pause)
and according to the text......
“he presented himself to his father...”
and in my spiritual imagination.....
I see Joseph standing in front of Jacob saying,
“daddy it's me!”
(pause)
And the Bible does not say Jacob responds with any words........
......and maybe he doesn't........
(pause)
But in my spiritual imagination.....
I see Jacob at the very least......
.....stretching out his arms towards Joseph
......and I see him saying,
“Son, come to me..........”
(Pause)
and the Bible says ,
“Joseph cried.......
.......on Jacobs neck!”
(pause)
Freedom.......
in verse 30......
Jacob says,
I can die now........
.......I'm satisfied!
(pause)
I'm finally back together with the son that I thought I lost.......
(pause)
Freedom.....
im closing, but there's one thing that caught my attention......
(slight pause)
Attention catcher; Jacob is fulfilled......and complete after seeing Joseph
and the reason this stood out to me is because......
.......I think that some of us are searching for survival
(pause)
But......
God did not give us a dream to be focused on just survival
....but
.........God gives us a dream to reach a point of being “made whole!”
(pause)
and I hear God saying.....
......You can call the search off now
(pause)
.............CONCLUSION.............
Come to me........
.....all you that are weary
.....and burdened
.....and I will give you rest!
(pause)
i hear God saying....
Come to me......
everyone who thirsts......
.....come to me
......and drink!