Building The Future

Scripture

Genesis 50:22–26 “So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.”

God plans for the future

Joseph named his sons Hebrew names

Genesis 41:51 “Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.””

Genesis 41:52 “The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers and they were afraid

Genesis 45:7 “And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.”

After Jacob died

Genesis 50:20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

So What?

Joseph did what he did to save his brothers

He never accepted Egypt as his home

He prepared Israel for the future

What are you doing to prepare this church for the future?

This is a great church

What can we do to keep it great for the next generation?

All Saints Sunday reminds us of our heritage

We are here today because of the people who came before us and made it possible

All Saints Sunday reminds us of our mortality

We will shed this mortal flesh and put on immortality - 1 Corinthians

What will we leave behind for future generations?

That the next generation would be prepared

Teach them Scripture

Tell them of the ways of God

Prepare them to stand firm in the world

Share stories of your failures and successes

Train someone to take your place

Who will do what you do when you are no longer able to do it?

Don’t get stuck in “Can’t”, but in what God can do

We don’t have this, we don’t have that, this successful church over there does such and such

God will provide for His church

If we will not try to take it out of His hands

Closing

I am so grateful for those who gave their time, money, and prayers for this church and are now able to rest in everlasting peace. This is a great church to be a part of and I am honored to be one of the pastors here in this church’s wonderful history. Let us be thankful for what God has done and that we are able to enjoy the benefits of it. Let us not end there, but let us join with our Creator as He continues to build and plan for the future. This church is 139 years old by my count. Let it be said in another 139 years that this church is still alive and thriving for the kingdom of God and, being filled with the Holy Spirit, may God use our hands and life to make it possible.