Joseph. Message of your life Men's Bible Study

Scripture and introduction

Catch up to this point.

What is interesting to you?

What is going through the brother’s heads here?

What is still needed from them?

Read Genesis 42-43.

Start in verse 29.

Repentance

What is repentance?

The greek word for repentance is metanoia and it is stronger or more dynamic word than what our English translations can do. It implies a reformation of character, a fundamental behavioral reversal. Denotes sweeping change of mind and heart, followed by a behavioral reformation of a sinful life, a sorrowing for sin so as to forsake sin altogether.

Carolyn Moore defines it this way:

In its most spiritual sense (which is its deepest definition), to repent means to turn away from something that offends a good, holy, loving, wise God. We do this not because God will strike us dead if we don’t, but because offending a good and loving God is not life-giving. To repent means shifting gears, making a genuine choice to practice life so that we (our whole selves) become an offering pleasing to God. We become no longer our own, but His. That thing we did becomes no longer ours but His.

John Wesley makes a distinction about two different kinds or times of repentance:

In his sermon on “The Repentance of Believers”

he describes the repentance that leads unto justification:

And this is undoubtedly true, that there is a repentance and a faith, which are, more especially, necessary at the beginning: a repentance, which is a conviction of our utter sinfulness, and guiltiness, and helplessness; and which precedes our receiving that kingdom of God, which, our Lord observes, is "within us;" and a faith, whereby we receive that kingdom, even "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." - John Wesley

He continues....

But, notwithstanding this, there is also a repentance and a faith (taking the words in another sense, a sense not quite the same, nor yet entirely different) which are requisite after we have "believed the gospel;" yea, and in every subsequent stage of our Christian course, or we cannot "run the race which is set before us." And this repentance and faith are full as necessary, in order to our continuance and growth in grace, as the former faith and repentance were, in order to our entering into the kingdom of God.

When we are justified, we called righteous. Sin no longer reigns, BUT sin still remains.

Repentance of believers:

This about yielding more and more of yourself each day. Repentance is the primary joining and yielding to this gift of sanctifying grace. It is a stance of humility and self-awareness that paves the ways for the person to embrace the gradual work of love born into the believer. Finally, repentance is about the removal of the obstacles of grace.

Wesley importantly identifies some places of repentance in the life of the believer:

pride

self-will

desires of the flesh

the pride of life:

the honour that comes with men

fear of dispraise

evil shame

fear of man

Other tempers

Jealousies

groundless or unreasonable suspicions

resentment

are we ever excited for revenge

Coveteousness (love of money)

Sins of ommission

on and on.

Back to Egypt

So the brothers head back to Egypt. Simeon has probably been stuck in prison for months if not a year because they don’t want to face their problems. Some people think Joseph is torturing the brothers but I think he is helping them to heal….I don’t recommend throwing someone in prison just to help them heal….but what we see Joseph do is lavish them in love. He gives them silver that they find in their packs. When they return he throws a massive feast. His stewards are told to take the best care of all the brothers. When they try to return the money they are told to keep it.

What is so obvious to me too is that they cannot enjoy it. They are hesitant to receive any of this grace because they feel like it may be a trap.

“A guilty conscience is always suspicious of grace.”

See the joy receptors are broken! And it makes sense. When there is something hanging over our heads, it is nearly impossible to enjoy life.

That’s why the psalmist writes: (32)

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.[b]

And even when they are able to relax a little…. “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.”

Imagine if this were the end of it. If they had this dinner and when back home. It would have been nice and enjoyable. They may have found some replenishing and enjoyment out of it. But if Joseph never revealed himself, if they never found the opportunity to repent and they returned home then is would have been short-lived grace.

· Friends how many come here every week or multiple times a week to enjoy a short-lived filling. Some temporary satisfaction. And then return home unchanged.

· Repentance is about freedom, not shame. Repentance is about saying….my whole life I have been walking this way, yes I am sorry, but I want to turn and walk in your way…

· Or repentance this morning is about stepping out of the center of the universe and inviting God to shape and form you.

· Repentance is a practice we have to reclaim. Not as a way of beating ourselves up, but continually opening ourselves to more and more of him.

· Listen friends, get this right in your head and your heart:

o It is not REPENT  ok now I love you….or now I am not angry

o It is REPENT  GOD says, let me help you.