God can use us in our weaknesses - Joseph rejected and scorned yet his dreams came true

Genesis 42:1-46:34; 50:15-21

Main theme of passage: God used the evil actions of the brothers and the attachment of an old man to establish his people and secure their future prosperity

Main Preaching Theme: How to cope when the madness of life has a purpose we cannot fathom.

Main Preaching Intention: I believe that the congregation will be encouraged to trust God in the midst of the madness of life and as a result they will have opportunity to see their place in his purposes.

Scene 1/ It is difficult to always see how all things work together for good for those who love God!

After all Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” is often quoted to give people hope that in some way whatever they are experiencing will somehow turn out OK.

But it doesn’t always make sense.

In fact we fall into the trap of believing that it should all be good if we trust God.

That somehow being a Christian means that life should be a bed of roses!

Well it isn’t!

How do you explain death & disease and trauma in a family’s life?

How do you explain loss of income, relationship breakdown and disappointment?

How do you explain life?

Sadly our theology of God’s desire to bless us is all too often more about our desire, than it is about God’s purposes for his glory!

Scene 2/ Joseph faced this challenge in the ups & downs of his life.

We read his account from Genesis 37 onwards; He was the favourite son of his Father, born of his Father’s favourite wife.

Because of this he was given gifts such as a special robe that were not given to his half brothers

He kept Dad informed of the behaviour of his half brothers, which didn’t win him any favours.

He had two dreams that indicated he would rule over his brothers.

And he made the mistake of sharing them with them, which only added to their hatred.

His brother’s conspired to murder him.

One of them tried to save him by suggesting they throw him into a dry well instead where he could die.

This brother intended to come back later and save Joseph, but he was too late, the other brothers pulled Joseph out when they saw an opportunity to sell him as a slave

Joseph was taken to Egypt as a slave and sold to an Egyptian officer.

Joseph showed his abilities in the house of his new master and was made the chief steward of the house.

The master’s wife took a fancy to Joseph; he maintained his integrity but still ended up in jail.

In prison Joseph again showed his abilities and was put in charge of all that happened inside the prison.

He interpreted the dreams of two officials of Pharaoh’s; the cup bearer & baker

These men had been put in prison for displeasing Pharaoh.

The cup bearer whose dream meant he would live and be reinstated promised to remember Joseph and help him.

But he forgot about him for two whole years and left Joseph in prison.

The baker whose dream meant he would die, didn’t think to tell Pharaoh that what he was about to do was predicted by Joseph.

This wasn’t a smart move as it was the only option he had left to regain Pharaoh’s favour, so he died.

This was of course very bad for him and didn’t help Joseph get out of prison.

Eventually Pharaoh had some dreams which no one could interpret and only then did the cupbearer remember Joseph & tell Pharaoh about him.

Joseph was brought to Pharaoh, interpreted his dreams and as a result of this and the wise advice he gave, Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all his affairs.

We started with Joseph at the beginning of Genesis chapter 37; then he was a 17 year old young man who hadn’t learnt humility.

He told his brother’s his dreams, dreams they and he understood the meaning of.

He big noted himself and ended up nearly dead and sold into slavery.

At the end of Genesis 41, 20 years later we find Joseph ruler of Egypt, a man who has learnt humility.

A man who had learnt to trust God, to keep his integrity even when faced with the darkest of times with no assurance that good times would follow.

Then his brothers show up in Egypt, starving and in need of food.

Food and life which Joseph held under his command.

He literally had the power of life and death over his brothers.

Brothers who had betrayed him, brothers who had deceived their father and told him that Joseph was dead.

Joseph could have had them executed on the spot.

He did not have to give a reason.

One word and they would have been dead.

But he had learnt humility and obedience to God’s plan which enabled him to look past revenge and see an opportunity to glorify God.

We read in Genesis 42:9a

Genesis 42:9a NLT

9 And he remembered the dreams he’d had about them many years before. He said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.”

Scene 3/ This attitude of humility and obedience enabled Joseph to set up an elaborate ruse in order to teach his brothers the lessons he had learnt about humility & integrity.

Genesis 42:7 through to verse 28 tells us of Joseph’s elaborate ploy.

A ruse that will expose his brother’s deception and bring them to a point of confession & humility, a ruse that will reunite his family.

He sets them up, puts them on the defensive.

Get’s them to blurt out the family structure as a defence.

And this gives Joseph the information he needs.

His Father Jacob is alive, so too his little brother Benjamin.

But his dreams are only partially fulfilled.

Genesis 37:6 says his brothers will bow down before him and they have.

But Genesis 37:9-11 says that not only his brothers but his parents also will bow down before him.

And they have not come.

As Joseph continues to put his ploy into action we see some remarkable developments.

We see the first signs of conviction and remorse in Genesis 42:21.

READ Genesis 42:21-23

Genesis 42:21–23 NLT

21 Speaking among themselves, they said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.” 22 “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!” 23 Of course, they didn’t know that Joseph understood them, for he had been speaking to them through an interpreter.

Joseph is quick.

He gathers this information, sees Reuben wasn’t the ring leader and this sets up his further actions.

It is Simeon, the second oldest that he imprisons.

He would have been the leader in the plot against Joseph and symbolically he is the second son of Jacob’s wife Leah.

Simeon is held to symbolise the threat to the second son of Jacob’s favourite wife Rachael.

It is Rachael’s second son Benjamin who must return if they are to receive any more food.

The brother’s know the cost.

They know that God is punishing them for their actions.

Their father will see the message, a second son offered for a second son returned.

Now the brothers get a taste of the anguish they have caused.

But then Joseph piles on the pressure.

He has the money they paid for the grain returned secretly.

All of this leads us to the confrontation with their father Jacob, and in Genesis 42:38 the message is driven home.

Genesis 42:38 NLT

38 But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left. If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.”

Many commentators see in Jacob’s words an accusation against the brothers.

Is Jacob convinced of their account?

Joseph is gone, Simeon is gone and Reuben has offered his own sons as guarantee for Benjamin.

Does Jacob suspect that Simeon has meet the same fate as Joseph and that is why they have all this money?

Jacob declares that Benjamin is all he has left; they are in effect on the verge of being disowned.

But eventually they must return to Egypt, the food runs out.

And they must go with Benjamin.

Genesis 43 tells of the next step In Joseph’s ploy.

They are kept in suspense regarding their fate.

They are invited to be guests.

They confess that the money was found in their sacks and they did not take it, this becomes a non issue and Simeon is released to them.

Joseph seeks more information and even seats them in correct birth order.

Benjamin is shown special consideration by Joseph.

And then in Genesis 44 they are sent on their way.

But again the trap is sprung.

This time it is Benjamin who is implicated when Joseph’s cup is discovered in his pack.

A cup he did not take.

Again in Genesis 44:13 we see the brother’s being faced with their sin.

Benjamin the one they swore to protect is now at risk.

There is genuine remorse and as one they are determined to put things right.

Rather than sacrifice Benjamin to the ruler of Egypt, all the brothers return with him to bow before Joseph and offer themselves as slaves and it is Judah who takes the lead.

The lessons Joseph had learnt; his brothers too finally grasped.

Scene 4/ This attitude of humility & obedience enabled Joseph to be the instrument which brought God’s plan into action.

A plan to provide for Jacob & his whole family.

A plan which would save many lives.

And ultimately a plan that would bring the people of Israel to Egypt where they would multiply to become a nation.

Have a look at Genesis 45:5 – 8

Genesis 45:5–8 NLT

5 But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6 This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. 8 So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.

It was not the brothers who sent Joseph to Egypt it was God.

God had a plan, a plan that Joseph could now see.

When Jacob and his family have settled in Egypt as honoured guests.

After Jacob has died and been buried Joseph gave the same assurance to his brothers in Genesis 50:19-20

Genesis 50:19–20 NLT

19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

Scene 5/ This attitude of humility & obedience is how we can cope with the madness of life when we cannot fathom the purpose of what is going on.

Romans 8:28 doesn’t promise us that everything will work out well for us.

It is actually about everything working out for the good of God’s plan.

You see we have fallen for the lie that it is all about us.

Romans 8:28 isn’t all about us.

We hear this promise so many times we forget that when Paul wrote these words he was letting one phrase run into the next.

We have forgotten the context.

Romans 8 explains; it reassures and encourages us about what we have and shall have.

But ultimately what is done in us and for us isn’t about us; it is about God’s glory.

Joseph saw that in the madness of his life; if we can see that in the madness of our lives things will be much easier to deal with.