Meant for Good Pt 2
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Perfection
Perfection
PRAYER
“Lord, we take a moment to quiet our minds and hearts before you. We know that you have created us for your glory, to be ambassadors of your goodness in the world. Teach our hearts to embrace your Process, so that we can grow towards maturity. Make us people of substance and character -- people who accept your dealings with us as good, praising your name in the good times and the hard times. Use the testimony of your servant Joseph to give our hearts a new perspective today.”
SCRIPTURE
● Genesis 39 and 40. We are covering a lot of ground, so this will be a higher level view, concerned with some key events in Joseph’s development towards Biblical Perfection.
● Hebrews 10:32-39
● Lamentations 3:25-33
CRUCIAL QUESTIONS
Let’s start with the three crucial questions we’ll be answering in this sermon:
What is Biblical Perfection?
How is God’s goal of Perfecting us tied to His Process?
How can we accept God’s goal of Perfection, when it feels cruel?
INTRODUCTION
Last week, we talked about the Promise and the Process.
Like Joseph, we have precious Promises from God, and they are true. However, we can’t have the Promises without the Process, and God’s Process includes suffering. If we misunderstand God’s Process, we will be discouraged when the Promise and the Process seem to be in contradiction.
In our text, Joseph received the Promise, and now he has entered God's Process. The dreams....hated by brothers, sold into slavery…but still the promise holds.
Today we’re going to talk about Perfection, which is the goal of God’s Process in our lives. We know that, in terms of discipleship, God is “conforming us into the image of Christ,” but what does that actually look like? In the story of Joseph, we get an amazing example.
But first, lets narrow down the biblical view of perfection.
STRONGS "Perfection:" 5046 téleios (an adjective, derived from 5056 /télos, "consummated goal") – mature (consummated) from going through the necessary stages to reach the end-goal, i.e. developed into a consummating completion by fulfilling the necessary process (spiritual journey). See 5056 (telos).
Biblical perfection is not “doing everything right.” It has more to do with a mature character. It means to be fully grown, developed into your final form, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.
Humanity's idea of Perfection brings stress, comparison, and disappointment. Doing everything right. Comparisons and jealousy and envy all play into this. Greed, disappointment and more....here’s why...
6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
God's idea of Perfection brings transformation, humility, and gratitude.
"The Spirit brings life" because the goal is heart transformation and success hinges on faith in God…and in His process.
I think all of us can look back in our lives at times when we were trying to fix our own life, better our own life, correct our own mistakes…our way. Rather than allowing God to grow and mature us.
SCRIPTURE
SUMMARY: Genesis 39
After the horrific betrayal of his brothers, Joseph goes to Egypt sold as a slave a servant. He ends up being sold to a wealthy official in Egypt named Potiphar. Potiphar recognizes Joseph's excellence, and promotes him to overseer.
5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field.
6 So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
After Joseph's promotion, Potiphar's wife takes notice of him, and tries to lure him into an affair. Joseph adamantly refuses her advances many times. She frames Joseph out of spite, falsely claiming that he has assaulted her. Potiphar, in a rage, sends Joseph to prison for a crime he didn't commit. this was the King’s Prison…not the common population jail…but the king’s own prison. And in a few verses after we find that this prison is actually on Potiphars property.
Joseph's only crime, as with his brothers, is being good at what he does, and being highly favored by the leader of the household. Joseph suffers, not for wrongdoing, but for virtue and effectiveness.
What is God doing? Shouldn't Joseph be rewarded for his virtue, instead of being punished for it?
REFLECTIONS:
As discussed last week, God's Process involves suffering. God promised to exalt Joseph and make him great, and adversity is how Joseph’s life will be forged…refined…to perfection…maturation…Joseph becoming the person God wants Him to be.
God is creating a man who does what is good, not only when life is good, but also when life is unfair.
God is creating a Perfect man. He is maturing Joseph into His likeness....
25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.
28 Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him.
29 Let him bury his face in the dust— there may yet be hope.
30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace.
31 For no one is cast off by the Lord forever.
32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.
God’s got my glass only half full.....other perspective…God’s got my glass half full....you should have seen how low it was last week.
This is Joseph's consistent response to injustice, betrayal, and adversity. He is patient. He does not blame God. He resigns himself to God's will, and commits himself into God's hands. He does not bring arguments against his father, brothers, the slave traders, or even potiphar. He "waits quietly for the salvation of the Lord."
He is being Perfected. He is becoming a man of incredible resilience, humility, and faith.
One day, Joseph will have the power to treat others the way they have treated him. And we will see him miraculously give up the chance for revenge in favor and instead he will give grace and forgiveness.
That miraculous ability is being forged in these moments.
APPLICATIONS:
When adversity comes, there’s one of two ways we will go. One is trying to fix things ourselves (striving in our own power doing things our way). The other would be giving everything to God and trusting Him (Holy resignation). One is an immature response, and the other is a mature response.
Striving is when we buck against God's limitations in our lives maybe with a heart of entitlement or offense.
This can look like complaining, blaming, running away, or reckless efforts to escape our circumstances. This comes from a fearful, agitated heart in a state of unbelief towards God. It comes from a need to control our circumstances.
Holy Resignation is a supernatural response, you work though God’s power. We see past our human eyes…trusting what we might not be able to see (faith), and trust that God is "working all things together for good."
This response often feels impossible, especially in the face of injustice. But it comes keeping our eyes focused on God.
My only advice is to actively recognize that this is all part of the Process of your Perfection. The reps are not wasted. The failed attempts are not wasted.
You are in Process. Don’t give up -- God is maturing you.
Keep saying to yourself…God is in this…God is working in this.
God is not punishing you, or abandoning you, or being cruel to you. God is forging you into the very image of Christ. God is Perfecting you, in the Biblical sense.
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
SUMMARY: GENESIS 40
In the next chapter, the same pattern begins again. Joseph is promoted by the jailkeeper, and becomes the COO of the prison. Later on, Pharaoh sends two of his servants to prison, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
Both have vivid dreams, and Joseph interprets their dreams by the power of God. He prophesies that the Cupbearer will be released from prison and restored to his position in three days, but that the Baker will be executed by Pharaoh in three days.
Joseph pleads with the Cupbearer, who he knows is about to be restored to a position of influence, to remember him when he gets to be in front of the king (pharoah).
Can it be that Joseph’s fortune is about to change? Is he close to the moment when the Lord will release him from his horrific fate?
The chapter ends with this chilling verse, after the Cupbearer is restored, and the Baker is hanged:
23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.
REFLECTIONS:
Have you ever felt like God is piling things on top of you to the crushing point? So much so that you’ve questioned God.
● Hated by his brothers.
● Thrown into a pit, where he was screaming and pleading for his life.
● Sold by his brothers to slave traders and kidnapped to Egypt.
● Sold to an Egyptian official as a slave.
● Falsely accused of sexual assault by the wife of that official.
● Thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit.
● Abandoned and forgotten by a man he helped in prison, who had the power to return the favor.
What is the Lord doing? What is the Lord allowing? How can this possibly represent the actions of a just, compassionate God?
APPLICATIONS:
We must come to the conclusion that God’s economy is radically different from ours. God values the internal development of a person’s character, and uses the painful events of our fallen lives to create internal treasures of maturity.
31 For no one is cast off by the Lord forever.
32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.
● God’s heart is not to afflict you or grieve you. His heart is compassion and steadfast love.
● Affliction and grief are the necessary materials for the forging of Perfection.
God shows his love in different ways doesn’t he? Sometimes in blessings and health and surprizes…sometimes in allowing very difficult times to help us transform into the image of His son. Jesus walked through suffering…we will too. But the end result will be perfection.
---
CONCLUSION: SUMMARY
We talked briefly last week about parenting, wanting nothing but happiness for our kids…but we know down deep the truth of how life goes. We try to keep them from struggles…but we know ultimately those struggles are what will help them see truth.
I think this is the place where God becomes most foreign to us -- and it’s the place where we are most likely to misunderstand Him and stumble.
I also believe this is more a matter of the heart than of the mind. We can perhaps understand, on a basic level, that God allows suffering as an act of love and investment in our transformation into the image of Christ.
But understanding is not acceptance. Understanding happens in the mind. Acceptance happens in the heart. I believe that it takes a miracle of faith to reach a place of Holy Resignation with God -- a real trust that He is perfect in all of His ways, and that his intention to Perfect us is good.
32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.
33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.
34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.”
38 And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”
39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
If you only have $10,000, then losing $1,000 will feel like a HUGE deal. If you have $10 million, then losing $1,000 will feel like losing a quarter. It would barely be worth noting. You’d be too busy rejoicing in the $10 million to be sad about the loss of the $1,000.
Jesus help my unbelief. I think we would say we believe…but do we really see how much we have in Christ.
The problem isn't that my problems are too big. The problem is that my view of God is too small.
Perfection is a heart that has been softened by trials to see and accept God and His love…and His will.
This is so much of what we see in Joseph.
Question: Is the text asking us to emulate Joseph, or something bigger? Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, any other lady or gentleman in history…with good character can be emulated.
But is there something bigger in this account that God wants us to see?
Maybe God simply wants us to see His process, His goodness, His character, His plan, through this account…so that we can grow more to trust Him.
Full truth: Through Jacob, through the brothers, through Joseph, through even the slave traders, through Potiphar, through his wife, through jailer, God is working out His plan of redemption of the whole world.
What we see here is that Joseph trusts that…through good and bad…through his own good and bad…through enemies of God and through those who trust Him as well…God is working. God is doing things meant for good. This account shows us that God is able to bring Good out of Evil. His plan to save will not be stopped.
Trust Him.
If God cannot use the sinful choices that we make, his sovereignty is limited and there is no hope for any of us.
Walton, John H
ONCLUSION: APPLICATIONS, CALL TO ACTION, HEART CALL
God does not promise to shield us from all evil. But we can believe that whenever evil comes, God is able to accomplish good through it.
Let’s pray together.
Do you know why Satan is so angry all the time? Because whenever he works a particularly clever bit of mischief God uses it to serve his own Righteous purposes." "So God uses wicked people as his tools?" "God gives us the freedom to to do great evil, if we choose, then He uses his own freedom to create goodness out of that evil, for that is what He chooses." "So, in the long run, God always wins?" "Yes, in the short run though it can be uncomfortable.
Orson Scott Card (2013). “Ender's Game Boxed Set I: Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon”, p.509, Tor Science Fiction
10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.