Purpose: When God Shows Off

Genesis 40-41

INTRODUCTION

Good Morning! Please open your Bibles to Genesis 40. This month we have been studying the Old Testament story of Joseph, one of Jacob’s thirteen sons. And we have been finding rich parallels between the life of Joseph and the work of sanctification God does in each one of us. And because I’m a preacher, and we love alliteration, everything we have talked about so far has started with the letter P.

There’s a promise: Just as God promised Abraham and his offspring that all the nations of the world would be blessed through his family. God has made a promise to each of us— that we will be remade into the image of his Son, Jesus.

There’s a process for fulfilling God’s promise. Christians call this sanctification, and it involves all the tools God uses to transform us from the inside out. For Joseph, that process involved a lot of pain along the way. And sometimes that is exactly what it takes for us for us to die to ourselves and give ourselves completely to the rule and reign of Christ in our lives.

Last week, we talked about God’s standard of perfection. But remember that the biblical definition of perfection is completion and maturity, not sinlessness and flawlessness.

So this morning, I want to talk about God’s ultimate purpose in all this. We know that God desires to transform us so that we act, talk, and think like Jesus. But there’s an even greater purpose for our sanctification. It’s God’s glory. And that’s what we are going to camp out on this morning. So please let me pray for us, and we will get to it.

[pray]

Let me give you a road map for how chapters 40-41 are structured. Imagine a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Chapter 40 is the top slice of bread. We’ll call that dreams in the prison. Chapter 41 is the bottom slice. That’s dreams in the palace. These two slices of bread have a lot in common. Someone dreams, they can’t figure out what it means, so they ask Joseph. Joseph interprets the dreams, and they come true.

Then you’ve got the peanut butter. You know, what makes the sandwich stick together. And its that Joseph gives God credit.

Finally, you have the jelly. That’s what makes the sandwich sweet. And I think what makes this story sweet is that God gives Joseph success.

So let’s build our sandwich.

When we left Joseph last week, he had just been falsely accused of raping his boss’s wife. His boss Potiphar put him in prison. And history repeats itself. Remember how when Joseph first came into Potiphar’s household, Potiphar put him in charge of everything? The only thing Potiphar had to worry about was what he was going to eat that day. So now, look at Genesis 39:22-23

Genesis 39:22–23 (ESV)

22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.

So in effect, the keeper of the prison makes Joseph his warden. He was a prisoner, but he was running the prison! Reminds me of Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption. Only Joseph wasn’t digging a tunnel through his cell wall behind a poster of Cleopatra or something.

Notice that it doesn’t say “Joseph proved himself to be an administrative genius, or “Joseph demonstrated his business acumen.” Verse 23 says, “the keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed!

When you succeed, who gets the credit?

Sometimes you meet people who describe themselves as “self-made men.” You’ll hear them say things like “I worked for everything I’ve ever got. I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps and nobody gave me anything.”

And that’s the American success story. We admire people who work hard, especially when they didn’t start with a fortune they inherited from their parents.

But when it really comes down to it from a Christian worldview perspective, did they really pull themselves up by their own bootstraps? It may be true that they worked for everything they got. It may even be true that no one “deserves” a handout.

But what do any of us deserve? What do I deserve? I deserve hell. My sins separated me from God. I have breath in my lungs and blood in my veins because of God. I have forgiveness of sins because God gave me His son. I have a seat at God’s table at the marriage supper of the lamb (see Revelation 19) ONLY BECAUSE OF THE GRACE OF GOD!

So regardless of how you feel about policies or politics, remember that “everything I have, I earned through my own hard work” is a theological statement. A profoundly false and heretical theological statement.

Moving on. Joseph had two cellmates: Pharaoh’s chief baker and his chief cupbearer. Both of them had done something to displease Pharaoh. Maybe the cupbearer spilled the wine. Maybe the baker served oatmeal raisin cookies and Pharaoh thought they were chocolate chip. But for whatever reason, they are both in prison.

Verse 5 says that one night they both dreamed. They were disturbed because they didn’t have anyone to interpret their dreams. Now, understand that in the ancient middle east, people believed their dreams always meant something. No one wrote off a crazy dream as the result of a late night run to Taco Bell. They attached symbolic significance to every dream.

So the next morning Joseph sees that both the cupbearer and the baker look upset. So he asks them about it, and they say in Genesis 40:8

Genesis 40:8 ESV

8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

Once again, Joseph refuses to be a glory thief. He doesn’t say, “Guys, I ROCK at dream interpretation.” He gives God the glory for interpreting dreams.

And God revealed the meaning of the dreams to Joseph. He looked at the cupbearer and said, “In three days Pharaoh is going to restore you to service.” Then he looked at the baker and said, “In three days Pharaoh is going to put you to death.”

Joseph says one more thing to the cupbearer, and I want you to pay attention to one thing in particular. He says, in Genesis 40:14-15

Genesis 40:14–15 ESV

14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”

Now, at the time of the Cupbearer's dream, Joseph has been in prison for about 10 years. And this is the only time we see Joseph advocating for himself and justifying himself. He’s like, “Don’t you forget about me, don’t don’t don’t don’t.” He says, I “don’t belong here. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

It has the feeling of a desperate plea for help. Maybe Joseph saw this as his last, best opportunity to get out of prison.

And what happens?

Genesis 40:23–41:1 (ESV)

23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. 1 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,

God allows Joseph to remain in prison for another two years. This could have been a very dark time for Joseph -- to seem so close to a turn of fate, only to have it slip away. Do you think Joseph got tired of waiting? Why wasn't ten years long enough? What was God trying to accomplish that made an extra two years necessary?

A God who is omnipotent, omniscient, and all loving would not allow suffering without a good reason. There is always a "why," even if we don't get to know it. In our worldview, all suffering has a purpose. This may be the most difficult thing to accept in the Christian walk, and it may be the most contested point in our thought life.

God has a purpose for allowing that last two years of imprisonment for Joseph that, on its face, just seems cruel. Maybe it was the final blow to Joseph's self-sufficiency, as he watches his one attempt to deliver himself go up in flames.

Maybe this was the moment when Joseph said in his heart, "Whether you leave me in this pit for the rest of my life or get me out, blessed be the name of the Lord."

We don't get to see what happens behind the scenes of a man's heart. We don't know if he ever beats his fists against the walls of his prison, crying out as he comes to terms with the heavy hand of God.

But rest assured that God has not only a good reason for the suffering He allows; He has the best reason: His maximum glory, and our maximum good.

God is making much of Himself through Joseph, and he is rescuing his people from the coming destruction. He's also creating a story that will edify the saints for millennia.

God’s glory and our good are always connected. Because God’s nature is good, every action He takes will result in His ultimate glory, and our ultimate benefit.

But in the moment, I imagine Joseph had to be tired of waiting. And you might find yourself tired of waiting in whatever circumstance you find yourself in. Every attempt you’ve made to solve your problem or change your situation has just ended in failure. Why?

It could be because the end of you is the beginning of God. God will be your deliverer. You can’t save yourself.

You see, Isaiah 42:8 says

Isaiah 42:8 ESV

8 I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.

God doesn’t share his glory. But notice this: as stingy as God is with His glory, He is that much more extravagant with His grace!

Look at Isaiah 30:18:

Isaiah 30:18 ESV

18 Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

How does God exalt himself? Not by sharing his glory with you, but by showing His mercy to you.

How else does God exalt Himself? Not by giving you everything you ask for in prayer immediately. What does verse 18 say: The Lord waits to be gracious to you.

In the story of Joseph, you see God waiting— two years, five years, ten years, twelve years, until the exact right time where He will receive maximum glory, and Joseph will be stripped of any notion that he can save himself. exalts himself to become your salvation, obliterating any remnant of the notion that you can save yourself? "Therefore the Lord waits."

And He absolutely is a God of justice. He will make everything right. He will have you whole, and free, and complete, and perfected.

So while God waits to exalt himself by being gracious and merciful to you, our job is to wait on Him. “Blessed are all those who wait for Him.”

The only time we know for sure we will get an immediate answer to a plea for God’s grace is when we cry out to be saved. When we repent of our sins and surrender to His rule and reign in our lives, we are immediately saved.

Back to Joseph. While Joseph is cooling his heels in prison for another two years, God is setting up the events that will lead to way more than Joseph’s release from prison. Joseph is about to become the most powerful man in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself.

And once again, it all starts with a dream.

In Genesis 41:2-7, Pharaoh has two dreams. In the first one, he dreams seven fat cows get eaten by seven skinny cows. In the second, seven healthy ears of corn are swallowed by seven diseased ears of corn.

Pharaoh is weirded out by these dreams, and none of the magicians and wise men can interpret the dream for him.

Then, the cupbearer suddenly remembers Joseph. He says to Pharaoh, Genesis 41:9-13

Genesis 41:9–13 (ESV)

9 “I remember my offenses today. 10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, 11 we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. 12 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. 13 And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”

So Pharaoh calls for Joseph, and Pharaoh says, “So, the cupbearer here says that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it. Is that true?”

And in Genesis 41:16

Genesis 41:16 (ESV)

16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me”

Now, the stakes are high. Joseph could have tried to make himself look good. He could have seen this as his chance to show the parole board that he was worthy to be set free. Stakes are as high as stakes can be.

And what does Joseph say? The first words out of his mouth are, "It is not in me."

Who does that? Can you imagine what’s going through the cupbearer’s head at this point? “Dude… I vouched for you. And now you’re telling the king that I was lying? They’re gonna hang me from the same tree they used for the baker.”

But that’s not all of verse 16. The rest of verse 16 is Joseph saying, “God will give a favorable answer.”

Again, Joseph could have turned his back on God. He could have said, “Once I believed in a god that could do that, but after twelve years in prison, I don’t think there is a God. And if there is, He sure doesn’t care about me.

Who does this? After enduring betrayal from his brothers, years of slavery, false accusation, wrongful conviction, twelve years in prison; who still trusts in a god of justice? Who still is ready to let God have all the glory, no matter what happens to him?

I’ll tell you who. Someone who has been Perfected by God's Process.

Who has held on to God's Promise

Who has trusted God’s providence, no matter how deep the pit and how dark the prison.

All these years of injustice and torment have forged a man with nothing to lose, and with only God to gain.

"It is not in me." I am nothing. I have nothing. Except this God who never left me.

God is about to make a show of Joseph. He's about to unveil the beautiful result of the painful Process.

In Genesis 41:17-32, Pharaoh recounts his dreams. Joseph, full of the spirit of God, interprets the dreams. Seven years of plenty are coming, followed by seven years of horrible famine. But Joseph doesn't stop with the interpretation. He also proposes the solution.

Read verses 33-36 with me:

Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.” This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.

Notice that Joseph doesn't put himself forward as the solution to the problem. He doesn't say, "I'm your man. Here’s what I can do for you“ He says, "You need to find a discerning and wise man."

Joseph knew his own resume. When Potiphar put Joseph in charge, he didn’t have to be concerned for anything. When the jail keeper put Joseph in charge, the prison ran more smoothly than it ever had. at all -- he can just go to sleep, just like Potiphar, just like the jail keeper. Joseph could have told Pharaoh all about how skilled he was at turning chaos into order.

But he does not put himself forward. He exhibits restraint, and leaves his destiny in the hands of God.

You know, Proverbs 25:6-7 says,

Proverbs 25:6–7 (ESV)

6 Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, 7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

We are conditioned to believe that its up to us to sell ourselves as the best person for the job we are applying for. And there’s nothing wrong with giving a prospective employer your resume.

And maybe you’ve heard the saying “Work as if it all depends on you, but pray as if it all depends on God.” I’d like to revise that. I would say, “Work as if it all depends on you, but remember that it all depends on God.”

We can’t control what someone else thinks of us. We can’t control economic realities, or corporate downsizing. But we are not in the hands of man. We are in the hands of God.

This means we can cease our striving for position, which is what they do in the world. Sure, we work hard. But we don't strive. Striving comes from thinking I need to be in control of the outcome. Rest, peace, and provision come from trusting in God.

You may have memorized Psalm 46:10 as

Psalm 46:10 ESV

10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

But the most accurate translation would be “Cease striving, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”

Peter used that word “exalt” too, in his first epistle.

1 Peter 5:6–7 ESV

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

At the proper time.

God waits to be gracious to you.

Do you see a theme here? Do you believe your times are in His hand? Do you believe He cares for you, sees you, has a plan to exalt you? Sometimes the hardest and best work is stepping back and being quiet as an act of faith.

You know the rest of the story. in verses 37-46 we see that Pharaoh taps Joseph for the job. Notice how he gives glory to God as well.

Genesis 41:37–38(ESV)

37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.

After this, Pharaoh lavishes Joseph with a new name, a high ranking wife, and everything he needs to go and accomplish his mission to reform the kingdom and prepare for the famine to come. Joseph rules his affairs with excellence. He has children. He forgets his sorrow, and experiences a life of fruitfulness. And in the end of the chapter, the famine strikes, and Joseph opens the storehouses to sell grain to all of the land, for the survival of many.

What God has been doing in the heart of Joseph, He now puts on display to the world. God had promised 15 years ago (through a dream, of course!) that he would one day be exalted. It is the same God that promised Abraham that all nations would be blessed by his offspring.

And it is the same God that promises us through 1 Peter 5:6 that if we humble ourselves, God will lift us up.

Who does this? Who puts a foreign-born, former slave, and ex-con second in command of the most powerful nation on earth? God does.

Who makes a pagan Pharaoh exalt the name and wisdom of Yahweh? God does.

Who forgives all your sin? Who heals all your diseases? Who redeems your life from the pit? Who crowns you with stedfast love and mercy?

God does.

It's about him, and not about you, which is the best news I could possibly give you. Because it means that however jealous God is over his own glory, that's how jealous he is over your life coming to fruition as a conduit of his glory.

Jesus said it best in John 15:8, (it’s on the front of your bulletin) "By this, my father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."

If you are a disciple, you will bear his fruit. And if you bear his fruit, you will bring him glory.

None of this can be done without his Promise, his Process, and his Perfection, all of which serves His purpose.

And for us today, we have even more assurance than Joseph did. Unlike the time of Joseph, we have a Messiah who has already come, and who has completed the full redemptive work on our behalf. Jesus said in John 16:33, “Take heart, for I have overcome the world.”

That victory is past tense, not future tense. This means that we can, by faith, apprehend a sense of victory, whether we are in the pit, the palace, or the prison. For us, it isn’t just a promise to come, but a promise that has already come.

To God be the glory.

CONCLUSION

Before we go into our response time, I want to show you a clip of something that happened at the 2024 Olympics. It was from a press conference with a Nigerian/German shotputter who had just won the gold medal. Her name is Yemisi Ogun-leia. I’ll let it speak for itself:

Clip: 1:30

Talk about giving God glory! I’ve watched that clip about a dozen times now, and I still get chills. Beloved, God’s mercy is keeping you. God is working in you for your good and His glory.

Don’t let go.

[Invitation]