CONVICTIONS OF A HEART SET FREE

“When the Bottom Falls Out”

“What is the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity? Our attitude toward it. Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity.”—J. Sidlow Baxter

Life is made up two things: 10% is what happens to you and the other 90% is made up of how you respond to it.

Have you ever responded in the wrong way to a great trial?

Over the next several weeks, we are going to explore a man by the name of Joseph. Joseph, so to speak, was dealt a pretty nasty deck of cards, but he responded to it in a godly way. My contention, however, is that HOW HE VIEWED GOD…BASICALLY, WHAT HE BELIEVED ABOUT GOD DICTATED HOW HE RESPONDED TO THE GREAT TRIALS OF HIS LIFE.

It is not trouble that makes us grow stronger; rather, it is what we learn about God and how we incorporate that into our lives— that is what makes us stronger for the glory of God!

4 quarters-

1 quarter represents roughly 12 chapters in the book of Genesis.

1-12- Adam to Abram- 2,000 years

12-25- Abraham

26-28, 29-35- Jacob

37-50- JOSEPH

Agnes E. Meyer, writing in The New York Times Book Review, said, “. . . purely as narrative and background there is a magnificent story here which exceeds in drama, opulence, and movement anything that Hollywood has ever dreamed.” Yet, it’s a true story— an account of a man who endured great pain— but when the bottom fell out— he discovered that his foundation of faith— rooted in the person of God Himself— is a sure foundation upon which to build a life!

The Pain of a Family Who Doesn’t Understand

Sealing one’s demise:

the tattle-tell- 37:2

The Coat

a sleeved-coast that reached to the writes and ankles

the coat reserved for the firstborn and and spoke of inheritance and blessing

Joseph was the first-born of Rachel, the favored wife

Reuben- 1st born of Leah- Forfeited his birthright because of sin

Genesis 35:22 “And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.”

the dreamer As if the other issues were not enough, he begins to dream, and as author Kent Hughes wrote, “It’s as if God seals his rejection!”

1st dream- his dream of sheaves Even if one of his brothers flunked history, math, science, PE and lunch, they couldn’t miss the point of this dream— Their ironic, sarcastic disgust throbs here: “This arrogant, pompous, ego-centered, self-focused brat is awash in megalomania. The spoiled little braggart.”

2nd dream- his dream of stars What did the brothers say this time? NOTHING! And that is a problem. John Gottman writes of the 4 horsemen of relational apocalypse. They are defensiveness, stonewalling, criticism, and contempt 1- Defensiveness- Shalt thou indeed reign over us? 2- Stonewalling- said nothing 3- Criticism- 18 4- Contempt- 20-35 He says “Stonewalling is, well, what it sounds like. In a discussion or argument, the listener withdraws from the interaction, shutting down and closing themselves off from the speaker because they are feeling overwhelmed or physiologically flooded. Metaphorically speaking, they build a wall between them and their partner.”

TRANSITION- it’s one thing for his brothers not to understand his dreams— they were the ones that hated him. But Joseph’s pain is about to increase exponentially. Now, his own father— the one that loves him— doubts the purpose of his dreams.

The Parting of a Son from the Love of a Father

TWO TYPES OF NARRATION:

what the biblical character knows

what we the reader knows about the story

THE REBUKE OF HIS FATHER- V. 10

I read the story of Walt Disney who was criticized by his father for his vision. One night after dinner, Walt’s father called him into the living room for a serious discussion. “Walter,” Elias said, “I have a job for you at the jelly factory. It pays twenty-five dollars a week.”

“Dad,” Walt replied, “I don’t want to work at the jelly factory. I want to be an artist.”

“You can’t make a living drawing pictures,” Elias said. “You need a real job.”

I often say that we shouldn’t tell our kids that they can be anything that they want to be. I wanted to be an astronaut— but must admit I’m a little fearful of heights. But what we should say is that they can be whatever God wants them to be!

JACOB SENT JOSEPH AWAY

So, if you’re Joseph, you know the history of the family…and if you know the history of the family you know that there is this ACCEPTED— REJECTED motif that frames every story.

Abel was accepted; Cain was rejected

Shem and Japheth were accepted; Ham was rejected

Abram was accepted; Nahor was rejected

Isaac was accepted; Ishmael was rejected

Jacob was accepted; Esau was rejected….if my dad doesn’t understand, who will?

37:13- Here am I

Exodus 3:4 “And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.”

Genesis 27:1 “And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.”

Esau was summoned—> says, Here am I—-> Esau thinks he’s been summoned to be blessed but it brought in to be rejected—->

HE THINKS THAT HE’S THE ESAU OF HIS GENERATION!

EVERY ITERATION OF THE FAMILY HAS A BLACK SHEEP— A REJECTED ONE— AND I’M IT!

So, he makes a choice: Dad doesn’t love me— he doesn’t care— he sent me out and rejected me— used my brothers to do it—

So, years later, has two boys:

Manasseh- 1st born- God made me forget

Ephraim- God made me fruitful

And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him. And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. (41:50-52)

BUT GUESS WHAT:

His father was alive and never stopped loving him!

Someone here needs to hear that! The father was alive— and still loved his son!

The father was informed by lies and made decisions based on lies…he didn’t know. He didn’t understand…

But we have a heavenly father who is alive! He is mighty to save! He sits on the throne in Heaven.

Jesus knows all about our struggles…He sees you…hears you…and will always love you!

Romans 8:34–39 “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The Plan of God to Redeem

Tell the story—

Joseph is thrown into prison for a crime he did not commit

he spends two years in jail

placed with a baker and a butler

40- the baker died; the butler lived— A DREAM SETS HIM FREE

41:1- at the end of two full years— Pharaoh had a dream

What are you thinking if you are Joseph?

DREAMING GOT ME INTO THIS MESS…

But God has put something into his heart to do…

he is summoned to the Pharaoh and interprets the dream

Joseph eventually becomes viceroy of the country

How God Moves

Ultimately, and above all, the story of Joseph is about God working his will through the everyday events of life.

There are no miracles here. God does not suspend his natural laws to make things happen. The story is about the hidden but sure way of God. God’s hidden hand arranges everything without show or explanation or violating the nature of things. God is involved in all events and directs all things to their appointed end.

God doesn’t just redeem Joseph; He also redeems the purposes that God had for Joseph’s life.

APPLY HIS ABILITY TO REDEEM… # of days # of purposes- God often uses the areas of your greatest brokenness to bring the greatest glory out of your story! Dreams got him into this situation— and dreams would bring him out! Praying God Elijah into trouble— and praying got him out! Singing and preaching got Paul and Silas into trouble— but singing opened their prison bars Children brought trouble into Adam and Eve’s life when one of their sons killed the other— but the birth of Seth, another son, got them out of trouble An Adam got the whole human race into a world of trouble— but the 2nd Adam, Jesus, got the whole human race out!

YOU HAVE TO GIVE TO GOD YOUR AREA OF GREATEST BROKENNESS… I’m simply saying— don’t stop dreaming! Don’t stop believing! Don’t stop trusting God! For when the bottom falls out, you come to understand who God is— and you come to full assurance that the God who began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

JESUS UNDERSTANDS! If Joseph only knew that Jesus Christ would fully understand…

Jesus understood what it was like to be the beloved of his father

Jesus understood what it is like to be hated by his brothers

….sold for silver

Athrown into a pit

Jesus understood what it meant to be a lowly servant…yet

Jesus understood that at the age of 30 His father had a work for him to do

And He understood that it was not his brothers that sold Him but that God had sent Him into the world to save much people alive—

So, are you going through a hard time today? RECOGNIZE that Jesus Christ understands your pain. He feels…cares…and understands.

So, what is my belief about God from this story? My belief is that…

every trial in my life is filtered through the love of My Father

That my Father lives and loves me

That God is using every thing in my life to redeem His purposes in me

that my trials do not define me— but that what God will do through my trials is the pillow on which I will pillow my head!

ILL. Quite possibly the most well-known Christian book, outside of the Bible, is an allegorical book called Pilgrim’s Progress. This saintly book was written by a man who started out as anything but a saint. Bunyan noted that in his early life he ‘had but few equals, both for cursing, swearing, lying, and blaspheming the holy name of God’.” Bunyan later married a Christian woman whose testimony eventually led him to Christ.

In time, Bunyan became an author and Baptist preacher of great notoriety. However, as England became increasingly hostile to the ministry of the gospel outside of the established church, Bunyan refused to accept a license to preach. He argued that his conscience and cry for freedom would not allow him to subject his soul to the state. Thus, he was imprisoned— for 12 long years.

At one point, his wife, Elizabeth pled for his release.

"Would he stop preaching?” said the magistrate? His wife responded,

"My lord, he dares not leave off preaching as long a he can speak."

"What is the need of talking?"

"There is need for this, my lord, for I have four small children that cannot help themselves, of which one is blind, and we have nothing to live upon but the charity of good people."

One man, Mr. Chester, was enraged and said that Bunyan would preach and do as he wishes.

"He preacheth nothing but the word of God!" she says.

Said another in a rage, “He runs up and down and does harm."

Think of this: an innocent man— a preacher— was persecuted and imprisoned for his belief in God and desire to be free. For 12 long years, Bunyan was separated the comforts of home, wife and his precious children.

Yet, Bunyan wrote this class book during those times of imprisonment.

But what I want you to understand this morning is this: WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT GOD DICTATES HOW YOU RESPOND WHEN THE TRIALS OF LIFE COME— and they are coming!

Bunyan wrote: “I never had in all my life so great an inlet into the Word of God as now.”

As a matter of fact, Bunyan so embraced his trial that he wrote, "I will stay in prison till the moss grows on my eye lids rather than disobey God.”

Bunyan learned that God may be trusted— for when the bottom falls out from underneath your feet, understand that you are standing on the rock of ages!

Matthew 9:35–36 “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”