Not Just Random: God’s Got This
Poppin w/ Purpose • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Main Idea: Life doesn’t always make sense— but God can take the messiest stuff and use it for good.
Main Idea: Life doesn’t always make sense— but God can take the messiest stuff and use it for good.
Hook: “Popcorn was likely discovered by accident. It's believed that Native Americans first encountered popcorn when kernels fell into cooking fires and popped, leading them to realize its potential as a food source. The earliest evidence of popped corn dates back thousands of years, suggesting its discovery was not a singular event but rather a series of accidental findings by various groups”
(Have a cup of popcorn and a handful of kernels.) If I was offering you some popcorn, what would you expect me to give you? Have you ever bit down on a kernel? They’re awful! When you say you want popcorn, that’s not what you want—you want the delicious fluffy, salty snack! Kernels don’t look like much—it requires heat to transform it into something totally different.
You have been transformed in Christ to have a totally new purpose. And unlike the invention of popcorn, it was not an accident. It’s not random. God is in control and He’s got it handled.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Intro: If you look at the theme of all of our graphics and our shirt for the year, you’ll notice the theme really quickly. We went with a movie theme—more specifically a movie snack theme! But if you notice, on our shirt and sticker we have the phrase “Poppin with Purpose.” That part of our theme is what we will be looking at the next three weeks. That we are called as God’s people to pop out into the world and fulfill a specific purpose that He has for our lives. Tonight we will be focusing on how life—in general—doesn’t make sense, but God can take even the messiest stuff and use it for His good!
I. Evil
They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.”
How many of you are the favorite kid in your house? Your siblings hate that about you. It can cause some tension! It also makes you think EVERYTHING is unfair or “too” fair. Today, we are looking at a biblical example of that!
Joseph is one of the most prominent figures in Scripture, revered for his faithfulness in difficult circumstances.
Joseph, while maybe the annoying little brother, did little that would deem worthy of killing him. Here he goes to check on his brothers at the request of his father and they plot to kill him. They conjure up the plan, the cover up, everything.
Eventually Reuben steps in and he changes the plan, and suggests they sell him as opposed to end him.
This is not the end of trouble for Joseph, but rather the beginning. He gained favor in Potiphar’s home, an officer of Pharaoh. We are reminded throughout Joseph’s story that “The Lord was with Joseph”—actually four times in Genesis 39. Yet, he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, and landed in prison.
While in prison, he was able to interpret dreams. He developed a relationship with the chief baker and the chief cupbearer. When Joseph helped the chief cupbearer get his job back, Joseph finally had a friend in a high place, but the cupbearer forgot about him.
Two years later, the Pharaoh has some troubling dreams. Then the cupbearer remembers him and he is called to Pharaoh. Through all of these circumstances God continued to make him successful. He then moved up to second in command of all of Egypt.
Joseph was up against a lot of evil. In his case, pretty much all of it, was not his fault.
In our lives, we will suffer, we will be persecuted, we will face evil—especially if we are standing for the right things. Just because these things happen doesn’t mean that God isn’t present—it just means that we live in a broken world. As believers we have to look past the evil and move forward with our focus on God.
II. God
In Joseph’s story, we see that God is present and with him through all of the trials. Who knows what God did to continue to soften Joseph’s heart, but if there was a guy who had a reason to be bitter and resentful it was him. So it was in the midst of a famine, when Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt seeking help, he has the ultimate opportunity for revenge.
Who likes to play board games? Me too. But typically I don’t really think the game is fun, i think winning is fun. When you’re playing a game and someone does something to mess you up, and then turns later you get an opportunity to get them back—that’s the best feeling! I was playing Trouble with my wife and son, I had to put that part to the side...but deep down I wanted to BURY that six year old.
We would not be surprised if we saw Joseph imprison his brothers or worse. But he doesn’t...does he prank them, yes, but he also helps them. Joseph reconciles with his brothers and his father. He was able to see a broken relationship fully restored.
We don’t defeat evil—God does. We have to wade through with our focus on Him. Joseph kept his faith through all of these things and was able to make it through.
III. Good
When Joseph’s father died, Joseph’s brothers got afraid. They started to think maybe he was just chill for dad’s sake and now, now the man with the second highest position in the world could get his payback. So...they lied. Saying… “dad said you have to forgive us, we will be your servants though”
But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Here’s what we need to notice. While Joseph’s brothers did act horrible. What they did was evil and sinful, God was orchestrating something bigger. Their small-scale evil was being overridden by God’s eternal good. Joseph recognized that these “detours” he faced were part of God’s providence.
The order here is: evil, God, then good. Tony Evans puts it like this, “When we experience unjust evil, we must look for God wo is able to bring about incredible good.”
Unjust evil feels like a lot of heat and pressure to a kernel. But it is through those situations that God brings about a much greater good.
Our theme verse for this series is Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
When we look further we see why.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
God will use the difficult things we face to conform us to the image of Jesus. To be more like him. That is His purpose, and as His followers, our purpose.
Close: You have a purpose. You are here for a reason. You were created, by an almighty, loving Creator, to serve Him, reflect His Son, and lead others to Him. As you start school, no matter what you are facing, remember that God can use it for His good, and that you have a purpose in the midst of all the people and problems you come across. You don’t just have a small role, you are “poppin with purpose!”
Pray.
