Joseph - Trust God

pray

Here we are on the last sermon in our series in Genesis. We started back when it was warm outside in chapter one and we’re in the final chapter tonight…

We’ve seen

that God is the main character

our purpose in the creation of Adam and Eve

Cain & Abel…

Noah…

The Tower of Babel…

Abram…

Lot…

Hagaar…

Abraham…

Jacob & Esau…

And we finish with Joseph…

Last week we saw that as Joseph went through extremely difficult situations the Lord never left him. He continued to bless him and Joseph continued to live for Him. Tonight we’ll hear from Joseph the theology that motivated him to live this way. And Joseph’s story wraps up this first book of the Bible in such an incredible way. Joseph knew all these stories, these people, that we have been studying, and here’s what he knew that we too should now know…

The stories of the book of Genesis (and all of Scripture) show us that our God is trustworthy and we can walk in faith as Joseph did.

I got to coach the seventh graders’… I got to help coach their Jr. Trojan football team. And they were good… Their fourth grade year they were particularly good.

Guys, don’t get a big head about this ok?

I remember their fourth grade year I think all the coaches knew they were going to win their games. Even if we had a slow start and fell behind, we just knew they were going to be better than the other team. Unless it was Union City, then we were just like, “man, hope we can keep it close!” But all the other teams, we just knew they were going to be alright.

I think this is how Joseph lived his life, he knew it was ultimately going to be ok because he could trust God based on what he knew about God! It’s how we can live our lives based on what we know about Him from Scripture!

When we left Joseph last week he was being thrown in prison for something he didn’t do…

recap the story to ch 50, give a five second summary of each chapter, maybe a key verse

So Joseph has gone from the bottom to the top. He’s had the chance to take revenge on his brothers and he hasn’t. Now his dad has died and his brothers are worried. We see here Joseph’s theology.

Joseph saw God at work in his circumstances.

50:15-21

When we trust that God is at work in our lives, we can keep our joy no matter what.

Hey braces aren’t any fun right? I mean there’s a minute where you think it’s cool cause you think it makes you look older, but then when you get them tightened and it feels like your whole mouth is in a vice…

But remembering that the pain is bringing about a good in the end lets you be ok with it.

Paul gives us a similar sentiment in his letter to the Philippians…

Philippians 4:13 ESV

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Joseph saw how God had used his difficulty. He trusted that God had a plan the whole time.

Students I’m not saying God is going to make you vice president if you’re having a hard time, but what Scripture tells us is that you can trust that He is at work in your life…

This is also what allows Joseph to forgive his brothers. It can lead you to forgive those who have wronged you…

So whatever difficulties you’ve endured…

Whoever has sinned against you…

Joseph looked back at his life and saw that God was good, so he trusted that God would continue to be good after his life was over…

Joseph trusted that God would prepare a place for his people.

This was the promise that was made to his family, first to his great-grandfather Abraham. And Joseph believed that God would keep that promise.

50:22-26

Physical remains were a big deal to them. I’m not totally sure why, but they were. You can see it through the book of Genesis…

It’s not like that so much today. I’m not really worried about my physical remains.

I don’t want to be cremated. But I do want my remains to be sprinkled somewhere that’s special to me…

But the resting place of the physical remains was a big deal to the Israelites.

Joseph knew that God had promised his family a place, and he believed that God, at some point, would take his family to that place. So he told them to take his bones with them when they went! And they did…

I think it’s so great that in the beginning of the book of Genesis we see promises being made…

The head of the serpent will be crushed.

There will be an eternal place for God’s chosen people.

And here in the last verses of Genesis we see Joseph proclaim his trust in those promises.

Those promises are for God’s people today! All who are children of Abraham by faith!

We have looked several times this semester at the end of Revelation where God’s eternal city comes from Heaven for God’s people to live in the place He has prepared for them! Whatever life throws at you, you can rest in knowing that this is your eternal home!

In chapter 49 we see Jacob speak to his 12 sons before he dies, kind of telling them what they and their families would be like. He speaks to his son Judah starting in vs 8…

Anybody know which tribe of Israel Jesus belonged to?

There’s a scene in Revelation 5 in the throne room of God…

Revelation 5:5 ESV

And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

We become heirs of the promises made to Abraham by faith in the Lion of Judah, the Son of God, Jesus…

Gospel…

That is why we are celebrating his birth!