Silent, But Sovereign

Introduction

Well, good morning!

If you have a Bible — and I hope you do — go ahead and open it up with me to Genesis chapter 37. Genesis 37…we’re gonna start in verse 2 this morning.

Now, before we jump in, I just wanna remind you — we’re picking up where we left off in Genesis, starting our fourth and final sermon series in this book…And listen, we’ll be walking through it all the way until Palm Sunday…I’m calling this series “Plot Twist”, which is all about Joseph’s life and about the idea that what man intends for evil, God uses for good — that even when life seems to be falling apart, God’s still at work.

And I know that’s a message that many of us need to hear right now.

Over the last several weeks and months, our church family, we’ve walked through some really difficult things — tragic accidents, unexpected diagnoses, sudden losses. Seasons where its felt like the world’s crashing in, seasons where God’s seemed silent, right? Maybe some of you are in that place right now — a season where you’re looking for answers, looking for God, and all you feel is confusion and pain.

We’ve all been there. Moments where the silence of God is deafening and we’re left wondering if He’s even working at all.

Well listen, that’s exactly where we find Joseph in Genesis 37 this morning. He’s the son Jacob loves in a way that sparks jealousy. He’s carrying dreams from God — visions of blessing, of promise, of purpose — and yet life, its about to crash in on him in ways he could’ve never imagined. He’s gonna be betrayed, rejected, sold by his own brothers…They’re gonna strip him down and leave in a pit. From the outside in, its gonna look like God’s plan’s unraveling. It looks like everything He promised before to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, its all just falling apart.

But here’s the truth — Genesis 37, it reminds us of something we desperately need to hear this morning: God’s silence isn’t God’s absence. Even when life feels chaotic, or even when evil seems to have the upper hand, God’s still at work. What man intends for evil…what sin destroys, God can — and does — use for good. Every pit, every betrayal, every painful twist in the story, God’s orchestrating for His purpose.

And so this morning, we’re gonna walk through this story together — a story again of betrayal, a story of silence, of suffering, a story ultimately of God’s sovereign purpose. And listen, as we do that, I want us to see four truths this morning as we walk through the natural progression of this story.

The first thing, God Says Less Than We Want — sometimes He gives us just enough to trust, but not enough to understand.

Second, Sin Does More Than We Expect — human evil, it escalates quickly, but it never derails God’s plan.

Third, Evil Goes Further Than Intend — human plans for harm, they oftentimes escalate beyond what they imagined or intended to do.

And then lastly, God Finishes What He Starts — even in the silence, He’s working, He’s orchestrating, He’s fulfilling His promises because He’s trustworthy, and faithful, and good.

Some of you, again you may be walking through your own pit right now — a season where you feel abandoned, or confused, or overwhelmed. But let me just tell you this: God sees you. He knows you. And even when He seems silent, He’s still sovereign…He’s still at work, He’s still writing a plot twist in your story. Evil and sin, they don’t get the final word.

And so again, if you have your Bible open to Genesis 37, let’s watch as God begins to turn human evil into His good purposes.

You can remain seated as we read from God’s Word, it’s a bit of a longer passage. It says this, starting in verse 2:

Genesis 37:2–36 ESV

These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan (Doe-than).’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan (Doe-than). 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.” But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt. When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?” Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.” And he identified it and said, “It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.

[Prayer]

And so, with that, let’s dive into this first point together.

I. God Says Less Than We Want (vv. 2-11)

Point number 1, God says less than we want.

And listen, that’s not because God’s unclear…It’s because He’s intentional.

Right out of the gate in verse 2, Moses introduces us to Joseph:

“Joseph, being seventeen years old…”

Seventeen. Which means Joseph, he’s young, he’s gifted, he’s favored…but don’t miss this, he’s also immature.

And I need to say that up front — because Joseph’s not the hero of this story yet. God’ll use him for that later. But right now? He’s a work in progress.

Verse 2 tells us that Joseph brings a bad report about his brothers to his father.

Now, we don’t know exactly what that report was — maybe it was true, maybe it needed to be said — but the way the text is written, it’s not exactly flattering to Joseph. It carries the sense of tattling, not shepherding, right?

And then verse 3:

“Now Israel (Jacob, right?) loved Joseph more than any other of his sons…”

And so let’s just pause right there — because that’s a parenting failure. Jacob’s favoritism pours gasoline on an already broken family system…And the robe of many colors? That’s not just fashion. That robe was a symbol of status. Of authority. Of privilege.

Jacob didn’t just love Joseph — he broadcasted it to the world.

Verse 4 tells us the result:

“They (his brothers) hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.”

And so, the family’s fractured here. It’s like deja-vu. We’ve been here before. There’s resentment, there’s silence, bitterness. And in that environment, God decides to speak.

Verse 5:

“Now Joseph had a dream…”

God gives Joseph revelation. And that’s important. These dreams are from God. They’re not from Joseph’s imagination. They’re prophetic. They’re real.

But here’s the thing — God gives Joseph vision without instruction. He gives him promise without a timeline. God says just enough for Joseph to trust Him… but not enough for Joseph to understand Him.

And so, what’s Joseph do with it? He tells his brothers. And this is where we need to be honest with the text. Because Joseph doesn’t exactly handle this with humility.

He says:

“Behold, your sheaves bowed down to my sheaf.”

I don’t know about you — but nobody wakes up one morning and thinks, “You know what would really build unity today? Telling my siblings they’re gonna bow down to me.”

There’s truth in the dream — but there’s also arrogance in the delivery. I’ve worked with so many young men in ministry over the years, they have a zeal for truth, but there’s arrogance in how they deliver that truth (I’ve been there myself). Truth’s essential, but if you miss the heart of God in delivering that truth, you’ve actually failed to communicate truth.

God gave Joseph truth, and he delivers it arrogantly. And listen, his brothers respond exactly how you’d expect:

“Are you indeed to reign over us?”

Verse 8 says:

“So they hated him even more…”

And if that wasn’t enough — Joseph has another dream.

Verse 9:

“The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

And so, this time Jacob (his father), he hears it — and even rebukes Joseph here. But don’t miss the end of verse 11:

“His father kept the saying in mind.”

Jacob doesn’t understand it… but he knows God might be in it.

So here’s what’s happening in verses 2 through 11: God reveals the end of the story — but not the path to get there.

Joseph hears that he’ll be exalted and have authority…and glory — but God doesn’t say anything about pits. Or about betrayal. He says nothing about suffering.

And that’s how God oftentimes works. Because if God told us everything up front — we’d either try to shortcut the process… or we’d run from it entirely.

God’s silence about the how is often an act of mercy.

John Calvin said, “The Lord doesn’t always show us what He’s about to do, but He gives us enough light for the step we’re on.”

And Joseph has enough light right here — but not enough wisdom yet.

Which leads us to a hard truth we need to hear this morning: Revelation without maturity can produce pride instead of trust.

God’s not obligated to explain Himself to us. He’s not required to defend His plan. He’s not in a hurry to satisfy our curiosity.

He gives us what we need for faith — not what we want for control.

Listen, some of us are frustrated with God right now because He’s not talking as much as we want Him to. We’re asking why, and when, and how long — and heaven feels quiet.

But maybe God’s already spoken — and the real issue isn’t silence… it’s submission. If God told you everything He was gonna do in your life — you wouldn’t need faith. If He explained every step — you wouldn’t need trust. If He removed every mystery — you wouldn’t need Him.

Some of us want clarity when God’s calling us to obedience.

Joseph didn’t need more information — he needed humility. And many of us are in that same place right now.

God says less than we want — because He’s after something deeper than our understanding. He’s after trust.

And sometimes, the most spiritually mature thing you can do…is to walk forward with what God’s already said — even when He hasn’t explained what comes next.

Which moves us into our second point.

II. Sin Does More Than We Expect (vv. 12-24)

Sin does more than we expect.

Listen, this is where the story starts to darken very quickly. Because once jealousy’s left unchecked, it never stays hypothetical. It always moves toward action.

Look at verse 12 with me again:

“Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem.”

Listen, that location matters. Shechem was a place of previous sin for this family. If you remember back in Genesis 34 — violence, deceit, bloodshed. And now they’re back in that same place again.

Sin loves familiar ground.

Verse 13:

“And Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.’”

Now don’t miss what’s happening here — Jacob sends Joseph into danger without realizing it. And Joseph responds with those famous words:

“Here I am.”

That phrase shows up all over Scripture. Abraham says it. Moses says it. Isaiah says it. It’s the language of availability. Of obedience.

But here’s the difference — Joseph says “Here I am” without knowing what obedience is about to cost him.

Verse 14:

“Go now, see if it is well with your brothers… and bring me word.”

Joseph’s not going to rule. He’s not going to confront. He’s not even going to supervise. He’s going as a servant on behalf of Jacob.

And then verses 15 through 17 slows the story way down.

Joseph’s wandering in a field. He’s lost. Vulnerable. And a man finds him and asks,

“What are you seeking?”

Now that’s a loaded question, right?…Joseph says,

“I'm seeking my brothers.”

And listen — that’s exactly what he’s doing. He’s seeking reconciliation. He’s seeking obedience. He’s seeking family.

But his brothers? They’re seeking something entirely different.

Verse 18:

“They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.”

Before Joseph ever opens his mouth — they’ve already made up their minds.

That’s what sin does. It decides outcomes long in advance. It doesn’t wait for facts. It doesn’t seek understanding. It assumes the worst and it justifies the rest.

They say in verse 19:

“Here comes this dreamer.”

That’s not just mockery — that’s hatred. They reduce Joseph to the very thing they resent most about him.

And then verse 20:

“Come now, let us kill him… and we will see what will become of his dreams.”

Don’t miss the irony here — they think they’re killing the dreams… but they’re actually setting the stage for those dreams.

Sin always overplays its hand.

But it gets even worse before it gets better.

Reuben steps in — and listen, Reuben doesn’t act out of righteousness. He acts out of self-preservation. He wants to rescue Joseph later so he can look good to his father.

Sin doesn’t just corrupt the villains — it complicates the heroes.

Verse 23:

“So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe…”

Again, the robe represented favor. Identity. Worth. And they tear it from him.

Then verse 24:

“And they took him and threw him into a pit.”

No warning. No conversation. No explanation.

One minute Joseph’s walking in obedience — the next he’s sitting in darkness.

And listen, that’s oftentimes how sin works in our lives as well. It escalates faster than we expect.

James 1 tells us:“Desire, when it’s conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it’s fully grown brings forth death.”

This doesn’t start with murder. It started with jealousy. With bitterness. With unaddressed resentment. And eventually, sin demanded more than they ever planned to give.

…

And so, what’s this mean for us: Unchecked sin never stays small. It never remains contained. It never stops where you think it will.

Some of us we’re playing with things we think we can manage — bitterness, envy, pride, lust, resentment — and we tell ourselves, “It’s not hurting anyone.”

But sin always hurts someone eventually.

Joseph ends up in a pit — not because God failed — but because human sin escalated.

And yet — don’t miss this — even here, God’s still silent… but He’s not absent.

Because the same God who gave the dreams…He’s the same God who allowed the pit…He’s already positioning the plot twist.

Sin does more than we expect — but it never does more than God allows.

Which brings us to point number 3, we get to see just how far evil’s willing to go… but also how God continues to work through all of it.

III. Evil Goes Further Than We Intend (vv. 25-28)

Point number 3…Evil goes further than we intend.

Listen, this is where the story takes an even darker turn. Because at this point, the brothers think they’ve already done the worst thing imaginable. Joseph’s in a pit. He’s silenced. The threat feels neutralized.

Verse 25:

“Then they sat down to eat.”

Just let that sink in for a moment.

Joseph’s crying out from a pit — and they sit down for lunch.

That’s not just cruelty — that’s hardness. That’s what happens when sin’s been justified long enough that your conscience goes quiet. They’re not panicking here. They’re not conflicted. They’re casual.

Sin doesn’t just make us do evil things — it numbs us to the weight of ‘em.

And then Moses adds this detail:

“And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead…”

Don’t miss how ordinary that sounds. There’s no thunder. No warning. Just a passing caravan…But this is where evil escalates again.

Judah speaks up in verse 26:

“What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?”

Now at first glance, this sounds like moral progress, right? He says, “Let’s not kill him.”…But listen — Judah’s not motivated by mercy here. He’s motivated by convenience.

Verse 27:

“Come, let us sell him…for he is our brother, our own flesh.”

That sounds compassionate — until you realize he’s just found a way to profit from his brother’s suffering while easing his own conscience.

That’s how sin works. It doesn’t usually announce itself as cruelty — it disguises itself as reasonableness.

They didn’t plan to become slave traders. They didn’t wake up that morning thinking, “Let’s traffic our brother.” But sin always asks you for more than you planned to give.

Verse 28:

“Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him…for twenty shekels of silver.”

Twenty shekels.

That’s the price of a slave in Exodus chapter 21. Joseph, he’s officially reduced to property.

And here’s the chilling part of all this — by the time this happens, Joseph’s brothers aren’t even the main actors anymore. They started the evil… but now it’s grown beyond them. The Midianites take over. Egypt’s in view. The consequences are moving faster and farther than anyone expected.

…

Again, see this here, sin never remains under our control.

John Owen famously said, “Sin is never less quiet than when it seems most quiet, and never more dangerous than when it seems most tame.”

That’s exactly what we’re seeing here. The brothers think they’ve solved their problem — but they’ve actually unleashed something far bigger than they can manage.

And listen, there’s deep biblical truth for us here.

Proverbs 16:25 says, “There’s a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

Galatians 6 reminds us, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”

Sin always promises control — but it always delivers bondage.

And yet — don’t miss this — even here, God’s still working.

Because the very thing the brothers intend to use to remove Joseph… it’s the exact means God uses to send Jacob to Egypt.

They think they’re burying the dream — but in reality they’re actually moving it along. They think they’re ending the story — but they’re advancing it.

R.C. Sproul said, “There’s no such thing as a maverick molecule in the universe.”

Not this caravan. Not this transaction. Not even this betrayal.

Acts 2 tells us that even the crucifixion of Jesus happened by the “definite plan and foreknowledge of God” — and yet those who carried it out were still fully responsible for their sin.

And that’s the tension we see here: human responsibility and divine sovereignty colliding together.

The brothers are guilty. Judah’s accountable. The Midianites are complicit. And yet God’s still sovereign.

Evil goes further than we intend — but it never goes further than God ordains.

And listen, some of us need to hear this clearly this morning.

Some of the deepest wounds in your life didn’t come from grand plans of harm — they came from small sins left unchecked. A word spoken in anger. A decision made in bitterness. A compromise you thought was harmless. And now the consequences feel bigger than you ever imagined.

But take heart — because the same God who was at work in this story… He’s the same God who’s at work in your’s.

He doesn’t approve of evil. He doesn’t excuse sin. But He does sovereignly weave even the worst intentions into His redemptive plan.

Joseph’s story looks like it’s spiraling out of control — but heaven isn’t scrambling here. God’s still writing. He’s still directing. He’s actively moving His promises forward.

Which leads us perfectly into our final point — because while evil escalates, and sin multiplies…God never abandons His work.

God finishes what He starts.

IV. God Finishes What He Starts (vv. 29-36)

Which is our fourth and final point this morning.

Listen, on the surface, these final verses feel like the darkest part of the chapter. There’s no resolution yet. No redemption. No explanation. Just grief, and silence, and apparent loss.

Look at verse 29 with me again:

“When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes…”

Reuben panics — not because he’s suddenly righteous — but because he’s lost control of the situation. The brother who thought he could manage sin… he realizes now that sin doesn’t stay managed.

Verse 30:

“The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?”

That’s guilt talking. That’s fear talking. That’s a man realizing he can’t undo what’s been done.

And then verses 31 and 32 — the deception escalates again. They take Joseph’s robe — the symbol of favor — and they dip it in blood. And they bring it to Jacob and say, “Please identify whether it’s your son’s robe or not.”

Don’t miss the cruelty here. They don’t technically lie. They just let Jacob come to the conclusion himself.

Sin loves half-truths. Sin loves plausible deniability.

And Jacob does exactly what they expect.

Verse 33:

“It’s my son’s robe… Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.”

Now watch this — because this is where the weight of the chapter really lands.

Verse 34:

“Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.”

This isn’t brief grief. This is a prolonged sorrow.

Verse 35:

“He refused to be comforted.”

Jacob’s convinced here that the promise is dead. As far as he knows, the favored son, he’s gone…the dreams are buried, and the future God, that was hinted at, its been violently erased.

And here’s what makes this so heavy — Jacob’s heard from God before, right? He’s wrestled with Him. He’s seen His faithfulness. And yet, in this moment, all he can see is loss.

Which tells us something very important: spiritual history doesn’t exempt us from seasons of deep grief. Strong faith doesn’t mean shallow sorrow.

But then Moses gives us one last line — and if we’re not careful, we’ll miss it.

Verse 36:

“Meanwhile, the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.”

Meanwhile.

That word here, its doing a lot of work.

While Jacob’s mourning… While the brothers are living with guilt… While Joseph’s shackled and silent…

God’s advancing the story.

Joseph isn’t dead. He’s not forgotten. He’s not off course.

He’s exactly where God intends him to be.

A.W. Pink said, “God’s never in a hurry, and He’s never late.”

And listen — Genesis 37, it ends without relief on purpose. Because faith isn’t built on immediate resolution — it’s built on trusting the character of God when resolution hasn’t come yet.

Philippians 1:6 tells us, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

That promise doesn’t mean the road’ll be easy. It means the outcome is secure.

Isaiah 46:10 says God declares, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.”

Not some of it. Not the convenient parts. All of it.

And that’s what we’re meant to see here: God hasn’t finished the story — but He hasn’t abandoned it either.

And listen — that matters especially for us today, because this is the last Sunday of the year, right?

Some of us, we’re walking into the new year carrying unresolved grief. Unanswered prayers. Broken relationships. Dreams that feel buried. Chapters that didn’t end the way we had hoped. And if you’re honest — this year feels a lot more like Genesis 37 than Genesis 50.

There’s no clarity. No explanation…There’s just silence.

But I want you to hear me — the God who writes Genesis 50, He’s still at work in Genesis 37.

You may be ending this year in mourning — but God’s not done. You may be closing the year confused — but heaven isn’t. You may feel like the story stalled — but God doesn’t abandon what He starts.

I’ve used this quote so many times before but Charles Spurgeon, he said, “When you can’t trace God’s hand, you must trust His heart.”

Jacob couldn’t trace God’s hand. Joseph couldn’t see the outcome. But God was already positioning the pieces.

And guys, that’s true for us as well.

This chapter ends in Egypt — but not in defeat. It ends in slavery — but not without purpose. It ends in silence — but not without sovereignty.

God finishes what He starts. Always.

And next week — we’ll start to see how.

Closing

And so listen, as we close this morning — and as we close out this year — I want us to sit with this story for just a moment.

Genesis 37 doesn’t end with clarity. It doesn’t end with celebration. It ends with silence… and grief… it ends with unanswered questions.

And again, if we’re honest, for some of us, that’s exactly how this year’s felt.

And so let me start by speaking to those of you who are believers this morning — those who love Jesus, who’ve trusted Him, who are walking with Him.

As you look back over this year…how would you describe your trust in God?

Has it been confident? Obedient?…Or has been cautious and conditional?

Because here’s what Joseph’s story forces us to wrestle with: Do we trust God only when we understand Him — or even when we don’t?

Some of us, we’ve ended this year in a pit. Some of us have walked through betrayal. Some of us, we’ve prayed prayers that haven’t been answered yet. Some of us have watched dreams stall… or collapse altogether.

And the temptation — especially at the end of a year like that — is to believe that because we don’t see resolution, God must be distant. That because He’s been silent, He must be absent.

But guys, Genesis 37 tells us otherwise.

God was working meanwhile. While Joseph suffered. While Jacob mourned. While evil seemed to win.

Where’s God calling you to trust Him more deeply as you step into this new year?

Where have you been demanding clarity when He’s calling you to faith? Where have you been holding onto control instead of surrender? What pit are you in right now that God might be using — not to destroy you — but to shape you?

Because listen — God doesn’t waste suffering. And He doesn’t abandon the work of His hands.

And maybe the most faithful thing you can do as this year ends…is to say, “God, I don’t understand — but I trust You.”

Amen?

… Now listen — I also want to speak directly to those here this morning that may not know Jesus at all.

Maybe you’ve been listening to this story and you’ve felt the weight of it — the betrayal, the brokenness, the silence — and if you’re honest, it sounds a lot like your own life.

And here’s what God wants you to understand.

In the beginning — God created the world good. He created humanity to know Him, to walk with Him, to live in joy and peace and wholeness.

But here’s the bad news: We rebelled. We chose our own way instead of God’s way. The Bible calls that sin.

And here’s the worse news: That sin didn’t just damage our lives — it separated us from a holy God. The Bible says the wages of sin is death. And there’s nothing we can do on our own to fix that separation.

But here’s the good news. God didn’t leave us there.

God, in His mercy and grace, sent His Son — Jesus Christ. Fully God. Fully man. He lived the perfect life we could never live. And then He went to the cross — willingly — taking on the punishment our sin deserved.

And the best news? It’s that Jesus didn’t stay in the grave. He rose again — defeating sin, and death, and hell — so that anyone who turns from their sin and puts their faith in Him can be forgiven, and restored, and made new.

The Bible says: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

And so if that’s you this morning — don’t leave this year carrying the weight of guilt and separation. Don’t step into a new year still running from God.

Turn to Jesus. Trust Him to lead you…He takes what evil intends — and He uses it for good.

… Would you bow your head and close your eyes with me. The praise team’s gonna come back up and lead us in worship again.

I’ll be in the back. We’ll have elders up front.

If you need prayer… If you have questions… If God’s stirring something in your heart right now…

Don’t rush out of this moment.

Respond.

…

You do that, take this time — and I’ll close us in prayer in just a moment.

[Prayer]