Joseph

Introduction: A “Mark” of true discipleship is Hands for Serving. But we are told throughout our lives that servants are poor. And if you don’t get good grades and go to a good college, you will end being a servant.

But Jeus told us regularly about the greatness that comes from being a servant.

Matthew 23:11 ESV

11 The greatest among you shall be your servant.

Today I want to look at an example of this through the life of a man named Joseph.

Transition to the Text: turn with me in your Bibles to Genesis 41:38-41 The story of Joseph is one of the longest in all of the Bible. It encompasses 12 chapters. Because of this we can’t read all of it straight through right now. But I want to show you the end of the story first.

Joseph has just done a great service to Pharoah, King of Egypt. By interpreting Pharoah’s dream and revealing that a great famine is coming, Joseph has basically just saved the kingdom because he has given them 7 years to prepare. Listen to what Pharoah says to and about Joseph.

Genesis 41:38–41 ESV

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. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”

What a moment for Joseph. He must have been a great man at this point having earned His way to the top?

Well not exactly. It all started 20 years before this moment.

Introduce: From Joseph we learn to:

Big Idea: God HUMBLES the proud, and exalts the humble to GREATNESS.

1. Joseph’s story shows that GREATNESS is a PROCESS. (Genesis 37:1-11)

Explanation: Joseph was the favorite son of a man named Jacob. If you know the story, Jacob had 2 wives: Rachel and Leah, sisters. Rachel was loved but Leah was not. Leah already had many children, but Rachel was unable to have children until Joseph was born. Joseph was the child of Jacob’s old age. So he favored him Joseph’s brother’s hated him for it. He showered his favoritism on him by giving him a coat of many colors.

And then Joseph was a bit of a dreamer. Literally.

Joseph dreamed that he would one be so great that his brothers would come and bow down to him. That he would be great.

It would not be quick for Joseph. It would be close to twenty years and it wasn’t going to be what many would expect. His brothers would come and bow down to him, but not so that he could rule over them, but so that he could serve them. And save them from a famine.

Joseph was always good at serving. To start, he served his father even though, in so doing, his brothers hated him for it. But His greatness would begin in slavery.

His own brothers sold him into slavery, he was sold to a man named Potiphar. Joseph didn’t get lost in sorrow, but got busy serving is new master. And God blessed Joseph’s service and Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his whole household.

But then Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, but he wasn’t having it. In Genesis 39:9, Joseph acknowledges that to give in to her would be to sin against God. All that has happened so far and Joseph knows God is still in control.

But Potiphar’s wife falsely accuses Joseph and Potiphar has Joseph thrown into prison. Not that any prison is nice, but this is a prison reserved for people that Pharoah doesn’t like. How would Joseph respond?

Genesis 39:21–23 ESV

21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 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.

Joseph served the jailer and he served the prisoners. He had a pastoral concern for them, specifically we are told about how her served a cupbearer and a baker who had dreams.

Genesis 40:6–7 ESV

6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?”

The jailer gave Joseph a licence to be cruel to other prisoners. But he wasn’t. Joseph was kind. Imagine being in a situation where you might feel every right to be upset about your circumstances, yet you show concern to others.

Be like Joseph.

Application: Not everyone is called to lead or be in charge and I think we see that in how some of those people use their power and authority. Do you lord it over people and make sure everyone knows who’s in charge or do you serve others?

Whatever circumstances you find yourself in, serve others. Have concern for their needs.

The greatness you seek comes not from position or title, but from serving others.

2. Joseph’s story shows that GREATNESS for us may first involve SUFFERING. (Genesis 37:12-40:23)

Explanation: As we have gone through Joseph’s story, it started with God revealing to Joseph from an early age His plan for his life. At some point in Joseph’s life, his brothers would come and bow down before him.

Even when we look at those dreams, the details are ambiguous. What would the circumstances be? Would they bow down in homage? Or in fear? Would this be retribution for the way in which they had treated Joseph? How would Joseph respond? Would he welcome them and treat them kindly? Or would he punish them. Or perhaps most importantly to Joseph how soon would this be fulfilled?

Many of us believe or hope that God has a bigger plan for our lives. Joseph knew that God had a bigger plan for his life.

But what many of us (Joseph included) may not realize is that the plan almost always includes suffering.

Illustration: Around this time of year, graduations are taking place. And in Christian circles we will hear Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Now some of you know that I have long said that this passage should not be used to talk about graduations, because it’s not referring to God’s plans for individuals, but for the nation of Israel as a whole as it related to the coming Messiah. When Jeremiah wrote, the fall of Jerusalem was imminent…suffering was imminent. 70 years were promised as judgement on the people of Israel. All of those who were taken into captivity would die there and would never see their homeland again. But in spite of the judgement, God will preserve the nation by bringing some of their children back to the land, and continue the plans which move towards the coming of the Messiah.

But earlier before Jeremiah 29:11 is the command of what the people are to do in the midst of their circumstances; serve even your enemies well.

Application: I’m not as averse to using Jeremiah 29:11 to give encouragement to recent graduates so long as we tell the whole story. God has plans, but those plans may include suffering, disappointment, discouragement, abuse, lies, and even violence that is thrown at you by the world. That’s not to say that God is to blame. But God can and will use our circumstances to mold us into people useful for his purpose. So in every circumstance, ask how might God be using this circumstance to build me up for later usefulness?

3. Joseph’s story shows that serving in HUMILITY leads to GREATNESS. (Genesis 41:1-50:21)

Explanation: Even if the world doesn’t see it. Everything that Joseph went through in his life prepared him for what God was planning to do through him.

Not just in his leadership. Sure, serving his father and being hated by his brothers could certainly have prepared him for the struggle of leading a nation’s famine preparation response. Certainly his demonstrated ability to administrate the affairs of a slave master and a jailer uniquely prepared him for bigger and bigger roles.

As Jesus told said in the parable of the talents: Luke 16:10. If you are faithful with a little responsibility, you will be given more.

But Joseph’s circumstances prepared him for something more, perhaps even greater than his administrative gifting. Joseph was preparing to be compassionate.

For one Joseph learned to see that everything happening in his life was happening for a reason. And knowing that changed everything.

Never once did Joseph ask, “Why God? Why me?” He just got busy serving as though everything he did was for God (because it was). And through that Joseph could identify with people even less fortunate than him, even if it didn’t seem like it.

Personally, I think it took years to prepare Joseph for the moment that God elevated Him to greatness so that it wouldn’t to his head.

Could you imagine if that had happened only a few years after Joseph’s brother had sold him as a slave? Would he have had the same perspective? I’m going to go out on a limb and say not a chance.

Joseph’s circumstances humbled him enough to show that God was in control of it all. And when finally, Joseph looked out and saw that his brother were in fact bowing down before him, he knew that it wasn’t God making this happen in spite of his circumstances, but it was God making this happen through his circumstances.

And Joseph saved his family, even those who sold him as a slave. It is because of the greatness that he has achieved through service that’s God has used Him to save His people.,

Even now, Joseph knows that his role is to serve and provide for his family.

A few years later, after Jacob dies in the land of Egypt, Joseph’s brothers fearing that perhaps Joseph was waiting until after his father died to enact his vengeance come to him and again bow down before him saying

Genesis 50:18 ESV

18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.”

And I think the most beautiful part of this story is how Joseph responds:

Genesis 50:19–21 ESV

19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 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. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

His brothers are willing to be his servants, but Joseph says, no, I will serve you.

Application: In whatever circumstances you find yourself, you should be using those circumstances to serve others…even your enemies. Any influence you gain should never be used to get even or seek revenge.

Stay humble, Love God, serve others.

Response: Do you want to be GREAT? Are you willing to SERVE?

Closing Illustration: Throughout the OT, God was also using the stories of his people to prepare the world for the coming of the Messiah. How can you describe Jesus? How can you possibly even give justice to who Jesus would be?

God gave little pieces of the character of Jesus, in the lives of others. The word for this is “types.” Each person is a type of the messiah who is to come.

But perhaps no one’s life is more closely connected to Jesus than Joseph.

A man who loses his position as the esteemed son of his loving father. He is humbled to the point of taking the position and image of a slave. And against all odds and circumstances, he is elevated to a position of such great authority that he is able to save his whole family. And in the midst of all his circumstances, he always keeps the humility of a servant who serves no matter the circumstances.

Likewise Jesus, being one with the Father and Spirit gives up his position to come to the earth, being born of a virgin, lived a perfect life. And in the midst of persecution, derision, slander, threats of violence, and ultimately the cross, Jesus never lost sight of his assignment:

Mark 10:45 ESV

45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Joseph was used by God to rescue, from the famine, the nation that would ultimately lead to the coming of Jesus.

Jesus was used by God to his people from their greatest need, their own sin and give them a future and hope in heaven.

And in the same way that Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him, we must submit ourselves to Jesus and what he did for us.

May we acknowledge that our sins will destroy us and may we repent and turn to Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins at the cross and may we learn from his example that no matter our circumstances we must have hands for serving.

Let’s pray.