genesis 42

INTRODUCTION

There are some things in life that you can run from.

You can run from a person.

You can move to another town.

You can change schools.

You can change jobs.

You can change your phone number.

You can delete messages.

You can hide evidence.

You can pretend something never happened.

But there is one thing you cannot run from.

You cannot outrun your own conscience.

You can bury something so deeply that nobody else knows about it.

But you still know.

You can smile at church.

You can sing the hymns.

You can raise your hand.

You can say, "Amen."

You can look like everything is fine.

But there may be something down inside that you have never dealt with.

And Genesis 42 shows us something frightening:

Sometimes God will bring you face-to-face with the very thing you've spent years trying to forget.

Joseph's brothers thought the past was buried.

Twenty-plus years earlier, they had taken Joseph, thrown him into a pit, sold him into slavery, and lied to their father about what happened.

They probably thought:

"That's over."

"Joseph is gone."

"Nobody will ever know."

"We'll never have to deal with this again."

But they were wrong.

Because God wasn't finished with them.

And now, in Genesis 42, God begins bringing their sin back into their minds.

Not because God wanted to destroy them.

But because God wanted to change them.

And sometimes God's mercy looks like conviction.

Sometimes God's grace looks like God refusing to let you remain comfortable in your sin.

I. GOD KNOWS HOW TO INTERRUPT YOUR COMFORT

Look at Genesis 42:1:

"Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?"

There's a famine in the land.

Food is scarce.

Jacob hears that Egypt has food.

So he tells his sons:

"Get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die."

So the brothers go to Egypt.

And notice who they are going to see.

Joseph.

But they don't know it yet.

Genesis 42:6 says:

"And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth."

Do you remember Joseph's dreams?

Back in Genesis 37, Joseph dreamed that his brothers would bow before him.

They hated him for it.

They said, "Shall thou indeed reign over us?"

They tried to destroy the dream.

But they couldn't destroy what God had ordained.

And now they're standing before Joseph.

They don't recognize him.

But Joseph recognizes them.

Verse 7:

"And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them..."

Can you imagine that moment?

Joseph is looking at the men who ruined his childhood.

The men who sold him.

The men who watched him disappear.

And now they are standing in front of him asking for food.

But here's what I want you to notice:

God had arranged the circumstances.

Joseph didn't send them an invitation.

They didn't know he was there.

They weren't searching for him.

God brought them there.

And that's often how God works.

You may think you're just going through a circumstance.

But God may be using that circumstance to deal with something in your heart.

A conversation.

A sermon.

A failure.

A relationship.

A disappointment.

A closed door.

A difficult season.

And suddenly something you've avoided comes back to your mind.

You think:

"Why am I thinking about that again?"

"Why is God bringing this up?"

"Why can't I just forget it?"

Maybe because God doesn't want you to forget it.

Maybe He wants you to deal with it.

APPLICATION

Teenager, listen to me.

You can grow up in church and still hide things.

You can know every Bible story and still have secret sin.

You can memorize verses and still have bitterness.

You can sing "Amazing Grace" and still refuse to forgive someone.

You can sit under preaching for years and still never surrender a particular area of your life.

And sometimes God will interrupt your comfort.

He'll bring something back to your mind.

Not because He hates you.

Because He loves you too much to leave you alone.

Hebrews 12:6 says:

"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth..."

Don't always despise conviction.

Conviction is evidence that God is working.

II. GOD KNOWS HOW TO EXPOSE WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO HIDE

The brothers don't recognize Joseph.

But Joseph begins questioning them.

Genesis 42:9:

"And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them..."

Then he accuses them of being spies.

Eventually, Joseph demands that they bring their youngest brother.

And suddenly something happens.

Their past begins coming out.

Look at verse 21:

"And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother..."

That's incredible.

They haven't mentioned Joseph's name for years.

But now something has triggered their conscience.

They remember.

"We saw the anguish of his soul..."

Think about that.

They remembered his face.

They remembered his cries.

They remembered him begging.

They remembered refusing to listen.

They remembered throwing him into the pit.

They remembered selling him.

And they finally say:

"We are verily guilty..."

Sin has a way of hiding until God shines the light on it.

Proverbs 28:13 says:

"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper..."

You can cover sin from people.

But you cannot cover sin from God.

Numbers 32:23:

"...be sure your sin will find you out."

You may hide it from your parents.

You may hide it from your pastor.

You may hide it from your youth pastor.

You may hide it from your friends.

You may hide it from your spouse.

But you cannot hide it from God.

THE DANGER OF SECRET SIN

One of the most dangerous things about secret sin is that you can become comfortable with it.

At first your conscience screams.

Then it whispers.

Then eventually it becomes silent.

That's why you should never play with sin.

Don't say:

"I can handle it."

"I'll stop whenever I want."

"Nobody knows."

"It's not hurting anybody."

"It isn't that serious."

Every time you compromise, you're teaching your conscience to tolerate something God hates.

And eventually something that used to bother you doesn't bother you anymore.

That's dangerous.

III. GOD OFTEN USES PRESSURE TO REVEAL WHAT IS IN OUR HEART

Notice what Joseph does.

He puts pressure on them.

He doesn't immediately reveal himself.

He puts them in a situation where they have to think.

And under pressure, what's inside them begins to come out.

This is an important principle:

Pressure doesn't always create what's inside you. Sometimes pressure reveals what's already there.

Put a person under pressure and you discover what they really believe.

Put them under pressure at school.

Put them under pressure around their friends.

Put them under pressure when they're embarrassed.

Put them under pressure when they're angry.

Put them under pressure when they're tempted.

And eventually the heart speaks.

That's why we shouldn't simply ask:

"What do I do when temptation comes?"

We should ask:

"What am I putting into my heart before temptation comes?"

Proverbs 4:23:

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

TEEN APPLICATION

Teenager, your real character isn't revealed when you're sitting in church.

It's revealed when:

Your friends pressure you.

Nobody is watching.

Your parents aren't around.

Someone sends you something inappropriate.

You're angry.

You're embarrassed.

Someone insults you.

You have access to something you shouldn't have.

You know you could get away with it.

That's when character is tested.

And that's why you need convictions before the pressure arrives.

Don't wait until you're standing in the middle of temptation to decide what you believe.

Decide beforehand.

IV. GOD'S CONVICTION CAN TURN GUILT INTO REPENTANCE

Look again at Genesis 42:21:

"We are verily guilty concerning our brother..."

This is the beginning of something important.

For years they had lived with guilt.

But now they're finally acknowledging it.

There's a difference between guilt and repentance.

Guilt says:

"I feel bad."

Repentance says:

"I was wrong."

Guilt says:

"I don't like the consequences."

Repentance says:

"I don't want to continue in this sin."

Guilt says:

"I got caught."

Repentance says:

"I need to get right with God."

And that's what God wants to produce in us.

YOU CAN BE SORRY AND STILL NOT REPENT

Some people are sorry because they got caught.

They're not sorry because they sinned.

There's a difference.

A teenager gets caught looking at something he shouldn't.

"I'm sorry!"

Why?

Because Mom found out?

Or because God was offended?

Someone gets caught lying.

"I'm sorry!"

Why?

Because the lie was exposed?

Or because lying violates God's Word?

Someone gets caught talking badly about someone.

"I'm sorry!"

Why?

Because someone overheard?

Or because God says:

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth..."

True repentance isn't merely being sorry that your sin caused problems.

True repentance is being broken because your sin was against God.

V. GOD DOESN'T EXPOSE SIN TO DESTROY YOU—HE EXPOSES IT TO RESTORE YOU

Here's where this chapter becomes beautiful.

Joseph could have destroyed his brothers.

He had the authority.

They deserved judgment.

But Joseph's actions ultimately lead toward restoration.

And that's a picture of what God does.

God doesn't convict you because He enjoys making you miserable.

He convicts you because He wants to bring you back.

Think about David.

David sinned terribly.

But when Nathan confronted him, David said:

"I have sinned against the LORD."

And God restored him.

Think about Peter.

Peter denied Jesus three times.

But Jesus didn't throw Peter away.

Jesus restored him.

Think about the prodigal son.

He walked away.

He wasted everything.

But when he came home, the father received him.

And that's the message of grace.

Your sin may be ugly, but God's grace is greater.

Romans 5:20:

"...But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound."

VI. GOD MAY BRING YOU BACK TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH WHAT YOU DID

Joseph's brothers thought Joseph was dead.

But now they're standing before him.

And their past has become their present.

Sometimes God does that.

He allows you to come back to something you thought was over.

Maybe it's a relationship you damaged.

Maybe it's bitterness you've carried.

Maybe it's something you said.

Maybe it's a secret habit.

Maybe it's disobedience.

Maybe it's something you did years ago.

Maybe nobody else remembers.

But God does.

And if God brings it back to your heart, don't run.

Deal with it.

If you've wronged someone, make it right when appropriate.

If you've sinned against God, confess it.

If you've developed bitterness, surrender it.

If you've been living a double life, stop pretending.

If you're saved but you're away from God, come home.

1 John 1:9 says:

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

That's good news.

God doesn't say:

"If you confess your sins, I'll humiliate you."

He says:

"I...will forgive..."

VII. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE DEFINED BY YOUR PAST

There's something else we need to remember.

Joseph's brothers were guilty.

But their guilt didn't have to be the end of their story.

And neither does yours.

Maybe you've failed.

Maybe you've made terrible decisions.

Maybe you've wasted years.

Maybe you've done things you're ashamed of.

Maybe you grew up in church but walked away from everything you were taught.

Maybe you've been pretending for a long time.

Listen carefully:

Your past is real, but your past does not have to be your future.

If you're saved, you have a God who forgives.

You have a God who restores.

You have a God who changes lives.

2 Corinthians 5:17:

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature..."

The devil says:

"You're too dirty."

God says:

"Come."

The devil says:

"You've gone too far."

God says:

"Come."

The devil says:

"God won't forgive you."

God says:

"If we confess our sins..."

Don't allow shame to keep you away from the very God who can cleanse you.

CONCLUSION

Genesis 42 is the beginning of Joseph's brothers finally facing what they had done.

For years they had buried the past.

But God brought them face-to-face with it.

And maybe tonight God is doing something similar in your heart.

Maybe there's something you've been avoiding.

Maybe there's something you've never confessed.

Maybe there's somebody you need to forgive.

Maybe there's somebody you need to ask forgiveness from.

Maybe there's a sin you've been hiding.

Maybe there's a compromise you've been excusing.

Maybe there's something you know God has been dealing with you about.

And you've been saying:

"Not tonight."

"Later."

"I'll deal with it eventually."

But what if tonight is the night God wants you to deal with it?

Don't fight conviction.

Don't explain it away.

Don't blame somebody else.

Don't make excuses.

Don't say:

"Everybody else is doing it."

Don't say:

"It's not that bad."

Don't say:

"I'll stop someday."

If the Holy Spirit of God is putting His finger on something in your life, listen.

Because the conviction you're feeling isn't necessarily God's judgment.

It may be God's invitation.

An invitation to repent.

An invitation to return.

An invitation to get clean.

An invitation to get right.

An invitation to come home.

FINAL THOUGHT

The brothers said:

"We are verily guilty..."

Maybe that's the hardest sentence for a proud heart to say.

"I am guilty."

Not:

"My parents failed me."

"My friends influenced me."

"That's just how I am."

"Everybody else does it."

"I couldn't help it."

No.

"I am guilty."

But here's the wonderful part.

When you finally stop making excuses and admit your sin, you are standing in the exact place where God's grace can meet you.

The Bible says:

"God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." — James 4:6

So tonight, don't run from conviction.

Run to God.

Because the God who brings you face-to-face with your sin is the same God who offers forgiveness, cleansing, restoration, and grace.

INVITATION

Christian, what has God been bringing back to your mind?

Is there something you've tried to bury?

Something you've tried to forget?

Something you've tried to justify?

Something you need to confess?

Something you need to make right?

Then don't leave tonight carrying something God is asking you to surrender.

Come.

Get alone with God.

Confess it.

Forsake it.

Make it right.

And if you're lost tonight, don't try to clean yourself up before coming to Christ.

You can't.

Come to Him just as you are.

Christ died for your sin.

Christ was buried.

Christ rose again.

And He offers forgiveness and eternal life to everyone who will trust Him.

Don't run from God when He brings you face-to-face with your past.

Run to God.

Because He doesn't expose your sin simply to condemn you.

He exposes it so He can change you.