Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
People look for certainty; especially in these times where so many things are uncertain.
We have seen uncertainty as it relates to:
Politics
The economy
People look for certainty - they look for something that they can have confidence in.
It is unnerving to live this life with doubt, uncertainty, and not knowing what will happen if we make this or that decision.
There are many people that do all they can to experience certainty as it relates to their future.
Many people save X% of their monthly income with the home of one day being able to retire with certainty that they will have enough money in their old age.
Others invest in gold thinking that it is a guaranteed investment - stocks may rise and fall, 401k accounts may disappear over night; but gold will always be there.
Others think that by exercising daily, taking your vitamins, eating healthy, etc…they will certainly have good health.
However, if we live long enough we realize that practically nothing in life is certain.
We can loose our life savings overnight.
We can loose our health and suddenly overcome by a chronic illness.
We can be part of the next round of layoffs at our company that where one day we though we would retire from.
Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers said “…in this world nothing can be certain, except death and taxes.”
Where can we find certainty?
Is any certainty possible?
How will we manage going through this life knowing that we can loose everything in an instant?
The people of God can have certainty in this life!
Paul writes to the Romans and says:
Rom.
8.28
-20
We will consider this promise in the letter to the Romans while we consider how this promise worked itself out in the life of Joseph, one of the Old Testament patriarchs.
Joseph’s struggle
Joseph’s triumph
God’s plan for his people
I. Joseph’s trials
I. Las pruebas de José
Many of us are familiar with the life of Joseph.
We encounter him in .
He was Jacob’s youngest son.
Joseph had a very special place in his father’s heart - for he was born to him in his old age.
Gen
This angered Josephs brothers to the point that they hated him.
Joseph suffered greatly at the hands of his own brothers.
This hatred came to a climax when they were about to kill him; but were persuaded to sell him into slavery.
Gen 37.19-28
Gn.
Gen 37.
Clearly they hated him.
How much hatred did they have to feel towards him that they were willing to take his life; had Reuben not intervened Joseph would have died at the hands of his own brothers.
How could they have sold their own flesh and blood into slavery?
They did not care about the pain this would cause their brother, their mother, or their father.
All they cared about was getting rid of their brother.
Sending him far away as a slave was the solution to their problems.
One would think that Josephs problems ended when he is sold into slavery.
The reality is this was just the beginning.
In Egypt he would find himself working for a powerful man named Potiphar.
Potiphar fell in love with Joseph.
One day, she tried to seduce him and he ran out of the house.
She yells for help and lies about what has happened.
Joseph is thrown into prison without the opportunity of clearing his good name.
Joseph is in a foreign land, he is a stranger to them, and worst of all he is now in prison.
He meets the king’s former cupbearer and baker who have also been thrown into prison.
Both have a dream which leaves them utterly terrified.
They both come to Joseph who is able to interpret their dream.
Joseph tells the cupbearer that he will be restored to his position as the king’s cupbearer whereas the baker will eventually be executed.
When Joseph interprets their dreams he tells the cupbearer:
Gen 40.
However, when the cupbearer is eventually restored to his position the Bible tells us:
Joseph is utterly forgotten.
The cupbearer felt no loyalty towards Joseph and immediately forgets him when he could have helped Joseph.
Next thing we know is that Joseph has been languishing in prison for two long years.
He must have felt utterly forgotten.
He must have remembered his brother’s hatred towards him.
He must have have vivid memories of the day that they tried to kill him and eventually decide to sell him as a slave.
He can remember how he was unjustly imprisioned without the opportunity to defend himself.
However, God is with him!
Even though the cupbearer had forgotten him - God did not forget Joseph.
God was doing something in Joseph.
II.
Joseph’s triumph
II.
El triunfo de José
Two years pass and the Pharaoh has a dream that utterly terrifies him.
Finally the cupbearer remembers Joseph for he knows Joseph can interpret dreams.
Joseph is brought before Pharaoh and interprets his dreams - there will be seven years of abundance and seven years of famine.
Pharaoh is impressed with Joseph’s ability to interpret his dream and elevates him to the highest position in the land.
Gen 41.39-
Joseph is put in charge of the lands riches along with all the grain.
During the years of abundance Joseph organizes a system by which he orders the storage of grain.
In the same way, during the years of famine, the people become hungry to the point of starvation.
They come to Joseph and because of the system he has implemented he is able to sell them the grain they need to survive.
Joseph has saved Egypt from the brink of starvation.
However, the famine has affected people beyond Egypt - he is about to save the life of those who tried to murder him.
Jacob is now an old man.
He sees their great need of food and says to his sons:
Gen 42.2
The brothers, those who hated Joseph and desired to kill him, now find themselves en route to Egypt to purchase grain so that they do not die of starvation.
They encounter Joseph, but they do not remember him.
Too many years have passed.
For all they know, Joseph is just some other important official in Egypt.
You must read all of Joseph’s life story to really understand everything that happens in these encounters.
However, there comes a point when Joseph can no longer contain himself.
He has the power to destroy them.
He has the power to put them into prison.
He has the power to take revenge.
However, God has been working in Joseph’s heart.
Gen 45.1-
Gen
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