Living for Eternity
Finding Jesus in Joseph • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 7 viewsNotes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Intro:
Today we will conclude our series titled, [Finding Jesus in Joseph]. The subject of today’s message is [Living for Eternity].
I have distinct memories of being in church when I was a child. When Sunday School teachers remark, “they might not seem like they are listening, but they are.” That describes me perfectly.
I do not want to paint a picture that I was always perfect, always listening, and never disrupting. There were times I acted up, there were times I played with toys or colored picture, and there were times I was taken out of the sanctuary for some Biblical discipline!
However, I paid enough attention to remember our pastor talked about heaven and he preached about hell. My developing brain could comprehend one thing, I did NOT want to go to hell, I needed to go to heaven!
Eternal matters were also discussed at home as well. My parents and grandparents talked about heaven, and sometimes threatened me with hell.
Once at daycare, I had to be around four years old, I got into trouble. I know that is surprising, but this was preconversion! I lied to my teacher, who was also my aunt. My friend Bryce and I both got into trouble.
Our teacher waited until both our moms were there, and Bryces mom scolded him, but not much else. My mom looked at my stone cold face, and asked, “Daniel, where do liars go?”
The dam broke, tears rushed down my cheek as I answered, “to the Lake of Fire!” Mom asked, “do you want to burn in the lake of fire forever?” Conviction swept over my sinful four year-old heart, and I mustered the strength to say, “No!”
While that story is humorous, I would not trade it for the world. My parents instilled in me the fact that eternity is long. How I live today depends on where I will live for eternity!
I used to sit and think during church, how long is eternity. Our pastor would say, forever, and forever, and forever. It is difficult to fully understand the length of eternity. But if I had to be somewhere forever, I wanted to make sure it was heaven and not hell.
This is something we must understand as Christians. Eternity is not some day way in the future, we live for eternity today!
One author explained, “Direction, not intention, determines your destination” (Andy Stanley, the Principle of the Path).
In essence, every decision affects the next decision. The choices we make today affect tomorrow, but they also affect eternity. Life is not a series of unrelated events. Everything is connected, from here to eternity.
This is certainly the case in the life of Joseph. His immature and insecure arrogance caused his brothers to be jealous. Their jealousy sent Joseph to the pit.
Upon his arrival in Egypt, Joseph assimilated to the culture but he never lost his faith in the God of his ancestors. His faithfulness in the small jobs landed him a job in the big house, working with Potiphar.
Though he was faithful, even fleeing temptation, the actions of Potiphar’s wife landed Joseph in prison. However, his faithfulness in prison opened doors for him to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh.
The thread that held Joseph’s life together was faithfulness. Today, we will see how toward the end of Joseph’s life, his faith gave him the assurance to make it into eternity!
As we look for Jesus in Joseph, I want us to see how we live for eternity TODAY. Eternal life may begin when we die, but eternal living begins the moment we get saved.
I want to divide this last part of Joseph’s life into three parts, [Reassurance of Forgiveness], [Remembering God’s Faithfulness], and [Return in the Future].
Let’s begin
1. Reassurance of Forgiveness
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.” 16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, 17 ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.” ’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
After Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers, reconciliation followed. Then the impossible dream came to pass, Jacob and Joseph were reunited. What they thought would never happen became a reality.
Jospeh interceded for his family to Pharaoh. In deep gratitude to Joseph, Pharaoh allowed Joseph’s family to settle the best part of Egypt, the land of Goshen.
Joseph’s entire family, all seventy of them, made the journey from Canaan to Egypt, this time to stay for a long time. Isn’t it incredible how God fulfills the desires of our heart.
Jacob’s dream of seeing Joseph alive seemed dead, but God brought it back to life. Imagine the reunion between the two. However, their time together would not last forever, Jacob was an old man by this point.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years before he died at the age of 147. Joseph’s brothers began to think, Joseph was nice to us when dad was alive, but what will happen now?
Their minds went back seventeen years when Joseph stood before them and revealed, “I am Joseph.” I am confident that fear gripped their hearts. They knew they were wrong, and they knew Joseph had power.
He could have had them arrested, imprisoned, or even killed. Notice their cowardly decision. Instead of going to Joseph, they sent messengers.
They told Joseph, “Dad asked before he died, you need to be kind and forgive your brothers for the terrible evil they committed against you.”
Interestingly enough, this is the only place this is recorded in scripture. Perhaps Jacob really said this, perhaps the brothers made it up, it’s their word against Jacob, who was dead at this point.
They wanted reassurance of forgiveness. Their comments made Joseph weep, why? Because Joseph understood the importance of...
2. Remembering God’s Faithfulness
18 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21 Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
As the brothers went to Joseph, bowing before him, fulfilling the dream God gave him decades before, Joseph showed his continued faithfulness to the Lord.
How could Joseph be so compassionate and considerate? Because he understood he lived for eternity. Had this happened years before, Joseph might have exacted revenge.
Instead, Joseph had been through enough to know God was the one pulling the strings and leading Joseph’s life. Unlike the brothers who looked at the temporal, Joseph focused on the eternal.
As a man of wisdom and experience, he remembered how faithful God had been to him. Sure the brothers meant evil against him. Notice, Joseph did not diminish or excuse their evil mistakes.
Their actions were nothing short of evil, BUT GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD! When we live for eternity, learn to keep this in mind. We understand that God is not discouraged by our circumstances.
When Joseph was a teenager, God was on the throne.
When Joseph was in slavery, God was on the throne.
When Joseph was in prison, God was on the throne.
When Joseph was governor, God was on the throne.
And as the brothers feared for their lives, God was still on the throne.
Joseph’s circumstances, whether good or bad, did not change God’s position. Sure people meant evil against him, but God never forgot Joseph.
Remember Paul’s promise:
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
When we choose to live for eternity, we will understand that God has a plan for our lives that He prepared for us when we were nit in our mother’s womb.
Therefore, every step in Joseph’s life led him to this place, “brothers, God took the terrible and turned it around so that He could use me to save our family, and the families of Egypt.”
So do not fret or worry, you may see the terrible, but I remember God’s faithfulness! Be reassured, you are forgiven. I am living for eternity, looking forward, not backward.
If he lived today, he might have reminded them the words of the song, “pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide. Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine with ten thousands beside. Great is Thy faithfulness!”
The brother’s need for assurance caused Joseph to remember God’s faithfulness. But as his time on earth drew to a close, he wanted to...
3. Return in the Future
22 So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. 23 Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph’s knees. 24 And Joseph said to his brethren, “I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Joseph lived long enough to see his great-grandchildren, something none of the other patriarchs did. As he neared the end of his life, he looked toward the future.
Joseph did not know all that lied ahead for God’s people, but he knew enough to know there are good times and bad times. Regardless of what his descendants faced, he knew God’s promises would never fail.
While he made Egypt his home during his life, he knew that God’s plan for the Israelites was not Egypt, but the Promised Land. He knew one day, God would visit them and take them from Egypt to the land He told Abraham He would give His descendants.
Joseph looked at his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and made them promise, when God visits you, make sure you carry my bones out of here.
I will not be alive when God fulfills His promise, but I still want to be a part of what He will do in and through you. Then, Joseph died at 110, which is the age the Egyptians considered to be a full life.
His children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren held onto this promise. Joseph’s family grew into the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.
I can almost picture each leader of the tribes on their deathbed, making their grieving children come close, as they reminded them, “When God visits us, don’t forget to get Joseph’s bones and bring them home!”
The writer of Hebrews summarizes it this way,
:
22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
For 400 years the people remembered the promise they made the Joseph. By the time God visited them, there was a new Pharaoh in charge who hated the Israelites.
After supernatural help from heaven, God made Pharaoh release the Israelites. As they prepared their departure, The Israelites left with military like precision, but first, Moses instructed them in
He told Moses to leave with all of Israel and never return. The Israelites left with military like precision, but first, Moses instructed them in , “And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the Children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.”
, “And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the Children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.”
But Joseph’s bones didn’t just disappear. For forty years, his bones went wherever the Israelites went. They took his bones through the Red Sea, around the mountains, and across the Jordan River.
His bones were there when the walls of Jericho fell, when the sun stood still, and when their enemies were finally defeated. And 440 years after his death, as the aged Joshua rallied the nation with the cry, As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, (guess whose bones were present?) Joseph…
After Joshua died, there is one more thing the Israelites had to do, they had to bury Joseph’s bones. They buried Joseph in city of Shechem, , tells us it became an inheritance of Joseph’s children.
Close:
Joseph wanted to be in the place of God’s promise! He understood God is in control of EVERYTHING. When the timing was right, He would take His people to their homeland.
Joseph knew he would not be alive to see the day, but he remembered God’s faithfulness and wanted to return home in the future!
As we find Jesus in this part of Joseph’s life, we first need to find ourselves in this part of Joseph’s life. More often than not, we act like Joseph’s brothers.
We are consumed by the grace of God, but the enemy wants us to question, will God really let us stay forgiven? Will He hold the sins of yesterday over our heads?
Let us never forget, while people may remember our past mistakes, when we came to Jesus, our past was erased and we have hope for the future!
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Through Jesus, we have forgiveness of our sins, and the promise that He will help us in the present!
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Through Jesus, we have forgiveness of our sins, and the promise that He will help us in the present!
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
And because God is faithful, He will keep us from stumbling. When the enemy tries to cause to request reassurance of our salvation, stop him in his tracks and remind him that we are not under condemnation!
Because God is faithful, He will keep us from stumbling. When the enemy tries to cause to request reassurance of our salvation, stop him in his tracks and remind him that we are not under condemnation!
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
But the place where I see Jesus best in this story is Joseph’s instructions for his descendants. Both Jesus and Joseph lived for eternity!
Joseph focused on the future, and Jesus focused on the future! Remember Jesus’ words in
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
When we nee reassurance, we are reminded, because we are forgiven, Jesus is going to prepare a place.
Until that day, we remember God’s faithfulness to us!
And never forget, He is coming AGAIN!
EMPHASIZE HIS COMING....