The Road to Redemption

“The Road to Redemption”

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I want to give us an overview of , which records the road to redemption for Joseph’s brothers. closes with a great famine in the land of Egypt, which has spread into the land of Canaan. The only place that food was available was in Egypt. The Pharaoh had a dream that Joseph interpreted; the dream told of seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of severe famine. Joseph counseled the Pharaoh to choose a wise man, and put him in charge of gathering, storing up grain and corn during the seven years of plenty, so they would have plenty of food during the seven years of famine. The Pharaoh chose Joseph; and he put Joseph in charge of all the land of Egypt. Joseph becomes the Prime Minister. Joseph opens the storehouses and sells corn and food to all the people that come to Egypt to buy. A couple of years into the famine; God puts the spotlight on Jacob and his family in the land of Canaan. V:1-2“Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, and he said unto his sons, why do you keep staring at each other? I’ve heard that there is corn in each of go down there, and by us some corn; that we may live, and not die”

10 of Jacob’s sons; the brothers of Joseph, the same brothers that hated him because of the coat of many colors, and because he was his father’s favorite son; and because he dreamed that he saw them bowing down before him.

We’re told that Jacob wouldn’t allow Benjamin to go with them, Benjamin was the youngest, and the son of Rachel, Joseph’s mother.

Try to picture in your mind these 10 bearded Hebrew men as they approach the place to buy grain and food. Joseph happened to be at the very distribution center that these brothers came to buy corn.

V:6-8-Read.

I wonder if Joseph had been looking for his brothers to show up one day. Over 20 years has gone by since the last time he had seen them. The last time he had seen them, was when they pulled him out of the pit and sold him into slavery as a 17-year-old boy. He had 20 years to think about what his brothers did to him; and here they are hungry, desperate, seeking to buy bread and to save their family from starvation. My how the tables had turned! Joseph recognize them, but they did not recognize him. They are bearded and war the garb of Canaan and spoke in Hebrew.

Joseph was clean-shaven, with an Egyptian headdress, dressed in the robes of Egypt, and he spoke to them in Egyptian through a translator.

You say; I can’t believe they didn’t know who he was. Don’t forget he’d been in Egypt for 20 years; people have a way of changing as they get older. Do you remember the high school reunion he went to? I went with Tess to her high school reunion years ago; and I said on the way home; I’ve never seen so many old people in all my life. You know we never think we’re getting old, we just think everybody our age is old.

20 years have passed, Joseph’s brothers do not know that this powerful Egyptian prime minister is there brother they sold into slavery 20 years earlier. Joseph spoke rough to his brothers, accuse them of being spies; he finds out that his father is still alive, and about his baby brother Benjamin. He continues to accuse them of being spies; and tells them the only way to convince him they’re not spies, is to bring their brother Benjamin to him. He puts Simeon in jail, and tells them he will get out of jail when you bring Benjamin.

Joseph fills their sacks with grain, and puts their money back into their sacks as well. On their way home they discovered that their money had been restored to them; they had received free grain.

When they got home they told their father Jacob all that had happened to them. In a matter of time they ran out of food again, Jacob said you go to go back to Egypt again and buy us a little food. They said dad remember the headman in Egypt told us when he took Simeon prisoner that if we didn’t come back with Benjamin; Simeon would not get out of jail, and there would be no more food for us!

They’re forced to take Benjamin with them to Egypt; once in Egypt, Joseph puts them through a series of test to see if they’re the same mean, wicked, jealous brothers that used to be, or had God and time changed them. It is a fascinating account, as Joseph sits his brothers down to a banquet in order of their birth, gives a larger portion of food, clothing to Benjamin. Joseph is seeing if his brothers are still filled with jealousy. Joseph feels their sacks with grain once again and sends them back to Canaan.

But this time Joseph plants his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack of grain; and when they get almost out of town Joseph sends one of his workers to stop them, and accuses them of stealing his cup. The cup is found in Benjamin’s sack, and all of the brothers come back to Joseph’s house. Joseph will further press these brothers to see if they would abandon Benjamin, as they had abandoned him.

Judah speaks up and says, 44:33, take my life and let Benjamin go free; at this point in the story Joseph reveals who he is to his brothers, 45:1-4-Read.

Can you imagine what that moment must have been like? Those brothers who had sold him into slavery had thought for years that he was dead. His dad thought he had been eaten by wild animal, and years before had given up all hope of him being alive. I can picture them standing there with their mouths gaping open, they cannot believe that this is their brother! He has to say to them several times I’m Joseph, I’m Joseph; I’m Joseph your brother, who you sold into Egypt. Tears are flooding down Joseph’s face, as he is reconciled to his brothers!

, are some of the most moving verses in all of the Bible! In these chapters we have a picture of, family reconciliation. But there is a greater message behind this human reconciliation; and that is the message of divine reconciliation. In the account of Joseph being reconciled to his brothers we have a clear picture of what’s involved in a sinner being reconciled to God!

I want us to walk the road of redemption with Joseph ten brothers; and learn how it pictures for us the road to redemption through Jesus Christ.

The first step on the road of redemption is to:

1. Experience the Conviction of the Holy Spirit!

When Joseph’s brothers come to Joseph to buy grain and he accuses them of being spies listen to what they say, -Read.

They said to Joseph we are true men… That means we are honest men, we are not spies. These guys have a self-righteous attitude, they think that they are honest, trustworthy, good men. Now we know that these men were not honest men! They had murdered a whole village of people, one of them had committed incest with his daughter in law, and they had hated their brother Joseph who they’re talking to right now, plan to kill him, then sold him into slavery. They were guilty, guilty, guilty men with blood on their hands. Yet they had the audacity to stand before Joseph in their self-righteousness and claim we are honest men.

And this is exactly why there is no reconciliation to Joseph, until you get the chapter 45.

Learn this; Jesus Christ will not revealed himself to self-righteous men who don’t acknowledge their sin, guilt, wickedness before him! It is a true fact that when the Holy Spirit begins to convict you of your sin the first thing you want to do is begin to justify yourself, declare your own righteousness. Well I’m not that bad a person.

I’m not as bad as so-and-so. I’m a pretty good guy. I’ve never cheated on my wife, stole anything, or murdered anybody. So what does Joseph do to bring his brothers to the place to see their guilt, sin and wickedness?

Joseph accuse him of being spies, says the only way to prove to me you’re not spies is to go and bring your younger brother back here. Then Joseph throws these 10 brothers into the prison for three days. After three days Joseph comes and tells them: -Read.

V:21-“They said one to another, we are very guilty concerning our brother, we saw the anguish of his soul, when he begged us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us”

They are talking to one another, their still not aware there in the presence of Joseph, or that he can understand them. But there becoming conscious of their sin, their acknowledging their sin. Joseph is setting all this up to awaken their guilty conscious. The first step on the road to redemption is to experience the conviction of the Holy Spirit over your sin and guilt before a Holy God!

Joseph orders their bags to be feel with grain and restores every man’s money. They loaded up their donkeys and head back to the land of Canaan.

One of the brothers opened his sack to give his donkey some grain and his money was in his sack. He told his brothers, and listen to what they say, -Read.

Their hearts trembled, God is on their mind, their feeling the pressure of God; they are under conviction of their guilt before God.

In the first few verses of were told the famine gets worse, and Jacob says to his sons go back down to Egypt and get us some more food.

For some of you this morning God is dealing with you, and you sense a spiritual famine, a growing awareness of a deep hunger in your heart that nothing in this world can satisfy! Jesus is doing the work of conviction in your heart! God has made you aware of your need and your spiritual famine will intensify until you obey God’s call of salvation!

The spirit of God had made them aware of their sin and guilt. Don’t think that conviction over your sin and condition before God is a bad thing; it is a good thing! You cannot be redeemed, saved, and made right with God; unto you realize you’re lost, guilty, a sinner without God!

In , Joseph meets his brother Benjamin, has to run out of the room to keep from weeping over him publicly. They have a meal together, in which Joseph seats his brothers in order of their ages.

Joseph is arranging everything that’s happening to bring his brothers to a place of conviction, to acknowledge that their sinners, and guilty before God!

The road to redemption involves, the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

The second step on the road of redemption is to:

2. Confess your guilt and Turn to Jesus!

In , Joseph continues to bring his brothers to a place of confession over their sin and recognition of who he is. Joseph tells the steward of his house to feel the men sacks with food and to put his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. Once the men are out of town, Joseph has his Stewart chase them down and pull them over. The steward says one of you has done evil, you’ve taken my lord’s cup. They deny it, they say we would never do that sir; we would never steal the Lord’s silver or gold. Then they said in ;- whoever has the cup let them die, and we will be slaves for your Lord”

They take down there sacks, open them up and the cup is found in Benjamin sack. They tear their clothes as a sign of remorse, and repentance. They all travel back to Joseph’s house and fall down on the ground before him. Gen; 44:15-“Joseph says to them, what is this thing that you have done?

And then Judah speaks up, he gives a long, passionate speech to Joseph. It is this speech that Joseph has been awaiting for them to make! Listen to how he starts, -“And Judah said, what shall we say under my lord? What shall we speak? Or how should we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of the servants: behold, we were my lord servants, and he also with whom the cup is found”

Judah confesses, listen sir we’re guilty! We cannot hide our sin from God anymore! God has found us out; were guilty, he is broken and humble; he says we will become your slaves.

What a change from what he said in

-“we are true men, honest men”

See what the spirit of God does? When the Holy Spirit really begins to convict us he shows us, what we really are in his sight, and not just what we think we are. And we no longer protest, and declare that were honest, good people! We come to Christ and we say were guilty, lost, wicked before a holy God. No one can truly come to Jesus without a broken, humble spirit before God, crying out, I’m a sinner, I’m sorry, I’m guilty; have mercy on me!

These brothers had given up on trying to clear themselves; they humble themselves and admit their guilt.

Here was confession of guilt and sin; and once you have confess that you’re guilty, it won’t be long before Jesus reveals himself to you!

Joseph gave one last test to check out the heart of his brothers. He tells them, you go back to your dad, only Benjamin is staying here!

But Judah answers and tells him the whole story from the beginning to the end of their family.

My father is an old man and Benjamin is the child of his old age; his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him. My dad didn’t want him to come down here with us, but we told him that we could not buy food without him and here’s what our father said, -Read.

Can you imagine Joseph standing there listening to all of this? Judah goes on to say if I go home without Benjamin, it will kill my dad. Then Judah says this, that’s the thing that Joseph has been wanting to know; will they leave Benjamin in Egypt, like they sold him to Egypt.

-“Judah says let me stay instead of Benjamin a slave to my lord; and let Benjamin go up with his brothers”.

What you have here is a confession of guilt, and a heart of repentance; I’m turning away from the person I used to be.

It was at this moment of confession and guilt that Joseph revealed himself to his brothers!

-Read.

After their confession, after they admit that they are guilty sinners, then Joseph revealed himself to them. This is exactly what happens in the life of a sinner. There are people who try to come to know God, and the salvation of God; yet they have never come to God admitting their sinners, lost, unclean without Jesus! That’s why you go on hoping, trying to hold out, faltering, floundering, falling on your face. Because Jesus has never revealed himself to you in power, and saved your soul; because you have never admitted and confessed your sinner.

To be reconciled to God, you must first admit you an enemy of God! To get saved, you must first of all get lost!

Joseph says to his brothers, -“please come close to me, come near to me; he was a great invitation to draw near to him. How wonderful this is! All the distance of those years, all the guilt, and shame has been forgiven! And today in this place Jesus invites you to come near to him, to come to him, come to Jesus for salvation, forgiveness today!

I can imagine that these brothers were afraid, nervous, and uncertain of what the future would hold for them.

Joseph grabs his brothers by the neck and weeps, and kisses, and embraces them, and shares his heart of love and forgiveness for his brothers. These brothers who have been suffering under the load of guilt for over 20 years, are forgiven, set free by Joseph!

They experience forgiveness, peace – Joseph said don’t be afraid; they experienced provisions – Joseph said you will live in the land of Goshen and I will take care of you. They had been reconciled and Joseph promised them protection- they would not be condemned, or judged, they were forgiven by Joseph! They were reconciled! And when you experience salvation from your sin; you’re reconciled to God, no longer an enemy, an alien, but a brother or sister in the family of God. There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. What a wonderful Savior Jesus Christ is! Jesus invites you to come to him today and experience forgiveness, salvation, peace and satisfaction for your hungry heart. Can you picture Joseph and his 11 brothers weeping and embracing each other? The same brothers who had ripped his coat of many-colors off his back, and threw him into a pit, who made fun of him, and sold him into slavery; now they’re weeping, hugging and kissing him.

What a picture of what Jesus Christ wants to do for you today; you have rebelled against him, sinned against him, denied him. We have all cursed him by our actions and lives, but Jesus wants to throw his arms around you and forgive you, and he will if you will come to Jesus in repentance of your sin, and faith in his death and resurrection for you Jesus stands with arms open wide to receive you if you will come to him!

There was a boy in the New Testament, we called him the prodigal son. He left home and ended up in the hog pen, but he left the hog pen and returned home. What did his daddy do? He saw him coming, ran off the porch, fell on his neck and embraced him and kissed him. The father said my son who was dead is alive, he was lost and now he is found. The road to redemption starts with conviction of your sin, the road to redemption involves confession of your guilt, and turning to Jesus Christ in faith!

The third step on the road of redemption is to:

3. Rejoice in your Reconciliation to Jesus!

-“Pharaoh heard about Joseph brothers coming, and it pleased him”.

Joseph and his brothers were weeping tears of joy as they are reconciled to each other. And the joy of Joseph and his brothers being reconciled touched others.

The joy of coming to know Jesus is to be shared by, seen by, and known by others. Were told in , when the prodigal son came home; that the father was so happy that he threw a party and they celebrated that lost boy coming home.

The road to redemption leads to joy! That’s why our church is happy and filled with love, joy and excitement. There’s nothing that gives you more joy as a Christians than seeing people being saved and baptized! People getting saved brings joy to the family of God! Everyone in is rejoicing!!

The Bible says there is rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that saved. The first sign that a person is saved is there will be joy, and peace in their heart when they meet Jesus!

This joy that you receive when you meet Jesus, is instantly accompanied by concern that others come to know Jesus!

Notice what Joseph says to his brothers in

-“Go tell my father, God had made me Lord over all each of; come down to me and do not delay”.

V:13-“tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen, you must hurry and bring my father down here”.

Now that these brothers have been reconciled, redeemed and made right with Joseph; they were to go, go now, go to those in famine, go seeking those who do not know that I’m alive and invite them to come to me!

When Joseph sent them, he said to them three things:

First, you go and tell my dad and others that Joseph is alive!

Second, you tell them Joseph has an exalted position, tell them I am the Lord over Egypt and that I have all the splendor of Egypt.

Third, you tell them I want them to come to me; in V:9,13, you tell my father to hurry and come to me and tell those in the land of famine to make haste and come to me.

That was Joseph’s commission to his brothers; and what a great picture of the commission that Jesus has given us! Those of us who have come to know Jesus Christ, who have been reconciled and redeemed to him by his blood: we have been given a great commission by the Lord Jesus. It’s the same commission Joseph gave his brothers.

Go and tell this world that Jesus is alive; this world in spiritual famine thinks Jesus is just some profit who died 2000 years ago.

But Jesus Christ is the son of God, the bread of life Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried in a tomb, but rose from the grave on the third day! We are to go and tell this world that Jesus Christ is alive!

Secondly, were also to tell that Jesus Christ has been exalted! Jesus Christ not only rose from the grave, He ascended back to heaven, and He is seated at the right hand of God praying for them!

Thirdly, were to tell, Jesus invites you to come to him, to come them in repentance of your sin and faith in Him, to be redeemed. And don’t delay, hurry, today is a day of salvation! Don’t put off one more day given your heart to Jesus Christ!

The last thing Joseph told his brothers before they left was, -“see that you fall not out by the way”

Do not fuss, or fight on the journey to carry the message! The message you have to deliver is far too important to get slowed down by arguing, fussing, complaining, bickering about less important things! We have a great message, the gospel message, and we must press on with urgency to present the gospel to a lost world! And we must do this by loving each other and being together in unity around the gospel!

Have you walk the road to redemption? Have you experienced the conviction of the Holy Spirit? Have you confessed your guilt to God and turn to Jesus in faith? Have you experienced the joy of knowing Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord? If not, Jesus invites you today to come to him; and experienced forgiveness, salvation, and redemption!

Those of us who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus; we have a great message to share, let’s not get sidetracked, fallout, quit, or let up, in sharing the message that Jesus is alive, He’s exalted, and invites you to come to know him!