“Putting the Pieces Together”

Introduction: As our country reflects on the events of September 11th, and the horrible human tragedy that occurred, many people are trying to put the pieces together. They are puzzled and confused. What happened? How could a loving God allow such evil things to occur? Why does human suffering go on and on? Why does it continue not only in our country but also throughout the world? These are only magnifications of the suffering that goes on locally around us – violence against women, child abuse, and senseless deaths, like those of the two police officers killed near Green Bay. Where is God’s justice and where is God? Sometimes, in an attempt to answer these questions, people offer solutions that only cause more problems. For instance people make statements that God brought September 11th on America to bring it back to God. Statements like this make it sound like God is the author of evil and uses evil to bring about good. This is not true. So if God is in control of all things why do these things happen? The Bible tells us why. In it we can see our God, who is completely in control. He is in control of both good and evil. The puzzling pieces of our lives are put together when we see them in the context of life and in view of God’s grace and mercy.

Remember Joseph, the son of Jacob the Son of Abraham. Joseph was one of twelve sons but he was Jacob’s favorite. Dad put Joseph in authority over his brothers to watch after them as they watched the flocks of sheep. He reported to dad whenever they got out of line. Jacob gave Joseph a coat. Maybe it had many colors but we don’t really know. We do know that when he wore it it reminded his brothers that he was dad’s favorite. Around his brothers Joseph also had a bit of an attitude. Putting these pieces together they pictured for us a disaster waiting to happen. The brothers didn’t like Joseph. Their dislike turned to evil intent and their evil intent turned into evil actions.

Joseph encountered much evil and suffered for many years because of what his brothers had done to him. Several of his brothers wanted to murder him but threw him in a pit instead. His brothers decided to sell him as a slave to a caravan heading to Egypt. There, Joseph served as a trustworthy slave in Potiphar’s house. Then Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him of an awful crime. He was sentenced to years in prison. We cannot even begin to know what Joseph went through physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually as an innocent alien, and as a sentenced slave, sitting in foreign jail.

Despite these many hardships, the Lord remained with Joseph and was his source of strength and hope. In all circumstances God was with Joseph. God’s hand kept his brothers from killing him. God’s hand put Joseph in a position of authority in Potiphar’s house. God’s hand put guided him to be as powerful as pharaoh. Through these things and with God’s guiding hand Joseph became God’s instrument to save the Egyptian and Jacobs’s family in time the time of a devastating famine that ravished the land. God could have delivered Joseph at any time, but He didn’t.

Once again, we must be absolutely certain that we have this straight. God does not will sin. He does not want anyone to transgress His holy Law. "Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted with evil and He Himself tempts no one" (James 1:13). Likewise, the Lord is not the author of evil. He does not use evil so that good will happen. Rather it is from the Tempter, the old Evil Foe, "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan" (Rev. 20:2). Now, since the Fall of Adam and Eve, it is out of the sinful heart of man that "come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander" (Matthew 15:19). God is not to be blamed for the murderous thoughts, betrayal, false witness and wicked deeds of Joseph’s brothers. Those are their sins.

But just as firmly as the truth is that God does not will sin, so also we must maintain that God permits those things to happen. He allowed those brothers to cast Joseph into the pit. He allowed those sons of Israel, those brothers to betray their brother. The Lord permitted the lies of Potiphar’s wife to prevail. Then he allowed the consequent personal sufferings that followed ... loneliness, separation, anguish, fear, questions, and struggles. And it’s not just Joseph’s story. It is our story too.

The story of Joseph can comfort us and help us better understand how God can be all-powerful in a world where humans are free to do evil. God hates all sin with a perfect and unremitting hatred. However, it is his prerogative to allow good to come out of the evil plans of people. Indeed, no sin can be committed without his knowledge or against his holy will. This was true in the life of Joseph and it is true in our lives. When because of jealousy and deep hatred Joseph’s brothers sold Joseph into slavery, God by his own mysterious working sent him to Egypt, not only to save that pagan nation of Egypt, but also to save the very people who had sold him into those horrible circumstances. Ultimately God was glorified in the life of Joseph. Ultimately He will be glorified in our lives.

God has a grand picture and glorious purpose in the world. That is to bring people to know salvation in Jesus Christ and His all-availing sacrifice. While not willing evil or sin, He is capable of directing everything to accomplishes His purpose. He allowed Joseph to suffer at the hands of his brothers and used it to save them from death. He calls us to be in this world, to endure suffering, so that people may saved from eternal death. We are his agents and ministers in the world. Even though towers fall around us, even though we go through suffering and pain. Through it all we have God’s promise, "we know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). God can and does work all things for good to those who love him and who are called according to his purposes to be transformed into his Son’s image (Rom 8:28–29).

That purpose is most clearly seen in the cross of Jesus Christ. It is there that the puzzling pieces of our lives fall in place. Like Joseph, Jesus was abandoned and betrayed by the brotherhood of disciples. He was enslaved in Roman chains and led through the Palaces of kings and the ruling authority, Pontius Pilot. There he was lied about and made a prisoner. Then he was allowed the consequent personal sufferings that followed ... loneliness, separation, anguish, fear, and struggles. All this happened as God His Father watched. As the crowds watched Jesus led out to be crucified they asked, “Where is God” and “why is this happening.” They couldn’t put the pieces together. They couldn’t see the grand picture. They were to close to ground zero.

Years after they had thrown Joseph into the pit, the brothers of Joseph stood before him. They still did not understand God’s grace or mercy. Nor did they comprehend that God could use their evil actions for good. They only understood their own shame and guilt for sinning against their brother. Listen to what Joseph says to them, "Fear not, for am I in the place of God?" "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."

After the resurrection, Jesus stood before His disciples. What would He say to them who had betrayed Him? What would He say to the people that had caused Him to be forsaken by His Father, suffer the anguish of hell and be thrown into the pit of the grave? What would He say? Listen, He says, "Peace be with you" (John 20). In other words, "Fear not! What was meant for evil God accomplished for good – salvation for all people. The evil of the world was turned on Christ. Unlike Joseph though, Jesus was in the place of God. This is His sure word to all of us. “Peace be with you.” Though evil is allowed to prevail in the world for a little while, the good of God, has redeemed creation thorough His Son. The suffering and the tears will end because of the cross. Until then we rest in the Word of God to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee.”

Conclusion: Sinners cannot undo their actions or prevent the natural consequences of sin from producing its usual miserable effects, but there are innumerable occasions to thank our gracious Lord for counteracting and mitigating the otherwise devastating effects of such evil. In Joseph’s life we can see pieces of life that are tragedy. We can also see pieces of life that are blessing. Both, combined together and seen in view of God’s grace and mercy make sense. It becomes for us a marvelous picture of God’s providential care in this world and in the lives of people. These blessing are most apparent when we see them through the cross. At the cross we see God most clearly. There we see that we have hope. At the cross we know that someday there will be no more September 11’s. Someday there will be no more suffering. And someday we will see the grand picture of God’s redeemed creation. At the cross God has put the pieces of our broken lives together. In the mean time we know where God is. He is here with us, guiding, protecting and caring for us, even as we suffer. In our suffering we are ministers of God’s grace and mercy in the world - through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Genesis 50 15-21

“Putting the Pieces Together”