Untitled Sermon (21)
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 5 viewsNotes
Transcript
1 Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt.
1 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,
WELCOME: eMember Reflections Group Tuesdays @ 7:00 pm
Revival Series Pt. 15
“The Challenge of Revival”
Isaiah 6:1 - 13
People put their hope and trust in many things other that God. We can make these things idols.
Do not play yourself by going to these things instead of God
The Lord saves is the message, we pridefully want the credit for ourselves.
We are living at a pivotal moment in a changing world
Sometimes your situation is so lit, you can’t see the light of God
No matter what you got going on God does not play.
Some people have made themselves sermon proof. “Hardened”
But God always has a remnant. He’s still trying to save people in 2021
ICEBREAKER:
Chapter 40 - Opening Question : When has a dream or nightmare made an impact on you?
Genesis 40:1 - 7
1 Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody. 5 And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?”
Question #1: Do you find it easy of difficult to express concern for other? Why?
Insight: What at first looks like a strange coincidence might have been intentional. It was the “The captain of the guards...” who assigned Joseph to these two men (40:4), and this term is different from the one used for “warden” (39:21). That means it could refer to Potiphar, so it is possible he did not believe the charge his wife had brought against Joseph, and in this act communicated his suspicion of the false accusation. Also, the fact that Potiphar refrained from executing Joseph which for the charge was well within his right.
Proverbs 22:1
1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
Lesson: When we are suffering we tend to be self-absorbed, but God intends to use our suffering for the sake of others. Joseph could have been having a pity party while he waited on God. Instead, he noticed the distress of the others, the king’s cupbearer, and baker. He expressed concern for their emotional well-being, asking, “Why do you look so sad today?” Even in his misery, Joseph was making time to minister to those who were hurting.
2 Corinthians 1:3 - 7
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
By serving during his own suffering, Joseph was putting himself back on the path toward future blessing.
Genesis 40:8
8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”
Insight: With the troubling dreams of the two prisoners, Joseph recognized that God was at work arranging his encounter with these men. He displayed confidence in God by reminding them that only God could interpret dreams. Most striking was his confidence that God would use him to reveal the dreams’ meanings. In our suffering, a common temptation is to stop believing that God will use us. We have to remember sometimes our suffering is not about us, but a setup for us to be used by God to bless, and encourage others. Joseph’s example prompts us not to fall into that wrong thinking.
Question #2: When has a low point turned out to be God preparing you for something better?
Genesis 40:9 - 23
9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. 14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.” 16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, 17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” 18 And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.” 20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Summary: Joseph’s detour isn’t quite finished. This is how circumstances go at times. Victory appears to be right around the corner, then suddenly life takes a hard left and the joy we thought was coming disappears. Through his experiences, however, Joseph continued to trust God. Though people may leave us and forget us, God never will.
Chapter 41 - Opening Question: Who has shown you the importance of saving for a rainy day?
Genesis 41:1 - 16
1 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, 2 and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. 3 And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke. 5 And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. 6 And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. 7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 8 So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh. 9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today. 10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, 11 we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. 12 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. 13 And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.” 14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”
Question #3: Where do you see the hand of God at work in these events?
Lesson: Pharaoh did not understand the vision,
“So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men.” Though he called in the professionals, no one could interpret the dreams for him (41:8).
This is a reminder that when God is setting something up for His glory, He will not let human wisdom come up with the answer. As the apostle Paul would say centuries later,
1 Corinthians 1:27
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
We may climb certain ladders of success; but eventually we will come across problems that only godly wisdom can solve. Would you rather be a fool to the world with God’s wisdom in our hearts than the other way around.
Genesis 41: 17 - 36
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. 18 Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. 19 Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20 And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows, 21 but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. 22 I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. 23 Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, 24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.” 25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. 28 It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, 30 but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, 31 and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. 32 And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. 33 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. 35 And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”
Insight: (41:32) - Joseph pointed out a principle that is often true throughout Scripture - when God intends to do something, He will confirm His word with two or three witnesses. In this case, “since the dream was given twice to Pharaoh,” Joseph knew the matter had been determined by God.
Similarly, we may often wonder which way God is leading us, but when we feel Scripture speaking to our hearts and our brothers and sisters in Christ start to back up that message in unison, we can be sure that God is confirming His plan by repeating it.
Genesis 41:37 - 45
37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
Question #4: Do these blessings make up for all the hardships Joseph had experienced since being betrayed by his brothers?
Comment: (41:38) - What a testimony Joseph wielded among a people who did no even honor the presence of God. Joseph lived with integrity, met people at their point of need, and gave God the credit. In the end, Joseph’s faithfulness made God’s presence irrefutable.
Genesis 41:46 - 57
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, 48 and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. 49 And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured. 50 Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. 51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” 52 The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” 53 The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.” 56 So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.
Lesson: It had been thirteen (13) years since Joseph had been abused by his brothers changing the trajectory of his life forever (37:2). He suffered hardship and rejection as a slave, a falsely accused servant, and a prisoner.
Though now he had be given status, position, and even an Egyptian wife, he did not forget his heritage. When his wife gave birth to two sons, Joseph gave them Hebrew names. Manasseh, like the Hebrew verb for “forget”, because God made Joseph forget his hardship (41:51). The second, Ephraim, means “fruitful” because the Lord made him fruitful in the land of his affliction (41:52). Joseph looked past the hand of Pharaoh that pulled him out of prison to the loving arm of God, who was guiding him all along the way.
We have got to understand that taking a stand for Christ may cost us in the short term, but that just makes your witness all the more powerful, and impactful to those who don’t know God.
Application: What spiritual steps are you currently taking to prepare for the future?
Assignment: Make a list of several key blessings you’ve received in the past year. Spend time praising God for those blessings in whatever way feels most appropriate to you.