Grow Through to Connnect To

Sm—Grow Through to Connect To

Genesis 45:4-15; Hebrews 2:10-17

I love the Before and After Pictures from Bro. Mario

THE TRUTH ABOUT NOW

· The Quarantine of Now is rooted in the past viral exposures.

o The Past was the fertilizer of the Now. The dead smelly stinking, decayed stuff of his past fertilized his Growth in the Now situation.

· In the Now we find ourselves coping the Darkness of a Pit or a Prison with a history of pain, betrayal, backstabbing, jealousy, bad choices, stagnation and missed opportunities. So here we are buried deep in the dark soil of Now, feeling trapped with all our potential in lockdown, and mentally and emotionally distanced from our dreams. Convert it to fertilizer.

· The Now Blinds you to the future

· The Blood, Sweat and Tears poured out into the Soil of the Now

o Our Sacrifices are often poured into the Ground of Now

§ Parents sacrificing for their children

§ Workers sacrificing vacation time, 9-5 time, working overtime—often without notice or appreciation

§ Teachers sacrificing giving their blood, sweat and tears…

§ Entrepreneurs sacrificing immediate gratification in hope of their dreams of success.

· When Joseph first sees his brothers after 15 or more years he relates to them from a Now struggling to get past the pass:

o He hides his identity

o He speaks roughly to them

o He accuses them of being up to no good.

o He tests them.

o He sets them up.

o He causes his brothers to deal with confusion, fear, uncertainty, guilt and shame.

o He brings their dirty little secrets into a collision with the Now of the Famine—the Reality of Sin and Suffering in the Human Condition.

But there’s the Flipside of Now—A Truth Connected a Broadband of God’s Promises.

This Truth of Now for many of us is Buffering… seeking a strong signal from the God of our tomorrows.

Buffering, spiritual buffering—We can’t See the Livestreaming of Divine Purpose in our lives because our spiritual connection is too slow

THE PLACE OF FAITH & CLARITY (Seeing Through)

Now Faith is Confidence in what we Hope for

and Assurance about what we do not see.

It’s hard to See my way in the Now

It seems impossible to See beyond the dirt that surrounds me.

· Insight—We walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

o Hold fast to your dreams and vision for your life.

But When I Stand in the Faith Place

· I have the Ability and Power to See Clearly

· I Remind Myself that Greater is He that is in me.

· Bishop Donald George Kenneth Ming used to say, “There’s More in the Man than in the Land”. The same is true for you, ladies: “There’s More in the Woman than in the Land.”

o Joseph’s life proved that. Nelson Mandela’s life proved that.

o God planted Joseph in the dirt because of the Greatness that was in him.

o God has made all of us seeds of promise—there is purpose in everyone one of us.

When you stand in the Place of Faith you get clarity. Your eyes see something.

§ Your eyes see that your sacrifices are not in vain.

§ Your eyes see that you will reap in due season, if you do not faint.

I would have fainted, unless I believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living [the Now].

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.

Bishop Desmond Tutu

THE PLACE OF FAITH ENABLED JOSEPH TO APPRECIATE THE BIGGER PICTURE

What Joseph said to his brothers was amazing.

His sacrifice was the tuition payment for the graduation of his brothers and his family from famine. God foresaw that famine was to come to devour up the land and its inhabitants.

The family of Jacob would have been reduced to nothing if it had not been for the sacrifice of Joseph—slavery and imprisonment.

THE PLACE OF FAITH ENABLES US TO FULLY APPRECIATE THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS

Hebrews 2:10-17

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.2

That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,3 12 saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers;

in the midst of the dcongregation I will sing your praise.”

Greek all are of one

The African Concept of Ubuntu has a similar inclusive and embracing view of our humanity.

Grow To Connect To Others—Ubuntu

· There is a Holy Element that Connects Humanity

· "I am because we are" (also "I am because you are"), or "humanity towards others"

· The Bonding of Human Hearts—the Affirmation of our Shared Humanity

· The Circle of Communion is Holy Communion (A Gathering of those whose naked feet symbolize the commonality of their journeys—my story and your story is shared in the larger story of our humanity together)

We Grow Through to Connect To a Celebration of Communion.

What Happens to “Me” will impact the “We”

· What Happens to “Me” will impact my family.

What Happens to “Me” will impact the “We”

· What Happens to “Me” will impact my Community.

What Happens to “Me” will impact the “We”

· What Happens to “Me” will impact my Church.

What Happens to “Me” will impact my Choices—to Bless Others or to Curse Others;

To Pardon or to Payback;

· I will Forgive the “We” for the Inflictions upon “Me”

· I will Forgive the “We” for their inability to See “Me”.

· I will Forgive the “We” for Walking All Over “Me”.

· I will Forgive the “We” for Doubting Me, for Suppressing me.

I will Bless the “We” because I am because of the “We”.

The “We” is Depending Upon “Me” being the “Me” that God Intends for “Me” to Be.

We Grow together because of what We Go Through in Faith.

· We Grow to Bear Fruit for Others.

· We Grow by Eating the Fruit of others.

THE PLACE OF CLARITY PROMPTS CELEBRATION

Hebrews 12:22-24 (the congregation, assembly of those made righteous)

Joseph with the blessings of Pharoah had his entire clan to come to Egypt to gather together to live in Goshen.

Jesus has arranged something better for His brothers and sisters:

No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering.

You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things.

You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect.

You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.

I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Matthew 26:26-29

· COMMUNION CELEBRATES

o Our Becoming the Beloved

o The Sacrifice of Jesus and the Sacrifices that we and others make for the Sacred Bowl of Abundance for Humanity

o The Future Heavenly