Sermon Tone Analysis

Governing Providence- God guides and governs all events, including the free acts of men and their external circumstances, and directs all things to their appointed ends for His glory.

What Does the Bible Say?

If you had to break up the Bible into percentages, how much of the Bible is straightforward propositional truth and how much of the Bible is stories?

Why do you think God chose to communicate so much of His revelation to us in the form of stories?

“Doctrinal statement are like skeletons—bare bones, but absolutely essential to give form and order and interconnection to the body of revealed truth.

Stories flesh out that skeleton, incarnate that truth, demonstrate how the doctrine looks and moves and acts in the real world of flesh and blood.”

Joseph is the prince of providence.

As we go through the biblical narrative of his life we will see that he had a keen sense and practical understanding of God’s providence.

Genesis 37

Last time we looked at the first 11 verses of Genesis 37. We will not re-read those for times sake.

But, let’s briefly review.

What is the first issue or “problem” that we run into in the story of Joseph?

Favoritism

Who is showing favoritism to Joseph in these verses?

Jacob (Coat) and God Himself (Dreams).

What do you think of how Joseph handled the favoritism?

Did he act appropriately or foolishly?

How can we tell?

What does the text say?

Nothing in the text faults Joseph’s behavior- the dreams were not Joseph’s dreams of self-importance; they were God given dreams of REVELATION that simultaneously functioned as both a focal point for Joseph’s faith (imagine Joseph’s obedience based on such limited revelation!) and a test of his family’s submission to God’s choice and purposes.

God, in His providence, blesses, exalts and uses whom He will

What is unusual about God choosing Joseph and not choosing his other brothers?

He is the youngest!

Is God always fair?

God does not give everyone exactly the same number of peas on their plate does he?

But, God is always right and God is always good.

Sometimes that means our lives might look “unfair” (it did for Joseph), but God is providentially superintending over every facet of our lives and often uses the unfairness of life to accomplish His purposes in and for us and those around us.

How much of what happened to Joseph was fair?

But how much of what God allowed was He right to allow?

God, in His providence, allows and uses the anger and hatred of people to accomplish His purposes

How did Joseph’s brothers react to the favoritism of Jacob and the Lord toward Joseph?

How does God use the wrath of man in the life of Joseph to bring about praise to Himself?

How should that bring the believer comfort?

God’s providence incorporates the faithfulness and obedience of His children

Why is this such an important truth to understand when talking about God’s providence?

Without this truth, that God uses our faithfulness and obedience to accomplish his providential purposes, what kind of attitude can we be tempted to adopt?

Fatalism!

What is that?

What does it lead to?

God’s providence often encompasses human aid

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Does this seem like an odd addition to the story?

Why does the Holy Spirit include this in the narrative?

Why didn’t the Holy Spirit just save some space and tell us eventually Joseph found his brothers?

Does the Holy Spirit waste words?

Is this account incidental to the story or is it pivotal?

Think about it- Joseph just happens to run into a unnamed man while wandering in the fields.

This man just happens to know exactly where Joseph’s brothers are, and just happens to tell Joseph at the exact time so that Joseph arrives just as the caravan is passing by, and so on.

All of the events that transpire afterwards hinge on Joseph’s “chance” meeting with this man.

The happenstance of how I joined Madrigal choir- voice lessons, principal of my high school a graduate of MBU, almost last minute deciding to tryout for the choir, meeting Sharon on the first day, now married.

I can’t imagine my life without those “happenstances.”

What emotions should the idea that events in our lives are sometimes dependent upon “happenstance” and sometimes come within a hair’s breath of not happening?

Panic?

Exactly the opposite!

Is there happenstance in this account?

Chance?

Luck?

What does we see in this account of Joseph’s life?

God’s providence!

Think about all that God arranged to happen in this account!

This man’ access to the knowledge of Joseph’s brothers

Joseph to come into contact with him at the exact right moment

Joseph arriving at the precise moment to find his brothers

Just in time for Ruben to be there to save his life

Just in time for a caravan headed in the exact direction that God needed it to go

God, in His providence, restrains evil plans and intentions that do not serve His purposes

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What was the culmination of all the jealousy and hatred that Joseph’s brothers had stored up in their hearts?

Murder!

Were the circumstances favorable for Joseph’s brothers to pull off the perfect crime?

Out in the wilderness, away from home, hid the body in a pit, blame it on wild animals.

But what did God do?

How?

God’s restraint of the evil intentions of Joseph’s brothers was an incredible kindness to them!

What happens to the brothers in about 10-15 years if God allows them to kill Joseph?

They die of starvation!

God is merciful and kind even when we have evil intentions!

God, in His providence, may allow the failure of good intentions

What was Reuben’s plan?

Was it a good plan?

Did Reuben have good intentions?

What would have happened to Joseph is Reuben had carried out his plan?

Starvation!

Corruption by the Canaanites!

God’s chosen people, Israel, destroyed.

God’s covenant to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, failed!

God, in His providence, may allow us to be betrayed and cruelly sinned against

This is a difficult one.

Can we accept the plain affirmation of Scripture—and actually apply it to our own personal experiences and circumstances?

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We could call this part of the story God’s “providential relocation” of Joseph.

Did Joseph get a first class seat to Egypt?

Yet, did God use the betrayal and cruel sins of Joseph’s brothers to accomplish his will?

Does that mean God initiated their evil deed?

Imposible

Does that make God responsible for their sin?

Unthinkable

Does that mean God temporarily lost control of the situation and will now have to take steps to try to amend the damage?

Out of the question

What is the lesson here?