Selfishness to Selflessness - Genesis 44:1-34

Genesis 44
Selfishness to Selflessness
INTRO
The storyline continues in the saga of Joseph and his brothers becoming
reconciled. Where all is made right once again and through it all,…is the saving
of God’s people….the Nation Israel. FOR it’s helpful to always hold both
lenses before your eyes…as we can see here,…in where we are at in Genesis.
BOTH the narrow lens and the wide angle lens.
The narrow. Progress is being made in the revealing of hearts that are
showing fruit of repentance which ultimately leads up to the brother’s
confession of their sin against Joseph and the relationship between them
being,…not only restored,….BUT at a much better place then what it every was
before. THAT’S the narrow lens view…very important in every way. The wide
angle lens….GOD is preserving His chosen people….the NATION ISRAEL…
through this famine and thereby bringing them to Egypt,…as He said He would
do. He said He would do this?,…you say perhaps. You better believe it. IN
FACT, it was all the way back in Genesis 15 when GOD made a covenant with
Abraham by sacrifice…when he said (verse 5) “Look toward heaven, and
number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So
shall your oﬀspring be.” I’m giving you this land to inherit Abram. But watch
this. In (verses 13-16) of (Genesis 15)…GOD speaks of this nation through the
line of Abraham being sojourners in a land that is not theirs………………
LISTEN..
“As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful
and great darkness fell upon him. Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for
certain that your oﬀspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will
be servants there, and they will be aﬄicted for four hundred years. But I will
bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out
with great possessions. As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you
shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here (in the land of
Canaan) in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet
complete.”
The oﬀspring of Abram ,…..who would become..be renamed by GOD as
Abraham…His oﬀspring, known as the NATION ISRAEL…will be sojourners in
a land that is not their own…We will hear GOD reference this same very promise
to Jacob, who God renamed ISRAEL (That’s how that name comes to be), GOD
will reference this same promise to Jacob/Israel…same person…GOD will

reference this same promise to him in a “vision of the night” just two chapters
down the road from where we are at today….starting in (verse 3) of chapter 46
GOD says “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to
Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with
you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close
your eyes.”…there it is. ISRAEL’S descendants (who are also descendants of
Abraham), numbering a bit over 70 at the present….GOD will send to Egypt
as sojourners during which time He will make them into a great Nation….
WHEN you continue reading beyond GENESIS and into EXODUS (the next
book of the Bible) you will find this people, the NATION ISRAEL, in the land of
Egypt as slaves…for how long? 400 years…as many years God promised they
would be aﬄicted….at which point, GOD delivers them from captivity and
judges Egypt in the process. GOD’S WORD fulfilled…..just as He said things
would go…so they did. His Word never fails.
HOW did they get from the promise land of Canaan to then be in Egypt?
WE are smack dab in the middle of the unfolding events leading up to it. Wide
angle lens. GOD’S story of redemption is always being told. The famine,
Joseph…all these events in the narrow lens…are means by which God’s story
of redemption is being brought into fruition. These events are important and
have tremendous purpose,….both then, when they were happening and ALSO
NOW for us to look back on for instruction in the lessons learned and above all,
HOW, by God’s Providence,…We see Him fulfilling His promise to make all
things right after sin entered His creation. And it’s similar for us today. OUR
narrow lens portion (things directly involving our lives) are an important part in
GOD’S STORY but it’s not the main part. JESUS IS. God’s story of
redemption “…“as a plan for the fullness of time…” is always centered on
JESUS, by whom and through whom God is accomplishing His work of
salvation to redeem that which the curse of sin brought about…..“to unite all
things in him (him Jesus), things in heaven and things on earth….”…“and to
bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in
God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of
God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly
places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in (guess
who?) Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ephesians 1:10, 3:9-11).
This, GOD is always at work in His creation bringing about. JESUS
accomplished it in full,…by coming to earth, living a sinless life…a life we fail to
live, he lived in our place, and then brutally died on a Roman cross by
crucifixion….receiving the judgment we as sinners justly deserve for our sin and
was raised…JESUS was raised (from the dead) for our justification…who is now
ascended to heaven where He rules and reigns as KING JESUS. GOD’S

triumph over satan, sin and death has been accomplished in the life, death
and resurrection..of JESUS CHRIST.
We, in the here and now as His
people, the CHURCH,…are awaiting the consummation…the complete
realization of it when He returns as He promised to. IN THIS SPACE, the space
in between the completed work in and and through JESUS and the realization
of it…GOD continues to bring about HIS story of Redemption through Jesus
Christ in our lives and in the world in which we live…“…according to the
purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,..”
SAME as he did with JOSEPH…he does so with us. Dear SAINTS…
keep both those lenses in view…both the narrow lens and the wide angle lens.
(Romans 8:28) In think holds the tension of those both quite well. “And
we know that for those who love God all things (narrow lens view…all things
happening in our life now) all things work together for good, for those who are
called according to his purpose..(holding things up in the wide angle lens
view…God’s good purposes will always come to pass)…”. So important in the
Christian life to keep in perspective…spiritual 20/20 vision you could say.
OKAY, so, wide angle lens view for chapter 44 of Genesis,..in which we find
ourselves in this morning. Movement closer to God’s people being brought
from the Canaan into Egypt. A very small number of people (75) of them who
then multiply into a great nation while in EGYPT during those 400 years before
God delivered them for His own glory. That’s the wide angle lens.
The narrow, which we will put our focus on for the bulk of our time this
morning is that of approaching the climactic moment when JOSEPH makes
himself known to his brothers. JOSEPH, you recall, Compassion motivated,…
has been patiently making careful and wise arrangements so that fruit of
repentance would be revealed from the heart’s of his brothers…if it is indeed
there. Evidence for it has manifested. JOSEPH now turns the heat up to max
though now….as a means for full heart disclosure. His brothers returned to
Joseph, from the land of Canaan on the terms of life given by Joseph. To bring
their youngest brother with them so that their words would be verified. They do
so, their words are verified and Joseph treats them to a great banquet where
they all ate and drank and were merry together with Joseph. Chapter 44 moves
into the next scene in the saga. A scene leading up to Joseph being fully
convinced that his brother’s have a changed heart. HE (Joseph) sees godly
sorrow in them producing a repentance evidenced by their actions.
What are their actions? Selfishness to Selflessness.
WHICH is the TRUTH for us all to hone in on this morning. Selfishness to
Selflessness. Another expression of what it means to repent. Sin is self

serving,…SO,…to turn away from sin is dying to self. Selfishness to
Selflessness. Something that can take many shapes in forms in how it is
expressed by one bearing a godly grief for their sin. GOD’S WORD provides a
filled out and clear explanation of this in (2 Corinthians 7:9-11) . “As it is, I
rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into
repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suﬀered no loss through us. For
godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret,
whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief
has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what
indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every
point you have p-r-o-v-e-d yourselves innocent in the matter.” (In other words
fully convinced by the fruit of all your actions that your repentance is genuine)
“For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what
eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing,
what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves
innocent in the matter.” The events in chapter 44 lead up to JOSEPH seeing
this godly grief in his brothers. Their cruel mistreatment of him back when he
was 17 had acts of selfishness all tied up in it,…BUT now,…what he sees in
them is acts of selflessness.
LONG INTRO…I know. You still with me? GOOD. Selfishness to Selflessness.
What are the key points in chapter 44 that lead up to JOSEPH seeing this
change in his brothers which is produced by godly sorrow or godly grief?
There are 2
1. Testing by Trial.
2. Cash on Delivery. It will make sense when we get there.
Testing by Trial. Set up by Joseph for us in (verses 1-15) of chapter 44
BODY
1)
FIRST POINT - (Genesis 44:1-15).
Testing by Trial
We Christians know this, yet always a healthy reminder. Trials in life come to us
all and they do indeed test us for our good. Let’s put some scripture behind
this truth.
(James 1:2-4) “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various
kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And

let steadfastness have its full eﬀect, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing.”
(1 Peter 1:1-7) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is
imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s
power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the
last time. In this you rejoice, though (now here it is…watch out) though now for
a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that
the….. tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes
though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and
honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
PETER adds a bit later in this same epistle “Beloved, do not be surprised at
the fiery trial when it comes upon you …to….test you, ….as though something
strange were happening to you. But….rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s
suﬀerings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”
Let’s round this out with (Romans 5:3-5).
“…..we….(guess what?) We rejoice in our suﬀerings, knowing that suﬀering
produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character
produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has
been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
OKAY, abundantly clear from GOD’S WORD. GOD’S good purposes behind
trials. JOSEPH here, sets one up to befall his brothers. And mind you,
JOSEPH has no idea of the conversations that have taken place between his
brothers and their father Israel. He does not know what’s been said…namely
“pledged” by JUDAH. It’s made known to him today…in chapter 44. BUT
never before. What he does know is their history involving him who shares
the same mother as Benjamin and so JOSEPH makes careful arrangements to
set up a situation where Benjamin’s life is in jeopardy in a similar manner as
his life was when he was thrown into a pit by his brother’s who did not listen to
the distress of his soul as he begged them to not follow through with what they
were doing.
Now, 21yrs later, the scenario has returned, but this time with Benjamin.
(Verses 1-15) lay out the details clearly. The brothers head out to return home
at first light the very morning after they feasted together with merriment, but

unbeknownst to them, JOSEPH instructs his steward the night before in (Verses
1 & 2) to “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put
each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, and put my cup, the silver cup, in
the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” All is
going as planned. The men are on route back home with all brother’s in
company, perhaps fond memories of the day before with Joseph. Fearful for
their lives when they came into Egypt,…but now….all seems in good order.
BUT…they only go a short distance before the Testing by Trial comes as
carefully arranged by JOSEPH. And Testing of Trials often come by that way
don’t they?
I don’t recall in my life,….OR in scripture….a seeking out of trials. It’s quite the
contrary. I’m doing my best to avoid them…and I believe that is common
among us all. The aim to lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in
every way …is shared by all believers…isn’t it?….as (1 Timothy 2:1-3) instructs
us to…“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions,
that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.”
This is good, this is not seeking out Testing by Trial…but Testing by Trials come
in our endeavor to faithfully live out a peaceful and quiet life, godly and
dignified in every way. This is not speaking of self inflicted pangs as a result of
poor choices. They come and certainly can and should have a refining/
correcting aﬀect on our lives….BUT some trials are diﬀerent altogether….not
brought about due to the consequences of sin…..BUT your Heavenly Father,
motivated by perfect love, allows them and administers them to do some
training in your life to increase faith, to further along HIS good work in
sanctifying you more into the image of His Son.
He allows them and administers them for our good in much the same
manner this Testing by Trial comes to Joseph’s brothers. The manner being……
Completely unaware to them. SUN is rising and shining, sacks are loaded with
food, all family to toe in the direction you want to go, Papa Israel will be thrilled
to see everyone…this is a good morning. And then BAM!.…things stop short.
Things change in a moment. In the case here with Joseph’s brothers, they
come in the form of accusations. Accusations they plead innocent to but when
investigated, discover they are not. Testing by Trial has begun.
Have you found Testing by Trials to come in this manner? I believe the answer
is YES for us all. If YES then….what is it we can we learn from them this since
they do come in like manner? I’LL OFFER TWO. Preparedness first oﬀ.

Preparedness. Since we know they do come, in fact,…we are to count them all
joy for what they produce in us,…but we don’t know when they come or what
form they will take. Preparedness for them is what we can always be doing.
How do we prepare ourselves? Fortunately it’s not complex but it does take
consistency. Much like being prepared for a race of sorts. It takes regular
training if you are to compete well. How is the Christian to train themselves?
(1 Timothy 4:7-10) “train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of
some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the
present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and
deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have
our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of
those who believe.” In a similar vein, the exhortation of BARNABAS in….
(Acts 11:23). ….applies well here also… “When he (Barnabas) came and saw
the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the
Lord with steadfast purpose, ..…”. That’s a wonderfully concise way to prepare
ourselves for the Testing of Trials. Train ourselves for godliness…remain
faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. This all is brought about by
regular intake of The Living Word of God and obedience to it by the power of
the Holy Spirit as it shapes your thinking and heart aﬀections according to
God’s will along with those who call upon the same Lord. This is how we
prepare ourselves for the certainty of Testing by Trials that bear little,…if any
warning when they come to.
And come they do to us all for good purpose which then presents the second
thing to learn from them,….and that is,…we are to learn from them. When you
find yourself in a trial….Ask the Lord. “GOD, what is it you desire to teach
me?” THAT prayer is guaranteed to be answered as you ask and seek the
answer in His Word and in Prayer. Be teachable. Be formable in His hands for
your good.
This is why Testing by Trials come. To us all for good purpose…same as here
with Joseph’s brothers….as we return to the unfolding events. JOSEPHS’S
brothers finding themselves in a very similar situation to when they acted in
absolute selfishness at the expense of JOSEPH’S life. NOW, with Benjamin’s
life in jeopardy, how will they respond? The men’s sacks are quickly is unloaded
from the donkey’s, opened up and searched,….starting with the eldest of them
to the youngest. Similar to how Joseph had them arranged the day before
when they had lunch together. Oldest to youngest. Him doing so I see as a
tactic to turn the heat up to max as a means for full heart disclosure in his

brothers…adding even in (verse 15) “Do you not know that a man like me can
indeed practice divination?” Striking full terror of him before their eyes. To the
brothers dismay, but as planned by Joseph, it is Benjamin who is the culprit in
having Joseph’s cup in his sack. And with this discovery, they return to the city
to face Joseph once again.
The moment of Truth. Have you ever said or has it ever been said to you…
“Your mouth wrote a check your body can’t cash.”
JUDAH, along with his brothers, find themselves at this point of discovery
….can they, and in particular JUDAH, deliver what he pledged to his father?
And this is where we get the phrasing of our 2nd and concluding point. Cash
on Delivery. WRAPPING up the remainder of the chapter (verses 18-34)
2)
SECOND POINT - (Genesis 44:16-34).
Cash on Delivery
Cash on Delivery.
The brothers, accused and found guilty, have returned to Joseph with no
defense to oﬀer. JUDAH’S plea to Joseph in (verse 16) “….What shall we say to
my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has
found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we
and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.” THIS PLEA…Has no
persuasive eﬀect on Joseph. Despite it revealing two significant things about
his brothers. NUMBER ONE….the guilt present, which, JOSEPH knows they
are not guilty concerning the cup….so the guilt coming through loud and clear
is the guilt for the wrong done to Joseph many years ago….and then SECOND,
they insist, as much as it is in their power to do so, they insist they all will
equally suﬀer the consequences for Benjamin’s guilt. They are UNITED to him.
At the cost of self they act on behalf of the well being of another. THIS is
in direct contrast to their treatment of JOSEPH 21yrs ago. Selfishness to
Selflessness. This is good to be seen, BUT Joseph goes the full distance for
full disclosure of their heart. In (verse 17) he, in essence says “Nope, no deal…
All you all can be innocent and can go home to your father, but your brother,…
Benjamin, guilty of having my cup…he stays as my servant.” A total remade
scenario of when his brothers closed their ears the outcries of Joseph’s
distressed soul and continued on home without him to give news of his death to
their father Jacob. Very much the same scenario here. WHAT NOW?
The remaining verses (verses 18-34) is that of Judah retelling to Joseph of the
pledge he made to his father and all the details concerning the welfare of

Benjamin and Jacob and how they are tied together. (Verse 32) states the
pledge Judah made to his dad… “the check his mouth wrote” you could say…
pledging for the safety of his brother Benjamin. “If I do not bring him back to
you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.” The moment of
Truth has arrived. It’s the point of discovery. Is their Cash on Deliver for this
pledge? Will JUDAH follow through?…Will he deliver with his life what his
mouth said he would? (Verses 33 & 34). “Now therefore, please let your
servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go
back with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with
me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.” INDEED Judah delivers.
JUDAH acts with full conviction on what he pledged to his father. “His body
cashed in the full measure of the check his mouth wrote.”
The chief concern of JUDAH and his brothers is for the well being of Benjamin
and their aged father. This is in complete contrast to the time they through
JOSEPH into the pit. Disregard for him and little if any concern for their father
who would be left to believe his favored son was torn by wild beasts.
The full disclosure of his brother’s hearts is complete. Selfishness has
changed to Selflessness. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay
down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13). And this is beheld in Joseph’s eyes
looking upon his brothers.
CONCLUSION
Same as it is beheld in our eyes when we look upon JESUS. (John 15:13)
Being The Words of Jesus,..speaking specifically of what he would do for his
people…for his friends. Did Jesus cash in on what his mouth wrote? He
expressed it many times to his disciples. (John 10:11) being another one. “I
am the good shepherd (Jesus said). The good shepherd lays down his life for
the sheep.”
Did Jesus deliver? Each of the gospel accounts attest that he did. We’ll read
from Luke’s gospel to hear one of them.
(Luke 23:33…44-48)
“And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified
him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left……It was now about
the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,
while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then
Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my

spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw
what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was
innocent!” And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they
saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.”
The epitome of Selfishness “Greater love has no one than this, that someone
lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13). The WORDS of JESUS that
precede this very statement He made and delivered on…is a commandment
for his followers…the Born again christians,…the saints of the most High
God…and it is to do what? (John 15:12) “This is my commandment, that you
love one another as I have loved you.” Selflessness is the way of our Lord.
PRAY
Whenever we repent we choose the way of the love of Christ. We want to be
in your love and communicate it in word and deed. LEAD US in such daily
repentance…for we are prone to wander…we are prone to selfishness.
COMMUNION - ()
BENEDICTION
(John 15:1-17)


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