Finishing Well

As we conclude the Book of Genesis in our Bible Survivor Series, we are looking at the life of Joseph and the subject, “Finishing Well.” It is important to get a good start in life, however it is imperative to finish well. The Word of God makes us this promise:

(Phil 1:6 NASB) For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

In his book Half Time, Bob Buford makes the following statement: “The reality of the game of life is that the clock is running. What once looked like an eternity ahead of you is now within reach. And while you do not fear the end of the game, you do want to make sure that you finish well, that you leave something behind no one can take away from you. If the first half was a quest for success, the second half is a journey to significance.”

I believe that’s what Joseph’s life was all about. It’s also what many of our lives are like right now!

JOSEPH AND HIS FATHER

(Gen. 47:27-31 NASB) Now Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in Goshen, and they acquired property in it and were fruitful and became very numerous. {28} And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the length of Jacob's life was one hundred and forty-seven years. {29} When the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "Please, if I have found favor in your sight, place now your hand under my thigh and deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. Please do not bury me in Egypt, {30} but when I lie down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place." And he said, "I will do as you have said." {31} And he said, "Swear to me." So he swore to him. Then Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed.

(Gen 49:28-30 NASB) All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him. {29} Then he charged them and said to them, "I am about to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, {30} in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a burial site.

(Gen 49:33 NASB) When Jacob finished charging his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.

· He suffered the pain of the experience.

· He made preparations for the funeral.

· He considered the priorities of his life.

JOSEPH AND HIS FAMILY

(Gen. 50:15-26 NASB) When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph should bear a grudge against us and pay us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him!" {16} So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father charged before he died, saying, {17} 'Thus you shall say to Joseph, "Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong."' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. {18} Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."

· Their grief is overcome by their guilt.

· They surrender their forgiveness to fear.

JOSEPH AND HIS FAITH

{19} But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? {20} "And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. {21} "So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

· He never lost sight of God’s purpose.

(Rom 8:28 NASB) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

· He continued to extend mercy and grace.

JOSEPH AND HIS FINISH

{22} Now Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and his father's household, and Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. {23} And Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim's sons; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph's knees. {24} And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you, and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob." {25} Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here." {26} So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt. · To grow old free of bitterness is the finest gift we can leave humanity.

(Heb 12:15 NASB) See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

· To face death right with God and man is the finest way we can enter eternity.

THINKING ABOUT OUR FINISH

· Do you know for sure that you are ready to meet God in eternity?

· Are there some relationships that need to be made right while there is time?

· Are you willing to spend some time thinking about your finish?

(Psa 90:12 NASB) So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

(Psa 116:15 NASB) Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones.

(John 11:25-26 NASB) Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, {26} and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

(John 14:1-3 NASB) "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. {2} "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. {3} "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

(2 Cor 5:6-8 NASB) Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord-- {7} for we walk by faith, not by sight-- {8} we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

(1 Th 4:13-18 NASB) But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. {14} For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. {15} For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. {16} For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. {17} Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. {18} Therefore comfort one another with these words.

JOSEPH’S FINISH

(Gen. 50:26 NASB) So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.

Thus ends Genesis. It begins with creation and ends with a coffin. It begins with glory and ends with a grave.

It begins with the vastness of eternity and ends with the shortness of time.

It begins with the living God and ends with a dead man.

It begins with a blaze of brightness in heaven and ends with a box of bones in Egypt.

This is the Holy Spirit’s final comment in the book on the nature and tragedy of human sin. That is the final exposure of the devil’s lie, “Thou shalt not surely die.” ”

So Joseph died” (Joseph, the most Christlike man in all the Bible), “Joseph died… and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.” John Phillips, Exploring Genesis

Closing Illustration:

At 7 p.m. on October 20,1968, a few thousand spectator remained in the Mexico City Olympic Stadium. It was cool and dark. The last of the marathon runners, each exhausted, were being carried off to first aid stations. More than an hour earlier, Mamo Wolde of Ethiopia-looking as fresh as when he started the race-crossed the finish line, the winner of the 26-mile, 385-yard event.

As the remaining spectators prepared to leave, those sitting near the marathon gates suddenly heard the sound or sirens and police whistles. All eyes turned to the gate. A lone figure wearing the colors of Tanzania enters the stadium. His name was John Stephen Akhwari.

He was the last man to finish the marathon. His leg bloodied and bandaged, severely injured in a fall, he grimaced with each step. He hobbled around the 400-meter track. The spectators rose and applauded him as if he were the winner.

After crossing the finish line, Akhwari slowly walked off the field without turning to the cheering crowd.In view of his injury and having no chance of winning a medal, someone asked him why he had not quit. He replied, “My country did not send me 7,000 miles to start the race. They sent me 7,000 mile to finish it.