Participants: Floyd Bresee
Series Code: FC
Program Code: FC000374
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00:31 Hi, I am Pastor Floyd Bresee
00:33 and I have been thinking it seems to me 00:38 that there be a lot more Christians, 00:39 if Christians were a lot more Christ like. 00:43 Let's pray about it. Loving father, 00:47 please teach us something today 00:51 that will help us become more Christ like Christians 00:57 we pray in Jesus name, amen. 01:03 Our focus today will be on Joseph, 01:07 Joseph the pampered, 01:10 Joseph the pampered patriarch. 01:14 Please open your Bible to the book of Genesis 01:18 and the 37th chapter. I will be using the 01:23 New International Version. 01:24 They say that life is like a box of chocolates, 01:30 you never know what you are going to get. 01:34 You saw the pictures on the cover 01:37 but you open the box and you know in there, 01:40 there are some plain chocolates 01:42 and some with nuts, and some with fudge filling 01:46 and some with caramel and some with cherry 01:49 and your diet will allow just one. 01:52 And finally you make your pick and you bite into it, 01:59 only to find out it is not what you wanted at all. 02:02 Life is like a box of chocolates. 02:07 However, we hope for the best, 02:09 but when we bite into it, 02:11 we find that it's not exactly 02:14 what we wanted after all. 02:16 Life has trials, letdowns disappointments. 02:22 Our lesson today is it life's trials can help us 02:27 or hurt us depending upon how we handle them. 02:31 This is never better illustrated 02:34 then in the fascinating story 02:36 of the Patriarch Joseph. 02:38 Joseph was so important 02:42 to the Old Testament, 02:43 to the book of Genesis that fourteen chapters 02:46 in Genesis deal with Joseph, 02:50 and no place in scripture can we find 02:53 a better illustration of how to handle trials. 02:57 Now first lesson I would like to suggest in 03:03 the life of Joseph, is that pampering 03:07 can actually hinder us. 03:09 Joseph was a pampered kid. 03:11 He was a good boy. 03:12 He was just a spoilt rotten. 03:15 He was a tattletale. 03:16 At 17 he tattled on his brothers to his dad. 03:21 And Joseph's father Jacob, 03:24 Jacob was a lousy father. 03:27 He was a good man in many ways 03:30 and yet he was a deceiver 03:31 when he was young. 03:33 He was a polygamous when he was grown, 03:35 and as a father he practiced favoritism. 03:40 Joseph was born to his favorite wife, 03:44 beautiful Rachel, 03:46 when Jacob was in his ninety's. 03:48 Genesis the 37th Chapter notice verses 3 and 4, 03:54 "Now Israel loved Joseph, 03:56 more than any of his other sons, 03:59 because he had been born to him 04:02 in his old age, and he made a richly 04:05 ornamented robe for him. 04:07 When his brothers saw that their father 04:10 loved him more than any of them, 04:12 they hated him and could not speak 04:15 a kind word to him." Joseph was a favorite. 04:22 He was a pampered kid, 04:25 and favoritism created a dysfunctional home. 04:30 You know, if our heavenly father 04:34 gave us everything we wanted, 04:36 if he pampered us we would never grow. 04:40 Pampering was holding Joseph back 04:42 and it can hold us back. 04:44 Our chief goal is comfort, 04:46 but fortunately God's chief goal 04:50 for us is character. 04:52 No wonder that we often disagrees, 04:55 no trails, no goals. Now life brought 05:02 Joseph a long series of trials. 05:06 And trials can hurt. His brothers took 05:11 the cattle and sheep to the northern Pastors 05:14 for someone grazing and Joseph 05:16 was sent by his father Jacob up to Dothan 05:19 to check on how things were going. 05:22 Chapter 37, notice now verse 18. 05:26 But they saw him in the distance, 05:29 and before he reached them, 05:32 they plotted to kill him, they plotted to kill him. 05:38 Let's get in. They tore off his hated coat. 05:43 They threw him in a dry cistern 05:45 planning to kill him. 05:47 Those boys were so deprived 05:51 and so filled with hatred that they sat down 05:54 to enjoy their lunch. Now fortunately for Joseph, 05:58 Dothan was on the interstate, 06:00 that is the main route from Cannon down into Egypt 06:05 and so they found some traders coming by 06:09 and they sold the boy, 06:11 at least they got rid of him. 06:12 They didn't get much far him but he was gone. 06:14 And they took a rope, 06:16 and they tied one end of the rope 06:20 to this pampered favorite Joseph, 06:23 17 years old and they tied the other end to a camel. 06:29 It's amazing how quickly life can take a change 06:35 in the bottom fallout of our world. 06:39 Perhaps it's happened to you. 06:41 Everything was looking wonderful and suddenly 06:44 everything was looking terrible. 06:46 Instantly, this boy who had been a pampered 06:50 kid became a slave, a lonely slave. 06:55 Poor Joseph, his mother of course was dead. 06:59 His father was getting farther and farther 07:03 away at every step. He knew no one around him. 07:08 He couldn't even speak the language. 07:11 The wonderful book, 'Patriarchs and Prophets' 07:14 says this terrible calamity transformed him 07:18 from a petted child to a man. 07:21 Trials hurt, but they also can make men 07:27 and women of us. They can hurt, 07:30 but they can help. 07:32 Archibald Rutledge was walking up a mountain path, 07:39 came across a farmer carrying an axe 07:43 over his shoulder and they fell in the conversation 07:47 that the farmer said that he was out looking for 07:53 a new tong for his wagon. Well said Rutledge, 07:58 trees all around us why to climb the mountain? 08:02 Farmer said that toughest wood comes 08:05 from on the top of the mountain 08:08 where the storms hit the hardest. 08:10 The storms of life can make us stronger, 08:14 and so Joseph became a lonely slave. 08:21 Perhaps you as you've tuned into Faith Chapel 08:26 today perhaps you are lonely. 08:30 Perhaps you are a lonely listener. 08:33 May be you've lost the loved one, 08:36 perhaps you feel friendless. 08:38 May I suggest possibly what you need, 08:43 is the fellowship of the church family. 08:46 No one should ever feel alone around Christians. 08:51 It happened in New Orleans, September of 1985. 08:59 Two hundred people met for a celebration. 09:02 A hundred of them were lifeguards, 09:04 and they were celebrating because 09:06 in all of New Orleans all season long 09:09 and all of the swimming pool there 09:12 had not been one single death. 09:15 But when the celebration was about over, 09:19 somebody looked down at the deep end 09:21 of the pool and there lay 31-year-old Jerome Moody, 09:27 drown surrounded by friends, 09:31 surrounded by people who were trained 09:34 to save him but they were simply too self 09:37 absorbed to notice. 09:39 And this can happen to Church people too. 09:44 If when you go to Church you become 09:47 too self absorbed with perhaps your duties 09:50 or being with your friends, to notice. 09:52 Then you are not going to help some lonely person 09:57 that perhaps the Holy Spirit has brought 10:00 to your Church just looking for a little love, 10:04 a little friendship. 10:06 And now back to Joseph. 10:10 Joseph was learning to trust God, 10:13 and when we trust God, 10:16 any place becomes a good place. 10:20 Chapter 37 again, 10:23 notice now if you were with me the 36th verse. 10:27 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph 10:31 in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, 10:35 the captain of the guard. 10:39 His fancy coat was gone. 10:43 First thing he knew he was down on his knees 10:47 doing slave work. 10:50 But the results of this slavery 10:54 and all of these hard works 10:56 that suddenly he was having to do 10:58 for the first time in his life, 10:59 it begins to show a plan that's developing 11:04 and a good reason for this whole thing. 11:07 Ten years of service in the world's most 11:10 advanced country, he learned the language, 11:14 even had a chance to get some education 11:16 and study some science 11:17 and above everything else 11:19 he developed a managerial genius 11:22 and he ended up running this house. 11:25 God was preparing him for something, 11:30 through slavery, through trial. 11:33 Now beside this poor Joseph was unjustly accused. 11:41 Joseph was one handsome hunk. 11:45 Look if you will at chapter 39, 11:49 Genesis 39 verses 6 and 7. 11:54 So he left that is part of her left in Joseph's care 11:59 everything he had, with Joseph in charge, 12:03 he did not concern himself 12:04 with anything except the food he ate. 12:06 Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 12:11 and after a while his master's wife took 12:15 notice of Joseph and said, 12:16 "Come to bed with me!" 12:21 One handsome hunk Joseph, 12:25 probably took after his beautiful mother Rachel. 12:31 Potiphar's wife was impressed, 12:34 come to bed with me not once 12:36 but the scripture goes on to say 12:38 day after day after day. 12:40 But he always turned away. 12:42 So she got to figuring he is afraid of getting caught, 12:46 wait until someday when the servants 12:49 are not around. Then he will come to bed with me. 12:54 Character, you know, 12:57 is what you are when nobody is looking. 13:00 Do you have some habits, 13:02 some things in your life that you want 13:05 to hide from everybody, 13:07 that you might engage in when nobody is looking, 13:10 and Joseph was a stronger man in that. 13:15 And on this invitation he left his coat 13:19 and he ran and then the ague hit the fan. 13:22 Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned 13:25 and she told Potiphar that Jew slave tried to rape me. 13:29 I screamed he ran; 13:31 here is his coat to prove it. 13:32 Poor Joseph had coat tumble again. 13:36 Bible says Potiphar burn with anger. 13:40 Possibly he was supersensitive 13:44 over this subject in the first place. 13:46 Men with his position in court were 13:49 often required to be eunuchs, 13:51 but anyway Joseph was thrown into prison. 13:56 You know when we do the right thing we expect 14:01 to be praised for it. 14:02 Joseph was jailed for it. 14:06 It's tough to be unjustly accused. 14:10 It's bad enough facing just the accusations 14:14 that we deserve. 14:15 But it becomes very easy 14:18 to drown ourselves in self-pity. 14:21 When we are abused undeservedly, 14:26 trials can hurt. But there was 14:30 another big trial coming up for Joseph. 14:32 Joseph now sent to prison was neglected. 14:37 He was forgotten, Joseph was like a cat. 14:41 He always landed on his feet. 14:43 His character and his administrative 14:46 genius soon had him virtually 14:48 running the prison. 14:50 By the way that proves this not where you are, 14:54 but what you are that counts. 14:55 Any place that Joseph went, 14:57 he became a success in spite of where he was. 15:05 The King's cupbearer was in prison with Joseph 15:09 on suspicion of conspiracy to poison the King. 15:12 Joseph did him a favor. 15:15 The investigation was finally finished 15:19 and the cupbearer was reinstated. 15:22 But before he left and went back to the presence 15:26 of the King, Joseph said 15:27 please remember me. Chapter 40 and verse 23, 15:35 Genesis 40 verse 23, the chief cup-bearer, 15:40 however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. 15:46 It's exasperating to do a favor for somebody. 15:51 Loan them money or give them 15:54 a book or may be the use of your lawn more and then, 15:58 they ignore you in return. 16:01 Poor Joseph was ignored. 16:05 It hurts to be ignored. 16:08 As adults we are ignored may be 16:12 by a spouse or by a boss. 16:15 As young people we are, 16:21 annoyed and ignored by perhaps 16:25 the opposite gender. 16:28 As children we are ignored by everybody. 16:34 Joseph was enslaved. He was unjustly accused. 16:40 He was ignored, neglected, forgotten. 16:44 Life's trials can help or hurt, 16:48 but to Joseph's credit, 16:51 Joseph is a beautiful example 16:54 of one who learned how to handle trials. 16:58 Trials help or hurt depending upon 17:00 how we handle them, trials can help. 17:03 What God can make of us depends 17:06 on our reaction when life tries us. 17:11 Little blind girl was out walking with her father, 17:16 came across an icy bridge 17:19 and the water was dashing below, 17:22 the father turns the little girl 17:25 and said are you afraid. 17:31 She said no, but you don't know 17:34 where you are going. 17:37 The little girl answered, 17:38 but I know that you know. 17:43 We don't have to be afraid 17:45 whatever situation we find ourselves in, 17:48 if we really trust our heavenly Father, 17:51 to have a plan for us 17:53 and He is leading us 17:54 and He knows where He is going 17:57 and when we get there, 17:58 we will be glad for the way we were led. 18:03 Now where was God in all of this? 18:09 The answer is astounding 18:11 and it is profound theology. 18:15 See if you catch the theological lesson. 18:18 Where was God in all of these? 18:21 Well, when Joseph was in Potiphar's house, 18:24 notice Chapter 39 and verse 2, 18:28 the Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, 18:32 and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 18:35 During all of this trial, 18:38 during all of this slave work 18:39 where was God when we come to a difficult trial. 18:42 A hard time in life we ask, oh, where is God? 18:46 Well, God was there all the time. 18:50 Notice in verse 21 of Chapter 39. 18:59 The Lord was with him speaking now in prison, 19:02 the Lord was with him and he showed him kindness 19:07 and granted him favor in the eyes of 19:10 the prison warden. Where was God 19:14 in the midst of all this trial? 19:17 God was there all the time, 19:21 and when we are in the midst of trial 19:24 where is God. God is there all the time, 19:29 through all of the slavery, 19:31 through all of the loneliness, 19:32 through all the unjust accusation, 19:34 through all being ignored, 19:36 God was there all the time. 19:38 God had not forgotten him. 19:40 God had not forsaken him. 19:43 God was not neglecting him. 19:46 God was preparing him. 19:48 Cars are built nowadays with airbags 19:55 and airbags have become very popular, 19:59 and airbags are wonderful safety device. 20:05 But the truth of the matter is airbags 20:09 do not prevent accidents. 20:12 They do what they are meant to do, 20:15 they prevent injury. 20:17 Christianity is not necessarily 20:21 to prevent trial; Christianity is meant 20:26 to prevent injury. God turns trials 20:30 around and uses them to help us 20:33 instead of bringing injury to us. 20:37 God is not punishing Joseph. 20:43 God is not forsaking, 20:44 God is not neglecting Joseph. 20:46 God is preparing Joseph. 20:49 Now, I want you to notice this. 20:52 As the plan begins to unfold, 20:53 we can't understand this far 20:55 why all of these trials, 20:57 but now we understand. 20:58 God was preparing Joseph 21:01 for a number of very important things. 21:04 First of all, he was preparing him 21:05 to feed Egypt. At the age of 30 21:09 Joseph became the Prime Minister 21:10 whose managerial ability fed Egypt 21:14 through 7 years of famine. 21:16 What a witness to all of Egypt 21:20 that Jehovah God was omnipotent. 21:22 God could bring the rain 21:24 and bring the crops 21:25 and God could control the weather 21:26 and crops would dry up. 21:29 And as Joseph, led them through 21:31 this difficult experience. 21:34 Joseph saved Egypt, 21:37 and he showed the omnipotence 21:40 of a God who was worthy of worship. 21:44 And then another purpose of all of this, 21:49 we are beginning to see God's plan. 21:51 Another purpose was to help 21:54 create the nation of Israel. 21:57 God had promised cannon to Abraham, 22:00 you remember, but Jacob's family up 22:03 there was too small to drive out the Canaanites. 22:07 And the nation was not being established 22:10 so what did God do. 22:11 Through Jacob's being a favorite down in Egypt, 22:15 Joseph being a favorite, 22:18 Jacob brought his family down 22:20 into Egypt and there in friendly Egypt, 22:23 they became a nation. 22:25 It was there that they became strong enough 22:28 to go back and possess the land of Cannon. 22:32 And so God you see I had a plan. 22:37 He was preparing Joseph to, 22:40 to help establish the nation of Israel. 22:45 And another thing, 22:46 He was preparing Joseph to be a reconciler, 22:49 a reconciler in a dysfunctional family. 22:58 Jacob died Joseph could have said pay back 23:03 time instead notice in Genesis Chapter 50, 23:11 Genesis Chapter 50 and verses 18 to 21, 23:19 we come to the close now of the book of Genesis. 23:23 Genesis 50 and verse 18. 23:27 His brothers then came and threw themselves down 23:31 before him "We are your slaves, "they said. 23:33 But Joseph said to them, "don't be afraid. 23:37 Am I in the place of God? 23:40 You intended to harm me, 23:43 but God intended it for good to accomplish 23:46 what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 23:51 So then, don't be afraid. 23:53 I will provide for you and your children." 23:57 And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. 24:01 Ah! Joseph understood now, God's plan. 24:07 God intended, you intended it for harm 24:10 but God intended it for good 1963 George Wallace 24:18 was governor of the State of Alabama. 24:22 He stood one day in the door way 24:25 of the University of Alabama to prevent Vivian Jones 24:30 from enrolling. 24:32 Thirty three years later these two were together 24:36 once more on a platform and he turned to her 24:40 and he apologized and she turned to him 24:44 and forgave him. This has been called 24:49 one of the true moments of reconciliation 24:52 in all of American History. 24:53 So, life trials help us or hurt us 24:58 depending upon how we handle them. 25:01 In the midst of them we tend to get pretty short 25:03 sighted but God never leaves his children 25:06 otherwise then they would choose to be led 25:08 if they could just see the end from the beginning. 25:11 God had a master plan for Joseph life 25:14 only a positive reaction to life trials 25:18 prepared him to fulfill it. 25:19 And God has a master plan for your life. 25:22 None of us knows just exactly what it is 25:26 but I know one part of it, 25:27 He wants to make each of us reconcilers like 25:31 Joseph. Down in Puerto Vallarta, 25:34 Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton 25:37 owned a home together. 25:39 They built on the other side of the street 25:43 in Annex, and in order to not have to go through 25:47 the street where all the paparazzi were, 25:49 they built a bridge overhead. 25:51 And when they had a disagreement, 25:54 Burton would go over and sleep in the Annex, 25:56 and she would sleep in the main house. 26:01 But sometimes in the morning, 26:04 they met on the bridge of reconciliation. 26:08 She would have locked the door 26:12 behind him as he left the night before 26:14 and he would lock the door on his side. 26:17 And in the morning having cooled 26:22 their tempers a bit, 26:23 they would sometimes step out onto the bridge 26:27 of reconciliation and they would be 26:30 reconciled together. 26:33 Is there someone with whom 26:35 you need to be reconciled today? 26:38 Perhaps someone you need to forgive. 26:41 Is there, perhaps someone in the family 26:46 whom you need to be reconcile with? 26:49 How about your relationship with God? 26:51 Have you blamed Him for the trials 26:53 that have come your way? 26:54 Step out today on the bridge of reconciliation. 27:01 Let's pray. 27:04 Father, please forgive us 27:09 where we have accused you when life was unfair. 27:13 And may we today commit ourselves to your plan. 27:17 Make us reconcilers, may we, 27:22 everyone today meet our Savior 27:25 on the bridge of reconciliation, 27:29 we pray in Jesus name, amen. 27:32 Thanks for tuning in Faith Chapel. 27:36 Is there someone with whom you need 27:40 to make reconciliation? 27:42 If so, don't you think maybe today 27:47 would be a right day to do it, 27:50 may God richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2014-12-17