¤¤¤
00:00:00.80\00:00:10.44
¤¤¤
00:00:12.31\00:00:22.28
¤¤¤
00:00:22.32\00:00:32.33
Shawn Brummund: Good morning.
00:00:36.13\00:00:37.43
It's nice to be able to have
you, for those of you who are
00:00:37.47\00:00:39.30
watching live, to join us here
for the Sabbath School Study
00:00:39.33\00:00:42.84
Hour as we come together for
another lesson study in one of
00:00:42.87\00:00:46.81
my favorite quarterlies that
we've studied so far, which is
00:00:46.84\00:00:49.14
"Finding Rest in Christ."
00:00:49.18\00:00:52.21
I want to give
you a special welcome.
00:00:52.25\00:00:53.82
My name is Pastor Shawn
Brummund, a family life pastor
00:00:53.85\00:00:56.08
here in the Granite Bay Hilltop
Seventh-day Adventist Church in
00:00:56.12\00:00:59.29
the Greater Sacramento area.
00:00:59.32\00:01:01.72
It is so good to be able to have
you, again, for those of you
00:01:01.76\00:01:03.73
who are joining us live.
00:01:03.76\00:01:05.06
For those of you who
are watching later on in the
00:01:05.09\00:01:06.93
different TV broadcasts, it's
nice to have you as well, even
00:01:06.96\00:01:10.10
if it isn't the morning for you.
00:01:10.13\00:01:12.30
And a special welcome
also to all those here
00:01:12.33\00:01:14.77
in our local church.
00:01:14.80\00:01:16.64
It's always good to be able to
have those who are pouring into
00:01:16.67\00:01:18.71
our local church as we
worship the Lord again today.
00:01:18.74\00:01:22.98
We are looking at Lesson
Number 7 in our quarterly
00:01:23.01\00:01:25.38
which is "Rest in Christ":
00:01:25.41\00:01:27.52
"Rest,
Relationships, and Healing."
00:01:27.55\00:01:30.15
And so I know that the time that
you're going to spend with us
00:01:30.19\00:01:33.42
over the next hour is going
to be a worthwhile investment as
00:01:33.46\00:01:36.39
you continue to grow in the
knowledge and in the experience
00:01:36.42\00:01:40.23
of the person of Christ.
00:01:40.26\00:01:43.03
Now, for those of you who have
been joining us from week to
00:01:43.06\00:01:45.27
week in the past, have already
noticed on the camera screen,
00:01:45.30\00:01:48.40
I'm sure different shots have
come up that reveal that things
00:01:48.44\00:01:51.57
just look a little
bit different up here.
00:01:51.61\00:01:53.81
And so I just want to give
credit and a special thanks to
00:01:53.84\00:01:56.95
all those in our local
church here that have poured out
00:01:56.98\00:02:00.75
hundreds, literally, if you add
them all up, hundreds of hours
00:02:00.78\00:02:03.28
of love and labor for our
local children, both the church
00:02:03.32\00:02:06.82
members as well as local
children in the community
00:02:06.86\00:02:10.06
here around us.
00:02:10.09\00:02:11.56
And so I think you
can pick up pretty quickly
00:02:11.59\00:02:13.50
what the theme is.
00:02:13.53\00:02:15.30
It's sailing on the South Seas,
"Adventures in the South Seas,"
00:02:15.33\00:02:18.20
learning about Jesus.
00:02:18.23\00:02:19.63
So that's why you see things
just a little bit different on
00:02:19.67\00:02:21.64
the platform here today.
00:02:21.67\00:02:24.71
Part of me wants to wish that
we could have this up for a few
00:02:24.74\00:02:27.31
weeks and just
enjoy all the labor.
00:02:27.34\00:02:29.24
It's been such a
good project and I'm just
00:02:29.28\00:02:31.95
so impressed with them.
00:02:31.98\00:02:34.42
Don't forget to take advantage
of our free gift offer that we
00:02:34.45\00:02:37.15
have every time we come together
for Sabbath School Study Hour.
00:02:37.19\00:02:40.66
This particular week's
free gift offer is entitled
00:02:40.69\00:02:43.39
"Life in the Spirit."
00:02:43.43\00:02:45.39
"Life in the Spirit."
00:02:45.43\00:02:46.96
This is a great little book that
helps us to understand what does
00:02:47.00\00:02:49.00
it mean to be born again
and be a Christian filled
00:02:49.03\00:02:52.90
with the Holy Spirit.
00:02:52.93\00:02:54.77
And so, friends, there's
lots of positive truth in this.
00:02:54.80\00:02:58.51
All you have to do is
dial the number 1-866-788-3966.
00:02:58.54\00:03:04.48
That's 1-866-Study-More.
00:03:04.51\00:03:07.45
Now, when you dial in, if you're
in continental America, just ask
00:03:07.48\00:03:11.49
for Offer Number 155 and,
actually, that's also available
00:03:11.52\00:03:17.13
in our US territories and our
friends in the North, in Canada.
00:03:17.16\00:03:20.73
Now, if you're not in the
continental USA, you can always
00:03:20.76\00:03:24.23
go to the website
of "Amazing Facts,"
00:03:24.27\00:03:26.13
find a free download of that.
00:03:26.17\00:03:28.30
If you're in continental USA,
you'd like a digital download of
00:03:28.34\00:03:30.84
this, you just simply need
to text the code and you want
00:03:30.87\00:03:33.24
to dial that to 40544.
00:03:33.27\00:03:36.51
So please take advantage
of that free gift offer.
00:03:36.54\00:03:38.48
We're always happy to be able to
help you grow, even outside of
00:03:38.51\00:03:41.25
our Sabbath School
Study Hour here together.
00:03:41.28\00:03:44.75
So, again, thank
you for joining us.
00:03:44.79\00:03:46.15
We have a special music as Aidan
Barbuda* is going to be sharing
00:03:46.19\00:03:50.79
that with us and then
we'll open with a prayer.
00:03:50.83\00:03:53.90
¤¤¤
00:03:56.23\00:04:06.21
¤¤¤
00:04:06.24\00:04:16.22
¤¤¤
00:04:16.25\00:04:26.23
¤¤¤
00:04:26.26\00:04:36.20
¤¤¤
00:04:36.24\00:04:46.15
¤¤¤
00:04:46.18\00:04:56.16
¤¤¤
00:04:56.19\00:05:06.20
¤¤¤
00:05:06.23\00:05:16.21
¤¤¤
00:05:16.24\00:05:26.15
¤¤¤
00:05:26.19\00:05:36.13
¤¤¤
00:05:36.16\00:05:46.14
¤¤¤
00:05:46.17\00:05:56.15
¤¤¤
00:05:56.18\00:06:06.16
¤¤¤
00:06:06.19\00:06:16.14
¤¤¤
00:06:16.17\00:06:26.15
¤¤¤
00:06:26.18\00:06:36.16
¤¤¤
00:06:36.19\00:06:46.13
¤¤¤
00:06:46.17\00:06:56.14
¤¤¤
00:06:56.18\00:07:06.12
Shawn: Father in heaven,
as we come together we want to
00:07:12.39\00:07:14.23
thank You for the opportunity
to be able to open Your Word so
00:07:14.30\00:07:18.13
freely once again.
00:07:18.17\00:07:19.53
We thank You for the opportunity
to learn truth and to be able to
00:07:19.57\00:07:22.50
learn Your truth and Your love
towards us that we might be able
00:07:22.54\00:07:24.91
to experience and
give it to others as well.
00:07:24.94\00:07:27.44
We want to pray that You will
help us to learn and experience
00:07:27.48\00:07:30.08
rest that much more as we look
at this great theme of truth
00:07:30.11\00:07:33.55
and, God, that You also be
with our pastor, Pastor Doug
00:07:33.58\00:07:36.02
Batchelor, as he
teaches us again here today.
00:07:36.05\00:07:38.82
And so we pray it
in Jesus's name, amen.
00:07:38.85\00:07:40.86
Doug Batchelor: I hope you're
all not going to rest through
00:07:43.43\00:07:44.86
the lesson,
hearing that harp music.
00:07:44.89\00:07:47.66
It's very relaxing.
00:07:47.73\00:07:49.60
Greetings.
00:07:49.63\00:07:51.23
And if anyone's joined us, I
think Pastor Shawn mentioned it,
00:07:51.27\00:07:53.54
obviously, we've got
a little bit different
00:07:53.57\00:07:55.24
of a background here.
00:07:55.27\00:07:56.87
It's because our church is
in the midst of preparing for a
00:07:56.91\00:07:59.61
vacation Bible school
that looks like it's going to
00:07:59.64\00:08:02.34
be a lot of fun.
00:08:02.38\00:08:04.31
And a lot of work went into
that so any of the kids that are
00:08:04.35\00:08:06.55
within 100 miles, you want to be
here, Monday, the 26th of July.
00:08:06.58\00:08:15.39
We'll have a
great week together.
00:08:15.42\00:08:17.56
Anyway, we're
continuing in our lesson dealing
00:08:17.59\00:08:19.73
with "Rest in Christ."
00:08:19.76\00:08:21.26
This lesson has been using sort
of a kaleidoscope of different
00:08:21.30\00:08:24.50
stories in the Bible to
teach principles of rest,
00:08:24.53\00:08:28.47
and last week, we
were talking about Joseph.
00:08:28.50\00:08:31.17
Now, Joseph, the story of
Joseph, I don't know if you
00:08:31.21\00:08:33.98
realize, takes up one-third
of the book of Genesis.
00:08:34.01\00:08:38.38
There's about 12 chapters in
Genesis that are dedicated to
00:08:38.41\00:08:41.58
the experience of Joseph.
00:08:41.62\00:08:44.32
And so--and obviously in all the
intrigue of what happened with
00:08:44.35\00:08:48.12
Joseph and his brothers,
there are a lot of lessons about
00:08:48.16\00:08:50.99
learning to have forgiveness and
understanding and healing and
00:08:51.03\00:08:56.03
rest in relationships because
if your family is one of those
00:08:56.06\00:09:02.10
unusual families
that has people in it,
00:09:02.14\00:09:05.21
then there's
going to be conflict.
00:09:05.24\00:09:07.68
Wherever you've got families
with people in them, there's
00:09:07.71\00:09:11.05
usually going to be some
conflict that needs resolution
00:09:11.08\00:09:14.15
in order for you to have rest in
the home environment and rest in
00:09:14.18\00:09:17.35
the family.
00:09:17.39\00:09:19.02
So we're going
to talk about that.
00:09:19.05\00:09:21.19
"Rest,
Relationships, and Healing."
00:09:21.22\00:09:23.39
The memory verse is from Genesis
chapter 45, verse 5, and if you
00:09:23.43\00:09:27.50
have your Bibles you
can look at that with me.
00:09:27.56\00:09:29.03
Genesis 45, verse 5.
00:09:29.06\00:09:31.63
I'll say it out loud and you can
read it from your lesson: "But
00:09:31.67\00:09:35.60
now do not therefore be grieved
or angry with yourselves because
00:09:35.64\00:09:41.04
you sold me here for God sent
me before you to preserve life."
00:09:41.08\00:09:48.25
You know, the beginning of the
lesson starts out with a rather
00:09:48.28\00:09:52.62
chilling story of a young
lady that had been attacked
00:09:52.65\00:10:01.93
and I guess she didn't
know--maybe it was dark--
00:10:03.67\00:10:06.47
exactly who it
was but in a lineup
00:10:06.50\00:10:08.37
she picked the person
she thought was guilty
00:10:08.40\00:10:11.17
and they pled that they were not
guilty, but they were convicted
00:10:11.21\00:10:14.58
because they didn't have an
alibi and that she had pointed
00:10:14.61\00:10:17.28
this person out.
00:10:17.31\00:10:18.88
After they spent 14 years
in jail, they did--DNA testing
00:10:18.91\00:10:23.85
became available and
they found out that this man
00:10:23.89\00:10:26.05
was 100% innocent.
00:10:26.09\00:10:29.02
And so, this gal, when she
realized that she had identified
00:10:29.06\00:10:32.83
the wrong person and was
responsible for them losing
00:10:32.86\00:10:36.53
14 years of their life, not
to mention their reputation,
00:10:36.56\00:10:40.07
she just was overcome
with remorse, not to mention
00:10:40.10\00:10:44.64
how he probably felt.
00:10:44.67\00:10:46.71
And--but there was a day
when she came to meet him.
00:10:46.74\00:10:49.21
She said she wanted to meet
him and ask his forgiveness.
00:10:49.24\00:10:53.05
And he said, "I
freely forgive you."
00:10:53.08\00:10:56.42
And that just so overwhelmed
her and told her something about
00:10:56.45\00:10:59.42
God's grace, how
forgiving and loving God can be.
00:10:59.45\00:11:03.39
And so, the story of
Joseph has something similar.
00:11:03.43\00:11:08.16
Joseph actually
spent time in prison
00:11:08.20\00:11:10.60
and he was falsely accused.
00:11:10.63\00:11:13.20
Matter of fact, that's where our
study takes up today, is we're
00:11:13.23\00:11:16.87
going to be
talking about Joseph.
00:11:16.91\00:11:18.67
Now, this is after his brothers
have sold him and he has been a
00:11:18.71\00:11:22.34
slave for several years in the
house of Potiphar and I think
00:11:22.38\00:11:25.65
most of us remember that the
wife of Potiphar, Bible doesn't
00:11:25.68\00:11:28.98
say much about
people's appearance,
00:11:29.02\00:11:31.22
with a few exceptions.
00:11:31.25\00:11:33.12
It tells us that Moses
was a good-looking baby
00:11:33.15\00:11:36.12
but it always sounds strange.
00:11:36.16\00:11:37.73
It says: "He was a good-looking
baby and so his mother decided
00:11:37.76\00:11:41.00
not to throw him in the river."
00:11:41.03\00:11:43.50
That's just how it
kind of sounds, you know?
00:11:43.53\00:11:45.20
She decided to save him.
00:11:45.23\00:11:47.37
I think it just is basically
saying the mother's love when
00:11:47.40\00:11:49.50
she looked at him, she
just--her heart yearned for him
00:11:49.54\00:11:52.17
and she couldn't do it.
00:11:52.21\00:11:53.91
Bible says that
David was handsome.
00:11:53.94\00:11:56.04
Says Rebecca and that Rachel
were beautiful, and then it
00:11:56.08\00:12:00.28
mentions Joseph
as being handsome.
00:12:00.32\00:12:03.08
Otherwise, Bible doesn't
ever tell us how good-looking or
00:12:03.12\00:12:06.09
bad-looking any
of the apostles are.
00:12:06.12\00:12:08.82
There's almost nothing said in
the New Testament about people's
00:12:08.86\00:12:11.29
personal appearance
because everyone has equal value
00:12:11.33\00:12:14.56
before God, amen?
00:12:14.56\00:12:17.20
But it mentions it in the
story of Joseph because of his
00:12:17.23\00:12:22.20
handsome appearance, Potiphar's
wife cast her eyes upon him
00:12:22.24\00:12:25.67
and she tried to entice him.
00:12:25.71\00:12:29.58
He refused: a great example
for Christians through history.
00:12:29.61\00:12:35.32
Then he was falsely accused
of attacking her, and Potiphar
00:12:35.35\00:12:39.69
probably had questions about
whether his wife was telling the
00:12:39.72\00:12:42.72
truth because Joseph
had been such a good worker,
00:12:42.76\00:12:45.56
that rather than kill Joseph,
he simply put him in prison.
00:12:45.59\00:12:49.66
And he spent years in prison.
00:12:49.70\00:12:53.50
And while he's in prison,
you'll remember that the Pharaoh
00:12:53.54\00:12:59.17
evidently had a party and
someone tried to poison him.
00:12:59.21\00:13:04.88
They weren't sure who it was
and the two who were the prime
00:13:04.91\00:13:08.72
suspects, was either
the butler or the baker.
00:13:08.75\00:13:12.05
He left out the
candlestick maker.
00:13:12.09\00:13:14.52
But it talks about the butler
and the baker and they were in
00:13:14.56\00:13:18.09
prison with Joseph and they both
had dreams and they didn't know
00:13:18.13\00:13:22.50
what their dreams meant.
00:13:22.53\00:13:24.37
And Joseph gave them some time
and attention, interpreted their
00:13:24.40\00:13:27.07
dreams for them and everything
happened exactly as Joseph
00:13:27.10\00:13:30.07
foretold.
00:13:30.11\00:13:32.21
He said that the baker was going
to be executed after three days,
00:13:32.24\00:13:34.94
and after three days, they must
have had some investigation in
00:13:34.98\00:13:37.31
the palace and found out that
it was the baker that tried to
00:13:37.35\00:13:39.51
poison the Pharaoh.
00:13:39.55\00:13:41.35
And the butler was absolved
and restored to his position.
00:13:41.38\00:13:43.82
And Joseph said to the butler,
"I know this is what's going to
00:13:43.85\00:13:46.09
happen," he says.
00:13:46.12\00:13:47.72
"When you get back to the
palace, please intercede for me.
00:13:47.76\00:13:50.63
I was falsely accused
and I'm an innocent man.
00:13:50.66\00:13:53.90
The very fact that my
interpretation's coming true
00:13:53.93\00:13:56.10
will show you that God is
with me and I'm not lying.
00:13:56.13\00:13:58.37
And remember me."
00:13:58.40\00:14:01.67
He said, "Remember me."
00:14:01.70\00:14:03.54
You remember when Jesus hung
on the cross that a thief said,
00:14:03.57\00:14:06.78
"Lord, remember me."
00:14:06.81\00:14:08.94
Did Jesus remember him?
00:14:08.98\00:14:11.11
Well, but it starts out by
saying, you read in Genesis
00:14:11.15\00:14:13.95
40:23: "Yet the chief
butler did not remember Joseph."
00:14:13.98\00:14:20.12
You know, it's often true when
people are in prison together
00:14:20.16\00:14:22.46
that when one of them gets
released and they--you become
00:14:22.49\00:14:24.99
very close friends with people
in jail or in prison, you're
00:14:25.03\00:14:27.96
with them day after day,
they say, "When you get on
00:14:27.96\00:14:30.63
the outside, my whole
family's forgotten me.
00:14:30.67\00:14:33.67
Will you remember me, send a
little something once a month.
00:14:33.70\00:14:37.67
You know what
it's like in here."
00:14:37.71\00:14:39.01
"Hey, guys, I'm going to work.
00:14:39.04\00:14:40.41
I'm going to
start sending you money.
00:14:40.44\00:14:41.81
I'm going to take care
of you. I'm going to try and
00:14:41.84\00:14:43.41
go see your
attorney, try and do this,
00:14:43.45\00:14:44.75
try and do that."
00:14:44.78\00:14:46.11
And it's often true once they
get out and they get involved in
00:14:46.15\00:14:47.85
their own lives, they
forget their comrades in prison.
00:14:47.88\00:14:52.55
But Joseph was forgotten.
00:14:52.59\00:14:55.22
Now, how do you feel when
somebody forgets about you
00:14:55.26\00:15:00.33
and you're in great need?
00:15:00.36\00:15:02.70
Is it easy to be resentful?
00:15:02.73\00:15:06.17
And you start thinking,
"They didn't think about me
00:15:06.20\00:15:08.07
and the great need I have.
00:15:08.10\00:15:09.70
I've been totally neglected."
00:15:09.74\00:15:11.74
How does Jesus picture this?
00:15:11.77\00:15:13.54
You look in Matthew 25, verse
41, there's a parable that talks
00:15:13.58\00:15:17.31
about this very thing: "And
He will say to those on the left
00:15:17.35\00:15:21.12
hand," these are the goats,
"'Depart from Me, ye cursed,
00:15:21.15\00:15:24.65
into everlasting fire prepared
for the devil and his angels:
00:15:24.69\00:15:28.52
for I was hungry and you gave Me
no food; I was thirsty and you
00:15:28.56\00:15:32.09
gave Me no drink; I was a
stranger and you did not take Me
00:15:32.13\00:15:35.73
in; naked, you did not clothe
Me; sick and in prison,'" that's
00:15:35.76\00:15:40.10
where Joseph was,
"'and you did not visit Me.'
00:15:40.14\00:15:44.54
Then they'll say to the
Lord, 'Lord, when did we see You
00:15:44.57\00:15:47.14
hungry or thirsty or a stranger
or naked or sick or in prison,
00:15:47.18\00:15:50.91
and did not minister to You?'
00:15:50.95\00:15:53.45
And He'll answer and say
to them, 'Assuredly, I say to
00:15:53.48\00:15:56.28
you, inasmuch as you did not do
it to one of the least of these,
00:15:56.32\00:15:59.22
you did not do it to Me.'"
And so when we forget that those
00:15:59.25\00:16:03.19
that are in need, whether it's
someone in prison or someone
00:16:03.22\00:16:06.23
that needs a hospital visit and
we--the Lord puts them on our
00:16:06.26\00:16:08.53
heart and we
just--we don't think of them,
00:16:08.56\00:16:11.70
who are we forgetting to visit?
00:16:11.73\00:16:15.24
Jesus, right?
00:16:15.27\00:16:16.77
And you know, one of the
strongest types of Christ in
00:16:16.81\00:16:18.27
the Bible, there are
three really powerful types
00:16:18.31\00:16:20.81
of Christ in the
Bible characters.
00:16:20.84\00:16:23.55
One is David is
a type of Christ.
00:16:23.58\00:16:26.55
Jesus is called
the Son of David.
00:16:26.58\00:16:28.68
One is Moses, the great
mediator, the deliverer,
00:16:28.72\00:16:33.02
the prophet, the
judge, the law-giver.
00:16:33.05\00:16:35.29
And the other's Joseph.
00:16:35.32\00:16:37.63
Joseph, sold by his brothers
for the price of a slave, for
00:16:37.66\00:16:42.00
silver, and then he feeds
the world is all fed this bread
00:16:42.03\00:16:47.74
of life by Joseph.
00:16:47.77\00:16:50.11
He's separated from
the father for the purpose
00:16:50.14\00:16:52.17
of saving his people.
00:16:52.21\00:16:54.84
I mean, there's a
number of allegories of Jesus
00:16:54.88\00:16:57.41
in the life of Joseph.
00:16:57.45\00:16:59.68
And so he was
forgotten, in prison.
00:16:59.71\00:17:03.62
All the disciples
forsook Jesus and fled.
00:17:03.65\00:17:07.22
So while Joseph is continuing
to languish in prison, something
00:17:07.26\00:17:10.39
else is happening in the palace.
00:17:10.43\00:17:13.13
The Pharaoh has these troubling
dreams, and you remember them,
00:17:13.16\00:17:15.63
you know.
00:17:15.66\00:17:17.17
He has these two dreams
that are sort of in stereo.
00:17:17.20\00:17:19.90
He has one of the seven fat cows
and seven skinny cows and the
00:17:19.93\00:17:24.24
skinny cows end up eating the
fat cows, and then he has one of
00:17:24.27\00:17:27.34
the seven ears of grain that are
plump and several--seven that
00:17:27.38\00:17:32.85
are shriveled and, in the dream,
the shriveled ones gobble up
00:17:32.88\00:17:35.95
the plump ones.
00:17:35.98\00:17:37.65
And the Pharaoh wakes up
from this very vivid dream.
00:17:37.69\00:17:39.82
He knows that this is
some divine revelation.
00:17:39.85\00:17:41.96
He calls in all of his wise men
and says, "Help me understand
00:17:41.99\00:17:45.23
what this dream is."
00:17:45.26\00:17:46.96
And they cannot.
00:17:47.00\00:17:48.76
You know, there are several
times in the Bible when kings
00:17:48.80\00:17:50.87
had dreams and they
could not understand
00:17:50.90\00:17:52.87
and they had to call a Jew.
00:17:52.90\00:17:55.54
And Daniel, remember,
on a couple of occasions,
00:17:55.57\00:17:59.61
and then Joseph.
00:17:59.64\00:18:01.61
And then the butler says, when
no one could understand, the
00:18:01.64\00:18:04.78
butler says, "Oh yeah, someone
with the gift of interpreting
00:18:04.81\00:18:08.02
dreams, Pharaoh, this
day I remember my faults.
00:18:08.05\00:18:11.75
I was in prison with a Hebrew
and he interpreted the dreams of
00:18:11.79\00:18:16.96
myself and the baker and they
came true, exactly as he said."
00:18:16.99\00:18:20.50
Well, the Pharaoh's desperate.
00:18:20.53\00:18:21.90
He said, "I'll even bring a
prisoner in if it's a chance
00:18:21.93\00:18:23.73
that he can tell me."
00:18:23.77\00:18:25.73
So they clean up Joseph, and
Joseph shaves and one of the few
00:18:25.77\00:18:29.00
times it talks about shaving
in the Bible, in case you're
00:18:29.04\00:18:30.87
wondering.
00:18:30.91\00:18:32.84
And comes before the Pharaoh
and he, not only interprets the
00:18:32.87\00:18:37.58
dream, then he says, "Pharaoh,
you're going to have these seven
00:18:37.61\00:18:42.35
years of plenty and
seven years of famine.
00:18:42.38\00:18:44.19
I advise you that during the
years of plenty that you take
00:18:44.22\00:18:46.59
20%, you set it aside so that
it will be a reserve to sustain
00:18:46.62\00:18:50.73
the country during
the time of famine."
00:18:50.76\00:18:52.89
And the court of Pharaoh's
listening to this guy who's come
00:18:52.93\00:18:56.20
out of prison, who
obviously is very intelligent.
00:18:56.23\00:18:58.57
Now, keep in
mind, he's very bright.
00:18:58.60\00:19:03.07
He's the son of
Rachel and Jacob.
00:19:03.10\00:19:06.44
Potiphar said he was so
bright he put him in charge of
00:19:06.47\00:19:08.28
everything that he did.
00:19:08.31\00:19:10.71
The prisoner said he was so
bright he put him in charge of
00:19:10.75\00:19:13.42
everything in the prison.
00:19:13.45\00:19:15.88
You ever meet people like this?
00:19:15.92\00:19:17.32
Just whatever you do, they're
extremely efficient, they're
00:19:17.35\00:19:19.39
easy to get along with, and
they're--they get things done.
00:19:19.42\00:19:23.79
And so the Pharaoh and his
court, they look at Joseph and
00:19:23.83\00:19:26.26
they see the same
thing that Potiphar
00:19:26.29\00:19:27.96
and the prison guard said.
00:19:27.96\00:19:29.56
They said, "This guy
is really on top of it.
00:19:29.60\00:19:33.10
Since the Spirit of God is
obviously with him to understand
00:19:33.13\00:19:36.40
the dream, let's
put him in charge."
00:19:36.44\00:19:41.18
And the Pharaoh says,
this is Genesis chapter 41:41.
00:19:41.21\00:19:46.01
The Pharaoh says to Joseph:
"See, I have set you over
00:19:46.05\00:19:48.42
the land of Egypt."
00:19:48.45\00:19:51.15
So you've got
this Pharaoh's dream
00:19:51.19\00:19:52.95
and then Joseph's exultation.
00:19:52.99\00:19:55.59
Joseph is, again, a type
of Christ in that in one day
00:19:55.62\00:19:57.93
he goes from the
prison to the palace.
00:19:57.96\00:19:59.53
You know, in one day
Jesus went from the tomb
00:19:59.56\00:20:01.70
to the courts of God.
00:20:01.73\00:20:03.70
Isn't that right?
00:20:03.73\00:20:05.40
And in the same way, Joseph went
from the prison to the court
00:20:05.43\00:20:08.60
of the Pharaoh.
00:20:08.64\00:20:10.31
That happens with
several Bible characters.
00:20:10.34\00:20:12.84
Daniel goes from being a
captive to being prime minister.
00:20:12.87\00:20:16.14
Esther goes from being a
captive orphan to being queen
00:20:16.18\00:20:21.02
in one day.
00:20:21.05\00:20:22.52
Happens to several in the Bible.
00:20:22.55\00:20:23.95
Mordecai goes from
sitting in the king's gate
00:20:23.99\00:20:26.19
to prime minister.
00:20:26.22\00:20:28.69
And I'm leaving one
out, but there's others.
00:20:28.72\00:20:31.76
Anyway, oh yeah, Moses goes
from being a baby in the river
00:20:31.79\00:20:35.93
to being adopted prince.
00:20:35.96\00:20:38.30
So the Bible's full of
these stories of radical change.
00:20:38.33\00:20:42.10
And it's a story of salvation.
00:20:42.14\00:20:43.64
When you come to Jesus, you
go from the prison to the palace
00:20:43.67\00:20:45.84
in one day.
00:20:45.87\00:20:47.44
You go from being a captive to
living and reigning with Christ.
00:20:47.48\00:20:51.68
Now, if you're Joseph and you
suddenly come into power, and
00:20:51.71\00:20:56.95
you were falsely accused, you
spent years in prisons because
00:20:56.99\00:20:59.42
Potiphar's wife--now you've
got power over Potiphar and
00:20:59.45\00:21:03.49
his wife, what would you do?
00:21:03.53\00:21:07.30
Would you retaliate?
00:21:07.30\00:21:10.10
Well, there's no record
in the Bible of what happened
00:21:10.13\00:21:11.93
but I don't think Joseph did.
00:21:11.97\00:21:14.37
I think Joseph said, "God
has been leading my life."
00:21:14.40\00:21:17.57
Had God told Joseph early that
He was going to do something
00:21:17.61\00:21:20.74
great with him?
00:21:20.78\00:21:22.38
You know, the dreams that he had
when he was a young man, he may
00:21:22.41\00:21:24.78
not have wisely shared
with all of his siblings.
00:21:24.81\00:21:27.62
"Yeah, you're all going to bow
to me one day, I had a dream."
00:21:27.65\00:21:29.82
They didn't like that.
00:21:29.85\00:21:31.65
But, so I don't
think that he was shocked
00:21:31.69\00:21:35.06
by this turn of events.
00:21:35.09\00:21:36.69
He saw that God had always
promised that He had big things
00:21:36.73\00:21:39.19
planned for him.
00:21:39.23\00:21:40.90
So I don't think he retaliates.
00:21:40.93\00:21:42.76
But now let's go to Genesis
chapter 42 and, after several
00:21:42.80\00:21:48.77
years of plenty, and Joseph
directs and all these silos are
00:21:48.80\00:21:53.31
built all around Egypt,
and they fill the silos.
00:21:53.34\00:21:57.25
He's, you know, instructed all
the people to--Pharaoh gets a
00:21:57.28\00:22:00.12
tax of, like, 20% and they take
that and they store it away and
00:22:00.15\00:22:03.75
it says they stored grain so
they left off numbering it, they
00:22:03.79\00:22:06.32
just got silos and
silos filled with grain.
00:22:06.35\00:22:10.76
And Joseph marries.
00:22:10.79\00:22:12.53
He marries the daughter of
the high priest and he has two
00:22:12.56\00:22:16.67
children named
Ephraim and Manasseh.
00:22:16.70\00:22:19.63
So several years have gone by
and then you not only have the
00:22:19.67\00:22:22.27
seven years of plenty that have
gone by, then you've got your
00:22:22.30\00:22:25.44
one or two years into the years
of famine and finally the famine
00:22:25.47\00:22:28.31
gets so intense in the land
of Canaan that Jacob says, "You
00:22:28.34\00:22:31.31
know, we've heard that there's
plenty of bread in the land of
00:22:31.35\00:22:33.38
Egypt, you better go down there
and buy some of the basics."
00:22:33.42\00:22:37.19
And so, Joseph now--last
time they saw his brother, their
00:22:37.22\00:22:41.36
brother, he's 17 years old.
00:22:41.39\00:22:44.76
You know, he's kind of gangly
and strapling, he's begging for
00:22:44.79\00:22:48.40
his life, and now he's--he goes
out over Egypt when he's 30,
00:22:48.43\00:22:55.37
that's what the Bible says.
00:22:55.40\00:22:57.24
Spent several years
as a servant for Potiphar
00:22:57.27\00:22:59.21
and years in prison.
00:22:59.24\00:23:00.84
He finally goes out
over Egypt when he's 30.
00:23:00.88\00:23:02.58
By the way, when did
Jesus begin his ministry?
00:23:02.61\00:23:05.38
Thirty years of age.
00:23:05.41\00:23:06.75
What about David?
00:23:06.78\00:23:08.42
He's also 30 years of age.
00:23:08.45\00:23:09.78
And how old did a
high--did a priest need to be
00:23:09.82\00:23:11.55
before he could serve?
00:23:11.59\00:23:13.36
Thirty.
00:23:13.39\00:23:14.79
So I think that's significant.
00:23:14.82\00:23:16.22
And so, then after he goes
out over Egypt, you've got 7,
00:23:16.26\00:23:19.93
so he's 37.
00:23:19.96\00:23:21.23
Then you've got 2 or 3
years, so he's almost 40.
00:23:21.26\00:23:24.03
Does a person change
much between 17 and 40?
00:23:24.07\00:23:28.44
Just get your old photo album
out and, yeah, you wouldn't
00:23:28.47\00:23:35.11
recognize me at 17.
00:23:35.14\00:23:37.08
Well, you might because
you've seen pictures but, ha.
00:23:37.11\00:23:40.02
Anyway, so, and not only that,
now, you know, Joseph, he's
00:23:40.05\00:23:44.19
got--he's wearing
the Egyptian attire.
00:23:44.22\00:23:46.59
He speaks fluent Egyptian
after all those years in Egypt.
00:23:46.62\00:23:49.76
Has no accent.
00:23:49.79\00:23:52.06
And as the people come, one by
one, they make appeals for, you
00:23:52.09\00:23:54.86
know, small grain.
00:23:54.93\00:23:56.20
They probably sold in the
streets but if anyone wanted,
00:23:56.23\00:23:58.07
you know, a
large quota of grain,
00:23:58.10\00:24:01.27
they had to come to Joseph.
00:24:01.30\00:24:02.90
So the next, you know,
Joseph's interviewing the people
00:24:02.94\00:24:06.21
that want to buy
grain, "Next, next, next."
00:24:06.24\00:24:08.28
And all of a sudden, he looks
up and he sees, lo and behold,
00:24:08.31\00:24:11.15
they've changed too.
00:24:11.18\00:24:12.85
But he hears them speak in
Hebrew and he counts these ten
00:24:12.88\00:24:16.02
men and he said,
"That's my brothers.
00:24:16.05\00:24:20.66
There's Reuben and Judah and
Simeon and Issachar and Zebulun
00:24:20.69\00:24:25.56
and Naphtali.
00:24:25.59\00:24:27.10
All are there except--he looks
and look, Benjamin's missing.
00:24:27.13\00:24:31.63
And they come to buy grain, and
a translator comes to represent
00:24:31.67\00:24:35.90
them who speaks Egyptian.
00:24:35.94\00:24:38.47
So they spoke, you know, the
Semitic Aramaic language, and so
00:24:38.51\00:24:42.11
Joseph's speaking to
them through a translator.
00:24:42.14\00:24:44.78
Let me
just--that sets the stage.
00:24:44.81\00:24:47.28
Genesis 42:7: "Joseph saw his
brothers and recognized them,
00:24:47.32\00:24:51.72
but he acted as a stranger to
them and spoke roughly to them.
00:24:51.75\00:24:55.46
He said to them,
'Where do you come from?'
00:24:55.49\00:24:57.69
They said, 'From the
land of Canaan to buy food.'
00:24:57.73\00:25:01.03
Joseph recognized his brothers,
but they did not recognize him."
00:25:01.06\00:25:05.00
Bible says about
Jesus, "He came to His own
00:25:05.03\00:25:06.90
and His own received Him not.
00:25:06.94\00:25:08.64
They knew Him not."
00:25:08.67\00:25:12.24
And it says: "His
brothers did not recognize him.
00:25:12.27\00:25:14.78
Then Joseph remembered
the dreams he had dreamed."
00:25:14.81\00:25:18.71
You know, when they came to
Joseph, they bowed before him,
00:25:18.75\00:25:21.62
and that's exactly what he
had dreamed as a young man.
00:25:21.65\00:25:24.55
God's prophecies
always come true.
00:25:24.59\00:25:29.56
"And he said to
them, 'You're spies!
00:25:29.59\00:25:31.59
You're come to see the
nakedness of the land!'"
00:25:31.63\00:25:33.63
Because of the famine,
everyone had been weakened.
00:25:33.66\00:25:36.73
"And they said--"
They're shocked by this.
00:25:36.77\00:25:38.50
They're going, "'No, my
lord, your servants have come
00:25:38.53\00:25:40.87
to buy food.
00:25:40.90\00:25:42.67
We are all one man's sons,'"
we're all from the same family,
00:25:42.70\00:25:45.94
"'we're honest men;
your servants are not spies.'
00:25:45.97\00:25:49.41
But he said to them, 'No, but
you've come to see the nakedness
00:25:49.44\00:25:52.05
of the land.' And they said,
'Your servants are 12 brothers,
00:25:52.08\00:25:56.25
the son of one man in the
land of Canaan; and in fact, the
00:25:56.28\00:25:59.32
youngest is with our father
today,'" and then they realized,
00:25:59.35\00:26:02.76
we've got to figure out
how to make it add up to 12.
00:26:02.79\00:26:05.23
There's only 10 of us here.
00:26:05.26\00:26:07.20
They said "And one is not."
00:26:07.23\00:26:09.63
Now, who are they
looking at when they say that?
00:26:09.66\00:26:13.60
They're saying,
"One of them is no more."
00:26:13.64\00:26:16.27
They figure that he had died
off in these years, working as a
00:26:16.30\00:26:19.04
slave, being sold by the--a lot
of slaves were sold to work in
00:26:19.07\00:26:21.71
mines or they worked in boats,
rowing, and they didn't live
00:26:21.74\00:26:25.25
very long.
00:26:25.28\00:26:27.42
Now, what had those brothers
been doing to themselves during
00:26:27.45\00:26:30.09
those years of Joseph's absence?
00:26:30.12\00:26:32.69
For one thing, they're watching
their father continually grieve.
00:26:32.72\00:26:37.09
Bible says they tried to comfort
Jacob, and Jacob said, "I'll not
00:26:37.13\00:26:39.66
be comforted.
00:26:39.69\00:26:40.96
I will go down to my
grave grieving for my son."
00:26:41.00\00:26:44.70
And then they were grieving.
00:26:44.73\00:26:48.34
They thought, "What selfish,
immature, cruel young men we
00:26:48.37\00:26:54.54
were that we would sell
our brother, break our father's
00:26:54.58\00:26:57.15
heart, and sell our own brother
just because of our pride."
00:26:57.18\00:27:00.62
That's all it was.
00:27:00.65\00:27:02.18
Their pride was bothered
because the father seemed
00:27:02.22\00:27:04.32
to favor Joseph.
00:27:04.35\00:27:07.02
He didn't just seem to; he did.
00:27:07.06\00:27:09.56
It wasn't Joseph's fault.
00:27:09.59\00:27:11.93
And so they had been torturing
their souls for years now.
00:27:11.96\00:27:16.00
They were different men.
00:27:16.03\00:27:18.07
But Joseph
doesn't know that yet.
00:27:18.10\00:27:19.93
So he tests them and, you know,
you've got to think Joseph's
00:27:19.97\00:27:22.80
thinking, you know, "You
guys have no idea what I've been
00:27:22.84\00:27:24.67
through, but I'm going to give
you a little taste of prison.
00:27:24.71\00:27:28.08
I'm not going to make you go
through what I went through, but
00:27:28.11\00:27:30.61
I'm going to give you a taste."
00:27:30.65\00:27:31.95
Now, by the way, did Jesus
suffer for all of your sins?
00:27:31.98\00:27:36.18
Does that mean He won't
let you suffer for anything?
00:27:36.22\00:27:41.59
Does the Lord in His love for us
sometimes allow us to experience
00:27:41.62\00:27:44.39
some suffering?
00:27:44.43\00:27:46.19
You will never
suffer like Jesus suffered.
00:27:46.23\00:27:50.03
Joseph, he
spent years in prison.
00:27:50.07\00:27:53.80
He made his brothers
spend a few days in prison.
00:27:53.84\00:27:56.77
And so, whatever we go through,
just remember it's a blessing
00:27:56.81\00:27:59.51
that we get to share in the
sufferings of Christ, but you
00:27:59.54\00:28:01.34
will never suffer like Jesus
suffered for your sins and the
00:28:01.38\00:28:04.18
sins of the world.
00:28:04.21\00:28:06.25
So Joseph, he
says--"'One is no one--no more,'
00:28:06.28\00:28:11.19
and Joseph said, 'It is as
I spoke to you, you're spies.
00:28:11.22\00:28:14.46
In this manner you'll be
tested: By the life of Pharaoh,
00:28:14.49\00:28:17.09
you shall not
leave this place until
00:28:17.13\00:28:18.56
your youngest
brother comes here.
00:28:18.59\00:28:20.60
Send one of you, and let him
bring your brother; and you'll
00:28:20.63\00:28:23.00
be kept in prison, that your
words might be tested to see
00:28:23.03\00:28:26.07
whether there's any truth
in you; or else, by the life of
00:28:26.10\00:28:28.54
Pharaoh,'" he's trying to talk
like an Egyptian, "'surely you
00:28:28.57\00:28:31.37
are spies!' And he put them all
together in prison three days."
00:28:31.41\00:28:36.71
How long was Jesus in the tomb?
00:28:36.75\00:28:40.18
"Then Joseph said to them the
third day, 'Do this and live,
00:28:40.22\00:28:43.69
for I fear God: If you're honest
men, let one of your brothers be
00:28:43.72\00:28:48.56
confined,'"
sort of as a hostage.
00:28:48.59\00:28:54.83
"'Let one of your
brothers be confined and you go
00:28:54.86\00:28:59.47
and you carry grain.
00:28:59.50\00:29:01.00
I'll give you some grain.
00:29:01.04\00:29:02.57
Take it back to your house.'" He
began to worry about Benjamin,
00:29:02.60\00:29:04.34
his father, and his mothers.
00:29:04.37\00:29:06.04
You know, he had four mothers.
00:29:06.07\00:29:09.91
And so, he's worried
about the family back at home.
00:29:09.94\00:29:12.05
All the men are locked up.
00:29:12.08\00:29:14.08
He said, "All right, I'm going
to keep Simeon and I'll verify
00:29:14.12\00:29:16.52
if your words are true.
00:29:16.55\00:29:17.99
But you're not buying any
more grain unless you come back.
00:29:18.02\00:29:20.09
You're not getting Simeon unless
you come back, let me see the
00:29:20.12\00:29:21.96
younger brother
you talked about."
00:29:21.99\00:29:23.99
Now, why does Joseph do this?
00:29:24.03\00:29:28.20
Seems so bizarre.
00:29:28.23\00:29:29.70
Is he getting even with them?
00:29:29.73\00:29:31.17
He's wondering, you
know, think about it.
00:29:31.20\00:29:34.40
Rachel had two
sons: Joseph and Benjamin.
00:29:34.44\00:29:39.07
Because of the jealousy that the
firstborn right was going to go
00:29:39.11\00:29:42.88
to Joseph, they sold him,
they were going to kill him.
00:29:42.91\00:29:47.08
But now the next one
in line is not Reuben.
00:29:47.12\00:29:50.99
Jacob is wanting the children of
Rachel to receive the blessing
00:29:51.02\00:29:55.29
of the firstborn
because that was the only wife
00:29:55.32\00:29:57.36
he ever wanted.
00:29:57.39\00:29:58.96
The next child
in line is Benjamin.
00:29:58.99\00:30:02.36
And he's thinking, "What
have they done to Benjamin?"
00:30:02.40\00:30:04.67
All these years, they
have no telephone or Internet.
00:30:04.70\00:30:06.67
He can't text him or send him
a tweet and say, "How are you
00:30:06.70\00:30:09.10
doing, Benjamin?"
00:30:09.14\00:30:11.21
He doesn't know what's happened.
00:30:11.24\00:30:12.77
He doesn't know if he's alive.
00:30:12.81\00:30:14.21
He said, "I want to see him."
00:30:14.24\00:30:15.71
And so, he's playing a test and,
you know, he's kind of running
00:30:15.74\00:30:20.35
the civilized
world back then in Egypt.
00:30:20.38\00:30:22.58
He can't just say, "I'm leaving
town on a family vacation."
00:30:22.62\00:30:26.52
And so, he worked for Pharaoh.
00:30:26.55\00:30:29.82
And so he says, "You got
to go bring your brother."
00:30:29.86\00:30:33.16
So, he's allowing
them to go through a test.
00:30:33.19\00:30:35.60
What he's aiming for is
reconciliation but first,
00:30:35.63\00:30:38.37
there's going to be a test.
00:30:38.40\00:30:41.50
And while he's
saying this to them,
00:30:41.54\00:30:44.01
they're talking to each other.
00:30:44.04\00:30:46.88
They don't know that he
understands everything he's
00:30:46.91\00:30:48.44
saying because
he's using a translator.
00:30:48.48\00:30:51.75
And you read in
Genesis 42, go to verse 21.
00:30:51.78\00:30:54.42
I'm hoping your
Bibles are open to Genesis.
00:30:54.45\00:30:57.75
"Then they said to one
another, 'We are truly guilty
00:30:57.79\00:31:00.69
concerning our brother.'"
00:31:00.72\00:31:02.42
Now, what brother are
they talking about? Joseph.
00:31:02.46\00:31:06.19
"For we saw the anguish of his
soul when he pleaded with us,
00:31:06.23\00:31:10.47
and we would not hear; therefore
this distress has come upon us."
00:31:10.50\00:31:14.84
I imagine that for the
last 17 to 40, you've got, what?
00:31:14.87\00:31:21.28
Twenty-three years?
00:31:21.31\00:31:24.25
Is that right?
00:31:24.28\00:31:26.35
During all those years,
every time anything bad happened
00:31:26.38\00:31:29.65
to them, they said,
"God is punishing us
00:31:29.68\00:31:32.02
for what we did to Joseph."
00:31:32.05\00:31:34.22
Their consciences
were tormenting them.
00:31:34.26\00:31:36.73
So they say this again: "We
heard him crying and we didn't
00:31:36.76\00:31:41.13
have mercy on him."
00:31:41.16\00:31:42.80
The cries of Joseph, the last
pleading of Joseph, as he was
00:31:42.83\00:31:45.33
being carried off.
00:31:45.37\00:31:46.97
When he was in the
pit, he pleaded with them.
00:31:47.00\00:31:48.50
When he was being carried off by
the Ishmaelites, he pleaded with
00:31:48.54\00:31:50.17
them, "Please don't do this."
And they stopped their ears.
00:31:50.21\00:31:55.81
"And Reuben answered and said,
'Did I not speak to you, saying,
00:31:55.84\00:31:58.41
"Do not sin against the boy";
and you would not listen?'"
00:31:58.45\00:32:01.42
They're still reprimanding each
other, 20 years later, for what
00:32:01.45\00:32:05.75
they'd done to Joseph.
00:32:05.79\00:32:07.09
So how much
peace is in the family?
00:32:07.12\00:32:09.79
They're not--they're not
feeling too good about it.
00:32:09.82\00:32:13.46
"'And you would not listen.
00:32:13.50\00:32:14.96
Therefore behold, his
blood is now required of us.'"
00:32:15.00\00:32:19.10
You remember what
happened at the Crucifixion?
00:32:19.13\00:32:22.44
Pilate washed his hands and he
said, "I will not be guilty of
00:32:22.47\00:32:25.01
the blood of this innocent man."
00:32:25.04\00:32:27.44
And you know what some of
the religious leaders said?
00:32:27.48\00:32:30.08
"His blood be upon
us and our children."
00:32:30.11\00:32:33.72
And the whole idea of the blood
of Joseph is a type of the blood
00:32:33.75\00:32:37.32
of Christ that
washes away our sin.
00:32:37.35\00:32:41.22
"And he said, 'I told you, now
his blood is required of us.'
00:32:41.26\00:32:44.53
But they did not know
that Joseph understood them."
00:32:44.56\00:32:47.76
Does Jesus hear
everything we say?
00:32:47.83\00:32:51.30
The Lord knows everything.
00:32:51.33\00:32:53.37
He understands our hearts.
00:32:53.40\00:32:56.14
And, see, he spoke to them.
00:32:56.17\00:32:58.57
Jesus--Joseph spoke to
them through a translator.
00:32:58.61\00:33:01.54
Jesus speaks to us through
others, but He doesn't need to.
00:33:01.58\00:33:05.75
He understands
everything we say.
00:33:05.78\00:33:10.49
And it says that when they said
this, Joseph understood them for
00:33:10.52\00:33:13.09
he spoke to them
through an interpreter.
00:33:13.12\00:33:14.92
And he turned himself
away from them and wept."
00:33:14.96\00:33:17.23
When he heard how they had been
grieved and how they admonished
00:33:17.26\00:33:23.26
one another for what they
had done, it broke his heart.
00:33:23.30\00:33:27.47
He had to just--you ever
get where someone's overcome
00:33:27.50\00:33:29.47
with tears and they
kind of have to turn away
00:33:29.50\00:33:31.14
and get their act together?
00:33:31.17\00:33:33.01
Joseph had a breakdown.
00:33:33.04\00:33:34.98
I mean, this is the culmination
of years of wondering what's
00:33:35.01\00:33:37.15
going on, and he sees
the anguish in his brothers
00:33:37.18\00:33:40.38
and it touched his heart.
00:33:40.42\00:33:42.45
Does the Lord see our
anguish when we repent?
00:33:42.48\00:33:48.26
And it says: "He returned--he
turned to himself again--and
00:33:48.29\00:33:50.53
then he returned to them
again, and he talked with them.
00:33:50.56\00:33:52.33
And he took Simeon from them."
00:33:52.36\00:33:53.73
Now, why do you
think he took Simeon?
00:33:53.76\00:33:56.16
Who do you think
was the ringleader
00:33:56.20\00:33:57.70
at wanting him killed?
00:33:57.73\00:34:00.47
Judah is the one who suggested
they sell him as a slave.
00:34:00.50\00:34:04.71
Isn't that interesting?
00:34:04.74\00:34:06.61
Judah is the one who said, "Sell
him for 20 pieces of silver."
00:34:06.64\00:34:10.31
Jesus was sold for 30 pieces
of silver 'cause there was
00:34:10.35\00:34:12.68
inflation by the time Jesus came
along for the price of a slave.
00:34:12.71\00:34:17.52
But it was Judas that
sold Jesus; it was Judah that
00:34:17.55\00:34:21.92
suggested that Joseph be sold.
00:34:21.96\00:34:24.99
Simeon is probably the
one who said, "Kill him."
00:34:25.03\00:34:28.76
When they--Joseph was coming,
looking for his brothers,
00:34:28.80\00:34:31.77
he said, "Behold,
here comes this dreamer.
00:34:31.80\00:34:33.50
Let's kill him and
throw him in a pit."
00:34:33.54\00:34:36.14
Who are the two violent sons of
Jacob that killed all the people
00:34:36.17\00:34:39.67
of Shechem?
00:34:39.71\00:34:41.64
Simeon and Levi.
00:34:41.68\00:34:43.91
Simeon was a hothead.
00:34:43.95\00:34:46.31
So Joseph took Simeon
and he says, "Simeon's going
00:34:46.35\00:34:48.62
to taste prison.
00:34:48.65\00:34:51.55
He's the one who
threw me in that pit."
00:34:51.59\00:34:54.66
And Simeon was put in jail, "and
he bound him before their eyes."
00:34:54.69\00:35:00.60
And then he gave
them some food, says,
00:35:00.63\00:35:03.26
"Go back to
your father's house."
00:35:03.30\00:35:05.13
So they disappear and we don't
know how long Simeon was in jail
00:35:05.17\00:35:08.90
but Jacob said--they told Jacob
when they got home, everything
00:35:08.94\00:35:12.31
that had happened,
and he said--they said,
00:35:12.34\00:35:15.34
"We've got to go back.
00:35:15.38\00:35:17.01
We've got to take Benjamin if
you want to see Simeon, and show
00:35:17.05\00:35:19.78
this man that he is our
brother and that we were telling
00:35:19.81\00:35:22.42
the truth."
00:35:22.45\00:35:23.75
And Jacob says,
"Not on your life."
00:35:23.79\00:35:26.65
He said, "Joseph went out
from me and he never returned."
00:35:26.69\00:35:29.49
He says, "Now you
want to take Benjamin?"
00:35:29.52\00:35:31.96
He says, "No, I'm not
going to allow it to happen."
00:35:31.99\00:35:35.36
Simeon may have spent eight
months, a year in jail while
00:35:35.40\00:35:39.43
they ate up all the
food they bought from Joseph.
00:35:39.47\00:35:41.50
We don't know but they
had bought several--a whole
00:35:41.54\00:35:43.20
caravan worth of grain.
00:35:43.24\00:35:44.87
They brought it back.
00:35:44.91\00:35:46.44
So it took at least
months to eat all that.
00:35:46.47\00:35:47.81
Are you with me?
00:35:47.84\00:35:49.81
And all the time that they're
eating that food, they're
00:35:49.84\00:35:51.78
thinking, "Poor Simeon now.
00:35:51.81\00:35:53.58
He's in jail, and it's
all because of our--what
00:35:53.62\00:35:57.05
we had done to Joseph."
00:35:57.09\00:35:59.09
Finally, they start running out
of food and they're all looking
00:35:59.12\00:36:01.62
at each other like, "What next?
00:36:01.66\00:36:03.09
The famine's as bad as ever."
00:36:03.12\00:36:05.96
And Jacob says,
"Go down to Egypt.
00:36:05.99\00:36:07.30
Buy some more grain."
00:36:07.36\00:36:08.73
They said, "Dad, we
told you. We cannot go back.
00:36:08.76\00:36:10.63
The man will not see our
face unless we bring Benjamin."
00:36:10.67\00:36:14.64
Finally, Jacob relents.
00:36:14.67\00:36:16.40
He says, "If I am bereaved
of my children, I am bereaved.
00:36:16.44\00:36:19.57
Take him.
00:36:19.61\00:36:20.94
Take some
almonds, take some honey."
00:36:20.98\00:36:22.34
They had a few things.
00:36:22.38\00:36:23.75
And he said,
"Take a gift to the man.
00:36:23.78\00:36:25.31
Let's do everything
we can to soften him up."
00:36:25.35\00:36:27.72
So then they take Benjamin
and the ten of them go back now
00:36:27.75\00:36:32.39
because Simeon's there.
00:36:32.42\00:36:35.32
And Joseph sees them
coming again to buy more grain.
00:36:35.36\00:36:38.76
He's been wondering
how long it would take.
00:36:38.79\00:36:41.66
And he sees his young brother
and he said, "Is this the young
00:36:41.70\00:36:44.17
man of who you spoke?"
00:36:44.20\00:36:45.67
And they said, "He is."
00:36:45.70\00:36:47.10
And he broke down
again and he cried.
00:36:47.14\00:36:48.64
How badly did Joseph want
to run up and embrace Benjamin?
00:36:48.67\00:36:53.07
He did, but he
restrained himself 'cause
00:36:53.11\00:36:55.24
they had a lesson to learn.
00:36:55.28\00:36:56.81
He had to test them.
00:36:56.85\00:36:58.25
How much does Jesus want
to end this problem with sin
00:36:58.28\00:37:00.52
and be with us?
00:37:00.55\00:37:02.42
He yearns, more than you do.
00:37:02.45\00:37:04.75
God yearns to be
reconciled to the human race and
00:37:04.79\00:37:08.36
to be at--see us face to face.
00:37:08.39\00:37:12.76
But He restrains
Himself because there's things
00:37:12.79\00:37:14.86
we still have to learn.
00:37:14.93\00:37:16.30
We're not ready yet.
00:37:16.33\00:37:18.00
He says, "We're all going
to have dinner at my house."
00:37:18.03\00:37:20.20
They're thinking,
"Wow, that's a switch.
00:37:20.24\00:37:21.54
You go from calling us spies
to inviting us over for dinner."
00:37:21.57\00:37:25.61
And so, he then
gets Simeon out of jail.
00:37:25.64\00:37:29.78
I don't think Simeon
had too hard a time in jail.
00:37:29.81\00:37:31.65
He probably fed him well.
00:37:31.68\00:37:33.82
He gets Simeon out of jail and
all the brothers are together
00:37:33.85\00:37:36.25
and you have this interesting
supper where Joseph sits and
00:37:36.28\00:37:41.29
you've got the 12 brothers.
00:37:41.32\00:37:44.66
Does Jesus have
a special supper?
00:37:44.69\00:37:47.50
And in the
supper, a cup comes up.
00:37:47.50\00:37:52.33
Is there a cup at
the supper that Jesus has
00:37:52.37\00:37:54.57
with His 12 apostles?
00:37:54.60\00:37:56.84
And the cup becomes a test.
00:37:56.87\00:37:59.04
Doesn't Jesus say,
"Take this cup and drink it.
00:37:59.07\00:38:00.98
It is My blood"?
00:38:01.01\00:38:02.78
So he tests his brothers and
I, you know, the whole story,
00:38:02.81\00:38:05.88
I'm looking at the clock.
00:38:05.91\00:38:07.32
I can't go
through the whole story.
00:38:07.35\00:38:08.82
It's one of the
greatest stories in the Bible.
00:38:08.85\00:38:10.35
It's better than any fiction.
00:38:10.39\00:38:12.39
Finally, in the story, he
puts the cup in Benjamin's sack.
00:38:12.42\00:38:16.66
He sends them all away.
00:38:16.69\00:38:18.16
They're all on their way home.
00:38:18.19\00:38:19.49
He sends the highway patrol.
00:38:19.53\00:38:20.86
They pick him up.
00:38:20.90\00:38:22.36
They arrest him and say,
"How dare you steal from us?"
00:38:22.40\00:38:24.20
"We didn't steal. We
would never do such a thing."
00:38:24.23\00:38:26.20
And they're not
knowing why all this bad stuff
00:38:26.23\00:38:27.90
is happening to them.
00:38:27.94\00:38:29.47
They're going, "It's 'cause
we--what we did to Joseph."
00:38:29.50\00:38:32.11
And Joseph hears them,
they're saying all that.
00:38:32.14\00:38:34.98
Finally, Judah
comes. Judah who sold him.
00:38:35.01\00:38:38.81
Judah, by the way,
Christ comes through Judah.
00:38:38.85\00:38:41.52
Judah goes to Joseph.
00:38:41.55\00:38:42.92
He says, "I swore to my father
that I would protect the lad.
00:38:42.95\00:38:45.92
My life for his
life. Let him go.
00:38:45.95\00:38:48.06
You'll bring his father's gray
hairs down to the grave with
00:38:48.09\00:38:51.13
sorrow if the boy does not come.
00:38:51.16\00:38:53.66
He will die because the
life of our father is bound up
00:38:53.70\00:38:56.70
with the son."
00:38:56.73\00:38:58.33
Isn't that the Father and
the Son, "God so loved the world
00:38:58.37\00:39:00.80
He gave His Son."
00:39:00.84\00:39:02.37
Judah says to Joseph, "The
life of the father is bound up
00:39:02.40\00:39:04.37
with the life of the lad."
00:39:04.41\00:39:05.74
He said, "Take me.
Let me be his substitute."
00:39:05.77\00:39:10.31
Don't you see the
whole gospel in that story?
00:39:10.35\00:39:13.01
When Judah says that, Joseph
can't keep it together, and he
00:39:13.05\00:39:16.25
tells all the servants that
are serving the meal, he said,
00:39:16.28\00:39:18.82
"Get out of here."
00:39:18.85\00:39:20.39
He chases everyone out.
00:39:20.42\00:39:21.89
All of a sudden, Joseph breaks
down and he goes to pieces.
00:39:21.92\00:39:23.63
He's crying out
loud. He's wailing.
00:39:23.66\00:39:25.96
He's rocking back
and forth and sobbing.
00:39:25.99\00:39:28.66
And it says Pharaoh's
house hears him crying.
00:39:28.70\00:39:30.40
They're going, "What's
the matter with Joseph?"
00:39:30.43\00:39:33.03
Now, the brothers, they're
wondering, "What happened?
00:39:33.07\00:39:35.57
The prime
minister's having a meltdown."
00:39:35.60\00:39:38.14
They don't know what's going on.
00:39:38.17\00:39:39.47
"This is the guy
who put us in prison.
00:39:39.51\00:39:40.81
The guy is, you know,
he's seriously mental.
00:39:40.84\00:39:43.45
What's happened to him?"
00:39:43.48\00:39:45.68
And then he shocks
them by suddenly being able
00:39:45.71\00:39:47.85
to speak Aramaic.
00:39:47.88\00:39:51.55
And he says, "I am."
00:39:51.59\00:39:53.96
Now, how does
Jesus identify Himself?
00:39:53.99\00:39:57.83
He says, "I am Joseph.
00:39:57.86\00:40:02.00
Does my father live?"
00:40:02.03\00:40:04.70
Can you imagine the
silence in the room?
00:40:04.73\00:40:06.67
There are several videos
I want when I get to heaven
00:40:06.70\00:40:08.90
I want to replay.
00:40:08.94\00:40:10.57
And that's one of them.
00:40:10.61\00:40:12.01
I want the angel to take
me to the library and I say,
00:40:12.04\00:40:13.74
"I want--I want
to see that scene.
00:40:13.78\00:40:16.08
I want to see the
brothers' face when Joseph says,
00:40:16.11\00:40:19.05
'I am Joseph.'"
00:40:19.08\00:40:21.15
Can you imagine how
they process all that?
00:40:21.18\00:40:23.59
"The one we sold is the
prime minister of Egypt?"
00:40:23.62\00:40:28.39
"Oh yeah, he told us that was
going to happen in his dreams."
00:40:28.42\00:40:32.23
And it all came true. Boy,
talk about an ah-ha moment.
00:40:32.26\00:40:35.46
And they were afraid and
finally he says, "Come to me."
00:40:35.50\00:40:37.77
And Benjamin's the
first. And he embraces Benjamin.
00:40:37.80\00:40:40.97
Then he embraces
his brothers one by one.
00:40:41.00\00:40:43.87
So does he forgive them?
00:40:43.91\00:40:47.21
He sees that they
have been transformed
00:40:47.24\00:40:49.71
and he freely forgives them.
00:40:49.74\00:40:51.18
Now, in the next section here
it talks about, I read the part
00:40:51.21\00:40:53.62
about setting the stage.
00:40:53.65\00:40:55.12
Forgive and forget.
00:40:55.15\00:40:56.79
That's easier said
than done, isn't it?
00:40:56.82\00:40:59.05
Once you forgive a person and,
the Bible says, forget it, well,
00:40:59.09\00:41:02.19
God can take our sins and cast
them into the depths of the sea.
00:41:02.22\00:41:05.39
Sometimes, it's a
little harder for us, right?
00:41:05.43\00:41:08.63
What does it mean to forget?
00:41:08.66\00:41:10.30
Does that mean you literally
do not remember, I mean, without
00:41:10.33\00:41:13.34
having a lobotomy or
some mental procedure, I mean,
00:41:13.37\00:41:15.77
how do you really forget?
00:41:15.80\00:41:17.97
Really, it's talking about
choosing not to dwell upon it.
00:41:18.01\00:41:21.64
It's that old adage, "You cannot
prevent the birds from flying
00:41:21.68\00:41:24.85
over your head, but you can
prevent them from making a nest
00:41:24.88\00:41:27.32
in your hair."
00:41:27.35\00:41:29.42
And so those memories might come
but you might have to choose to
00:41:29.45\00:41:31.99
forget many times.
00:41:32.02\00:41:34.29
Every time the devil reminds you
about what that person did to
00:41:34.32\00:41:36.32
hurt you and you've forgiven
them, you have to remind the
00:41:36.36\00:41:38.83
devil that you've forgotten it.
00:41:38.86\00:41:41.56
Clara Barton, the famous founder
of the Red Cross, she got into a
00:41:41.60\00:41:45.47
dispute with another employee
that was saying terrible things
00:41:45.50\00:41:47.94
about her.
00:41:47.97\00:41:49.27
She was being accused of robbing
money from the Red Cross which
00:41:49.30\00:41:51.21
she would never do.
00:41:51.24\00:41:52.97
And she just decided
not to make it an issue.
00:41:53.01\00:41:57.05
She thought, "I'll let
her accuse and I'm not going
00:41:57.08\00:41:58.71
to retaliate.
00:41:58.75\00:42:00.15
I'm not going to defend myself."
00:42:00.18\00:42:01.68
And one of her gossiping friends
said, "Clara, you know what
00:42:01.72\00:42:03.55
so-and-so's saying about
you, and aren't you upset?
00:42:03.59\00:42:05.99
Aren't you mad at her?"
00:42:06.02\00:42:08.72
She said, "No, I
clearly remember forgiving her."
00:42:08.76\00:42:13.63
And that's what
we need to remember.
00:42:13.66\00:42:16.30
So when you do not
forgive another person, you are
00:42:16.33\00:42:21.27
basically burning the
bridge over which you must pass.
00:42:21.30\00:42:24.91
You know, in the Lord's
Prayer Jesus has one comment.
00:42:24.94\00:42:28.81
He says, "Forgive us our debts
as we forgive our debtors," and
00:42:28.84\00:42:30.95
the one comment that Jesus makes
at the end of the Lord's Prayer,
00:42:30.98\00:42:33.75
He says, "So if you do
not forgive your brother his
00:42:33.78\00:42:37.42
trespasses, neither will your
Father in heaven forgive you."
00:42:37.45\00:42:41.36
And then He repeats that in
Matthew 18, and it can't--it's
00:42:41.39\00:42:45.73
not ambiguous.
00:42:45.76\00:42:47.03
It's something that cannot
be misunderstood, that if we
00:42:47.10\00:42:48.83
cherish an unforgiving
spirit, God cannot forgive us.
00:42:48.86\00:42:53.10
Now, don't
misunderstand this part.
00:42:53.13\00:42:55.04
You've got to get this
right, and I want to highlight,
00:42:55.07\00:42:57.77
underscore, alert,
alert, notice this.
00:42:57.81\00:43:00.61
God is not saying,
"I'll make a deal with you.
00:43:00.64\00:43:02.88
You forgive everyone
that's wronged you and then
00:43:02.91\00:43:05.58
I'll forgive you."
00:43:05.61\00:43:06.95
God is saying, "I
first forgive you.
00:43:06.98\00:43:10.69
Now that you've received My
forgiveness, how's that feel?
00:43:10.72\00:43:14.62
Pass that on to others."
00:43:14.66\00:43:17.66
After we've received the
forgiveness of Christ, like the
00:43:17.69\00:43:20.43
parable of the unmerciful
debtor, the king forgives him
00:43:20.46\00:43:23.33
first, this servant, he
owes this incredible debt.
00:43:23.37\00:43:27.17
After the king is forgiven--I'm
sorry, after the king forgives
00:43:27.20\00:43:29.94
the man, he
doesn't then pass it on.
00:43:29.97\00:43:32.27
Then he loses his forgiveness.
00:43:32.31\00:43:34.98
The mercy of Christ, once you
receive it, will not stay alive
00:43:35.01\00:43:38.38
in a heart that will
not share it with others.
00:43:38.41\00:43:41.22
A lot of people have been
stifled, a lot of professed
00:43:41.25\00:43:43.39
Christians, have been stifled
in their experience for years
00:43:43.42\00:43:45.89
because they are still angry and
bitter against someone else that
00:43:45.92\00:43:49.99
has hurt them.
00:43:50.03\00:43:51.53
They don't know how to
forgive and to let it go.
00:43:51.56\00:43:54.83
And if you don't learn that
lesson, Jesus said, "Do unto
00:43:54.83\00:43:58.60
others as you would
have God do unto you."
00:43:58.63\00:44:01.37
If we refuse to forgive, it
tells us in Matthew 18, that
00:44:01.40\00:44:05.64
unmerciful servant?
00:44:05.67\00:44:07.44
It says he was handed over
to the tormentors 'til he should
00:44:07.48\00:44:09.84
pay his entire debt.
00:44:09.88\00:44:11.28
The forgiveness of Christ
for his sins had been cancelled
00:44:11.31\00:44:15.52
and he had to pay his own debt.
00:44:15.55\00:44:17.55
That's a pretty
sobering thought.
00:44:17.59\00:44:18.89
So how important is it
that we forgive each other?
00:44:18.92\00:44:21.06
There's a general that once said
to John Wesley, "I never forgive
00:44:21.09\00:44:25.13
and I never forget,"
and Wesley responded,
00:44:25.16\00:44:28.20
"Then sir, I
hope you never sin."
00:44:28.23\00:44:33.20
We need to learn
how to be forgiving.
00:44:33.23\00:44:36.57
If anyone had a right to be
bitter, did Joseph have a right?
00:44:36.60\00:44:40.51
He had done nothing
to deserve the slavery
00:44:40.54\00:44:44.48
and the imprisonment.
00:44:44.51\00:44:48.92
Now, having said that, does
forgiveness mean that there are
00:44:48.95\00:44:52.69
no consequences
for a person's actions?
00:44:52.72\00:44:56.93
When Jesus forgave the thief on
the cross, did the nails pop out
00:44:56.96\00:44:59.79
and he walked free?
00:44:59.83\00:45:02.26
No, there may
still be consequences.
00:45:02.30\00:45:05.13
There are people who have
mistreated me and I forgave
00:45:05.17\00:45:07.74
them, but I'm never going to
do business with them again, you
00:45:07.77\00:45:12.01
know what I mean?
00:45:12.04\00:45:13.91
So, you can forgive people
but it doesn't mean you need to
00:45:13.94\00:45:17.18
continue to
expose yourself to abuse.
00:45:17.21\00:45:21.05
And I think we all
need to understand that.
00:45:21.08\00:45:22.58
If some people have just got
some serious problems, they've
00:45:22.62\00:45:24.82
got anger issues or whatever it
is, and you just say, "Look, I
00:45:24.85\00:45:26.86
forgive you because by my
not forgiving you, it hurts me."
00:45:26.89\00:45:31.56
Unforgiveness is like an acid
that will destroy its container.
00:45:31.59\00:45:37.87
I've got a little jug of
hydrochloric acid up in the
00:45:37.90\00:45:40.07
hills, a very powerful stuff.
00:45:40.10\00:45:43.20
You don't put that in any
container 'cause it'll burn
00:45:43.24\00:45:45.34
through all kinds of containers.
00:45:45.37\00:45:47.74
You have to have it
in a special container.
00:45:47.78\00:45:49.48
Unforgiveness in the human
heart will burn through its own
00:45:49.51\00:45:51.91
container.
00:45:51.95\00:45:53.31
Someone says that if you're
trying to dig a grave for your
00:45:53.35\00:45:55.22
neighbor--if you don't forgive
your neighbor, you're digging
00:45:55.25\00:45:57.69
two graves.
00:45:57.72\00:46:00.09
Some people think, "If I forgive
them, who will punish them?
00:46:00.12\00:46:04.13
I've got to stay mad at them so
that God will be mad at them,"
00:46:04.16\00:46:07.36
and all you're
doing is hurting yourself.
00:46:07.40\00:46:09.76
I know people that are still
mad at their parents and they've
00:46:09.80\00:46:11.47
been dead for years.
00:46:11.50\00:46:14.20
I say, "Now, what are you
waiting for them to apologize?
00:46:14.24\00:46:16.44
They're not going to
do it now; they're dead."
00:46:16.47\00:46:18.71
So you're just hurting yourself
by retaining that unforgiveness.
00:46:18.74\00:46:23.28
How do we forgive?
00:46:23.31\00:46:24.91
This is a tall order.
00:46:24.95\00:46:26.72
Ephesians 4:32: "Be kind
one to another, tenderhearted,
00:46:26.75\00:46:31.19
forgiving one another just
as God in Christ forgave you."
00:46:31.22\00:46:37.69
How can we forgive like God?
00:46:37.73\00:46:40.20
Only if we have
the Spirit of God.
00:46:40.23\00:46:43.90
But through
Christ, how much can we do?
00:46:43.93\00:46:46.07
All things.
00:46:46.10\00:46:47.90
Colossians 3:12: "Therefore,
as the elect of God, holy and
00:46:47.94\00:46:51.04
beloved, put on tender mercies,
kindness, humility, meekness,
00:46:51.07\00:46:54.71
longsuffering; bearing with one
another, forgiving one another,
00:46:54.74\00:46:59.25
if anyone has a complaint
against another; even as Christ
00:46:59.28\00:47:02.32
forgave you, so you must do."
00:47:02.35\00:47:05.29
Forgive as Christ forgave us.
00:47:05.32\00:47:07.89
1 John 4:11:
"Beloved, if God so loved us,
00:47:07.92\00:47:10.29
we ought to love one another."
00:47:10.33\00:47:13.90
So I'm making it practical.
00:47:13.93\00:47:15.96
How do we forgive?
00:47:16.00\00:47:17.73
What did Jesus say
when He was on the cross?
00:47:17.77\00:47:20.87
"Father, forgive them;
they know not what they do."
00:47:20.90\00:47:23.10
What about if they
do know what they do?
00:47:23.14\00:47:27.68
Did Paul know that he
s persecuting Christians?
00:47:27.71\00:47:33.05
Yeah, and God forgave him.
00:47:33.08\00:47:36.32
Did David know that he was
killing an innocent man and
00:47:36.35\00:47:39.69
taking his wife?
00:47:39.72\00:47:41.36
I think so.
00:47:41.39\00:47:42.89
Did God forgive him?
00:47:42.92\00:47:45.19
And so, sometimes we need
to forgive even if people don't
00:47:45.23\00:47:47.93
ask, even if
they're--it's premeditated.
00:47:47.96\00:47:51.70
Because your unforgiveness
actually hurts you.
00:47:51.73\00:47:56.24
And once you do that, they find
that's where the rest comes.
00:47:56.27\00:48:00.64
There's a great liberation,
great rest, when you realize,
00:48:00.68\00:48:03.75
you know, people may have done
unkind things to me, but it's a
00:48:03.78\00:48:06.95
sinful world and the devil's out
there influencing people and the
00:48:06.98\00:48:11.09
devil's just doing his job.
00:48:11.12\00:48:12.55
You can't blame him for
being a good devil, can you?
00:48:12.59\00:48:15.36
And so, if people act
diabolical, it's because maybe
00:48:15.39\00:48:18.13
they're not saved and sometimes
even saved people misbehave.
00:48:18.16\00:48:23.67
And so you've got
to learn to forgive.
00:48:23.70\00:48:25.47
And you know where it starts?
00:48:25.50\00:48:27.10
Beginning in Jerusalem, in the
family, and then Judea, in your
00:48:27.14\00:48:31.37
neighbors, and then
Samaria and the uttermost parts
00:48:31.41\00:48:34.18
of the earth.
00:48:34.21\00:48:35.88
Biggest place you've got
to start with forgiveness
00:48:35.91\00:48:37.31
is at home.
00:48:37.35\00:48:39.18
So much of the conflict
in the Bible was what they
00:48:39.21\00:48:41.18
called friendly fire.
00:48:41.22\00:48:43.49
It happened from the family.
00:48:43.52\00:48:45.82
And did the disciples
argue among themselves?
00:48:45.85\00:48:48.72
They did. Does it happen today?
00:48:48.76\00:48:51.26
Has the devil changed?
00:48:51.29\00:48:53.36
God's Word
hasn't changed either.
00:48:53.40\00:48:55.93
Christ's object
lessons: nothing can justify
00:48:55.96\00:48:58.47
an unforgiving spirit.
00:48:58.50\00:49:00.74
He who is unmerciful towards
others, shows that he himself is
00:49:00.77\00:49:04.24
not a partaker of God's grace.
00:49:04.27\00:49:07.54
Well, we're out of time for
our lesson, but we want to thank
00:49:07.58\00:49:09.81
everybody that has been tuning
in and, God willing, we'll study
00:49:09.84\00:49:12.48
with you again next week.
00:49:12.51\00:49:13.85
Don't forget, there's a
free offer called "Life in the
00:49:13.88\00:49:16.35
Spirit."
00:49:16.38\00:49:17.95
Talks about how we get that Holy
Spirit that helps us to love and
00:49:17.99\00:49:20.49
forgive others the way
that Christ forgave us.
00:49:20.52\00:49:23.29
God bless.
00:49:23.32\00:49:24.79
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's life-changing
00:49:28.50\00:49:30.50
free resource.
00:49:30.53\00:49:32.13
Not only can you receive this
free gift in the mail, you can
00:49:32.17\00:49:34.24
download a digital copy straight
to your computer or mobile
00:49:34.27\00:49:37.01
device.
00:49:37.04\00:49:38.37
To get your digital copy of
today's free gift, simply text
00:49:38.41\00:49:41.28
the keyword on your screen to
40544 or visit the web address
00:49:41.31\00:49:45.98
shown on your screen and be sure
to select the digital download
00:49:46.01\00:49:49.52
option on the request page.
00:49:49.55\00:49:51.35
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:49:51.39\00:49:54.49
Amazing Facts
wherever and whenever you want.
00:49:54.52\00:49:57.83
And most important,
to share it with others.
00:49:57.86\00:50:00.36
announcer: "Amazing
Facts" Changed Lives.
00:50:06.13\00:50:09.44
Jennifer: So as a teenager
growing up, I was getting into
00:50:13.74\00:50:16.38
all sorts of trouble.
00:50:16.41\00:50:18.11
I was drinking, smoking.
00:50:18.15\00:50:21.32
I would look for love
in all the wrong places.
00:50:21.35\00:50:24.15
I thought that those were
ways that could make me happy
00:50:24.19\00:50:26.29
and it didn't.
00:50:26.32\00:50:28.19
It just made everything worse.
00:50:28.22\00:50:30.09
I was very confused.
00:50:30.13\00:50:31.63
I didn't know who I was.
00:50:31.66\00:50:32.96
I had no identity whatsoever and
just, I had such a hole in me,
00:50:32.99\00:50:36.83
such hurt, that I would do
anything and everything just to
00:50:36.87\00:50:40.40
try to fill that void.
00:50:40.44\00:50:42.30
I was making a lot of bad
decisions, a lot of bad choices.
00:50:42.34\00:50:46.47
I got pregnant
when I was 19 years old
00:50:46.51\00:50:48.81
and I was a single mother.
00:50:48.84\00:50:50.71
And to try to prove to myself
and the world that I can make it
00:50:50.75\00:50:53.82
on my own, I
became an exotic dancer.
00:50:53.85\00:50:56.62
My mom, she started sending me
links to Amazing Facts Ministry
00:50:56.65\00:50:59.85
just sermons and seminars and
Bible studies and YouTube videos
00:50:59.89\00:51:05.99
with Doug Batchelor.
00:51:06.03\00:51:07.76
And I started watching it and
beforehand I would delete them
00:51:07.76\00:51:10.97
but now here I am watching
and I couldn't get enough of it.
00:51:11.00\00:51:13.80
My heart was on fire,
I wanted more and more.
00:51:13.84\00:51:16.24
So instead of going to the club,
I would go to the website, the
00:51:16.27\00:51:19.34
Amazing Facts website, and then
I would go to the Bible studies
00:51:19.37\00:51:23.14
and I would go after one, study
one, which would make me want to
00:51:23.18\00:51:26.98
study another one.
00:51:27.02\00:51:28.62
So I'd study another one and
another one and I went through
00:51:28.65\00:51:30.82
the whole set and
that wasn't enough for me.
00:51:30.85\00:51:34.26
I wanted more.
00:51:34.29\00:51:35.86
So I just--I would do it again.
00:51:35.89\00:51:37.33
I would read the
whole set over again.
00:51:37.36\00:51:39.06
And I was learning so much and I
just couldn't get enough of it.
00:51:39.09\00:51:41.26
And this made me where I didn't
even want to go to work, I just
00:51:41.30\00:51:44.87
had this fire in my heart.
00:51:44.90\00:51:46.50
And then it got to where I was
on the interstate to go to work
00:51:46.53\00:51:48.50
and I pulled over and
God, He just--He told me, like,
00:51:48.54\00:51:56.58
He's, like, "Jennifer, we
can't do this no--anymore."
00:51:56.61\00:51:59.41
And so I told Him, I
said, "God, I know this is You.
00:51:59.45\00:52:03.15
I know that You're
speaking to me right now."
00:52:03.18\00:52:06.15
And for the first time ever
my eyes were opened to the whole
00:52:06.19\00:52:09.39
situation and how
I was living my life.
00:52:09.42\00:52:11.63
And I went home and
I got down on my knees
00:52:11.66\00:52:14.83
and I fell before God.
00:52:14.83\00:52:16.87
I started to beg Him,
"God, please take me out of this
00:52:16.90\00:52:19.83
lifestyle and if You do, I
promise You I will serve You
00:52:19.87\00:52:22.90
for the rest of my life."
00:52:22.94\00:52:24.51
And so, for the first time in
my life I was healing and I was
00:52:24.54\00:52:28.01
learning and I was coming to a
knowledge of the truth, and that
00:52:28.04\00:52:31.05
truth was Jesus Christ
Himself and that He loved me.
00:52:31.08\00:52:34.85
So, as I'm going about these
studies, Amazing Facts comes to
00:52:34.88\00:52:37.89
my local church and Pastor
Wyatt Allen, he puts on this
00:52:37.92\00:52:42.76
evangelistic series and he makes
a call for baptisms and I'm
00:52:42.79\00:52:49.20
impressed, you know, that I need
to do this, and I want to make
00:52:49.23\00:52:52.83
this decision for Christ
to rededicate my life to Him.
00:52:52.87\00:52:57.21
My life has been completely
changed in so many ways, just
00:52:57.24\00:53:00.74
seeing where God has taken me
on this journey where He took me
00:53:00.78\00:53:07.25
from this to this lost confused
girl, to this woman He knows who
00:53:07.28\00:53:14.62
she is, her identity in Christ.
00:53:14.66\00:53:20.40
Jennifer: My name is Jennifer.
Thank you for changing my life.
00:53:20.43\00:53:23.83
announcer: "Amazing
Facts" Changed Lives.
00:53:37.28\00:53:39.91
Josh: My family was
Christian to begin with.
00:53:45.52\00:53:47.96
Mom and Dad were
involved at the church at times.
00:53:47.99\00:53:50.53
On the inside, our family wasn't
really Christian, I guess.
00:53:50.56\00:53:53.36
It was just--it was
a front that we put on.
00:53:53.40\00:53:56.63
My dad suffered
from bipolar disorder.
00:53:56.67\00:53:59.33
Instead of
taking his medication,
00:53:59.37\00:54:00.87
he turned to alcohol.
00:54:00.90\00:54:02.40
He could be mad one second and
the next second he'd be happy
00:54:02.44\00:54:04.91
and it was so confusing for us.
00:54:04.94\00:54:07.28
Most of the time, we'd be
upstairs to try to avoid him.
00:54:07.31\00:54:12.08
I made good grades all
the way up until high school.
00:54:12.11\00:54:14.38
High school, I started
struggling because my mom was a
00:54:14.42\00:54:17.65
single parent at the time.
00:54:17.69\00:54:19.15
And I had to get a job.
00:54:19.19\00:54:20.82
I was working
every day after school.
00:54:20.86\00:54:23.16
I didn't have many friends
to talk to, so I was getting
00:54:23.19\00:54:25.79
depressed.
00:54:25.83\00:54:27.46
I was always tired.
00:54:27.50\00:54:29.13
I started failing my assignments
because I would fall asleep
00:54:29.16\00:54:30.53
during class and I couldn't
listen to the teachers, I
00:54:30.57\00:54:32.70
couldn't comprehend
what they were saying.
00:54:32.73\00:54:35.30
By my 11th grade year, I dropped
out and I tried home schooling.
00:54:35.34\00:54:40.54
I just ended up
working full-time.
00:54:40.58\00:54:43.14
I had lots of girlfriends
growing up but I was always
00:54:43.18\00:54:45.48
terrified of talking to guys.
00:54:45.51\00:54:47.12
Like, my hands would start
to sweat, I would tense up,
00:54:47.15\00:54:50.19
I just--I couldn't talk.
00:54:50.22\00:54:51.79
I guess that's when I started
developing an attraction.
00:54:51.82\00:54:54.82
Gay guys weren't
scary to talk to.
00:54:54.86\00:54:56.89
So I started talking to them and
then I started meeting them and
00:54:56.93\00:54:59.53
then it just went from
there and then I started having
00:54:59.56\00:55:01.76
relationships with them.
00:55:01.80\00:55:03.97
I just wanted to find
someone who would care.
00:55:04.00\00:55:07.24
After high school, most of my
friends were gone but there were
00:55:07.27\00:55:10.34
a few left home.
00:55:10.37\00:55:12.07
We all started getting
into drugs and smoking weed
00:55:12.11\00:55:14.64
and drinking.
00:55:14.68\00:55:16.11
I was able to leave my
depression behind and I wasn't
00:55:16.14\00:55:18.65
shy anymore.
00:55:18.68\00:55:19.98
I was able to talk
to anyone I wanted to.
00:55:20.02\00:55:21.75
It wasn't real, but
it felt real at the time.
00:55:21.78\00:55:25.42
During this time, I
felt like God had left me.
00:55:25.45\00:55:28.79
I'd hear conversations at church
talking about gays and people on
00:55:28.82\00:55:32.26
drugs and stuff, and, you know,
they talked so bad about them it
00:55:32.29\00:55:35.53
drove me to leave church.
00:55:35.56\00:55:37.33
I eventually just
left church. I left God.
00:55:37.37\00:55:39.00
I just didn't care anymore.
00:55:39.03\00:55:40.44
I didn't care what God
thought, because I didn't think
00:55:40.47\00:55:42.77
He cared about me.
00:55:42.80\00:55:45.07
At the beginning of this year,
I'd moved in with my boyfriend.
00:55:45.11\00:55:47.98
I still felt empty.
I still wasn't happy.
00:55:48.01\00:55:49.84
I thought I had what I wanted.
00:55:49.88\00:55:51.45
I had a guy that I can
love and I thought he loves me.
00:55:51.48\00:55:53.95
But I was still empty.
00:55:53.98\00:55:55.42
I still felt like if I die
today, I wasn't sure where I was
00:55:55.45\00:55:57.92
going to go and I wasn't
sure if I'd be a disappointment
00:55:57.95\00:56:00.42
to everyone.
00:56:00.46\00:56:04.49
My grandma texted me.
00:56:04.53\00:56:06.53
She told me that an Amazing
Facts evangelist was coming to
00:56:06.56\00:56:09.00
our church to do
a prophecy seminar.
00:56:09.03\00:56:11.57
I didn't really want to go
because I'd been to those before
00:56:11.60\00:56:13.87
and they were normally pretty
boring and I'd fall asleep.
00:56:13.90\00:56:16.64
I was planning on
making excuses for every night
00:56:16.67\00:56:18.41
but she was dedicated.
00:56:18.44\00:56:19.84
She really wanted me
to go and so did my mom.
00:56:19.87\00:56:21.91
So I ended up going to church
and the evangelist that was
00:56:21.94\00:56:24.25
speaking, he was speaking
on the sanctuary that morning.
00:56:24.28\00:56:27.95
It made sense to me that
there was someone up in heaven
00:56:27.98\00:56:30.59
pleading my cause.
00:56:30.62\00:56:32.42
I'd never heard
Jesus this way before.
00:56:32.45\00:56:34.79
I went back all the nights
00:56:34.82\00:56:36.12
that I could except
the nights that I worked.
00:56:36.16\00:56:37.66
At the end of it, I
ended up getting rebaptized.
00:56:37.69\00:56:40.30
I made a decision to
leave this life behind.
00:56:40.33\00:56:42.86
I was still attracted to men but
I wanted to leave the lifestyle.
00:56:42.90\00:56:46.53
I didn't want to live
in it anymore, any longer,
00:56:46.57\00:56:48.74
because I knew it was wrong.
00:56:48.77\00:56:50.37
The evangelist that was at
our church that did the prophecy
00:56:50.41\00:56:52.97
seminar, became my mentor.
00:56:53.01\00:56:54.81
He told me about
this school called AFCOE.
00:56:54.84\00:56:56.78
It stands for Amazing
Facts Center of Evangelism.
00:56:56.81\00:56:59.45
And I was like, "Well, I want
that, because I want to learn
00:56:59.48\00:57:01.72
how to share Jesus.
00:57:01.75\00:57:03.12
I want to learn how to
be able to help others."
00:57:03.15\00:57:05.15
I prayed about
it. I applied online.
00:57:05.19\00:57:07.72
They accepted my
application but I still had
00:57:07.76\00:57:09.29
the money problem left.
00:57:09.32\00:57:10.93
That night, right before I
left, He provided over $3000
00:57:10.96\00:57:15.26
and He's been
providing for me ever since.
00:57:15.30\00:57:17.63
The tools that I've learned here
are tools that will stick with
00:57:17.67\00:57:19.90
me forever, and it was
life-changing, to be able to
00:57:19.93\00:57:22.70
come here, to AFCOE.
00:57:22.74\00:57:24.91
I would love to help other
people in my situation because a
00:57:24.94\00:57:27.48
lot of people had prayed that
God would take this stuff away
00:57:27.51\00:57:31.31
and then they get
discouraged when He doesn't.
00:57:31.35\00:57:33.58
But what they don't
know is that Jesus is there.
00:57:33.62\00:57:35.78
He'll help you through it.
00:57:35.82\00:57:37.95
My name's Josh and Amazing
Facts has helped change my life.
00:57:37.99\00:57:42.29
CC by Aberdeen Captioning
1-800-688-6621 aberdeen.io
00:57:43.83\00:57:48.86
¤¤¤
00:57:53.84\00:58:03.81
¤¤¤
00:58:03.85\00:58:13.82
¤¤¤
00:58:13.86\00:58:22.76