Joseph A Fruitful Branch

Genesis 48:1 – 49:32

 

49:1  And Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:

2  "Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father.

 

 

Intro: Jacob is 147 yrs old / his health is fading fast, the day of his death is approaching:

A)   So He draws his sons together to bless them / but also the Lord is using Jacob to utter Prophecies concerning what would come of their tribes

 

B)   He does so w/ amazing ACCURACY – it is a fascinating study to see how we this comes together

1)                 Encourage you to look into it !! 

 

A)   Interesting to not that the Blessings they received & the Prophecies that were uttered were DETERMINED by the Previous attitudes & actions

1) See that Principle of Sowing & Reaping really clear here

 

D) For the Purpose of our Study tonight as we are 2 studies away from finishing up our SERIES ON JOSEPH – focus on the Blessing to Him

1) Read  v.22-26

 

 

Now Joseph’s blessing  was a great one from his Father – Joseph had cultivated a walk w/ God that resulted in fruit from God

Aa) Jacob pronounced - 22  "Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall.

 

A)   Joseph was very FRUITFUL & because he was FRUITFUL  he was very fulfilled .

 

B)   Contrast – Joseph w/ a man like Howard Hughes – seemingly had it all – yet declared -  I am the most miserable man alive !!!!

1)                 Solomon who outwardly seemed like he had all kinds of Fruit – but failed to Cultivate the Intimacy w/ God His father enjoyed

 

A)   Solomon declared it is all VANITY !!!!!

 

Joseph led a fruitful life - & because he was fruitful he was fulfilled

 

Tonight look at the fruitfulness of Joseph’s life / Learn lessons fruit

A)   The Purpose of our existence is to GLORIFY GOD – bring Him PLEASURE !!!

 

Rev. 4:11 "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory & honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your PLEASURE  they exist and were created."

 

Eph.2:10   For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

 

B)   If we as individuals or as a Church are not Glorifying God – then we are not fulfilling the Purpose of our EXISTENCE

1)                 And if you are not glorifying God Your life will be frustrating , lacking in meaning Purpose & Direction!!!

 

John15: 8  "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit;

 

A)   FRUITFULNESS is a big part of Glorifying God & Bringing Him Pleasure !!!!

1)                 Joseph was a Fruitful Branch

 

 

Tonight Consider 3 things – Reality of his Fruitfulness / Reasons for his fruitfulness /  Results of His Fruitfulness

A)   1st the Reality of -  22  "Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall.-   ABUNDANT FRUIT

 

B) Where ever Joseph was He bore Fruit -

1)                           Bore Fruit in his Fathers house – He was an obedient & responsible son – who did what his father asked ! tended herd – check on brothers

 

C) Bore Fruit in Potiphar's House – Gen 39: 2  The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3  And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.

4  So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.

 

D) Joseph bore fruit in a Prison Cell – Ch. 39: 21  But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

22  And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.

23     The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.

 

E)Joseph Bore Fruit in Pharaoh's Palace – Gen. 41: 49  Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.

 

F)Joseph bore fruit for the Lord in the Lives of His Brothers Gen. 45:55  "But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

 

SO JOSEPH WAS FRUITFUL WHERE EVER HE WAS & IN WHAT EVER SITUATION THAT THE LORD PUT HIM IN !!!!

 

 

2nd thing Consider is the REASON FOR JOSEPH’S FRUITFULNESS

A)   Fruitful Branch by a Well – It had to do w/ Where He stood – where he was planted .

 

John 15:4  "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5  "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

7  "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

8  "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

 

B)   Abide = to Continue w/ to continue in -  Us in Him / He in us

1)                 Very Nutrients of the Vine – flowing into the Branch / Very nutrients of Christ – flowing into us .

 

C)In the midst of Every situation – Joseph abided in God – Prone to give

      up He kept the Faith

1)                 Kept his eyes on the Lord 

 

D)Abide in me & my words abide in You

 

Psalmist -

Psa 1:1  Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2       But his delight is in the law of the LORD,/ And in His law he meditates day and night. /

3  He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water,/  That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

 

D)Water is often symbolic in scripture of the Word -  Being in the Word

1)             Getting into the Word & getting the Word into us !!!!

3RD – RESULT OF HIS FRUITFULNESS / 2 THINGS

A)   1ST Fruit runs over the wall – Blessing not just to God / but to others

 

B)   The fruit of His life was far REACHING !!!!!

 

2nd HE WAS SHOT AT: v. 23  The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him.

A)    It is interesting that those who are fruitful are often those who are shot at

 

B)    Obviously by the enemy – Satan wants to bring down anyone & everyone who is FRUITFUL for the Lord

1)                           Fruitful you are an AUTOMATIC TARGET !!!!!!

 

b) Sure He experienced the arrows of Doubt - / God doesn’t love you if He did then why are you in this mess

 

c) Arrows of feeling forsaken & abandoned / arrows of Fear /  Eph. 6 refers

     to those as the FIERY DARTS of the Wicked one

 

C) But the arrows can come from many other directions

 

 

He was shot at by the arrows of His brothers' JEALOUSY

A)   He was shot at by the arrow of False accusation that came from Potiphar's wife – for  spurning her SEXUAL ADVANCES

 

B)   He was shot at by the Arrow of the Butlers Forgetfulness

 

But Notice what it says in v.24   But his bow remained in strength,

A)    Love that His Bow remained Strong -  May that be said of us

 

B) Impossible to Go through this life w/ out offenses – Bow remain strong

And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),

C)God was faithful to sustain Joseph – to uphold Him – Like wise you & 

     Me Stayed planted next to the well –

 

D)Paul Acts 27 -  Men will be saved if they stay in the Boat !!!! Us too.

1)             Don’t jump ship !!!!!!

 

So Joseph was a Fruitful Branch -  planted by the Well / Who’s branches hung over the Wall – What about us ?

A) Individually & As a fellowship

 

 

Now when the Bible speaks of Fruit it usually refers to fruit in 3 ways

Fruit of our Lips / Fruit of our Lives / Fruit of our LABOR : Consider

A)   1ST – The Fruit of our Lips –

 

Hebrews 13:5   Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

 

B)   LISTEN – When you thank the Lord w/ your Lips & when you give Him praise w/ your mouth & truly worship Him w/ Your Heart

1) That is fruit that Glorifies God & Pleases Him /   Simple way to Bear

    fruit is to be a WORSHIPPER

 

C)   Blessed w/ Great worshipper leaders - 

 

 

2ND IS THE FRUIT OF OUR LIVES – Gal. 5:16,22 16  I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

A)    Walk speaks of our Lives -  Walking in the Spirit – desiring to be led by the Spirit in the manner of the Spirit -

 

B) RESULT – FRUIT

V.22   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23  gentleness, self-control

 

C)Those things are going to be flowing out of our lives if – we are walking in the Spirit !!!

1)                 The Fruit of our lives is going to be reflected in these Characteristics

Love & Joy – patience / Kindness etc.

 

 

3rd – FRUIT OF OUR LABOR

A) Paul spoke of this in a few areas Phil 1:22 / 4:17 Paul’s ministering FRUIT OF HIS LABOR

 

A)     Romans 15:28 Giving financially – seen as Fruit

 

B)    So when you witness / when you lead someone to Christ / When you Disciple someone in the Lord / when you serve /

1)                 When you minister to someone helping them in their walk – all of those kinds of things are the FRUIT OF OUR LABOR

 

 

Now the thing I think the Lord would have us to Consider tonight is how Fruitful are You ? Is there fruit coming forth from our lives

A)   Is there fruit Glorifying God ? THUS FULFILLING  the reason for our very existence

 

B) What about us as a FELLOWSHIP / FAMILY

1)             Is there an ABUNDANCE OF FRUIT ?  Praise from our Lips / Love from our Hearts /  Labor happening as we minister to each other

 

C)As we reach out to share the Gospel w/ those who need to be saved !!!

1)                 PTL – We as a Church can say yes to those things / same time always room to grow – Fruit to abound more & more .

 

A)    Like Joseph Fruit that runs over the Wall -  wasn’t just in the house

 

 

 

Mark 11 Jesus was at the town called Bethany –

A)   He left Bethany & the word records that He was Hungry

 

B) Bethany = HOUSE OF FIGS

1)                           Interesting that Jesus leaves the House of figs hungry

 

C)I pray that as Jesus comes to this house  He never leaves here hungry – but

     full & satisfied – blessed !!!

1)                           By the FRUIT OF OUR LIPS / LIVES / LABOR

 

 

What is interesting is that after leaving Bethany He comes upon an individual Fig tree outside of the city

A)   Fig tree was full of leaves -  meaning that there was an appearance of fruit . – Closer look revealed – NONE

 

B)   Jesus curses the Fig tree – saying it would never bear fruit again !!!

 

C)   This speaks to me that the Lord doesn’t just look at us as a group but also as individuals

1)                 Question to ponder is what does he find when he comes to your tree Does He find an appearance or FRUIT ?

 

A)   Are there outward signs of Spirituality, of activity, of outward religiosity / but no substance / no reality / no fruit !!

 

The Cursing of the fig tree – speaks of many things – but one simple thing is this :

A tree that doesn’t first bear fruit for Jesus is not going to bear fruit for anyone else

 

A)   Our Lives need to First bring Him Pleasure – as I please Jesus I will naturally – live a life Pleases others !!!!

 

B) What if we are not bearing fruit – Any hope ?  Luke 13