God Meant It For Good!!
Genesis 49:33 - 50:26
Intro: We left off in our study last time w/ Jacob on his death bed where he gathered together his sons PRONOUNCE BLESSING
33
And when Jacob had finished commanding
his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was
gathered to his people.
A) What a way to die ! - Sitting on the edge of the Bed says his Peace puts his feet back into bed & Breathed his last .
C) I also like this phrase
& He was gathered to His People !
1)
AWESOME
DESCRIPTION OF THE DEATH OF BELIEVER
A)
Gathered
into Heaven w/ the People of God !!!
A man had a friend who
enlarged his business. His sales had
increased to the point that a larger warehouse and sales office were
needed.
A) Decided to Move - Day of His Grand opening received some
flowers from a friend Mix up Received Flowers Funeral with a card which
said: "My deepest sympathy during this time of sorrow."
B) Confused Friend called what is it
w/ the Flowers & the Sympathy note?
1) Man that sent them went
to flower shop/ mad what happened?
C)
The florist met him outside
the shop and was obviously upset.
"I am terribly sorry about the mix-up with the flowers,"
he said, "but I hope you will be understanding. Your situation is not half
as bad as the one down at the funeral home. The folks there received your
flowers accompanied by the card which said:
BEST WISHES IN YOUR NEW
LOCATION."
D) For the
Believer good Description Moving on !!! Bigger / Better
Brighter !!!!! { Notice v. 1 Ch. 50}
Ch.50:1 Then Joseph fell on his
father's face, & wept over him, and kissed him.
A) Although the Passing of a Loved one who knew the Lord means that they have gone on to a better place Heavenly Home / w/ the Lord
1)
There
is still a place for mourning & Grieving very natural very right
C)Nowhere does the Bible ever condemn grieving for the
lost.
1)
Those
who put down that kind of Behavior are grossly insensitive & wrong NO
BIBLICAL BASIS
v.2-3 And Joseph commanded his servants the
physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.
3 Forty days were required for him, for such are the days required for those who are embalmed; and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
This art of Embalming that the Egyptians practiced was radical &
very effective .
A)
First thing They do is take the person after they
were dead & suck their brains out through their Nostrils
B) Then through an incision made in the side the VITAL
ORGANS were Extracted
1)
The Body was then
cleansed w/ Palm Wine & purified w/ incense
A) The Hollowed out Body was filled w/ spices &
perfumes & soaked in Nitron for weeks
1)
After which the body
was washed & wrapped in clear linen Strips sealed w/ a Gum like Wax . Process took about 40 days
After the embalming Process was over Joseph went to Pharaoh to ask his
permission to fulfill his fathers wish to be buried in CANNAN
READ V. 4-11
Now the Canaanites Noticed this huge Procession of the Egyptians
wondering This must have been someone special Man of Importance
A)
Here is what is
interesting JACOBS IMPORTANCE IN THIS
SETTING Had nothing to do w/ him but rather his Link to Joseph
B)
The Procession the
People if it wasnt for Joseph none of that would have mattered !!!!
C)
Now here is what is
interesting to me that in Death who we are / what we did / Profession Etc.
none of that Matters
1)
All that Matters is our
LINKAGE TO the one Greater than JOSEPH
JESUS
A)
All that matters is
OUR RELATIONSHIP TO HIM - what we did
for Him !!! His Name !!!!
1)
Quest. Died tonight what Legacy ? What remembered
for ?
Pastor Chuck All that is of this life will soon come to pass
only that which is done for JESUS is
sure to LAST !!!!!
A) Hear from Him Well done good & faithful Servant !!!!!
D.L. Moody said the
following about Life & death:
I like to think of the time when the dead shall rise from their graves. We read, at those last rites for the dead, what we call the burial service. It is an unfortunate expression. Paul never talked of burial. He said the body was sown -- sown in corruption, sown in weakness, sown in dishonor, sown a natural body. If I bury a bushel of wheat, I never expect to see it again; but if I sow it, I expect results. Thank God, our friends are not buried; they are only sown!
Planted in the Lord in Life / we will Reap in Death !!!!!!
A few hours before Dwight L. Moody died, he caught a glimpse of the glory awaiting him. Awakening from a sleep, he said, "Earth recedes, heaven opens before me. If this is death, it is sweet! There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go!" His son who was standing by his bedside said, "No, no father, you are dreaming."
"No," said Mr.
Moody, "I am not dreaming; I have been within the gates; I have seen
the children's faces." A short
time elapsed and then, following what seemed to the family to be the death
struggle, he spoke again: "This is my triumph; this my
coronation day! It is glorious!"
After Burying their Father Joseph & his Brothers
head back to Egypt where an interesting thing occurs READ V.12-17a
After Jacob dies these guys start thinking that Joseph is now going to
seek Revenge for what they did to him
A) Send Joseph messengers to Joseph w/ this note Remember dad said to be nice to us to forgive us ..
B)
Notice Josephs response end of v. 17 And
Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
C) For 17 yrs they lived together in Harmony there in Egypt but for 17 yrs they doubted if they were really forgiven .
1) I couldnt help but wonder - If during that 17 yrs they were always
uneasy
in Josephs Presence
c)
There was the underlying uneasiness in their hearts / each act of Kindness they
interpreted w/ Suspicion .
D)
I Wonder if they really made use of their
Relationship w/ Joseph & enjoyed the best of the Land or if they merely
EXISTED
1)
JOSEPH WEPT Because He realized that his Brothers just didnt
get it / they just didnt
understand his Heart
Jesus our Lord weeps for the Same Reason over Christians who although
they have been forgiven dont act like it
A)
Those who go
through this life always feeling like the Lord is upset w/ them / that He is
down on them .
B)
Just dont
understand that they are Loved & they are forgiven / instead come asking
the Lord to forgive them again & again
1)
Forgiven forgotten / We
in condemnation come again Lord again
He
says again Gone
A)
He weeps over
those who are always trying to
EARN his favor never ENJOYING His
favor .
1) Say Aaron my son were to come up to me on a Sat. Football game on Hey dad watching game watch it w/ you GREAT BUDDY
A)
Aaron climb up here - / but instead like let me get chips want a drink/ how about Ice
cream foot massage /
1) Mow the lawn sweep the walk - HAPPY DAD?
B)
Get over here &
sit down BE W/ ME !!!!!!
Some of us are like that always running around Happy Dad /
Impressed Dad / Did I do good Dad
!!!
A) And Jesus weeps as we run around trying to EARN
HIS FAVOR
instead of realizing that we already
have it / ENJOYING BENEFITS
A) JESUS ALSO WEEPS
- because He has a storehouse
full of Blessing to bestow upon us - & most of us never even look below the
surface
1)
Saved us To live
a life of intimacy w/ HIM
A)
ETERNAL LIFE / ABUNDANT LIFE - Life best Described as a
Life of walking in His Perfect Love
& Acceptance
1)
A life that Andrew
Murray Described as a Life Beyond the Veil /
A
Life of Intimacy & affection
A)
A life where I come to understand & walk in the
Reality that God has supplied more than a Sacrifice more than Atonement
1)
But Now I can
actually do daily what the
HIGHPRIEST was only allowed to do
once a yr. I can enter into the Holy of Holies
A) The Veil has been rent / Access is OPEN Live in the
Constant Awareness of the Presence of God in MY life .
Many believers never scratch the surface beyond Salvation . They know
nothing of the INTIMACY w/ Christ that He desires
A) He is grieved because they are not experiencing all
that He has for them .
a) He would say of them what He said about Jerusalem Jer/ Jer. Oh how I have wanted to gather you like a but you were not willing
B) Missing out on
A Life of constant New Adventures & Revelations where over &
over God Reveals His Faithfulness &
Power in the IMPOSSIBLE
b) The Truths concerning
who the Lord is what He has revealed in His Word
concerning His person / Character / nature
/ Promises
1)
Are Revealed w/ each
new Challenge that life Brings as we learn to lean on Him / trust in Him / wait
for Him.
A) That Life of learning what it means to walk in the
Spirit / to be led by the Spirit not the energy of the Flesh
B)
To
Know that I can Pray to God & hear God voice
1)
Receive leading &
Guiding TO GO FOR IT IN GOD
A) That life of seeing God be your Strong in your
Weakness / Life of
seeing that His Grace His unmerited
Favor is Sufficient
The Lord has so much for us if we would only seek Him / Look to Him
trust in His Promises / Joseph wept bros didnt get it v.18-20
Joseph has incredible INSIGHT to see what his
brothers were missing all along You meant it for evil But God for good
ALIVE .
A) This is
such an incredible Truth that Joseph shares here .
B) There are
so many encounters that we can have in our Lives where the Devil or some one
else meant it for evil
1)
Purpose &
intention was to bring us down / rip us off / yet God can take that very Trial/
Difficulty/ & tragedy & use it to build us up
A) As we have noted already in this series THAT THE PIT IS PART OF THE PROCESS TO BRING ABOUT THE PROMISE
B) God is using that trial / that tribulation in your life as a TOOL to TEMPER & to TEST you make sure STRONG
1)
He
is Using the MISERY in your life to MELT
& MOLD you into the person that HE
wants you to be .
Now when we know that / when
we Believe that truth we can say like Paul in Rom. 8:28 And we know that all things
work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called
according to His purpose.
A) Lit. Grk text read And we Know w/ absolute knowledge ( I can stand on that truth) that all things are working together ( PRESENT TENSE) all things are working together resulting in good for those who love God & are called according to his purpose .
B)
Do You Love God ?
Are you called according to his purpose -
Paul says we are his workmanship Eph. 2
1)
God has a revealed plan
& purpose / Jer. 29:11
A)
Now when I believe
that TRUTH & seek to live in that truth I can say w/ each Challenge / w/
each test / w/ each difficulty
1) God is working together w/ situation & it is going to RESULT IN GOOD
c)
I may not know how it is working for Good at the Time / I may not see any good
in it at all at that MOMENT / I have no
clue of the OUTCOME
1)
But Because I Love God
& I know that He Loves me / that He has a plan for me / working in me &
on me -
A)
It is going to Result
in Gods good ( Which also means my good ) it will become a Platform for the
Lord to be Glorified in
1) That is a Key Noted last study Gods Purpose for our Lives is to Bear Fruit By this the Father is glorified BEAR MUCH FRUIT
Classic
Example - Joni Erickson -
Paralyzed as a teen diving accident
A) Her Weakness became Gods platform - He allowed it / Chose not to Heal her / then
gave her & world wide Ministry Strong in her weakness
B) Ability to Develop this gift to draw w/ her mouth
Incredible Gift
C) God used it for Good !! His Glory -
That is true of all things all means all
resulting working together working in conjunction w/ the Lords will / Power
/ Plan
A) Like taking sand , rock , mortar , water common
element that when mixed together make cement
B)
By themselves useless for establishing a foundation
to build upon !
C) But when you mix them together in the mixer & add
some power to make that mixer go around & around creates Cement
1)
That which can be used to Build something on.
A) God is
taking all the sand & rocks & Mortar & water of our lives &
putting them in the Mixer of His power, His Love, His Grace
1)
And He is working them
together w/ His touch in order to make your life & mine a Platform He can
Build upon Glory
A) Now I am not trying to make God out to be a Cement
mixer / but he works in that way All things working together mixing them
Now the good that God intends for our lives / doesnt
mean a Palace Like Joseph not here at least / or a world wide ministry like
Erickson
A)
But it will be what ever He has in store for your
life .
B) That is part of the adventure of the whole thing
God what are you doing .
C) Now a lot of times I dont understand but if I can live by this Premise / God is working resulting in Good - I dont need to worry fret
1)
Bummed out or torn up
My daughter Amy great girl great Talent for Basketball
really shoot .
A)
Potential to be a
Player one day . ( VISTA HIGH GAME)
B)
She also has Asthma
Where we lived in Or. Worst places in the world for people w/ Asthma 2 to 3
times a yr. Rush to emergency breathe
1)
Lord I dont get this
why did you send us here ?
A)
Always met us / showed himself strong
B)
Eventually moved us
- here over 2 yrs Sat. was the first
time we have even came close to having to take her in .
C)
What does God have
in Store for my little girl? I dont know
but I know it is going to be good might not ever be able to play
accept horse w/ me
1)
Not worried All
things are working together in Gods Plan
When we lived in Or. I used to walk 2 miles a day
played hoops at Lunch about 2 or 3 days a week
A) Moved here
after about 2 months sharp pain in hip hurt when ran / then when walked /
then constantly
B)
Doctor Chiropractor
Bursitis / no help / then about 3 wks ago regular Doctor Arthritis in both
hips / Never run / jump again/ Devastated
C)
No hoops w/ my Daughter / No Tennis w/ my Son. Now I dont understand this / both Doctors
Tell me weird someone my age
1) JOKINGLY SAID TO BRIAN - Whoever Pastors this Church is just meant to be Physically afflicted
A)
Will I always be this
way ? Maybe - not worried all things
are working for Good . ( God reminds me
every day weakness )
1)
Each time I struggle
put on my sock / each time I put on my shoe / in all
the things I used to be able to do that
now I cant His platform
I believe that one of the Reasons that Joseph was so
Fruitful in his life is that he realized this truth. God was working it for Good
A)
He didnt know that he would go from the Pit to the
palace but he trusted the Lord .
B) HE KNEW THAT THE LORD WAS W/ HIM !!!!! YOU ?
Check this out great truth v. 21 Joseph says to
His bros
21 "Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
A) Listen as
long as Joseph was alive these guys had nothing to worry about because Joseph
was going to PROVIDE FOR THEM.
1)
Things only got bad for
them long after Joseph was gone
A)
As Long as He was Alive
they had nothing to fear no need to worry
Guys this is a simple but Powerful
truth that as long as Jesus is ALIVE we have nothing to worry about
A) We serve a Risen Savior who said , "I will never leave you nor forsake you."6 So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
B) Yrk -
Wise as serpents / Prepare for an earthquake few weeks smart
1)
If it really Bad trust the Lord ( Live
Communally watch God do miracles
v.22-26
Book of
Genesis begins w/ Creation ends w/ COFFIN
in a GARDEN ends
in a GRAVE
Begins w/ THE
LIVING GOD Ends w/ a DEAD MAN
Why? It is the H.S. final commentary at the end of
this FOUNDATIONAL Book of Genesis displaying the condition of man & outcome
of Sin.
A)
Wages of sin is Death /
Soul that sins will surely Die !
1) Told in Beg. If you eat you will die
A)
Here is Joseph the Most
Christ Like man in the entire Bible no record of
Sin though we know he did - Indication of Pride early
1)
But no matter how good
that Joseph was he couldnt escape death
A)
Gen. Great beginning
first two Chapters / ends Tragically any hope ?
1)
Israel becomes trapped
& enslaved is there a way out ?