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Video Sermon 10 Minute Highlights |
| FULL WRITTEN TRANSCRIPT THE STORY~ Chapter Three: Dreaming the Dream INTRODUCTION –THE QUESTION In our Wednesday group, we finished with a simple question that made it all worthwhile for me. We had looked at THE STORY chapter 2: Abraham. Our closing question was this: In only a short sentence, what is the basic message of this chapter? Everyone was able to come up with a few very legitimate descriptive words. The angle was a little different for everyone and in some cases, something I might not have thought of, unless it had been shared. I would encourage everyone to answer that question for themselves as we journey through each of the chapters of THE STORY. Why? -Because you haven’t really processed anything for yourself unless you can boil it down to a simple sentence. Regardless of all that may be taught, that is what YOU have taken into yourself. Chapter 1: Creation to the re-creation after Noah. –It deals with the majesty and power of God; an explanation for evil; the damage one man and woman can do when they betray God and themselves; and our utter inability to save ourselves. The need for God’s rescue plan is set. But what does it mean to you? Chapter 2: Abraham’s life. –It illustrates the size and caliber of God’s promise; what one man and woman can accomplish when they are faithful to God. God’s rescue plan goes into action. But what does it mean to you? Chapter 3: The life of Joseph. We can experience the story in a number of ways. We glimpse at it through the sermon. We can dig deeper in the Sunday morning class and/or the Wednesday group; we can dig deeper still by reading THE STORY textbook or the Scripture given on the schedule. Do as much or as little as you want; but when you are done, I simply challenge you with this: What does it mean to you? What is that short sentence for you? What will you take, live by, and share? What’s the upper and lower story that’s going on?
INTRODUCING JOSEPH If a person knows much about the Bible at all, chances are, they know at least, some of Joseph’s story. We’re going to introduce Joseph this morning with the same video that the teens will be seeing… [VIDEO- DVD]. Joseph lives mainly in Genesis chapters 37 through 39. If we look at the “lower story”, the person life experience of Joseph; for me it would be summed up in one a one-word question- WHY? So much of what Joseph goes through were circumstances he did not create or control. He is his father’s favorite to the point the family becomes dysfunctional. In sibling rivalry, his brothers fake his death and sell him into slavery. While he is doing a good job as a slave, he is falsely accused of a crime; he spends his youth in prison. So much of it seems unfair, it leaves you asking on his behalf; why? And perhaps that gets you asking about your own life; why me? Why did this or that happen? Why the unfair accusation or turn of events? Not only that, Joseph’s life is an extreme see-saw of up and down. From number one in his family to a nameless slave. -From nameless slave to number one assistant of a powerful man; from number one to convicted criminal; from criminal to Pharaoh’s deputy. If you have ever been in a see-saw of circumstances, you know how grueling relative expectations can be. For example: Say you believe you are in great health. You go for a checkup and are diagnosed with cancer; you weren’t expecting that; it’s quite devastating. Then in a follow-up, you find the original diagnosis was wrong, you really don’t have a problem; wow, the sense of relief. They do a second test just to be sure and find out it’s even worse than they thought. The news is even more devastating than the first time! Ever go through an up and down experience like that? It is very hard. Joseph’s entire life was like that. · That was the LOWER STORY. You would think he’d have gone bitter to the core. You’d expect that he’d be shaking his fists and shouting “Why God?” But he doesn’t. He keeps to his relationship with God. He has been given this unique gift to interpret dreams through God and he stays faithful. Even in the worst situations. The ancient Egyptian prisons were little more than an underground pit where people were confined until they were tortured and executed. Even there, Joseph stayed active in God’s gifts. And God kept lifting him out of one dead-end situation after another. Joseph, for his part, remained open to God. There comes in the story, THE decisive moment; the moment when he sees his brothers in Egypt. Everything hinges on how he will react; what will he do? They are starving foreigners basically coming for a handout. Joseph is at the height of power, he could do whatever he wanted with them. The impulse to settle the score must have been overwhelming! There are the men who carried out the deepest betrayal. These are the guys who stole his youth and sold him into slavery. Who could blame him? What would you do? Joseph was seventeen when he was thrown in the pit (Gen 37:2), and thirty when he stood as Pharaoh’s assistant (Gen 41:46). He died at the age of one hundred and ten (Gen 50:26). From thirty to one hundred and ten, Joseph saved the lineage of Abraham. He turned his brothers’ hearts with unprecedented forgiveness and lived a life of incredible blessing. Here’s the thing: For all his right to do it; if Joseph would have exacted revenge for those thirteen years of betrayal, he would have nullified the next eighty of blessing in his life. –In fact, the next 4000. How incredibly fortunate that he had the strength to be the better man, despite the circumstances! (Interesting how it is usually, “despite the circumstances.”) ….But how did he manage to do it? Here is what we read: Genesis 45 4. And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near to me.'' And they came near. And he said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5. "But now, do not therefore be grieved nor angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6. "For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7. "And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8. "So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. The “lower story” of Joseph; that is, the day to day story, turned out this way because, somehow, Joseph had caught glimpses of the “upper story”, God’s big plan. Here is an indispensable skill for anyone who would follow God (and it is a developed skill): You cannot keep proper perspective unless you learn to keep an eye on the eternal plan as you live in the heat of the physically immediate. –~Joseph was a master at it. So how do we develop that skill like Joseph? By following his example in these things; Joseph never stopped living a relationship with God; with all the things that make a relationship, a relationship. Joseph never stopped his reverence; he was always aware that God’s plan was bigger than what he was going through at the time. Joseph never stopped a two-way communication with God. And that allowed the next thing… Joseph never stopped using the gift that God had given him; interpreting dreams. Because he was always ready to use the gift, God was able to use him strategic times. And those opportunities would come up at times Joseph could not expect or cause to happen. He could only do his thing as God did His. Are you always ready to use your talents for God? Do you know what spiritual gifts God has given you? Joseph never abandoned God’s leading, or promise, he never failed to give God the credit when it would have been tempting to take it for himself. Over the long-haul, Joseph stayed true. There is no substitute for that. · So just, what was the UPPER STORY that Joseph glimpsed? Joseph says that it was to provide a way to “preserve posterity”; that is, to allow the promise of Abraham to continue. That is true, but I believe that is just the surface of the upper story. The Old Testament covers some two thousand years of history. So when it gives a large space to one man’s story, you can be sure there is a big reason; a big message for us. ….So what is it, that the life of Joseph illustrates to us? Abraham’s life-message shows us what it looks like to strive toward God’s promise. Joseph’s life-message shows us how to hold on to it once we’ve got it. The nation was under way; the twelve brothers had begun the families that would become the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph knew all of this, it was happening. He just had to hold on to the promise despite the circumstances. We’ve studied the times of the prophets. We know how bad things would get. It was vitally important to know how to hold on to the promise. It is no less important for us today. The promise has come. The Cross is a reality. God’s promise is there for those who accept. It is now a case of holding on. · Let’s tie THE STORY together so far; but from a different angle: John 1 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2. He was in the beginning with God. 3. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. That is the story behind, THE STORY, chapter one. 4. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. That is behind all the continuing chapters. 12. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name: That is the promise ready to hold on to. Joseph held to the name of God, despite the circumstances. And for a few years of undeserved suffering, there were many years of undeserved blessing. And beyond that; the blessing of the upper story that continued long after him. You and I have a part in the eternal story. Part of what makes it exciting is that, we have no idea how huge that part may be. As you hold on, who might be influenced? What circumstances and opportunities might be created? What child in youth church might see a turn in his or her life because of you? -What sibling, niece, grandson, or neighbor might be reached? One thing is certain, you will never know unless YOU hold on to THE PROMISE, despite the circumstances; the good and/or the bad. –Just like Joseph. ….Be part of God’s Story; then you will live YOUR story.
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