Sermon series: Joseph

Following Jacob’s death, the brothers wonder if Joseph has really forgiven them. He has: and followers of Jesus need not ask the same question of God - they have been totally forgiven by him. Christians don’t need to live with a nagging sense of guilt but can know the fullness of God’s grace and peace.

Through Jacob’s final words we see that the plans of God work out despite the sins and actions of humans. Through Judah’s offspring, Christ, we see the original curse enacted due to Adam’s sin and impacting all of us, is overcome through Christ’s sacrifice. This reconciles us with God and allows us to love a holy life for him.

Jacob believes God and his promise, he relies on the faithfulness of God, and trusts in God’s sovereign choice. We are called to walk in his footsteps believing God for tomorrow as well as for the rest of our lives.

We can find our identity in our name, or profession, or the football team we support, but our identity is as a son of God.

God takes our brokeness and mistakes and can rebuild our lives, as we look to him and walk his way.

Joseph forgave his brothers with weeping and embraces, but years later they weren’t totally sure he’d truly forgiven them. We can find it hard to accept God’s forgiveness but he has truly forgiven us.

Joseph tests his brothers to see whether they have changed or whether they will allow Benjamin to become a slave. Judah shows that he has changed, and is willing to bear Benjamin’s punishment himself - just as Jesus bore our punishment.

Jacob is paralysed with fear, which prevents him from walking in faith and leads to him blaming others. If we don’t recognise Jesus then we too will be trapped in fear - it is Jesus who drives out fear.

Joseph’s brothers have been living with the guilt and shame of what they did to him, and God uses him to bring them to repentance. Jacob thinks everything is against him because he is walking by sight not by faith.

God is sovereign and works in the things that grieve him and the things that please him. He is merciful, kind and our judge. Our response to to believe him and point others to him.

Joseph didn’t do anything to get to the palace except serve God. God had been working on his character, overseeing people and events throughout Joseph’s life. Like Joseph, we were slaves, but have been rescued by Jesus.

God speaks through dreams. Joseph had two dreams at the age of 17 and waited over 11 years for them to be fulfilled. In his difficulties he trusted God, who was working things out according to his own timing.

When we are struggling and our dreams are dying, God is still blessing us and he is still with us. So when we are tempted to self-pity we should recall all the blessing we’ve had and every answered prayer.

Judah was self-righteous, and tried to blame everybody else. But God dealt with his self-righteousness and he had to acknowledge that Tamar was more righteous than he himself was.

We must deal with our anger, pain and jealousy, repenting if necessary. We must bring our guilt and regret to Jesus. And we must trust in God’s sovereign plan to work out everything for good.

This is a true story about the family of God, a big story about the sovereignty of God and a love story about the Son of God.