{"id":3757,"date":"2018-03-25T15:02:37","date_gmt":"2018-03-25T19:02:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/?p=3757"},"modified":"2018-03-25T15:07:11","modified_gmt":"2018-03-25T19:07:11","slug":"trusting-in-trouble-the-story-of-joseph-vol-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/?p=3757","title":{"rendered":"TRUSTING IN TROUBLE \/ The Story of Joseph, Vol. 4"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sermon Series by Rev. Richard Jones<\/strong><\/h3>\n

rec0325-112530<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tough to Reconcile<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Genesis\u00a0 Chapters 42-45\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/strong>(various texts)<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

HUNGER DRIVE<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u00a0Genesis 42:1-17 (ESV) <\/b>
\n1 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, \u201cWhy do you look at one another?\u201d
\n2 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And he said, \u201cBehold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.\u201d
\n3 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So ten of Joseph\u201d\u2122s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.
\n4 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph\u201d\u2122s brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him.
\n5 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
\n6 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph\u201d\u2122s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.
\n7 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. \u201cWhere do you come from?\u201d he said. They said, \u201cFrom the land of Canaan, to buy food.\u201d
\n8 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.
\n9 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. And he said to them, \u201cYou are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.\u201d
\n10 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0They said to him, \u201cNo, my lord, your servants have come to buy food.
\n11 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies.\u201d
\n12 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0He said to them, \u201cNo, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see.\u201d
\n13 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And they said, \u201cWe, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.\u201d
\n14 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0But Joseph said to them, \u201cIt is as I said to you. You are spies.
\n15 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here.
\n16 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.\u201d
\n17 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And he put them all together in custody for three days. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

TRUTH EXPOSED<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Genesis 42:18-26 (ESV) <\/b>
\n18 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0On the third day Joseph said to them, \u201cDo this and you will live, for I fear God:
\n19 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households,
\n20 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.\u201d And they did so.
\n21 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then they said to one another, \u201cIn truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.\u201d
\n22 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And Reuben answered them, \u201cDid I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.\u201d
\n23 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.
\n24 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.
\n25 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man\u201d\u2122s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.
\n26 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

LATE START<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Genesis 43:1-10 (ESV) <\/b>
\n1 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Now the famine was severe in the land.
\n2 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, \u201cGo again, buy us a little food.\u201d
\n3 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0But Judah said to him, \u201cThe man solemnly warned us, saying, \u201d\u02dcYou shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.\u201d\u2122
\n4 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
\n5 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, \u201d\u02dcYou shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.\u201d\u2122\u201d
\n6 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Israel said, \u201cWhy did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?\u201d
\n7 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0They replied, \u201cThe man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, \u201d\u02dcIs your father still alive? Do you have another brother?\u201d\u2122 What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, \u201d\u02dcBring your brother down\u201d\u2122?\u201d
\n8 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And Judah said to Israel his father, \u201cSend the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.
\n9 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.
\n10 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

UNEXPECTED INVITATION<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Genesis 43:15-25 (ESV) <\/b>
\n15 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So the men took this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
\n16 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, \u201cBring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.\u201d
\n17 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph\u201d\u2122s house.
\n18 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph\u201d\u2122s house, and they said, \u201cIt is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.\u201d
\n19 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So they went up to the steward of Joseph\u201d\u2122s house and spoke with him at the door of the house,
\n20 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0and said, \u201cOh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food.
\n21 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man\u201d\u2122s money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us,
\n22 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.\u201d
\n23 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0He replied, \u201cPeace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.\u201d Then he brought Simeon out to them.
\n24 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And when the man had brought the men into Joseph\u201d\u2122s house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder,
\n25 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0they prepared the present for Joseph\u201d\u2122s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

STRANGE LUNCH<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Genesis 43:26-34 (ESV) <\/b>
\n26 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground.
\n27 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And he inquired about their welfare and said, \u201cIs your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?\u201d
\n28 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0They said, \u201cYour servant our father is well; he is still alive.\u201d And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.
\n29 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother\u201d\u2122s son, and said, \u201cIs this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!\u201d
\n30 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there.
\n31 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, \u201cServe the food.\u201d
\n32 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
\n33 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement.
\n34 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Portions were taken to them from Joseph\u201d\u2122s table, but Benjamin\u201d\u2122s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

CHOSEN TEST<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Genesis 44:1-13 (ESV) <\/b>
\n1 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then he commanded the steward of his house, \u201cFill the men\u201d\u2122s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man\u201d\u2122s money in the mouth of his sack,
\n2 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.\u201d And he did as Joseph told him.
\n3 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys.
\n4 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, \u201cUp, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, \u201d\u02dcWhy have you repaid evil for good?
\n5 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.\u201d\u2122\u201d
\n6 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words.
\n7 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0They said to him, \u201cWhy does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!
\n8 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Behold, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord\u201d\u2122s house?
\n9 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord\u201d\u2122s servants.\u201d
\n10 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0He said, \u201cLet it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent.\u201d
\n11 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.
\n12 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin\u201d\u2122s sack.
\n13 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

JUDAH’S PLEA<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Genesis 44:30-34 (ESV) <\/b>
\n30 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0\u201cNow therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy\u201d\u2122s life,
\n31 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.
\n32 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, \u201d\u02dcIf I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.\u201d\u2122
\n33 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.
\n34 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

FAMILY SHOCK<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Genesis 45:1-15 (ESV) <\/b>
\n1 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, \u201cMake everyone go out from me.\u201d So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
\n2 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it.
\n3 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And Joseph said to his brothers, \u201cI am Joseph! Is my father still alive?\u201d But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.
\n4 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So Joseph said to his brothers, \u201cCome near to me, please.\u201d And they came near. And he said, \u201cI am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.
\n5 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
\n6 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.
\n7 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.
\n8 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
\n9 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, \u201d\u02dcThus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not tarry.
\n10 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children\u201d\u2122s children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.
\n11 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.\u201d\u2122
\n12 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.
\n13 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.\u201d
\n14 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin\u201d\u2122s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck.
\n15 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him. <\/span><\/p>\n

Romans 8:28 (ESV) <\/b>
\n28 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Application:<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n

– There cannot be reconciliation without repentance.<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n

-The reconciliation could only be possible because of\u00a0 love.<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (ESV) <\/b>
\n18 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
\n19 <\/span><\/sup>\u00a0that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Sermon Series by Rev. Richard Jones rec0325-112530   Tough to Reconcile \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Genesis\u00a0 Chapters … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,24,25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-messages","category-sermon-series","category-sermons-by-rev-jones"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3757"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3757"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3757\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3763,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3757\/revisions\/3763"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3757"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3757"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3757"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}