CHAPEL ROCK
We’re currently in a sermon series on the life of Joseph, the great-grandson of Abraham called, “Hello, My Name is Joe.” Joseph experienced many ups and downs in his life, and there’s a lot we can learn from him. In today’s sermon we find Joseph’s long-lost family comes to Egypt to buy grain and he’s about to have a family reunion with his brothers. Lead Pastor Casey Scott brings the message from Genesis 42:1-8 and 45:1-15, titled, “Family Reunions.”
Communion
Chapel Rock practices an 'open communion' meaning that if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are welcome to participate in the communion service. The elder/staff member giving the devotion will provide instructions.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 NIV
Chapel Rock’s Vision:
To See the Whole Community
Whole in Christ
Casey Scott
Lead Pastor
Series: Hello, My Name is Joe
Sermon: Family Reunions
> Genesis 42:1-8; 45:1-15
Today’s Big Idea
God’s mission is to redeem broken families and use their wholeness to save the world.
Introduction
One of the best ways for us to experience healing and wholeness in context of family brokenness is to track out HOW God turned evil into good; to delineate the ways that the Enemy’s efforts to destroy your family were thwarted by God’s goodness and grace. How does he do that? Joseph’s story suggests two ways.
1. HE REROUTES EVIL CHOICES INTO MERCY CHANCES
The story of Joseph teaches us that God can “re-route” evil choices into opportunities to show mercy.
Hardship and deprivation can immobilize even the most resilient personality – and it’s been that way forever. When people are in that state, sometimes they make bad choices.
One of the most significant statements in chapter 45 that speaks to this is in verse 5, when Joseph is revealing himself to his brothers. He says, “. . .do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves. . .” Joseph is effectively telling his brothers, “Don’t be in anguish over this – God is using your bad choices and our family’s brokenness to display His mercy!”
“In the midst of the squalor, misery, illness, and anonymity of ancient cities, Christianity provided an island of mercy and security. . . It started with Jesus. . . In contrast, in the pagan world, and especially among the philosophers, mercy was regarded as a character defect and pity as a pathological emotion: because mercy involves providing unearned help or relief, it is contrary to justice.”
The Triumph of Christianity by Rodney Stark
2. HE TRANSITIONS SELFISH MOTIVES INTO WORLD-SAVING SERVICE
The Old Testament never outright says that Joseph sinned, but it hints at the ideal that his motives early on were not very mature, and he was probably selfish. But Joseph transitions out of that, and because of his integrity, his hard work, and (most of all) his faith, God allows him the privilege of being part of His plan to save the world!
That’s really one of the most interesting themes in this text, is to track out how God is working behind the scenes to save the world. We just get little glimpses of it:
~ In Genesis 42:5, Jacob is called “Israel.”
~ In the New Testament, this idea of God’s plan to save the world moving forward becomes a key theme for Stephen in his sermon in Acts 7:12.
~ In comforting his brothers, Joseph tells them three times, “God sent me here!”
God took all the selfishness that dominated this story and he transforms it into world-saving service! So, if He can do that with this messed up family, what can He do with yours?
The call of discipleship is a call to die to yourself – not because God “needs” your service, but because that’s how Jesus lived. He calls us into His life. The amazing thing is, when people and families learn to lay down their selfish motivation, they can become servants who change the world!
Conclusion
God had to preserve this family through the famine, because it was through the family of Abraham that He brought Jesus into the world to save us!
Read Ahead for Next Week
A Bittersweet Legacy| Genesis 46:28 - 47:27
Genesis 42:1-8 NIV
Genesis 45:1-15 NIV