Genesis 50:15-26
“God Meant It For Good”

Introduction:
1. All of the toiling, all of the misunderstanding, all of the persecution, all of the testing has
produced a man of God. We saw Joseph humbly forgive those who wronged him, who could be accused of causing those 13 ‘wasted years’ of his life. Those were years of preparation
for greatness!
2. Chapter 49 tells of Jacob blessing his sons. As chapter 50 begins, Jacob has died, and Joseph requests permission from pharaoh to take his father home…a last surge of fear envelopes his brothers.
3. Have you seen cross stitch or needle point? What from one vantage point appears to be a mess, confusion. Turn it over! It is all part of His design for His purpose
4. Is your life a mess? Much doesn’t make sense?
5. Genesis 50:15-26 Such has been the case with Joseph. When life is a ‘mess’...confused:

Is your life a mess? Confused? Much doesn’t make sense?
I. THERE IS DOUBT 50:15-17
A. The Cause of Doubt 15a
1. When Joseph’s brothers saw Jacob was dead.
2. Circumstances change. The brothers felt Jacob was the reason for Joseph’s
kindness. Now Jacob was dead.
3. This is the beginning of the mess. They forgot what Joseph had said and done.
*We get our eyes on the circumstances instead of God.
*We become problem oriented not Power oriented.
*We let the water start getting into our boat!
B. The Confusion of Doubt 15b-16
1. Send an envoy…a message from Jacob before he died (who knows whether he \
did or didn’t.
2. Fear…panic…our hearts race…we forfeit the rest of God.
*It all depends on us.
*We have to say the right thing, do the right thing…our lives depend on it!
C. The Confession of Doubt 17
1. They bring up a past that is past…this has already been forgiven.
2. Mess: It is easy to bring up the past… “What might have been.”
3. 17b Joseph wept. How it must break the of God when we still live in fear over
sins He has long since forgotten. He simply reminds us: “Do not be afraid, I will
provide.” He doesn’t scold. He puts His arms around us and speaks to us O, so
kindly. (21)

Is your life a mess? Confused? Much doesn’t make sense?
II. THERE IS DESIGN 50:18-21
The needle point is turned over. We begin to see from His point of view.
A. Right Position 18,19
1. There is a wrong attitude.
2. Fell down before his face…pride must go! God resist the proud!
B. Right Pronouncement 19
1. We are thy servants.
2. They get their eyes on God!
C. Right Perspective 20
God is in absolute control!
1. Genesis 45:5,7,8...19,21 (don’t quote)
2.To the untrained eyes it appeared greedy acts of ruthless men all but destroyed the life of God’s chosen. Now we see that God was actually using them and what they did to bring about His glory!
3.It isn’t that God designs evil. It is simply He has designs on that evil to turn it into good. Therefore, every device of Satan…Every so called ‘tragedy’ or ‘mistake’ of man is only in the hands of a sovereign God a building block to His ultimate goal. What a blow to Satan! Continual defeat at the very circumstances he so devised to destroy brings glory to God!
4.That broken marriage…that untimely death…that physical affliction…that seemingly unnecessary rejection… (Satan meant it for evil). He cunningly viewed these events in your life as a stroke of death to a life of faith! All we see are the jagged edges of broken lives and dreams. What we do not see is that God in heaven is taking those broken pieces and rearranging them into prisms that reflect His light from every angle. When viewed from His vantage point, they blend into the pattern of the whole of His plan and produce for a searching world a giant four-dimensional perfectly colored portrait of Jesus.
5.Romans 8:28,29 (Quote) All things…that we might be conformed to the image of His Son.
*It is not that God desires that tragedy mar our life, but living in a world that is twisted and marred by sin…we fall prey to death, disease, disillusionment and wrong choices. God is not taken by surprise
*SO, with every slash of Satan’s cruel sword…there is left a seemingly irreparable scar that appears to the human eye to destroy the beauty of life itself. Then along comes the Master: He take that every scar…that ugly experience…that devastating blow…and not only cover it with His blood, He actually uses it as the focal point of a new and even more beautiful work.
*The enemy thought he had you, but he has unknowingly and unwittingly cooperated with your loving God in giving you eternal rewards and internal joy. O THE REST!

Is your life a mess? Confused? Much doesn’t make sense?
III. THERE IS DIRECTION 50:22-26
A. Act on God’s Word 24,25
1. Heb. 11:22 (Quote) By Faith…Joseph acted on the revealed will of God.
2. Joseph had complete confidence that God would complete the program He
started.
3. Joseph ordered his life by God’s word.
4. Joseph had a grasp on what was really important.
B. Appreciate God’s Wait 26
1. The coffin was not buried, but a constant reminder of a man of faith and a
sovereign God.
2. There was the Promise Land and the Resurrection Promise.
3. After over 400 years and 40 years of wandering Israel is finally in the land!
Joshua 24:32 (Quote)
4. Fulfillment doesn’t always occur by Friday…It is a continual reminder:

God Is Faithful!
God is Sovereign!
I can Rest on Him!!!