1 00:00:06,430 --> 00:00:10,220 Father, we we thank you for this morning that you have given us 2 00:00:10,310 --> 00:00:13,340 as collective a law to come together to remember our Lord 3 00:00:13,350 --> 00:00:15,810 and our Saviour Jesus Christ. And as we just read from the 4 00:00:15,820 --> 00:00:19,170 book of Hebrews, He is the anchor for our soul. 5 00:00:20,140 --> 00:00:23,150 We also pray at this time as Gary comes and shares with us 6 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,750 God's Word. Father, we pray that you'll open 7 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:29,480 our hearts to receive Your word. Be with Gary as the presence. 8 00:00:29,490 --> 00:00:31,870 We pray that the Holy Spirit would use every word that is 9 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:34,950 spoken in order to speak into the hearts and the lives of each 10 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,530 and everyone of us who are here. And we ask these things and say 11 00:00:38,540 --> 00:00:41,510 we're precious. And in this world I name Amen. 12 00:00:42,940 --> 00:00:46,530 Good morning. This is Part 2 of the three-part 13 00:00:46,540 --> 00:00:51,930 series Purpose and Passion and the Perplexing World Lessons 14 00:00:51,940 --> 00:00:56,850 from the Life of Joseph. I preach part one last year and 15 00:00:56,860 --> 00:00:59,450 it must have got the past mark cause they asked me back. 16 00:01:01,090 --> 00:01:05,170 You've often heard the saying lightning never strikes twice. 17 00:01:06,230 --> 00:01:11,750 Is that true or is it false? It's the idea being that 18 00:01:11,790 --> 00:01:15,520 lightning strikes are completely random, so the chance of it 19 00:01:15,530 --> 00:01:19,600 striking the same place twice as virtually nil. 20 00:01:20,740 --> 00:01:24,820 Well, it's actually false. That's a myth. 21 00:01:25,740 --> 00:01:30,430 Lightning does strike the same place, in fact, multiple times, 22 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:34,350 and for good reason. The Auckland Sky Tower is 328 23 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:39,050 metres high and it is struck 3 or 4 times every year. 24 00:01:40,210 --> 00:01:44,660 Lightning is drawn to tall objects like pylons or an 25 00:01:44,670 --> 00:01:49,130 isolated object and a large clear area like a a Lone Tree. 26 00:01:50,010 --> 00:01:54,260 So lightning strikes are not governed by chance. 27 00:01:55,980 --> 00:02:01,320 That design, the story around Joseph, is characterised by 28 00:02:01,330 --> 00:02:05,580 peers of dreams. Joseph had two dreams. 29 00:02:05,590 --> 00:02:12,700 In chapter 37 he interprets a pair of dreams the cup bearer 30 00:02:12,710 --> 00:02:19,050 and the bakers and chapter 40 and Pharaoh also has two dreams 31 00:02:19,500 --> 00:02:25,660 in chapter 41 and Joseph says in that chapter verse 32. 32 00:02:25,670 --> 00:02:29,590 As for the repeating of the dreams to fear at twice, it 33 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:33,570 means that the matter is determined by God and God will 34 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:37,410 quickly bring it about. That's why I'm titled this 35 00:02:37,420 --> 00:02:40,500 message When Lightning Strikes twice. 36 00:02:42,190 --> 00:02:45,510 Joseph isn't on a trajectory of chance. 37 00:02:46,530 --> 00:02:50,630 Joseph is a player, Donkey Deep and the purposes and 38 00:02:50,700 --> 00:02:56,000 determinations of God. And some of your first science 39 00:02:56,010 --> 00:03:00,000 classes as a school kid, you were presented with the idea 40 00:03:00,010 --> 00:03:05,220 that life is a product of chance and when it runs enough 41 00:03:05,270 --> 00:03:09,670 iterations, you are the product. Now I know that's a bit 42 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:12,810 simplistic for you scientists, but they do call that the 43 00:03:12,820 --> 00:03:17,110 science of evolution. So right there in that class you 44 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:23,860 had to choose chance or design. You say, Well, hang on, they 45 00:03:23,870 --> 00:03:31,060 told me about design, because God made that evident to you 46 00:03:31,230 --> 00:03:34,390 already. His invisible attributes, His 47 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,490 eternal power, and His defined nature are clearly seen and 48 00:03:37,500 --> 00:03:40,980 understood through that which has been created. 49 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,550 Romans 119. Joseph is not on a trajectory of 50 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:49,300 chance because God is not a paper tiger. 51 00:03:50,770 --> 00:03:56,000 The helpless spectator, fingers crossed behind his back, hoping 52 00:03:56,010 --> 00:03:58,410 that things will work out for you in the end. 53 00:03:59,650 --> 00:04:03,150 He's the author and perfector and finisher. 54 00:04:05,220 --> 00:04:09,510 Romans 828 And we know that all things work together for good to 55 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:15,480 those who love him, to those who are the called according to His 56 00:04:15,490 --> 00:04:18,160 purpose. From the KJV. 57 00:04:19,149 --> 00:04:23,350 And we don't have to have Daniel's revelation in chapter 58 00:04:24,590 --> 00:04:30,850 two of The Mysteries of God to join Daniel in this prayer of 59 00:04:30,970 --> 00:04:35,540 praise and thanks after God gave him the interpretation of 60 00:04:35,550 --> 00:04:40,730 Nebuchadnezzar's dream. And not only that, but also the 61 00:04:40,740 --> 00:04:47,490 dream itself from verse 20. And I'll pray that prayer. 62 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:51,700 You listen to it. Let the name of God be blessed 63 00:04:51,710 --> 00:04:56,940 forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. 64 00:04:57,870 --> 00:05:01,860 It is he who changes the times and the epochs. 65 00:05:02,740 --> 00:05:06,920 He removes King's and he raises them up. 66 00:05:07,930 --> 00:05:12,220 He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of 67 00:05:12,230 --> 00:05:15,380 understanding. It is he who reveals the 68 00:05:15,390 --> 00:05:19,500 profound and hidden things. He knows what is in the 69 00:05:19,510 --> 00:05:23,930 darkness, and the light dwells in him. 70 00:05:24,780 --> 00:05:30,010 To you, Ohh God of my Father's, I give praise and thanks. 71 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,650 By the end of this message, you should have a pretty good idea 72 00:05:34,660 --> 00:05:39,030 that God is working His own purposes for His own reasons, 73 00:05:39,300 --> 00:05:44,280 for His own glory. You will see lightning strike 74 00:05:44,290 --> 00:05:51,040 twice with regular monotony because wherever God is at work, 75 00:05:51,170 --> 00:05:55,010 it's striking. As we run through this narrative 76 00:05:55,020 --> 00:05:57,490 and we will be literally running. 77 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:02,670 There are three chapters, Genesis 39 to 41. 78 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:06,510 From these three chapters there will be 3 key learnings. 79 00:06:07,100 --> 00:06:12,770 Perspective and tragedy. Portraits of Christ and a 80 00:06:12,780 --> 00:06:16,790 Prelude to Heaven. Perspective and Tragedy, 81 00:06:17,340 --> 00:06:20,220 Portraits of Christ and a Prelude to Heaven. 82 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:24,750 Type in your Bibles there and we will pick up the story where we 83 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,780 left off Labour Weekend last year. 84 00:06:28,620 --> 00:06:31,600 Verse one. Now Joseph had been taken down 85 00:06:31,610 --> 00:06:36,210 to Egypt, and part of an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh. 86 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:42,090 The captain of the bodyguard brought brought him, so Joseph 87 00:06:42,100 --> 00:06:45,580 finds himself in Egypt, where Potter for a high-ranking 88 00:06:45,590 --> 00:06:48,620 officer of Pharaoh purchased him. 89 00:06:51,630 --> 00:06:55,880 You're not in a good way. If people are buying you, it 90 00:06:55,890 --> 00:07:01,660 means you're not your own. You have no rights, no freedom 91 00:07:02,540 --> 00:07:06,050 from most favoured of God's sons and cane and that land of 92 00:07:06,060 --> 00:07:12,150 promise to 17 year old slave in Egypt, that foreign land. 93 00:07:12,580 --> 00:07:15,540 Things have certainly gone pear shaped for Joseph. 94 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:24,150 This meets the threshold for tragedy and Kanan Joseph had 95 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,470 qualities that had set him apart from his brothers, like 96 00:07:27,660 --> 00:07:31,480 honouring his father and honouring the God of Israel. 97 00:07:32,620 --> 00:07:37,750 The coat given him by Jacob and variously described as 98 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:44,380 colourful, triggered his brother's jealousy, but it was 99 00:07:44,460 --> 00:07:48,200 what the coat represented that rankled them. 100 00:07:49,170 --> 00:07:53,660 Joseph was the first born to Rachel, his first love. 101 00:07:54,070 --> 00:07:58,310 The coat represented this and the reason he loved Joseph more 102 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:04,150 than them, but it was Joseph his brothers hated on and they could 103 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:10,710 not speak well of him. The coat is also a symbol that 104 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:16,410 God's favour rested on Jake Joseph and when God spoke to 105 00:08:16,420 --> 00:08:21,050 Israel through Joseph's dreams that they would bow down to 106 00:08:21,060 --> 00:08:26,670 Joseph, they worked themselves into a jealousy fuelled rage 107 00:08:27,310 --> 00:08:31,860 that could only be satisfied with Joseph's destruction at 108 00:08:31,870 --> 00:08:37,950 their hands. The opportunity presented itself 109 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:41,890 and they certainly intended to kill him, but God wasn't 110 00:08:41,900 --> 00:08:46,360 finished with Joseph. There was a revelation yet to be 111 00:08:46,370 --> 00:08:52,950 fulfilled, the net outcome being his current predicament, sold 112 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:58,330 into Egypt as a slave and the brothers taking that coat, the 113 00:08:58,340 --> 00:09:04,500 symbol of God and Jacob's favour, tearing it, smearing it 114 00:09:04,570 --> 00:09:09,930 with blood and fabricating a lie to their father that Joseph had 115 00:09:09,940 --> 00:09:15,460 been killed by wild animals. They may have taken the coat off 116 00:09:15,470 --> 00:09:20,140 the man. They couldn't take the favour 117 00:09:20,350 --> 00:09:24,060 out of the man. There's 2. 118 00:09:24,790 --> 00:09:30,110 The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. 119 00:09:31,270 --> 00:09:36,350 God hasn't given you a coat to symbolise His favour. 120 00:09:37,230 --> 00:09:40,470 He has given you the indwelling Holy Spirit. 121 00:09:41,310 --> 00:09:46,820 The Holy Spirit and you set apart as favoured by God. 122 00:09:47,770 --> 00:09:54,100 Christ and His and His favour go with you everywhere into tragedy 123 00:09:54,210 --> 00:09:57,260 out of tragedy and we will soon see. 124 00:09:57,270 --> 00:10:02,520 And Joseph's experience back in and then out again. 125 00:10:03,210 --> 00:10:08,850 So if I was to throw pearls of perspective out to you early, it 126 00:10:08,860 --> 00:10:13,450 would be that the circumstances outside you and around you are 127 00:10:13,460 --> 00:10:18,860 constantly moving well. The Spirit in you, the true mark 128 00:10:18,870 --> 00:10:24,480 of God's favour, is constant. The trials, the hardships, the 129 00:10:24,490 --> 00:10:28,800 personal tragedy, the injustice are ever changing circumstances. 130 00:10:29,550 --> 00:10:34,870 The background noise of your story, well, Christ in you is 131 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:40,760 the unchanging front and centre. You take Christ out of that 132 00:10:40,770 --> 00:10:45,760 equation and the mass is pretty simple. 133 00:10:47,350 --> 00:10:51,700 Without Christ, you're just the background noise. 134 00:10:53,180 --> 00:10:58,870 You had Joseph's brothers left behind and Canaan making up the 135 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:02,770 numbers. Not where God is working, not 136 00:11:02,780 --> 00:11:05,440 where His flavour and blessing is flowing. 137 00:11:06,780 --> 00:11:11,600 You can take the man out of the land of Canaan, but you can't 138 00:11:11,610 --> 00:11:14,040 take God's favour out of the man. 139 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,730 How's that for perspective and tragedy? 140 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:25,680 So what did it look like? That God was with Joseph? 141 00:11:27,790 --> 00:11:31,300 There's three now. As Master saw that the Lord was 142 00:11:31,310 --> 00:11:35,310 with him, and how the Lord caused all that he did to 143 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:41,190 prosper in his hand, so Joseph found favour in his sight and 144 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:47,600 became his personal servant and he made him overseer over his 145 00:11:47,610 --> 00:11:50,510 house and all that he owned to put in his charge. 146 00:11:51,230 --> 00:11:54,860 It came about that from the time He made him oversee it in his 147 00:11:54,870 --> 00:12:00,620 house and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed the 148 00:12:00,630 --> 00:12:04,210 Egyptians house on account of Joseph. 149 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:10,010 Thus the Lord's blessing was upon all that he owned in the 150 00:12:10,020 --> 00:12:15,760 house and in the field. So he left everything he owned 151 00:12:15,770 --> 00:12:23,370 and Joseph's charge and with him there he did not concern himself 152 00:12:23,380 --> 00:12:27,640 with anything except the food that he ate. 153 00:12:29,470 --> 00:12:31,920 Is that a good outcome for a young slave? 154 00:12:33,030 --> 00:12:36,030 It's pretty good isn't it? To bad? 155 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:42,260 As good as bad can get. I'm sure Joseph was content with 156 00:12:42,270 --> 00:12:45,560 that outcome. A very happy slave. 157 00:12:48,550 --> 00:12:53,540 We can be easily contented, especially after coming through 158 00:12:53,550 --> 00:12:58,760 a hardship or a trial. Just about anything seems good 159 00:12:58,770 --> 00:13:01,980 after that. This works. 160 00:13:02,870 --> 00:13:07,790 I like the quiet life. It's not so bad after all. 161 00:13:08,350 --> 00:13:13,190 You get a small taste of God's blessing and you wanna park 162 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:18,420 there? I'm happy God don't change it. 163 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:24,700 And that's the exactly the pragmatism that Peter, James and 164 00:13:24,710 --> 00:13:29,000 John showed on the Mount of Transfiguration, where Jesus 165 00:13:29,470 --> 00:13:34,800 peels back a layer of his humanity to reveal his glory. 166 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:40,440 And Moses and Elijah were there too, talking with Jesus and 167 00:13:40,450 --> 00:13:44,940 those disciples, just getting a glimpse of Christ glory in a 168 00:13:44,950 --> 00:13:49,440 heavenly scene. We're wanting to park up there. 169 00:13:49,790 --> 00:13:55,260 Let's build some tents and camp here with with Moses and Elijah. 170 00:13:55,270 --> 00:13:57,910 This is wonderful. We don't want it to ever end. 171 00:13:58,710 --> 00:14:02,300 And justice like that. Jesus covers his glory with his 172 00:14:02,310 --> 00:14:05,050 humanity. They disappear. 173 00:14:05,860 --> 00:14:08,180 It was just a foretaste of things to come. 174 00:14:09,350 --> 00:14:13,880 And as content and blessed as Joseph may have been, as Potter 175 00:14:13,890 --> 00:14:19,560 offers Head of Household, there was more to come. 176 00:14:19,970 --> 00:14:26,400 Much, much more. The question I have for you. 10 177 00:14:26,460 --> 00:14:32,970 You trust God no matter what tomorrow looks like, because for 178 00:14:32,980 --> 00:14:39,830 Joseph, his tomorrow was to be the inside of Pharaoh's prison 179 00:14:41,430 --> 00:14:45,540 just like that. These are unpredictable and 180 00:14:45,550 --> 00:14:54,370 dramatic scenes unfolding in front of Joseph, and the comfort 181 00:14:54,820 --> 00:14:58,810 and security he he enjoys is about to unravel. 182 00:14:59,540 --> 00:15:05,630 Joseph was to be both tested and refined and things were going to 183 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:10,610 change fast. You know, Joseph was an exempt 184 00:15:10,660 --> 00:15:16,410 was as exemplary and form and appearance and she wasn't 185 00:15:16,420 --> 00:15:22,410 character drawing the overtures of Potter's wife. 186 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:25,960 And that's probably an understatement. 187 00:15:27,490 --> 00:15:29,640 Receive. And his master's wife looked 188 00:15:29,710 --> 00:15:36,840 with desire at Joseph, and she said, Lie with me, But he 189 00:15:36,850 --> 00:15:42,270 refused, and said to his master's wife, Behold with me 190 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:45,210 here. My master does not concern 191 00:15:45,220 --> 00:15:50,920 himself with anything, and he has put all that he owns in my 192 00:15:50,930 --> 00:15:54,620 charge. There is no one greater than I 193 00:15:54,670 --> 00:16:02,310 in this house, and he has withheld nothing from me except 194 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:10,680 you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great 195 00:16:10,690 --> 00:16:17,280 evil and sin against God? This was Joseph's wilderness 196 00:16:17,350 --> 00:16:23,620 experience. The devil took him to a very 197 00:16:23,630 --> 00:16:31,030 high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and 198 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:36,470 their glory. And he said to him, All these I 199 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:41,400 will give to you if you fall down and worship me. 200 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:47,830 Part of A has put everything he owns and Joseph's charge. 201 00:16:48,650 --> 00:16:52,020 He doesn't concern himself with anything. 202 00:16:52,530 --> 00:16:56,300 There is no one greater and part of his house than Joseph. 203 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:03,220 And the only thing that Joseph does not have as part of his 204 00:17:04,349 --> 00:17:15,060 wife and the devil is saying to Joseph here, she is the only 205 00:17:15,069 --> 00:17:18,920 part of your master's Kingdom that you do not rule. 206 00:17:18,990 --> 00:17:24,490 I give to you now if you just fall down and lie with her. 207 00:17:26,060 --> 00:17:31,750 This is Joseph being tested. This is Joseph qualifying for 208 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:36,570 the refining that's ahead. Can you see the imagery? 209 00:17:37,540 --> 00:17:44,280 The portrait of Christ, part of his wife, Was the apple in the 210 00:17:44,290 --> 00:17:49,660 garden, the only tree from which the fruit were withheld from 211 00:17:49,670 --> 00:17:54,950 Joseph. And so Joseph must contend with 212 00:17:54,960 --> 00:18:01,060 his adversary. As she spoke to Joseph day after 213 00:18:01,070 --> 00:18:06,160 day, verse 10, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be 214 00:18:06,170 --> 00:18:09,550 with her. Now it happened one day that he 215 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,960 went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the 216 00:18:12,970 --> 00:18:17,140 household were there inside. She caught him by his garment 217 00:18:17,690 --> 00:18:24,910 saying lie with me, and he left his garment in her hand and 218 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:30,530 fled. Joseph was made of better stuff 219 00:18:30,540 --> 00:18:35,400 than his brothers. He was made of better stuff than 220 00:18:35,410 --> 00:18:40,260 Adam. Because right here, Joseph is 221 00:18:40,270 --> 00:18:44,750 the second Adam. This is what Adam and Eve should 222 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:47,850 have done, could have done, but didn't. 223 00:18:49,110 --> 00:18:51,580 This account has nothing to do with Paul's admonition to 224 00:18:51,590 --> 00:18:54,670 Timothy. Flee youthful passion. 225 00:18:56,710 --> 00:19:01,040 Wasn't Joseph that was lusting. This has everything to do with 226 00:19:01,050 --> 00:19:04,360 keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and perfector 227 00:19:04,370 --> 00:19:07,740 of your faith. Joseph wasn't so much running 228 00:19:07,750 --> 00:19:12,620 from temptation as he was running to God, the God of 229 00:19:12,630 --> 00:19:16,730 Israel, the one who was with Joseph, the one who bestowed 230 00:19:16,740 --> 00:19:22,310 favour on Joseph, God the author of all Joseph success. 231 00:19:24,260 --> 00:19:27,710 Joseph knew what side his bread was buttered. 232 00:19:28,890 --> 00:19:35,540 The question is, do we? This has everything to do with 233 00:19:35,550 --> 00:19:39,380 God putting Joseph through a trial, testing a saying, 234 00:19:39,420 --> 00:19:42,860 refining, proving him for what is next. 235 00:19:42,950 --> 00:19:45,570 And Joseph was not found wanting. 236 00:19:46,900 --> 00:19:51,870 Joseph is a portrait of Christ, one who was tempted in all 237 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:55,910 things, as we are, yet without sin. 238 00:19:57,790 --> 00:20:02,810 Now, don't you think Joseph deserves some accolades? 239 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:09,520 Some recognition, Pat on the back, a reward. 240 00:20:11,230 --> 00:20:14,600 Jesus did everything asked of him. 241 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:23,650 He was faithful, obedient, above reproach and God said to Jesus, 242 00:20:24,620 --> 00:20:31,220 ride into Jerusalem, where you will be falsely accused, wrongly 243 00:20:31,230 --> 00:20:35,240 condemned and crucified with criminals. 244 00:20:36,770 --> 00:20:43,590 Joseph was about to have his Jerusalem while part of his wife 245 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:46,100 played the only card she had left. 246 00:20:47,750 --> 00:20:53,060 False testimony O She left his garment beside her until his 247 00:20:53,070 --> 00:20:56,580 master came home. Then she spoke to him these 248 00:20:56,590 --> 00:21:00,110 words. The Hebrew slave whom you 249 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:07,240 brought to us came in to make sport of me, the sound like 250 00:21:07,570 --> 00:21:13,930 Adam, the woman you gave me. And as I raised my voice and 251 00:21:13,940 --> 00:21:17,560 screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside. 252 00:21:18,470 --> 00:21:23,370 Now when has Master heard the words of his wife, which she 253 00:21:23,380 --> 00:21:28,310 spoke to him, saying, This is what your slave did to me, his 254 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:34,250 anger band. So Joseph's master took him and 255 00:21:34,260 --> 00:21:38,480 put him in gaol, the place where the King's prisoners were 256 00:21:38,490 --> 00:21:44,470 confined, and he was there in gaol, unjustly condemned. 257 00:21:46,020 --> 00:21:48,910 Joseph doesn't defend himself before Potiphar. 258 00:21:50,250 --> 00:21:54,940 Joseph knows he has no further future in the Kingdom of 259 00:21:54,950 --> 00:21:58,300 Potterfield. There's nothing there for him. 260 00:21:59,300 --> 00:22:02,430 Just like that, it all comes to an end. 261 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,290 No trial, no appeal, no Supreme Court. 262 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:12,660 Just the prospect of an indefinite imprisonment when 263 00:22:12,670 --> 00:22:15,350 things in our lives turned to custard. 264 00:22:16,550 --> 00:22:20,980 Happened fast, doesn't it? Verse 21. 265 00:22:21,450 --> 00:22:26,120 But the Lord was with Joseph, and extended kindness to him, 266 00:22:26,190 --> 00:22:29,320 and gave him favour in the sight of the gaoler. 267 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:33,350 The chief gaoler committed to Joseph's charge all the 268 00:22:33,360 --> 00:22:37,220 prisoners who were in the gaol, so that whatever was done where 269 00:22:37,230 --> 00:22:41,430 he was responsible for it, the chief Jayla did not have to 270 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,050 supervise anything because the Lord was with him, and whatever 271 00:22:45,060 --> 00:22:49,570 he did, the Lord made to prosper Joseph. 272 00:22:49,620 --> 00:22:54,620 Circumstances are changing from bad to worse and they are 273 00:22:54,630 --> 00:22:57,920 whipping him around like the back end of a roller coaster, 274 00:22:58,370 --> 00:23:04,380 but it's just background noise. The constant being God was with 275 00:23:04,390 --> 00:23:09,280 Joseph and God brings joy to circumstances. 276 00:23:11,420 --> 00:23:15,120 Now Joseph may have won the trust of the gaoler, but at the 277 00:23:15,130 --> 00:23:17,730 end of the day he was still in prison. 278 00:23:18,460 --> 00:23:24,640 And Sam 105 gives us another angle on Joseph's experiences. 279 00:23:25,990 --> 00:23:31,230 So 105 verse 17, you don't don't have to turn there, he said. 280 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:36,320 A man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 281 00:23:37,420 --> 00:23:39,640 They afflicted his feet with fetters. 282 00:23:40,300 --> 00:23:45,690 He himself was laid and iron. This was still a dungeon. 283 00:23:46,980 --> 00:23:51,830 He felt the chains. He felt the shackles, the 284 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:58,440 confinement and darkness until that time that his word came to 285 00:23:58,450 --> 00:24:01,400 pass. The word of the Lord tested him. 286 00:24:02,730 --> 00:24:08,440 The King sent and released him. Is God in control of your 287 00:24:08,450 --> 00:24:13,060 circumstances? And if he is, do you trust His 288 00:24:13,070 --> 00:24:21,140 timing, both going into a trial and coming out of it well, the 289 00:24:21,150 --> 00:24:31,470 time that his word came to pass? Sing 105 verse 19 was the day 290 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:37,470 Pharaoh's cup bearer and Baker turned up and Joseph Gaol both 291 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:41,920 had a dream the same night. Chapter 40, Verse 5. 292 00:24:42,750 --> 00:24:46,160 Each man with his own dream, and each dream with its own 293 00:24:46,170 --> 00:24:51,450 interpretation. When Joseph came to them in the 294 00:24:51,460 --> 00:24:57,370 morning, he observed them and behold, they were dejected. 295 00:24:58,130 --> 00:25:02,350 He asked Fierro's officials, who were in confinement in his 296 00:25:02,360 --> 00:25:06,280 master's house. That's the Baker and the cup 297 00:25:06,290 --> 00:25:10,250 bearer. Why are your faces sad today? 298 00:25:11,810 --> 00:25:17,330 Take note of this. Even in Joseph's incarceration, 299 00:25:17,790 --> 00:25:20,300 he was considering the interests of others. 300 00:25:22,700 --> 00:25:29,020 It was Joseph who inquired of their dejected countenance and 301 00:25:29,030 --> 00:25:36,320 as a result of that encounter, the clock began ticking on his 302 00:25:36,390 --> 00:25:40,800 ticket out of the. And so Joseph proceeded to 303 00:25:40,810 --> 00:25:45,430 interpret their dreams of the Baker's dream. 304 00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:50,510 Verse 19. Within three more days, Pharaoh 305 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:58,400 will lift up your head from you, and we'll hang you on a tree, 306 00:25:59,110 --> 00:26:01,530 and the birds will eat the flesh off you. 307 00:26:02,850 --> 00:26:07,740 Joseph certainly wasn't shy of preaching the hard text, was he? 308 00:26:09,220 --> 00:26:13,390 He didn't dress that one up of the cup bearer. 309 00:26:14,270 --> 00:26:19,100 Within three more days, Fiera will lift up your head and 310 00:26:19,110 --> 00:26:23,240 restore you to your office, and you will put the cup in 311 00:26:23,250 --> 00:26:29,690 Pharaoh's hand according to your former custom, where you will be 312 00:26:29,700 --> 00:26:34,950 his cup bearer. Only keep me in mind when it 313 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:41,100 goes well with you. And please do me a kindness by 314 00:26:41,110 --> 00:26:46,190 mentioning me to Pharaoh and Get Me Out of this house. 315 00:26:47,100 --> 00:26:51,090 Fire was in fact kidnapped from the land of the Hebrew, and even 316 00:26:51,100 --> 00:26:55,590 here I have done nothing that they should put me into this 317 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:59,650 dungeon. I'll give it to Joseph. 318 00:27:01,060 --> 00:27:06,950 He didn't have many cards to play either, but he wasn't going 319 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:13,790 to miss the one he had. Joseph, that dying thief on the 320 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:18,650 cross. Remember Me when you get to your 321 00:27:18,660 --> 00:27:24,500 Father's Kingdom. And like the thief John, Joseph 322 00:27:24,510 --> 00:27:28,380 played the only card he had. And that's a perspective and 323 00:27:28,390 --> 00:27:32,360 tragedy. Do all that you can, as little 324 00:27:32,370 --> 00:27:35,880 as it may be, and let God do what you can't. 325 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:44,660 Mr. Montana. Remember Me when it goes well 326 00:27:44,670 --> 00:27:47,800 with you and you're restored to the office of holding. 327 00:27:47,810 --> 00:27:54,290 Pharaoh's Cup has wine goblet, and do me a kindness by 328 00:27:54,300 --> 00:28:00,210 mentioning me to him, and Get Me Out of this prison, Joseph says. 329 00:28:01,410 --> 00:28:04,360 And that's what came about on the third day, which was Vera's 330 00:28:04,370 --> 00:28:07,800 birthday, that he made a feast for all of his servants, verse 331 00:28:07,810 --> 00:28:10,200 20. And he lifted up the head of the 332 00:28:10,210 --> 00:28:14,520 chief cup bearer and the head of the chief Baker among his 333 00:28:14,530 --> 00:28:18,890 servants. He restored the chief cup bearer 334 00:28:18,900 --> 00:28:25,520 to his office, and he put the cup into Ferrer's hand, but he 335 00:28:25,530 --> 00:28:30,340 hanged the chief Baker, just as Joseph had interpreted them. 336 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:35,310 There's the portrait of Christ that Steve was alluding to last 337 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:39,390 week. The Baker hanged, the bread 338 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:46,390 broken, the cup bearer restored, the wine poured out as often as 339 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:52,810 Pharaoh drinks it. Remember Me looking good? 340 00:28:54,380 --> 00:29:00,640 Yeah, yet the chief Cup bearer did not remember Joseph but 341 00:29:00,650 --> 00:29:05,050 forgot him. The cup bearer enjoyed his happy 342 00:29:05,060 --> 00:29:11,450 place, but it was at no small inconvenience to Joseph, was it? 343 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:16,540 But the clock was ticking, folks. 344 00:29:16,550 --> 00:29:21,730 It was another two full years before that cup bearer had some 345 00:29:21,790 --> 00:29:26,110 memory recall, and even that took a pretty big prompt. 346 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:30,190 The timing is everything, isn't it? 347 00:29:31,980 --> 00:29:34,730 And two years later was the right time. 348 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:43,750 Can you trust God's timing at this precise occasion? 349 00:29:44,020 --> 00:29:50,100 Pharaoh had two dreams that needed interpreting. 7 fat cows, 350 00:29:50,110 --> 00:29:54,670 sleek, shiny, content, grazing and the Nile marshland. 351 00:29:55,400 --> 00:30:00,810 And up from the Nile rise 7 skinny cows, mangy, gaunt, 352 00:30:00,850 --> 00:30:05,000 disfigured. And the seven skinny cows gobble 353 00:30:05,010 --> 00:30:09,800 up the seven fat cows, yet remained just as sick, thin and 354 00:30:09,810 --> 00:30:14,220 ugly as before. A similar dream was repeated 355 00:30:14,230 --> 00:30:18,570 with ears of wheat. This wasn't another dream to be 356 00:30:18,580 --> 00:30:20,970 brushed off with the breakfast of bacon and eggs. 357 00:30:22,900 --> 00:30:26,520 God had Pharaohs complete attention. 358 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:33,730 The dream was very real and Pharaoh was deeply troubled by 359 00:30:33,740 --> 00:30:38,370 them. Making matters worse was that no 360 00:30:38,380 --> 00:30:41,940 magician, says soothsayer, conjurer or witch doctor in the 361 00:30:41,950 --> 00:30:46,900 land, could give Pharaoh A satisfactory explanation. 362 00:30:49,570 --> 00:30:52,030 And who was on the front row seat? 363 00:30:52,350 --> 00:30:55,260 Well, all these things were going on. 364 00:30:56,780 --> 00:30:59,160 Hmm. Mr. Montana? 365 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:10,260 Ah, your ex. Baker and I once met a Hebrew 366 00:31:10,270 --> 00:31:16,500 man in prison, and just as he interpreted our dreams for us, 367 00:31:16,510 --> 00:31:21,070 so it happened. Cometh the hour. 368 00:31:21,910 --> 00:31:27,750 Come up the man the inferior scent and called for Joseph 1st 369 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:31,470 14 and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon 370 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:37,050 hurriedly. It happened fast. 371 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:41,260 God, where are you in this prison? 372 00:31:42,950 --> 00:31:45,690 God, where are you in this injustice? 373 00:31:47,090 --> 00:31:49,680 God, where are you in this tragedy? 374 00:31:50,550 --> 00:31:53,780 God, where are you? Where are you? 375 00:31:54,090 --> 00:31:59,310 And then bang, just like that. Timing is everything. 376 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:05,710 We're like give me out of here now. 377 00:32:06,460 --> 00:32:11,620 I hate this. Get Me Out of here now. 378 00:32:14,170 --> 00:32:18,690 In your timing, what are you getting out to? 379 00:32:20,670 --> 00:32:22,560 You'll have the trust God's timing. 380 00:32:23,530 --> 00:32:28,000 Ohh, not at all. And Joseph is presented before 381 00:32:28,010 --> 00:32:35,170 Pharaoh, all decked out, clean, showered shaven cloth. 382 00:32:35,830 --> 00:32:41,120 Maybe a haircut presented to Pharaoh. 383 00:32:43,910 --> 00:32:49,120 Joseph. When it comes to dreams, I hear 384 00:32:49,130 --> 00:32:55,240 you're the man to meet. And so Joseph does what Joseph 385 00:32:55,250 --> 00:33:00,760 does. God has shown this. 28 God has 386 00:33:00,770 --> 00:33:02,840 shown to fear of what he is about to do. 387 00:33:02,850 --> 00:33:05,660 Behold, 7 years of great abundance are coming, and all 388 00:33:05,670 --> 00:33:09,660 the land of Egypt, and after them seven years of famine will 389 00:33:09,670 --> 00:33:14,090 come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of 390 00:33:14,100 --> 00:33:18,150 Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land. 391 00:33:18,500 --> 00:33:23,530 So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that 392 00:33:23,540 --> 00:33:27,560 subsequent famine, for it will be very severe. 393 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:31,700 Think about it. This is no small matter. 394 00:33:33,030 --> 00:33:35,060 Seven years of abundance in Egypt? 395 00:33:35,330 --> 00:33:40,140 Yeah, that's all good souvenirs of famine. 396 00:33:41,070 --> 00:33:45,100 No, not that. That's not good at all because 397 00:33:45,450 --> 00:33:50,460 people need to eat everyday. We run out of veggies in a week 398 00:33:52,300 --> 00:33:56,220 after fortnight without a trip to New World. 399 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:00,040 I've been in the fridge as either entertainment or 400 00:34:00,050 --> 00:34:03,690 exercise. It's certainly not to find food, 401 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:08,110 but seven years? No, that doesn't work for 402 00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:11,389 anybody. The dream might have been 403 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:15,080 Pharaohs, but the plan was Joseph's. 404 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:21,739 Verse 33 Now let Pharaoh look for a man descending and wise, 405 00:34:22,429 --> 00:34:24,600 and set them over the land of Egypt. 406 00:34:25,610 --> 00:34:29,780 Let Farah take action to appoint overseers and charge of the 407 00:34:29,790 --> 00:34:33,120 land, and then him exact the 5th of the produce of the land of 408 00:34:33,130 --> 00:34:35,270 Egypt and the seven years of abundance. 409 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:39,620 Then let them gather all the food of these good years that 410 00:34:39,630 --> 00:34:43,760 are coming and store up the grain for food in the cities 411 00:34:43,770 --> 00:34:46,400 under Pharaohs authority and let them garden. 412 00:34:49,020 --> 00:34:54,130 Get a store guard. It's good sermon outline. 413 00:34:55,409 --> 00:34:59,300 Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years 414 00:34:59,310 --> 00:35:02,740 of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the 415 00:35:02,750 --> 00:35:05,320 land will not perish during the famine. 416 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:12,190 The proposals seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants. 417 00:35:13,420 --> 00:35:18,660 The plan barely touches the ground and Pharaohs fears like 418 00:35:18,720 --> 00:35:21,410 Yep that sounds good we'll do it. 419 00:35:23,120 --> 00:35:27,300 It's obvious Joseph, the only person and Pharah's entourage 420 00:35:27,310 --> 00:35:29,680 that has any idea what's going on. 421 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:32,860 Everyone else like stunned mullets. 422 00:35:34,260 --> 00:35:36,870 You've heard this. There's three kinds of people. 423 00:35:37,740 --> 00:35:42,990 Those who make things happen. Those who watch things happen 424 00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:49,280 and those who say what happened, they're all that group. 425 00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:53,230 Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He's no dummy. 426 00:35:53,240 --> 00:35:57,710 He's sovereign over a nation. But right here, right now, he's 427 00:35:57,720 --> 00:36:02,040 bending like a banana pasta scene. 428 00:36:02,860 --> 00:36:07,360 Play DoH. Take a look at Proverbs 21, 429 00:36:07,370 --> 00:36:10,080 verse one. The King's heart is like 430 00:36:10,090 --> 00:36:12,660 channels of water in the hand of the Lord. 431 00:36:12,670 --> 00:36:17,510 He turns it wherever he wishes. Well, this saying illustrates 432 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:21,760 exactly what that verse is saying, and it gets even better 433 00:36:21,770 --> 00:36:25,540 for Joseph. And first said to us servants, 434 00:36:25,670 --> 00:36:29,960 can we find a man like this and whom is a divine spirit? 435 00:36:30,820 --> 00:36:36,820 So Joe, Pharaoh said to Joseph, since God has informed you of 436 00:36:36,870 --> 00:36:43,900 all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are. 437 00:36:45,170 --> 00:36:50,020 In the same breath, Pharaoh credits God of the God of Israel 438 00:36:50,350 --> 00:36:57,590 and bestows on Joseph the undisputed title, Wisest man in 439 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:01,390 Egypt. You shall be over my house, 440 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:05,080 verse 40. And according to your command, 441 00:37:05,620 --> 00:37:13,490 all my people shall do homage to you, and only in the throne will 442 00:37:13,500 --> 00:37:19,390 I be greater than you. Joseph, Here's the keys to my 443 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:25,360 Kingdom. Take him, and at your word, all 444 00:37:25,430 --> 00:37:28,690 my subjects will bow down to you. 445 00:37:29,960 --> 00:37:35,900 See the irony? A nation bows down to Joseph. 446 00:37:37,780 --> 00:37:44,090 Do you think that Joseph is quietly weeping, marvelling and 447 00:37:44,100 --> 00:37:50,830 wonder of God? Yeah, I I do, Pharaoh happy to 448 00:37:50,840 --> 00:37:56,400 be the puppet king. Well, everything that really 449 00:37:56,410 --> 00:38:02,750 matters belongs to Joseph. Then Fiera took off his signet 450 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:07,730 ring from his hand and put it on to Joseph's hand and clothed him 451 00:38:07,740 --> 00:38:11,110 and garments are fine linen, and put the gold necklace around his 452 00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:14,670 neck. He made had him ride in the 453 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:22,250 second chariot and they proclaimed before him bow the 454 00:38:22,260 --> 00:38:25,620 knee. Daniel wasn't fussed about the 455 00:38:25,630 --> 00:38:33,130 baubles of office offered him by Belshazzar and Daniel. 5 shit to 456 00:38:34,420 --> 00:38:37,050 that king. Let your gifts be for yourself 457 00:38:37,060 --> 00:38:41,670 and give your reward to another. I don't think Joseph was too 458 00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:46,140 fussed about them either. The regalia that came with the 459 00:38:46,150 --> 00:38:50,660 office wasn't for Joseph, it was for God. 460 00:38:52,570 --> 00:38:59,500 They displayed God's power, His rule, His accomplishment of His 461 00:38:59,510 --> 00:39:04,730 divine purposes. This is a portrait of the 462 00:39:04,740 --> 00:39:12,560 returning Christ. Drift for the part and justice 463 00:39:12,570 --> 00:39:20,250 when you thought it couldn't get any better for Joseph the icing 464 00:39:22,100 --> 00:39:29,650 ferocious to Joseph, though I am Pharaoh, yet without your 465 00:39:29,660 --> 00:39:34,290 permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in the land of 466 00:39:34,300 --> 00:39:38,660 Egypt. And just that decree right 467 00:39:38,670 --> 00:39:45,880 there, that last minute policy amendment, locks Joseph into a a 468 00:39:45,890 --> 00:39:51,640 divinely appointed trajectory with his brothers destined to 469 00:39:51,650 --> 00:39:56,480 meet again and the most amazing displays of love, mercy and 470 00:39:56,490 --> 00:39:58,520 forgiveness you will ever witness. 471 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:05,210 And that will be Part 3. Was this a meteoric rise in a 472 00:40:05,220 --> 00:40:09,590 single day, elevated from a dungeon to a ruler of Egypt 473 00:40:09,900 --> 00:40:15,050 before whom all bowed the knee? I'm feeling dizzy just 474 00:40:15,060 --> 00:40:19,940 recounting it. Spectacular, unimaginable, 475 00:40:20,310 --> 00:40:30,260 incomprehensible, and the For the final portrait, think of 476 00:40:30,270 --> 00:40:35,340 Joseph's life up to now and then think of Christ. 477 00:40:36,600 --> 00:40:40,160 Christ leaves the glory of heaven, the eternal promised 478 00:40:40,170 --> 00:40:45,490 Land, and he comes to a foreign land with nothing in his hand, 479 00:40:48,440 --> 00:40:53,120 not to be served, but to serve the servant king. 480 00:40:54,810 --> 00:40:58,440 And although blameless, he is falsely accused and condemned to 481 00:40:58,450 --> 00:41:01,560 die. And in God's timing. 482 00:41:04,020 --> 00:41:08,750 Yet while the clock is ticking and the clock is ticking, he 483 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:17,230 returns as King, the day of the Lord, and rains and glory, and 484 00:41:17,240 --> 00:41:21,270 at his name every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that 485 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:26,370 Jesus Christ is Lord Joseph. The ultimate portrait of Christ. 486 00:41:27,250 --> 00:41:29,520 We've observed perspective and tragedy. 487 00:41:30,010 --> 00:41:35,290 We've seen portraits of Christ. Thirdly, A prelude to heaven. 488 00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:41,560 How about reigning with Christ? If we endure, we will also reign 489 00:41:41,570 --> 00:41:44,860 with Him. And what about these 490 00:41:44,870 --> 00:41:47,950 superlatives of the indescribable abundance, 491 00:41:47,960 --> 00:41:54,120 blessing and fruitfulness? Verse 47 During the seven years 492 00:41:54,130 --> 00:41:58,320 of plenty, the land brought forth abundantly. 493 00:41:58,530 --> 00:42:01,210 So he gathered all the food of these seven years, which 494 00:42:01,220 --> 00:42:04,060 occurred in the land of Egypt, and placed the food in the 495 00:42:04,070 --> 00:42:06,940 cities. He placed in every city the food 496 00:42:06,950 --> 00:42:11,120 from the surrounding fields. Then Joseph stored up the grain 497 00:42:11,130 --> 00:42:17,260 and great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he 498 00:42:17,270 --> 00:42:22,090 stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure. 499 00:42:24,470 --> 00:42:29,490 Picture of heaven, Things which I have has not seen and there 500 00:42:29,500 --> 00:42:32,510 has not seen, and which have not entered the heart of man. 501 00:42:32,520 --> 00:42:35,450 All that God has prepared for those who love him. 502 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:41,520 Joseph Ascension is but a prelude of our ascension to 503 00:42:41,530 --> 00:42:45,390 depart with Christ. To depart and be with Christ for 504 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:50,400 that is far better. But right now we either serve 505 00:42:50,410 --> 00:42:55,130 and Potter's house well, we're being tested and refined and 506 00:42:55,140 --> 00:43:00,110 Pharaohs prison for I consider the sufferings of this present 507 00:43:00,120 --> 00:43:04,470 time and not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to 508 00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:10,410 be revealed to us. Romans 818 now 2. 509 00:43:10,500 --> 00:43:13,760 Two sons were born to Joseph. Well, in those seven years of 510 00:43:13,770 --> 00:43:17,030 abundance, he named the second son Ephraim. 511 00:43:17,580 --> 00:43:21,220 For he said God has made me fruitful in the land of my 512 00:43:21,230 --> 00:43:24,960 affliction. That was an understatement. 513 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:30,750 Joseph, First born, he named Manessa. 514 00:43:31,650 --> 00:43:38,580 For he said, God has made me forget all my trouble and all my 515 00:43:38,590 --> 00:43:43,930 father's household. For well over 13 years, Joseph 516 00:43:43,940 --> 00:43:50,540 has been burdened by memories of Canaan, the betrayal by his 517 00:43:50,550 --> 00:43:55,000 brothers, the loss of the father who loved him, and of course, 518 00:43:55,390 --> 00:43:57,320 thoughts of what might have been. 519 00:43:58,360 --> 00:44:01,690 And only now as ruler of Egypt and smothered and years of 520 00:44:01,700 --> 00:44:08,410 abundance and fruitfulness, he can genuinely say, God has made 521 00:44:08,420 --> 00:44:11,310 me forget the troubles of my past. 522 00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:18,510 The moment you see Christ and glory, you will forget your 523 00:44:18,520 --> 00:44:23,220 troubles. A prelude to heaven. 524 00:44:23,750 --> 00:44:29,060 But spare a thought for Joseph's brothers right now, and I'm 525 00:44:29,070 --> 00:44:33,930 closing with this. They're back in Canaan, left 526 00:44:33,940 --> 00:44:39,890 behind, self incarcerated in the prison of lies and deception, 527 00:44:40,610 --> 00:44:46,040 still haunted by the pleadings of their brother, reminded daily 528 00:44:46,050 --> 00:44:49,800 of the heartbreak they brought upon their father, who still 529 00:44:49,810 --> 00:44:54,150 grieves for his son, the one he loved most. 530 00:44:56,110 --> 00:45:01,270 But the brothers are hamstrung, frozen in a straight jacket of 531 00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:05,550 duplicity and hypocrisy, knowing that their brother, the favoured 532 00:45:05,560 --> 00:45:11,240 one of God, the one whom from home God's blessing flowed the 533 00:45:11,250 --> 00:45:18,490 Maker of dreams, their source of salvation my still be alive. 534 00:45:19,900 --> 00:45:24,210 But they will never be able to make things right without coming 535 00:45:24,220 --> 00:45:28,410 clean. A repentance that would expose 536 00:45:28,460 --> 00:45:32,370 the truth and what they really are. 537 00:45:34,450 --> 00:45:40,450 Where are you this morning? Are you with Joseph, untroubled 538 00:45:40,840 --> 00:45:46,080 by circumstance, an abundance and blessing, enjoying God with 539 00:45:46,090 --> 00:45:52,680 you even as he tests you, refines you, and blesses those 540 00:45:52,690 --> 00:45:57,570 around you? Or are you far away and Kanan, 541 00:45:57,580 --> 00:46:02,750 with Joseph's brothers, imprisoned in your own life of 542 00:46:02,760 --> 00:46:08,400 lies and deception, hamstrung by apocryphally, haunted with 543 00:46:08,410 --> 00:46:16,330 regret, wanting to be set free to be close to God, but fearful 544 00:46:16,340 --> 00:46:20,550 of a repentance that acknowledges and reveals what 545 00:46:20,560 --> 00:46:29,390 you really are? Joseph Brothers have no plan, no 546 00:46:29,400 --> 00:46:35,600 solution, no way out. But God has a plan for Joseph's 547 00:46:35,610 --> 00:46:41,210 brothers and for you. It's called the Gospel, and we 548 00:46:41,220 --> 00:46:46,170 will see that unfold in part three of our series, perhaps 549 00:46:46,420 --> 00:46:50,980 later in the year. It's titled When bad plus bad 550 00:46:50,990 --> 00:46:53,990 equals good. As for you, you meant evil 551 00:46:54,000 --> 00:46:57,540 against me, that God meant it for good. 552 00:46:59,280 --> 00:47:03,630 But if you're wanting to repent today, a you don't have to wait 553 00:47:03,640 --> 00:47:08,900 for Part 3. Today is the day of salvation. 554 00:47:09,570 --> 00:47:14,090 And remember, timing is everything.