Father, we thank you so much for Jesus Messiah.
Thank you for the light of the world.
Thank you for the hope you give the salvation that has been won
for us on the cross of Christ. We thank you for that place and
we thank you for the person of your beloved Son.
Father, we remember those who are not with us today.
We pray your blessing on the campers for the word of Life
outreach and those who are travelling at this time.
We thank you for the offering that's been taken.
We thank you for these gifts and, and dedicate them to you
for your for your Kingdom, for your work with Thanksgiving and
worship. And now, Lord, as we receive
your word, we pray your blessing for Gary, and we thank you for
him and for your word to us today in the name of the Lord
Jesus, Amy. Thank you, Andrew.
For not introducing me as a visiting speaker, Let's continue
in prayer. Father God.
Most totally lured. Lord of Lords, Lord of Hosts,
Creator. King and Saviour, I give you
thanks this morning for the privilege of preaching.
I thank. You for this opportunity, the
select turn, this audience and those who have afforded it to
me, thank. You for the holy.
Scripture from which I. Address.
And the Holy Spirit, by whom I address your most precious name.
Amen. Being offered a preaching.
Slot outside of Luke. Comes.
With the usual catch of. Having to choose a.
Topic. 18 months into Genesis, our Home group was already
immersed in the. Life of Joseph.
So an extension to the pulpit seemed like the logical thing to
do. Like Joseph, our lives.
Also take many varied twists and turns.
The future really goes. To plan and circumstances often
unravel around. Us quickly.
The people from whom we expect the most often deliver the
least. And all this while living in a
seemingly chaotic, weird and out of control world.
It's in this topsy. Turvy world.
We seek not only a purposeful and meaningful life, but the
passion and optimism to go with it.
So in this context. We are looking for learnings
from Joseph Shattered Dreams being the. 1st of a three-part
series of titled. Purpose and passion in a
perplexing world, Part 2. When lightning.
Strikes twice. And Part 3.
We're bad plus bad equals good. Will come next year.
If I don't. Outdo my welcome today, moving
through our text and Genesis chapter 37.
Joseph was 17 years of age, pastoring the flock.
With his brothers while he was still a youth.
Along with the sons of Bella and the sons of.
Zulfa, his father's wives. I think of Joseph.
We're here this morning. Here would be sitting over the
year. Maybe 5 rows back year 12.
And we need to remember in all of today's narrative, he was
very. Much the youth, but he also
worked as would be. Expected of him tending sheep
with. The ten older brothers.
There was an 11th at home, Benjamin much younger and.
Together, they rounded out the 12 tribes of Israel and Joseph
brought back a bad. Report about them.
To their father. Now this is significant for
whatever reason, and I'm sure you can all think of some.
Jacob. Loved Joseph more than.
All his other sons. We had given the region of
Joseph's. Birth and his old.
Age. The early 90s.
But it's what? Jacob may have done to
communicate. That love which complicated
Joseph's relationship with his brothers.
Favouritism is dangerous, thought maybe when you.
Favours or feel appropriate. At the time that there are
always negative consequences, both unintended and intended,
James speaks on the matter. In chapter 2.
That we shouldn't make distinctions based on external
measures an elevating some others are dishonoured the
emphasis of being external. Colour, race, wealth,
occupation. But doesn't pull saying
Galatians 610 let us. Do good to all.
People, and especially. To those of the household of the
faith. And justice was certainly in
the. Household of faith.
Seemingly unlike his brothers at the time.
The very coloured coat. Or technicoloured dream coat.
Sit Joseph apart. Quite the statement, wasn't it?
At home and the world. Of wearable arts, perhaps, but
it was probably. Only.
The straw that broke? The camel's back.
For Joseph's brothers, they saw that their father loved Joseph.
More than all of them, but it was not towards.
Their father that they directed. Their mirth.
Rather, it was Joseph they hated on.
It was Joseph to. Whom they could not speak on
friendly terms. Joseph.
Could hardly be blamed for his father's favouritism, could he?
This was more of a hospital pass for Joseph.
Undoubtedly, their respect for Jacob diminished and maybe the
reason why they played the harlot together when they.
Thought no one was. Watching in a manner that
dishonoured both their Father and God.
Also. I think 10 is too many.
To look after sheep. David Sheppard alone.
And found time. To meet with God.
The teen brothers seemingly had more time to get up to mischief.
Joseph strikes. Us early on as being his own
man. He was made.
Of different. Stuff to his brothers.
He didn't fall into group think or allow himself to be drawn
into his brother's antics or sell his.
Soul in a futile. Attempt at his brothers
acceptance and approval No. Doubt he had to do a lot of.
Selective listening. To overlook.
Provocation and offence to turn the other cheek and to have.
A pretty thick. Skin to contemplate a lifetime
and that toxic environment with any sort of optimism.
Yet that's the veritable. Path he was following.
But Joseph was also God's. Man chosen.
Cooled out. Even Spirit felt that's right.
Joseph had the Spirit of God as it tested.
Directly by Pharaoh and chapter 41 verified through his gifting
to interpret dreams. Illustrated through his.
Knowledge of good and evil and demonstrated in his discernment
and wisdom, exemplified by his ability to govern and rule at
the highest level. Not unlike Daniel just when the
Spirit of God entered Joseph. We aren't told, but I will
conject that this happened. Before he was 17.
Before this narrative begins here, God called Samuel.
Directly when he was but a boy. And that varied.
Coloured coat, said Joseph. Apart not only by Jacob, but by
God. This man will be different.
Even the name means to add symbolising, fruitfulness,
blessing and increase these God-given endearing qualities at
a young age. Could well.
Explain Jacob's delight in this particular sun.
It wasn't. Joseph's job to hide.
God's favour. Or diminish God's.
Blessing for the comfort or. Appeasement of his brothers
neither or Joseph to apologise for his moral.
Fortitude, integrity and conviction.
That Joseph drew such. Derision from his brothers was
simply. Evidence of their depravity?
Unbridled jealousy. Unrestrained hatred More.
Akin to spiritual suicide. On their part, we see a similar.
Spiritual suicide. From the second man, Kane and
Genesis. 4/4 the. Lord had regard for Abel and for
his offering, but for Cain and his offering, God had no regard.
This is not just about the offering.
This was the heart God had regard for Abel.
But for Kane, God had no regard. So what if God if God regards
Joseph? Amongst his brothers.
He regarded David amongst his brothers, didn't he?
And seeds of jealousy. Also took root and cane and
began to sprout and. Got aware that jealousy.
Was morphing into hatred provides opportunity for Kane to
deescalate and Genesis 4/7. If you do.
Well, will not your countenance be lifted up?
God. Says to Cain, And if you do not
do well, sin is crouching at the door, and it's desirous for you,
but you must master it. That jealous and emerging hatred
in the heart of Kane, crouching ready to pounce.
It seeks to control you, but you must overcome it, in other
words. There's a way out.
For Kane. There's a way out for Joseph's
brothers is a way out. For you and me.
God is faithful. Who will not allow you to be
tempted beyond? What you are able?
But with the temptation. Will provide the way of escape.
Also, let's pick up again back. In verse 2.
And Joseph? Brought back a bad report about
his brothers. I said this.
Was significant. Was a tittle tattle.
No, this was never about throwing his brothers under the
bus for one upmanship. This was about good and evil.
Respect for his father. And honour to the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We don't know.
What the report was. Well, I guarantee it wasn't
watering the sheet from the wrong well or not pulling the
rag. Ward has brothers finding
comfort in their frustration and resentment.
And in front of Joseph. Did some sort of evil.
In the sight of God, that also brought.
Shame on their father. Charter 38.
Gives us a hint. Gina was pretty quick to play
the harlot there. And if there's anything?
To like father like. Son Judith sons followed in his.
Footsteps. Genesis 38 seven due to oldest
son Ear was evil. In the sight of.
God and God killed him. Duda's second son, Onan, did
something displeasing. In the sight of God.
And God. Took his life too.
Something went down of which reporting to his.
Father was just. The right thing to do, and I
don't think for a moment that these.
Brothers of Joseph. Weren't working overtime.
To draw. Joseph into their group.
Think of gaming with God enticing him.
To be accepted. You know.
Be one of the Bros. The.
Reward for Joseph relief. From insult and abuse a vain.
Offer of their approval. But once complicit Josephs and
sneered forever, isn't he? Disqualified Why should he keep
his brother's dirty little secrets?
And in so doing. Implicate himself by
association. I'm telling you, Joseph the man,
probably the only reason God didn't strike those 10.
Brothers dead. Right then was Joseph, young
man, young woman be. Careful of the price.
Of friendship, acceptance and the.
Approval of others like Joseph. Reporting the misdemeanour lay
down a marker. Early.
Put your stake in the ground. It only gets harder the longer
longer it's left. In fact, once.
You've lost that credibility. Or integrity.
It's pretty much game over Joseph's passion for God and
honour. For for.
His father outweighed any desire for acceptance from his
brothers, but it only made the price on.
Joseph's head grow. Well, I've introduced.
The characters you get the gist. This is not happy families.
Jacob favours Joseph. God favours Joseph.
And for good reason. Then something dramatic happens.
God speaks through Joseph. In a dream, in fact, two dreams,
God reveals. God reveals.
If you like 3 points in a sermon, write these down.
God reveals, Joseph relates, Israel rejects.
God is revealing. What is to take place?
This is prophetic. Revelation in a dream.
The first dream fulfilled near term, the second both near term
and far term, perhaps even millennial.
And it's God's. Intention that Joseph.
Relate those dreams to. His brothers and father.
They are for his family and they aren't designed.
To be kept secret, Joseph relates.
Given what we already know, this is bound to create an
interesting dynamic, he said. Please, please listen to the
stream. Which I have had, for behold we
were. Binding sheaves in the field and
low my sheave. Rose up.
And also stood erect. Your sheaves.
Gather around my sheep and bowed down.
Well, that was like Red Rag football.
They fired up. Are you actually?
Gonna rain over us. Are you really gonna?
Rule over us. That didn't seem to need the
dream explained, did they? So they hated him even more for
his dreams and. For his words.
The problem? For his brothers was this was
God's. Revelation not.
Josephs, God's words, God's. Warning usually for the benefit
of the recipients so they have time to change or repent.
Now he had still another dream and related to his brothers and
said. Loo I've had.
Still another dream and behold, the sun, the moon, and 11 stars
were bowing down to me. I'm not sure Jason was looking
forward to telling them after their reaction to the first one,
even as father. Rebuked him.
What does the stream that you have had shall on your mother
and your brother's actually come to bow ourselves down before you
to the ground and huh, yawn, yawn.
The sad sex jealousy. Only grew while his father
sensed something was going on and kept the saying in mind.
A little bit like. Jesus's mother, who treasured
these things in her heart, this repeating of a dream.
This double. Telling telling happenings twice
for and. Peers is used frequently.
By the writer and the account. Of Joseph's life.
To dramatic effect for the removal of doubt and the
elimination of chance. That what God?
Has determined will certainly come.
To pass 3. Israel rejects the dreams Jacob,
whose name was changed to Israel together.
With his 12. Sons represents the earliest and
most succinct form of national Israel, doesn't it?
Now we move to our next scene. And a today that starts.
Out like any other. Jacob says Joseph, your brothers
are. Pastoring the flock at Chicken.
Will you check they're alright? And check the sheep and report
back to me. Come and I'll send you to them.
What would you be thinking? Of of that prospect.
They hate me. I feel like a lipper before my
own brothers. They don't understand me.
They can't stand me. I wanna.
See me like a hole in the head. So what does Joseph say to that?
Assignment. Yep, I'll go, I'll go.
His love for his father greater than self preservation.
Willing to do his father's bidding with nothing in it for
himself, at great personal risk of insult and injury, I think.
Of Isaiah the prophet. Here I am seeing me to the
people who don't want to listen and the people who don't want to
hear. Had fallen tents and purposes
Jacob could be sending. Jacob to his death that day.
And to a Hornets nest. A dove to a pack of wolves.
And off Joseph goes, not oblivious to the challenges.
That lay ahead. But certainly fearless, perhaps
naive, perhaps hoping today things will be different,
Certainly trusting God. No sign of them are.
Check em. With Josephs.
Wandering around kicking daisies, we would understand if
Joseph's not in a huge hurry for another serving of insults,
scorn and abuse. We get it.
But I'd rather. Spit suspect his nearness.
To God's heart gave him. Courage and inspiration Check
out the heart of God and these. Words of Jesus.
And look. Kept to six first. 22 to 23 Ohh
no do get the preach from Luke after all.
Blessed are. You when men hate you and
ostracise you and insult you and scorn your name as.
Evil for the sake. Of the Son of Man.
Be glad in that day and leap for joy.
For behold your reward. Is great in heaven for in the
same. Way their fathers used to treat
the prophets. Joseph was God's man, simply
undeniable, and a man finds him wandering in the.
Field. What are you?
Looking for I'm looking for my brothers.
Please tell me where they are pasturing the flock.
Then the man said they have moved from here.
I heard them say, let us go to Dothan.
And that was quite. Convenient, wasn't it?
Sometimes when these strangers turn up and key moments, they
are an Angel of the Lord. That's happened before.
An Angel gave Hagar directions in the desert.
An Angel guided Abraham, servant toward.
A wife of Isaac. We aren't told that.
Specifically, but I rather suspect.
Things aren't left to chance, for there was a divine
appointment to be had. With those brothers that day, a
bit like. Jesus and John 44 and he had to
pass through Samaria for that divine appointment.
Or the woman at the well. So Joseph went after his
brothers and found them in Dothan.
Dothan was not a small. Detour.
Perhaps 25K I ran one league. Of the telco Ultra.
Earlier this month, little under 3 hours.
So, say six hours. Or a young 17 year old, maybe
faster than me, walking over those trails.
He will need some water. I'm also picking that Joseph was
packing supplies from home. For his brothers.
After all, there were no shops out in the in the fields when
Jesse sent Josh, when Jesse sent David to check on the.
Welfare of his brothers. David took with him roasted
grain bread and cheese. When I do the rounds of my
workers doing the mahi. Perhaps with?
Chainsaws and hand cutting lines and the scrub.
It just seems right. To pack a cold Coke.
Or Red Bull and some snacks to give them a boost in the
afternoon rather than just turn up empty handed.
Levi and Jack and both attest to that.
Where am I going with? Us you'll see shortly.
When they saw him from a distance and before he came
close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.
They said to one another, Here comes this dreamer.
Now then, come and let us kill them and throw them into one of
the pits. And we will say a wild.
Beast devoured him, Then let's see what become of his dreams.
Just seeing. Joseph in the distance was
enough. The plot to kill him
spontaneous. The alibi Effortless.
The decision unanimous. Why?
Because I've already murdered them 1000 times in their hearts.
Whoever hates his brother. As a murderer, they've already
snuffed them out 100 times in their imaginings where the
rooted and jealousy or anger and.
Insatiable appetite of murderous.
Intent left unchecked and variably find its fulfilment and
the taking. Of life.
But there is another side to this equation.
It is possible. Is it possible to take a life?
Without God's permission. Sam 13916.
Your eyes have. Seen my unformed substance, and
in your book were written the days that were gained for me,
when as yet there was not one of them.
This was not Joseph's. Time, despite their murderous
intent. God has the final.
Say, and it wasn't to be that day.
In fact, Joseph lived. To 110 enough time to fulfil all
of God's and 10 God intended of them along with blessing upon
blessing. I've had my own.
Brushes with death. Ahead of my time, one was
particularly notable. A man thought.
He would resolve his father's. Grievance with me while using a
steel bar on a secluded. South Waikato Farm.
He had history. With pea and violent.
Assault with a weapon. Ali did not know that at the
time he approached me furnishing this weapon, I reminded him that
the matter. Was scheduled.
In the Small Claims Tribunal and IT.
Would be resolved there. He made some phone calls.
So did I. I rang a friend.
If I don't call you back today. This is where I am and I rang
111. I'm being prevented from leaving
a property. Well, in that conversation a gap
opened up and I told 111 I was going to take it despite his
attempts to block my. Path I drove.
Past and my Nissan Patrol towing a trailer.
I knew there was one more closed.
Gate at the Cowshed. Mike.
Arrived at that gate on his quad bike.
The same time as me and. With a cloud of dust.
I knew the situation was grim and I didn't really want my
children to lose their father in these circumstances.
I didn't want to smash. Through a gate.
Or charge around in my Ute. I said God, this is not what I
was expecting. Today.
This is your problem, although a little forced.
By circumstances I got to experience full.
Surrender to God's sovereignty. That what would happen next was
God's determination and. That was OK.
I was calm and at peace. Mike appeared in a flash,
brandishing his steel bar, frothing at the mouth and
screaming something unintelligible.
I sat there with my hands on the wheel, looking at him
approaching through my side window.
Within moments, the end of that steel bar came through the side
window, aimed right at my head being.
Deflected ever so slightly. By tempered glass.
An impact at the top of my shoulder.
Now there wasn't even a window between us.
He was still. Screaming, something froth
bubbling from his mouth. Pipe.
Raised. I knew what he had in mind.
I knew his intent just to raise my arm and self defence would
have been an invitation. For that colour.
Blow to my temple. With my hands still resting on
the steering wheel, I kept my gaze.
On the whites of his eyes. I looked to the back of the
whites of his eyes. Trying to get some connection,
then I said these 7 words. Don't do it, Mike.
Don't do it. With the fairness.
Of a school teacher to the the people.
Don't do it, Mike. Don't do it.
I did not shift my gaze from the.
Whites of his eyes. I've looked death.
In the eyes without fear or anxiety, I.
Tell you it's amazing. And the same for all of us.
Hopefully not in my circumstances.
He hesitated. I slowly opened my car door,
repeating those words, not taking my.
Eyes off his. Hands now by my side.
We stood face to face. I slowly stepped backwards.
And when I was outside the range of 1 thrust I turned and ran,
not looking back until I jumped the nearest fence.
Run away and live to run another day.
He certainly didn't chase me. Maybe he was relieved that I
left. I often wonder what he was
thinking in those moments. Who is this man staring me down
with nothing in his hands? No Fear takes my blow to his
head as if nothing happened and then instructing me.
Without a doubt. God took over my thoughts and
words. He constrained Mike's murderous
intent, his thoughts and actions.
And don't think for a moment God wasn't restraining Joseph's
brothers and it was Ruben who spoke first.
But Ruben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said,
let us. Not take his life.
Reuben further said shed no blood, Throw him into the pit
that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on them.
And Ruben intended to sneak back later.
To secretly rescue Joseph, Sir Joseph arrives.
At the camp of Olivia's to this scheming, they grab him, strip
him of the. Very coloured coat, he's.
Wearing and rather than murder, throw him in a.
Pit while they have. A committee meeting over lunch.
Why does the rider add this detail?
And I took him. And threw him into.
The Pit without any water in it. Then they sat down to eat a meal
with one hand, indulging their jealousy and hatred by subduing
and silencing their brother and a whole without even
consideration of some water to drink.
Even Jesus got. Vinegar.
This was personal while there are other hand shamely indulging
their hunger. With the food.
He had kindly carried over 25. Kilometres.
For them, just in case you were thinking.
They were nice brothers. Not to kill them.
They aren't nice men that crash. They have no style, no
conscience, no weakness, no scruples.
I shouldn't have an appetite. I should be vomiting gutless
wonders. The trying their father's trust
tonight, Jacob. The enjoyment of Joseph, God's
gift and blessing robbing. Joseph of his joy.
Exuberance and innocence, the very things.
They were so jealous of. And vainly attempting.
To thwart God's purposes have revealed.
And Joseph's dreams, all for their moment.
Of self. Gratification and momentary.
It was. Sin is a messy business that
really goes smoothly or according to plan.
The simplicity of this account. Belies what?
Really. Happened in Joseph's accosting
to slavery and many years later. Chapter 42.
Provides an insight into a vastly different reality.
For those brothers. When they said to one another.
Truly, we are guilty of our brother because we saw the
distress of his soul. When he pleaded.
With us. Yet we would not listen.
Therefore, this distress. Has come upon us.
They didn't listen to Joseph cries at the time because they
enjoyed his pleading. Weren't they reversing the dream
They rejected rewriting the future, so they thought there
sheaves of grain are upright. Erect.
It's Joseph Sheaf. That has bowed down.
Fold it. Over crying out, pleading for
mercy, they were putting that dream to bed once and for all.
Instead, his pleading haunted them like God Decane after he
bludgeoned able to death an explosion of jealous rage and
then hit Abel's body in a shallow grave and the Lord said
to Cain, where is. Able your brother.
I don't know my supposed to be keeping tabs on them.
God said what have. You done?
The voice of your brother's. Blood is crying to me from the
ground. That's chilling.
No sin is able to be hidden from God's gaze or scrutiny.
You might be forgiven of past sin, but it doesn't mean you
aren't. Still haunted with regrets.
Or even answered them saying. Did I tell you?
Do not send against the boy. And you would not listen.
Now comes the reckoning. For his blood.
Senators, always messier than you think.
Whatever it is. Yeah, may have been Reuben's
idea not to kill. Joseph, but it was Judas.
Idea to put him on a camel train to Egypt.
Judith gave 3 reasons that seemed to gain traction with his
brothers. What's the profit on us killing
them? We can sell.
Them to the Ishmaelites. As a slave and make some good
coin, we can get them out of our lives permanently, guaranteeing
Joseph and his dreams are dead and buried and we don't need to
kill our brother after all. He is our flesh, the very
coloured robe. The symbol of both Jacob and
God's favour on Joseph is smeared.
With goats blood. And the.
Story of a terrible. Animal attack is fabricated.
Jacob. Would have wanted.
To to see the body. Just like you and I would want
to, whatever its condition, he would have had some doubts, the
brothers now. Live with the lie.
And there is no end to that. Meanwhile, Jacobs distraught.
Sit up to. Grieve and orchestrated lie.
As beloved and honourable son, to all intents dead, he refuses
the comfort of his ten sons, and rightly so.
Meanwhile, Josephson Chains. As.
The slave he now has, the traders are hardly going to hand
over 20 shackles of silver and let them run off into the
desert. Are they?
Torn from the. Father he loved.
Betrayed by the only brothers he had forcefully deported from
Canaan, the land of promise, and on his way to an uncertain.
Future as a slave. In a foreign country, Joseph's
dreams. Shattered.
I'm sorry children, this is not a nice place to finish.
Usually our plans and intentions don't turn out.
The way we expect or hope. There are lots of surprises, but
not usually this bad. And it's going to get worse for
Joseph before it gets better. Part 2.
Hopefully next year when lightning strikes twice, more
dreams and an amazing insight into.
God, his purposes. And power.
Bad things happen to good people.
What's ahead for Joseph as what's ahead for us?
Abundance, surplus elevation more than he.
Could ever have hoped. For or imagined.
A real topology. Of what is going to happen.
As Joseph gives us a preview. Of what's to come to us in an
eternal Kingdom. The final Part 3 where when bad
plus bad equals goods like saying 1 + 1 = 7.
Yep, it is. That's how things work out in
God's economy. What you intended for evil, God
meant for good.