God’s Discipline & Our Dreams
Living The Dream • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 13 viewsLead Pastor Wes Terry preaches on Joseph’s reunion with his brothers and how God’s discipline intersects with his dreams for our lives.
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION:
INTRODUCTION:
Take your Bibles and turn them to Genesis 42. We’ll actually be covering a bit of ground this morning as we continue looking at these final chapters in this first book of the Bible.
One of the reasons I love the book of Genesis is because the characters are so relatable.
Whether Adam & Eve, Abraham or Jacob - their struggles and challenges are similar to our own.
Sometimes these challenges are self-inflicted because of foolish choices and sinful behavior.
Sometimes these challenges are externally imposed by the Lord for his intended purpose.
In today’s passage, we see a mixture of both as God uses Jospeh to test his brothers and exercise his loving discipline in each of their lives.
God’s Discipline
God’s Discipline
Through a series of unpleasant circumstances, God uses his discipline to bring Jospeh’s brothers to a place of genuine righteousness.
It’s a compelling picture of Hebrews 12:11.
11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
The life of Jospeh and his family is a test case of Hebrews 12.
It illustrates the direct connection between God’s discipline and our maturity.
In fact, the Greek word translated “discipline” in Hebrews 12:11 is where we get our English word “pediatrics.”
The job of a pediatrician is to “oversee the entire environment of a child so that they receive whatever they need to grow up healthy and strong.”
Maybe you did or didn’t have a great pediatrician. Maybe, like Jospeh, you had earthly parents who did a miserable job of tending to your needs.
But we have a Father in heaven who is the ULTIMATE pediatrician in that he oversees every environment of OUR life so that we receive whatever we need to grow up healthy and strong.
Set the Table
Set the Table
For those of you who are new to the story let me set the table for where we’ve been.
Jospeh is the favored son of Jacob who was the son of Isaac who was the chosen son of Abraham.
Abraham was chosen by God to be the mediator of covenant through which the Messiah would one day come.
The book of Genesis has been tracing the seed of that promise from generation to generation while highlighting the faithfulness of God despite the sinfulness of man.
In the case of Jospeh, dad’s favoritism created such a deep hatred that they decided to rid themselves of their brother by selling him into slavery.
He was sold in Egypt to a man named Potiphar who unjustly imprisoned Jospeh for resisting the advances of Potiphar’s wife. (long story)
God used those prison years to develop and discipline Jospeh so that when Pharoah came knocking he was ready to go.
Jospeh’s successful interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream elevated him to second in command over all of Egypt and that’s where we last left him.
Jospeh had been given an Egyptian title, married an Egyptian wife and had Egyptian kids growing up in an Egyptian culture.
Nevertheless, he maintained his integrity and trust in the Lord - even as he saved Egypt and the surrounding regions during a terrible famine.
Genesis 42 opens with Jacob and his son starving in Canaan because the famine had disrupted their lives as well.
Read the Text
Read the Text
Let’s pick it up in Genesis 42:1
1 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you keep looking at each other? 2 Listen,” he went on, “I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we will live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he thought, “Something might happen to him.”
5 The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6 Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. 7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them.
“Where do you come from?” he asked.
“From the land of Canaan to buy food,” they replied.
8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.
THE DIFFICULTY OF DISCIPLINE
THE DIFFICULTY OF DISCIPLINE
Before we read further, I just want to point out a few things.
There are some important similarities between the language of Genesis 42 and the chapters preceding it.
The picture of Joseph’s brother’s bowing down before him is a direct fulfillment of Jospeh’s dream in Genesis 37:7, 9.
The language of Jospeh speaking “harshly” to his brothers is the same language of Genesis 37:4. “could not speak peaceably to him.”
Already we can see God’s plan coming to fruition and a testing of Jospeh’s brothers that was similar to what they inflicted on him as a child.
Extinguishing Comfort
Extinguishing Comfort
What were the circumstances leading them to that place? A famine. This is nothing new in the book of Genesis.
God regularly uses seasons of famine and hardship to put us in a position to receive what we need.
He did it in the life of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and now he’s doing it again.
God will eradicate comfort to motivate a choice.
You can see this disruption with Jospeh’s brothers because Jacob essentially tells them to “get up or die.” (Gen 42:2)
He asks them “Why do you keep looking at each other?!” (Gen 42:1)
I love that. There’s such a tendency to grow complacent and lazy and look to somebody else to improve your station in life. But that’s not how genuine maturity comes.
God will disrupt those seasons of laziness and comfort so that he can bring us to a place of openness and receptivity.
There were things that God wanted to accomplish in their lives but it would never happen while they were living in Canaan.
The Lord had to move em out and one of the ways he accomplished that was through this regional famine.
Obviously God could’ve have 1,000 other reasons for the famine but the point is he also used it to disrupt their comforts so they would get up and move.
Elevating Chaos
Elevating Chaos
As we read on we learn more of what God is up to. Genesis 42:9.
9 Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land.”
Again - notice the similarity and reversal.
One reason Joseph’s brothers hated him is because he would bring a report back to his father about their behavior.
Perhaps they even accused Jospeh of “being a spy.” “You’re just coming to find a way to make us look bad in the eyes of our Father.”
Now Jospeh is putting the shoe on the other foot. He’s speaking harshly to them like they did to him. He’s accusing them of behavior they once assigned to him.
I don’t think Jospeh is doing this out of anger or spite. We know from last week that he had forgiven his brothers and their hostility against him.
Jospeh REMEMBERS his dream. I think he sees this as an opportunity for God to test his brothers to see if anything had changed.
10 “No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food,” they said. 11 “We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies.”
12 “No,” he said to them. “You have come to see the weakness of the land.”
13 But they replied, “We, your servants, were twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living.”
14 Then Joseph said to them, “I have spoken: ‘You are spies!’ 15 This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one from among you to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 17 So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days.
Motivating Change
Motivating Change
You can’t help but secretly enjoy what Jospeh is doing here. He knows who they are but they don’t know who he is. He’s just playing with them.
Can you imagine what they would’ve thought? We just came here to buy some groceries and now this crazy man has us sitting in prison!
Again - notice the reversal. They threw Jospeh into a pit now he’s throwing them into a prison.
Three days they sat in that prison. Looking at each other. Wondering if this was all a crazy dream.
I don’t know for sure but I imagine one of them saying, “This is ridiculous! This is crazy!”
And God will often bring us a place in life where we think the very same thing.
God will disrupt a life of comfort to force us to a choice.
God will often elevate chaos to motivate a change.
Imagine how disoriented they must’ve been. Their circumstances had changed dramatically.
Normal was no longer an option. The status quo ship had sailed away.
What went through their mind when he refused to accept their word and said “You’re my prisoners until you prove it?”
Had God not done this they never would’ve gotten to the place he wanted them to be.
And what was that place? A place of genuine humility and grappling with their own guilt before the Lord.
Imposing Conviction
Imposing Conviction
That’s exactly what happens as we read on. Gen 42:18-24
18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “I fear God—do this and you will live. 19 If you are honest, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain to relieve the hunger of your households. 20 Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won’t die.” And they consented to this.
21 Then they said to each other, “Obviously, we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us.”
22 But Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn’t listen. Now we must account for his blood!”
23 They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. 24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes.
This story preaches itself. This is so good.
I imagine Joseph caught them off guard when he said, “I fear God.” How would this Egyptian official fear God? I thought they feared Pharoah and worshipped Ra.
Perhaps that’s why their mind drifted to their own guilt and accountability before the Lord.
Maybe it was a conversation they had regularly. Maybe it was a conversation that flowed directly from their imprisonment.
Whatever the reason, the verbally confess their sin against Jospeh.
The chaos that God unleashed in their life brought them to a place of genuine conviction followed by verbal confession.
What they did to their brother was wrong in the eyes of God.
God will often impose conviction to encourage confession.
Jospeh seemingly believed the conviction to be genuine because he was moved to tears upon their confession.
We’ll never get where God wants wants us to go if we’re unwilling to confess we’re not where we need to be.
There’s never any change without conviction and confession.
They had to speak it out loud. Jospeh needed to hear those words. They needed to hear each other say those words so that change could eventually come.
Application
Application
The same is true in your life.
It may be that the reason God has you in the pressure cooker is because you’ve been willing to talk about EVERYTHING EXCEPT your own sinful actions.
Sometimes God will allow other people to sin against us in just the same way that we sinned against another so we can look in the mirror and go, “Wow, that’s really messed up.”
Sin is almost impossible to see in the mirror which is why God allows us a taste of our own medicine.
The pain has a purpose in the redemptive plan of God. Let it have it’s intended affect.
He eradicates comfort to motivate a choice.
He elevates chaos to motivate a change.
He imposes conviction to motivate confession.
All of this discipline is for our God. It’s a painful but necessary providence from the Lord.
Extending Compassion
Extending Compassion
But the Lord doesn’t stop there. Upon their confession of sin Jospeh extends a little mercy.
25 Joseph then gave orders to fill their containers with grain, return each man’s silver to his sack, and give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out. 26 They loaded the grain on their donkeys and left there.
27 At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver there at the top of his bag. 28 He said to his brothers, “My silver has been returned! It’s here in my bag.” Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What has God done to us?”
I love this. Jospeh had every right to take their money because he filled their bags with grain. But he lets them keep their money. Why?
The Bible says it’s God’s “kindness” that leads us to a heart of repentance. (Rom 2:4)
The Lord is abounding in steadfast love. He’s rich in compassion and Jospeh is extending that compassion here.
They can even sense it’s a test from the Lord because “Their hearts sank. Trembling, they ask each other ‘What is God doing here?”
That word translated “trembling” is the same word used of Isaac when God convicted him of his sin and repented from that sin and surrendered to God’s will Jacob’s life.
29 When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them: 30 “The man who is the lord of the country spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country. 31 But we told him, ‘We are honest and not spies. 32 We were twelve brothers, sons of the same father. One is no longer living, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’ 33 The man who is the lord of the country said to us, ‘This is how I will know if you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go. 34 Bring back your youngest brother to me, and I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the country.’ ”
35 As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! When they and their father saw their bags of silver, they were afraid.
In discipline, God will extend some compassion to motivate contrition.
These brothers didn’t know what to do with this act by Jospeh. Even the Father was greatly afraid when he heard the entire story.
In Romans 12:20 Paul quotes Proverbs 25:21-22 saying, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he’s thirsty, give him a drink. In so doing you’ll heap fiery coals on his head.”
Some say this metaphor comes from Egyptian culture as carrying burning coals on one’s head was symbolic of their repentance.
When wrath is warranted but mercy is given, it quickens the conscience like nothing else can.
Has it ever happened to you? Doesn’t it mess with your head a little bit? Makes you think? “What’s going on here?”
That’s exactly what Jospeh is doing with this act of mercy and compassion. God uses it to awaken the conscience of his other brothers.
Summary
Summary
So God has tested these brothers by eradicating comfort, elevating chaos, imposing conviction and extending compassion.
All of this was done from a place of love and fatherly care. It was to motivate a …
choice they wouldn’t have otherwise made,
change they wouldn’t have otherwise experienced,
confession they wouldn’t have otherwise given,
and contrition they wouldn’t have otherwise felt.
Engineering a Crisis
Engineering a Crisis
The chapter closes with a final example of God’s painful discipline and it’s seen in Jacob’s response to these things.
36 Their father Jacob said to them, “It’s me that you make childless. Joseph is gone, and Simeon is gone. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything happens to me!”
37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You can kill my two sons if I don’t bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him to you.”
38 But Jacob answered, “My son will not go down with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. If anything happens to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow.”
1 Now the famine in the land was severe. 2 When they had used up the grain they had brought back from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little food.”
3 But Judah said to him, “The man specifically warned us, ‘You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go, for the man said to us, ‘You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.’ ”
6 “Why have you caused me so much trouble?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man that you had another brother?”
7 They answered, “The man kept asking about us and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”
What God accomplished in Jospeh’s brothers in chapter 42 he’s now attempting in Jacob in chapter 43.
Jacob is confronted with an impossible choice.
Keep Benjamin and lose Simeon.
Lose Benjamin and everybody else.
Release Benjamin and trust God with the results.
Benjamin was the only remaining son of Rachel, his true love. He wasn’t crazy to not trust his welfare to his other brothers.
I’m sure he took on the “favored status” after Jospeh had left the picture.
Even so, the boys weren’t budging on the idea of returning to Egypt without him.
Remember, Simeon is still living in Egypt under house arrest with Joseph’s guards.
In discipline, God will often engineer a crisis to motivate courage and personal faith.
The difficulty of faith is that you’re required to act on something that you can’t fully see.
It’s the “conviction of things hoped for and assurance of things unseen.” (Heb 11:1)
Knowing his Father’s predicament Reuben tries to be helpful. “You can kill my two sons if you’re not happy with the outcome” (not sure how that’s helpful. He must’ve really regretted his prior actions)
Upon Reuben’s unsuccessful attempt Judah comes out and makes an alternative proposal.
For those who don’t remember Judah was the one who originally came up with the plan to sell Joseph into slavery.
We saw Judah’s transformation in Genesis 38 from careless rebel to repentant son.
His personal transformation is now being used by God to invite his Father into a similar act of faith.
8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me. We will be on our way so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our dependents. 9 I will be responsible for him. You can hold me personally accountable! If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, I will be guilty before you forever. 10 If we had not delayed, we could have come back twice by now.”
THE FRUIT OF FAITH:
THE FRUIT OF FAITH:
This is an amazing response by Judah. Unlike Reuben he’s not offering up his kids as collateral for his failure but his own life.
He’s taking personal responsibility not only for his own potential failure but the failure of his brothers as well.
This is a totally different man.
Count The Cost
Count The Cost
Evidentially, Judah’s faith was inspiring because Jacob agrees with the plan.
11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balsam and a little honey, aromatic gum and resin, pistachios and almonds. 12 Take twice as much silver with you. Return the silver that was returned to you in the top of your bags. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also, and go back at once to the man. 14 May God Almighty cause the man to be merciful to you so that he will release your other brother and Benjamin to you. As for me, if I am deprived of my sons, then I am deprived.”
15 The men took this gift, double the amount of silver, and Benjamin. They immediately went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
Jacob counted the costs and surrendered his son. Judah does essentially the same.
To enjoy the fruit of discipline be willing to count the cost.
I don’t know if you picked up on this but the balsam, aromatic gum and and resin were the same items being carried by the Midianite slavers in Gen 37:25.
It’s a compelling irony that Jospeh was sold into slavery to be sold along with those items and now they are going back to offer up themselves with the same.
Isaac had to surrender Benjamin.
The sons had to surrender their money.
They all had to surrender to their control over their safety and security.
It is often when obedience costs you the most that it unleashes God’s best.
They’re standing before Pharoah with double the silver they had received as well as their youngest brother to prove their words were true.
It’s a picture of absolute surrender and trust in Joseph to be gracious and kind.
Jospeh’s response only added to the suspense.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his steward, “Take the men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they will eat with me at noon.” 17 The man did as Joseph had said and brought them to Joseph’s house.
18 But the men were afraid because they were taken to Joseph’s house. They said, “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time. They intend to overpower us, seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.” 19 So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the doorway of the house.
Remember the Reason
Remember the Reason
We don’t have time to read through all the details but they essentially begin to grill this steward about Joseph’s intentions.
20 They said, “My lord, we really did come down here the first time only to buy food. 21 When we came to the place where we lodged for the night and opened our bags of grain, each one’s silver was at the top of his bag! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us. 22 We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in the bags.”
Notice the contrast with their initial visit.
At their first visit they professed to be honest men but then lied about the fate of their brother.
This time they’re honest about their intentions and prove their integrity with evidence.
I’m sure they were just as fearful as the first time they visited but this time they tell and live the truth.
The steward assuages their concerns and submits the idea that maybe the silver was a blessing of God’s grace.
23 Then the steward said, “May you be well. Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your bags. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. 24 The steward brought the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and got feed for their donkeys. 25 Since the men had heard that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon. 26 When Joseph came home, they brought him the gift they had carried into the house, and they bowed to the ground before him.
Notice the emphasis on God’s grace. The steward knows better but he’s submitting the idea that maybe God graciously provided for the brothers because of his own goodness.
Jospeh is carefully crafting these circumstances the give these brothers an opportunity to show that they’ve really changed. To experience true transformation.
Now that the table is set Joseph engages them in conversation.
27 He asked if they were well, and he said, “How is your elderly father that you told me about? Is he still alive?”
28 They answered, “Your servant our father is well. He is still alive.” And they knelt low and paid homage to him.
29 When he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Joseph hurried out because he was overcome with emotion for his brother, and he was about to weep. He went into an inner room and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”
You’ve got to feel for Jospeh in that he can barely hold it together.
It’s an obvious indication that Joseph’s reasons for pulling this ruse isn’t because he’s angry at his brothers or because he wants to get revenge.
He’s doing this because of his great LOVE for this brothers, especially his love for Benjamin.
If you want to enjoy the fruit of God’s discipline you need to remember the reason he does so.
God disciplines those whom he loves! (Hebrews 12:5)
If you want to fully benefit from the seasons of God’s discipline then never forget his reasons for doing so.
Glory In Grace
Glory In Grace
The last example of Jospeh’s brothers passing the test is Joseph’s demonstration of favoritism at the dinner table.
32 They served him by himself, his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, since that is detestable to them. 33 They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment. 34 Portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, and Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of theirs. They drank and became drunk with Joseph.
Gotta love the irony of the Egyptian prejudice and the fact that Jospeh was himself a Hebrew.
Joseph’s generosity towards Benjamin was to expose any jealousy in the heart of his other brothers.
Instead of getting angry or vengeful they rejoice in Jospeh’s demonstration of grace. They continue the meal and get drunk together.
To enjoy the fruit of discipline then learn to glory in God’s grace.
Grace is worthy of our celebration. That’s true whether it’s grace we receive for ourselves or grace we notice in the life of another.
All of life is a gift of God’s grace. Even the painful moments are opportunities of training and strengthening from our heavenly Father.
He does so because of his great love for us and that love was supremely demonstrated through the sacrifice of his son.
Unsurprisingly, that’s exactly where Genesis 44 turns but we’ll have to treat that territory starting next week.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
As we bring this message to a close I want to offer a few thoughts for practical application.
They all come from the beginning and end of this discussion in Hebrews 12.
The first two come from Hebrews 12:5
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:
My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly
or lose heart when you are reproved by him,
First, don’t despise the Lord’s discipline. (treat it lightly)
Second, don’t get discouraged by the Lord’s discipline.
These are two opposite but equally foolish responses to the Lord’s discipline. The first is to treat your suffering as if it has nothing to do with what God wants to accomplish in your life.
The second is to treat your suffering as if God is against you and wants you to give up and quit.
Don’t despise God’s discipline and don’t let it discourage you.
The last two applications come from the end of this discussion in Hebrews 12:12-13
12 Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead.
Strengthen what is weak and straighten what is crooked.
Whatever God’s reasons are for allowing certain suffering into your life. One reason it CANNOT be is because he doesn’t love you.
God disciplines those that he loves. It’s not punitive it’s redemptive. But you’ve got to respond the right way.
How can your suffering go from dislocating your members to healing them?
When you strengthen what is weak and straighten what is crooked.
I wish I had time to tell you all of the various ways you can go about this process but we don’t have time this morning.
However God is speaking let’s respond to Him now during our time of response.
