Brother's At Arms-The Story Of Joseph

Brother’s at arms

I. How many of you have ever been in a fight with your brother or sister?

A. I have a sister and a brother and we have had our fair share of run-ins.

1. Sylvia-Clown story

2. When she got older, we had some run-ins as well

3. Then you have Gates- Pond story

4. When he got a little frisky with Dad.

B. Some children resolve conflicts a little better than we did.

1. Two boys, pancakes, WWJD, You be Jesus.

II. Which brings us to our story today about Joseph.

A. Joseph was the son of Jacob

B. Jacob who was also called Israel.

C. Israel loved Jacob more than any of his other sons...so

D. Joseph told them the dream he had

1. Your sheaves of grain bowed before mine.

E. Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brother grazing the flocks.

F. They seized him and wanted to kill him. Cistern sold into slavery.

G. They dipped Joseph’s robe in goat’s blood to make their father think he had been eaten by a wild animal.

H. Sold to Potiphar

I. Potiphar’s wife tried to tempt Joseph to sleep with her.

J. Joseph is thrown into prison.

K. Joseph kindly interprets the cupbearer and the baker’s dream

L. Then Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream so that Pharaoh put him in charge of everything.

M. When the famine came so did Joseph’s brothers.

N. The story of the brother’s reunited.

O. The brother’s wondered if Joseph would hold a grudge.

III. The main point behind the story of Joseph’s life is understanding his right spirit that he had in his dealings with people. Understanding that forgiveness was important.

A. When his brothers sold him into slavery, he didn’t hold a grudge.

B. When Potiphar’s wife lied to get him thrown in jail, because he wouldn’t sleep with her, he didn’t hold a grudge.

C. When the cupbearer forgot to mention him and he spent two more years in prison, he didn’t hold a grudge.

IV. If not holding anything against anyone is one of the main themes in this story then we should strive to find out what exactly that means. Let’s walk through that process.

A. If the major theme is forgiveness then is must be important to us as well.

1. Forgiveness consists of many aspects but one in particular is guarding our thoughts from thinking badly of others.

2. If Joseph would have hated his brothers for all the wrongs they did him; he wouldn’t have received favor in the sight of God. Then God wouldn’t have forgiven him his trespasses.

B. So am I saying that if we have bad thoughts about others, or if we hold grudges against others that it’s a sin. YES!!!

V. Here’s why

A. Matthew 18:21-35

1. Parable of the unmerciful servant

B. Mark 11:24-25

C. Luke 6:37

D. Luke 6:41-42

E. Colossians 3:7-10

F. Let us take Jesus’ own example found in Luke 23:34

VI. So you ask me, “Preston, are you saying that if I think anything bad against anyone that it is a sin?” “Are you saying that if I have a grudge against anyone, or anger against anyone that it is a sin?” NO! I’m not saying that. The word of God is saying that.

I think this is an important message for us in this New Year. That we start off on a clean slate. That we be continually mindful of our thoughts, because even our thoughts can be sin. That we begin to heal relationships, and friendships now, before it is too late. So I’m calling you out, if you hold anything against anyone today... Christian... I want you at this altar of prayer to get yourself first right with God. Then you go get it right with the person.