Faith Preserves Life

Faith Preserves Gen 45:1-15

1. Joseph put God first in his life this is why he is mentioned in the Faith Chapter as a hero of faith

• Noah, by faith in building the ark (Ge 6:14-22; Heb 11:7).

• Abraham, in forsaking the land of his birth at the command of God (Ge 12:1-4; Heb 11:8),

• Joseph, concerning God's providence in his being sold into Egypt, and the final deliverance of Israel (Ge 50:20, 24; Heb 11:22).

2. We will learn Faith is effective

• Faith will produce good works we recall the faith of the Thessalonians 3We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Joseph obeyed his Father as a result of Faith He asked Joseph to go to Shechem to check on his brothers, who were herding the sheep. Jacob was concerned about them and the flocks. He wanted to know how they were doing.

• Jacob lived in Hebron. Shechem was about 50 miles from Hebron. Bad things had happened to the Jacob family in Shechem. It was in Shechem that Dinah, Jacob’s only daughter, was raped and Simeon and Levi had taken revenge on the men by killing them because of rape of sister.

• Joseph's brothers hated him because of his dreams. Joseph understood this. He knew he was walking into a hostile situation. But, in obedience to his father, he headed to Shechem to find his brothers.

• Josephs father asked him to go to Shechem When Joseph go to Shechem he cannot find his brothers and a man says they went to Dothan an additional 24 miles journey. Joseph could have gave up but he was faithful and he journeyed on

• Faith keeps on going the extra miles faith keep is never quitting 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

3. Joseph obeyed his father and Joseph obeyed God

• Joseph found his brothers in Dothan, they stripped him of his robe and threw him in a pit with plans to let him die. Judah suggested they not kill him, but sell him. They sold him for 20 shekels of silver to a caravan of Ishmaelites on their way to Egypt.

• Joseph is sold and put in prison but he finds favor with Potiphar who put him in charge of his house Potiphar’s wife wanted Joseph to “lie with her.” Joseph ran out of the house, leaving his coat behind.

• Joseph remains a faithful servant does not touch her because it wasn’t right Joseph found favor with the head of the prison and was put in charge of running the prison. Joseph prospered everywhere he went.

• Think for a moment. Why did Joseph prosper everywhere he went? It was because of his faithfulness to God.

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4. Faithfulness Preserves

• Joseph finds favor again in prison because he can interpret dreams becomes second only to Pharoah

• There is a great famine Joseph has a dream that allows him to store up grain for seven years and then during the seven years of famine he still has plenty in all Egypt. Joseph preserves Egypt and they have plenty during the famine

5. A terrible famine has come upon the land.

• Jacobs clan needs grain and the only place to get it is in Egypt so He sends his sons

• Little do they know. The Egyptian official, Pharaoh’s number-one advisor, is none other than their brother Joseph. Against all odds, he has survived. Not only survived but has thrived.

6. Joseph could have taken revenge on his brothers but Faith

• He had plenty of time over those long years to brood over what he might do to his lousy, back-stabbing brothers if ever he got the chance. And now quite unexpectedly — that day has come.

• Joseph finds himself face-to-face with all 11 of them. They’re on their knees, prostrating themselves before him, and he has all the absolute power over them.

• All Joseph has to do is call for the palace guard. He could send them to torture chambers, or to the slave market — or maybe they’ll just chop off their heads — But Joseph has Faith

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7. Joseph has Compassion

• He examines the faces of his brothers. They still don’t recognize him. Those faces are so much more aged and burdened than when he last saw them.

• These brothers were stronger and more powerful than he was now things have changed He now is the one in power But now, after all these decades, all Joseph can think about is how much they have in common. \