TRADING THE SUPERFICIAL FOR THE SUBSTANTIAL
TEXT: Genesis 43:1-2; 43:11-12
Genesis 43:1-2 KJV And the famine was sore in the land. [2] And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
Genesis 43:11-12 KJV And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: [12] And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:
I. INTRODUCTION -- FIGURING OUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT
Jules Verne, the famous author of Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, also wrote another book entitled The Mysterious Island. The jest of the story is about five men who manage to escape from a Civil War prison camp by high-jacking a hot-air balloon. Once aloft, the very quickly realize that the wind is carrying them in a direction that is going to lend to their demise if they do not do something about it. The problem is that they are carried out over the ocean.
Time passes exceedingly quickly and they notice land being left further behind. In addition to this the balloon starts losing altitude. Since there is nothing to provide heat to give them altitude, they begin to throw things over the side of the basket. Shoes, coats, weapons are tossed overboard and the balloon begins to rise again.
However, this is not enough. The balloon begins to sink again toward the waters and they begin to toss their food over the side. It is better to be hungry than to be dropped into the drink! But this does not last for long and the balloon again starts to sink toward the ocean. This time one of the men suggests that they tie together the ropes that connect the balloon to the basket and sit on the ropes and cut away the basket. This is not exactly what they do but it is enough of any idea that they decide to cut away the floor of the balloon that is tied in. With a quick untying of the ropes the floor of the balloon drops away and they are given another lift.
Shortly after this, land is spotted and as the balloon starts its final descent, they fall into the water and swim to an island. They would ultimately survive because they learned what they could live without. (Adapted from Get In The Ark, Steve Farrar, pp. 187-188)
-This is the challenge of our times. . . . having an understanding of the things that we can live with and what we cannot live without.
-The text we read in Genesis spells this same scenario out for us. We have to determine if we are going to live or die because of what we do with the superficial things of this world or the substantial things of eternity.
II. GENESIS 43
A. A Famine in the Land
-This text places us right in the midst of difficult days. Jacob and his sons are enduring tough times.
-The country was locked down in a famine. In fact, the Pulpit Commentary states the literal interpretation of this verse would be “the famine was ‘heavy’ in the land.” Jacob came to a point in Canaan where the corn and grains that had been taken from Egypt in the first trip was gone. Now they had to go and seek more corn.
-The harvest of corn and grain had failed in Canaan and nothing was left but the things mentioned in Genesis 43:11, balm, honey, and so on. It was obvious that they could not live on those things that something far greater in nutritional content was necessary for them.
-The Scripture holds forth that man cannot live by bread alone and this is true but he cannot live without it either.
-Inadequate food means inadequate health. An absence of nutrients will most certainly lead to the presence of death.
-Nutrients are just as important for the mind as they are for the body. Starve the body and death by starvation will follow. Starve the mind and the mind will wither in death also. A starved body is terrible to look upon and an emaciated mind is just as terrible to look upon also.
-What about our own souls? Can the soul of a man be starved to death because of too much “balm,” “honey,” and “myrrh”? The soul has to be fed just as the body has to be fed.
-There is a death that can come to us from a spiritual famine. It is not because the correct spiritual food is not available to us but because we have chosen to be consumed with the food of lesser value.
-You cannot live your life on desserts and sweets. Your mother was right you cannot live your life on snacks and empty carbohydrates!
-This famine in Canaan was terrible. They did not have any corn or grain. However, Scripture defines for us what they did have.
Balm
Honey
Spices
Myrrh
Nuts
Almonds
Choice Fruits
-Commentators and scholars have pointed out in this text that all of these products were thriving in Canaan despite the famine. The famine of the land did not necessarily mean an absence of all things but the crucial things.
-I am fearful that there are times in our walk with God that this same thing can occur. We can have many things at our hand and heart that seemingly can sustain us but they will never take us to the levels that God wants us to go.
A fast song can only take you so far.
A superficial fellowship with the church can only go so far.
Involvement in a small group will only go so far.
Having my “felt” needs met can only do so much.
Business techniques to run a church will only go so far.
Purpose-driven goofiness will starve a man’s spirit to death.
B. The Superficial Has To Be Traded for Corn
-Notice in Scripture what all of these things that Jacob was willing to trade for corn are symbolic with.
Balm -- Was associated with Gilead. It was a resin-like substance that served as an ancient sedative. It brought some relief to pain. PRINCIPLE: In a famine, you are going to need more than just a sedative to help you sleep through it. In fact, you cannot sleep through a famine or you will die.
Honey -- This is most likely not the honey that came from bees but rather a collection of a syrupy substance that came from boiling down grapes, raisins, carob beans, and dates. It was unusually sweet and served much as our own syrup would be used for pancakes. PRINCIPLE: In a famine, if a relationship with God is merely based on the sentimental, emotional, “warm-fuzzy” feel, it will not take long for your faith to be capsized, it will wither! Sweet, syrupy feelings toward God won’t take long for you to get disappointed with God, the Church, or one of the saints. A sweet, sentimental God is idolatry because God has been reduced to man’s terms!
Spices -- This most likely was a powdered gum that was used for incense. It was used as a perfume either to be placed on the body or to be used in a home. The whole use of this was to change the perception of something (i.e. the body or the room). PRINCIPLE: In a famine, there is a much greater need for the Church to work at changing the world than to just changing me. To serve the spices means that you will have little regard for the burden-bearing of intercession and evangelism that would be too much work. You can smell great but die from starvation.
Myrrh -- Was associated with its perfume-like qualities and it was an important part of the incense. Its greatest use was for its medicinal properties. There apparently was an aspect of a basic anesthetic that was used to stop the pain of flesh wounds. PRINCIPLE: In a famine, there are things of far greater importance than simply curing the pain of a wound!
Almonds -- They were a delicacy and could be served either salted or crushed and mixed with sugar. Generally the only place in that time that almonds could be found was in Canaan. PRINCIPLE: There are some things that are extremely valuable but what good are they if they cannot help a starving man. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36).
-All of the things that Jacob sent to Egypt were simply seasonings and spices that could garnish the meal but could not sustain him in his work. Jacob was in effect telling them to empty their sacks of the superficial and bring home the substantial.
III. THE CORN WILL SAVE US FROM STARVATION
-We must have corn! This church has to have corn! This preacher has to have corn! Everything we have must be traded for corn! I cannot live on the superficial spices of life.
A. The “Corn” of Sacrifice
John 12:24 KJV Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
-We must make the great exchange for sacrifice. We have to be a sacrificing Church!
-James Bradley, who wrote Flags of Our Fathers, described America as it responded to the necessary sacrifices that World War II brought the nation. In fact, it ushered her into a greatness that caused that generation to be defined as “The Greatest Generation.” He wrote:
During World War II, the entire nation, seemed overnight to have snapped out of its Depression-era lethargy. Everyone scrambled to be of help. Rubber was needed for the war effort, and gasoline, and metal. A women’s basketball game at Northwestern University was stopped so that the referee and all ten players could scour the floor for a lost bobby pin. Americans pitched in to support strict rationing programs and their boys turned out as volunteers in various collection “drives.” Soon butter and milk were restricted along with canned goods and meat. Shoes became scarce, and paper, and silk. People grew “victory gardens” and drove at the gas-saving “victory speed” of thirty-five miles an hour. “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!” became a popular slogan. Air-raid sirens and blackouts were scrupulously obeyed. America sacrificed. (p. 62)
-We have been scammed by the devil because of our own pursuits of the superficial. The church in America is starving to death eating all the garnish and seasonings of the superficial. We have traded in singing songs like “I Surrender All” and “Jesus Use Me” for songs that subtly work to show us what God has done for us instead of what we can do for Him. We are hearing sermons that work to bring our self-esteem to a higher level so we can feel better about our sense of “self-worth.” The greatest self-worth that any of us will ever feel is when we invest our lives into spreading the Gospel.
A friend of mine who is an evangelist called me on Monday morning and was lamenting to me the fact of how that many churches he preaches in are choking on materialism. He told me of the extravagant vehicles and homes that are prevalent among us now. For the record, I am not opposed to having nice things but the blessings of God are of much greater importance when we don’t waste them on the creature comforts of life. We are not here for what we can get but rather what we can give. We are here to serve our generation your reward comes on the other side! Prepare for retirement because that is a wise investment but when it lends toward extravagance, you have fallen into a trap.
I must work things out in my life so that I can still live on a sacrificial edge. Whether it is time, talents, or tokens, I have to sacrifice. Somewhere sacrifice has to be present in my life.
Why? Because it brings strength to my spiritual life. It informs the devil that I won’t wilt to the siren voices that are calling me toward soft, lethargic patterns of my walk with God.
-Look at the book of Acts church and how they sacrificed:
They sold their possessions to further the Kingdom.
They stopped their life plans and became missionaries.
They sacrificed their time to teach new converts.
They sacrificed their schedules to give time to prayer.
They became tentmakers to help the church press further.
They sacrificed their lives in the very face of physical persecution.
They sacrificed their prejudices to reach the Gentiles.
They sacrificed their associations from the past if it had a spiritual bearing on their futures.
-This kind of activity will not come to pass until you can empty the sacks of the spices and fill them with the substantial! Change like this does not come from without it can only come from within.
Acts 1:8 KJV But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Romans 12:1-2 KJV I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
-If you will let your life fall to the ground and be sacrificed, much will come of it.
The story is told of two men who were traveling in the country of England a number of years ago. They had stopped at an inn for the night and had gotten settled in for the night when the village came alive with the shouts of alarm. A fire had broken out in a row of houses in the village.
One of the men leaped up and began to quickly dress and was going to give what assistance he could. His companion started trying to reason with the man, “Don’t go out and waste your time. These folks have enough to help them besides they are strangers we don’t even know them.”
The man was so determined to help that he would not hear his companion’s dissents. He ran out to the fire. The other man followed at a much more leisure pace and watched the efforts from a great distance away.
In front of a burning house, a young mother was crying out with anguish, “My children, my children!” When the stranger heard this, he sprang into the burning house and shortly he appeared again, with most of his hair singed off and some of his clothes burnt and torn but he had both children in his arms. He carried them to their mother and gave them to her. She cried as she held her children and soon dropped to the ground at his feet. The stranger picked her up and spoke some words of comfort to her. As he was doing so, the burning house fell with a loud crash.
As the two men returned back to the inn, the traveler chided his friend and asked him, “Who in the world told you to risk your life for these people you don’t even know?” The stranger replied back to him, “He who told me to put the corn into the ground so it will die and bring forth much fruit.” “But how would this have happened if you would have died in the fire?” The stranger answered, “Then should I have become the corn myself!”
-We cannot afford to live our lives for the superficial but rather for the substantial! We cannot live for time but for eternity!
B. The “Corn” of Prayer
-We not only need the “corn” of sacrifice, we must have the “corn” of prayer. We must be a praying church. The programs can slide, the activities can cease, and all the trappings that come with church life can stop but cannot afford to quit praying.
-Prayer is a lifeline of power for the Apostolic church. Prayer is not easy, in fact, prayer is a great life-long struggle. The more American we are the more things compete for our prayer times.
-Agony always accompanies desperation. The Greek word for “agony” is AGONIA. It indicates a struggle or a conflict. The underlying thought comes from the thought of the place of the Olympic Games. There are two opponents in a place of contest and struggle for the crown. Someone will be injured and someone will be the victor.
Prayer in Agony.
Prayer in Pain.
Prayer in Weariness.
Prayer in Labors.
Prayer in Stripes above Measure.
Prayer in Prisons.
Prayer in Dying.
Prayer in the Beatings.
Prayer in the Rods and Stonings.
Prayer in the Shipwrecks.
Prayer in the Uncertainties of the Deep.
Prayer in all of the Perils of Life.
Prayer in Watching and Waiting.
Prayer in Hunger and Thirst (for Righteousness).
Prayer in Fasting.
Prayer in the Cold.
Prayer in the Weakness.
Prayer in the Offenses of Life.
Prayer in the Infirmities.
-All of these things are found in the “struggling” points of prayer. Yet despite this challenge of prayer, there is great vitality in prayer. There is great victory in prayer!
I read an incredible story this past week on one of the internet forums to which I am a member of. The story was told of a man whom was not even identified because he was unknown.
Missionaries Bill and Molly Thompson told of a man who went to a large city in Columbia many years ago. He did not speak Spanish. He rented an apartment and fasted and prayed for souls for 18 years. He was an intercessor, not a preacher. He died on the mission field. He never had a convert. He only prayed and fasted for 18 years.
Then the Thompson’s and Lewis and Sally Morley felt to go to that city to start a work. They rented a storefront and prepared to fight hell as they did everywhere else they went. Instead great revival broke out. They later found out about the man that had recently died there after 18 years of intercession. He had lived on the same block. He was a great success because he labored in prayer.
C. The “Corn” of Biblical Preaching
-You have heard me preach enough about the crucial part the Word of God must have in our lives. It has to be preached in and then prayed out.
-As you are well aware, this is a “candystick” of mine and could go on for quite some time, which is probably not necessary at this time.
D. The “Corn” of Holiness
-I won’t spend much time on this one either because of the material that we are approaching in 1st John on mid-week. Suffice it to say, we must have holiness and separation from this world.
1 John 2:15-17 KJV Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. [17] And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
-I conclude with a story that I heard Pastor Larry Booker tell in a sermon he preached on August 4, 2007 at the First Pentecostal Church of North Little Rock, Arkansas. The title of the message was “Three Attitudes of Jewish Babylon.”
-I understand just as you do that holiness is far more than dress but this story very succinctly provides for us the testimony of a young lady who decided she needed “corn” more than the seasonings of the superficial.
There was a young lady in his church named Naomi who was in ROTC. Brother Booker was unaware that she was in the program until after she had endured the difficulties she would be forced to endure. She was made a captain, the highest in her class, and had apparently excelled in the program. One day she was called in by the people in charge of the program and they informed her she was going to take a trip. They informed her that she would have to wear pants. She politely declined to do so to which they told her that she would have to. They called her in numerous times almost to the point of harassment and each time she would tell them that she was not going to go if she had to wear pants.
Finally, the told her that they were going to call in her parents and pastor. She told them that would be fine if they wanted to talk to them. She told them that this was not an issue with her parents and pastor and no matter what they said she still was not going to wear pants. She said that it was not a parents thing, pastor thing, church thing, it was a God “thing” and she would not wear pants. She said this is between her and God.
So then they told her that they were going to dismiss her from the program. She told them she understood that if that was what they had to do but it was not going to change her stance. They told her she wouldn’t have enough credits to graduate and she continued to kindly deflect their attitude and told them it would be alright if they did this but she still could not consent to it. It was a matter between her and God.
Shortly before the trip, she was called in one last time and they told her, “Look Naomi, you can go on the trip and you can wear your dress. Furthermore all the girls in your troop have notified us that if we “can” you that they will be quitting too. So we have decided to let you wear your dress and all of the other girls have decided that from now on as long as you are in this program, they are going to wear dresses too!”
Brother Booker also said that he watched this girl in a graduating class of over 1200 give a valedictory address to 6000 people. In that speech given in the same place that Madonna and Britney Spears had performed, sixteen times she brought up the words, God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
IV. CONCLUSION -- I HAVE A QUESTION. . .
-Are we going to trade the superficial for the substantial? Is this a church that is going to live on “corn”?
Philip Harrelson
May 24, 2008
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