Hooray! We will finish the Book of Genesis today!!
I hope you have learned how awesome God is and how loving He is! Whenever you open your Bible, will you remind yourself of how it all began: In the beginning God!
From the Book of Genesis we learned:
God created everything!
God promised forgiveness even though man sinned!
God is Holy and has to judge evil.
God is merciful and provides a way for salvation.
God chose a people to reveal Himself and His plan.
And so the Book of Genesis ends with a reminder of the power of God and His faithfulness to people. God is powerful but loves people! The Book of Genesis ends in Egypt. And before reading Genesis 50, let us remind ourselves that Egypt at that time was a great nation. It was in Egypt where writing, mathematics, science, medicine, and the arts originated and blossomed! Let us remind ourselves that Egypt was the mightiest nation in the world when God brought His Chosen People there.
Please open your Bibles to Genesis 50. Daniel Pryor will read for us this morning. Let us read along with him……
Jacob, who God called Israel, God’s people, was a poor foreigner in the great land of Egypt. Jacob was like a poor farmer from the Philippines who moved to New York City. But what do we read in v3 when Jacob died?
The Egyptians mourned for Jacob for 70 days!
And look again at v7-8……….
Foreigner Jacob was honored by the great nation of Egypt!
Now look again at v14……..
Joseph was a leader in Egypt so he had to go back. Why do you think the brothers went back to Egypt and not stay in their native land, the land God promised to them??
It’s true that the brothers of Joseph still had their children and belongings in Goshen so they went back to Egypt. But it is possible that Joseph’s brothers went back to live in Egypt because they were prosperous there. There may have been some selfish reasons for going back to Egypt.
Why should we consider this thought? In the future, when the Israelites were finally freed from slavery in Egypt through Moses, the Israelites would grumble and wish they were back in Egypt whenever there was hardship!
Like all people, the Israelites were prone to be selfish!
How often do we grumble?
But yes, let us also remember what God said to Jacob in Genesis 46:3-4, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again."
And so, even though they were foreigners in the land, Joseph and his brothers lived in pagan Egypt. You see, God is more concerned about how people live than where they live.
And what can we note from v15-21?
Joseph’s brothers were afraid of Joseph because they knew they had sinned.
But they asked for forgiveness and humbled themselves before Joseph. And because Joseph knew how merciful God is, Joseph trusted God and loved his brothers!
A broken relationship was restored with confession, humility, forgiveness, and dependence on God.
God is a god of relationships and God is the only solution to broken relationships!
And, isn’t v20 an awesome verse?
Look at v20 again with me…..
God is powerful and good and is always at work in saving people’s lives! God is powerful but loves people!
What biblical principles can we apply to our lives today?
God loves people and God chose a People, the Israelites, and called them to live in pagan Egypt for a while. But just because they were called to live in a pagan society, they were not live like the pagans. God instructed the Israelites to live God’s way, not the world’s way! Why? – because God loves them!
How do we know God loves us today?
God gave us Jesus Christ to die on a cross for our sins! And when a person fully trusts Jesus Christ as Savior, that person becomes a true Christian. Going to church, becoming involved in a religion about Christ, being born in a Christian home, or going to a Bible study doesn’t make one a Christian. A true Christian fully trusts Jesus Christ alone for being forgiven of sins and following Him as Lord!
And Jesus prayed for Christians in John 17:14-15, I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
Just like the Hebrews who had to live in Egypt, Christians live in the world but are not of the world. Jesus prays for Christians to be protected while in the world. But God instructs Christians in 1 John 2:15-17,
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Remember, God is more concerned about how people live than where they live. Like the Hebrews in Egypt who fell in love with Egypt more than with God, we Christians must be careful in falling in love with the world more than with Jesus Christ! Do not love the world or anything in the world. If we do this, we will experience how pleasing and perfect God’s will is! We all need to ask ourselves, “Is there anything in this world I love more than Jesus Christ?” _____________________
As we close in prayer later on, will you let go to Jesus
Christ what you have placed ahead of Him?
We also noted from the story of Joseph and his brothers, how to restore a broken relationship. There are 3 parts to restore a broken relationship. First, No matter who’s at fault, both parties in the relationship must depend on God! And so, 1. at least one side of the broken relationship must pray to God. If you are not the one at fault, pray to God; first pray for an affirmation that it is not your fault; and secondly, pray for the other person that they would seek God. If you’re the one at fault, confess to God and ask for forgiveness from God and from the other person.
And so, this is the second part of restoring a broken relationship, 2. there needs to be confession and humility towards God and the other person!.
And of course, the third part of restoring a broken relationship is forgiveness.
And so, 3. Forgive as God forgives.
And let us always remember that God is powerful and good and is always at work in saving people’s lives! God is powerful but loves people!
Please open your Bibles to Romans 8:28-39…………….
If you’re a Believer of Jesus Christ, nothing can separate you from the love of God!
As Christians, we are more than conquerors!
If God is for us, who can be against us!!
God is powerful and good and is at work in Christians for their lives and the lives of many others! If you’re a Believer of Christ, stand firm with the Gospel!
Always remember, God is powerful but loves people through Jesus Christ!
Please, turn with me to the beginning of Romans, 1:16-17.
God is at work in us with the Good News of Jesus Christ; it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes! Do you truly believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Note that if you don’t accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and God, you will not be right with God and judgment will come upon you! Your relationship with your Creator God can only be restored with your belief and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ today if you have never done so!
Now, if you are a Believer of Christ, are you sharing this power to save souls for eternity?
How many of you have been in the woods when it’s pitch black? I know that when I am walking in the dark with others and I have a flashlight, I would turn on the flashlight so we can all see where were walking. You would do the same wouldn’t you?
Jesus is the Light of the world! If you believe in Christ, you are a carrier of this powerful light! People out there where we live are in the dark! Are you turning on the light of Christ for them?
If God is for us, who can be against us? Share the power of eternal life by telling them about Jesus Christ!
Please take a moment now to quietly pray about these things. Again, if you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your only Savior and God, do it today and receive the power of God! Overcome the darkness by allowing Jesus Christ the powerful light into your heart; then let it shine to the world who needs light!
