Introduction:
A. The story is told of a group of elderly men who meet every Wednesday for a coffee.
1. They sit for hours drinking their coffee and discussing the problems facing the world.
2. Usually, their discussion is very negative.
3. One day, one of the men surprised his friends by announcing loudly and clearly, “You know what? I’m giving up my pessimistic ways! I've now become an optimist.”
4. Everyone was totally shocked and they sat there in silence for a few minutes.
5. Then one of the other men noticed something wasn't quite right and he said to the new optimist “Hold on a minute, if you're an optimist, then why are you looking so worried?”
6. The man replied, “Do you think it's easy being an optimist?”
B. In many ways, it’s not easy to be an optimist! Wouldn’t you agree?
1. We are all familiar with Murphy’s Law, right?
2. Murphy’s Law says, “If anything can go wrong, it will.”
3, If you wash your car on Saturday morning, then it will rain that afternoon!
4. If you drop a piece of bread you have just spread thick with peanut butter and jelly, it will always fall with the peanut butter and jelly side down.
5. The other checkout line always moves faster.
6. When things are going well, something will go wrong…just wait.
7. When things can’t get any worse…they will.
C. Murphy’s Law represents a pessimistic attitude toward life.
1. People with a pessimistic attitude tend to respond negatively rather than positively.
2. People with a pessimistic attitude tend to view problems horizontally rather than vertically – meaning they view problems strictly from a human point of view – leaving God out of the picture.
3. Also, people with a pessimistic attitude tend to resist any change or anything new.
4. Interestingly, all these tendencies seem to intensify as we grow older.
5. Rather than getting better, we usually grow more brittle.
D. Joseph’s father, Jacob, had some stinkin’ thinkin’.
1. He had become a very pessimistic and negative man.
2. He had trouble walking by faith.
3. But in all fairness, he had been through some difficult things.
a. His beloved wife, Rachel, died while giving birth to her second son.
b. He had lost his favorite son, Joseph, and thought him to be dead.
c. Now another of his sons was being held in an Egyptian prison, and his present favorite son, Benjamin was being demanded of him.
d. Experiencing some things like that would be a real challenge to an optimistic, faith-filled attitude.
4. Let’s return to our story and see what lessons we can learn about riddin’ stinkin’ thinkin’.
I. The Story
A. Let’s recap the story we have studied thus far.
1. Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob, had been given a coat of many colors by his father, and had been given dreams by God – dreams of his family bowing down to him.
2. His brothers hated him and sold him into slavery.
3. Joseph ended up as a slave in Egypt, a slave of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard.
4. The Lord was with Joseph and he was elevated to the position of head of the household, but then Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him, and when Joseph refused, she falsely accused him and he was imprisoned.
5. The Lord was with Joseph in prison, and he was elevated and put in charge of all the prisoners.
6. That’s when Joseph had the opportunity to interpret the dreams for two prisoners who were Pharaoh’s attendants.
7. The chief cupbearer was restored to his position and the baker was not, just as Joseph had predicted, but the cupbearer reneged on his promise to put in a good word for Joseph with Pharaoh.
8. Two years later, when Pharaoh had a dream that needed to be interpreted, the cupbearer remembered Joseph.
9. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams and was then put 2nd in command of the kingdom, so that he could prepare them for the 7 years of famine that were coming.
10. The famine caused people from other countries to come to Egypt to buy food, and Joseph’s brothers came as well.
11. Although Joseph recognized them, they did not recognize him, and Joseph questioned them like they were spies and detained them in jail for three days.
12. After three days, he decided to allow 9 of the brothers to return to home with the needed grain, while he detained one brother.
13. To prove they were not spies, they had to return to Egypt with their youngest brother, Benjamin.
B. Today, as we pick up the story, we notice that the 9 brothers have finally arrived back home.
1. They rehearsed their experiences in Egypt and reported to Jacob, their father, their experience with the Egyptian prime minister.
2. They explained that their brother Simeon had been detained as a hostage until they returned with their youngest brother, Benjamin.
3. How do you think the old pessimist responded to the situation?
4. Do you think he responded with trust in the Lord?
C. The Bible says: Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!”
37Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back.”
But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow.” (Gen. 42:36-38)
1. When Jacob learned what had happened, the old man shriveled in fear.
2. He responded so negatively and pessimistically, and with no reference to God.
3. Certainly, the situation was serious, but it wasn’t all bad.
a. Not only had his sons returned with the food they desperately needed, they also returned with all their money.
b. Amazingly, they had been given grain from Egypt free of charge!
c. All the prime minister had asked was that they prove they were not spies by returning with their youngest brother.
4. Jacob was not able to see any of the positives.
5. He froze in fear as he focused on the worst-case scenario.
D. Jacob not only reacted negatively, he overreacted – as many of us do.
1. As soon as he heard their brother had been left in Egypt, he jumped to the conclusion that Simeon was dead.
2. Jacob moaned, “Joseph is dead. Simeon is dead. Everything is against me!”
3. At that point, Reuben intervened and said, “Hey, I’ll make you a deal, Dad. You may put my two sons to death if I don’t bring Benjamin back to you.”
a. Kind of a sick, crazy offer, if you ask me!
b. How would putting his grandsons to death make Jacob feel better?
4. But Jacob said, “No. You cannot take my son down there with you. His brother, Joseph, is dead, and he is the only one I have left. If anything should happen to him, I would die.”
5. How would that have made you feel if you were one of the other sons standing there?
a. It’s as if the other sons don’t matter, or even exist.
b. The boys could have said, “What do you mean you only have one son left?”
E. Again, let me suggest that we not be too hard on Jacob.
1. It’s one thing for us to sit with the Bible in our hands and read the story, knowing the outcome.
2. It’s another thing to live it.
3. It’s easy to say, “I certainly wouldn’t have done what Jacob did, I would have trusted God.”
4. But would we really?
5. Why then didn’t we trust God last week, or last year?
6. What kept us from seeing God’s hand in that serious matter that we faced before?
7. Call to mind your most recent major test…
a. Did you rest calmly in the Lord?
b. Or did you push the panic button?
F. What could Jacob have done and said that would have been more faith-filled and optimistic?
1. He could have gathered the boys together and said, “Listen boys, things may seem bleak, but this is the time to trust in God’s sovereign promises. We need to call some of them to mind. God will keep His Word. Benjamin, let’s get on our knees, and let’s pray for your safety, and let’s watch God work. There’s a reason that all this is happening. There’s a reason the money was put back into your sacks. There’s a reason God is allowing you to go to Egypt. We don’t know what it is yet, but let’s trust the Lord for the answer.”
2. That’s the kind of faith I want to have when I am faced with trouble and hardship.
3. Unfortunately, Jacob reacted with fear, suspicion and negativism and said, “Nope. There’s no way I’m going to allow Benjamin to go. End of story!”
4. Little did he know that he would eventually be eating those words.
G. And so the story continues, the Bible says: Now the famine was still severe in the land. 2 So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.” 3 But Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ ” (Gen. 43:1-5)
1. God is still at work in this situation, and so the famine continued.
2. Can you smile at the way God seems to tighten the screws in order to get His way?
3. Look at the conversation:
a. “Dad the grain is all gone, what should we do?”
b. “Go back to Egypt and get more food!”
c. “But, dad, don’t you remember what the man down there said? We can’t and won’t go unless Benjamin is allowed to go with us.”
H. Look at Jacob’s response. The Bible says: Israel asked, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?” (Gen. 43:6)
1. Notice how preoccupied with self Jacob was.
2. He turned everything back to himself, “Why did you do this to me? Why did you bring this trouble on me? Why did you even tell that man that you had another brother?”
3. Do you remember that Jacob’s name and nature meant “deceiver”?
4. In essence, Jacob was implying, “Why didn’t you just lie? Why did you tell the truth?”
I. Now several of the sons joined in trying to get Jacob to listen and understand.
1. The Bible says: They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’ he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’ We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?” (43:7)
2. So they tried to set the record straight and get their father to see the truth.
3. “Dad, we just truthfully answered the man’s questions. We had no idea why he was asking.”
J. Then Judah made an offer. The Bible says: Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. 9 I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. 10 As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice.” (Gen. 43:8-10)
1. Judah said, “Dad, we can’t deny the situation. Send the boy with me, I’ll take responsibility for him. We need to go. If we hadn’t delayed this long, we could have been down there and back twice.”
2. Note what Jacob’s fearful delays had caused.
a. It delayed the return for more supplies and therefore they experienced additional suffering.
b. It prolonged the imprisonment of Simeon.
c. It delayed the reunion with Joseph that was going to happen.
K. Jacob reluctantly gave in. The Bible says: Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.” (Gen. 43:11-12)
1. Jacob resigned himself to the fact that Benjamin would have to go.
2. But look at the schemer he is. He reverted to a pattern he had used before.
3. Do you remember what Jacob did years before after he had double-crossed his brother, and he heard Esau was coming with an army of men?
a. Jacob sent his brother a boat-load of gifts to try to soften him.
4. That’s exactly what he did here. He sent gifts to pacify the Egyptian prime minister.
5. Oh, how I wish Jacob would have brought his sons together and said, “Look, boys, we don’t know what all this means, but we do know that we need God’s help. Let’s trust God for protection and insight on this. Let’s ask God to give us direction on what to do.”
6. Jacob never did that.
7. Instead, he said, “Maybe it was a mistake and we’ll win his favor with a gift.”
L. The final words of Jacob on the matter show a sliver of faith, but then end with pessimism.
1. The Bible says: Jacob said, 13 Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. 14 And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” (Gen. 43:13-14)
2. Like many of us, Jacob said too much.
a. If only he had ended his farewell speech with: “And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you.”
b. But that’s not what he did, rather his final words were a “woe is me…”
3. The Bible says that the sons hurried down to Egypt with Benjamin and double the money.
4. I wonder what they talked about on the way…if they talked on the way at all.
II. The Application
A. What lessons can we learn from today’s chapter of the story?
1. Hopefully we can learn some lessons about having a faith-filled, positive attitude.
2. Let me ask you, “Do you have any stinkin’ thinkin’ that you need to get rid of?
B. Life is full of changes and challenges, many of which are very difficult to face even with a faith-filled, positive attitude.
1. Living life with a negative, pessimistic, faithless attitude will not only make life terribly difficult, it will keep us from pleasing the Lord.
2. So what can we do if we need to be riddin’ some sinkin’ thinkin’?
3. Let me borrow three suggestions from Charles Swindoll.
C. First of all, we need to recognize and admit our negative mentality.
1. Most of the time, the cure begins with the confession.
2. Immediate correction begins with honest admission.
3. It doesn’t help to hide it or deny it.
4. We can only begin to change when we recognize a change is needed.
5. As it is happening, it will help if we will simply admit, “I am falling into the habit of negative thinking.”
6. As we admit that to others and to the Lord, then we can and will receive some assistance.
D. Second, we need to keep the vertical focus in place.
1. What do I mean by that? What I mean is that we have to keep our focus on God.
2. We can begin by praying for strength.
3. Then we make a conscious effort express our trust in the Lord. We can ask:
a. “Could God be in this?”
b. “Is God trying to get through to me? What is the Lord trying to teach me?”
c. “How would the Lord want me to react to what is happening?”
d. We can invite the Lord to give us clear direction, and strength to wait or to act.
4. The real problem for us when we face challenges and change is that we take our eyes off God.
5. We forget about who God is, what God can do, and what God has promised to do.
6. That’s why I wanted to remind us about the passage from Isaiah 40: Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isa. 40:28-31)
7. When we face challenging and confusingly difficult times and we feel like saying “Everything is against me!” We can ask ourselves:
a. Is God dead?
b. Has God lost His power?
c. Does God no longer care?
d. Of course not. God will always be God.
8. The Lord knows what He is doing. We only see the underside of the tapestry of our lives, while the Lord sees the top side.
a. Listen to this poem called: Life is But a Weaving
My life is but a weaving, Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colors, He weaveth steadily.
Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow; And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper, And I the underside.
Not ‘til the loom is silent, And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas, And reveal the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful, In the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver, In the pattern He has planned
He knows, He loves, He cares; Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those, Who leave the choice to Him.
9. Let’s keep our eyes on the Lord and trust Him.
D. One final suggestion: We need to be open to change.
1. When something new, something unexpected, confronts us, we must not respond with an immediate “Nope! Never!”
2. With God’s help we can pause and delay our immediate response.
3. In those few moments of pause, we can ask the Lord about this unexpected change, and how best to handle it.
4. Some change must be resisted and reversed. Other change must be embraced and championed.
5. The key is to pause and look to the Lord.
E. Not to get ahead of the story, but it is important for us to realize that things turned out pretty good for Jacob. The changes that God brought into his life were a real blessing.
1. Jacob lived to see that everything was not against him.
2. He was later to discover that Joseph was not dead, but was very much alive and was blessed.
3. Simeon was not executed.
4. The life of Benjamin was not demanded.
5. Peace and plenty awaited him in Egypt.
6. The things that seemed to be working against him were all working out for him.
F. Let’s end with prayer: “Dear Lord God in heaven, none of us know what lay ahead of us in this world, but we know that you are Lord Almighty – the God of unlimited power. No obstacle formed against You can hold You back. No one intimidates You and nothing is too hard for You. Furthermore, since You know the end of the story – Joseph’s story, as well as our story – You have the ability to work everything out, so we have no reason to fear.
But, Lord, we’re only human. That means we tend to be negative and resist change. We need your help to break those habits and patterns.
With your help, oh Lord, we can have fresh hope and think positively. Please calm our fears. Turn our focus to you and help us to put all our confidence in you. Help us to grow old gracefully, saying, “Yes” to life’s challenges and “I’m open” to life’s changes.
We ask this in the all-powerful name of Jesus.” Amen.
Resources:
Joseph: A man of Integrity and Forgiveness, by Charles Swindoll, Word Publishing, 1998
Everything is Against Me, Sermon by Darrell Garrett, SermonCentral.com
Dealing With A Doubting Heart, Sermon by John Hamby, SermonCentral.com
