This was a series of messages on the coat of many colors – Power point is available through E-Mail retssi@bellsouth.net
Several Illustrations, points, and the main idea for this series of sermons dealing with the coat of many colors was from James May’s sermon, “A Coat Of Many Colors.” Also Several Illustrations and points came from Tim Patrick’s Sermon, “God Is Light.” Many other sources were used to help compile this series!
A Coat of Many Colors #8 Yellow
Genesis 37:1-3 (KJV) 1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
What, have we learned so far about this coat of many colors?
The First was Amber which represented God’s Presence and Glory.
The Second color Black which could have represented two ideas. days of darkness & future of the Famine
Dark Blue which signified Worship!
Sky Blue or Light Blue = Heaven. .
Green = Spiritual Growth.
Crimson or Red = Blood or Sin
White = Purity, Holiness and righteousness!
Today we will be looking at the color Yellow!
Yellow could have stood for so many things that Jacob wanted to teach Joseph.
The shade of yellow many times can determine its meaning. Pure, bright and sunny yellow is the easiest color to see. People who are blind to other colors can usually see yellow. Yellow is full of creative and intellectual energy. Usually you will find yellow note pads.
Yellow symbolizes wisdom. Yellow means joy and happiness. People of high intellect favor yellow. Yellow daffodils are a symbol of unrequited love. Sunday's color is yellow-gold. Yellow Energy Like the energy of a bright sunny day, yellow brings clarity and awareness.
The shade of yellow determines its effect: Yellow-green can mean deceit, and creates a disoriented feeling. Orange-yellow imparts a sense of establishment.
Clean light yellow clears the mind, making it active and alert.
But we know that Yellow represents the sun - The Light of The world
We are going to look at one of the simplest passages in the Bible. It is only three words. Even though it is only three words it is one of the most profound passages in the Bible. Turn to I John 1:5.
We will read the whole verse but I want to concentrate on three words, “God is Light.” That phrase is profound. In fact, two of the simplest and yet most profound verses in the Bible are found in I John. Chapter 1 verse 5 is one of those passages. The other is chapter 4 verse 8, “God is love.” Profound concepts do not have to be long and cumbersome.
Now Let Us Read I John 1:5-7
Life is one of the key theme’s in John's Gospel; it is used thirty-six times.
What are the essentials for human life?
There are at least four: air, water, food, and light. (if the sun went out, everything would die)
Jesus is all of these! He is the Light of life and the Light of the world.
John 8:12 (KJV) 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
He is the "Sun of righteousness"
“God is light!” We need light just like we need God.
Do you realize there is a physical disorder caused my lack of light? It is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.). It is caused by a lack of exposure to sunlight, which in turn alters a person’s brain chemistry. During the fall and winter months when the hours of daylight are shorter, less light passes through the eyes which then inhibits the release of an important brain chemical, serotonin. When serotonin is not released in sufficient quantities, symptoms of depression may occur. Melatonin, another important brain chemical which regulates our sleep cycle, is released in greater quantities, adding to the depressive state. How is Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) treated?
The standard treatment for this disorder is “light” therapy. In fact, it is the primary treatment recommended by the AMA and the American Psychiatric Association, and it is also backed by extensive medical research through the prestigious National Institute of Mental Health.
The principal behind light therapy is that by increasing a person’s exposure to bright light, the chemicals in a person’s brain can be brought back to normal levels and lessen or remove the symptoms of S.A.D. The advantages of light therapy are that it is simple to administer, requires no medication, and has minimal side effects. Although (S.A.D.) only affects a few of us, about 1 in 5 people.
(Contributed to Sermon Central by: Michael Otterstatter)
We need physical light but even more we need God’s light.
I want to share some of the functions of light. This will help us to understand God’s unique place in our lives. I am going to use a simple acrostic as a teaching tool. I want to take the word LIGHT and highlight five functions of light which also are five functions which God performs in our lives.
1. L...Light gives Life.
One of the first things God placed in this world was light. In Gen. 1:3 God commanded that there be light.
One of the major teachings of I John is that life comes from God and eternal life comes through Jesus Christ. Apart from Him there is no life.
Ill- Dr. Alexander Popaderos, a famous Greek philosopher, used to teach an ethics class for two weeks on the island of Crete. And this particular summer just as he was getting ready to close the class, the last few minutes of the class, he said, “Now are there any questions before we go?” And just as he was getting ready to say, “OK then you’re dismissed,” a little man in the back of the room, a rather timid looking man, sort of carefully raised his hand and said, “Dr. Popaderos,” “Yes” “I have a question” “Yes, what is it?” He said, “I’d like to know, what is the meaning of life?”
Dr. Popaderos very quickly quieted the group, he said to the class, “You know, if you don’t mind I’d like to answer that question.” He reached into his back pocket, and took out his wallet. He took out of the wallet a little mirror about the size of a fifty-cent piece, honed down on the edges, kind of sparkling. And then he told this tale, he said, “When I was a child, I began to realize that I could have so much fun with that mirror. I would simply catch the glint of the Sun, and shine that mirror into an otherwise darkened place. As I grew older I began to learn that this is no child’s toy. This is really a metaphor for my life. Now I am not the light—I am not the source of the light. I am simply a broken mirror fragment. But if I allow the sun to shine on my mirror fragment, it is amazing what light I can bring into darkness.” Then he said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, that is the meaning of life.”
Each of us is a mirror fragment. We are not the Light. We are not the source of the Light. We are simply a broken mirror fragment. But when we permit the SON to hit our mirror fragment, and then bounce off into the life of a darkened heart, there can be change, there can be illumination. (Contributed to Sermon Central by: Matt Black)
Genesis 39:2-3 (KJV) 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
ILLUSTRATION: the pumpkin
"What it’s like to be a Christian ? "
A lady had recently been baptized. One of her coworkers asked her what it was like to be a Christian. She was caught off guard and didn’t know how to answer. But, when she looked up, she saw a jack-o’-lantern on the desk and answered, "It’s like being a pumpkin."
The worker asked her to explain that one.
"Well, God picks you from the patch and brings you in, and washes off all the dirt on the outside that you got from being around all the other pumpkins. Then he cuts off the top and takes all the yucky stuff out from inside. He removes all those seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then he carves you a new smiling face and puts his light inside of you to shine for all to see. It is our choice to either stay outside and rot on the vine or come inside and be something new and bright."
I’ll never look at a pumpkin the same way again.
2. I...Light Inspires!
Notice the last part of verse 5 and verse 6. “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.”(KJV)
When we are inspired by God’s light and our relationship with Him, we will live a different lifestyle.
Have you ever walked out on a moonlit night and gazed up into the Heavens? The sight of that beautiful sight will lift your spirits. That light inspires you.
Have you ever read about someone who has a near death experience? Maybe the person has a heart attack and dies for a few brief seconds. Maybe the person is killed in a car wreck and is brought back to life after a few seconds. In most every one of those situations there is a common story. The people who experience the near death episode come back to describe a warm light that attracted them. I believe that is the light of God’s presence drawing them.
Light has that affect. It draws and inspires and people want to be near it. John teaches us in verses 5 & 6 that people who walk in God’s light want to have fellowship with Him.
3. G...Light is a Guide!
What do airports use to line their runways? They use light.
In Exo. 13 we read the story of God leading the Israelites out of Egypt. The Bible says at night he lead them with a pillar of fire to give them light. He guided them.
A favorite Bible passage that has been memorized by many is Psalm 119:105 (KJV) Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
God desires to guide his children. He wants to guide you through difficulties, in decisions and as you face the challenges of life.
4. H...Light is a symbol of Hope.
The Psalmist said Psalm 27:1 (KJV) The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
In Isaiah’s prophecy of the coming of Jesus he uses light as a symbol of hope. Isaiah 9:2 (KJV) 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
In Revelation there is a passage that is often used at funerals. It includes the picture of light. Revelation 22:5 (KJV) 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever.
In most every home that has children there is a small light that is a symbol of hope to children. It is called a night light. It gives comfort to children who are in the dark.
Lab Rats, Light, and Hope
A group of graduate students did a very bizarre experiment. They took lab rats and put them in a tank of water and placed the tank in a totally dark room. They went into the joining room and monitored them with video equipment. The rats swam for almost six hours before giving up and drowning. The students then took another set of lab rats and put them in a tank of water and placed that tank in a room where there was a small lamp. Their hypothesis was that the light would give the rats hope and they would survive longer. As it turns out, the rats swam almost 17 hours. Much longer than the rats in total darkness. Something about the light enabled them to survive longer.
(Contributed to Sermon Central by: James Chandler)
5. T...Light represents Truth!
Let’s suppose you are awakened from a sound sleep by a noise outside. You are concerned that the noise may be caused by a burglar. You get out of the bed and turn on the outside lights. Why do you do this? You want to get to the truth.
Let’s suppose you are driving down the highway, minding your business, driving 70 in a 55 mph zone. You look in your rear view mirror to see flashing blue lights. You are about to face the truth.
In the Bible when the apostle Paul was converted to faith in Christ, God used a bright light to awaken him to the truth. (Acts 9:3) The truth brought him to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Ill- There is an old story about a lighthouse keeper who worked on a rocky stretch of coastline. Once a month he would receive a new supply of oil to keep the light burning so that ships could safely sail near the rocky coast. One night, though, a woman from a nearby village came and begged him for some oil to keep her family warm. Another time a father asked for some to use in his lamp. Another man needed to lubricate a wheel. Since all the requests seemed legitimate, the lighthouse keeper tried to please everyone and grant the requests of all.
Toward the end of the month, he noticed his supply of oil was dangerously low. Soon it was gone, and one night on the light on the lighthouse went out. As a result, that evening several ships were wrecked and countless lives were lost. When the authorities investigated, the man was very apologetic. He told them he was just trying to be helpful with the oil. Their reply to his excuses, however, was simple and to the point: "You were given oil for one purpose, and one purpose only - to keep that light burning!"
(SOURCE: James Emory White, Rethinking the Church (Baker Books, 1997), 27-28. Contributed to Sermon Central by: Joel Smith)
That light house keeper had to face the truth. He had to look in the mirror of self introspection. The Bible tells us the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)
Conclusion
As we close turn to Genesis 41:38 (KJV) 38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
God used Joseph to cause men to acknowledge His Spirit, to acknowledge that He works in His servants and in the world.
Pharaoh and the other government officials had no more understanding about the Spirit of God and His workings than any other unbeliever does.
But they did believe one thing: it took some supernatural power to enable Joseph to interpret the dream. That was the Light shining through Joseph.
In addition, his advice was very wise and sound. Moreover, when he spoke, there seemed to be a God-given authority and wisdom in his message.
Consequently, they could do no less than acknowledge that the Spirit of God dwelt in Joseph. His God had the power to control nature and His servants. Joseph really knew the God of heaven.
