THE STORY OF JOSEPH
JOHN 19:38-20:10
THE ENTIRETY OF WORLD HISTORY, FROM THE TIME OF CREATION TO THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD, HAS TWO BASIC DIVISIONS. THE LIFE OF CHRIST BECOMES THE DIVIDING POINT AS HISTORY IS VIEWED AS EITHER B.C. OR A.D. THE CROSS STANDS AT THE CENTER OF THIS GREAT DIVIDE.
TODAY I WANT TO EXAMINE THIS DIVIDE BY LOOKING AT THREE INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVED AT DIFFERENT TIMES, OBVIOUSLY HAD DIFFERENT ROLES TO PLAY, BUT WHO WERE VITAL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIANITY. THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS WILL SHOW US DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS OF THE GRACE WE ENJOY TODAY.
SOME PEOPLE PLACE GREAT IMPORTANCE ON THEIR REPUTATION, AND WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT IF THEY DO IT, IT WILL BE DONE RIGHT. THERE ARE OTHERS WHO AT THE MENTION OF THEIR NAME SEND SHIVERS UP YOUR SPINE, AS YOU DON’T TRUST THEM AT ALL.
THE THREE MEN THAT WE ARE GOING TO STUDY TODAY HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON. THEY ALL BEAR THE NAME JOSEPH. EACH JOSEPH HAS A DIFFERENT VIEW OF CHRISTIANITY BASED ON THE TIME HE LIVED AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT HE LIVED IN.
POINT ONE: JOSEPH: GRACE PREDICTED
THIS FIRST JOSEPH LIVED SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS BEFORE THE CROSS. HIS STORY BEGINS IN GENESIS CHAPTER 37. THIS JOSEPH STARTS OUT FULL OF GUSTO, INTERPRETING DREAMS FOR HIS BROTHERS AND FATHER. THE BROTHERS BECAME JEALOUS OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER AND CHOSE TO SELL HIM INTO CAPTIVITY IN EGYPT.
DURING THIS TIME NOT MUCH IS SAID ABOUT JOSEPH’S SPIRITUAL CONDITION, BUT IT WOULD SEEM TO BE ANYTHING BUT GOOD DURING THESE EARLY YEARS. HE DID NOT MIND THE ATTENTION HE GOT FROM HIS FATHER OVER HIS OTHER BROTHERS, AND HIS SELFISHNESS WOULD GET HIM INTO BIG TROUBLE.
IT IS IN EGYPT THAT WE LEARN OF JOSEPH’S SPIRITUALITY, AND OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
GENESIS 39:2-4:
THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH SO THAT HE PROSPERED, AND HE LIVED IN THE HOUSE OF HIS EGYPTIAN MASTER. 3 WHEN HIS MASTER SAW THAT THE LORD WAS WITH HIM AND THAT THE LORD GAVE HIM SUCCESS IN EVERYTHING HE DID, 4 JOSEPH FOUND FAVOR IN HIS EYES AND BECAME HIS ATTENDANT. POTIPHAR PUT HIM IN CHARGE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD, AND HE ENTRUSTED TO HIS CARE EVERYTHING HE OWNED
JOSEPH’S SUCCESS FOLLOWED HIM EVERYWHERE HE WENT, EVEN WHEN HE WENT TO PRISON.
GENESIS 39:21-22:
THE LORD WAS WITH HIM; HE SHOWED HIM KINDNESS AND GRANTED HIM FAVOR IN THE EYES OF THE PRISON WARDEN. 22 SO THE WARDEN PUT JOSEPH IN CHARGE OF ALL THOSE HELD IN THE PRISON, AND HE WAS MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THAT WAS DONE THERE.
THROUGHOUT JOSEPH’S ENTIRE LIFE GOD SHOWED BLESSING ON HIM. AS THE PRIME MINISTER OF EGYPT, TO BRINGING HIS FAMILY TOGETHER GOD HAD GREAT AND MANY BLESSINGS FOR HIM.
I WANT TO SUGGEST TO YOU TODAY THAT THIS JOSEPH CAN REPRESENT: GRACE PREDICTED.
THE PEOPLE OF JOSEPH’S DAY HAD TO LOOK FORWARD IN FAITH TO THE CROSS, JUST AS WE HAVE TO LOOK BACK TO IT IN FAITH.
THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS AT THE TIME OF THEIR DEATHS WERE OFTEN SAID TO BE GOING WITH THEIR FATHERS. CONSIDER THE DEATH OF JACOB, JOSEPH’S FATHER:
GENESIS 49:33: WHEN JACOB HAD FINISHED GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO HIS SONS, HE DREW HIS FEET UP INTO THE BED, BREATHED HIS LAST AND WAS GATHERED TO HIS PEOPLE
WHAT WAS HAPPENING HERE IS THAT THEY WERE RECEIVED INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD, BASED ON THEIR FAITH THAT WAS PRACTICED IN THEIR OBEDIENCE TO THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM. GOD WAS NOT INTERESTED IN THE ANIMALS USED IN SACRIFICE.
ISAIAH 1:11: “THE MULTITUDE OF YOUR SACRIFICES— WHAT ARE THEY TO ME?” SAYS THE LORD. “I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH OF BURNT OFFERINGS, OF RAMS AND THE FAT OF FATTENED ANIMALS; I HAVE NO PLEASURE IN THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND LAMBS AND GOATS.
THE SYSTEM JOSEPH LIVED UNDER ALLOWED THE ISREALITES TO SHOW THEIR FAITH THROUGH THEIR OBEDIENCE TO THE METHOD AND STRUCTURE OF THE SYSTEM.
THE SYSTEM WOULD BECOME A PREVIEW OF JESUS DEATH ON THE CROSS.
AS THE PERSON OFFERING THE SACRIFICE BY TOUCHING IT AT THE TIME OF DEATH CEREMONIALLY PASSED ON HIS SIN TO THE SACRIFICE, WHO PAID HIS PENALTY, SO ALSO, WAS OUR SIN PASSED ON TO CHRIST AT THE TIME OF CALVARY, AND THE PENALTY FOR SIN BEING DEATH, SAW JESUS DIE IN OUR STEAD.
PEOPLE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT LIKE JOSEPH LOOKED FORWARD TO THE TIME OF THE MESSIAH. THEY KNEW IT WOULD COME THOUGH THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN.
WHEN THEY WENT TO THEIR DEATHS THEY DID NOT GO AS MEN WITHOUT HOPE. THEY KNEW THEY WOULD BE GATHERED WITH THEIR FATHER’S IN GOD’S PRESENCE.
THEY LOOKED FORWARD TO THE CROSS TO SETTLE THE ISSUS OF SIN FOREVER. THEY WERE DECLARED RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH, THROUGH THE GRACE OF GOD, BUT AS WE LOOK BACK TO THE CROSS TO PAY OUR SIN DEBT FOREVER, THEY LOOKED FORWARD TO IT FOR THE SAME REASON.
POINT TWO: JOSEPH: GRACE PROCLAIMED
WE MUST NOW FAST FORWARD THROUGH HISTORY SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS TO COME IN CONTACT WITH OUR SECOND JOSEPH.
HE IS A CARPENTER, WHO WAS DEALING WITH A DREADFUL SITUATION.
JOSEPH LOVED MARY VERY MUCH, BUT WAS DEVESTATED TO LEARN THAT MARY WAS PREGNANT.
THEY WERE BETROTHED AT THIS TIME AND AFTER HE HAD DECIDED TO DIVORCE HER PRIVATELY, AN ANGEL APPEARED TO HIM AND TOLD HIM THE WHOLE STORY.
WE DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THIS JOSEPH. HE IS ONLY MENTIONED TWICE IN SCRIPTURE, HERE, AND WHEN JESUS IS IN THE TEMPLE AT THE AGE OF TWELVE.
IT IS WITH THIS JOSEPH THAT THE GOSPEL, THE GOOD NEWS BEGINS TO BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. BUT IT COULD ONLY HAPPEN ON THE BASIS OF JOSEPH’S FAITH AND OBEDIENCE.
MATTHEW 1:24-25:
WHEN JOSEPH WOKE UP, HE DID WHAT THE ANGEL OF THE LORD HAD COMMANDED HIM AND TOOK MARY HOME AS HIS WIFE. 25 BUT HE DID NOT CONSUMMATE THEIR MARRIAGE UNTIL SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A SON. AND HE GAVE HIM THE NAME JESUS
THESE STATEMENTS SPEAK TO THE FAITH, HUMBLENESS AND OBEDIENCE OF JOSEPH. SO MANY FATHER’S OF HIS DAY WOULD WANT TO NAME THEIR SON AFTER THEMSELVES, AND TRAIN THEM IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS.
JOSEPH DID NOT BOW TO HIS PRIDE BUT SUBMITTED TO THE WILL OF THE FATHER. THROUGH HIS ACTION OF SERVITUDE THE GOSPEL TOOK FORM AS JESUS GREW INTO ADULTHOOD, AND WAS SOON PROCLAIMED TO THE WORLD.
JOSEPH’S FAITH AND OBEDIENCE WERE GATEWAYS FOR THE GRACE OF GOD TO BE PROCLAIMED AND THE WORLD CHANGED FOREVERMORE.
POINT THREE: JOSEPH: GRACE GLORIFIED
FOR THIRTY THREE YEARS THE GRACE OF GOD WAS PROCLAIMED CULMINATING IN THE PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST AND HIS DISCIPLES.
THE WORLD HAD NEVER HEARD SUCH A MAN BEFORE, AND HIS MIRACLES WOULD SERVE NOTICE TO EVERYONE THAT HE WAS NOT JUST AN ORDINARY MAN.
HE TAUGHT, HEALED THE SICK, RAISED THE DEAD, AND PROCLAIMED THE KINGDOM OF GOD. HIS POPULARITY WAS SO WIDESPREAD THAT THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE TIME HAD TO NOTICE THIS MAN FROM GALILEE.
WHEN PASSOVER WAS CELEBRATED IN JERUSALEM THEY DECIDED IT WAS THEIR CHANCE TO BE RID OF JESUS.
THEY TRUMPED UP SOME FALSE CHARGES, HAD WITNESSES LIE BEFORE THE COURT, BROKE THE LAW CONCERNING THE WAY THE COURST WAS HELD, BROUGHT HIM BEFORE PILATE CHARGED WITH DIFFERENT CRIMES THAN THE ONE HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF BY THE SANHEDRIN, BEATEN, AND FINALLY EXECUTED.
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE THERE THAT DAY, INCLUDING OUR THIRD JOSEPH, A WEALTHY MAN FROM ARIMATHEA.
JOSEPH HAD A NEW TOMB, NOONE WAS IN IT.
JOSEPH WENT TO PILATE AND ASKED FOR THE BODY OF JESUS TO BURY IT IN HIS TOMB. WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE STORY, BUT ARE WE AWARE OF THE IMPLICATIONS BEHIND IT.
CRIMINALS FOUND GUILTY AND SENTENCED TO DEATH BY THE ROMANS WERE NEVER BURIED. THEIR BODIES WERE CAST INTO A FORM OF GARBAGE DUMP FOR BODIES, THE SMELL AND DECAYING BODIES A CONSTANT REMINDER OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO DEFIED THE ROMANS.
PILATE HAD FOUND JESUS NOT GUILTY, STATING I FIND NO FAULT IN HIM, PLACED THE SIGN ON THE CROSS “HERE IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS, IN THREE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES FOR ALL TO SEE. THIS WAS AN INDICATION THAT HE BELIEVED JESUS WAS WHO HE SAID HE WAS.
NOW HE ALLOWS JOSEPH TO TAKE JESUS’ BODY OFF THE CROSS AND BURY IT IN HIS TOMB. IT IS ANOTHER PUBLIC STATEMENT TO THE INNOCENCE OF JESUS. JESUS BODY IS CAREFULLY PLACED IN THE TOMB, INITIAL PREPARATION FOR BURIAL DONE BUT NOT COMPLETED AS THE SABBATH APPROACHED.
LITTLE DID JOSEPH KNOW OF THE GLORY AND HAPPINESS THAT WOULD SOON INVADE AND OVERCOME THE SADNESS THAT WAS CONSUMING HIM.
THE THIRD DAY THE WOMEN WENT TO FINISH PREPARING JESUS BODY FOR BURIAL, AND THEY DISCOVERED GLORIFIED GRACE AS THE TOMB WAS EMPTY.
PETER AND THE OTHER DISCIPLE WENT TO THE TOMB AND FOUND NOTHING, NO BODY, JUST THE CLOTH THAT USED TO BE WRAPPED AROUND HIM.
CHAPTER TWENTY BEGINS TO TALK ABOUT THE RESURRECTION APPEARANCES OF JESUS.
THIS IS GRACE GLORIFIED! IT IS AN EMPTY TOMB! IT IS OUR REASON FOR CELEBRATION TODAY.
THE EMPTY TOMB IS GOD’S ACCEPTANCE OF THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS. IT IS HIS AGREEING WITH CHRIST WHEN HE SAID “IT IS FINISHED.
THE EMPTY TOMB IS A PICTURE OF THE GLORY THAT AWAITS CHRISTIANS WHEN THIS LIFE IS OVER. YES WE MAY FACE THE GRAVE, BUT WE WILL FACE IT KNOWING THAT BECAUSE JESUS WAS VICTORIOUS OVER THE GRAVE, THAT WE TOO WILL HAVE GLORIOUS RESURRECTED BODIES.
WE SHALL KNOW EACH OTHER. WE SHALL BE ABLE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER. THE GREATEST MOST GLORIOUS THING THAT WE SHALL HAVE HAPPEN IS THE ABSENCE OF OUR SIN NATURE. WE SHALL BE AS GOD WANTED US TO BE FROM THAT FIRST DAY IN EDEN, AND PRAISE GOD WE SHALL NEVER LOSE THIS.
THE EMPTY TOMB ALLOWS US TO SAY AS PAUL DID IN CORINTHIANS
1 CORINTHIANS 15:55-56:
“WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR VICTORY? WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR STING?” 56 THE STING OF DEATH IS SIN, AND THE POWER OF SIN IS THE LAW. 57 BUT THANKS BE TO GOD! HE GIVES US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
THIS IS THE GLORIOUS GRACE OF AN EMPTY TOMB TODAY.
CONCLUSION:
EACH OF THESE JOSEPHS TEACH US SOME VALUABLE LESSONS:
1. THEY ALL MADE RESPONSES OF GRACE TO VERY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS:
A) OLD TESTAMENT JOSEPH WAS ACCUSED OF SCANDAL WITH POTIPHAR’S WIFE
B) JOSEPH, MARY’S HUSBAND WAS IN A SCANDAL NOT HIS FAULT
C) JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, INVOLVED IN THE SCANDAL OF JESUS’ DEATH.
HOW WE HANDLE SCANDAL WHEN IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS SPEAKS OF OUR TRUST IN GOD, AND HIS GRACE TOWARDS US.
2. EACH JOSEPH WAS A PART OF GOD’S REVEALED PLAN.
A) OLD TESTAMENT JOSEPH HAD PROPHETIC DREAMS
B) JOSEPH, MARY’S HUSBAND HAD A PROPHETIC DREAM
C) JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA WAS ALLOWED TO SEE THE PLAN OF GOD IN ACTION BEFORE HIS VERY EYES.
3. EACH JOSEPH WAS PART OF A PROPHECY FULFILLED
A) OLD TESTAMENT JOSEPH WAS CONNECTED TO A PROPHECY MADE TO ABRAHAM
GENESIS 15:13-16:
THEN THE LORD SAID TO HIM, “KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE STRANGERS IN A COUNTRY NOT THEIR OWN AND THAT THEY WILL BE ENSLAVED AND MISTREATED THERE. 14 BUT I WILL PUNISH THE NATION THEY SERVE AS SLAVES, AND AFTERWARD THEY WILL COME OUT WITH GREAT POSSESSIONS. 15 YOU, HOWEVER, WILL GO TO YOUR ANCESTORS IN PEACE AND BE BURIED AT A GOOD OLD AGE.
B) JOSEPH MARY’S HUSBAND WAS INVOLVED IN A PROPHECY MADE TO ISAIAH
ISAIAH 7:14: 14 THEREFORE THE LORD HIMSELF WILL GIVE YOU A SIGN: THE VIRGIN H WILL CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND WILL CALL HIM IMMANUEL.
C) JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA WAS INVOLVED IN A PROPHECY OF ISAIAH
ISAIAH 53:9: HE WAS ASSIGNED A GRAVE WITH THE WICKED, AND WITH THE RICH IN HIS DEATH, THOUGH HE HAD DONE NO VIOLENCE,
NOR WAS ANY DECEIT IN HIS MOUTH.
THREE JOSEPHS, WHO EXPERIENCED THE GRACE OF GOD IN VARIOUS WAYS BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH IN GOD. YOU CAN EXPERIENCE GOD’S GRACE TODAY BY ACCEPTING HIM AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOUR.
