CHILDREN'S STORY: When we get done here I PROMISE you I’ll give you a sucker. Do you know what a promise is? A promise is when someone tells you they’re going to do something… and then they do it. Now a promise is about something that will happen LATER. You parents will say “I promise we’ll go outside… but not right now) (they’ve got to get your clothes on); or “I promise we’ll go to the store… but not right now” (you have to take a nap first); or “I promise we’ll go to the playground… but not right now” (they’ve got to get some chores done first). They want you to know that when they’re ready… they WILL take you outside. It’s a promise! Well, God gives US promises too. The Bible is filled with promises God makes for us. He promises He’ll never leave you or forsake you. He promises that He’ll take you to cool places where you’ll enjoy yourself; He promises He’ll protect you (especially when you’re afraid); and He promises He’ll always listen to you. The difference between God’s promises and mine or your parents is that I might make you a promise, and then not be able to do it. Or I might make you a promise… and then FORGET! Do you think God would ever forget a promise? Of course not! God always keeps His promises.
PRAYER
SCRIPTURE
SERMON: The boy’s name was Nadin Khoury and he was 13 yrs old, 5 foot 2, and weighed, about 100 lbs. His attackers were teenagers, larger than he was, and outnumbered him seven to one. They dragged him through the snow and for 30 minutes and they hit, kicked, and beat him, stuffed him into a tree, and finally suspended him on a seven-foot wrought-iron fence. He never stood a chance. Nadin survived the attack and probably would have faced more beatings except that one of the bullies filmed it… and posted it on YouTube. The police saw the video, and the bullies were thrown in jail. Then the story reached the papers.
A staffer at a nationwide morning show read the account and invited Nadin to appear on the broadcast. They told his story and showed the YouTube video, but unbeknownst to him, the producer had also invited some other citizens of Philadelphia to appear on the show. When the video ended, the curtain opened, and in walked 3 huge men… they were members of Nadin’s favorite football team, the Philadelphia Eagles. DeSean Jackson - All-Pro receiver sat down beside the boy and not only signed a football jersey for him - but also gave him his cell phone number, and promised him “Anytime you need us, I got two linemen right here.” From that day on this young boy was only a call away from his personal bodyguards. Thugs would think twice before harassing a kid who had an NFL player’s number on speed dial. Nadin had a PROMISE that he could count on. (Max Lucado)
Today we’re going to talk about promises. Our passage tells us that “By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.” Hebrews 11:22
When I first read that verse, I thought – You’ve got to be kidding me! I could think of at least 3 stories about Joseph that spoke of his faith that were far more exciting than Joseph making “funeral arrangements.” I could have talked about HOW Joseph’s faith helped him endure yrs of slavery; or how he survived unjust imprisonment for something he hadn’t done; or how he became a trusted advisor to the Pharaoh of Egypt and saved his own family from starvation. Those would have been impressive stories.
But God didn’t mention any of that here in Hebrews. Instead, He commended Joseph for his faith because he gave directions about how his bones were to be handled? What’s that all about?
(Pause) Whenever I work on a sermon, I ask questions of the text. And the 1st question that came to mind was - why would Joseph even bother? Why bother giving instructions about where his bones were buried. I mean – when I die - you can bury me anyplace you want to and I WON’T CARE!!! And do you know WHY I won’t care??? Because I’ll be dead! It won’t matter at all to me!
But it apparently it mattered to Joseph. And it appears to have mattered not only to him... but to the Israelites. Exodus 13:19 tells us that when Israel left Egypt “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him…." Then in Joshua 24:32 we’re told that “As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt - they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.” And in the book of Acts, Stephen preaches a sermon where he specifically mentions this story. He said “Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.” Acts 7:14-16
So… it was a big deal! But that still doesn’t explain WHY it was such a big deal!
Well, Joseph answered that question in Genesis when he gave instructions about his body. He said “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore (promised) to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. Genesis 50:24-26
So, why did Joseph want his bones moved? Well he wanted that because he believed the promises of God. God promised Israel that they would have the PROMISED Land. Now, from the day that Joseph was embalmed until his casket was buried in the Promised Land was about 400 years. That’s a long time!!!! How could Joseph possibly have believed that God would have made that happen???
He believed that because he believed God would bring Israel back to the promised land… because that’s what God had promised to Abraham, Isaac & Jacob and to their descendants. And Joseph intended to claim that promise.
ILLUS: When you folks sent me to Israel I saw a Jewish cemetery outside Jerusalem. Now when WE visit cemeteries in America we put flowers on the graves, but in Israel, they put rocks on the graves. Why? Well, according to my guide, the Jews LOST the promised land centuries ago, but they regained their homeland in 1948. It’s a big deal for Israelites to be back ‘in the land’ and so the stones on the graves were a declaration that “You are now part of the land.” (see footnote)
In the same way, (by commanding that his bones be moved back there) Joseph was declaring – I intend to be part of the land that God promised. And Joseph was commended for his faith not only because he believed the Promise, but because he ACTED like someone who believed the promise. Now, here’s the deal… we are Christians - we serve a God of promises - and the Bible is just filled with those promises. And God calls upon us to believe His promises, and to live our lives as those who believe in His promises… just like Joseph did with God’s promise centuries ago.
Paul said: “Since WE have these promises… let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). In other words, we have great promises that should encourage us so that we end up living holy lives so that the people around us will know we trust God.
So, what kind of promises do we have? Well, some of the promises AREN’T really encouraging. Jesus said “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
And again: “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” John 15:19
And Peter wrote: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” I Peter 4:12-14
Now, granted… that’s not exactly the kind of promises we want to hear, but God is being honest with us - Christianity isn’t always going to be an easy ride. And if we don’t recognize these painful and truthful promises - when life goes south we’ll begin to wonder if there’s something wrong with US… or if there’s something wrong with GOD.
These statements were God’s way of saying, we don’t belong here. This world is NOT our home, we’re just a-passing through. Our treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. And because of that, this world can get kind of rough on us.
But God gives us the other promises remind us, that when life gets hard He’s still there and He still cares. And He gives us promises that we can build our hopes on.
The 23rd Psalm is a big one: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23
And other verses throughout the Old Testament reinforce that. Isaiah 26:3 we’re promised that “(God) will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in Him.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Isaiah 40:29-31 “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Jesus promised much the same thing in Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Jesus also promised: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:31-33
Romans 8:28 carries a step further “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
In fact, Ephesians 2:10 tells us we have a reason to live. We have a purpose in our lives. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He has prepared in advance for us to do” YOU MATTER!!!!
But WHY do you matter?
I recently read a meme on FB that said this: “You matter. You are important. You’re loved. And your presence on this earth makes a difference whether you see it or not” (and that’s pretty much all it said). When I read that I meme, thought to myself - someone is going to ask “WHY?” Why do I matter? Why am I important? Who is it that loves me? Etc. And because the meme doesn’t say you’re left to wonder who cares? The meme just assumes that you’ll instinctively know that SOMEBODY must care; and that EVERYBODY has value; and that EVERYBODY matters.
But in a world where people are measured by their beauty, their influence, and their wealth and power, a lot of people get… LEFT OUT. And they end up saying – “I don’t think I matter; I don’t think I’m important; And I can’t believe that anybody would love me.”
But God says… “I DO!!! You matter to me/ important to me/ I love you even if nobody else does.” John 3:16 says… “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” And it’s because God gave His son to die in our place, that we know that He loves you and I. And that’s why He’s given us a promise…
In Acts 2, Peter preached to crowd who realized they’d crucified the Messiah, and they cry out “What Shall We Do!!!! And Peter replies: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. FOR THE PROMISE IS FOR YOU and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” Acts 2:37-39
We have the promise, that if we believe in Jesus, repent of our sins, and are baptized in the name of Jesus… we have THE PROMISE that God will forgive our sins and then we have THE PROMISE that His Spirit will live inside of us. And because of THAT promise, all the other promises are OURS as well!
CLOSE: Now, do you remember my telling you that when I die I don’t care where you bury me? I said I didn’t care because I’d be dead. BUT that’s not the REAL REASON. The real reason I won’t care where you bury me is because, wherever you put me, it’s going to be TEMPORARY. I don’t intend to stay there, because God has given me (and you) another promise - just like Joseph KNEW his bones would be moved, I KNOW that my bones… are going to move too. I know that because I have a promise.
“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O grave, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 15:51-57
We must always remember - we are not better than the others in the world around us. We are simply those who have accepted better promises than the world can offer.
INVITATION
Footnote: There are many explanations of why the stones are put on Jewish graves. This was the one I had heard on my visit to Israel and I admit it might not be accurate.
