Sermon – Advent Begins: The Message of Hope
Scripture Lesson: Genesis 39:1-4 “And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither. And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.”
Introduction: I want to use Joseph’s story of Hope as we began our journey to Christmas. Growing up in the Methodist Church, the Christian education department always followed the liturgical Christian calendar introducing the liturgical colors and religious ritual for each season of the year. They taught us about advent. Advent Season is a very special time of year that sometimes gets lost in the bright lights of the Christmas season it precedes. The first day of Advent is the first day of a new Liturgical (or church) calendar and begins a four-week period of preparation for the nativity of Jesus Christ at Christmas.
Many of you know that the Advent Season is all about reflecting on how we can prepare our hearts and homes for the coming of Jesus Christ in the world as it is today. It is a time for faith communities and families to remember, through prayer, reflections, special music, and good deeds the true meaning of the birth of Jesus. Advent begins with the candle of Hope, moves to light, then to peace and finally to the Joy of Christmas.
The story of Joseph is a beacon of hope in a world of sorrow. “The story of Joseph, the son of Jacob who was called Israel, is a vivid representation of the great truth of Romans 8:28, which says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Have you ever wondered why you were created? Why do you exist? What is your purpose in life? These are all questions that people have asked themselves at some point in their lives. But as Christians, we know that we were created for a specific purpose, and that purpose is to glorify God. God has a plan for each one of our lives, and His plan is perfect. It's easy to get caught up in our own desires and plans for our lives, but we must remember that God's plans are far greater than anything we could ever imagine. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He has a specific purpose for us. Joseph seemed to get it.
Joseph always seemed to do the right thing; but still, more importantly, he did it for the right reason. How could Joseph maintain his hope through the trials of life? What lessons can we learn from his experiences that can help us cope as we prepare for Christmas? Can Christmas season mean more than Black Friday, Shop Local Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday? Are people still in desperate need of hope today? Advent offers us the gift of Hope.
If anyone had been touched by trauma with a reason to harbor hatred, surely it was Joseph. If anyone had cause to think God had forsaken him, surely it was Joseph—the abused Jewish teenager and mistreated young adult had every reason to feel sorry for himself.
At age 17, Joseph descended quickly from favored son to forgotten slave, then from a forgotten slave to a forgotten prisoner. From there, his calamities only intensified until he found himself abandoned for years in the darkness of an Egyptian prison. He could have easily relived his 13 years of tragedies over and over again. Assaulted. Abused. Falsely accused. Betrayed. Wrongfully imprisoned with no end in sight. Joseph somehow kept hope alive.
Joseph was hopeful. Instead of getting bitter, Joseph became better. Joseph endured it all with grace. How? The Lord was with him. The author of Genesis repeatedly emphasized that clue to Joseph’s stability. Sometimes, the best evidence of God’s presence in a person’s life is a calm and steady enduring hope during hard trials. Hope that is real can endure through the most difficult trials. If the story of Joseph teaches us anything, surely it’s that the best “lifesaving device” for enduring great trials is the presence of our Lord. Joseph knew that God was with him. It is the hope we all need in these difficult days. It was the same hope Job held on to, listen to Job 19:25-27 “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”
Job, like Joseph did not understand the chaos of his life, his great loss, suffering and pain, but they both knew God. Never allow what you don’t know about your circumstances to keep you from believing what you do know about your God. Job said, “I know my redeemer lives.” Knowing that we have a personal relationship with God who loves us and cares about us, gives us hope. I don’t know when the wars and rumors of wars will cease, or when the hostages will be released or who our next leaders will be, but I know my redeemer lives, and that gives me sustaining, enduring, stabilizing hope.
Yet, I think Joseph’s hope story teaches us more. When God elevated Joseph from the pit of an Egyptian prison to the pinnacle of political power as Pharoah’s right-hand man, Joseph had the authority to exact full vengeance on all who had harmed him. But he refused to take revenge. In fact, Joseph told his brothers that what they had intended for Joseph’s harm, God used for his and their good. No anger. No blame. No bitterness. What a hope-filled perspective on life. For that reason, the story of Joseph also teaches us that the best “life-rehabilitation plan” for moving beyond hardships, pain and sorrow is the presence of the Lord. In the Old Testament, the promise of God’s presence could be heard in the voice of Prophet,
Isaiah 9:6-7 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
Isaiah 60:1-2 “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”
Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your King comes to you. He is righteous and victorious, meek and riding on an ass, even on a colt, the son of an ass.”
Do you hear those hope filled words, “his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee, … the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your King comes to you. He is righteous and victorious.
During seasons of distress and trials, we need the assurance that God is with us and his promises are true. Our hope is based in the character of God and in the power and truthfulness of His promises. Jesus promised, “Lo, I will be with you always even until the end.” The supporting foundation of Joseph’s hopeful confidence that helped him endure through hardship included what He saw, what he sensed and what he submitted to.
First, Joseph saw God’s perfect plan in every location. I remember reading of a man who thought he had a fool-proof plan for sneaking into a drive-in movie without paying. He would crawl into the trunk of the car, and his wife would pay only for herself. Once inside the drive-in, she would let him out of the trunk. The plan sounded good, but it failed. The man did crawl into the trunk, and his wife drove into the theater just as they planned. Only when she attempted to release him did they realize the problem with the plan--the husband had the keys to the trunk in his pocket. After firemen cut through the trunk, the man was released, but neither he nor his wife saw the movie. Some plans may sound good, but they do not work. Even if this plan had worked, it could hardly be called good, for the intent was to deceive and enjoy a movie at another’s expense.
God’s plan is a good plan in every place. No matter where Joseph ended up, he knew God’s plan was for his highest good, was certain to work, and would produce the best results for the benefit of man and the glory of God. Joseph trusted God’s plan and believe it would work out.
Second, Joseph sensed God’s gracious hand in every position. Whatever the method God chooses to use, whatever position Joseph founded himself, He believed God's gracious hand would give him life and favor. To have God's hand over our lives means that we aren't abandoned by our Heavenly Father. It means that every step we take is watched over by Him as He protects us from seen and unseen dangers. With God gracious hand, Joseph prospered in Israel, in Egypt, in Potiphar’s house, in prison and soared in the palace. He prospered in a slow economy, no economy and in a growing economy. The gracious hand of God carried him through the Spring, Summer, Winter, and the Fall seasons of life with equal grace.
And Finally, Joseph submitted to God’s sovereign will in every situation. Submission to God's will includes obedience to His written Word, but also mean in our daily walk before the Lord laying our requests, desires, and prayers before Him and then actively submit to His sovereign will as it plays out in our lives. There were times in Joseph’s life when it looks like he was going backward instead of forward; times he was going down instead of being exalted; times when he was doing the right thing for the right reasons and was seemingly getting the unexpected results. What did He do? Joseph submitted to God’s sovereign will in every situation. It is great to know that God has a perfect plan for our lives; It is awesome to know God’s gracious hand is upon us, but we need to consider that God is Sovereign. His sovereign will may alter our plans, override our favor, delay our promises, and even try our faith. Joseph simply submitted to God’s sovereign will in every situation.
Anyone can embrace these valuable pillars and stand on this firm foundation because of what we know Jesus Christ achieved at Calvary. We can say like Job, “I know that my Redeemer lives”. And like Joseph, “What you meant for evil, God has turned for your good and my good.” Jesus Christ made it possible for everyone by faith in His finished work can have a personal, intimate relationship with God, the Father through faith. So, if Hard trials are threatening to rob you of the joy of Holiday season, and the significance of Christmas, don’t let go your faith, hold on to the hope we have in Christ. The Bible tells us that we find hope when we flee to God “for refuge.” Hebrews 6:18-19 reminds us by saying, “So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.” It describes the believer’s hope as a sure and steadfast “anchor of the soul” that fixes itself in the solid reality of God's presence.
This blessed hope has helped me endure difficult situations and even move beyond hardships and trials to victory countless times in my life. God’s work in the hardships of life is truly mysterious. But He is presence. His Sovereignty, and He promises to work All things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. We can rely on His presence being with us. Advent begins with the promise of Hope. Joseph went down into Egypt, and the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man! Allow Joseph’s Hope story to give you hope during this Christmas season! Advent reminds us of the hope, light, peace, and joy offered by God in Jesus Christ. May you find this blessed hope this Christmas season. Amen.
