Go Joe!
Summary of part one and two:
I. Yo Joe – Yo Joe your special
1. Joe and his brothers suffered from the disease of favoritism.
2. There was the robed and the unrobed, the haves and the have nots.
3. There was a spoiled prideful brat and unloved sons driven to rage by their fathers favoritism..
4. The robe need to remove it and give it away
5. The ones who never got to wear robe must admit it, deal with it and move on in life.
II. Low Joe- say’s oh no!
1. Joe learned from God that he needed to say NO to temptation.
· This meant over and over!
· He also learned here that if you say “No” there could be repercussions but don’t worry God is with you.
2. Joe learned through his adverse circumstance and even though he could have become bitter he chose to become better.
· Joe chose to grow and in midst of his trial he showed compassion and concern for others.
· His attitude and trust in God promoted him even in prison..
3. Joe’s humility before pharaoh helped him rise to the top.
· He choose to honor God in front of Pharoah.
· He gave credit to God for the interpretation
· He came to pharaoh all cleaned up
· His humility in God set him free
· His ability to learn through his ordeals helped him to become set free.
· His care for others paid great rewards – even though it was not immediate. Joe went from low Joe to go Joe!
Thesis: Joe was on the go for God because he was a humble servant leader filled with the spirit of God. He was on the go because he was dispenser of grace and a forgiving individual.
Texts: Genesis 41-45
Introduction:
Overcoming success:
Years ago, Erwin Lutzer wrote a very helpful little book titled Failure: The Back Door To Success, it could have been written about Joseph. Many times, it takes years of failures and setbacks to become an “overnight success.”
Abraham Lincoln is a classic example. He had two failed businesses, one nervous breakdown, endured the death of a sweetheart, and was defeated for public office no less than ten times over the space of 30 years. Then, incredibly, he was elected President of the United States. Years of failure had equipped him to deal with the heady air of the heights of power.
Those repeated reversals, apparent failures, and personal tragedies did not defeat Lincoln. They strengthened his character and commitment. So it was with Joseph.
So here we find or hero a man who experienced setbacks and more setbacks but the key was his defeats equipped him and developed him into a man who could handle success. We should never look at setbacks as failure but as a backdoor to success. In reality a person who has gone through the process of loss and recovery is more able to handle the successes in life.
I. Joe was on the go because he served as a leader filled with the spirit of God which produced in him humility (Genesis 41).
a. Pharaoh himself saw this quality in Joseph (Genesis 41:37, 38)
· When the world can see the Spirit of God in you they will take notice.
· Do you want to be a man/woman of God –then you need to ask yourself can others see the Spirit of God in me.
· The main characteristic of an individual filled with the spirit of God is humility.
· Murray states it well “We can never have more faith than we have humility”(45).
· Murray also adds, “The promises made to faith are so free and sure, the invitations and encouragements are so strong, and the mighty power of God on which it may count is so near and free, that only something which hinders faith can hinder blessing from being ours…Jesus discloses to us that it is indeed pride which makes faith impossible”(45).
· What does it mean to humble – it means that you live at the foot of the cross. It means that you always point the attention to the Lord. You see pride hates the cross and does not even want to be in the shadow of the cross.
· Key here do you want to be on the go like Joe then it takes the willingness to allow the spirit of God grow in you and for it to produce humility – which means you die to self.
· Then you win over any circumstance in life and receive the blessing of God.
b. Pharaoh rewards Joe with a lot of authority because he saw Godly – humble character in Joe.
· Why do you think pharaoh gave him such a position because he saw a man with the Spirit of God and it’s fruit humility.
· Humility brings the blessings of God!
c. Humility is the ticket to success in life
T.S.- Joe had developed his character in prison and as a slave into one who was a Godly servant leader with humility. It’s amazing how humility and being in touch with the Spirit of the Lord makes it easier to de a dispenser of grace.
II. Joe was on the go because he was a dispenser of grace ( Genesis 42,43,44).
a. Joe dispensed grace as freely as he dispensed grain.
· Grace is defined by Swindoll, “To show grace is to extend favor or kindness to one who doesn’t deserve it and can never earn it. Receiving God’s acceptance by grace always stands in sharp contrast to earning it on the basis of works. Every time the thought of grace appears, there is the idea of its being undeserved. In no way is the recipient getting what he or she deserves. Favor is being extended simply out of the goodness of the heart of the giver “(9).
· When you dispense grace you get more of God in your life! When you show grace you receive grace.
· Joe discovered that grace lead to inner happiness and communion with God. He being in touch with the spirit of God – touched grace and it taught him to return the favor to those who did him wrong.
· Stanley Jones states,” Grace binds you with far stronger cords than the cords of duty or obligation can bind you. Grace is free, but when once you take it you are bound forever to the Giver, and bound to catch the spirit of the Giver. Like produces like. Grace makes you gracious, the Giver makes you give.”
b. Joe dispensed grace wisely like he dispensed grain wisely.
* He did take his time moving cautiously with his brothers – he did give them grain for no money – they did not deserve it but you see that’s what is so amazing about grace- it gives with no expectation in return.
c. Joe’s dispensing of grace resulted in changed individuals - Brothers
· Look at how Judah changed – the result of grace
· Grace from Joe helped his brothers to take responsibility.
T.S.- Grace is connected, intertwined with Joe’s other character trait “Forgiveness”.
III. Joe was on the go because he forgave (Genesis 45).
a. The definition of forgiveness - McGinniss defines it this way “Forgiveness is not forgetting or denying the pain, it is giving the person who caused you pain permission to forget.”
i. Lincoln had this quality
ii. He was a man known for issuing many pardons during the civil war – “He granted more pardons, for example, than any president had before him-or has since”(Phillips 59).
iii. Joseph did this with his brothers he gave permission to forget listen to what he said in 45:4-8:
· Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” when they had done so, he said ”I am your brother Joseph the one you sold into Egypt! And now do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. “ So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God…”
· Joseph had such a relationship with the Lord that he knew God was in control during his whole ordeal. You see if you understand God’s sovereignty then forgiveness comes easier.
· Joseph also reaffirms this though later in chapter 50:19-21 “But, Joseph said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is know being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.’ And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.”
· “The doctrine of the sovereignty of God assures us that while men may do the wrong thing for the wrong reasons, God can cause that “evil” to accomplish His good and perfect will.”
· Forgiveness is an act that is not earned by the recepient. If our forgiveness comes with conditions it’s not really forgiveness. One pastor states, “If our forgiveness is the kind that demands that the person “pay for it” before we will forgive, then we are not giving forgiveness. That may be justice, but it is not mercy. It may be law, but not grace. Just as we can in no way contribute to the forgiveness and salvation which Christ has accomplished on the cross of Calvary, so no one we forgive can be forgiven and yet forced to pay for their offense against us.”
b. The impact of forgiveness
i. Yancey states, “Forgiveness offers a way out. It does not settle all questions of blame and fairness-often it pointedly evades those questions-but I does allow a relationship to start over, to begin anew. In that way said Solzhenitsyn, we differ from animals. Not our capacity to think, but our capacity to repent and to forgive makes us different. Only humans can perform that most unnatural act, which transcends the relentless law of nature. If we do not transcend nature, we remain bound to the people we cannot forgive, held in their vise grip”(98).
ii. The three areas impacted by forgiveness:
1. Yancey also notes, “When we genuinely forgive, we set a prisoner free and then discover that the prisoner we set free was us “(98).
· You will be set free from forgiving. The person you forgive will no longer control you like a puppet on a string.
2. When you forgive you start to heal on the inside then this forgiving attitude produces joy-peace-gentleness.
· McGinniss states, “Doesn’t joy, peace and gentleness sound a lot better than malice, rage and bitterness?”
3. When you forgive you become closer to God and you sense him more..
· His voice becomes clearer
· His face gets brighter
· His touch softer
· His fragrance sweeter
· His taste more delightful
c. The blessing of forgiveness
i. Illustration- “The Graham’s Unexpected Hospitality
d. The Biblical act of forgiveness (info- from Biblical Studies Foundation)
i. Joseph in chapter 45 teaches us that forgiveness should be granted quickly.
1. Joseph’s life and attitude revealed a man who could forgive quickly. He did not hold grudges against those who hurt him.
2. Joseph forgave Mrs. Po and Mr. Po.
3. Joseph forgave the cupbearer for forgetting him.
4. Joseph forgave his brothers long before he saw them.
· Somewhere on the caravan as a slave and in slavery and in prison Joseph in his heart forgave his brothers.
· Joseph had long before his brothers been set free by forgiving his brothers –who by the way still 20 years later suffered from their action.
i. See 42:21-28
5. The truth of the matter is that the sooner forgiveness is given and reconciliation embraced, the better for both parties involved.
· Mark prime example!
ii. Joseph also teaches us that Biblical forgiveness is to be done in private (Genesis 45:1).
1. Joseph dealt with his brothers in private. This shows me that he forgave long before the actual verbal acknowledgement. He also was prudent in making it a private matter with no guilt, shaming or blaming.
2. Matthew 18:15 “And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.”
3. It’s not a public spectacle!
iii. Joseph teaches us in out text that Biblical forgiveness is given with no strings attached.
1. “Forgiveness is free in that the forgiver willingly accepts the loss or pain personally. In brief, forgiveness is a matter of grace, not works, and grace does not make demands upon the one who receives it.”
2. Joseph’s brothers received forgiveness rooted in grace and humility from Joseph.
iv. Joseph shows us that Biblical forgiveness is not easy it’s hard. He demonstrated that it costs –Genuine forgiveness costs the one giving but the reward far outweighs the cost paid to forgive.
v. Joseph forgave permanently it was not based on the condition I forgive you as long as dad is alive it was forever-it was forgotten! (Gen. 50:15-21)
vi. Joseph forgave but he also sought to restore his brothers it took him about a year to unveil his identity-I believe he tested his brothers to see if they would change-they did and repened even Judah took responsibility for Benjamin over the cup. These are different brothers in the end.
e. Why do we need forgive?
i. Because the Word make it a command not an option
1. Ephesians 4:25-32
2. Colossians 3:12-17
ii. Because we need to recall how we have been forgiven by Jesus freely with no strings attached and we are expected to do the same to others.
1. Luke 7:40-48
2. The more aware we are of our own sinfulness and the forgiveness we received, the easier it is to forgive others.
3. Illustration “Making an Impression”
iii. Because we need to understand that God is in control and he is sovereign. God uses suffering in our lives for our good and for his glory.
iv. Because Jesus forgave on the cross “Father forgive them they know not what they do!”
v. Because we need to consider that Jesus was a servant leader who modeled this Phil. 2:3-8
1. Usually we find that when others offend us or hurt us we get mad because of pride. We immediately cry foul because our rights have been violated. But this act of forgiveness surfaces from a heart of servant-like attitude.
vi. Because forgiveness is not an emotion – it is a decision based on the will –it is based on Agape love- I Cor. 13 shows us it’s a decision.
IV. Conclusion
a. Do you want to be a Joe on the go?
i. Then be a servant leader filled with his spirit and let it produce humility.
ii. Then become a dispenser of grace .
iii. Then be and individual who chooses to forgive !
