Holding On To Hope
12/12/99 Genesis 37:1-11 2 Corinthians 1:3-11
There was a man in the bible who lived longer than the century we are about to close. Altogether he was 147 when they laid him in the tomb. He knew what it was like to watch his childhood sweetheart die in childbirth. He carried the pain of his favorite son being torn apart by a wild animal for 23 years. He was man with a broken spirit because of the losses he had suffered in life. Life was no longer a joy for him, as he passed the century mark, because he had no hope. His name was Jacob.
But then came that day when he heard that the son he thought had been murdered 23 years ago was still alive in another country. The Scriptures, says, he revived his spirit, and said, "I may be a 130 and can’t get around like I use to, but I will go and see my son before I die." The difference between yesterday and today, in the old man’s life was that today, he had a hope that he did not have the day before. He didn’t care how long the journey would take, what it would cost, or the risks involved. His hope carried him forward.
We all need some hope in our lives to make it through. You did not make it here today with less than a week left in this century without some hope that God had some better plans for your life. It doesn’t matter where you entered the twentieth century, you’re going to need some hope to take you into the next.
The only reason this church is here today is because of the hope of the saints that God was not through with Glenville yet. During parts of the 70’s and 80’s there were those who thought the church should be closed, merged, or sold, but there were others with a hope that with a faith a God all things are possible including the rebirth of New Life into an old church. It pays to keep holding on to hope.
It was Jesus’ hope that got him through the agony of the crucifixion. For The Scriptures say, us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3. Saints never let go of your hope, because you’re going to need it.
One of the greatest deceptions Satan floats in the Christian Community is the belief, "If you just give your life to God you will, not have any more real problems." Satan knows the moment some of us have some real problems we let go of our hope. We assume God is not able, because He didn’t do anything to change our situation. We start to abandon our faith and our hope. Our hope is never that everything is always going to be great. Our hope is no matter what, "God is still at work in my life with a purpose for good."
In our Old Testament reading, we met the young man Joseph. We see early in his life, God’s hand was upon Joseph. One thing about Joseph was he didn’t mind standing up against the odds. He was the second youngest of his 12 brothers, but when they did something wrong, he came back and told his father what they had done. Joseph was admired and even favored by his father over his brothers. When it came to giving out coats, the father found some old coats at the Goodwill Thrift Store for the older brothers, but he went to Towere City to buy A Fubu and Nautica special for Joseph. At 17, Joseph was decked out.
To make matters even more complicated, Joseph was having dreams of ruling over his brothers, and even having his mother and father coming to bow down before him. Now Joseph assumed these dreams were from God, but his brothers and fathers thought he might just be having a big head with a little too much ambition. Joseph had a great future looking ahead of him. Even though his brothers put him down whenever they got the chance, they hated him, and couldn’t speak a kind word to him, it didn’t keep Joseph from being determined to make something out of himself. There was a hope inside of Joseph that others could not destroy.
His brothers’ anger, dislike, prejudice, and actions were not able to stifle the hope within him to reach his potential in God. Too often, we are afraid, others will think we are trying to be something. We will even lower our standards to their expectations in exchange for being accepted by them. If someone or some thing is holding you back, you need to let go of it and go on with your life without them or it and seize the hope God is placing before you.
Joseph’s brothers didn’t want him to hang with them, so Joseph started to hang with his father. One day his brothers had gone out to graze the sheep. They were gone for a long period of time. Joseph’s father became worried. He told "Joseph, look I’m getting worried about your brothers. They should have been back by now. Go and check it out just to make sure they and the flocks are okay."
Simple as this conversation was, Neither Joseph nor his father knew that it was the close of a chapter in their lives. When he sent Joseph out, he did not know he was saying goodbye for some 23 years. Joseph was saying goodbye to a life that he loved and did not know it. In just six days, we will be entering a new century, saying goodbye to a way of life we’re leaving behind. Many of the people we loved most dearly, will remain behind, buried in the 20th century. Only the memories we carry of them, will make it with us.
There was a line in my high school year book that said, "everytime we say hello to each other, we move closer to saying goodbye." You see time is bringing events that will change our relationships to our children, our spouses, and our friends. The only thing we have that is guaranteed to be with us our entire lives is our God. We never know when a relationship that means so much to us is about to come to an end. That’s why we all she be prepared to meet each other in that place prepared just for me. Cause we’re all going away.
Now Joseph knew, the last things his brothers wanted, was for him to come and spy on them. I’m sure he prayed, "God you know these guys don’t want a thing to do with me. Let them see that I’m concerned about them, and I’m just here trying to help." In obedience to his father’s desire, Joseph went looking for his brothers. He got lost looking for them, and someone found him and told him where his brothers were. He was so excited when he finally found them. He probably was yelling as he came over the hill. "Hey fellows, it’s me Joseph." Now Joseph was walking in obedience, he’s prayed about it, and he’s got the best of intentions in mind, but that alone does not mean things are going to turn out right.
Verse 37:19 of Genesis says Gen 37:19-20 "Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. "Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams." Joseph never got the chance to say why he was coming? They had already made up their minds what they were going to do to him. But they were not going to be able to do any more than God was willing to allow to happen.
Many times we set out on a mission intending to do good, but there were ambushes ahead of us that we could not see. Looking back over the last part of this century, we can see things we hoped would happen, but didn’t. We can see people we prayed would change but never did. We see situations we wanted to be different, but they stayed the same.
A seminary professor of mine, he and his wife adopted a child that was in a wheelchair with a lot of physical problems. It was a lot of work for them to take care of the child who was now an adult. Someone asked, if you had to do it all over again, would you. "He replied, "at the time it was the right decision to make." Sometimes we cannot judge a decision based on what’s happening today, but rather on what did God want me to do at that particular time. In the midst of it all we hold on to our hope.
Joseph walked into the situation, with the best of intentions. His brothers grabbed him, ripped off his expensive jacket and threw him into this dried out well. To them it was a big joke. Nobody checked to see if there were any broken bones when he hit the bottom. Nobody cared. Joseph was in the bottom of the pit, pleading for his life, and begging to be set be free.
His brothers were up at the top eating and joking with each other. Some of us know what Joseph was filling. The nineties may have brought experiences into our lives that sent us to the bottom of the pit where we landed with a lot of pain, yet the world went on eating and drinking and having a good time. But even in the pit we had our hope, that God had not sent us into the pit to die nor to be totally alone. Somehow, God was going to make away for us to get out.
The brothers saw a group of slave traders passing by on their way to Egypt. The brothers discussed it among themselves. Look, why should we kill him and get nothing for it, after all, "he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." Let’s sell him as a slave and split up the money. They got about a 1/2 pound of silver for their brother. They poured blood on his coat and took it back to their father. They asked the father to examine it and see if he knew who it belonged to. Their father went into great mourning because he believed a wild animal had torn Joseph to pieces. His father couldn’t but help think, it should not have turned out like this. If only he hadn’t sent Joseph after his brothers, this never would have happen.
Joseph too must have felt, his hope waiver just a bit for a moment. "This just isn’t turning out right. God I did what I was supposed to do. What more could you have asked of me? We could hardly blame this young man if he had simply given up his dreams and surrendered to despair. Who would expect a slave in a foreign country to make a difference? God did. Don’t ever forget, just because things are not going as you wanted, does not mean God has stopped working His plan for your life. God can use the evil, the brutality, the hatred, the sin and the injustice of others to get you in the place He wants you to be. God needed somebody in Egypt.
Joseph had a hope that God was going to elevate him in his life. He just didn’t understand that often times before God can fully raise us up, we need to go down into a pit and look up for our deliverance. From the outside, it looked as though Joseph was making a journey into Egypt all by himself. But saints, no servant of God is ever truly alone, because God has promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Sometimes God uses a change of circumstances to help push us on to a higher level of spiritual growth in Him. When Joseph got to Egypt, the slave traders quickly sold him to a high Egyptian official by the name of Potiphar.
When Joseph received his job, he had the right attitude in mind. He didn’t let go of his hope. In his dream, he had been a ruler over others, therefore he may as well get prepared for his future job by doing his very best at the present. Do you know why sometimes things don’t turn our right for some of us? We are so busy living for one day, that we forget to live today.
One day, when I get a real good job, one day when I get in high school, one day when so and so does such and such, then, I’m going to. Forget it. Time is passing you by. Here we are saying good bye to the 90’s and I can barely remember the 80’s were over. How many of you grew up thinking the year 2000 was just way out there, and now you surprised it has arrived so quickly? Today is the day for you to change your life. You are going to be tomorrow, what you were at the end of tonight.
Joseph determined, to give his best where he was and let God open the other doors. The other slaves probably told him, you don’t have to work that hard. Slow down man, you’re going to kill yourself. If he had of listened to them, he would have died an unknown slave just like the rest of them. But Joseph could tell them, "No, I have a hope that you wouldn’t understand. I have to do more than simply try to just get by. You see, I’m not here to stay. God has got something else in mind for me." They probably laughed and said, well you just better stop making us look bad.
It turns out, Joseph hadn’t come to Egypt alone. In chapter 39:2, we discover the Lord was with Joseph and he prospered and lived in the house of his Egyptian master. Joseph’s external position of slave, didn’t remove the call of God from his life. We have no excuse in thinking of ourselves as just a this or just a that. Your former pit, should not be your ticket to self pity.
You tell God what you would like to become and work hard at it, and God knows how to make a way for you. Joseph’s hard work and his dedication to God got his boss’s attention. It wasn’t too long before the boss had called him in and said, Joseph "I’ve noticed something different about you. You’re a man that can be trusted to do the right thing, whether someone is watching you or not. From now on, I’m putting you in charge of everything. What you say goes. Nobody can over rule you except me.
Now too many, it would have appeared Joseph was sitting on the top of the world. Fine house, great job, good food, wonderful situation. It would appear Joseph could just sit back and relax and enjoy life. God even blessed Joseph with something he didn’t have much control over. The older he got, the more handsome he became.
As a matter of fact, he was so handsome as a single man, Potiphar’s wife wanted to have sex with him. She begged and begged and begged. Joseph had all of the requirements for a sexual harassment suit. Joseph tried the talking approach. "He said, "Look, your husband has entrusted me with everything he has except you, because you are his wife. How could I repay this man by doing such evil as committing adultery. If I did this I would be sinning against God." She said, "I understand what you’re saying, but big deal, will you go to bed with me."
Joseph did not try the talking approach anymore, because he wanted to be right with God, with his boss, and with himself. He made sure he was never alone with her and even refused to get near her. But one day when he was minding his own business, went straight to work, unknown to him, nobody else was in the house. She came up behind him, grabbed his coat and said, "I got you now, let’s go to bed together." Joseph remembered the last time somebody had grabbed his coat, he ended up in a pit. He jumped up and ran out of the house, and stayed outside. As far as he was concerned she could have the coat. He had enough hope to know it was not worth throwing away God’s plan for his life to enjoy himself for just a few minutes.
Potiphar’s wife was going to teach Joseph a lesson he would never forget. He had turned her down for the last time. First she called in the servants and told them. "Joseph came in here to mock me and tried to get in bed with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his coat and ran out of the house." I think she told the servants first so that she could have someone back up her story when her husband got home. She also knew how gossip allows a story to build up in time. When Potiphar came home, she took to coat in to him. She said, "You’ll never believe this, but Joseph came in here and tried to rape me. I screamed for help and he ran out the house. Look, here is his coat which he left beside me."
Now Joseph knows he’s completely innocent this time. He had been as faithful to God as he knew how. He had a perfect work record, and never gave anybody any reason to believe differently about him. By the end of the day in which Joseph took a courageous stand for the hope within him, he ended up in prison where the king’s prisoners were confined. You could bet your life, nobody escaped from the prison where the king’s prisoners were.
Can’t you see Joseph saying, this just didn’t turn out right, this is not fair. God how could you let this happen to me again. Trials are as certain as life itself and they are going to bring about some sufferings. There are three things we know about God and trials. The first is that God permits the trials to come. There are some sufferings that we endure simply because we are human and subject to pain; but there are other sufferings that come because we are God’s people and want to serve Him. Do not think for a moment that trouble is an accident. God is in control and we must trust him. If that’s true, then we can overcome circumstances with his help. God’s word tells us that He is the one who permits trials to come.
The second truth about God and trials is that God is in control of trials. Joseph may have felt that going back to prison after all his hard work in Potiphar’s house was just too much too handle. He would have no family on the outside pursuing legal courses to try to set him free. The apostle Paul put it this way, when things looked really bad in his life in 2 Corin 2:8 We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. But God knew how much Paul could withstand, he knew how much Joseph could withstand and how much you can withstand. It’s usually a lot more than we desire to withstand.
Third, it’s God who enables us to bear our trials. God must often show us how weak we are in ourselves. Sometimes we have abilities that we rely on to get us by in situations. But when God is at work in our lives for a greater purpose, He wants us to trust Him, not our gifts, not our abilities, not our experiences or our spiritual reserves. When you and I die to self, then God’s resurrection power can go to work. Dying to self does not mean doing nothing and expecting God to everything. It means getting to know God in a richer relationship and trusting him to complete the work. The God who raises the dead is sufficient for any difficulty of life. He is able but we must be available.
There was Joseph all the way at the bottom once again. Did he think serving God paid off in the long run. Yes he did. Sometimes God delivers us out of situations, other times he delivers us through them. We find in 39 :20 and 21, Joseph didn’t go to prison alone. The Lord was with him and gave Him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
Joseph did the best job he could do in prison. He remembered his dream, that one day he was to be a great ruler. He still had hope. He immediately started organizing things in the prison. Before long, the ward had called him and put him in charge of the whole prison. It wasn’t a fulfillment of Joseph’s dream, but he knew God was preparing Him for the day that was yet to come. He had no idea his dream would lead to him become as a Pharaoh in Egypt but it would.
No matter how discouraged Joseph became in the many reversals he experienced, we never see Joseph doing less than his best. In moments of crisis and temptation, we see him choosing to do what is right rather than what is convenient. How often we look at our misfortunes and trials as punishment for some unknown sins, when we need more of Joseph’s hope in the loving goodness of God in the realization, God gave me a promise and He’s going to keep it. God does sometimes lead his children into suffering, But it always done in order that He might bring through the suffering some greater good.
There is no record that God spoke directly to Joseph or that God met with Joseph on confronted him. There is no record of God acting to set aside natural processes on Joseph’s account. It was through Joseph’s own honesty and efforts that the Lord work. In the unfolding or circumstances, Joseph saw the hand of God.
The 20th century may have brought you some painful moments in life. You’re not by yourself. We’ve all gone through something. But even more important than the pain, is that you’ve got someone to go to. Jesus said Mat 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. You may not understand all that you’re going through as you leave this century to journey into the next, but the important thing is God does. God wants to draw you into a deeper relationship with him. It begins with the acknowledgment of needing help. We’re opening the door for those who feel they just need some help.
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
How To Become A Christian
The Bible teaches that anyone who does not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, does not have a full understanding of God and what God requires to become one of His children. God sent Jesus Christ into the world to pay the penalty for everyone’s sin. Jesus died upon a cross for each person. After three days, Jesus rose up from the dead to prove He was victorious over death and everything which attempts to control a person’s life. He wants to give people power to overcome problems in live. To become a Christian, means to enter into a living relationship with Jesus Christ in which He leads, guides, and directs your life. He becomes the central focus of your life, and through the Holy Spirit, you are made into a new person with a new way of living. It doesn’t matter how good or bad a person is, God opens His arms to accept all who want to enter a relationship with Him.
1. Admit to God, that you have done wrong in your life and that you want to change.
2. Ask God to forgive you for all the wrong you have done.
3. Accept the work of Jesus Christ of dying in your place to pay for your sins.
4. Invite Jesus Christ into your life to be the one who leads you in making the decisions for your life.
5. Pledge to serve God for the rest of your days with your life and with all that you have.
Sermon Outline Holding On To Hope
Pastor Rick Genesis 37,39, 40 2 Corin 1:3-11
I. A Person Who Was A Century Plus
A. Death Of A Sweetheart.
B. Loss of A Son
C. Hope Comes Back 23 Years Later
II. Hope A Necessary Ingredient
A. Hope For The Century
B. Hope Of Glenville Church
C. Hope Of Jesus
Heb 12:2-3 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
D. The Great Deception Of Satan
E. Don’t Abandon
III. Joseph--A Person With Hope & A Dream
A. Loved by fathers--hated by brothers
B. FUBU & Nautica Leads To Trouble
D. Big Head Or Big Hope
E. Hope Which Could Not Be Destroyed
IV. Hanging With Dad
A. Some Missing Brothers
B. A 23 Year Old Goodbye
C. Leaving Behind A Life We Love
D. " Every time we say hello, we move closer to saying goodbye."
E. Time Brings A Change
V. Being Obedient & Prayerful Doesn’t Prevent All Harm
A. Joseph Goes Looking For His Brother
B. Here Comes The Dreamer
C. Joseph In The Pit
D. We Come Intending To Do Good
E. It Was The Right Decision At The Time
F. Joseph In The Pit & Life Goes On
G. The Pits Of The Nineties
H. Joseph Sold As A Slave Going To Egypt
VI. Fortunes Change When Serving God.
A. No One Goes To The Pit Or To Egypt Alone
B. Keep The Right Attitude
C. Don’t Live For One Day--2000 Is Here
D. Don’t Intend To Stay Where You Are
E. Just Getting By Is Not Enough
VII. Don’t Get Too Comfortable Where You Are.
A. Joseph In Potiphar’s House
B. Keep Your Hope--Say No To Temptation
C. Be Willing To Let It Go For Your Hope
D. Somebody I Setting A Trap For You
E. There’s A Time To Run Scared
VIII. God Permits Trials To Come.
A. Expect them To Happen
James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
B. Sufferings because of being human.
C. Sufferings because we are God’s people.
D. Trials outlook-divine appointment or chance
IX. God Is In Control Of Trials
A. Joseph back in prison
B. Despair 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
C. God Sets The Limit On What We Face
D. God Knows Our Limits
E. God Enables Us To Bear Our Trials.
F. Trusting In God Not Ourselves
G. Dying To Self-Living To God
X. God’s Deliverance Is Not Always Immediate.
A. God May Deliver Out
B. God May Deliver Through
C. Always Give Your Best
XI. You Don’t Need To Hear A Booming Voice From Heaven To Make It Through
A. No Record Of Joseph Hearing
B. God Is Doing A Greater Good
C. God Can Work Through The Natural
D. We’re Not Leaving The 20th Century Alone
Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
How To Become A Christian
The Bible teaches that anyone who does not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, does not have a full understanding of God and what God requires to become one of His children. God sent Jesus Christ into the world to pay the penalty for everyone’s sin. Jesus died upon a cross for each person. After three days, Jesus rose up from the dead to prove He was victorious over death and everything which attempts to control a person’s life. He wants to give people power to overcome problems in live. To become a Christian, means to enter into a living relationship with Jesus Christ in which He leads, guides, and directs your life. He becomes the central focus of your life, and through the Holy Spirit, you are made into a new person with a new way of living. It doesn’t matter how good or bad a person is, God opens His arms to accept all who want to enter a relationship with Him.
1. Admit to God, that you have done wrong in your life and that you want to change.
2. Ask God to forgive you for all the wrong you have done.
3. Accept the work of Jesus Christ of dying in your place to pay for your sins.
4. Invite Jesus Christ into your life to be the one who leads you in making the decisions for your life.
5. Pledge to serve God for the rest of your days with your life and with all that you have.
