Victim…that’s a word that we hear a lot these days isn’t it?
If anyone ever experienced being a victim it would have had to have been Joseph.
Let’s quickly recap his story thus far…
First he receives unfair treatment from his brothers, then he gets thrown into a situation of being a slave, next he gets falsely accused of rape, and we left him last week getting thrown into prison,
But if you recall we once again were reminded that The Lord was with Joseph and it wasn’t long until he was promoted to head trustee and despite his circumstances he was making the best of an otherwise bad situation.
In what could have been a bad situation Joseph prospered! Because of his commitment to God, he was freed up to be used of God in the lives of at least two other men.
LET me just throw this in for someone here today…When a dungeon experience comes…the quickest and easiest response is to feel like God has forgotten you…Lord where are you…what is going on will you ever answer my prayers? Have you been there?
If that is where you are this morning then just hang on…this message is for you, good news is on the way…. Let’s look at Genesis chapter 40 for our lesson today…
1 Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them.
Isn’t it amazing how often God will bring alongside us people who are going thru or have gone thru the same circumstances that we are dealing with?
Old Joseph and these two guys were all thrown into prison for different reasons but here they are together, sharing similar stories of misery. Now watch what happens as God starts to use the circumstances…
After they had been in custody for some time, 5 each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.
6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, "Why are your faces so sad today?"
If anyone should have had the sad face you would think it would have been Joseph but not the case…say Christian friend…when your heart is right, even though the bottom may have dropped out of your life, you can still be empathetic to others who are suffering…so Joseph inquires what is wrong…watch this verse 8…
8 "We both had dreams," they answered, "but there is no one to interpret them."
Remember from week one something we learned about Joseph…this guy was the dreamer of all dreamers…
Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams."
At first Joseph may have though to great not another dream Lord…remember last time I shared about a dream…but know being obedient he ask them to share their dreams with him…
9 So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, "In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, 10 and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in his hand."
12 "This is what it means," Joseph said to him. "The three branches are three days. 13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. 14 But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. 15 For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon."
You see before you, get the wrong impression about Joseph we see him being human just like we would be no doubt. Don’t forget me when you get tout of here he said, tell the guys in the office that I am ready to get out of here…
Look over there in the corner…there sets the baker…poor guy; he jumps up and asks for the interpretation of his dream…listen…
16 When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, "I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread. 17 In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head."
Hey it was good news for the cupbearer, so what about me Joseph…its right here that you have to respect the integrity of Joseph…
18 "This is what it means," Joseph said. "The three baskets are three days. 19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat away your flesh."
20 Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand, 22 but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.
Can’t you just see Joseph as the day comes and sure enough, the release is given to these two guys, and word spread s that the cupbearer got his job back but the baker was executed. No doubt Joseph is now thinking ok God…I know what is going to happen next…I made the cupbearer promise me that he would talk to pharaoh…I am just about out of here… but listen to what happens next…
23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.
Talk about disappointment, instead of a quick release we see in the first verse of the next chapter two years go by …but no complaining or giving up on God…he just sits out his time.
Say friend, let’s get real honest here….before we bad mouth the cupbearer for forgetting…what about some of us and our promises to god…
Oh God, you touch my body and I will do this or that for you…HE does and we forget our promise… just like the cupbearer
Oh God help me with this bill and I will tithe Lord I promise, somehow a miracle happens and you forget your tithe…Just like the cupbearer…
God you help us get this home or that promotion and I’ll go to church with my family…he comes thru…but you…you forget just like the cupbearer
There a re examples of josephs mistreatment all throughout this building this morning no doubt…
Wives without husbands, children without parents, people without jobs, on and on the list goes….perhaps for some this morning the thoughts of this being right to life Sunday haunt you because of some long ago sin that you committed…maybe even you have ask God and he has forgiven you yet it still eats at you and this morning you just needed to give it to God once and for all.
Listen this victim stuff…unfair treatment, mistreatment…I know it comes in many forms and fashions…let me just share four that some of you can relate to this morning…
1. Underserved treatment from family members…
Parents still mistreat their children on 2006, even right here in southern Indiana! Verbally…Mom and dad split up and suddenly it’s YOUR FAULT! Kids are mistreated physically, sexually…oh church we live in a sick society! If you are here this morning and you have been the victim of such abuse…can I empathize with you and let you know that I serve a God that knows this type of treatment leaves many scars…but the good news his love goes deeper!
2. The unexpected restriction of circumstances mistreats some of you!
A traumatic disease, aging…affects some of you…never bouncing back 100% from an accident or a surgery or a physical attack on the body!
3. Untrue Accusations!
How sad that the tongue, created by god to give glory to him, can be used to destroy a persons character…conversations that should never be discussed in the halls, classrooms, parking lots or bathrooms of the church are muttered and instantly once escaped from the lips a parsons character is destroyed …and the enemy allows it to spread like wildfire, making you a victim of false accusations!
4. Finally this morning this mistreatment comes in the form of unfair abandonment
Oh you helped your spouse thru school or a tough time, you bought in on the vision for your marriage, but he or she got the job, they got the glory and then they announced that there was somebody else and there you were left holding the remnants of your now torn marriage vows!
For others it has been a business arrangement that has gone sour…a friendship that suddenly went awry./
What’s the cure for all this mistreatment? Putting our complete trust in God!
As we begin to close this morning know doubt there are some here today and no you may not be forgotten in a dungeon somewhere but your mistreatment has been just as painful…you have done right but been treated wrong!
Can I urge you this morning to turn your trial into triumph this morning as you trust in Him for the answers!
If Joseph could survive all those years of mistreatment I am confident that God can help you with your situation as well!
Listen God has not abandoned you! HE has not forgotten you!
He understands the heartache, he has shed those salty bitter tears of disappointment, OH dear troubled heart…take courage this morning in the fact that Jesus Christ is real even in your present circumstance!
He will do for you what he did for Joseph if you will just trust him!
