For the most part our study of Joseph to this point has been rather sobering. Granted he was the favored son, but disappointment, abandonment, mistreatment, false accusations and slavery has since plagued his life.
Last week we watched as he interpreted the dream of the cup bearer and knew for certain that his days of captivity were soon to be over only to have the cupbearer forget his promise…and the result two full years go by…730 days…in the dungeon…no remarkable answers to prayer, no retreats, no revivals no vacation days no great worship services, just the same thing day in day out for two entire years.
WE get antsy around here if a week or two go by and we don’t see God moving like we think he should, so its no wonder as we look at this passage today you might find yourself asking, after all that Joseph had gone thru why god...why such a long time of being forgotten?
Today we will discover that God was still at work in his life, even though he had to experience some pain.
You see the reality is that pain…if properly handled can actually shape a life for greatness!
I have quoted him before but remember the words of AW Tozer; “It is doubtful that God can bless a man greatly until he has hurt him deeply”
Perhaps no one fully understood this philosophy better than Joseph!
So these two years just roll along no excitement nothing eventful taking place…say friend that’s what happens when God has you in a period of waiting…it seems as if NOTHING is going on if heaven has shut down…oh but wait just a minute this morning…
It really just seems like nothing is happening…the reality of it is a whole lot is happening. Events are occurring apart from our involvement, whether we realize it at the time or not we are being strengthened we are being established, perfected, refined….we are actually being shaped for Gods greatness and so was our friend Joseph!
Chuck Swindoll says “all whom God uses greatly are first hidden in the secret of his presence away from the pride of man.”
Oh the waiting time is when our vision begins to clear, when our faith begins to mature, and we come rot the realization that without him we are nothing!
All the while God is working overtime while we are waiting!
I think that morning was just like all the others, but God knew that this day was going to be something special in Joseph’s life. Let’s look at chapter 41 of genesis…
1Two years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River. 2In his dream, seven fat, healthy-looking cows suddenly came up out of the river and began grazing along its bank. 3Then seven other cows came up from the river, but these were very ugly and gaunt. These cows went over and stood beside the fat cows. 4Then the thin, ugly cows ate the fat ones! At this point in the dream, Pharaoh woke up.
5Soon he fell asleep again and had a second dream. This time he saw seven heads of grain on one stalk, with every kernel well formed and plump. 6Then suddenly, seven more heads appeared on the stalk, but these were shriveled and withered by the east wind. 7And these thin heads swallowed up the seven plump, well-formed heads! Then Pharaoh woke up again and realized it was a dream.
8The next morning, as he thought about it, Pharaoh became very concerned as to what the dreams might mean. So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt and told them about his dreams, but not one of them could suggest what they meant.
These men that Pharaoh consulted with were indeed very wise men. They were employed to decipher everything from the Egyptian hieroglyphics to studying the movement of the starts in the heavens. But despite they were intelligent men; they could not make any sense out of Pharaohs dream.
Can’t you just see pharaoh’s frustration starting to get the best of him? These weren’t just your typical ate too much casa Brava nightmares…Pharaoh could sense that these dreams had meaning but he just couldn’t find anyone who could help him out…
Now here comes God…watch this…verse 9…
9Then the king’s cup-bearer spoke up. "Today I have been reminded of my failure," he said. 10"Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. 11One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had a meaning. 12We told the dreams to a young Hebrew man who was a servant of the captain of the guard. He told us what each of our dreams meant, 13and everything happened just as he said it would. I was restored to my position as cup-bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole."
14Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was brought hastily from the dungeon. After a quick shave and change of clothes, he went in and stood in Pharaoh’s presence
Get this picture this morning…here is pharaoh dreaming in the palace, and down at the jail here is Joseph getting ready to start day # 731…he has no idea what is about to happen…suddenly the chains begin to clank and the creakity old jail bars and doors begin to open…and Joseph was getting set free..
Oh church listen to me this morning…God knew the day he knew the time and the pace when he was going to answer ole Josephs prayers….and friend if we stay faithful I can t believe that it is going to be to much longer until we around here Are going to see some chains star clanging, we are going to see some prison bars begin to fly open and some people begin to be set free in old Valley Mission Nazarene Church!
Say friends we may feel at times like he has forgotten us, but we don’t know what has been going on behind the scene…the answer is on the way this morning church for some of you...the answer is on the way…better get your shaving cream, get your bags packed change your clothes cause you are getting ready to be freed!
Praise God! This morning I’m excited in my spirit to think that God is still working on my behalf...how about you?
I wont take the time to read it you got it there in front of you , but Joseph begins to shave, he was getting cleaned up for he was going to see the king!
HE arrives and interprets the dream and look at uh verse 39…oh church it pays to be faithful to god for he is always faithful to us…make it verse 38…
38As they discussed who should be appointed for the job, Pharaoh said, "Who could do it better than Joseph? For he is a man who is obviously filled with the spirit of God." 39Turning to Joseph, Pharaoh said, "Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, you are the wisest man in the land! 40I hereby appoint you to direct this project. You will manage my household and organize all my people. Only I will have a rank higher than yours."
Wow…what a statement made about a man who woke up that morning a prisoner
“He is a man who is obviously filled with the spirit of God! “
And just like that everything that Joseph had been praying for was answered...Friends listen if God is in it God will DO IT!
Look it even gets better….Aren’t you glad when God does it…he does it up big! More than we could ask or think…more than we could ever imagine or dream up…oh church his ways are so much higher…he has so much to give to us…
41And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt." 42Then Pharaoh placed his own signet ring on Joseph’s finger as a symbol of his authority. He dressed him in beautiful clothing and placed the royal gold chain about his neck. 43Pharaoh also gave Joseph the chariot of his second-in-command, and wherever he went the command was shouted, "Kneel down!" So Joseph was put in charge of all Egypt. 44And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am the king, but no one will move a hand or a foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval."
You know what that signet ring was don’t you? It was the platinum charge card of the day! It was the way the king stamped the invoices, the laws or anything else he wanted to verify. Joseph was empowered by the king,, and just for grins throw in a gold necklace, a new wardrobe, and a royal chariot…
Not bad for a guy who woke up that morning a scruffy ragged and forgotten prisoner.
Oh listen Josephs Cinderella like moment was incredible…but church the good news is that when God determines the time is right that is the way he operates!
Just a few years ago there was no property to be purchased…but when the time was right…20 acres….Just a few weeks ago we were wondering how are we going to be able to play soccer this spring, what are we going to do after promising all these kids…and listen tomorrow morning the bull dozers are scheduled to roll in and start pushing dirt on a new softball/soccer complex….and the greater news…its all because God laid it on an individuals heart to underwrite the entire cost t]o move the dirt!
Did you ever wonder what was going thru Josephs mind right about now?
I believe he was saying over and over…Wow thank you God…I am so unworthy, but wow God you blessed my socks off this time…and ten he started tallying up all the lessons he had learned in the dungeon….let me close this morning by giving a couple of them to you for you to ponder and meditate on..
1. During the waiting period…trust God without panicking
Count on him to remember the cupbearers of your life, you know the people who promise you and ten forget you, the people who make habit of breaking promise to you. Leave the score settling to God! He is just asking you to be the servant he wants you to be! Be faithful stay true…God will not forget you nor will he ever forsake you!
2. When the reward comes …be sure to thank God and don’t get the big head!
Listen only God can bring you out of the dungeon. Some of you here toady are on the verge of a spiritual promotion and you don’t even know it because God doesn’t announce his promotions in advance…but when it happens…don’t stay quiet thank God for it! And remember that it wasn’t you, it wasn’t your pastor, your ss teacher, it was God! And give him the glory!
Oh church Joseph learned # 3 that a broken and contrite heart is not the end but rather the beginning. Bruised and crushed by disappointments he discovers this day that God never left his side.
When the affliction ended he looked and there was God ! When he was refined old Joseph came forth as gold!
Listen Gods faithfulness is just as good toady for you as it was for Joseph…His tender mercies are available for you this morning!
That dry spell that hard time that deep hurt you just experienced…it may be Gods plan just getting you ready…
invitation
Choir “He’s been faithful”
