As we begin this sermon this morning Simeon is still being held in an Egyptian prison, Joseph other brothers have gone home, reasoned with dad, ran out of food and now on our their way back with Benjamin.
This time they are coming hoping to accomplish four things:
• To show their good faith
• To prove they are not spies
• To buy more food
• To get Simeon out of prison
Can you imagine how these guys must have felt? Will Simeon still be alive, will the prime minister actually release him? And what about this money issue? No doubt it is safe to say these guys were making the trip back to Egypt with a tremendous amount of apprehension.
Let’s dive into the scripture this morning and see what is happening…Genesis 43 lets start at verse 15…
15 So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare dinner; they are to eat with me at noon."
OK lets set the stage, 9 men plagued with guilt over what they had done to their little brother over twenty years ago, one brother still being held a prisoner, one younger brother who has no idea what’s going on, all he knows is that the prime minister demanded he make this trip & dad wasn‘t to happy about it, and Joseph eager and excited that his brother s had arrived back safely…cant you sort of see Joseph doing a head count…watch him now as he sort of stares at Benjamin…that’s him all right, he was just a little toe head of a kid when Joseph left home that day.
So for no apparent reason to all involved Joseph says lets have a banquet…Wonder what the servant’s thought…why a banquet for a dirty road weary bunch of Hebrew travelers? But without hesitation the plans get carried out…
17 The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house. 18 Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, "We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys."
19 So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20 "Please, sir," they said, "we came down here the first time to buy food. 21 But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us. 22 We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks."
Isn’t it funny how guilty will make us act weird? I mean these guys were sure the worst is coming...we have been had…
It was William Shakespeare who said; “Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind.”
Their guilt was about to get the best of them right about now…they weren’t even hungry now, they just wanted to get it over with because they knew they were in trouble!
I just wonder how did Joseph keep from laughing at these guys, how did he keep his cover…I mean he had them…But watch this man of gods response…
23 "It’s all right," he said. "Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
Hey men, calm down no one thinks you stole the money...guys relax…I put eh money there guys…are you guilt or something…
Joseph’s brother not one time ad even considered that God may have had anything to do with the money in the bags…why…because GUILT clouded their thinking! Yet look at this, don’t miss this, even in their guilty stage of life Gods grace, his unmerited favor was being poured out on them!
There are some of us here this morning, and we are guilty of sinning against God, we are guilty of unconfessed sin and if we really had our just dues…we would deserve sins penalty, and yet somehow though the grace of God…he has given us this day, this service, all the blessings of life…I cant explain I…Its JUST Gods GRACE!!!
Its God mercy in abundance!
24 The steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys. 25 They prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there.
26 When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. 27 He asked them how they were, and then he said, "How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?"
28 They replied, "Your servant our father is still alive and well." And they bowed low to pay him honor.
Suddenly Joseph arrives on the scene, and he is not angry at all, in fact it seems to really have taken a liking to these guys…
Despite his good attitude, these brothers still seemed apprehensive, not knowing when the gavel was going to fall!
Now watch this and let it really soak in…
29 As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."
There he is Joseph, the only whole brother you ever had, same mom same dad…the only connection to his mother Rachel…there he stands...and emotion finally overtakes him…
Say friend when God begins to work his plan in our lives, sooner or later there will come that we just cant take it anymore and we too will be deeply moved…ever been there…God was working and Joseph was starting to se the puzzle all put together…questions were starting to make sense and maybe answers were soon coming…Being faithful Joseph had been right after all…there stands your little brother, dad is ok...God has answered prayer! Poof… Joseph is about to explode with emotion!
30 Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.
Listen church, there have been times in my own life when I have had doubts about what God was doing or why God was doing it this way, when I have had two-step over great big cracks that got in my world, when I had to go down a different road than I had planned, and I have went to my room and wept like a baby, crying out to god, just like you have if your honest this morning…
OH say Joseph was a man of great power but he was also a real human being with emotions who could step out of his high and might position and weep his heart out!
But once he cries he gains his composure and gives the decree…lets eat! Verse 31…
31 After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, "Serve the food."
32 They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians. 33 The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment. 34 When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.
Wasn’t that a funny looking site, Joseph sitting all alone at his table, his brothers sitting at their table, all the other Egyptians ins the room sitting at their tables…probably looked more like a school cafeteria...but wow what food…Streak and big thick pork chops, overstuffed baked potatoes, corn on the cob, some fried chicken Lynn…potato soup, cornbread, and some coconut crème pie, baked with splenda of course! And some Diet Sierra mist to drink!
His brothers no doubt probably thought they had died and gone to heaven. And ole Joseph says pass Benjamin some more, he still looks hungry! And he gets five times as much food, and the amazing thing is that scripture indicates that he ate it all!
What an outcome for the guys who had feared the worst! Instead of punishment they get a banquet in their honor…They were the recipients of favor that they hadn’t deserved.
Their fear no is replaced with grace. They were overloaded with an abundance of provision that they could never repay!
Why...did it all happen…one reason…Joseph! This great man determined to forgive their mistreatment and instead demonstrated great grace. Rather than to remind them of their wrongdoings and make them pay, he just pours on the blessings!
say friend, doesn’t that sort of remind you of someone else you may have heard about! Whose name is Jesus!
So many of us are just as guilty as Joseph’s brothers, and we fear the worst of God, and we place a great distance between us and him only to have God all the while demonstrating his incredible mercy to us!
Instead of screaming at us and blaming us, he stands this morning ready to forgive us…Instead of remaining with that feeling of guilt he is ready to replace it with feeling of freedom like we have never experienced before!
And instead of experiencing the punishment that we deserve, he has gone to prepare a place for us that where he is we can be there also!
For some here today, maybe it just seems too unreal for you, and so for years now you have been pleading your own case…trying to fend off his anger by bargaining with him…While all the while he has a better plan to offer!
Can you see him this morning as he hangs there on the cross with his blood streaming down, baring all the sins that mankind will ever commit, yet he says father forgive them!
The one you have rejected so far in your life this morning is the same one who is working so hard to get you to reunite with him…that his holy spirit that is talking to your soul right now!
Do you long for him? I have great news for you this morning! HE longs to be your savior! HE waits patiently to forgive you of all your sins…HE is actually offering you all the things your life is missing this morning…
Oh, if you could just see it...his table is loaded this morning, and he stands smiling just waiting for you to sit done and enjoy the feast…
But there is a catch…just like any other gift…the gift of his saving grace can only be yours if you will reach out and accept it…
Why not come to the table this morning...His grace is being served!
