The Unusual Gift Of Common Sense

Bunbury

Sun pm

23/01/11

“The unusual gift of common sense”

Intro: I’ve often wondered what it must be like being a judge sitting on the bench hearing people’s disputes & having to work it all out.

I conclude that to be able to function in position you need a liberal serve of common sense.

I heard about one judge who put his gift of common sense to work .....

*** In a trial in a small southern town in the U.S. the prosecuting attorney called his first witness, a grandmotherly, elderly woman to the stand.

He approached her and asked, ‘Mrs. Jones, do you know me?

She responded, ‘Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Williams. I’ve known you since you were a boy, and frankly, you’ve been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, and you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you’re a big shot when you haven’t the brains to realize you’ll never amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you.’

The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, ‘Mrs. Jones, do you know the defence attorney?

She again replied, ‘Why yes, I do, I’ve known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too. He’s lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. He can’t build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the worst in the entire state. Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different women. One of them was your wife. Yes, I know him.’

The defence attorney nearly died.

The Judge asked both counsellors to approach the bench and, In a very quiet voice , said

‘If either of you idiots asks her if she knows me, I’ll send you both to the electric chair.

Well that judge knew what to do!

And the truth is that common sense isn’t something that is reserved for God’s people.

In fact Jesus says ......

Luke 16:8 (NKJV) 8.......For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

But I do believe that this is not only a quality that we can have but as representatives of the King of kings & Lord of Lords we should have.

And here is the good news ..... it’s God’s distinct plan for his people to be endowed w/ the unusual gift of common sense.

So t/m I want to preach on “The unusual gift of common sense’.

Text: Genesis 41:14-40 (NKJV) 14Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. 15And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.” 16So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” 17Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Behold, in my dream I stood on the bank of the river. 18Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. 19Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows. 21When they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were just as ugly as at the beginning. So I awoke. 22Also I saw in my dream, and suddenly seven heads came up on one stalk, full and good. 23Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them. 24And the thin heads devoured the seven good heads. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.” 25Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do:

26The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one.

27And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine. 28This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; 30but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. 31So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. 32And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. 33“Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. 35And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.” 37So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. 38And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”