Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 28 February 2016
Genesis 41
His attitude. That is the amazing thing and really describes us. Maybe it is a good or bad, a positive or negative attitude. Moses in the wilderness. God came to him and told him he had a task for him to do. He had a negative attitude - "I cannot do that." Joseph was sitting in the prison house for 2 full years. From the day the butler walked out of the prison cell he waited. He thought this man will speak up for me. I shouldn`t be here because I am innocent but he never came back for him for another 2 years. He had been lied about, his character has been assasinated, let down by friends. Did that affect his attitude in any way - no. He was ready to get up and go about his duties as usual day after day. Have you ever been there? Praying for God to move into your situation yet the next day have the same difficulties. God was going to move in a certain way. One day out of the blue his cell door was opened and he was told Pharaoh was asking for him. Joseph gets up and follows. After 2 full years, after Joseph thought nothing would happen to change his situation. Maybe you have been in that same situation. God doesn`t forget us. Hannah had no child when she came into the temple and prayed. We read "God remembered Hannah". Remember Abraham when God came down to destroy Sodom and Gomorroh. Abraham began to plead "if there are 50 righteous people found in that place will you destroy it?" The Lord agreed he would not do that. Abraham continued until he got down to 10 people. He had a family in that city he was concerned about. He left off praying. When God came down to destroy that city God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out. That is a wonderful statement. Will it be said of you or I? God remembered so and so because he remembered the prayers he sent that young one out of the situation they are in. Not just an attitude of negativity. He was waiting for the call to go out and he went with the men into the presence of Pharaoh. Remember the attitude of the young man in the scriptures when he was told to go into the vineyard by his father and he did not go. Remember the man with the one talent. All the servants were called together and the master told them was going away. To each he gave different amounts - one 5 which was doubled to another 5, another was given 2 and he too gained another 2. The one man with one talent buried his and when the master returned he dug it up and showed what he had done. Maybe he had an attitude about being given only one when the others were given 5 and 2. Remember the attitude of Paul and Silas in the prison house - at midnight they were praying and singing songs of praise when an earthquake struck the place. The jailer drew out his sword to kill himself but Paul told him to put his sword away. What an attitude to have. Daniel`s attitude after a night in the lions den was one of positivity. When you think of his reply to the king`s question the following morning you can hear the compassion in Daniel`s voice, the love and respect he showed. "Then said Daniel to the king O king live for ever. My God hath sent his angel and hath shut the lions` mouths, that they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt." (Chapter 6 verse 22) Joseph`s attitude was never affected in the prison cell.
His approach. They brought him hastily out of the dungeon and he shaved himself and changed his raiment and came in unto Pharaoh." Today we are called by God of heaven to come together. Pharaoh was a powerful man in all the ancient world. Their attitude to cleanliness and hygiene was part of the culture of that day. Joseph although in haste to act did not want to cause offence. He paused to wash himself, shaved and changed his raiment. He didn`t want to disgrace himself. As we come to approach the loving God we need to be aware of the presence of the one we come into. Joseph took time to enter into the king, the monarch of Egypt. Do we take time ourselves to prepare to sit with God`s word, to meditate on his word, take time to pray, to have our hearts cleansed? Have we taken time to prepare out hearts? In Hebrews 10 the writer is speaking of the Old Testament priesthood. A priest would come into God`s presence "having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." (verse 22) There was to be nothing false about it. All were coming with a true and honest heart in full assurance of faith knowing that the one whose prsence would come into is able to save use, cleanse us, symbolic washing and cleansing - verses 23 - 25. What was happening here - they were living in a time of tremendous persecution and there was a danger in turning back into old religious ways. Here the writer is encouraging them to keep on going. Talking here of how to approach God of heaven. The danger is once someone starts to drop off from attending the meetings they can become cold and hard, can get into temptation, backsliding and apostacy thoughts all come into mind. Here the writer was saying do not forsake the assembling with others in worship. Joseph didn`t do that - his approach in to the presence of Pharaoh.
His answer. Joseph brings this king to think on the things of God. Pharaoh tells him about fat and thin cows, the ears of corn that were thin and empty and those that were fat. He could have taken the opportunity to exalt himself. Verse 15 what does Joseph do? It is not in me but God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. Here he was standing in front of the most powerful man at that time. Joseph is bringing him to the God of heaven. In verses 25 and 28 he is taking him back to God. In verse 32 Joseph`s answer was not to promote himself. The lives we live, the things we do, the places we go, the things we say are all to glorify God. Joseph was telling what God can do. That is what we need to be doing in the pulpit and in the streets and in the home. Verse 38 because of Joseph`s witness Pharaoh now talks of the God of heaven. Verse 39 "Forasmuch as God hath shown thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art". We find that in the days of Daniel too. When Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and Daniel explained the dream to him he glorifyied God all the time. Daniel said "there is a God in heaven." (chapter 2 verse 28) When he is finished talking to Nebuchadnezzar the king answered unto Daniel "of a truth your God is a great God, the king of kings, revealer of secrets." (chatper 2 verse 47) He is saying there is none who could reveal this secret but God. Joseph had a great approach - he had the answer. Let`s remember God must deal with the attitudes if we have any. Let`s give him the glory as we answer to others about the life we live. Joseph is now promoted to the second seat in Egypt. It took a number of years to do it but God was working it all out. When he stood before Pharaoh he was 30 years of age. 13 years before he had left home. God will bring to your life and mine what he really wants for us individually. "He will perfect that which concerneth us." (Psalm 138 verse 8)
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