COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH
SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER 2024 – MR LAWRENCE KENNEDY
Genesis 41 verses 53 to 57
I love the story and character of Joseph. His life is dramatic whether he is in the
dungeon of the prison or as the favourite son of Jacob. Whether he is explaining the dreams he had to
his family or the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams in a palace. Pharaoh's dreams were about harvest – about
14 harvests. They were about 7 fat cows
eaten by 7 thin cattle and 7 thin ears of wheat eating 7 fat ears. The wise men in Pharaoh’s court were baffled
by his dreams. His chief butler
remembered Joseph. He knew he could
interpret the dreams. Joseph is brought
up into Pharaoh’s court. He explains the
meaning of the dream. The 2 dreams are
really one. There will be 7 years of
bumper harvest. The farmers will harvest
and bring all in. These years will be followed
by 7 famine years. Pharaoh was thrilled
to have the answer to his secret. Joseph
was made prime minister and for 7 years he supervised their food accumulation. He built the greatest granaries and stored
all the food. Now the 7 years of famine
have arrived. The farmers are finding
things difficult. There are 3 things in
our text to look at.
The situation.
Firstly notice that the supplies in Egyptian supermarket shelves were not
just as much as before. The bread was
not as plentiful. The supermarkets and
market stalls started to close. There
was nothing to sell. It would hit
unemployment and starvation. Verse 57 “it waxed sore”. We know nothing about that but we see the images
on the television from Ethiopian and Sudan.
Isn’t it great to live in a prosperous and affluent way, yet some
countries need more. We are a people who
live in the streets of God’s provision.
We know nothing of physical famine.
I want to remind you today that we certainly know famine conditions, not
a physical type but a spiritual type.
And it is sore just like it as in Egypt.
Look at the tragic scenes to recreational drugs, prescription drugs
right up to speed. People trying to meet
the deep craving of the heart. Spiritual
famine. We could talk about demonic of
alcohol. You can’t have good night out
now without alcohol. It takes £200 for a
night out. A longing for
acceptance. Social media, the drive of
materialism, abortion, now the pressure is on for assisted death. All of it points to the emptiness of
spiritual death. A business man taking
his first heart attack at 38 due to the pressure in his career. Spiritually striving, longing for something
to bring a sense of stability and satisfaction to their heart. Parents and grandparents give the impression
they are all perfect but you are anxious because there is a spiritual famine caused
by sin in the human heart. It is 100%
found in the population regardless of social background or parental
influence. Romans 3 “for all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God.”
Spiritual famine destroying our world, weakening our world. Confusion.
Our society living as empty inside.
We want to move from the situation of famine that was sorrowful
The solution.
It would be great to have an answer.
Religion does not have an answer.
Not Hinduism, Muslim, Protestantismor Catholicism. Politicians don’t have an answer. They change their minds from one day to
another. Flitting and changeable. Education and university scenes don’t have an
answer. What can we do as we look around
us? A physical famine. The answer is
seen in verse 56 “and Joseph opened all the storehouses.” The answer is found in one man. Not in Pharaoh. Not in the wisdom of Pharaoh. When hungry the people were starving. They were told to go to Joseph. We need help and assistance – go to
Joseph. Whatever he says to do you do it. There is a wonderful, powerful answer to the
spiritual famine. It is found in a
heavenly man Joseph. “I am the way, the
truth and the life, no man cometh unto the father but by me. He was able to say to Nicodemus “you must be
born again.” He was able to say on the
last day of the feast “come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and
I will give you rest.” The good news,
hope for humanity is wrapped up in one man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now we have a great high priest who is sympathetic
to our needs. We understand our Joseph
was able to meet the need. In the 7 good
years the gathered corn for granaries. Joseph
made great preparation. The farmers made
a certain portion of their harvest paid into the central fund. Stored for the
days to come. He made adequate
provision. How is our heavenly Lord
Jesus able to do the same. He made
adequate provision. That is why he came. The Messiah, the promised one. John the Baptist said of him. He knew him.
The Spirit of God revealed to him this was the Messiah. “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the
sin of the world.” He made preparation by
living a perfect sinless life. No grey
area. No skeletons in the cupboard. He was perfect. Had perfect movement controlled by
heaven. He is taken by the Jewish Sanhedrin
and Roman authorities. He is nailed to a
wooden cross. Sacrificial death to pay
your sin and mine. This is God’s love
and grace in action. Filling the
storehouses of heaven to meet the spiritual need of every human nature. The spiritual granary was full when he
died. Heaven was full. The human heart was empty. People are longing
or meaning. Purpose, hope and assurance.
Because of the preparation of the Lord through his sacrificial death of the
Lord Jesus he has exactly what the human heart needs today. For today and for eternity. All that we need is found in him. Without Jesus heaven is closed to you. You are condemned already. The day of grace. Jesus has opened the storehouses of heaven
and given you exactly what you need. Given
you love unconditionally. Loves you with
everlasting love. Gives mercy. We didn’t need mercy, but he gave what we
didn’t deserve. He gave all you need.
The going is difficult sometimes.
We have all that is sufficient in Christ. It will see us to the end of
the journey. He will never leave us nor
forsake us. He will be with us every
step of the way. He knows the future, knows
heavens solution to the spiritual problem.
How can I get the provision? You
went to Pharaoh who said you had to go to Joseph. Maybe there was a queue. He opened the storehouses and gave them what
they needed. How do you prevail of God’s
storehouses? Do I qualify or not? First you need to be aware of your sin and
its impact on your life. You must be
aware of spiritual famine in your soul.
If you don’t realise you are a sinner God can do nothing for the spiritual
starvation in your soul. There must be a
willingness to turn from your sin and embrace Christ as Saviour. The moment you do the spiritual storehouses
open, gives you all you need. Love, mercy,
grace and blessing. It is there in an
instant. The past is forgiven. New
birth. New power. Your destination. What about you today? Has Satan got you in straights of
discouraging you? This harvest time come
back up again. We have a God who has the
solution to the famine of the human heart.
We have one who can meet your need.
The satisfaction.
This is the only solution to our world, to our society, to our desperate
need. Imagine you are in Egypt. The famine has hit. Imagine Joseph refusing to open the
storehouses. If he had said “this is for
the royal family only and all their dignitaries, you are on our own.” Some think salvation is for the select few,
only some and not others who are born in the right family, on the right side of
the world, it is not for everyone. But they
were coming from all other countries to Joseph.
There is no limitation. No
restriction. All the world came to
Egypt. Imagine in Egypt the storehouses
opened and people refuse to come. Somebody
might say I don’t want charity, handouts, not going to take handouts from
anyone. I will take my chances, weather
it out myself, get by OK. Someone else
says I can never see those storehouses, never see them full. I do not believe that message. I don’t think they are there. They die within reach of an abundant supply. How foolish the situation is. Spiritually bleak. A solution is found today in Christ and his
death on the cross. We can avail of it
today. More than is needed but many
refuse the satisfaction, to turn from sin.
Refuse to believe in and embrace Jesus Christ. That is the spiritual tragedy of our
time. People are spiritually hungry and
we have the solution. Still people will
not come. This harvest time think on the
bleak situation of sin. Be amazed at the
amazing solution. The cross. Enjoy his satisfaction. Peace in troubled world. An art competition on one occasion asked
people to paint under the title tranquillity.
Painters started to present their paintings. One was of a harbour scene at twilight. The sun was going down and the boats were
bobbing up and down. Another pictured
sheep in a field. Another of a baby fast
asleep. The winner of the competition though
went on another route altogether – he pictured a roaring waterfall, the water
rushing down the crevices with steam bellowing out. Behind the waterfall there was a small branch
and on the branch was a bird singing its heart out. Peace in a troubled world. Jesus gives the solution today. The situation is bleak – the bible says it was
very sore. The spiritual famine is very
sore today. The storehouses are opened
and the solution is found in Christ.
Satisfaction is found in him. You
can find peace in Christ. God this
morning is looking for those who are hiding, those who are lost and he finds
you. He says the famine is sore in your
heart but I have provided a solution in Christ.
Come and enjoy the satisfaction.
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