Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

SOME OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE BIBLE APPEAR TO BE FLAWLESS

BUT THE ONLY MAN IN HISTORY WITHOUT A SPOT OR A BLEMISH IS JESUS CHRIST

HOWEVER, I WAS LOOKING AT THE LIVES OF TWO EXEMPLARY MEN, JOSEPH AND DANIEL

I BEGAN TO STUDY THE LIFE OF JOSEPH IN A DEEPER WAY AND BEGAN TO FIND THE NEED OF GOD’S GRACE IN CERTAIN AREAS

REGARDLESS OF HOW PERFECT SOME MAY APPEAR TO BE, EVERYONE NEEDS THE GRACE OF GOD

ESPECIALLY HIS FATHER, JACOB

VERSE NUMBER 3 TELLS US THAT ISRAEL OR JACOB LOVED JOSEPH MORE THAN ANY OF HIS OTHER SONS AND MADE HIM A COAT OF MANY COLORS

NOW THE HEBREW WORD IS QUITE HARD TO TRANSLATE.

IT MAY MEAN, MANY COLORS

IT MAY MEAN, RICHLY JEWELED, BUT THE KEY THING IS THE WORD RICH

JACOB LAVISHED MONEY ON JOSEPH IN A WAY THAT HE DIDN’T GIVE IT TO ANY OF THE OTHER BROTHERS, AND WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS THERE IS YOUR HEART

IN OTHER WORDS, JOSEPH HAD BECOME THE IDOL OF JACOB’S LIFE, THE GOD, THE CENTRAL SOURCE OF JOY AND LOVE IN HIS LIFE

AS A RESULT, IT POISONED THE ENTIRE FAMILY SYSTEM

WHENEVER THERE IS SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU PLACE HIGHER THAN GOD, IT WILL POISON YOU

A CHILD, A CAR, A BUSINESS, A CAREER, A WIFE, A HUSBAND, Materialism, MONEY, FRIENDS, SELF

JOSEPH IS THE FAVORED SON, AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, HE BRINGS AN EVIL REPORT ABOUT HIS BROTHERS, GOSSIPING

WE CANNOT ASCERTAIN WHEN JOSEPH RECEIVED HIS COAT OF MANY COLORS, BUT IT COULD BE THAT IT CAME AFTER THE REPORT

POSSIBLY A REWARD FOR BEING BETTER, FOR BEING HONEST

BECAUSE THE NEXT TIME THAT WE ARE TOLD WHEN THE BROTHERS GO OUT SHEPHERDING AGAIN, JOSEPH IS AT HOME

POSSIBLY, HE IS BACK HOME WITH HIS FANCY SUIT, SITTING WITH HIS FEET UP ON THE COUCH, WHILE HIS BROTHERS ARE OUT IN THE FIELDS, WORKING

JOSEPH WAS TREATED WITH MUCH MORE FAVORITISM; HE IS THE SON OF JACOB’S FAVORITE WIFE, THE SON OF HIS OLD AGE, AND SEEMINGLY HONEST AND TRUTHFUL ABOUT MATTERS OR RATHER A GOSSIPER WHO WANTS TO BE ELEVATED BY PUTTING OTHERS DOWN

I FIND IT QUITE AMAZING THAT THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT JOSEPH WAS THE SON OF JACOB’S OLD AGE, INSTEAD OF THE SON OF HIS FAVORITE WIFE

BY SAYING, HE IS THE SON OF HIS OLD AGE LINKS HIM WITH ISAAC WHOM SARAH BORE TO ABRAHAM IN HIS OLD AGE

THE SAME WORD IS USED OF ISAAC IN

THIS SUGGESTS THAT JOESPH WAS THE CHOSEN ONE.

THAT JACOB LOVED JOSEPH MORE THAN HIS BROTHERS BECAUSE HE WOULD BE THE ONE WHO WOULD CARRY ON THE LINEAGE OF THE MESSIAH

REGARDLESS OF HOW MEN FELT ABOUT JOSEPH, SOMETHING SPECIAL WAS ABOUT THIS YOUNG MAN

WE ARE TOLD MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE THAT THE FAVOR OF GOD WAS UPON HIM

WHEN YOU ARE THE OBJECT OF GOD’S FAVOR, YOU WILL UNWILLINGLY INVITE JEALOUS HATRED TOWARDS YOUR LIFE, AND MOST OF IT COMES FROM THEM THAT ARE NEAREST TO YOU

WHEN OTHERS RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE FAVOR UPON YOUR LIFE, THEY WILL DESIRE TO BE AROUND YOU, BUT FOR SOME REASON IT IS THOSE CLOSEST TO YOU THAT YOUR FAVOR INVITES JEALOUSY AND HATE

AND JEALOUSY MIXED WITH HATRED MOVES TO MURDER

ESPECIALLY, AFTER HIS DREAMS, AS DREAMS IN THOSE DAYS WERE CONSIDERED HIGHLY TO BE A MEANS OIF DIVINE COMMUNICATION

HIS BROTHERS COULD NOT STAND HIM, THEY COULDN’T EVEN GIVE HIM A NORMAL GREETING-SHALOM

GOD SHOWED JOSEPH IN TWO DREAMS, HIS PURPOSE-GOD DIDN’T INCLUDE THE DETAILS BUT HE DID INCLUDE THE PURPOSE

ISN’T IT GREAT HOW GOD LEAVES OUT SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DETAILS

ULTIMATELY JOSEPH RECEIVED FAVOR FROM GOD

SINCE FAVOR IS A GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS, IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO FIND FAVOR FROM THE LORD

PROVER

THEREFORE I NEED TO TRUST GOD’S PROVIDENCE, PRIORITIZE GOD’S CHARACTER, AND PERFORM GOD’S PRINCIPLES

1. GOD’S PROVIDENCE

WE REALLY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO TRUST IN GOD’S GUIDANCE AND CARE AND PROVISION FOR THE FUTURE

THIS CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT AT TIMES AS GOD’S GUIDANCE AND CARE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE GOD’S GUIDANCE AND CARE

LORD, I’M 3 YEARS OLD, TRAVELING DOWN THE NILE REIVER AND THERE ARE ALLIGATORS AND SNAKES AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER FLESH EATING CREATURES

BUT, GOD SAYS, MY PROVIDENCE IS GOING TO GET YOU TO YOUR PURPOSE

YOU CAN TRAVEL THROUGH LIFE AND HE WILL KEEP YOU FROM INVOLVEMENT IN GANGS, AND KEEP THE BAD INFLUENCES AWAY FROM YOUR LIFE, YOU CAN GRADUATE WITH THE HIGHEST GRADES REGARDLESS IF YOU COME FROM THE SMALLEST HOUSE

GOD CAN GUIDE AND CARE FOR YOU NO MATTER IF YOU ARE TRAVELING THROUGH THE DESERT ALL BY YOURSELF

GOD’S PROVIDENCE CAN ALLOW YOU TO TELL THE GREATEST KING IN THE WORLD, LET MY PEOPLE GO

PROVIDENCE CAN CAUSE YOU TO WALK THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF A SEA WITH YOUR BACKS BENT OVER WITH ALL OF THE WEALTH OF THE LAND

WHEN PREPARATION MEETS WITH OPPORTUNITY, DESTINY EXPLODES

GOD KNOWS HOW TO SEND YOU BREAD IN THE MORNING AND BREAD IN THE EVENING BY A BIRD EVEN IF THERE IS NO FOOD IN THE LAND

OOH, I FEEL THAT THE BIRDS ARE BRINGING YOU SOMETHING—MY BLESSING IS ON THE WAY

PROVIDENCE HAD BEEN EVIDENT IN THE LIFE OF JOSEPH

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT, NO MACDONALD’S, NO PIZZA HUT, NO SUBWAY, BUT GOD STILL PROVIDED FOR THEIR FUTURE

GOD SAYS, I DON’T HAVE TO MAKE IT RAIN WATER, I’LL MAKE IT RAIN BREAD AND QUAIL IF YOU ARE HUNGRY

SO, THE WISEST MATTER THAT YOU COULD BE INVOLVED IN, IS THE PREPARATION OF YOUR GOALS IN LIFE

AND IF YOU ARE THIRSTY, I DON’T HAVE TO TAKE YOU TO A RIVER, MY PROVIDENCE WILL LEAD YOU TO A ROCK AND YOU WILL DRINK OUT OF THE WATERS THAT GUSH FROM A DIFFICULT PLACE

THEREIN LIES THE DIFFICULTY

WE HEAR ABOUT GOD’S CARE, GUIDANCE, AND PROVISION AND WE GET EXCITED WITHOUT REALIZING: CARE CAN ONLY COME WHEN YOU’VE BEEN REJECTED

GUIDANCE CAN COME ONLY WHEN YOU HAVE WENT ROUND AND ROUND IN CIRCLES AND DON’T KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO

PROVISION CAN ONLY COME WHEN YOU HAVE RUN OUT OR SUFFERED LACK

YOU MAY THINK THAT IT IS JUST CIRCUMSTANCE OR BY CHANCE THINGS HAPPEN BUT EVERYTHING HAS A REASON

THERE WAS A REASON THAT JOSEPH WAS STRIPPED OF HIS COAT AND THROWN INTO A PIT

HIS BROTHERS COULD NOT KILL HIM AS GOD’S CARE WAS UPON HIM

THEY COULD NOT KILL HIM AS GOD’S GUIDANCE HAD TO GET HIM TO THE PLACE OF HIS DESTINY

MOST OF US THINK THAT IT IS THE MOST COMFORTABLE OR EASY CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LEAD US TO OUR DESTINY

BUT, IT WAS THE ISHMAELITES, A ROUGH GROUP OF PEOPLE

THEY WERE NOT VERY HOSPITABLE BUT THEY WER TOUGH AND HARSH

GOD USES THE MOST DIFFICULT, ROUGHEST VEHICLE TO GET YOU TO YOUR DESTINY

HE MAY NOT TAKE YOU IN A BRAND NEW FORTURNER

BUT, HE WILL LET THE ISHMAELITES TAKE YOU RIGHT ON DOWN TO WHERE YOU NEED TO BE

I REMEMBER, FROM THE HIGHWAY TO OUR HOUSE WAS JUST ABOUT MAYBE A MILE DRIVE

HOWEVER, IT TOOK US ALMOST 10 MINUTES TO GET THERE BECAUSE THE ROADS WERE NOT PAVED AND THE ROADS WERE MOSTLY WASHED AWAY FROM THE FLOODING

SO, THERE WOULD BE DEEP GOURGES IN THE ROAD AND YOU HAD TO DRIVE WITH GREAT CAUTION OR YOU COULD LOSE HALF OF YOUR CAR IN THE GOURGE

THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY

WE HAD TO DRIVE THIS ROAD TO GET TO OUR DESTINATION

I WOULD COME HOME FROM BEING GONE FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND I WOULD BE JUST LONGING TO GET TO MY DESTINATION

BUT, THE RIDE FROM THE HIGHWAY TO OUR HOUSE WAS ALMOST AS BAD AS THE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLANES THAT I HAD TO TAKE TO GET TO OUR TOWN IT IS NOT ALWAYS AN EASY RIDE BUT IT IS WONDERFUL TO LOOK FORWARD TO AFTER SO MANY DIFFERENT EVENTS

I WAS SO HAPPY JUST TO REACH MY DESTINATION

I DON’T THINK THAT JOSEPH FELT THIS WAY

BUT, PROVIDENCE WAS SAYING IT TO HIM ALL OF THE WAY: MY CARE IS UPON YOU, I AM GUIDING YOU EACH STEP OF THE WAY AND NO MATTER WHAT THE PLACE LOOKS LIKE, I AM PROVIDING FOR YOU

PROVIDENCE HAD JOSEPH IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND

ARE YOU HIS WORK?

ARE YOU ENGAGED IN HIS WORK?

THEN, YOU CAN EXPECT THOSE TENDER MERCIES TO RAIN FROM HEAVEN

HE IS GOOD TO ALL

HE HAS BEEN GOOD TO MY MARRIAGE, KIDS, FAMILY, FINANCES, JOBS, RELATIONSHIPS, WORK OF MY HANDS, THE OUTCOME OF EVERY SITUATION, MY LIFE

WHAT A WONDERFUL GOD YOU SERVE, EXERCISING CARE, GUIDANCE, AND PROVISION

JOSHUA DESCRIBED GOD’S PROVIDENCE

NOT ONE GOOD THING THAT THE LORD HAD SPOKEN HAD FAILED IN ALL OF HIS LIFE

I’M SURE THAT FRIENDS HAD PROMISED HIM THINGS THAT NEVER CAME TO PASS

I’M SURE THAT HIS LEADERS PROMISED HIM THINGS THAT WERE NEVER FULFILLED

MAYBE HIS GIRLFRIEND DIDN’T MEET HIM BEHIND THE BARREN TREE FOR A MIDNIGHT WALK

BUT, NOT GOD, EVERYTHING THAT HE HAD PROMISED, HE HAD PERFORMED

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO FAIL YOU

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE END RESULTS-ULTIMATELY WHAT THE OUTCOME WAS-WHAT WAS THE END RESULT

NOW I CANNOT BE SURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN BETWEEN PLACES

MANY DIFFERENT THINGS STARTED OUT IN A DIFFERENT WAY, OR RATHER STARTED WITH A GOOD PROMISE BUT BECAME UNSURE ALONG THE WAY

WHEN ABRAM LEFT UR OF THE CHALDEES, HE PROBABLY NEVER THOUGHT THAT LIVING IN GOD’S LAND WOULD HAVE FAMINES

OR WHEN HE HAD WAITED SUCH A LONG TIME FOR HIS PROMISE TO BE FULFILLED THAT GOD WOULD ASK HIM FOR THE PROMISE BACK