Grace Redeemed Suffering
Genesis • Sermon • Submitted
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· 3 viewsBig Idea: Grace enlightens the heart of suffering and awakens worship.
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Introduction
Introduction
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Suffering abounds.
Not a surprise to anyone
Brokenness abounds.
We all know and experience it
It is the story of Joseph’s life.
A story he has been living for years now
17 when sold
30, we will see in this chapter.
13 years he has wallowed in the mire of suffering
Waiting, watching for the will of God to be revealed
In our waiting, know this…God is as faithful when silent as He is when speaking
God is as faithful in the “absence” as he is in active
Grace is ever present in the darkness as in the light
His love, never separated from his own
Though hidden in shadows and darkness of suffering
Love and grace awaken worship even in the face of such travesties.
As we will see today as we turn to Genesis 41
Let’s read it together.
Outline
Outline
Big Idea: Grace enlightens the heart of suffering and awakens worship.
We will reach this big idea when we hit point 7…so hang tight...
When the Time is right - Genesis 41:1
God Moves - Genesis 41:1-8
Remembrance - Genesis 41:9-13
Divinely Placed - Genesis 41:14-24
Dreams Interpreted - Genesis 41:25-36
Beginning of Fulfillment - Genesis 41:37-49
Redemption of Suffering - Genesis 41:50-52
Fulfillment of a dream - Genesis 41:53-57
Sermon Body
Sermon Body
Big Idea: Grace enlightens the heart of suffering and awakens worship.
We will reach this big idea when we hit point 7…so hang tight...
When the Time is right - Genesis 41:1
When the Time is right - Genesis 41:1
After two whole years....
God has been building this narrative for a long while.
At the time of the imprisonment of the baker and cupbearer, the time was not yet right.
Two years after that, however...
God acts because the time is right.
Gen 15:16; 1 Th 2:14-16
John 7:6; Jn 7:30
Da 11:35
God works on a timetable. He has a plan. He does not move until it is time to move.
His timing is perfect and always right.
While we may not always understand or like it, we must learn to trust it.
God Moves - Genesis 41:1-8
God Moves - Genesis 41:1-8
Another dream(s).
God continues to unfold his plan and now sends his dreams to Pharoah.
Dream One
Standing on the Nile River
7 Cows came up out of the Nile (Out of the water, which must have been an interesting sight) - plump and attractive…prize winning cows! :)
They fed and grazed on the rich, lush reed grass at the sides of the Nile.
7 Ugly, thin cows now came up from the Nile. From the retelling to Joseph, Pharoah had never seen such scrawny and puny cows in all of Egypt (Genesis 41:19)
They stood next to the plump cows…and then proceeded to eat the plump cows
From his retelling to Joseph, we also know that they did not appear any more fat after eating the fat cows then before they did. (Genesis 41:21)
Dream Two
7 ears of grain, plump and good were growing on a stalk
After then, 7 ears, thin and blighted by and east wind.
The 7 thin and blighted swallowed up the whole and healthy ones
Two similar bet distinct dreams.
He woke between the two, so not one continuous dream.
He was deeply troubled by these dreams. Again, like the baker and cupbearer, they was something significant about these dreams, enough that they felt more behind them than normal dreams.
Pharoah calls all his wise men and magicians from around the kingdom to come and interpret the meaning, but none could.
It is at this point, the cupbearer becomes aware of the dreams and Pharaoh’s search for understanding and has a sudden recall of his forgetfulness.
Remembrance - Genesis 41:9-13
Remembrance - Genesis 41:9-13
The cupbearer arrives to do his duty (perhaps at breakfast) suddenly becomes aware of the King’s plight and speaks up.
He relates his own tale of dreams and interpretations and makes mentions (finally) of Joseph, the young Hebrew, who interpreted their dreams accurately.
Divinely Placed - Genesis 41:14-24
Divinely Placed - Genesis 41:14-24
Given a sense of hope that his dream might yet be interpreted, he sends for Joseph.
After some cleaning up, he is presented to the King of Egypt.
The king explains what he wants.
Joseph, like before, gives credit to God for the ability to interpret this dream. He tells Pharaoh to share it and that God will grant him a favorable interpretation.
Perhaps Joseph now realizes that God has uniquely been preparing him for this moment. It is uncertain what is going through his heart and mind right now, but it has to be reeling with questions.
Pharaoh relates the dreams once more but this time to Joseph
After listening, Joseph responds.
Dreams Interpreted - Genesis 41:25-36
Dreams Interpreted - Genesis 41:25-36
They are the same dream.
A double emphasis to reveal the fixed nature of God’s intent to fulfill them (Genesis 41:32)
Seven good cows and seven good ears are seven good years of abundance and plenty.
The seven thin cows and the seven blighted ears, seven years of severe famine
God showed Pharaoh his intent…to provide 7 years of extreme abundance followed by seven years of extreme famine throughout all the land of Egypt.
Counsel - Appoint a wise and discerning man to collect 1/5 of the abundant produce and store it up for the seven years of extreme famine. Let me kept under the authority and guard of the king and dispersed only when needed during the years of severe famine.
Beginning of Fulfillment - Genesis 41:37-49
Beginning of Fulfillment - Genesis 41:37-49
Relieved to have an interpretation....and impressed with the recommendation of actions steps to prepare, Pharaoh places Joseph in charge....elevating him to the second most powerful and authoritative man in all Egypt. He was second ONLY to the king himself
You have to wonder what Potipher and his wife were thinking as well as the prison master....
Pharaoh acknowledges the “Spirit of God” in Joseph. Egyptians were polytheists. I do not take this to mean that they were followers of God but more likely that the merely accepted “his” God into the fold of their own.
They gave credit to “a god” for the interpretation and saw Joseph as being blessed by this god, his god, and thus placed him in a position of authority and power.
He gave him his own signet ring, dressed him in royalty and drove him throughout the land so that all would know of him and bow before him as a prime leader in Egypt.
Changed his name to Zaphenath-paneah.
Exact meaning of the name is uncertain. Became his Egyptian name.
Joseph
JOSEPH, jōʹzef (יוֹסֵף, yōṣēph, “He will add”; LXX Ἰωσήφ, Iōsē̇ph. The narrative [Gen 30:23, 24] indicates not so much a double etymology as the course of Rachel’s thoughts. The use of אָסַף, ’āṣaph, “He takes away,” suggested to her mind by its form in the future, יוֹסֵף, yōṣēph, “He will add,” “And she called his name J., saying, Jeh add to me another son”):
Also gave him a wife, Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
Potiphera
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Potiphera
POTIPHERA (פּוֹטִיפַר, potiphar). Priest of On. Pharaoh gave Potiphera’s daughter Asenath to Joseph as a wife (Gen 41:45, 50; 46:20). The name Potiphera derives from the Egyptian for “he whom Re has given,” perhaps indicating that he was a priest in the service of the sun god Re. On was located in Lower Egypt, northeast of modern Cairo, and is better known as Heliopolis (Jer 43:13).
Asenath - Not much is known…Though sometime between the 1st century bc and the 2nd century ad, a legend/writing was composed that built up a narrative surrounding Joseph and Aseneth’s romance. It is extrabiblical and uncertain about how much it is based in history or just in myth, but has been widely circulated and speculated upon.
In truth, we do not know much. Scriptural narrative tells us only what we need to know…that she marries Joseph and bears two important sons to him.
He is 30 at the time of his ascension to power (An age and timeline we have considered previously.)
Joseph makes himself busy storing up food and overseeing this massive operation to store enough to survive during a time of great famine that will follow.
I labeled this point, the beginning of fulfillment simply because little by little we see the fulfillment of Joseph’s own dream becoming a reality.
He is now positioned in a place of high authority that is indicative of others bowing the knee to him in submission. All that is left is for his brothers and his parents to actually bow the knee before him…a reality that is upcoming during the time of famine.
Again, I have to wonder what Joseph is thinking as these events are unfolding. As he is interpreting other’s dreams…what is he thinking of his own? As he rises to power and sees others bowing before him, what does he think of his dream?
The stage is set.
The opportunity is coming.
God is at work!
Before we get there....
The text points to a truth we must catch this morning....namely....
Big Idea: Grace enlightens the heart of suffering and awakens worship.
Redemption of Suffering - Genesis 41:50-52
Redemption of Suffering - Genesis 41:50-52
Joseph and Asenath have two sons.
It is in their names that this truth comes to light.
Manasseh
God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house
Ephraim
God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction
Two Truths....
When the light of grace dawns on suffering, sorrow is forgotten in the face of rising joy!
When the light of grace dawns on suffering, sorrow is forgotten in the face of rising joy!
Manasseh - God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house
Like a woman in labor who forgets her pain the minute she holds that precious newborn in her hands...
So we…when we hold the promised deliverance, the eternal hope supplied, the final outcome promised to us, so too will we see the suffering as light and momentary and we will forget the pain of suffering and will bask in the face of rising joy!
2 Scriptures...
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
We DO NOT LOSE HEART, in the suffering
Our outer self is wasting away…suffering
WE ARE BEING RENEWED…with the promised hope of deliverance, salvation, eternal inheritance
SO MUCH SO that the sufferings of this life…which may seem severe to us now.....they are seen as a LIGHT MOMENTARY AFFLICTION soon forgotten in the face of the promised joy that rises when grace settles upon us.
The joy of the eternal weight of glory being prepared for us is WORTH all the pain and suffering we endure to get there…in fact…it is so much better than than the pain we endure that the pain and suffering takes on a LIGHT and MOMENTARY feel....one we would willingly endure again to achieve the same result.
When the light of grace dawns on suffering, sorrow is forgotten in the face of rising joy!
Jospeh was raised up and delivered from his suffering and his suffering was forgotten.
When grace dawns upon our suffering, so too our suffering will be forgiven in the light of the joy that dawns...
A second passage....
Romans 8:18-25
The sufferings of this age ARE NOT WORTH COMPARING WITH THE GLORY THAT IS TO BE REVEALED IN US.
When grace dawns upon our hearts and we come to grasp the glory, the deliverance, the future that awaits us, our sufferings are seen in a light, momentary, and menial view.
We await eagerly the adoption of our bodies…we endure with joy the suffering and sorrow…because the promises future is worth the wait.
300 Quotations for Preachers from the Medieval Church The Time for Labor and Agony Is Not Long
God has provided this also, that the time for labor and for agony should not be extended—not long, not enduring, but short, and so to speak, momentary: that in this short and little life should be the pain and the labors; that in the life which is eternal should be the crown and the reward of merits; that the labors should quickly come to an end, but the reward of endurance should remain without end; that after the darkness of this world they should behold that most beautiful light, and should receive a blessedness greater than the bitterness of all passions.
VENERABLE BEDE
When the light of grace dawns on suffering, sorrow is forgotten in the face of rising joy!
Truth #2
When the light of grace dawns on suffering, abundance floods over affliction.
When the light of grace dawns on suffering, abundance floods over affliction.
Ephraim - God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction
Romans 5:1-5
1 Peter 1:1-5
Out of suffering, we know the abundance of hope, joy, peace, contentment, and Christ likeness.
If we embrace suffering humbly, obediently, and in the grace given to us, suffering HAS A REDEEMING quality that transforms us into the likeness of Christ and fixes our hope, not on this world, but on the promises of the one to come.
We then see our suffering as it is…light and momentary…not worth comparing…to the eternal weight of glory lying in wait for us upon final salvation and deliverance.
Listen, Joseph knew both spiritual and physical abundance and blessing from his suffering. While physical abundance is never promises or guaranteed (in this life) from our suffering, eternal abundance and blessing is!
When the light of grace dawns on suffering, abundance (the promise of it, the spiritual abundance in transformation and intimacy with God, and the future physical abundance floods over the affliction like a flood washing away the pain and grief of suffering in a cleansing tide of abundance too rich to fully grasp.
Listen...
Big Idea: Grace enlightens the heart of suffering and awakens worship.
Grace enlightened Joseph’s heart and the naming of his children reflects a heart of worship and thankfulness to the faithfulness and blessing of God throughout the long years of his suffering.
Grace dawned and worship awoke (not that Joseph never stopped because he trusted God throughout but his worship is strengthening in the face of deliverance and blessing).
Grace redeems suffering, claiming it as the means for joy and bountiful supply!
Before we leave this text, lets conclude the last few verses.
Fulfillment of a dream - Genesis 41:53-57
Fulfillment of a dream - Genesis 41:53-57
The dreams came to fruition.
7 years of plenty
7 years of famine
When food ran out (in the famine), the storehouses were open and food sold to those who came seeking it. (Amassing great wealth for Egypt no doubt)
God’s blessing upon Joseph blessed the pagan nation of Egypt and set the stage for future events yet untold.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Big Idea: Grace enlightens the heart of suffering and awakens worship.
When the Time is right - Genesis 41:1
God Moves - Genesis 41:1-8
Remembrance - Genesis 41:9-13
Divinely Placed - Genesis 41:14-24
Dreams Interpreted - Genesis 41:25-36
Beginning of Fulfillment - Genesis 41:37-49
Redemption of Suffering - Genesis 41:50-52
Fulfillment of a dream - Genesis 41:53-57
300 Quotations for Preachers Seeing Afflictions in the Right Light
The sorest afflictions never appear intolerable, but when we see them in a wrong light: when we see them in the hand of God, Who dispenses them; when we know that it is our loving Father, Who abases and distresses us, our sufferings lose all their bitterness, and our mourning becomes all joy.
BROTHER LAWRENCE
As we meditate upon this truth, I pray that it is helpful in growing together to become more like Jesus for the glory of God.
Application and Discussion
Application and Discussion
How does grace enlighten the heart and awaken worship?
Grace helps us to see our suffering as God sees it; To see the eternal purpose behind it, the benefit in it, and the blessing of it.
When we see these things, we praise God for His wisdom and work to bring out good in our lives even through unpleasant and difficult circumstances
Share a personal story about how grace exposed the spiritual value of suffering and how it produced worship in your life.
Share....what are some circumstances of suffering you are enduring right now? As people share, take time to pray for each one and allow others to pray as they feel led (turn it into a mini prayer meeting).
How does grace lessen the sorrow of suffering?
By pointing us to the future promise of deliverance, salvation.
By pointing us to the end of suffering and the eternity of blessing.
By revealing the HUGE benefit of the suffering; for in that we see the pain is worth the benefit.
In what specific ways does grace bring abundance to our suffering? (See Romans 5:1-5; 1 Peter 1:1-5)
Greater intimacy with God
Strength of character
Transformation into the likeness of Christ
Pleasure of God as we humbly submit and grow through the trial.
Peace in the midst of it as we trust God and cling to the hope promised in the future
Joy as we see the brevity of suffering and the eternality of the reward.
How will these truths influence the way you respond to suffering this week?
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