Rescue Me
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Rescue Me
We can’t see the Plan but it is there!
I know that with all that is happening in the world you could agree with me that we all need to be rescued. Humanity has been in the need of rescued from the fall of man.
The beautiful truth is that God placed in Rescue plan in motion beginning with Abraham until the Birth, death, and resurrection of Christ.
Today we will be focusing on the life of Joseph, his life will be summarized to fit into a 45 minute sermon. Here we see God working through the life of Joseph continuing through with the Rescue of Humanity.
Genesis 37: Joseph
God Launches His Rescue Mission
Here in Genesis 12, God launches his rescue mission to fallen humanity. Adam and Eve sinned; Noah’s generation sinned; the people after the Flood sinned. Our ancestors established a rather consistent track record. God now initiates a more drastic—and yet more subtle—plan of action. He puts in a call to Abraham, who lived in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) and later in Haran (in modern Turkey). This is the beginning of the story of salvation, God’s intervention in history. In fact, when St. Stephen offers his defense to the Sanhedrin, he starts the retelling of salvation history with the call of Abraham (Acts 7:3). The Lord invites Abraham on a mission. He calls him to leave his homeland and family and go to a place where he has never been to initiate God’s rescue plan for humanity. Abraham plays a key role as the father of the Chosen People and the Father of Faith. His “yes” to God begins the story of Israel, within which Jesus will appear to bring salvation to the whole world.
1. Rescue from Pride:
Genesis 37:5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”
8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
Joseph was a spoiled young man that was loved by his father to a fault. No other child got the attention and favorable treatment. Joseph was pampered, highly favored, and entitled.
What happens to an individual who has been pampered, sheltered, blessed with Father's gifts? He gets spoiled and develops the characteristics of a spoiled child.
Flaunting of earthly gifts
Flaunting of favoritism
Flaunting of position
Attitude of Grandeur
Joseph was a man that was going to be part of God’s rescue plan for humanity, but he was not ready, he could not see the big picture. God must RESCUE JOSEPH from himself, it was time for Joseph to begin his journey of preparation for the mission God had for him.
2. Rescued from family:
Genesis 37: 8 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.
19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. 22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.
23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
Joseph's brothers despised and hated him for three reasons.
Father favoritism
Jealousy
Joseph's Pride and flaunting his gifts
So, we see that Joseph needed to be rescued from his family, and what does God use, he uses a Cistern that was empty, a pit in the ground where the brothers were going to leave him there to die of thirst and hunger. Yes, sometimes we might need to be rescued from our family.
Imagine Joseph sitting inside that dark cistern, probably injured from the fall, no water, food, desperation was probably set in and no one was answering his call for help.
How many of us have felt abandoned, betrayed, forsaken, desperate and there is no one to answer your call for help?
3. God had a Rescue plan for Joseph, what does he provide- slave traders. Now Can things get any worse than they were before?
Genesis 37: 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.
28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels[b] of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
Imagine how you would react to being sold as a slave. God why have you forsaken me:
My Father Jacob
My family
My comfort
My position in the family
You said the 12 Stars and the Sun and Moon would bow down to me.
God was molding, shaping, and moving Joseph to get him to where he wanted him. How difficult this is having to trust God when you don’t know what is the end game.
Genesis 37:9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
Slavery Continues Genesis 39: 1-7 Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
39 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
2 The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while, his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
Even as a slave God continues to look after Joseph, he gains favor from his master on how he ran the household and its affairs. Potiphar was being blessed because of the management skill, knowledge, and wisdom of Joseph.
Potiphar's wife also took notice of the Young, Handsome man, and she was attracted to him. She tried to seduce him and he fled as she tore off his robe. He was naked running through the home to take cover and was accused of trying to rape Potiphar's wife.
4. God’s Rescue Plan Prison: He was bound and thrown into the Pharaoh's prisons. God continues to move Joseph to fulfill his Rescue Plan.
Genesis 39:19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
While in prison God continued to give Joseph favor, he was a leader, organizer, and maintainer of order that the Jailer put him in charge of all prison affairs. What is it, that whatever Joseph touched he was blessed?
He has learned humility
Contentment
Humbleness
Responsibilities
Leadership
Faith in God
He did not know Gods plan but he took on what ever responsibilitie and did it to his best capacity. But Joseph was still in the potters hand.
5. Gods Rescue Plan Timing:
Genesis 40 12 “This is what it means,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. 13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. 14 But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. 15 I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.” 16 When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread.[a] 17 In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”
18 “This is what it means,” Joseph said. “The three baskets are three days. 19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and impale your body on a pole. And the birds will eat away your flesh.”
Joseph probably thought for sure that he will be getting out soon. That he certainly will not be forgotten, but God Rescue Plan final stages still need some more time.
We are individual of the Micro wave, instant, fast food, quick pick era. It has to happen now, not latter. But God’s rescue plan was not only for Joseph it was for all of humanity.
Joseph is not aware of God’s plan and he still was in the molding business and we can see it in verse :
Genesis 40:15 15 I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.”
It’s not my fault, I am innocent, I was unjustly persecuted, Joseph still needed a little more fine tuning. God has a plan and we need to:
Evaluate
Artriculate
Trust
6. Rescue completed Provider: 2 year after interpreting dream for cupbearer. Pharaoh drem interpreted by God through Joseph. Pharaoh place Joseph in charge of making sure there was enough food for all during the famine.
Genesis 41 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
Joseph in Charge of Egypt
41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command,[b] and people shouted before him, “Make way[c]!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
Why was it so important that Joseph be rescued at this time? Because the line of Abram could had been completely wiped out if it wasn’t for God’s Rescue plan and we know the Promise God made to Abraham: Abraham plays a key role as the father of the Chosen People and the Father of Faith. His “yes” to God begins the story of Israel, within which Jesus will appear to bring salvation to the whole world.
Conclusion:
Conclusion: God is continuing working in our live we might not feel it or see it but God is relentless to bring us to the position that we will fulfill his will. Joseph had to get to the place where he say’s this Genesis 50 19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
God see’s the entire field, he is our quarter back and he know when we are ready, to receive the Rescue that we need so desperately. Amen