First Lesson: Genesis 50: 15-21
15Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, "What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?" 16So they approached Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this instruction before he died, 17‘Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.’ Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18Then his brothers also wept, fell down before him, and said, "We are here as your slaves." 19But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? 20Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. 21So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones." In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.
I know that you have been there at some point or another.
Some of you have told me while I sat or stood next to you.
Something has happened in your life that has turned everything upside down for the moment.
A frightening medical diagnosis.
A loved one stricken with disease and hospitalization.
A child lying in a hospital bed.
One of the worst droughts ever hanging on and devastating your livelihood and land.
Fires raging around burning, threatening people you know.
Sometimes you feel like you are shouting up at the Almighty saying, "Where are you? What are you doing? Can’t You see how devastating this is?! Aren’t You going to do anything about it? How could You let this happen?"
No one likes being surrounded by such dark things. No one. It takes a toll on your mind, your body, and your spirit.
Where is the hope?
Many years ago, a young man experienced the very same thing we experience. This man was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He was the favored child of his father. In fact, his dad went out of his way to shower kindness and favors and gifts upon him. This young man relished his father’s attention, and he also held it over the heads of his brothers.
Oh, most of his brothers didn’t like him at all. They were jealous of the attention he got from his father, and one day, their brother pushed it too far. Their brother shared with them a dream that he had about the sun, the moon, and some stars bowing down to him. He had also shared a dream about making hay sheaves, and all the brothers’ hay sheaves bowed down to his. In a not too subtle way, this young man was telling his brothers they should bow down to him.
Their anger was at a fever pitch. Their dad did nothing to curve their brother’s behavior. So if dad wouldn’t teach this whipper-snapper a lesson, they would. One day as their brother came walking, they seized him and threw him in a pit. They intended to kill him, but one decided that was a bit much. So, instead of killing him, they sold him to a group of slave traders. They then lied to their father and told him their brother was dead–devoured by a wild beast.
Now, for a moment put yourself in the place of that young man. Where once, he walked as a sort of king amongst his brothers, he now found himself in shackles. Where once he was free to go and do as he pleased, he now was forced to serve and obey every command of another. The silver spoon that once resided in his mouth was now yanked out.
But it was only beginning. This young man was eventually sold and began working in another’s house. His master’s wife approached him wanting sexual favors. The young man rejected them. The wife lied and said something happened that didn’t, and the young man went from being a slave to being a prisoner. But that wasn’t even the end of his fall.
While in prison, he met two men. Each of those men shared with him a dream. The young man interpreted both of those dreams and told them what would happen. One of the men would be reinstalled into the King’s court, and the young man said, "Put in a good word for me when you get there." The man promised he would...but didn’t.
Our young man was in prison. Alone. Betrayed by his brothers. Betrayed by his master’s wife. Betrayed by someone he helped. Never was he more alone. Never was he more desperate. Never more was his faith tried and tested. Life was simply not fair. Sure, he had been big headed and overbearing, but did that warrant such punishment? Did that warrant such despair?
But then, then things took an interesting turn. The king had a bad dream and needed it interpreted. None of the wise men of the kingdom could do so, and that’s when one of the king’s servants spoke up. Perhaps his memory was finally jogged. "There is a man in your prison who can interpret this dream."
The king called the man up, and through the irony of ironies, this prisoner was made second in command in the kingdom! Talk about major redemption.
But the story isn’t finished. The young man was set in charge of preparing for drought and famine. He was set in store of collecting grain for the famine years, and when famine struck, their kingdom had food–so much food they helped feed people from all around, including his brothers who came seeking food.
Eventually this young man and his brothers met up. He revealed himself to them, and they were reconciled. Things were going along swimmingly until their dad died. Then the brothers, became worried. What if our young man decided to exact revenge? That’s where our first lesson comes into play this morning. Their reconciliation culminates with this young man, who is named Joseph, by the way, saying these powerful words, "Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? 20Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today."
What you intended for harm, God intended for good.
It wasn’t until this moment that Joseph could put it all together. It wasn’t until he had endured the pain, the humiliation, the suffering, the imprisonment and the betrayal that he could put it all together. It wasn’t until he had come all the way through to the other side that it all began making sense. All along the way, God had a plan. God was using these terrifying, frustrating, and daunting events to make something good happen.
Sometimes, when we are sitting in our own personal prisons, this is the last thing we want to hear. We want certainty. We want results. We want things to go back to the way they were. We want our loved one to be healed. We don’t want the pain. We don’t want the frustration. We don’t want the anger. We don’t want these things to happen to us anymore.
But then they do.
Again and again.
Lives are uprooted.
Fires rage.
Drought persists.
But into the midst of all these things, a ray of light can shine down clearly for those of us who believe. For our
God is the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Joseph. The same God who saw Joseph through all the trials and tribulations he faced is the same God who is working in the midst of our trails and tribulations. When others or the devil intends things for evil, God intends them for good.
And this was rammed home for you and for me on the day Jesus rose from the grave. For this reveals that in the end, God’s word will have the last say.
But in the mean time, I cannot answer the questions of why. I cannot make things better. I cannot remove anger and frustration and pain. But I can point to hope. I can point to the One who has promised to work in such dire situations. I can affirm to you that God intends things for good–we just can’t see it now. And all I can do, and perhaps you as well is to cling stubbornly, persistently, and with all our might to this hope: what some may intend for evil, God intends for good. Amen.
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