"God's Plans" sermon notes

Here are my unedited sermon notes from last week. Some of you may recognize the sermon in there!

“God's Plans” August 8, 2010; Joseph series Genesis 45: 1-14

Introduction: Joseph cannot take it anymore.
the charade comes to an end.
Joseph clears the room; bursts into tears; tells his brothers who he is.
Joseph reveals himself to his brothers.
His brothers are speechless. Not sure what to do or say. Maybe not even sure they can believe what Joseph is telling them.
But Joseph has acted and now his story will finish on a happy note.
The family will be reunited.
Israel will be saved.

Move 1: In this act of self-revelation, Joseph also reveals how God works in the world.
a. As Joseph retells the story of what has happened to him, he begins by noting that “you sold me into slavery.”
1.A clear reminder that the brothers were the ones that perpetrated this act on Joseph.
2.Not God wanted you to sell me into slavery.
3.Not God wanted Potiphar's wife to get me in trouble.
4.Not God put me in jail.
5.Joseph does not a view of the world that believes God makes bad things happen to people so that they can learn a lesson, or grow up or be better people.
b. but, Joseph quickly notes that God works in the world to bring about good.
1.God sent me to Egypt.
2.God made me Pharaoh's right hand man.
3.God sent me to preserve life.
4.An understanding of the world that clearly sees God at work, but God leading us to new life, rather than God sending us difficulties.
5.Christian Century article discussing how God is at work in the world. The article quoted a passage from renowned historian Theodore White's biography: in discussing death of Israeli Prime Minister Rabin. Biography about Theodore White (Theodore H. White and Journalism as Illusion) “”’History was not predestined. Individuals not only could but inevitably did redirect the locomotive and alter history. Not only did individual choices matter, they were the thread of history itself.’ Individual actions do alter history, but God still reigns over history. Rabin’s murder will dramatically affect the struggle for peace. At this moment, evil may appear to be winning. But, while there may be setbacks in the negotiations, evil will not prevail”
6.We remember that Paul writes to the Romans: “God makes all things work together for good,”
7. Paul knows this first-hand. He was a persecutor of Christians whom God transformed into a great leader of Christians.
7.God works to transform situations so that God's grace can be revealed.
8.I have visited with people who have been in accidents or had unfortunate things happen to them and have heard them tell stories of how God's grace has been found in those situations – a sudden death of a parent brings together two estranged siblings; an accident and long hospital stay become the opportunity for friends and family to rally together. The stories are not about how God did not something bad in their lives, but how God's saving grace was revealed in those terrible times.
Joseph's self-revelation reveals how God works for good in the world.

Move 2: Secondly, we notice that a self-giving act compels Joseph to reveal himself.
a. Judah's self-giving act creates the opportunity for Joseph to reveal himself.
1.Remember what happened when Judah and his brothers selfishly send Joesph off into slavery? Turmoil ensues.
2.When Judah offers himself to save Benjamin, Joseph bursts into tears and is compelled to reveal himself.
3.Imagine the power of that moment.
4.Not just setting the record straight – I am Joseph. But, Joseph seeking to be in relationship with his family again; Joseph, risking rejection again (he may have the power of the Egypt behind him, but his brothers can still reject him); Joseph offering new hope and new life for his family; Joseph begins the process that will rescue Israel.

b. When Joseph reveals himself, he reveals God.
1.Judah gives of himself; Joseph gives of himself; God's saving grace arrives.
2.No surprise, I suppose, since God's clearest revelation was when God came in Jesus Christ – God's gift of self for us; followed by Christ's gift of himself on the cross for us; followed by our discovering God's saving grace for us.

c.Can you think of any self-giving acts you have witness ed where someone gave of himself or herself, thereby revealing God's saving grace?
1. An Eye Witness Account from New York City, on a cold day in December... Hopefully, this is the kind of thing that happens frequently, everywhere..... A little boy about 10 years old was standing before a shoe store on Broadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold. A lady approached the boy and said, "My little fellow, why are you looking so earnestly in that window?" "I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes," was the boys reply. The lady took him by the hand and went into the store, and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel he quickly brought them to her. She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet and dried them with a towel. By this time the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes, and tying up the remaining pairs of socks, gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said, "No doubt, my little fellow, you feel more comfortable now?" As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and looking up in her face, with tears in his eyes, answered the question with these words... "Are you God's Wife?
2. What Judah did for Benjamin, God has done for us.
3. Can you imagine the power of a moment when someone self-giving would cause you to break out into tears or kiss your brother?

Conclusion: Joseph's story reveals a God at work in the world; a God who works through giving of self. A God who calls us to do the same.