Sunday, July 29, 2012

The Life Of Joseph - Remember


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By the time we get to Genesis 40 Joseph had been sold into slavery, spitefully accused, wrongfully judged and unjustly placed into prison. However while there, Joseph worked hard to prove himself and ultimately became the most trusted prisoner. He was put in charge of all of the other prisoners. Whatever they did it was because Joseph allowed it and the warden checked nothing which was under Joseph’s authority.

Genesis 40
1 ¶  It came to pass after these things that the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
2  And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker.
3  So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined.
4  And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while.
5 ¶  Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation.
6  And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad.
So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?"
8  And they said to him, "We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it." So Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please."
Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "Behold, in my dream a vine was before me,
10  "and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes.
11  "Then Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand."
12  And Joseph said to him, "This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days.
13  "Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler.
14  "But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.
15  "For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon."
16  When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, "I also was in my dream, and there were three white baskets on my head.
17  "In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head."
18  So Joseph answered and said, "This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days.
19  "Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you."
20 ¶  Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
21  Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.
22  But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23  Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Note the account of the Chief Butler and the Chief Baker of Pharaoh
·       Joseph served them
·       Joseph ask about their day and their sadness
·       Joseph listened to their dreams
·       Joseph gave them the interpretations
·       After 3 days every word Joseph spoke came to pass
·       But Joseph was forgotten – no thank you, nothing … just forgotten

What do we learn from this account that we can apply to our lives today?

1.  Bloom where you are planted
a.   We cannot always control what we go through but we can decide how we are going to go through it
b.   Fair or unfair
c.   It’s not what you are going through but what you are going to
d.   You are not the only one going through difficult times
e.   Nothing says “I care” like taking time to listen
f.    People will care what you know when they know that you care
g.   It will help you to help others – bloom where you are planted
2.  Not every word of God will be found in a Promise Book
a.   The butler got a good word – the baker did not
b.   We can’t live our life only out of a promise book

When Paul and Barnabas were in Lystra they were thought to be gods, Zeus and Hermes, who possessed power to heal because of a miracle received by a man who had not before been able to walk. It was all Paul and Barnabas could do to restrain the people from sacrificing to them. Even the priest of the Temple of Zeus brought oxen and garlands to do sacrifice to them. But …

Acts 14
19  Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.
20  However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
21  And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
22  strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."

Did you read verse 19 – they stoned Paul to the point they believed him to be dead so they drug him out of the city and put him on the trash pile. He went back into the city and told the new converts to Christ that they too must through many tribulations press themselves into this Kingdom of God. Paul encouraged them to continue in the faith whatever the costs …

Have you ever read:

2 Timothy 3:12  Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution

Not every word of God can be found in a Promise Book …

c.   Sometimes God’s will cost
d.   At some point God’s will is going to cost each one of us
e.   But life goes on … we need to go on with it
f.    At some point we may be disappointed, hurt, unjustly treated … we cannot allow those times to convince us to quit
g.   Not everything turns out the way or in the time we imagine
h.   The future, good or bad, takes time to unfold
i.     Some things we can change and some things we cannot
j.    The officers of Pharaoh only had to wait 3 days – Joseph had to wait 2 years – The future takes time to unfold – give it time – God knows what He is doing and He works all things in His time
k.   What we do while we wait makes a difference
3.  Remember
a.   Everyone desires to be and many ought to be remembered for some decent thing which they sacrificed to provide
b.   Don’t forget those God used to help you
c.   Thanks can mean more than one might imagine
d.   The 1 Leper out of the 10 who were healed returned to give thanks (Luke 17) – Jesus remarked that he remembered
e.   Musa remembered the South African missionary who led his family to the Lord in the 50’s. Thanks was not given until the 90’s …
f.    The word remember is spoken 144 times in the Bible …

Luke 23:42  Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."

Colossians 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Philippians 4:16  For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.

Let’s all pledge this week to remember at least one person God has used to bless us … then simply thank them in some small way.