Good Sunday TRC and Friends! Below is a link to the sermon and a response of worship led by Adam. So, gather around as a family, group of 10 or less, or as an individual, open your bible or listen along, and let’s hear what God has in his word for us.
After the message, Adam will lead in a response. I know it may feel kind of different for us to sing in small groups, but remember our Audience is the Trinitarian God of the Bible. He does hear, and he will be glorified as we hear and obey his word.
Don’t forget to give online right here Give or mail your check to PO Box 707, Rome, GA 30162 so that we can continue to get after Rome and the nations he has given us access to by our folks scattered abroad.
Grace to you and peace.
Genesis 41
God Controls and Kings and Nations to Bring his Reign THROUGH and FOR his People
Genesis 41 has several similarities to the account of Daniel.
I think we can see 6 similarities:
(1) Joseph and Daniel are summoned before the king to resolve the problem of the interpretation of the dream,
(2) the king explains the problem that has eluded the wise men of the court,
(3) by the help of God Joseph and Daniel interpret the dreams, and
(4) the king elevates Joseph and Daniel as reward for the resolution to their problem.
(5) For both Joseph and Daniel the events took place while they were in bondage in a foreign land.
(6) In both cases the dreams that the rulers received demonstrated that God was controlling the destiny of those lands and that they and their wise men were unable to do anything other than submit to the counsel of Joseph and Daniel, who were empowered by the Lord.
What do these similarities tell us?
- God has worked consistently in history to teach his people the same truth: he is in control of the ends and the means.
- Our place in God’s work in history is sometimes hard and requires the supernatural gift of faith in Jesus Christ.
- Gospel Tributary: Moses’ account of Joseph’s exaltation teaches us that faith in Jesus is most necessary when things appear the worst, and that in due time the Lord will exalt his people as they trust in him for their salvation and mission advancement.
What do we learn about God from Genesis 41?
- God is in control of men, nations, circumstances (Like dreams and the inability of some to see His work in the circumstances like the wise men who are not so wise) and their outcomes.
- God’s sending of the dreams displays that he is the driver of human history not kings or political agendas or viruses.
- God never forgets!
- Joseph may have been tempted to believe God had forgotten him, because the cup-bearer sure did.
- God’s timing is impeccable.
- Had the cup-bearer told Pharaoh about Joseph earlier, he may have forgotten him for lack of need.
- God puts it into the cup-bearer’s heart to forget until recall happens at the initiation of the dreams sent by God.
- God shows Pharaoh, who believes he is a “god”, that He is God and the one in control.
- Pharaoh’s repetition of “behold” (6 times in Hebrew), displays a “shookness” in his relaying the dream that reveals his humanity and that he is not all-knowing and all-powerful “god”.
What do we learn about man in Genesis 41?
- We will forget, and we are in need of God to lead our way.
- The cup-bearer was so elated to be free, he forgot the good done to him by Joseph.
- Sometimes, due to sin and it’s curse, our place in God’s work of redemption in the world is just hard.
- What we are currently walking through is the normal circumstance for many of our brothers and sisters around the world.
- Difficulty is the way. Our salvation does not bypass Jesus, it goes through Jesus, and Jesus’ way was/is the cross.
What can we obey from Genesis 41? (What do we need to believe, know and do?)
- Believe that Jesus is building his church.
- Don’t forget, Jesus taught us that all of this was pointing us to him and his mission.
- Matthew 16:13-18 (ESV) 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
- Do we believe that Jesus is building his church right now?
- What if Jesus is teaching us in our “scattering” how to stay on mission in covenant fellowship while being forced to multiply?
- Crazy thing is that this is what the global church looks like, and this is how they plant churches.
- Hard circumstances is their normal, and they adapt by Spirit led multiplication as “cell” groups (micro small groups) expand Jesus’ reign.
- Know that God can and will move kings and nations for our good and the advancement of his kingdom.
- Make sure Jesus gets the credit.
- 41:16 – Joseph makes sure Pharaoh knows where the interpretation comes from.
- Joseph witnesses to the Lord!
- Bring up Jesus often, and invite people to Jesus and to fellowship with his people.
- Don’t let circumstances rob us of trust in God.
- God has let nothing get out of control.
- Balaam, in my bible reading, could not even curse the people of God though his heart was to do just that.
- God would not even allow the will of sinful men to stop his mission.
- Numbers 24:13 (ESV) If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’?
- God has let nothing get out of control.
- Don’t interpret God through the lens of circumstances. Rather, we interpret our circumstances through the lens of who God is and his mission in the world.
- We ask: What is God doing right now in history in and through us?
- How is Jesus building his church right now in North America?
- How do we maintain the biblical essence of the church, and live in covenant on mission?
- What do we take from our current situation so that we can move forward refusing to go back to old strategies that are top heavy and not efficient?
- How can we continue to be bold and wise and display charity with each other through the lens of trust in God as we live life together while scattered?
- We worship Jesus alone. Moses’ intent in Genesis is to make Israel see that Yhwh, Jesus is God alone, and nothing else is worthy of praise.
- So, let’s worship Jesus.
Theology in the Dirt 
Such a blessing this morning! Thank you fellas…
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Appreciate that!
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