What's on your face? Facial expressions reveal a lot of things. There is a story of a couple of prospectors who struck gold. They had go get to town get more supplies. They agreed not to tell anyone. But by the time they left a large group of prospectors were following them. “I thought we agreed not to tell anybody?” said one of them. “Honestly, I did not,” replied the other. Then someone from the group said, “You need not tell us, it showed on your faces.”
When you stop to think about it, the look on our faces sometimes really does tell it all. Some people's faces you can read like a book. For instance was there ever a time when your parents took one look at you and asked, "What did you do? You look guilty." Other times people will say, "You look like you've seen a ghost!" My mother looked her daughter and asked, "I'd recognize that look anywhere. What's his name?" Or “What's bordering you?”
Sometimes our expressions reveal things we would rather not reveal--irritation, anger, hate, plain old meanness. How will people remember the daily ordinary look on your face--stressed, irritated, pouting, angry--always smiling, radiant, at peace?" What does your face communicate to others about your faith? What's on you face?
READ 34:28-35 As we have read, Moses was completely oblivious to the look on his face--the shine--the radiance – the glow. Moses didn't put on a pious religious face. He wasn't trying to look "holy." The genuine glow was there because he had been in the presence of God. It just rubbed off on him. How did he acquire it?
FROM 2ND HAND FAITH TO PERSONAL FAITH
Today's scripture reading takes place on Moses' second trip to the mountain where he spent 40 days and nights with God writing out The Ten Commandments again. This was a defining moment for Moses. Let me explain. In Exodus chapter 3 God appeared to Moses in a burning bush that did not burnt. God's mere presence in a desert bush was enough to sanctify the patch of ground around it, and God told Moses to take off his shoes because he was on holy ground.
However here in Exodus chapter 34, this mere meeting in the Lord's presence was enough to change Moses' look. He had been so touched on the inside that there was evidence of it on the outside. His face was shining and glowing with the glory of God. Now, the Bible tells us this radiant face of Moses took place at the 2nd giving of the law, not the first. Strange, isn't it. I would have thought it would have occurred at the burning bush, or at the first giving of the Law. But it didn't. I asked myself, “Why would Moses change now?
You see, at the Burning bush, Moses was a very reluctant messenger. He gave all sorts of excuses and tried to get out of what God is calling him to do. Then, when he stood before Pharaoh, he was following orders. God's orders. As he led the people in the first days of their desert trip Moses was always asking "What am I to do?" (x2) Up this point, this whole thing wasn't his idea. It was all God's.
It's common that kids from Christian homes, who go off to college, often lose their faith or shaken. At college, they find themselves in an entirely new world that challenges. Why would that happen? Often, it's because the faith they lose wasn't theirs. It was their parent's faith. These children had gone along with the morals and believes that ruled their home while they were at home. But once they moved away, since the faith wasn't theirs to begin with, they lose it. In order to survive, they need to change from the faith of their fathers (and mothers) to a faith of their own. Their second hand faith need to become a personal faith. For Moses, something like that had taken place. It was no more a second hand faith but now a personal one.
Exodus 32:19-20 tells us when that change took place: "When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it. He said to Aaron, 'What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?'" (Ex. 32:19-21)
Here, you see that no one told Moses to smash the tablets. No one told him to melt down the idol and grind it to powder. No one told him to spread it's powder on the drinking water and force the people to drink it. This was all Moses' idea. And then Moses turns on Aaron. Up until this time Aaron had been Moses' "mouthpiece." Ever since the burning bush, Aaron had been Moses' support in his faith. But, no longer. Moses had learned he couldn't lean on Aaron's faith... and for the first time in their relationship, Moses rebuked his older brother and put him in his place. After this confrontation, we see Moses really begin to care for the people. He interceding for the people and his offer to substitute himself for the people to avert God's anger.
When Moses came down the mountain with the new tablets, "he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord" (Ex. 34:29). He had a shine on his face. When the people saw the glow on Moses' face. They were afraid to come near him. They backed away from him like he was "radioactive." Even Aaron, his brother, was afraid as well. Moses downplayed the radiant glow he had because he didn't want them to focus on it. He didn't want people to focus on him and call attention to himself. Rather the Scripture says he "put a veil over his face" (v. 33).
Moses wanted them to focus on God--not on the glow. Sometimes when God does something spectacular for us, we tend to focus on the experience rather than on God who did it. Sometimes it causes us to lose our focus. It is so natural we begin to think too much of our experience and become a little self righteous and arrogant. Moses however wanted the people to focus on the Lord instead of his face.
FROM FAKE TO REAL
What could a mysterious event on the top of a mountain far away and long ago possibly have to do with us today? Is Moses' experience in the presence of God a totally foreign concept to us today? I don't think so. Here's why. God wants his children to be "real." Very often much of what is happening in our Churches and in the lives of God's people is a put-on or "fake." It is more "show" than anything else.
There is a story of an overnight visitor to the White House during the Coolidge administration. Calvin Coolidge was not one of the warmest people to be around - he was well known for his brevity and taciturn nature. Seated at breakfast with President, the visitor determined to attempt to be as "invisible" as possible by imitating everything the President did and thus avoiding any possible digressions of etiquette. All went well, until Coolidge began to catch on. Reaching for his coffee, the President poured some of it into his saucer... the visitor followed suit. Then Coolidge reached for the cream and poured a generous amount into the saucer... the visitor did the same. Then Coolidge bent down and placed the saucer on the floor for his cat.
There is a difference between those who merely get by - who copy, imitate, and fake it - AND those who are "real" or authentic about what they believe and do. Moses had changed from an attitude of "getting by" to one of "getting real". The children of Israel were special people chosen by God to be a blessing to the world. They witnessed God's amazing miracles in Egypt to bring about their freedom from pharaoh. There is the miraculous parting of the Red Sea where they pass through and escaped pharaoh's army. Then there was the manna, the bread from heaven. And all through the journey not one could miss the presence of God leading them through the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire. Who would not have been impressed with shaking mountains and fire at the giving of the law!
After all the excitement things seems too settled down. Everybody went about his or her daily chores and routine. Things got familiar. Now that, Moses had been gone for forty days. The people got "bored" with their trembling mountain. So the people decided to do something about it. They thought, why don't we put on a show. They decided to make a golden calf so that they could have a worship party. Very soon Aaron put on a good religious show for the people. How exciting!
You know what is the big difference between Aaron and Moses. Aaron had a show, but Moses had a glow. Aaron put on the show because this is what the people want. But Moses had glowed because he was having communion with God. He was hearing and receiving God's Word. It would be great if we have a choir to lead us in praise and worship before the throne of grace. I have seen some powerful dramas presented during service. I have heard of solos that lifted my heart in worship to the Lord. I have seen some creative arts in services. We applaud great music and drama. We are not against having a great "show" in the Church house, but we are against it if our show has corrupted the gospel. We need to asked continually, Are we just putting on a "show” or are we real? Doing what is closed to God's heart.
The psalmist says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” This is the familiar injunction in Psalm 46:11, but very often in church there is no stillness, no time in which to know Him. We can get very mechanical in our worship and find "comfort zones" where we don't have to pray and study and seek God's direction anymore. Ministry can and does become ROUTINE. We just kind of go through the motions. If that happens, we have succeeded in putting on a show.
Why are we here?… Worship. This word is used 331 times in the Bible. From Genesis, the first book of the Bible, to Revelation, the last book, we are called to worship. Worship is the theme of this book. Worship is the all consuming subject of the Bible. Here I would like to raise the question, “What should you expect when you come to worship celebration on Sunday?” I believe, first and foremost worship should bring you into the presence of God. Worship is about moving into the God's presence. There is a special glow about the people who have been in the presence of God. When you prepare your heart and come reverently seeking the Lord, He honors that. When we lift our voices together in song and listen to His Word is an invite for Him come into midst. When the Word of God is faithfully preached, it brings the glow to our Church!
As I understand Scripture, wherever Christ is honored, and the Word is faithfully preached, the presence of God is there, and that is a big and important place. Worship should take us into God's presence. That will make us glow. What a privilege and experience that is for all of us.
FROM PURPOSE DRIVEN TO PRESENCE DRIVEN
14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" 17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."
Some of you may have read the book “The Purpose Driven Church” by Rick Warren. It is a wonderful book about what we as a church is about and how to be purposeful in our ways. This word PURPOSE-DRIVEN keeps coming pack in the book again and again. In John 4:34 our Lord says that, “My meat is to do the will of the Father who sent me.” His “MEAT” was His “PURPOSE!” As we understand he came to save us. So His purpose in life gave him the reason to live and die. Similar for all of us, a “PURPOSE” will give us a reason to live and a reason to die!
The other thing we read from the gospel is the amount of time our Lord spent in God's presence. He rose early to be with the Father. He was before the Father before major decisions were being made. And there is this overwhelming sense of the Spirit's presence as He went about His whole business. As I was thinking I've began to realize that although being “PURPOSE DRIVEN” is essential and has it's place, BUT being “PRESENCE DRIVEN” would seem even more important in the life of every Christian.
From the verses we have read, it seems, Moses has moved from focusing on bring the Israelites to the Promised Land to being focused on God. He was so in tune with the Lord, and so connected to the Lord that he begged Him “If your presence does not go with us, do not send us from here.” He refused to take any action apart from God. He was basically saying, If you won't go with us, then just kill us and end it here. Moses was not willing to take another step or move to any other place apart from the Lord's presence and provision. In Moses we find a “presence driven man”! He was so “presence driven” that he would not move or do a thing without the presence of the Lord with Him.
A purpose in life alone is not enough in the Spirit realm. Moses knew what his purpose was but he wanted something far greater than a purpose he wanted a presence. You see, The presence of God outweighs the purpose of God. For without the “presence” the “purpose” is of little use.
Again, anybody can have a purpose but not everybody has a presence! There are Christians who know the Bible, they know the purpose of God, they could quote it chapter & verse but they had no understanding or know of the presence of God! Remember when the Magi were looking for directions to the baby Jesus. The teachers of the law could tell them exactly where to find. But sadly they have no understanding about the presence of God. As good as purpose driven is, but without the presence then the purpose loses it's point! For instance…
God's purpose is that no one go to hell, but it's not the purpose that saves it is the presence of God that saves! God's purpose is to heal but it's not the purpose that heals it is the presence of God that heals! God's purpose is to deliver mankind but it's not the purpose that delivers mankind it is the presence of God that delivers mankind. We need to seek His presence more than His purpose! Because when I have His presence the purpose will follow in place! His purpose will find the place when I have His presence. Moses knew it was the presence of God that separated them from all the others on the face of the planet! He knew it was the presence of God that made all the difference and nothing else would matter! For it is in His presence that we find all we need in life & more.
We often wonder why it's so hard to push and get people into ministry and God's work. The reason being, the purpose of God was never met to be pushed. It is to be pulled along by the presence of God. You see without the presence of God we try to do it by sheer force of our flesh. It is interesting that the priest had to wear linen undergarments when they go into the Holy place. Why? So that they do not sweat. If we are working to the point of sweating in the work of God, it is because we are depending on our own strength to serve. Instead we are to trust in the strength of Jesus Christ who indwells us. God's plan is that those who serve Him should never sweat!
Moses couldn't drive those people! These were the hardest bunch of hardheads and stiff-necks on the planet. They had to be lead by the presence of God. What was it that guided the people of God! It was a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night! That wasn't anything that Moses could do on his own! IT WAS GOD! What did that pillar of cloud and fire represent! It represented the presence of God. The presence of God day in and day out! What was it that governed the people of God? It was the commandments given in the presence of God. What was it that fed the people of God! It was manna from heaven. It provided by the presence of God. Who was it that clothed them? It was the presence of God. Their clothes or shoes never wore out! All the while the presence of God was leading them.
Purpose is good. Purpose is needed but without the presence then purpose is all you have. When has purpose ever directed you and fed you? NEVER! But God always has in His presence. Remember, purpose failed the Children of Israel just as they were to enter the Promised Land! They knew their purpose was to have the Promised Land, but they didn't realize that it is the presence of God that will bring that to fulfillment. It was His presence that would make all the difference! You see, having God's Presence in and about your life will cause dramatic changes in you! You'll be more concerned about what you do from moment to moment, because you are in God's presence.
You'll want to do what is right in the eyes of God because you are in God's presence! You'll see things and people differently because you are in the presence of God. You'll treat you spouse par excellence because you are in the presence of God. You'll raise up you children right because you are in God's presence. You'll honour your parents and care for them to the utmost because you are in God's presence.
There will be a boldness and also humbleness about you because you are in God's presence! Then in church, What is it that changes the dynamics of any service? IT IS THE PRESENCE OF GOD! It is the “PRESENCE OF GOD!” that will “DRAW” people! It is the “PRESENCE OF GOD!” that will bring “REVIVAL!” It is the “PRESENCE OF GOD!” that will “PROVIDE” for us! It is the “PRESENCE OF GOD!” that will “FILL” the SS Classes! It is the “PRESENCE OF GOD!” that will “BUILD” a Youth Group!
If you seek His purpose it sounds good but without His presence his purpose means little! For it is with “HIS PRESENCE” His Purpose is accomplished! Let me ask you this question! Are you purpose driven or are you presence driven? What do you seek? Do we seek His PURPOSE or His PRESENCE? However, one of the biggest problems in the church today is that people want a deep relationship with God but don't want to pay the price for it. Developing an intimate relationship with God takes time and effort. It doesn't happen overnight. The late John R. W. Stott once admitted the truth that many of us have felt but failed to confess: "The thing I know will give me the deepest joy -- namely, to be alone and unhurried in the presence of God, aware of His presence, my heart open to worship Him -- is often the thing I least want to do." I know that being in God's presence is what's best for me but I confess that it's “often the thing I least want to.”
The next question here is “How badly do we want the presence of God?” Each and every person in this church could and not only could but should tap into that very presence of God and walk in His presence. This morning, the only thing holding you and me back from a deeper experience with God is ourselves. God wants us to know Him more and experience more of His presence.
An encounter with God has results. "…they saw that his face was radiant.”(Ex. 34:35). That radiant look comes to us when we, too, spend time with God. Each time we are with God we will be changed a little more. It just happens. It's a work of God over a period of time. It might be inconvenient at times. His dealings in our life might be uncomfortable. Maybe, even painful. All our sufferings and trials is a way in which the Spirit is cracking our being open so that God's shine may get through. Are we allowing God's Spirit more freedom to effect changes in our life?
When we spend time in the presence of God, we come out changed. Our behavior will change. Our attitude will change. Our speech will change. Our giving will change. Our lives change! When we do get that presence of God, I believe this church, your life, your family, your homes will never be the same. It will be the beginning of something that is “EXCITING & DYNAMIC & LIFE CHANGING” 1.) We will Look different. 2.) We will Love different. 3.) We will Live different.
Let's purpose in our heart to spend more time seeking His presence. Expect change to come. Expect to hear from heaven. Expect something good to happen to you.
CONCLUSION
What does your face say? What's on your face? It is said that Abraham Lincoln, when he was President of the U.S., was advised to include a certain man in his cabinet. When he refused he was asked why he would not accept him. “I don't like his face,” the President replied. “But the poor man isn't responsible for his face,” responded his advocate. “Every man over forty is responsible for his face” countered Lincoln. We are responsible for what's written on our face. Does our face radiates the joy and peace of the Lord. Or does it display the cares and burdens of this life? If we'll only come to God He'll anoint us with fresh oil and if we'll let him he'll fill us with his glorious presence to reach our family, friends and neighbors with the life changing message of Jesus Christ.
“In the Beginning – lessons from Genesis 1”
Genesis 1:1-5, 24-27
A 10-year old girl asked her father, “Where do humans come from?” Her father replied, “God made Adam & Eve & they had children & then grandchildren, & so on.” Two days later the girl asked her mother the same question, “Where do humans come from?” Her mother answered, “Many years ago there were monkeys from which humans evolved.” The little girl was now confused, so she went back to her father & said, “Dad how is it possible – you told me humans were created by God, & Mom said we evolved from monkeys?” Her father replied, “Well, dear, it is very simple. I told you about my side of the family & your mother told you about her side of the family.”
Actually, this joke may sound silly, but the question the little girl asked is a very important question. It is a question that people have asked all through human history – “Where do we come from?” Some people choose not to believe in God or in a Creator & they comfort themselves by believing instead that we are all the result of the blind forces of evolution. Actually for them the theory of evolution becomes like a god. If they want an explanation for anything – they just say it is the result of the forces of evolution.
Famous Oxford Professor C.S. Lewis, who was an atheist before he became a Christian, came to regard evolution as not just a theory but a “myth”. For Lewis it was impossible to believe that such a complex universe came about by aimless, blind chance & that “against the hostility of nature & without purposeful direction or design” life somehow moves “... from the amoeba up to the reptile, up to the mammal.” Finally, by another “millionth, millionth chance” man appears. Lewis came to regard evolution as being illogical with no scientific basis. Lewis wonders how we can trust what our minds tell us if our minds are the product of an irrational, purposeless, blind process.
There are many other important questions, similar to the one we have just been asking. Not only do people ask where we come from – they also ask “What is the purpose or meaning of life?” “Is there a God, & if He exists, what is He like?”
The amazing thing is, these questions & many more are answered in the Bible. In fact in the first few chapters of the Bible we find answers for these & other vital questions.
So today I have two headings. First of all, let us consider:
1. The Existence & the Nature of God (Genesis 1:1-5)
The Bible begins with these words, “In the beginning God created the heavens & the earth.” The Bible never tries to prove the existence of God. It simply tells us that He exists. This does not mean of course that the Bible never presents any evidence for the existence of God. In fact the Bible gives plenty of evidence. However, the Bible begins with a simple statement – “In the beginning God.” The worldview of the Bible begins with God.
The Bible also tells us that God created all things. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens & the earth.” As scientist Professor John Lennox of Oxford University, who is a committed Christian, points out, “This is not only a truth claim about God; it is a truth claim about the physical universe.”[1] The phrase “the heavens & the earth” is a simple way of referring to everything that exists. God made it all. What exists came out of nothing.
Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” What we see, what is visible – in other words, the material universe – was made out of nothing. It was not made out of something that already existed.
What all this means is that God is the ultimate reality, not the material universe. The material universe cannot explain itself, as secular atheists try to claim. For example, Professor Stephen Hawking of Cambridge University has said: “Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can & will create itself from nothing.” What we can ask Professor Hawking is: “Where do these laws come from? Who designed & implemented the laws of physics (gravity, etc,)? And who made the material upon which gravity acts?” For example, who made the apple that falls down from the tree?
Another atheist, Richard Dawkins, in his book The God Delusion argues that if God created everything, we would have to ask who created God. But as Professor Lennox points out, “…the very asking of this question reveals that Dawkins has in mind a created God: ‘Who created God?’ Created gods certainly are a delusion.”[2] If a god has to be made in order to exist, then it is not God. It is simply an idol. The fact is the God of the Bible was not created. He created time & space. He is not confined inside of time or space. He is eternal.
The God of the Bible is also distinct & separate from His creation. He is not like the gods of Hinduism, for example, which are part of the universe. Such a view is called pantheism. Pantheism sees God in everything. It believes nothing exists outside of God.
The Bible, as I said, teaches that God is separate from & outside of His creation, not part of it. However, this does not mean that He is a remote God who made everything & then withdrew from the scene, letting what He made continue without Him. The Bible clearly teaches that God continues to uphold the universe & to watch over His creation. And God intervenes in human history. This is the wonderful message of the Bible. God is not far away, unknowable & immovable – like the god of Islam, Allah. The God of the Bible loves us & wants to be in relationship with us. That is why Jesus came – “The Word became flesh [became a human being] & lived among us, full of grace & truth.” (John 1:14) Yes, God can be known. He is not an abstract force. He communicates. He loves.
When we come to Genesis 1:2-4 we learn something more about God. We read, “Now the earth was formless & empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, & the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ & there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, & He separated the light from the darkness.” The Spirit of God was “hovering over the waters.” The Spirit is involved in creation.
In Genesis 1 we also see that God speaks – “And God said, ‘Let there be light.’” This phrase “And God said” comes at least 9 times in Genesis 1. It comes at each of the different stages in the creation process. This reminds us of what John writes in the beginning of his Gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, & the Word was with God, & the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him.” (John 1:1-3a) So Jesus, the Word, was involved in creation. In Colossians 1:15-17 Paul writes of Jesus being “…the image of the invisible God …For by Him all things were created, in heaven & on earth, visible & invisible …all things were created through Him & for Him.” So Jesus, the Word, was involved in creation.
The Bible teaches us that God is a tri-unity, a fellowship of Father, Son & Holy Spirit. This tri-unity, or to use the Latin word Trinity, is also hinted at in Genesis 1:26 where we read, “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.” God the Father was involved in creation. So was the Spirit, & so was Jesus the Son.
We have been thinking about the existence & the nature of God. Now under one more heading, let us think about:
2. The Purpose & the Nature of Mankind
It is clear from the account of creation in Genesis 1 that God did not make everything at once. There is a sequence marked by the days of creation. The account starts with the words, “In the beginning God created the heavens & the earth.” We are told that “…the earth was formless & empty.” Then God starts to speak. As we saw earlier, each time this phrase “God said” comes it introduces a further step in the process of creation whereby God shapes & fills the earth with plants & then living creatures. The final step is when God creates human beings. Human beings are the pinnacle of God’s creative work. It is only human beings that are said to be formed in God’s image. Clearly human beings are far superior to animals. We are unique & special in God’s creation. We are different to animals. Some of the characteristics that make us so special include: 1. Self-awareness & self-worth; 2. Concerns about death & the after-life; 3. Spiritual awareness & the need to worship; 4. Awareness of right & wrong – conscience; & 5. An ability to think, reason & be creative.
These traits or qualities are found in human beings, but not in animals. Do you think our neighbour’s cat would ever feel guilty about doing its stuff in our garden? Or would it ever ask itself, ‘I wonder where I will go when I die?’ No, only humans think about such things because God has made us special, with moral & spiritual awareness. Every human being has value in God’s sight. And each one of us individually is also unique – with a unique finger print & a unique DNA. We are special & so is Planet Earth.
Genesis not only informs us about the fact the universe was created but it tells us why. The earth was created with the ultimate purpose of being home for human beings. In outlining the basic order of creation, Genesis 1 shows how God was making the earth suitable for human habitation. As Professor Lennox says, “Planet Earth has to be given a certain form – light separated from darkness, dry land from sea, visible lights in the sky, plant life to eat – in order for human life to thrive & function as God intended.” Modern-day science shows how incredibly fine-tuned the universe is. It is “just right” for human habitation.
Nobel Prize-winner for Physics, Arno Penzias says, “Astronomy leads us to a unique event, a universe which was created out of nothing, one with the very delicate balance needed to provide exactly the right conditions required to permit life, & one which has an underlying (one might say ‘supernatural’) plan.” Talking of the incredible fine-tuning in the universe – it is totally impossible for this to be the result of the blind forces of nature, or evolution. If you want to read more about this I recommend John Lennox’s book “God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God?” Do not to be afraid of science. Truth is truth. The facts of science are not in conflict with the truth of Scripture. Of course the theories of science & some of our interpretations of Scripture may clash, but, as many Christian scientists affirm, science & biblical faith are friends, not enemies.
As we think about the nature of mankind, there is a very important truth in v.26. It says, “God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.’” And vrs 27 & 28 continue, “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male & female He created them. God blessed them & said to them, ‘Be fruitful & increase in number; fill the earth & subdue it.’”
God made us male & female. Men & women are different but we are complementary. One is not better than the other. We are equal in importance & worth, but we are different. This is where marriage comes from – it comes from the very beginning of human history when God made the first man Adam & the first woman, Eve. You can read all about this in Genesis 2. God knew it was not good for man to be alone so He made woman. Marriage is: one man & one woman in a complementary, exclusive & life-long relationship. The Bible tells us this, but so do biology, culture & psychology. Biologically every child has a father & a mother, & all reliable research points to the fact psychologically & sociologically children do best when living in a stable home with both their parents. Of course there are various reasons why some marriages & some families do not enjoy God’s ideal. God knows about this & He cares. And not every man is able to be a father nor is every woman able to bear children. However this does not make them any less a man or a woman.
Jesus Himself affirms the importance of gender & of marriage when He says to the Pharisees, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male & female, & said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father & his mother & hold fast to his wife, & the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:4-6)
The Bible tells us that we are unique. We have incredible value. The galaxies are vast beyond measure compared with us. However, we know they exist, but they don’t know that we exist. You are more significant than a galaxy. Why? Because God made you in His image & not only that, He loves you & sent His Son to be your Saviour. Yes, God made you for a purpose & He made you special. He loves you & has a plan for your life. He wants to be in a relationship with you.
One other thing about mankind, that is explained in Genesis 3, is the fact we are fallen. We have been tainted by sin. Adam & Eve disobeyed God & sin & death came upon mankind as a result of this tragedy. Man’s close relationship with God was broken. But the wonderful message of the Bible is that God in love sent Jesus, the Word involved in creation, to earth as a man. He died on the Cross taking our sins & the punishment we deserved, opening the way for us to come back into relationship with God.
On a cold night, after a hot shower, our bathroom mirror gets misted over. Imagine if my wife Elizabeth came into the bathroom & saw on the mirror the shape of a heart with the letters P & L & E. Would she call me & say, “Peter, come & see this. A heart shape has evolved on the mirror & it has letters P, L & E. Isn’t evolution great!” No, of course not. Immediately she would know someone drew that heart shape & put in the letters in order to get across a message to her. The message was Peter loves Elizabeth.
Dear friends, when you look at the incredible beauty & intricacy of the universe, & when you think of how special you are, I hope you get the message God is trying to get across to you. So, as we close then let me ask you, “Do you know God? Have you discovered the wonderful truth that He loves you & wants to have a relationship with you? Have you met Jesus? Have you discovered His purpose for your life? Is He not just your Creator but also your Saviour?”
If you are able to say “yes” to these questions you will want others also to discover what you have discovered. This is why today we are having a special lunch to welcome those of you who are students & young adults. We want all of you, & everyone else of course, to know about our amazing Creator, to know that He loves you & wants you to respond to His love by making Jesus your Lord & Saviour.
Lessons from the Life of Joseph (8)
“Forgiveness & Reconciliation” Genesis 43:1-14 & 45:1-7
Last week we were reminded that God sometimes allows us to get into situations that bring us face to face with our sin & disobedience. Joseph’s older brothers tried to cover up the evil they did to him twenty years earlier. They tried to suppress their guilt. But now finding themselves in big trouble in Egypt, their consciences began to trouble them. “They said to one another, ‘Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us.’” (v 21)
The brothers did not know that the powerful official standing in front of them was in fact their brother Joseph. As he had been communicating with them through an interpreter they didn’t realise that he could understand every word of their discussion. For the first time in his life Joseph realised that his brothers actually felt truly bad about how cruel they had been to him. Their consciences were being awakened. One of the first signs of an awakening conscience is the admission of personal guilt. Some people know perfectly well that they have caused others a whole lot of pain & hurt, yet they do not admit that they have done anything wrong. If, however, we have knowingly done wrong & have knowingly hurt others, unless we do admit our sin & turn away from it, God cannot use or bless us.
The famous story of the Prodigal Son illustrates this truth powerfully. The young man had wasted all his inheritance & ended up feeding pigs. Finally, it says in Luke 15:17, “…he came to his senses…” He realised he couldn’t blame his father or his older brother for the mess he was in. He alone was responsible. So he decided to return home, a truly broken & repentant young man, begging for his father’s mercy & forgiveness. Of course he was met by his amazing forgiving father & welcomed home. God often allows us, like the prodigal and like Joseph’s brothers, to be brought face to face with our sin & rebellion. He wants us to confess our sin, seek forgiveness & come home to the Father. Sadly many of those listening to the story Jesus told were religious, self-righteous Pharisees who refused to see their spiritual bankruptcy & need.
Isn’t it incredible that 20 years after their crime against Joseph God brings all ten brothers in front of the one they had wronged! But also amazing is the fact Joseph, the one wronged, never lashed out in hate or revenge. Instead he turned aside to weep. Tears not revenge - what a sign of Joseph’s godly character! It was not yet, however, the right time for him to let his brothers know who he was. He still had to test whether or not they had changed. No doubt he also longed to see his brother Benjamin & his father Jacob. After having Simeon, one of the brothers, bound & held as a hostage Joseph warned them that if they were to ever return they must bring their youngest brother Benjamin with them. And he “…gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey.” v 25.
The brothers must have been relieved to get out of Egypt, though of course one of them remained behind as a hostage. When they stopped for the first night on the journey home “… one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. ‘My silver has been returned,’ he said to his brothers. ‘Here it is in my sack.’ Their hearts sank & they turned to each other trembling & said, ‘What is this that God has done to us?’ (v 27 & 28) They were now so stirred up by God’s convicting power that even the fact their money had been returned to them made them afraid. Of course they knew they had paid for the grain and that it must have been the Egyptians who returned their silver to them. If you or I have money refunded aren’t we extremely pleased? Sure, but not these guys! Once back home, finding that all their money had been returned, they were shaken.
Jacob too was shaken. He was not handling things too well. He said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more & Simeon is no more, & now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!” v36 Jacob’s despair might seem understandable from a human perspective but had he looked at things from God’s perspective he would have been able to trust that God was in control. Little did he realize that in fact God was working for him. As Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Everything was not against Jacob – in fact God was working for him, for the deliverance of the whole family. When Winston Churchill, the famous wartime Prime Minister of Great Britain lost an election after the war his wife suggested that it might be a blessing in disguise. Churchill replied, “If this is a blessing, it is certainly very well disguised.” I guess Jacob might have felt the same way. He had no idea of what God was planning.
We do not know how long the food they bought in Egypt lasted but we read in 43:1 & 2, “…the famine was still severe in the land. So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, ‘Go back & buy us a little more food.’” Jacob’s sons reminded him that unless Benjamin was with them the official in Egypt would not help them. Incredibly one of the sons, Judah, promised to ensure Benjamin’s safety and Jacob finally agreed to let them go. The rest of chapter 43 describes the dramatic events as they returned to Egypt. In fear & trembling they tried to explain about the money they had found in their sacks following their previous visit. To their amazement Joseph’s steward reassured them: “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks: I received your silver.” v 23 And then Simeon was brought out to them. They were told to wash themselves & rest up a bit for at noon they were to eat lunch at the home of the powerful official they so feared. The Bible continues, “When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought …and they bowed down before him to the ground. He asked them how they were, and then he said, ‘How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?’” v 26 & 27
When Joseph saw his younger brother Benjamin he spoke kindly to him. “God be gracious to you, my son”, he said. Joseph was so deeply moved he had to rush away to a private room to weep. After composing himself again he returned & the meal began. According to Egyptian custom the visitors ate on their own separate from the Egyptians. Joseph had arranged the seating according to their ages & had ordered that 5 times more food be given to Benjamin. No wonder the brothers “looked at each other in astonishment.” v.34 Maybe it was another little test – to see if the brothers would show resentment to Benjamin as once they had to him.
Joseph’s final test for them was about to come. The whole group of them were sent on their way in the morning loaded up with food but secretly Joseph’s own silver cup was hidden in Benjamin’s sack. We then read in 44:4 & 5, “They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, ‘Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? Isn't this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.’” Of course the brothers protested their innocence. They were so sure of their innocence that they added, “If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; & the rest of us will become my lord's slaves.” The steward said only the one found with the cup would need to be a slave. The rest would be free. Imagine the tension as the search started, first from the oldest brother’s sack on down to the youngest – Benjamin. And yes, “…the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.” v 12
The brothers were totally devastated. They were taken back to the city. “Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him.” v. 14 Joseph acted as if he was very angry. He finished by saying, “Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.” v 17 What a test! Previously the brothers had sold Joseph as a slave. Would they now leave Benjamin in a similar situation so as to save themselves?
This was when Judah came forward to plead with Joseph. In moving detail he explained to Joseph the whole situation. He told how the loss of Joseph had broken his father’s heart and now if Benjamin the youngest were also to come to harm, the old man would surely die. Judah lays his own life on the line for Benjamin saying, “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord's slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.” v 33 Judah was clearly a changed man, as were the other brothers prostrated before him. Judah’s heartrending appeal so moved Joseph that he could no longer control himself. He ordered all his attendants to leave and then burst into loud sobbing. We read in 45:2 & 3: “…he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him… Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph! Is my father still living?’ But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.”
Amazingly we read that although his brothers were understandably terrified, Joseph said to them, “‘Come close to me.’ Joseph could have had all his brothers executed but instead he reached out to them in love & forgiveness. What a picture this is of the Lord Jesus! We stand before Him as guilty undeserving sinners but He reaches out to us with His nail-pierced hands and offers us forgiveness & salvation. Jesus says: “Come close to me. I want a personal relationship with you. I invite you to be part of the worldwide family of God’s people.” Joseph continued, “‘I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed & do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. … God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. v 4-7
What an amazing understanding Joseph had of God’s sovereign rule in history! God was in control. Joseph did not see himself as merely the victim of his brothers’ cruelty & sin. He didn’t allow bitterness & revenge to blind him to the overall purposes of His God. All that had happened to him had been part of the plan of Almighty God. Three times Joseph told his brothers, “God sent me ahead of you” (vv. 5, 7) and “It was not you who sent me here but God” (v.8). Later in Genesis 50:20 he makes the incredible statement, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Of course, the fact God had His sovereign plan and had overruled everything in Joseph’s life did not excuse the brothers for what they had done. They were still guilty. They were still responsible. Yet having confessed their guilt and shown true repentance, Joseph was more than ready to forgive them. In fact he welcomed them with open arms, just like the father welcomed back the prodigal son and just like the Heavenly Father welcomes us back when we come to Him in repentance.
We too need to admit our guilt before a holy God but the wonderful thing is, when we repent He is ready to forgive, to heal & restore. In turn, like Joseph, we who have been forgiven by God need to be ready to forgive those who have sinned against us. It is as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12
Someone said: “If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; if our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; if our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; if our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; but our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Saviour.” Through Jesus we receive forgiveness and through the power of His Holy Spirit we can forgive those who have sinned against us.
As we forgive others & as we actively bless those who have hurt us, we openly resist the evil one. We take back spiritual ground and release those who have hurt us to receive God’s work in their lives. As we close today, I want us to pray a prayer of forgiveness: Heavenly Father, I bring to You today the sinful things done against me by _________ (name the person & the offense before the Lord). What he/she did to me was wrong. I choose today to cancel the debt I feel is owed to me. I release _______ from my judgment & place him/her into Your hands. I forgive him/her. I bless him/her. Please release the power of the Holy Spirit to help me get over this offense so that I can move on in my life in obedience to Your will. I repent of my own anger & bitterness (name any other sinful reactions towards the person) and I receive Your forgiveness, Lord. I rebuke any evil spirits that would try to take ground in my life and that try to stir up anger, bitterness, or resentment. I refuse to give them any place in my heart. In the name of Jesus, I command the power of the enemy’s influence to stop now and to leave me. I ask You, Lord, to come and heal me, restore & revive me, and fill my heart with Your life & peace. Guide me, by Your Spirit, as to how I should deal with _____________, particularly when things don’t change right away the way I would like them to. I surrender my own expectations to You, Lord, and choose to walk in Your freedom & grace. In Jesus Name, Amen