"Just As I Am"

Evangelist Billy Graham employed the hymn “Just As I Am,” as the invitational song at nearly all of his crusades, where, according to his staff, more than 3.2 million people have responded to "accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior.”[i] The hymn writer, Charlotte Elliott, suffered from a weakened physical condition, and knew that Jesus took her just as she was. She also knew that the Savior takes everyone who comes to God just as they are. In His ministry, Jesus proved it time and time again.

In Mark 2, when Jesus calls Levi (Matthew) the tax collector to be a disciple, the Master knows what kind of man he is. He knows how hated Levi is by his own people, due to his position with the Roman government and his tendency to overcharge in order to make a profit. Backed by military power, Levi extorts money from his own people—yet it is Levi that Jesus wants, just as he is. Without telling him first to pay anything back, without making him publicly apologize or even telling him that he has to quit his job, Jesus simply says, “Follow me!” And Levi does.

God’s grace will go anywhere and do anything in order to make people whole. God’s grace reminds me of an “advertisement on the side of a plumber's van in South Africa: There is no place too deep, too dark or too dirty for us to handle. What a wonderful explanation of the Gospel![ii]” Jesus calls us, just as we are. Even though he has to go down into the dark and dirty places to call us, He does so, because He’s a redeeming kind of God.

In the Gospels, Jesus is always getting himself in trouble for choosing the “wrong” kind of people. After Levi follows Jesus, he invites his friends to a party at his house, to meet the Master. Perhaps peeking through the windows, the fundamentalist Pharisees ask, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners (v. 16)?” Jesus replies, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners (v. 17).” Even though He has a right to, Jesus doesn’t think He is better than anybody. Instead, he is willing to get his hands dirty, and to even soil his reputation, by hanging out with the people everyone else rejects as unworthy. They’re no unworthy to Jesus. To Him, they are friends.

Too often, we are afraid of encouraging people, for fear we’ll be seen as advocating their actions. Yet sometimes God calls us to celebrate even mistakes that people make it, if those mistakes indicate that they are learning. In Tell Me All About It, Jeffrey Zaslow writes:

Years ago, my father coached a team of eight-year-olds. He had a few excellent players, and some who just couldn't get the hang of the game. Dad's team didn't win once all season. But in the last inning of the last game, his team was only down by a run. There was one boy who had never been able to hit the ball--or catch it. With two outs, it was his turn to bat. He surprised the world and got a single!
The next batter was the team slugger. Finally, Dad's players might win a game. The slugger connected, and as the boy who hit the single ran to second, he saw the ball coming toward him. Not so certain of baseball's rules, he caught it. Final out! Dad's team lost! Quickly, my father told his team to cheer. The boy beamed. It never occurred to him that he lost the game. All he knew was he had hit the ball and caught it--both for the first time. His parents later thanked my dad. Their child had never even gotten in a game before that season.
We never told the boy exactly what happened. We didn't want to ruin it for him. And till this day, I'm proud of what my father did that afternoon.[iii]

Rather than worrying that we’ll be seen as supporting the wrong behavior, God’s people need to be more concerned with supporting people. If you’re concerned that by showing compassion, we’ll be seen as too permissive, then listen to the words of Robert Farrar in Between Noon and Three:

You're worried about permissiveness--about the way the preaching of grace seems to say it's okay to do all kinds of terrible things as long as you just walk in afterward and take the free gift of God's forgiveness. . .While you and I may be worried about seeming to give permission, Jesus apparently wasn't. He wasn't afraid of giving the prodigal son a kiss instead of a lecture, a party instead of probation; and he proved that by bringing in the elder brother at the end of the story and having him raise pretty much the same objections you do. He's angry about the party. He complains that his father is lowering standards and ignoring virtue--that music, dancing, and a fatted calf are, in effect , just so many permissions to break the law. And to that, Jesus has the father say only one thing: "Cut that out! We're not playing good boys and bad boys any more. Your brother was dead and he's alive again. The name of the game from now on is resurrection, not bookkeeping.[iv]

In order for Christianity to truly embrace this concept of radical grace, we need a change of heart and mind. Jesus addresses this needed change in verses 21-22, when He says, “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” In the case of the patch, it must first be pre-shrunk so that the fabric will accept it. In the case of the old wineskin, it must first be treated and made suppler before it can be used again. Jesus says it’s impossible to accept new ideas without a renewed mind. First, like the wineskin, God has to prepare your mind to accommodate the new idea. Then, like the preshrunk patch, the idea has to be put in such a way that you can accept it. So what’s the new idea we need to receive? Jesus says it in Mark 2:17b: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Let that one soak in for a while—I hope you have a new wineskin to accept it—that God calls people “Just as I Am.”

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[i] Barry M. Horstmann (June 27, 2002). "Billy Graham: A Man With A Mission Impossible.(Special Ssection)". Cincinnati Post. Retrieved August 18, 2007.

[ii] https://bible.org/illustration/sign-plumbers-van.  June 15, 2016.

[iii] Jeffrey Zaslow, "Tell Me All About It," 1990.  http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/g/grace.htm.  June 15, 2016.

[iv] Robert Farrar Capon, Between Noon and Three.  http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/g/grace_gods.htm.  June 15, 2016.

"Chasing Shadows"

Do you remember that great old movie, Singing in the Rain, with Gene Kelly? Falling so hard in love that he just doesn’t care that it’s pouring outside, he dances in the street with complete joyful abandon. His umbrella becomes a dancing prop, light posts and puddles dancing partners, so enraptured is he with the freedom and joy of love. Until, of course, a police officer silently saunters into the scene, arms folded in judgment. This puts a damper on his enthusiasm. When he finds himself beneath the judgment of the law, he quiets down, quits dancing, and walks away. Jesus came to set us free from the power of the law that binds our spirits. Our natural response should be one of overflowing joy. Yet, when we are reminded of the presence of the law, so many Christians once again become bottled up, giving up their newfound freedom in exchange for the burden of legalism.

In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul writes to the church about the importance of freedom from legalism. Referring to the Law, he says, “For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (v. 6).”[i] Even in the Corinthian church, which was known for its problems with immorality—Paul emphasized freedom in the Spirit over following the letter of the law. The law he calls “the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone (v. 7).” It had a purpose, a glory of its own, in that it guided Moses’ people and helped them to establish themselves as a God-fearing nation. Yet by the time of Jesus, that law had become something that condemned people more than it liberated them. Paul says, “For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it (vv. 9-10).” So Jesus came, setting free those who were captive to legalism, and introducing new freedom in the Spirit.

Yet early on, believers forgot that “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36).” If the Old Testament was full of rules that they couldn’t follow, they simply added a book called the New Testament to give them even more rules. Then they started adding even to that. Here is one dialogue that dates back to ancient Christianity:

"I am in earnest about forsaking 'the world' and following Christ. But I am puzzled about worldly things. What is it I must forsake?" a young man asks. "Colored clothes, for one thing. Get rid of everything in your wardrobe that is not white. Stop sleeping on a soft pillow. Sell your musical instruments and don't eat any more white bread. You cannot, if you are sincere about obeying Christ, take warm baths or shave your beard. To shave is to lie against Him who created us, to attempt to improve on His Work."

Elizabeth Elliot comments on the above dialogue, "Does this answer sound absurd? It is the answer given in the most celebrated Christian schools of the second century! Is it possible that the rules that have been adopted by many [modern] Christians will sound as absurd to earnest followers of Christ a few years hence?"[ii]

Paul dealt with Christians who felt that even though they were freed, they were still obligated to the law. Yet, Jesus gives us hope. Paul writes:

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed (vv. 12-16).

I used to think that this mean that Paul was comparing Christians with Jewish people, and saying that Hebrew hearts were hardened. Then I realized that Christians can have hardened hearts too—that whenever the Law is emphasized, a veil seems to come over us and darken our eyes. Yet when the freedom of Christ is exalted, the veil is taken away. Why would a Christian, once having been set free from the power of the law, keep chasing after the law anyway? David Dykes, the pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, writes about his childhood dog Rex:

Sometimes when a bird or a flock of birds flew over on a sunny day, Rex often chased their shadows on the ground. I can recall watching as one bird flew around in a circle with Rex chasing the circling shadow on the ground, barking the whole time. Poor, dumb, bird-brained Rex–he never figured out the shadow wasn’t real. Sadly, there are many well-meaning Christians who are doing the same thing. They are chasing shadows: They are still trying to please God by keeping religious rules and observing religious rituals.[iii]

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” When we are saved, when we receive the Spirit of the Lord, we receive freedom. The darkness is removed, and we enter the light of His glory. Why then would we choose to remain in the darkness of the Law? This past week at Vacation Bible School, our kids learned that following rules can’t make you closer to God, but following Jesus will, because He is the Light of the World. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “I have found, in my own spiritual life, that the more rules I lay down for myself, the more sins I commit.”[iv] Rules may shine a little light in the darkness, but Jesus is brighter than the sun. Nobody who fumbles around with a flashlight or glow stick for a while, who then emerges into the sunlight, chooses to return to the darkness and dim lamp light. So why should Christians who have been set free, return to legalism, after Jesus has set us free? Why should we chase shadows that way? Psalm 118:27a says, “The Lord is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us.” Jesus is the light—let us walk in His light, and never return to darkness or lamplight again.

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[i] Unless otherwise noted, all scriptures are from the ESV.

[ii] Elizabeth Elliot, The Liberty of Obedience, Nashville, Abingdon, 1968, pp. 45-46.

http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/l/legalism.htm.  June 13, 2016.

[iii] http://www.sermoncentral.com/illustrations/sermon-illustration-david-dykes-stories-basicsofchristianity-29263.asp.  June 13, 2016. http://www.sermoncentral.com/contributors/david-dykes-sermons-105.asp. 

[iv] Charles Spurgeon, in Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, W. Wiersbe, p. 235.  http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/l/legalism.htm.  June 13, 2016.

"From Woe to Wow!"

            I am eternally fascinated with the origins of words.  Recently, I came across the word “woe” repeatedly when Jesus proclaims his eight woes upon the Pharisees.  Online Etymology Dictionary gives the origin of the word “woe” as “late 12c., from the interjection, Old English wa!, a common exclamation of lament in many languages (compare Latin væ, Greek oa, German weh, Lettish wai, Old Irish fe, Welsh gwae, Armenian vay).”  Today, we don’t use the word “woe,” but perhaps the best approximation we have might be “woah!”  A “woe” is something that stops us in our tracks and makes us drop our jaws—in a negative way.  Recently when reading Matthew 23 it struck me that just as many people have problems with the church, Jesus gave eight complaints against the religious establishment of his own day.  Yes, if you have problems with the church, you’re in good company.  Let me see if I can sum up Jesus’ complaints, and then let me re-frame these “woes” into “what-ifs.”

            In verse 13[i], Jesus says, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.”  What the Lord is saying is, What if the church were less exclusive and judgmental, and more inclusively demonstrated God’s grace?  If Jesus could say “Neither do I condemn you,”[ii] then why can’t we?  We could turn the church into a welcoming place rather than one that makes people feel like they will be rejected by the holier than thou.

            In verse 14, Jesus says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation.”  What if the church were less concerned with receiving endowments than sharing its wealth with the poor?  I’ve known many churches with overflowing accounts that did nobody any good because they refused to use the gifts God gave them to help those in need.  Instead, of being righteous, they were content to look righteous by their show of piety.

            In verse 15, Jesus says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.”  It’s important to share our faith and lead people to a relationship with God through Christ.  But What if church members were more concerned with helping people to be like Jesus than forcing them to be like us?  Jesus knew that the Pharisees’ goal of making converts was to reproduce little Pharisees.    It should be our goal to produce more Christ-followers, not to produce people who look and act like we do.

            In verses 16-22, Jesus pronounces a woe upon nitpicky people who are bound up in their own customs and rules that they want to impose on other people.  “If you’re going to make an oath, you have to say the words my way,” they would say.  What Jesus was really saying is, “What if the church were less interested in words and formulas, and more interested in the heart?”  Last night I watched a comedian who made fun of his own awkwardness when attending a church where he didn’t know the proper response to the liturgy.  While he made a funny routine of it, what’s not funny is the way we make people feel when we make them feel like outsiders or tell them that they’re doing it wrong.

            In verses 23-24, Jesus says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.  You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!”  The Old Testament Law required tithing real produce, but the Pharisees were so over-scrupulous that they tithed even their kitchen spices.  Similarly, many in the church are so stuck on legalism that they neglect the weightier matters of mercy and faithfulness.  So, what if the church was more interested in the spirit of the Law than the letter? 

            In verses 25-26, Jesus says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.”  Jesus might have asked, “What if the church cared more about getting its heart right than appearing righteous?”  What if it didn’t even care about how it appeared on the outside, as long as the inside was clean?  God might do a lot with a church like that. 

            Jesus’ next woe is much like the last.  But in verses 27-28, He says it even more offensively: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”  I’ve been to cemeteries with whitewashed tombs just like Jesus talked about—beautiful on the outside but rotten on the inside.  What if the church were more interested in being alive than in looking alive?  What if it cared more about beautiful souls than it did about beautiful buildings?

            In verses 29-30, Jesus says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’”  Jesus is telling the legalists of his day that they wouldn’t have been any less legalistic had they lived in another time.  We tend to glorify another time, to remember some golden era or to look forward to some glorious future when things can be better.  What if the church cared more about the here and now than either the good old days or the sweet by and by?

            Jesus didn’t blast the Pharisees in order to condemn them, but to challenge them to be something better.  He wanted them to change the woes to “what if’s.”  If the church can take a little helpful criticism, if we can ask some hard “what if’s” then maybe we can go from “Woe” to “Wow!”  Instead of “Woe is me—our church is declining,” or “Woah—look at where our society’s headed!” we can make some changes and say “Wow!” We can step into the bright and glorious future that God intends for God’s people.

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[i] All scripture taken from the ESV.

[ii] John 8:11

Journey with Joseph # 7 - "Blessing"

Anyone who knows me knows that I love all things Scottish and Irish. I’m a big fan of Irish blessings, which are well-wishes for friends and family. One says, “May God grant you always a sunbeam to warm you, a moonbeam to charm you, a sheltering angel so nothing can harm you, laughter to cheer you, faithful friends near you, and whenever you pray, heaven to year you.” Another famous one says, “May the road rise to meet you; may the wind be at your back; may the sun shine warm upon your face, and the rain fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.” One of my favorites says, “May those who love us, love us. And those who don’t love us, may God change their hearts. And if He doesn’t turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles so we’ll know them by their limping.”

It may seem that these blessings are merely entertaining phrases, but historically and biblically they are supposed to be impartations of divine power and favor. In the book of Genesis, the first blessing was spoken over the animals by God Himself.[i] Then God blessed Adam and Eve and gave them authority over creation.[ii] God blessed Abraham and those who were good to Abraham, affirming that the patriarch would be the father of many nations.[iii] Melchizedek blessed Abraham and shared Communion with him.[iv] When Rebekah left her family to become Isaac’s wife, they blessed her.[v] The fact that a blessing is a real, tangible, valuable thing is evidenced in Genesis 27. When Isaac was old, Jacob (Israel) stole the blessing from his brother Esau. Fearing that the blessing was a limited commodity, Esau begged:

“Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” But Isaac replied to Esau, “Behold, I have made him your master, and all his relatives I have given to him as servants; and with grain and new wine I have sustained him. Now as for you then, what can I do, my son?” Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” So Esau lifted his voice and wept.[vi]

Throughout the Bible, blessings are seen not as mere sentiment, but as the actual impartation of divine protection, providence, and grace. Toward the end of Joseph’s story we read of Israel’s blessings for Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. It is the first time the old man sees his grandsons, and he grants them equal standing among his other sons. Ever notice that in the twelve tribes of Israel, there is no tribe of Joseph? In this blessing, Joseph’s sons each inherit as if they are sons and not grandsons, effectively giving Joseph a double portion. But more than simply granting an inheritance, Isaac prophetically pronounces that the older will be inferior to the younger (a repeat of the theme of Jacob and Esau). Yet both will be blessed, and will be called great.

But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was the firstborn. He blessed Joseph, and said,

“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
The God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,
The angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
Bless the lads;
And may my name live on in them,
And the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth (Genesis 48:14-16 NASB).”

Chapter 49 also records Israel’s blessing for each of his sons. As one who inherited the blessing of his father Isaac, Israel understands the power of positive words spoken to children. They become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Some time ago, I read the following story:

At age 16 Andor Foldes was already a skilled pianist, but he was experiencing a troubled year. In the midst of the young Hungarian's personal struggles, one of the most renowned pianists of the day came to Budapest. Emil von Sauer was famous not only for his abilities; he was also the last surviving pupil of the great Franz Liszt. Von Sauer requested that Foldes play for him. Foldes obliged with some of the most difficult works of Bach, Beethoven, and Schumann.

When he finished, von Sauer walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead. "My son," he said, "when I was your age I became a student of Liszt. He kissed me on the forehead after my first lesson, saying, 'Take good care of this kiss--it comes from Beethoven, who gave it to me after hearing me play.' I have waited for years to pass on this sacred heritage, but now I feel you deserve it."[vii]

Israel had waited for years to pass on this heritage, this blessing from his father Isaac and from his father Abraham. He was someone who knew how to look to the past for inspiration and remember the blessings of those who had gone before him. Yet he also kept an eye on the future, placing his hope in generations to come. He knew that in order to foster good things in the next generation he had to speak blessings and not curses. He had to declare his belief in good things for them and from them. All too often we look with disdain at the generations that follow us. “Kids today!” we say, and lament how things don’t look good for the time when they come to power. Perhaps if we spoke more blessings and affirmation, rather than curses and woe, we’d see them take the mantle of responsibility that God has for them. I pray you’ll be able to see blessing and speak blessing to those who follow you, that you’ll have hope for the future and declare God’s favor for generations to come. In Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV), God gives an injunction to the people of Israel. God gives us the same choice today: “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”

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[i] Genesis 1:22

[ii] Genesis 1:28

[iii] Genesis 12:1-3; 22:16-18

[iv] Genesis 14:18

[v] Genesis 24:60.

[vi] Genesis 27:36b-38 (NASB)

[vii] Original Source Unknown. http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/b/blessing.htm.  May 18, 2016.

Journey with Joseph # 6 - Famine and Family

Over the past several weeks we’ve been journeying together through the life of Joseph. We’ve seen the favorite son mistreated by his brothers and sold into slavery in Egypt. We’ve watched as he gains the rank of Pharaoh’s second-in-command and charged with averting the disastrous effects of a coming famine. Chapters 42-45 in the book of Genesis are all about how famine can either bring about or shine a spotlight on already existing family drama. In the biblical story, a physical famine sweeps over the land, no doubt brought on by a combination of weather patterns and political conditions. This causes Joseph’s brothers to go to Egypt in search of food. Little do they know that the governmental official they encounter is Joseph himself. Bedecked in Egyptian clothing, speaking the Egyptian language, and no doubt bearing a new Egyptian name, they never recognize the imposing figure enthroned before them.

With his brothers groveling at his feet, Joseph finds himself in an interesting position. He knows that their very lives are in his hands. He can either grant or withhold mercy—the choice is up to him. He has suffered at the hands of his brothers, and now must decide how to repay their treachery now that he is in the power position. What will he do?

Joseph decides to use the opportunity to make them sweat. Instead of showing complete mercy, he uses his authority to scare them and make them grovel even more. They have mentioned that they have a younger brother, Benjamin, back at home. Joseph decides to hold an older brother, Simeon, in prison while the others brothers go back home in order to bring back Benjamin to prove that they’re telling the truth. Then, as he is filling their sacks of grain, he frames them to make it look like they have stolen money from Pharaoh. That way they will be afraid to return. In fact, they wait until all the grain they have brought home is eaten down and they have no choice but return, before they do go back to see Joseph and release Simeon.

When they return, they beg for mercy and return the missing money. Joseph is pleased because they have passed the honesty-test. Joseph then decides to play with them as a cat plays with a mouse. He refills their sacks of grain, but this time he frames Benjamin by placing Joseph’s own special goblet into his younger brother’s sack. When the missing cup is discovered, Joseph commands that Benjamin be made his slave. But Judah steps in as his younger brother’s replacement, unwittingly passing Joseph’s loyalty test. Then, filled with emotion, Joseph can control himself no longer. Genesis 45:4-10 (NASB) says:

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8 Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay.10 You shall live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have.

Last seek we saw how Joseph the hero wasn’t always heroic. He used his position of power to not only save a nation, but to enslave a nation. This week we see how he used his position, along with the famine, to add more drama to the already existing family drama between Israel’s children. Every family has drama—no family is exempt. It’s not whether we experience crisis but how we handle it that determines the kind of people that we are.

Times of famine often heighten crisis and drama that families experience. Israel’s family had plenty of drama before the famine happened, but starvation simply made it worse. Famine can take many different forms. In Israel’s case it was scarcity of food. Maybe in your case it’s a lack of money, or wisdom, or patience, or love. Amos 8:11 says that there can be a scarcity that is “not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord.” So maybe it’s a spiritual famine that you’re going through. Perhaps your family is in a time of scarcity right now. There might be a shortage of physical touch, or an inability to spend time with loved ones. Maybe you yearn for words of affirmation from someone who won’t express them. Maybe you just need help from someone who’s unwilling to provide it. Or it could be that people are going behind your back and saying and doing things to undermine you. As with Joseph’s brothers, your family is going to experience drama. But it’s not whether we experience crisis but how we handle it that determines the kind of people that we are.

What can we learn from Israel’s family? Joseph’s behavior indicates that he believed that “the end justifies the means.” But author Nick Harkway says, “Don’t tell me the end justifies the means because it doesn’t. We never reach the end. All we ever get is means. That’s what we live with.” Harkway is right. That’s what we live with—a never ending drama, if that’s what we choose. Joseph’s story may end with reconciliation and restoration, but the fact is that none of our stories have endings. They just keep going. And it’s HOW we live that makes the difference. Romans 12:18 (NIV) says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” This is the Christian’s calling. It isn’t always possible, and it doesn’t always depend on you. But as long as it does, live at peace. Make peace. Don’t use crisis as an opportunity for more drama, but instead give physical and spiritual sustenance to help your family in famine.

Journey with Joseph # 5 - In the King's Court

In our journey through the life of the Old Testament Joseph, we have seen our main character honored by his father and hated by his brothers, sold into slavery and thrown into prison. We watched the dreamer interpret the dreams of others, using his spiritual gifts to help those in need. It is this same gift that Joseph uses to gain Pharaoh’s favor and save a nation. Our Sunday school classes regale Joseph as a hero, but perhaps if we put on a different pair of glasses we will see one politician’s rise to power, and how power corrupted him to the point of not saving but enslaving a nation.

In Genesis 41, after two full years of Joseph’s imprisonment, Pharaoh has two terrifying dreams that he cannot understand. The royal cupbearer, who had been in prison, remembers and recommends his fellow inmate to the king, who promptly sends for Joseph and tells him his dreams. Seven fat cows are eaten by seven skinny cows, and seven fat ears of corn are eaten by seven skinny ears of corn. Joseph interprets the dream and gives his suggestion for the best course of action:

“God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29 Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; 30 and after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land... 33 Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. 35 Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and let them guard it. 36 Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine (Gen 41:28b-30, 33-37 NASB[i]).”

Then it’s “hail to the hero!” Joseph is brought into the king’s court and made second-in-command after Pharaoh himself. He is dressed in fine robes and treated like royalty. That’s generally where the Sunday school lesson ends, and we all say, “Isn’t that nice? Pharaoh puts Joseph’s plan into practice and the nation is saved.” But few of us read the rest of the story, found in Genesis 47:13-25. Joseph taxed the people one-fifth of all their produce during the productive years. Then, during the famine when there was no food in the land, the people were forced to go back to Pharaoh to buy back the grain that they had contributed through taxes. This was no government free-food program. The people had to buy the food back. When they had no money left, they sold their livestock, their land, and eventually themselves and their children into slavery, just so they could survive. Joseph’s was no benevolent regime, but one that oppressed and enslaved its own people, leaving all people, property and possessions in the hand of a Communist government.

John Dalberg-Acton said, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” This is certainly true in the life of Joseph. The one that we hail as a hero turns out to be a despot. (This ought to give us pause as we consider this election season.) But what else does it tell you, besides that we need to be careful how we vote? It tells us something that impacts not just the next four or eight years—but something that affects generations to come.

The universe works on a system of reciprocity that is recognized by every culture. Hindus call it karma, while others call it recompense or reckoning. Folk wisdom from our mothers and grandmothers says, “garbage in, garbage out.” Children know it as the “I’m-rubber-you’re-glue-principle.” In Galatians 6:7-10a, Paul writes:

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people…

Jesus says, “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return (Luke 6:38).” This means that what you give, you will receive back, multiplied many times over. When you give good things, you get good things. James 3:18 (NIV) says, “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” But this is also true of negative things. Proverbs 20:17 says, “Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.” This universal law says that you get what you give.

Now we have to keep this in perspective. Not every sickness or injury or injustice is because you have done something wrong to deserve it. This universal law doesn’t work that way. But, in general, love breeds more love. Hatred breeds more hatred. Bigotry breeds more bigotry. Slavery breeds more slavery. And what did Joseph do? He enslaved the Egyptian nation. What happened when there arose a Pharaoh who did not remember Joseph? He enslaved Joseph’s people. The iniquity of the father was visited on the children, for many generations to come.

As believers, we must be aware that our behavior affects other people, for good or for ill. Our good deeds and our wrongdoing both come back on us and on our children. This is why we need to adopt the same job description that Jesus gave himself in the synagogue: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed (Luke 4:18).” As we follow Jesus, this becomes the job description of every Christian. Jesus-followers are brought into the King’s court, not so we can be political leaders but so we can serve the King of heaven in a world that needs redemption. With life so full of politics and lies and slavery and greed and violence and corruption, isn’t it time that God’s people work for the benefit of the poor, the captives, the injured, and the oppressed? Instead of seeking power that so easily corrupts, let’s be like Jesus and become servants of all.

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[i] Unless specified, scriptures taken from the NASB.

Journey with Joseph # 4 - "I Have a Dream"

In Life in His Body, Gary Inrig writes:

Several years ago, two students graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The highest ranking student in the class was a blind man named Overton and, when he received his honor, he insisted that half the credit should go to his friend, Kaspryzak. They had met one another in school when the armless Mr. Kaspryzak had guided the blind Mr. Overton down a flight of stairs. This acquaintance ripened into friendship and a beautiful example of interdependence. The blind man carried the books which the armless man read aloud in their common study, and thus the individual deficiency of each was compensated for by the other. After their graduation, they planned to practice law together.[i]

I have a dream that the church would function just this way. The truth is that we are all parts of the body of Christ. No one of us is complete. This is why God puts us together in a family of faith. Romans 12:5-8 (NASB) says:

We, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Paul continues to explain that every part is useful, and that the body can’t do without any of its appendages. Like Overton and Kaspryzak, we all have individual weaknesses. But when we function together we can overcome and thrive.

I have a friend who is going through a difficult transition in her life. On a day when she needed encouragement, God brought several people along, who all gave her the encouragement she needed. But they also gave her some warnings about potential dangers that lay ahead. One of them, in fact, felt so strongly that he was hearing from God that he boldly phrased it in just that way. He told her that the Lord was giving the warning, and what God wanted her to do in response. I admire this friend of mine who realized she needed help in seeking God’s will for her life. I also admire the boldness of these people who were willing to be God’s mouthpiece by speaking both encouragement and waring to her.

In Genesis 40, we read about Joseph in prison. Fellow inmates, the king’s cupbearer and the king’s baker, tell Joseph that they suffered from disturbing dreams the same night. Using his gift of interpretation, Joseph reveals the secrets of their dreams. The cupbearer will be pardoned and restored in three days, and in the same amount of time the baker will be hanged. Certainly the cupbearer is greatly comforted by this interpretation, but of course the baker is not. Indeed, it works out just as Joseph predicts. Regardless of the outcome, the message of scripture is clear that God reveals God’s will though many ways—in this case, through dreams. And not just in this case, but in many cases, people need assistance in discerning God’s voice.

When I have difficult decisions to make, when I am stressed, when I need direction, I pray for God to speak to me. And I believe that God still does speak today. Sometimes the Lord whispers in a still, small voice that can’t be heard with the ears but with the heart. Other times, God operates through circumstance to make His will known. Things just “happen the right way.” God speaks through His written word, the Bible. God speaks through nature, through visions, and through dreams. God speaks through the voices of other people. If you’re in need of guidance, I hope that you’ll look for God to speak and show you what you need to know. But then I hope that like Joseph’s fellow inmates, you’ll have other people to reflect with, to help you interpret what you think you’ve heard. I have a pastor who cares for my soul. I have friends who listen and help me understand what God is saying to me. God gives us counselors and caretakers in all shapes and sizes. I hope you open yourself to hearing God’s voice, and to sharing it with those who can help you interpret God’s will.

I have a dream that the church would function so beautifully, that all God’s people would offer their gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ. Like Overton and Kaspryzak, each of us is part of the body of Christ, but none of us has everything we need. Only when we help each other can the body truly function. Maybe God has given you the gift of interpreting dreams—I know someone who has that gift and uses it whenever people need to understand their nighttime visions. Or maybe you have another spiritual gift, like wisdom or knowledge or discernment. You might be the baker or cupbearer in this story, needing to hear from God and seeking someone’s help interpreting. Or you might be Joseph in this story, specially gifted at helping other people. The only thing you need to do is say “yes” to the opportunities to help that the Lord places before you. 1 Peter 4:10 (ESV) says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” This is what Joseph did when those in need came to him for help. I pray you’ll do the same.

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[i] http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/s/spiritual_gifts.htm.  April 28, 2016.