Joseph & the Honest Men--part 3

     There is an old folktale about how to catch a monkey. You take a jar with a small opening and fill it with treats a monkey would love. When the monkey sees it, they will reach in to take the treat but its hand will be stuck. The jar opening is big enough to fit the monkey’s hand in, but when the monkey clinches its fist their hand is too big to get out. It is not a physical trap, but a mental trap.

 

     Today we are closing out our three-part series in Genesis 42. And I promise the monkey’s mental trap connects with what I believe today’s text wants to teach us.

 

     Genesis 42:29-38(CEB):

 

     29 When the brothers got back to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they described to him everything that had happened to them: 30 “The man, the country’s governor, in the country. 31 We told him, ‘We’re honest men, not spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, all our father’s sons. One of us is gone, but the youngest is right now with our father in the land of Canaan.’ 33 The man, the country’s governor, told us, ‘This is how I will know you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers with me, take grain for those in your households who are hungry, and go. 34 But bring back your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will give your brother back to you, and you may travel throughout the country.’”

 

     35 When they opened their sacks, each man found a pouch of his silver in his sack. When they and their father saw their pouches of silver, they were afraid. 36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You’ve taken my children from me. Joseph’s gone. Simeon’s gone. And you are taking Benjamin. All this can’t really be happening to me!”

 

     37 Reuben said to his father, “You may put both my sons to death if I don’t bring him back to you. Make him my responsibility, and I will make sure he returns to you.”

 

     38 But Jacob said to him, “My son won’t go down with you because his brother’s dead and he’s been left all alone. If anything were to happen to him on the trip you are taking, you would send me—old as I am—to my grave in grief.”

 

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

 

 

     The good news about this message is the text itself recaps most of what we have been studying the last couple of weeks. But I will add a key missing detail. “The governor” mentioned by the brothers to Jacob is actually their brother Joseph, only the brothers do not know it. Joseph knows it is them because how could he forget? These “honest men” were the brothers who had sold Joseph into slavery twenty years ago.

 

     Verses 29 through 34 share what the brothers do when they return from Egypt to Canaan. They spill the whole story to their father Jacob, who I am sure noticed there is one less of his sons that left. The “honest men” were honest in this moment, unlike the last time they came to Jacob with news about a missing brother. We see a little personal growth on their part.

 

     In verse 36, Jacob reacts to the news. He says to the brothers, “You’ve taken my children from me. Joseph’s gone. Simeon’s gone. And you taking Benjamin. All this can’t really be happening to me!” In other words, Jacob is saying, “This is all too much!” Every time this group of brothers goes out collectively, something happens to one of them. Jacob does not trust them with Benjamin.

 

     And this is where we find our connection with the monkey trap. This is where we discover the lesson for us. Jacob responds to the honest men with distrust, which seems to be for good reason. He refuses to let Benjamin go to Egypt with them. Benjamin is like the treat in the jar, Jacob will not let him go.

 

     Jacob not letting Benjamin go is a big deal. The brothers brought back grain this time, but they cannot go back to Egypt again with Benjamin. Whether Jacob realizes it or not, his not letting Benjamin go jeopardizes the family’s future. And we cannot forget about Simeon, one of Jacob’s other sons. Simeon is being held prisoner in Egypt. Is Jacob willing to sacrifice Simeon in the name of Benjamin’s protection?

 

     Reuben attempts to persuade Jacob in verse 37, “You may put both my sons to death if I don’t bring him back to you. Make him my responsibility, and I will make sure he returns to you.” Now I do not think Reuben wants to sacrifice his sons, nor do I think Jacob wants anyone else in his family to die. But Reuben is willing to do what his father is not, risk what is his for the betterment of everyone.

 

     Unfortunately, that is how chapter 42 ends. Jacob is unwilling to risk Benjamin. In verse 38, Jacob says, “My son won’t go with you because his brother’s dead and he’s been left all alone.”

 

If we continue reading, we discover that Jacob let Benjamin go to Egypt. And to make a long story short, Jacob’s letting go of Benjamin makes way for a mighty move of God. Not only is Simeon saved, not only is the whole family saved, but Jacob and his brothers discover that Joseph is alive! This one decision leads to a family reunion that the Hallmark channel could not even imagine. However, for it to happen, Jacob had to let go.

 

Many of us can relate to Jacob here. He had reasons to doubt to the “honest men.” Jacob was still grieving the loss of Joseph, now enduring Simeon being gone. Fear of suffering more loss caused Jacob to hold tighter to Benjamin. But holding on was not saving Benjamin, it was breaking him along with the rest of the family. It was ultimately hindering Jacob from receiving the blessings God had for him.

 

We do the same thing with loved ones, jobs, successes, our reputation, and things we hold dear. They add value to our lives and we cannot imagine if they were gone. Hurts from past losses have us hanging onto them like the monkey with its hand stuck in the jar. This keeps us trapped in a prison of our own making, away from the good things God has for us.

 

In Philippians 3:7-8, the Apostle Paul wrote, “These things were my assets, but I wrote them off as a loss for the sake of Christ. But even beyond that, I consider everything a loss in comparison with the superior value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have lost everything for him, but what I have lost I think of as sewer trash, so that I might gain Christ.” Paul is referring to those things that are most valuable to him. It is not that they are “sewer trash”, but that those things pale in comparison to knowing Jesus and experiencing His power through life fully surrendered to Him.

 

Jacob had a similar realization. I am sure it was a gut-wrenching decision to let Benjamin go with his brothers to Egypt. And I do not think Jacob let Benjamin go because he trusted the “honest men.” He let go because the path God had laid out for him required it.

 

If we want to experience all that God has for us, we have to let go of whatever we are clinging to. I know it is valuable, and I know the idea of letting it go is terrifying. The thought of trusting the “honest men” all around us seems hazardous. But God is not asking us to trust the “honest men”, He is asking us to believe in Jesus and love him more. By choosing to cling to our relationships, kids, money, reputations, and all those good things we end up using them to break the first commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods besides me.” While they could become idols themselves, more often they become objects used in the worship of ourselves. Love lets go, trusting God with the gifts He has given us.

 

Let us not be like monkeys caught in a trap. Instead, let us be like Jacob letting go, even into the hands of “honest men”, to make way for the fullness of what God has for us. Let us be like Paul, knowing the value of God’s gifts to us, but knowing the value of knowing Jesus is greater.

 

What are you holding onto? Can you trust God with whatever it is? The altars are open, and God is inviting you to open your hand and surrender whatever it is. Will you open your hand and allow your heart to receive the deeper blessings of His grace.

 

Joseph & the Honest Men part 2

 

Have you ever received an email or snail mail saying, “You are the winner”? The prizes may vary between cars, cash, or vacations, but the message we receive is that we have won something good. However, how many of us believe those messages? 

Why do we not believe those messages? We have dealt with scammers and people only after we have received our money. We have learned that there is always a catch to obtain the prize.

There is a reason why we view any good thing with a bit of skepticism. As we continue in our series about Joseph and the honest men, we will explore this thought.

Genesis 42:21-28(CEB):

21 The brothers said to each other, “We are clearly guilty for what we did to our brother when we saw his life in danger and when he begged us for mercy, but we didn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this danger now.”

22 Reuben responded to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t do anything wrong to the boy’? But you wouldn’t listen. So now this is payback for his death.” 23 They didn’t know that Joseph was listening to them because they were using an interpreter. 24 He stepped away from them and wept. When he returned, he spoke with them again. Then he took Simeon from them and tied him up in front of them.

25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put back each man’s silver into his own sack, and to give them provisions for their trip, and it was done. 26 They loaded their grain onto their donkeys, and they set out. 27 When they stopped to spend the night, one of them opened his sack to feed his donkey, and he saw his silver at the top of his sack. 28 He said to his brothers, “My silver’s been returned. It’s right here in my sack.” Their hearts stopped. Terrified, they said to each other, “What has God done to us?”

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

If you are just joining us or have slept since last week, let me fill you in on what is happening. Fifteen to twenty years prior, the brothers sold their brother Joseph into slavery, telling their father he was killed. Now a famine had hit the area, which led them to Joseph who was in charge of Egypt’s grain. Joseph knows it is them, they do not know it is him, otherwise, they would not have answered Joseph’s accusation that they were spies with, “We are honest men.”

At this point, Joseph is testing their character to see if they have changed. He has arranged to hold one of the brothers until the rest return with the youngest brother, Benjamin. Benjamin is Joseph’s full brother.

Verses 21 through 22 share the brothers' reactions to Joseph’s plan. For twenty years they have lived a lie, knowing they tossed Joseph into a cistern before selling him. A common belief in this period was “Do good things, good things happen. Do bad things, bad things happen.” They had covered up the incident by lying to their father and gotten away with it for a long time. But now they believe their retribution is at hand.

“When he begged for mercy, but we didn’t listen.” This is a vivid detail. I believe these brothers were haunted by Joseph’s cries, with their minds constantly returning to the event. They are riddled with guilt, which is weighing heavier at this moment. Reuben even says in verse 22, “I told you not do it.” A speech Reuben has repeated many times. But the important note here is that the brothers remember.

What the brothers do not know is that Joseph is listening to this entire conversation. Joseph was using a translator to speak with them, so the brothers had no clue Joseph understood them. And to hear them full of regret and sorrow over what happened must have overwhelmed Joseph’s heart. These brothers hated him, now Joseph could see they were in agony because they sinned against him. He has to leave the room to cry.

After Joseph composes himself, he returns with orders. First, Simeon is taken per the arrangement. Then as an act of kindness, Joseph orders his servants to return the silver used to purchase the grain to each of the brothers. The brothers load up the grain, not knowing their silver had been returned.

What does this have to do with us? What does it teach us about being skeptical of a good thing? We have to pay attention to the brothers’ reaction in verse 28. Upon discovering the silver, it says, “Their hearts stopped. Terrified, they said to each other, ‘What has God done to us?’”

For twenty years they had been living in a lie, haunted by Joseph’s screams. They had just been accused of being spies believing the event was God’s punishment against them. A punishment they had earned. Seeing the silver, they do not recognize it as an act of kindness toward their family. Instead, they see it as a trap. Sin has them blind to the possibility of the situation being good, all they see is the potential for evil. The same evil they had when they threw Joseph in the pit, they believe is driving the decision of the Egyptian who supplied their grain. They believe good things do not happen to wicked people.

We doubt the validity of good things because we are sinners motivated by sin. Living in a sinful world has taught us that nothing good comes without strings attached. Like the brothers, we believe good things do not happen to wicked people.

But Joseph is not motivated by sin. Joseph told his brothers, “I am a God-fearing man.” As a God-fearing man, Joseph would not seek revenge, though no one would blame him. Instead, Joseph extends mercy and grace. The same brothers who sold him, Joseph gives them grain.

This is how God is with us. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” We do not deserve Christ’s sacrifice, but God’s grace is not about us deserving it. It is all about God’s love so He offers grace to us through faith in Jesus.

Sin had the brothers so full of fear and panic that they could not fathom the good shown to them. The enemy wants to keep us trapped in the same chains believing retribution and destruction are the only options. But what if we dared to take God at His word.

Do not let your past blind you to God’s grace. Do not let your sin keep you from seeing the goodness of God. His grace is not a trap but freedom. Freedom from fear, guilt, and skepticism. Unlike those “You’ve won” messages, with God’s grace there are no strings attached.

Examine your own heart. Where are you doubting God’s goodness today? Where does guilt from your past keep you from trusting in His love? God is inviting you to stop living in fear and embrace the freedom He offers. Let go of your guilt and embrace the truth that His grace is real and unconditional—there is no catch.

Joseph & the Honest Men--part 1

 

JOSEPH & THE HONEST MEN—PART 1

Once upon a time, I worked briefly as a jailor. And the one thing I learned during that job was that almost everyone in jail is innocent. No matter how much evidence, many wanted you to believe they were victims of injustice. While that certainly can happen and has happened, most folks have earned their cot.

What is it about the human condition that makes us think that way? We can easily spot the sins and shortcomings of others, but somehow we struggle with admitting our own mistakes. Honesty is valued in others, but something keeps us from seeing the truth about ourselves.

We are beginning a three-part series on what is a familiar Bible story for many of us. However, there is a detail that highlights the difficulty of honest self-examination.

Genesis 42:1-20(CEB):

1 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt. He said to his sons, “Why are you staring blankly at each other? 2 I’ve just heard that there’s grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we can survive and not starve to death.” 3 So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. 4 However, Jacob didn’t send Joseph’s brother Benjamin along with his because he thought something bad might happen to him. 5 Israel’s sons came to buy grain with others who also came since the famine had spread to the land of Canaan.

6 As for Joseph, he was the land’s governor, and he was the one selling grain to all the land’s people. When Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him, their faces to the ground. 7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he acted like he didn’t know them. He spoke to them with a harsh tone and said, “Where have you come from?”

And they said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.”

8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn’t recognize him. 9 Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies. You’ve come to look for the country’s weaknesses.”

10 They said to him, “No, Master. Your servants have just come to buy food. 11 We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants aren’t spies.”

12 He said to them, “No. You’ve come to look for the country’s weaknesses.”

13 They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, but one is gone.”

14 Joseph said to them, “It’s just as I’ve said to you. You are spies! 15 But here is how to prove yourselves: As Pharaoh lives, you won’t leave here until your youngest brother arrives. 16 Send one of you to get your brother, but the rest of you will stay in prison. We will find out if your words are true. If not, as Pharaoh lives, you are certainly spies.”

17 He put them all in prison for three days. 18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I’m a God-fearing man. 19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay in prison, and the rest of you, go, take grain back to those in your households who are hungry. 20 But bring your youngest brother back to me so that your words will prove true and you won’t die.”

So they prepared to do this.

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

This story is a familiar one, but let me summarize the events leading to this moment. Joseph and his brothers are the sons of Jacob. When Joseph was a teenager, he lived as his father’s favorite and had dreams about his father and brothers bowing down to him, which Joseph shared with them. Of course, the brothers loathed the idea and Daddy’s favorite, so they tossed Joseph in a pit, leaving their brother to die. But then they had a better idea, they sold him into slavery. By the grace of God, Joseph found his way to being Pharaoh’s second in command over all of Egypt.

Now here we are in Chapter 42, with Jacob and his sons in a terrible spot. There was a famine in Canaan and everyone was trying to figure out what to do. Jacob learns that there is grain in Egypt, not knowing his son he was told was dead was overseeing its distribution. So Jacob decides to send ten of his sons, the same ten who sold off their brother, to Egypt.

Verse 4 says, “Jacob didn’t send Joseph’s brother Benjamin along with his brothers because he thought something bad might happen to him.” This is significant for two reasons. One, Jacob had two wives, who were sisters, with one named Rachel being his favorite. Joseph was Rachel’s son, and so was Benjamin. The last time Jacob trusted the other ten brothers to look after Joseph, Jacob received news that Joseph was killed by a wild beast. We know that is not true, the ten brothers know that is not true, but Jacob does not know any different. Benjamin is Jacob’s last tie to Rachel, and Jacob does not trust the other brothers.

The remainder of our passage details the brothers interacting with Joseph. Joseph recognizes them instantly. How could he forget them? They were his brothers. They traumatized him. How could he forget them? But while Joseph immediately knows who they are, the brothers do not recognize him. It had been somewhere between 15 to 20 years since they threw teenage Joseph into that pit. Their brother had grown into a man, living in Egypt, talking and dressing like an Egyptian.

Joseph has a unique opportunity. He can choose a path that heals the divide between him and his brothers, reuniting Joseph with his father, or choose to walk away because his brothers have not changed. Rather than reveal his identity, Joseph tests the character of his brothers. He accuses them of being spies, which was a real threat to Egypt. The brothers deny being spies, pointing out that spy rings usually are not composed of one family. The section ends with a deal for the brothers to leave one behind, return home, and then come back with their brother Benjamin.

What does this have to do with us? We have to pay attention to the conversation between Joseph and his brothers. Joseph accuses them of being spies, and do you notice how the brothers respond? In verses l0 and 11, the brothers respond to the allegations with, “No, Master. Your servants have come to buy food. We are sons of one man. WE ARE HONEST MEN. Your servants are not spies.” Can you believe what they said? “WE ARE HONEST MEN.”

I do not know how Joseph did not laugh in their face. He was their victim. The brothers had no clue Joseph was talking to them, in their minds they had no clue whether Joseph was dead or alive. Joseph does not know the story the brothers told their father Jacob, but we as the readers know they told Jacob that Joseph was dead. For fifteen to twenty years, they had been living with that knowledge. Every time Jacob shared memories about Joseph and lamented over his son, they knew the truth but said nothing. But here in Genesis 42, face to face with the brother they had sold off and had been lying about it for two decades, they say, “WE ARE HONEST MEN.”

Why would do that? Can you imagine the guilt and shame they felt? I believe they felt that guilt and shame at the mention of Joseph’s name. As they were being interrogated by Joseph and imprisoned by him, I believe that guilt and shame were there even as they said, “WE ARE HONEST MEN.” The why is that they believe the same lie that tempts and traps us.

What is that lie? The lie that the enemy has sold us, that we have accepted hook, line, and sinker is “I am good.” It does not matter what our actions are, lies we keep secret, or any other activity we know is wrong, like Joseph’s brothers we believe, “We are honest people.” We accept this lie because the alternative is too terrible. But not recognizing the terrible keeps us and our loved ones trapped on sin’s hamster wheel of dysfunction. The terrible truth is that we are sinners who fall short of God’s will, and no matter the good we do we can never achieve being a good person on our own.

We spend so much time trying to convince everyone that we are a good person, trying to stuff our sins in the closet or under the bed because we do not want anyone to know the guilt and shame we feel. As Joseph’s brothers believed, we think our survival depends on appearing strong, while bearing our guilt and shame. Any good we do is an attempt to lessen the weight of sin on our hearts.

But that is the beautiful thing about God’s grace. Joseph’s brothers had done this terrible thing, lived their whole lives as “honest men” carrying guilt and shame. However, while they were not good, God is good. While their act was not good, God redeemed it to save their lives. You and I are not good, but God is good. Through Jesus, we have access to God’s grace which frees us from sin, guilt, and shame.

This freedom is not found by those who have convinced themselves that they are “honest men,” but by those who accept they are not. They confess their sin, change their mind about their ways, and choose to live according to God’s will, made possible by God’s grace.

Feeling the weight of our sin is not a good feeling. Accepting this truth about ourselves can be unbearable. But the good news is Jesus carried it for us.

Where are you at today? Are you holding onto the same lie as Joseph’s brothers? Or are you ready to accept the truth? Accepting the truth leads to the weight of guilt and shame being washed away in the mercy and grace of God, bought with the blood of Jesus. Confess your sins today and leave here in the peace of Jesus.

No record

 

I have been watching football for a long time, so it is a big deal when I remember a commercial. One of my favorite commercials ever aired during the Super Bowl. It was for the NFL Network, with various coaches and players singing the song “Tomorrow” from the musical Annie. At the end of the commercial, it said, “Tomorrow we are all undefeated.”

No matter how bad that season had been, after the Super Bowl was over, every team got a fresh slate. When things get all messed up and do not go the way we plan or hope, that is what we all long for is a fresh slate. The beautiful thing about the Christian faith is that we believe through Jesus our sins are washed away and we are made a new person. God gives us a fresh slate.

The text we are looking at today has the idea of a “fresh slate.” It may seem hard to see at first, but as we look at it together we will see it.

1 Chronicles 27:23-24(CEB):

23 But David didn’t count those younger than 20 years of age, because the LORD had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky. 24 Joab, Zeruiah’s son, began to count them, but he never finished. Since Israel experienced wrath because of this, the number wasn’t entered into the official records of King David.

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

There is not a lot of information in this passage to help us understand how this relates to a “fresh slate,” nor is there a lot of information explaining the events leading to this census taken by David. But to expand upon the few details, we would need to read 1 Samuel 24:1-17 and 1 Chronicles 21, with 1 Chronicles being directly tied to the writer’s thoughts here.

Let me give you a summary, combining the two passages. They both give an account of a sin committed by David in the later stages of his life and reign. He, and his fellow countrymen, would know God’s promise to their forefather Abraham, which applied to them. God’s promise was, “I will bless you richly and I will give you countless descendants, as many as the stars in the sky and as the grains of sand on the seashore.” (Genesis 22:17) David decided to take a census of the people because he lacked faith in God’s promise, though he decided to disguise it by only counting the fighting men. As the process begins, God shares His displeasure with David and at the king’s choosing punishes the entire nation with a plague. The plague only stops when David pleads for mercy and builds an altar to God.

This brings us to verse 23 of our passage, “David did not count the males twenty years old and under, for the LORD had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky.” God’s promise was “as numerous as the stars in the sky.” That is an incalculable number, with astronomers estimating anywhere from 100 billion to 400 billion in our galaxy alone. In short, God would make them a nation of more than enough, but David doubted this promise. He sent out the census to confirm that God had come through but then attempted to disguise his lack of faith by only counting the fighting men. God saw through David’s scheme and was displeased with him. And whenever a leader fails, the people feel the impact.

Verse 24 mentions Joab as the one who is taking the census. Joab is not to blame for the catastrophe. As a matter of fact, in 1 Chronicles 21:3-4 records, “Joab replied, “May the LORD increase his people a hundred times! Sir, aren’t you the king, and aren’t they all your servants? Why do you want to do this? Why bring guilt on Israel?” But the king overruled Joab.” He tries to talk David out of the census. Most likely due to the outbreak of the plague, Joab only produces a partial count.

What does this have to do with us? What does this have to do with a “fresh slate”? Notice what the end of verse 24 says, “God was angry with Israel… so the number was not recorded in the scroll called The Annals of King David.” The kings of Israel kept a log for each day, but verse 24 says the number from the census was not recorded. Was this an oversight? Or was it that David did not need or want to be reminded of his sin and the cost?

This is not the only time in the Bible that David is confronted with his sin. After his affair with Bathsheba, when David had believed he tied up all the loose ends, the prophet Nathan walked in and bravely called out the king. Though David humbly repented, God told him he would be punished. The child conceived with Bathsheba was not going to live, with that news David pleaded with God. He refused to eat or drink, clinging to the altar for the child’s life. When it reached David that the child died, David got up, wiped his face, ate, and went back to his life. His sin was found out, and judged. Rather than wallow in it with self-pity, David got up. Likewise, David got up after the census and left this failure out of the records.

You see, God had forgiven David for each of these instances of sin. When God forgives sin, He loses it in the sea of forgetfulness. Though he was forgiven by God, in order for David to get back up and keep going, David had to forgive himself. To forgive himself, David had to accept the consequences but move forward remembering his slate had been wiped clean by God.

When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus summarized the law into two, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. … You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-40) As Christians, we understand that loving God is essential to our faith, demonstrated through obedience. And likewise, as Christians, we know that to love God we must love our neighbors. But we rarely stop to think about the end of Jesus’s second command, “as you love yourself.” We cannot love our neighbors properly if we do not love ourselves, and if we cannot love our neighbors properly we cannot properly love God.

In Corinthians 13, Paul defines love for us as believers. As part of that definition, Paul writes, “Love keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Corinthians 13:5) When we profess faith in Jesus, our sins are washed away by His blood, and out of love, God remembers them no more. When it comes to our relationships with other people, we are to forgive their failures and not hold them over their heads. God gives us a fresh slate and we are to give others a fresh slate. What about when we mess up? How long do we hold onto those failures? If love keeps no record of wrongs, if God forgives and forgets our sins, why do we keep those records?

I am not saying we do not learn from our mistakes, certainly, we do not want to return to the same sins. But we cannot do is hold on to our failures. Holding onto our record of wrongs breeds self-hatred, resentment, bitterness, and guilt. All those things are contrary to love, even when applied to ourselves. The sad thing is, our adversary does not have to torture us in this state, he simply hands us the bat.

David had the number from the census left out of his records, and perhaps the reason was so he could move forward. The lesson had been learned, albeit the hard way, but nothing was gained by wallowing in that failure. The way forward was looking forward and forgiving himself as God had forgiven him.

What about you? What mistakes have you made, either recently or in the past? Have you confessed them to God? Has He forgiven you? Have you made restitution with the people you hurt? Have they forgiven you? If the answer is yes to all or most of those questions, then why are you still holding onto what God has forgotten? He loves you and wants you to let it go. It is okay to forgive yourself.

I want to invite each of us today to examine our hearts. If there is unconfessed sin, repent and you will experience the grace of God associated with His forgiveness. It will wash away your guilt and shame. But perhaps you have done that, yet the guilt and shame are still haunting you. Then maybe today you need to give yourself a fresh slate. Ask God to help you forgive yourself as He has forgiven you.

Hot Light

 

 

     I remember in high school, our youth group participated in the teen Bible quizzing program. We would not only quiz in our district meets, but we would also travel the Midwest and participate in different invitationals. On those trips, there was one light more important than the stoplight. It was the Krispy Kreme hot light. If it was on, that meant the donuts were fresh and warm, sugary goodness that melted in your mouth.

 

     What do fresh donuts have to do with our passage today? It may not seem like much, but if you keep that hot light in mind I promise you we will get there.

 

     Proverbs 22:24-25(CEB):

 

     24 Don’t befriend people controlled by anger; don’t associate with hot-tempered people; 25 otherwise, you will learn their ways and become trapped.

 

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

 

 

     This passage is from the book of Proverbs, about wisdom. While there is no one-size-fits-all model for every life situation, Proverbs offers sound practical advice for dealing with many of them.

 

     Our passage offers very practical advice on the company we keep around us. Verse 24 says, “Don’t befriend people controlled by anger.” The person who is described here is one who allows their anger to dictate their life. They are angry, so they do not care what they say or who they hurt. Hurtful words may only be a small portion of their actions and reactions flowing from their anger. When they are calm this person might be quiet like a church mouse, but get them angry and they become the Incredible Hulk. Proverbs 22 ends verse 24 with, “Don’t associate with hot-tempered people.” The advice moves from making friends with such people to not even associating with them.

 

     The writer not only gives us this advice, but in verse 25 they continue with why. Verse 25 says, “Otherwise, you will learn their ways and become trapped.” The word translated “learn” is found only here and three other times in the Book of Job. The idea behind it here is to be influenced by the person of anger to behave in the same way. That influence can lead to us being trapped. While the CEB accurately articulates the danger, it does soften it. In the Hebrew, it certainly means a snare or trap. But the trap here implies an element of death, and in this case death of the soul. Death of the soul occurs through sin.

 

     What does this have to do with us? What does this have to do with the Krispy Kreme Hot Light? Hot lights are for donuts, not for people. By hot I mean people who are full of wrath.

 

     Now, you might be thinking, “Didn’t Jesus get angry and flip over tables?” Yes. Anger is an emotion common in our human experience. But Jesus flipping the tables was not a passion-filled moment controlled by anger. His reaction was from holy passion, acted upon through His holiness, not His anger. His reaction was rooted in love to restore God’s Temple to its purpose. So anger as an emotion is not a sin, but too often our human reaction comes from our sinfulness.

 

     Our passage is warning us against surrounding ourselves with angry people who tend to let their emotions be an excuse for their sin. By associating with such people, we open ourselves up to become tools of the enemy that only sow more seeds of violence, fear, and anger.

 

     Jesus tells us in His sermon, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.” As followers of Jesus, we are children of God. Since we are children of God, we should seek to be peacemakers. A peacemaker is not someone who sweeps sin and injustice under the rug. Instead, they confront issues with a heart of love seeking to heal and reform.

 

     This is where the company we keep matters. Angry people produce more angry people. Peacemakers produce more peacemakers. As a body of believers, there are a lot of things happening in our world that makes us angry. But rather than become an angry mob, we can choose to become those who see the divides and attempt to bridge the gap by offering Jesus who filled the gap between God and humanity’s sin. There may be moments when tables need flipping, but most situations require us to have humility, respect, gentleness, patience, and kindness. All those are the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit we demonstrate naturally when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.

 

     Paul wrote in Colossians 3:12-14, “Therefore, as God’s choice, holy and loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience… And over all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” And that is our challenge as we leave today. Can we clothe ourselves in the power of the Holy Spirit?

 

     Rather than become lost in the shouts of the angry mobs, these verses in Proverbs 22 challenge us to be different. Can we leave the hot light to be a call for donuts? God is calling us through His Holy Spirit to offer peace to a world in desperate need of it. 

Loud & Chaotic

 

     Temper tantrums can be funny and cute with kids at times. I remember one time Ben, who was only five or six at the time, got a Disney princess in his Happy Meal. He looked at it, then threw an eighty-mile-per-hour fastball back into the box because he got a girl toy. He got in trouble, although Nicole and I had to hide our laughter. But most of the time, tantrums are not something to be tolerated. When it comes to adults, they are never cute and always reveal selfishness in the heart that causes harm.

 

     In most cases, these tantrums are venting emotions in an unhealthy way having no intention to harm. But when tantrums are intended to cause harm, they become sinister. It is a reaction to superior authority, seeking to undermine or hold on to one’s power. Such reactions do come from the spiritual realm. This is what we will see in today’s passage.

 

     Mark 1:21-28(CEB):

 

     21 Jesus and his followers went into Capernaum. Immediately on the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and started teaching. 22 The people were amazed by his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, not like the legal experts. 23 Suddenly, there in the synagogue, a person with an evil spirit screamed, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the holy one from God.”

 

     25 “Silence!” Jesus said, speaking harshly to the demon. “Come out of him!” 26 The unclean spirit shook him and screamed, then it came out.

 

     27 Everyone was shaken and questioned among themselves, “What’s this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands unclean spirits and they obey him!” 28 Right away the news about him spread throughout the entire region of Galilee.

 

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

 

 

     On the Sabbath, Jesus went to the synagogue. The synagogue was a place where the Jews gathered to worship, like you and I gathering for service on a Sunday except the Jews gathered on Saturday. A Jewish official ruled over the synagogue, but they could select anyone to share from the scriptures. Jesus was chosen on this occasion.

 

     Verse 22 says, “The people were amazed by his teaching, for he was teaching with authority, not like the legal experts.” The legal experts were students and teachers of the law, but when they taught their practice was to quote respected and influential scribes to bolster their authority. Jesus did not do that, He simply read the text and shared the words of God.

 

     Jesus goes to Capernaum on the Sabbath, goes to the synagogue on the Sabbath, and He is teaching in the synagogue. People are responding to what He is sharing. All seems to be going well when “a person with an evil spirit screamed” in verse 23. We do not know if this person was a regular attendee or a guest who was there to challenge Jesus. But make no mistake, someone with an evil spirit was sitting in this church service. Is this not the hope though?

 

     “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the holy one from God?” This is what the response from this person with an evil spirit to Jesus and His teaching. The response uses the word “us.” Are there multiple demons in this person? Or is this person working in full surrender or complacency with the evil spirit inside them? Regardless, the forces of evil know that Jesus is the Son of God! In this response, we can sense fear and defiance at the threat of evil’s power.

 

     Jesus responds in verse 25 with “Silence!” This is the same Greek word the gospel Mark will use later in 4:39 when Jesus speaks to raging wind and sea. It means to “hold thy peace,” “be silent,” “muzzle it,” or in our modern slang “shut up.” Then with no special trinkets or song and dance, Jesus uses words to free the person from the evil spirit.

 

     Verse 26 continues with, “The unclean spirit shook him and screamed, then it came out.” The evil spirit obeyed the words of Jesus, but not without a loud and chaotic temper tantrum. Where the CEB has “screamed” your translation may have two words like “loud voice.” There are two words in Greek to describe this sound, which looks like our English word “megaphone.” If the loudness was not enough, “the unclean spirit shook him.” The evil spirit sent the man into convulsions. They could have been like epileptic seizures or the term could be referring to convulsions of the stomach as if the person was attempting to vomit. Either way, the evil spirit’s response was begrudging obedience. It had no choice.

 

     What does this teach us? First, is this not the point of gathering with one another in the presence of God? We want to see people set free from the chains of sin and darkness. The person with the evil spirit was in the synagogue, listening at the feet of Jesus. 1 John 3:8 says, “God’s Son appeared for this purpose: to destroy the works of the devil.” In this case, Jesus did that. Our church is here so anyone, regardless of race, gender, social status, and appearance can encounter the transformational grace of Jesus Christ.

 

     Second, verses 27 and 28 record the response of the people to this event, “Everyone was shaken and questioned among themselves, ‘What’s this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands unclean spirits and they obey him!’ Right away the news about him spread throughout the entire region of Galilee.” They were in a worship service receiving teaching that they had never heard before from the mouth of God’s Son. As God’s Word penetrated their hearts, evil was stirred up because its dominion was being threatened. These people watched as evil was powerless to withstand the authority of Jesus over it. When the evil spirit sent the person into convulsions, the people got to see the loud and chaotic temper tantrum as evil was forced to flee. This shook them with amazement at what Jesus did and could do.

 

     The point for us in this is when God moves evil will respond. Whenever God stirs in the hearts of people, the enemy is forced to submit to God’s power. But if evil can be loud and chaotic enough, then perhaps it can influence the hearts involved to choose the chains over freedom. We do not have to choose the chains but choose freedom in Christ because His power in us is greater than all the loud noises and chaos the enemy can send at us.

 

     When trials and difficulties confront us as a church, it is not a sign to turn back or remain complacent. It is evil’s loud and chaotic temper tantrum as its power is being washed away in the might of Jesus. This does not mean the battle will be easy, but it does mean we keep pressing forward. The Bible refers to keeping our faith as a race and spiritual battle because endurance is required. Not endurance reliant on our strength, but strength that flows through us by the Holy Spirit.

 

     Over the last month or so, we have experience so many incredible moments together. Gathering at a camp for worship, parties, and celebrating achievements, all great moments of God’s people rejoicing in worship to God. But at the same time we have endured losses, a broken church van, and outbreaks of sickness. Yes, all those things can be explained in human terms. Some of them could have been prevented. However, I ask you what would those preventions have prevented? I am not saying the devil is in my Big Mac, but do we think for a second all these happened at this precise moment by accident? Rather than despair, we can rejoice because God has counted us worthy to endure such things because of our faith.

 

     As we dwell on this thought, I invite you to examine your own life. Are you wanting to be free from sin? It is possible through faith in Jesus, but the removal of evil from your heart and mind is going to be loud and chaotic. Do you trust Jesus to have the power despite all the noise? Are you trying to break free from habits and attitudes? It is possible through faith in Jesus. There will be an internal struggle as we yield up our sinful patterns to make way for God’s ways, but He who is calling you is faithful. And He will do it. Do not let evil’s temper tantrum scare or fool you, it has no choice but to submit to His reign.

 

If I find

     Abraham and Sarah have just had a wonderful conversation with three visitors. They shared God’s promise about a son, even though they were both well past childbearing age. It was a terrific promise, one full of hope. A hope that extends from them to Jesus, then to you, me, and everyone.

 

     But that is not where the story ends. As the visitors turn to leave, they share troubling news concerning two cities on the verge of destruction. This news puts Abraham’s nephew, Lot, in jeopardy. And it is in this story we find a message for us today.

 

     Genesis 18:20-33(CEB):

 

     20 Then the LORD said, “The cries of injustice from Sodom and Gomorrah are countless, and their sin is very serious! 21 I will go down now to examine the cries of injustice that have reached me. Have they really done all this? If not, I want to know.”

 

     22 The men turned away and walked toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing in front of the LORD. 23 Abraham approached and said, “Will you really sweep away the innocent with the guilty? 24 What if there are fifty innocent people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not save the place for the sake of the fifty innocent people in it? 25 It’s not like you to do this, killing the innocent with the guilty as if there were no difference. It's not like you! Will the judge of all the earth not act justly?”

 

     26 The LORD said, “If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom, I will save it because of them.”

 

     27 Abraham responded, “Since I’ve already decided to speak with my Lord, even though I’m just soil and ash, 28 what if there are five fewer innocent people than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city over just five?”

 

     The LORD said, “For the sake of forty-five there, I won’t destroy it.”

 

     29 Once again Abraham spoke, “What if forty are there?”

 

     The LORD said, “For the sake of forty, I will do nothing.”

 

     30 He said, “Don’t be angry with me my Lord, but let me speak. What if thirty are there?”

 

     The LORD said, “I won’t do it if I find thirty there.”

 

     31 Abraham said, “Since I’ve already decided to speak with my Lord, what if twenty are there?”

 

     The LORD said, “I won’t do it, for the sake of twenty.”

 

     32 Abraham said, “Don’t be angry with me, my Lord, but let me speak just once more. What if there are ten?”

 

     And the LORD said, “I will not destroy it because of those ten.”

 

     33 When the LORD finished speaking with Abraham, he left; but Abraham stayed there in that place.

 

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

 

 

     The conversation has taken a dramatic and dark turn. And keep in mind, all these events are not far removed from the events of the Flood, when God destroyed the earth due to humanity’s wickedness and violence. Our sinfulness unchecked will always lead to pain, suffering, and injustice. They are all opposites of God’s design for us.

 

     In verse 20, God said to Abraham, “The cries of injustice from Sodom and Gomorrah are countless, and their sin is very serious!” The sin in these two cities involved the oppression of others, implied by “cries of injustice.” God has heard the cries of those injured by the wickedness of these two cities.

 

     God continued in verse 21, “I will go down now to examine the cries of injustice that have reached me. Have they really done all this? If not, I want to know.” Our God is all-knowing, so He knows and sees what is happening in these two cities. These social atrocities being committed have not escaped His sight. He is just. The language used by God is to help Abraham understand He is not basing His sovereign decision on hearsay from anyone else but Himself as a witness.

 

     Verses 23 through 32 share an incredible dialogue between Abraham and God. The main highlight of this negotiation is in verse 23 when Abraham says, “Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty?” Abraham knows God through his faith, and what he knows about God cannot be reconciled with the judgment mentioned to him. God is good and just, but to Abraham that does not mesh with the God he knows.

 

     Throughout Abraham’s conversation with God, he is humble. In verse 27 Abraham said, “I’m just soil and ash.” Some translations use “dust” instead of “soil.” Abraham is acknowledging he is dirt with God’s breath in his lungs, with no right to be making such demands. But Abraham also recognizes God as a Father who allows His children to ask such things.

 

     The negotiations end in verses 31 and 32, with God agreeing to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if ten people can be found. Abraham is dirt and Sovereign God agrees to spare the cities based on Abraham’s boldness to request. Hebrews 11 has Abraham listed in the Hall of Fame of Faith amongst other important people of faith, but Abraham is an incredibly flawed person. But God agrees to this deal with Abraham based on faith.

 

     If we were to continue reading, Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed with fire from the sky. It would appear that God did not find ten righteous people there, but Lot and his family were spared. The sin of humanity reached a point that the most just thing our holy God could do was annihilate it.

 

     On that cheerful note, what does this have to teach us? God sees the oppression of sin today as He did in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. What is keeping God from destroying it? Those who are righteous. They are living in the world, witnessing to it, holding it accountable, interceding on its behalf, and demonstrating to it the Kingdom of God. Those people are you and me.

 

     In Matthew 24:21-22, Jesus said, “There will be great suffering such as the world has never again see. If that time weren’t shortened, nobody would be rescued. But for the sake of the ones whom God chose, that time will be cut short.” Jesus, who is fully human and fully God, is telling us there will be a time when humanity’s sinfulness is so great that the suffering will be unbearable. This is when Jesus will return to rescue those who have faith in Him. But at the same time, Jesus will bring the world to judgment. It will be a time when the wickedness and violence of human hearts are so intense, that God will not be able to bring it about for good. Like Sodom and Gomorrah, and also like the time before the Flood. Only this time it is impossibly worse.

 

     What this teaches us is a terrible truth, despite our best efforts of holy living and attempts to influence the culture of the world, the human nature saturated in sin will not be cleansed. This world is not salvageable. Despite all the goodness in the world and at work in and through believers, the evilness will not be pursued.

 

     With so many mass shootings, genocides, sex trafficking, and so many more human atrocities going on now, what is God waiting on? The suffering is intense right now, why is God lingering? If the culture war is unwinnable based on end-time prophecy, why would God not win it now?

 

     This is the good news our passage in Genesis teaches us. Abraham succeeded in his negotiations with God because there was the possibility of ten righteous people being found. God’s delay is telling us there is hope. Not a hope of winning a culture war or succeeding in outlawing sin, but in rescuing individuals from remaining victims of it.

 

     That is our mission! Our mission is to rescue individuals who might be incredibly flawed, but their hearts are open to the message of Jesus. There might be ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, or millions more! We are to have faith in Jesus like Abraham had faith in God to believe they are out there in our community.

 

     We find them through prayer. We find them through living holy lives that intersect with those living in brokenness and hopelessness. Our holy lives are grounded firmly in Jesus and holding to His kingdom values, while simultaneously reaching out in love to anyone and everyone that we can.

 

As we reflect on Abraham's boldness to intercede for Sodom, let us consider our own role in the world today. Just as Abraham stood in the gap, pleading for mercy, we too are called to stand as intercessors—praying for our community, our neighbors, and our families. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah reminds us that God is just, yet His mercy is great, and He listens to the prayers of the faithful.

 

Even in the midst of a world filled with injustice and sin, God has placed us here as lights, to live holy lives that bear witness to His kingdom. Our mission is not to win culture wars but to reach individuals, to rescue those who are lost, and to lead them to the hope that is found in Jesus Christ.

 

So, as we go from this place, let us commit to being those who pray fervently, live righteously, and love deeply. Let us trust that, even in the darkest times, God is still at work through His people. And let us never lose sight of the hope that there are still those out there who need to hear the good news, who need to experience the love and grace of Jesus.

 

Today, I invite you to be that person of faith, to stand in the gap for others, and to commit to the mission of reaching those who are lost. The world may seem beyond saving, but God’s grace is sufficient, and through Him, lives can be transformed. Will you be that intercessor? Will you be the one who stands in the gap? The altar is open for you to come and commit to this mission today.