Trust in bear arms

 

     We are continuing our series “Things to think about.” This is not a series meant to sway toward any particular candidates, I believe that is not my job as your pastor. My goal is to remind us as Christians that our primary allegiance is to the Kingdom of God.

 

     When I first learned Nicole was pregnant with Jaedyn, we went to a sporting goods store and I bought a shotgun, which I have named Gauge, and jokingly say he is twelve. Fast forward six years, Nicole was pregnant with our third child, Emrys. Another girl. So for our gender reveal, I posted a social media picture of me sitting in a rocking chair wearing Minnie Mouse ears and holding Gauge. Both times trying to send a clear message, do not mess with this dad’s girls.

 

     Now, having Gauge is a right and responsibility. And there is comfort in knowing I can defend my daughters and family. However, there is a greater source of comfort and security. This source is shared with us through King David in the Psalms.

 

     Psalms 20:6-8(CEB):

 

     6 Now I know that LORD saves his anointed one; God answers his anointed one from his heavenly sanctuary, answering with mighty acts of salvation achieved by his strong hand. 7 Some people trust in chariots, others in horses, but we praise the LORD’s name. 8 They will collapse and fall, but we will stand up straight and strong.

 

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

 

 

     This Psalm is labeled as a psalm of David by the Common English Bible. In this psalm, David has recorded a prayer. David is no stranger to battle. As a young shepherd boy, he fought lions and famously a giant named Goliath armed with only a sling and stone. Much of the historical books in the Bible record David’s many military conquests, most of which were successful. But in this prayer, David is not focused on his own skill, army, or military equipment as the source of his victory.

 

     Verse 6 begins with, “Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed one.” David is not saying “Now I know” as wishful thinking, he is speaking from experience. Standing in front of a nine-foot-tall giant, it was not David’s sling and stones that gave him confidence. When David was running for his life from King Saul, it was not David’s hide-and-seek skills that gave him confidence. In all of those moments, God is the one who enabled David to be successful.

 

     The prayer continues in verse 7 with, “Some people trust in chariots, others in horses; but we praise the name of the LORD.” 1 Chronicles records two different occasions (19:18 and 28:4) when David faced Syrians who had chariots and horses. It is very likely that David had an army equipped with horses and chariots, they were common instruments of war. The enemy had them and David had them. But David’s confidence was not in the horses and chariots, it was in God. When the prayer says, “The name of the LORD, it means David trusted in God’s character, reputation, and nature.

 

     While David trusts in God, the text implies his enemies trust in their chariots and horses. As a result, the prayer says in verse 8, “They will collapse and fall, but we will stand up straight and strong.” The prayer reads as though the outcome is already decided based on where each army has placed its confidence. David’s confidence is in God, but the enemy trusts in their power and the instruments in their control.

 

     What does all this have to teach us? Before we focus on David, we need to consider why David believes his enemies will fail. Their confidence is in their weapons, their ability to use them, and ultimately what is in their control.

 

     This makes me think of Jesus in the Garden, the night He is arrested. A crowd shows up with torches and weapons, so Peter takes a sword and chops off an ear. Rather than make a break during the confusion, Jesus reattachs the man’s ear before rebuking Peter. In His rebuke, Jesus says, “Put the sword back into its place. All those who use the sword will die by the sword.” Now, I do think there is a discussion to be had about the use of violence here, but I do not think that is Jesus’s main point. His main point is, “Peter, do you trust God?”

 

     David trusted God more than his preparation, skills, and equipment. And even though I joked about Gauge and my daughters, my trust is not in Gauge. Nicole and I are raising our daughters and sons to know God, trusting them to follow His direction, and trusting God will guide them, keep them, and protect them. This goes beyond just weapons but speaks to anything that believe can provide us with peace and security beyond God.

 

     As Christians, there is no doubt we are in a spiritual battle. But Paul tells us, “Though we live in the world, we do not wage war the way the world does. The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. They have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4) In Ephesians 6, Paul also tells us to put on the armor of God. Even though Paul uses the battle rattle of his day, the armor of God is not physical armor but spiritual. Our minds are guarded by the knowledge of God’s salvation. Our hearts are protected by His righteousness. Our pants are held up by the belt of God’s truth. Our feet are carried by His gospel. Our instruments are our faith in Him and His Word.

 

     Let me be clear, my message is not about guns or gun control. That is a hotly debated political issue. I am not trying to dictate to you how you prepare yourself and your family for worst-case scenarios. It is not about violence, although God’s Word is clear that His Kingdom is not one based on violence. This is about us saying, “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done.” But that can only be our words if we trust God with our families, peace, security, and everything.

 

     David faced lions, a giant, rival kings, and a rebellious son. He had strength, skills, weapons, horses, chariots, and an army. But David’s confidence was not in those things. While David certainly used those things, his confidence was in God. His faith in God allowed David to faithfully use what God had provided. The same can happen with each of us!

 

What is your confidence based on? Is it guns? Money? Your success? Your abilities? Or can you with David, “Some trust in chariots, some trust in horses, but I praise the name of the LORD”? Those other things provide a temporary sense of peace and security, but they are subject to the winds and waves of life. But God is not, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God does not leave us because of the winds and waves, He calms them and us in them. Will you put your confidence in God?

What is a God like you doing in a place like this?

 

     In a few short weeks, as Americans, we will have the opportunity to exercise our right to vote. I think it is important for me to share that I am your pastor, not your politician. My goal over the next few weeks is not to advocate for any particular candidates, but to remind us as Christians of things we should have in mind.

 

     There is one truth I believe is critical for us to keep in mind. It is an important detail that can become lost in all the chaos that surrounds the political season. This is a lesson Jacob, a forefather of faith learns.

 

     Genesis 28:16-19(CEB):

 

     16 When Jacob woke from his sleep, he thought to himself, The LORD is definitely in this place, but I didn’t know it. 17 He was terrified and though, This sacred place is awesome. It’s none other than God’s house and the entrance to heaven. 18 After Jacob got up early in the morning, he took the stone that he had put near his head, set it up as a sacred pillar, and poured oil on top of it. 19 He named that sacred place Bethel, though Luz was the city’s original name.

 

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

 

 

     Our passage focuses on when Jacob wakes up from an intense dream, one that has him in the presence of God. But is important to note what has happened in Jacob’s life leading up to this moment. He was on the run from his father’s (Isaac’s) house because Jacob had robbed his brother Esau of his birthright. Jacob is all alone in the wilderness when he falls asleep with a rock for a pillow.

 

     Verse 16 tells us “When Jacob woke from his sleep, he thought to himself, the LORD is definitely in this place, even though I didn’t know it.” The dream was so intense, that Jacob still held in the power of what it revealed. What the dream revealed was God’s presence. Jacob believed he was all by himself, on the run because of tricking his brother. But the dream made Jacob aware that God was right there with him. Not only was this a powerful realization, it was transformational.

 

     The rock that had been Jacob’s pillow now became an important symbol in his life. Verse 18 says, “Jacob got up early, he took the stone, set it up as a sacred pillar, and poured oil on it.” This is not Jacob setting up an idol, but a reminder of the moment he encountered God’s presence. When Jacob was alone God met with him unexpectedly in this place.

 

     This entire event happened in an area called Luz. The name Luz had no meaning to Jacob until this encounter with God. Jacob renames the area Bethel, meaning “House of God.” The house of God means it is a place of safety because God’s presence is there.

 

     What does this have to do with us? Where is the truth that is important for us to remember as believers heading into an election season? Verse 16 is the key. Jacob wakes up from this dream where he encounters God, thinking, “The LORD is definitely in this place, but I didn’t know it.” He met with God in a place he did not expect.

 

     Jacob had swindled his brother Esau. He was in the wrong, now on the run because of it. This excursion into Luz attempted to outrun the trouble of Jacob’s own making. He is trying to get a night of rest before returning to his escape. It is in that place physically, mentally, and spiritually that God meets with Jacob in a dream!

 

     Jacob’s God is our God. God is the Almighty. He is unrivaled and unlimited in where He can go. When Jacob was alone and on the run, God surprised Jacob with His presence. Our God does that all the time. Three men were tossed in a fiery furnace, they believed God could save them, and they met with Him in the fire. Daniel was in a lion’s den, God’s presence was in that lion’s den. Two disciples were mourning the death of Jesus when they were surprised Jesus was walking beside them. Our God is a God who shows up in unexpected places.

 

     As Christians, the enemy is not necessarily seeking to make us believe God does not exist or that God is absent, the goal is to make us indifferent to God’s presence. Not even indifferent to God, but the possibility of His presence. If we are indifferent, we will not notice God is there. And if we do not notice, we lose sight of hope.

 

     God will surprise when and where He shows up. When sin feels overwhelming, God shows up with grace and mercy. As the chaos of life tosses us about, His Spirit sweeps in like the wind to guide us through and calm the storm inside of us. In the intensity of a political climate, God can reveal He is there with us.

 

     Jacob was surprised by God’s presence. It transformed him. The same can happen to us if our hearts are open. Just as God made with Jacob, He can meet with you! May God give us faith to see Him in the unexpected places.

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.