Reuben Sandwich

 

REUBEN SANDWICH

  

     If you want to make the perfect Reuben sandwich, you will need rye bread, corn beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and thousand islands dressing. Spread the thousand islands dressing over the bread, throw the sauerkraut in the trash, and then put the rest of the stuff between the bread. Toast it until the cheese is melted. Delicious.

 

Now, if your name is Reuben and you are a person caught between doing the right thing and keeping the peace, that is a completely different sandwich. That is what happened to Reuben in our passage today.

 

     Genesis 37:18-30(CSB)

 

The brothers saw Joseph in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him. They said to one another, “Oh, look, here comes that dream expert! So now, come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal ate him. Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”

 

When Reuben heard this, he tried to save him from them. He said, “Let’s not take his life.” Reuben also said to them, “Don’t shed blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him”—intending to rescue him from them and return him to his father.

 

When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off Joseph’s robe, the robe of many colors that he had on. Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty, without water.

 

They sat down to eat a meal, and when they looked up, there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt.

 

Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come on, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh,” and his brothers agreed. When Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.

 

When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?”

 

This is the Word of God.

For the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

 

 

     Sticking with the sandwich analogy, that would make these brothers the sauerkraut. In verse 19, the brothers see their younger brother Joseph, and said, “Look, here comes that dream expert!” This is an expression that exposes the hate in their hearts towards Joseph.

 

     Why do they hate Joseph so much? First, Joseph was their father Jacob’s favorite because Joseph was the firstborn of Jacob’s favorite wife. Second, Joseph had recently shared a dream, a prophetic vision, in which his brothers came and bowed down at his feet, meaning Joseph would rule over them. Joseph was bold or ignorant, not sure which, enough to share this with the brothers. As we read in verse 19, the brothers were deeply angered at this vision.

 

     When they see Joseph off in the distance, the brothers united in their hatred to form a sinister plot. “Let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits,” they say in verse 20. They were so full of hate that they were willing to kill their brother.

 

     There were twelve brothers altogether. Joseph is coming up the road, Benjamin the youngest is not in this part of the story, and nine others that want Joseph dead. This leaves Reuben, the corn beef of the story. He is not like the rest of his brothers. While they all want Joseph dead, Reuben wants to save him. Reuben wanted to save his brother because murder is evil. And there is also the fact that Reuben was the oldest, making him responsible for Joseph. Of course, Reuben was already in trouble for sleeping with his dad’s concubine, so that was added motivation.

 

     Reuben wants to do the right thing, but the problem is speaking out would bring great risk. The brothers were plotting one murder, and Reuben could easily become a target. Instead of standing up for Joseph, Reuben says, “Don’t shed his blood. Throw him into this pit.” To the brothers, it would seem like Reuben wanted to let starvation and cold kill Joseph, but this was a deception to buy Reuben time to come rescue Joseph.

 

     Now we are to the Swiss cheese in our story, Joseph. He comes to check on his brothers, unaware of the horrors awaiting him. They immediately seize him, stripping Joseph of his multi-colored robe gifted to him by his father. The coat represented Joseph’s status and privilege to the brothers. With no regard for life, the brothers toss Joseph into a waterless pit. This pit was a cistern, not designed with a person needing to escape in mind.

 

     Verse 25 might be the most disturbing in the entire passage, it says, “They sat down to eat a meal.” Joseph is screaming and pleading for his life, and his brothers sit down to eat. No remorse, only self-satisfaction. This is when Judah notices the traveling traders and gets a better idea. Is it because Judah wants to save Joseph or make money? Who knows. But Judah suggests that they sell their brother as a slave to the Ishmaelites. A modern way to say this is Judah wanted to traffic Joseph to make a profit. No blood would be spilled, and no guilt of murder would be on their conscience.

 

     For twenty pieces of silver, the brothers sold Joseph. Reuben was not around for this transaction. Did the others intentionally wait until he was gone? Regardless, Reuben wanted to do the right thing but without conflict, but he returns to discover Joseph was sold to Egypt. His father Jacob would hold him responsible. The only option Reuben felt he had left was to go along with the ruse his brothers would tell his father.

 

     If you know the entire story of Joseph, being sold to Egypt ultimately leads to good things for Joseph and all the family. The brothers tried to prevent Joseph’s divine vision, but their actions seemed to directly contribute to its fulfillment. God still used Joseph for His divine purposes. Since God still worked it all out for good, does that make everything that happened good and God’s will?

 

     We must avoid two traps in reading this story or we develop some wonky understanding. First, if we attribute everything in this story to God’s will, then we end up calling sin good and reducing God to being less than holy. Second, we believe that God’s plan was completely at the mercy of the people involved in these events. There is a paradox between God’s will and the free will of man. Yes, God was able to continue in His plan, but the sin of the brothers did not need to take place.

 

     This means that Reuben was sandwiched between choosing to do right and avoiding conflict. Rather than stand up to his brothers, meeting the clash head-on, Reuben chose the less confrontational route. Fear had a lot to do with it. Reuben deciding to play puppet master opened the door for Joseph to be trafficked. And the discovery of his failure led Reuben to believe that joining in the cover-up was his only option.

 

     God’s way, the right thing, will not be free from conflict. If you and I are going to live for Jesus, we will need to be willing to face conflict. In Romans 12:18, the Apostle Paul does tell us, “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Meaning, we do not carry around a stick for stirring pots. We do not go looking for conflict, the devil is the one who stalks around like a lion seeking someone to devour. But we are told to suit up in the Armor of God because our faith journey will lead us into conflict. Sometimes the conflict will be in the Church, other times it will be from the outside. Either way, while we do not go looking for the conflict, we do not shy away from it.

 

     Now, God’s way may not be free from conflict, it will be free from something. It will be free from sin, and it will be free from having to fear those who stand against you. If it is with those in the Church, you know those involved love Jesus and love the Church (hopefully). Should it be with those outside the faith, Jesus told His disciples, “Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell.” (Matthew 10:28, CEB) This is not an invitation for us to respond as others respond, but to remember in which Kingdom our citizenship lies.

 

     Whatever it is you are not wanting to face, Jesus is with you. Whatever you have been avoiding, God is with you. If you are shackled in fear, the Holy Spirit is with you. And yes, God can work all things together for the good of those who love Him, but God can also help you take the right path now. Do you trust God to have your back?

Need prayer? Have a question? Contact The Dirt Path Pastor

Sermon Preview for July 23, 2023

 

What happens when you put a brother between a multi-colored coat-wearing brother who has wild dreams and brothers who are unhappy with dad's favorite dreamer brothers? You get a Reuben sandwich. Pastor Jason preaches from Genesis 37:18-30 this Sunday.

Watch the whole service

at Ravenna Church of the Nazarene

Sunday at 10:45 AM ET

For better

 

FOR BETTER 

     Our faith is in Jesus, He is the central figure and theme of Christianity. So, it is important we know Him and why we need salvation through Him. And to aid us in that pursuit, God has given us the Bible.

 

     As Nazarenes, we believe God has inspired all 66 books in the Bible. Both the Old and New Testaments reveal God’s will to us, inerrantly displaying all things necessary for our salvation. If we want to know God’s will for our lives, we must know Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal Him to us through the Scriptures.

 

     In our passage today, Jesus will be tested by students of the Scriptures, albeit the Old Testament, who are trying to trap our Lord into a camp’s interpretation. Much like what happens in our day. But Jesus will appeal to the same Scriptures and reveal God’s will.

 

     Matthew 19:1-12 (CSB)

 

When Jesus had finished saying these things, he departed from Galilee and went to the region of Judea across the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Some Pharisees approached to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any ground?”

 

     “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that he who created them male and female, in the beginning, made them male and female,” and he also said, “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? So, they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

 

     “Why then,” they asked him, “did Moses command us to give divorce papers and to send her away?”

 

     He told them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts, but it was not like that from the beginning. I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.”

 

     His disciples said to him, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry.”

 

     He responded, “Not everyone can accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, some eunuchs were made by man, and some eunuchs have made themselves that way because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept it should accept it.”

 

 

This is the Word of God.

For the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

 

 

     The Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus in one of their camps. At the center of the debate is Deuteronomy 24:1, which says, “If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, he may write her a divorce certificate, hand it to her, and send her away.” These words of Moses from the law were interpreted by the conservative camp to mean that if a woman commits adultery, then divorce was permissible. The other, more liberal camp interpreted it to mean a man could leave his wife for whatever cause that displeased him. One verse, two camps, and a big debate.

 

     Jesus was not impressed with the interpretation of either camp. They were so focused on divorce, so accepting of the practice of it, that they missed the greater issue, marriage. Appealing to God’s will in scripture, Jesus begins to teach them about the legitimacy of marriage.

 

     In verses 4 through 6, Jesus reveals God’s will for marriage stated in Genesis. One man was to be married to one woman with the two united for one life. Together they reflected the image of God. Remember, our God is triune, meaning there is one God who is revealed as Father, Spirit, and Son. All three are fully God, collectively and individually. Each equally God, but one. This is God’s will for them, and divorce would be a violation of His will. And to knowingly violate God’s will is a sin.

 

     This was not the response the Pharisees were looking for; it did not solve their debate. “Why then did Moses command us to give divorce paper and to send her away?” The Pharisees knew the law, and it seemed God’s will for marriage and this command from Moses were in conflict. But notice Jesus points out in verse 9 that this was a command from Moses, it was a concession.

 

     Moses gave them a provision for divorce and permission is much different than a command. A command would have expressed God’s will, permission is given as a mercy in response to the sinfulness of people. This protected women from far worse outcomes, such as murder, abuse, and neglect. And the requirement for the man to hand his wife divorce papers was an effort to make the man consider his actions and the impact they would have on him and his wife.

 

     Divorce was to be a last resort because of what it revealed. Even though it was the lesser of many other possible evils, divorce exposed the hardness of heart in either the man or the woman. And this hardness of heart led to the death of the one life that resulted from the marriage covenant. Death grieves God.

 

     At this point, the Pharisees had no further questions or comments. The disciples had been listening and they threw out this observation in verse 10: “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry.” Listening to Jesus share God’s will and that divorce grieved His heart, the disciples realized Jesus was suggesting marriage should come with no escape clause in mind. Each of the disciples had been handpicked to follow Jesus, willingly joining, but their response revealed the worldliness in their hearts and the broken pattern established in their minds.

 

     Jesus does not dispute their words. In verse 11, Jesus says, “Not everyone can accept this saying, but only to those to whom it is given.” Essentially, Jesus is saying it is better not to enter a marriage if it is a bad marriage or if you are going to enter the covenant while still holding onto a way out.

 

     He goes on to talk about those who choose celibacy. Eunuchs were those who lived a celibate life. Often they were employed to take care of the bed chambers for queens and princesses. Some were Eunuchs because that is how they were born. Others were eunuchs because they had endured the physical cruelty of people who forced them into that life. And the last group was like Jesus, those who were capable of marriage but chose to remain single in service to God.

 

     Two things to consider about this for us now. First, the choice to remain single in service to God is made from love for God. It is not a choice to remain single and pursue the physical outside of marriage, as defined by God. Rather, it is a forsaking of those physical desires in total devotion to God. Second, the phrase “made that way by men” may not be referring to the physical mutilation experienced by those in antiquity. Certainly, that is possible. But in our modern context, perhaps a person has endured mental and emotional trauma that has led them to a decision to remain single. This is acceptable before God, making such a person no less whole in their standing with God than those who enter the marriage covenant.

 

     How could that be so? The concept of singleness and wholeness seem foreign to us outside of finding that special someone. Our assumption is that our husband or wife exists to complete us. If a person remains single, then how can that person be whole?

 

     This statement will be shocking, but my wife does not complete me. She brings great value to my life, and it is certainly more enjoyable to journey through with her companionship. But she does not complete me, nor is it possible for her to do so. My life was made whole when I decided to follow Jesus. Jesus makes me whole, filling the giant God-shaped hole in my heart, and faith in Jesus makes my wife whole. Our marriage is me whole in Jesus choosing to love my wife who is also whole in Jesus. She is not my wife because I count on her to make me happy or any other thing she can give me. We both entered this covenant as whole individuals uniting in love. Yes, we are one flesh, but we are one in the bond of love, a choice made and being made daily.

 

     Love is the choice that sustains marriage. And it is the only thing that will. If marriage is based on our spouses making us happy, what happens when they do not make us happy? It opens the door for the temptation to do evil to our spouse, to force them into submission. Force may work for a while, but only as long as fear holds them. But no healthy and God-honoring relationship will survive the rule of fear. Ultimately, that can lead to divorce, the choice that grieves God.

 

     God’s Word reveals to us that marriage is a choice to love someone and spend the entirety of life together. Love casts out fear because it is patient, kind, trusting, humble, considerate, selfless, and forgiving. And when we enter marriage, the choice we made is not based on what the other person offers us, nor is it based on how they make us feel. We choose to love again and again because that is the choice we made before God to do with our lives.

 

     I know this is a high standard. And I am not naïve about the brokenness that exists in the world. Relationships are complicated, and greatly influenced by sin and broken patterns. Many of us in this room are divorced. Some of us divorced and remarried, what are we supposed to do with a high standard like this? Some of you may have been in relationships that were dead, killed by neglect, abuse, or other factors and now find yourself single. What are you supposed to do with a high standard like this? There might be some who have been or are in relationships living together but are not married. Maybe there are even kids. What are you supposed to do with a high standard like this?

 

     In this room are others who enjoyed the privilege and honor of love in marriage but now you the pain of enduring alone. Perhaps some are here who are single and do not want to be, or you choose to be single. You may know that God has made you whole through Jesus, but that does not stop the loneliness. What are you supposed to do with a message like this?

 

     The answer is the same for everyone. God is saying, “My grace is sufficient for you.” In your current marriage with all the fights and mistrust, God is saying my grace is sufficient for you. In your single-ness, God is saying, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Your heart might be hurting because of the grief that grips you with your beloved passing, and God is saying my grace is sufficient for you.”

Need prayer? Have a question? Contact The Dirt Path Pastor

Sermon Preview for July 16, 2023

 

The Pharisees had read the law of Moses regarding divorce, but the trouble was interpreting what was written in the Scriptures. They approach Jesus intending to trap Him in one of their interpretation camps. However, it does not go as they had planned. Pastor Jason shares from Matthew 19:1-12. #ravnaz #sermonpreview #thedirtpathpastor #thedirtpathsermonpodcast

Watch the whole service

at Ravenna Church of the Nazarene

Sunday at 10:45 AM ET