05.31.2009 Never Waste a Good Crisis - The Crisis of Crises, How to Respond When Everything Seems to Go Wrong

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Pastor Mike is in Columbus this weekend visiting his sons, and so he has asked if I would like to speak again this week and next. Next, because I just can’t get through this in one week! We have been going through a series blatantly stolen from the Obama Administration Mantra: Never Waste a Good Crisis. – and then we usually include a subtitle. So far, the subtitles have included “The Crisis of Sin”, “how you can survive and thrive through a crisis of faith” – Matt Cramer spoke on Jeremiah, the crisis of failure; and just last week, Mike spoke on the crisis of Peter – getting out of the boat – or, what to do when you are walking on water and suddenly find yourself sinking. Ok, I embellished that one a little bit.
These next two weeks, we will be looking at the life of Joseph – and this week’s subtitle is
A Crisis of Crises – How to Respond When Everything Seems to Go Wrong – or, What it Means to be a Cleveland Sports Fan.

Let’s pray…

It is important to have a little background on the dysfunctional family life of the Jacob family.
Back in Genesis 29 we read that Jacob loved Rachel. He agreed to serve her father, Laban, for 7 years for the privilege of marrying his younger daughter, Rachel. It says in

Genesis 29: 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her.

At the end of the seven years, it was time for Laban to give Jacob his daughter. Well, Laban didn’t think it was right to marry off the younger daughter first - so on the wedding night – he pulled the ole’ switcheroo – substituting Leah for Rachel. That must have been some surprise waking up the next morning. It was said of Rachel that she was beautiful of form and face – but that her older sister Leah was ‘weak in the eyes.’ I think, because of the contrast, that probably translates to “not as pleasant to look at”…

So, within the span of a week, Jacob gets Leah and her handmaid, Zilpah, and then the girl of his dreams, Rachel, and her maid, Bilhah. Now the babymaking challenge begins.

Leah bears 4 sons – Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. In the meantime, Rachel can’t conceive, so she suggests that she have children through her maid, Bilhah, and Bilhah has Dan and Naphtali. Then Leah was barren for a time, and she gave her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob and bore 2 more sons, Gad and Asher. Then Leah is able to conceive again, and has Issachar and Zebulun – and then a daughter, Dinah.
So, the tally is thus
Leah – 6 sons (and a daughter)
Leah’s maid, Zilpah – 2 sons
Rachel’s maid, Bilhah - 2 sons – for a total of 10 sons – leaving
Rachel: 0.

Finally, the woman Jacob loved so much is able to conceive – and she has a son – Joseph.

Now Joseph becomes the favorite firstborn son of the favorite wife – now let’s pick up Joseph’s story in Genesis 37
Genesis 37:2b Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was [still] a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic. 4 And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and [so] they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.

Some commentators have suggested a couple of things about this varicolored tunic – this coat of many colors.
1) It is a sign of receiving the rights of the first-born – in fact, Joseph was the first-born son of the wife that he loved – you know, the wife he wasn’t tricked into marrying. Also, this was actually fulfilled later that Joseph was given the rights of the firstborn –

1 Chronicles 5:1 Now the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel (for he was the first-born, but because he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel;)

2) The language surrounding the tunic suggests that it was a robe of leisure – instead of just being a coat of many colors, it could be translated flowing and long-sleeved. You wouldn’t work in the coat – and it is possible the brothers resented Joseph for that as well.

Gen. 37: 5 Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 And he said to them, "Please listen to this dream which I have had; 7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf. " 8 Then his brothers said to him, "Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

Notice – the word DREAMS here is plural – that suggests that this may have been a pattern of God revealing something to Joseph in his dreams; Joseph relating it to his brothers; and the dream coming true – and they hated him because of it.

9 Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, "Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." 10 And he related [it] to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?" 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying [in mind.]

These dreams obviously needed no interpretation. The brothers and his father understood exactly what the dreams meant. And, of course, it says that the brothers were jealous and hated him even more – but Jacob kept the saying in mind – much like Mary kept the angels’ word about Jesus in mind.

So one day Joseph’s brothers are supposed to be shepherding the flocks in Shechem – where Jacob used to live and it was further north so there were greener pastures there. Jacob sends Joseph to ‘see about their welfare and the welfare of the flock and report back to me.’ You might remember in one of the first verses we read this morning – the last time Joseph went to check on his brothers, he brought back a bad report.

Surprise, surprise - the brothers aren't at Shechem...

Gen. 37: 17b So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

Dothan means ‘the place of two wells.’ If Joseph were really a prophet – you might think that God would have told him “avoid the place of two wells” – let’s pick up in v. 18

18 When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death. 19 And they said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer! 20 "Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, 'A wild beast devoured him.' Then let us see what will become of his dreams!" 21 But Reuben heard [this] and rescued him out of their hands and said, "Let us not take his life." 22 Reuben further said to them, "Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him"

-- that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.

23 So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; 24 and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.

I’ve read that these pits were shaped like a giant bell, with the narrow end at the top. It was an empty pit – for those of you who are Princess Bride fans - a pit of despair – don’t even think about trying to escape. Joseph was in the darkest place his life had ever been (to this point). God has a way of using bad things to bring about His own purpose and plan. God was planning to make Joseph’s wildest dreams come true! But Joseph didn't even know it.
Don’t miss this: Sometimes when bad things are happening to you, you may say, ‘This is the worst moment of my life.’ But God may be arranging for the fulfillment of His ultimate plan for your life. Trust in God. He has a plan.

So after they throw Joseph into the pit, what do they do?
25 Then they sat down to eat a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing aromatic gum and balm and myrrh, on their way to bring [them] down to Egypt. 26 And Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 "Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; for he is our brother, our [own] flesh." And his brothers listened [to him.] 28 Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled [him] up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty [shekels] of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt. 29 Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments. 30 And he returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is not [there;] as for me, where am I to go?"

Reuben reminds me of my friend Nick. When Nick was young, he was responsible for his brother, Joe (Hey! Joseph!). He and a bunch of friends were dipping cat-tails in gasoline (the plant, not the animal :) ) - and lighting them. One of the kids dipped a smoldering cat-tail back into the gasoline and the container of gasoline (that someone was holding) caught on fire. So the guy holding the gasoline turns and throws it - right at my friend Nick. Nick says he ran around like a chicken with his head on fire - until one of the older boys punched him to knock him out so they could put the fire out. To hear Nick tell it - he would rather have gone through the experience of being on fire than for it to have happened to his younger brother (whom he was responsible for) and enduring the wrath of his dad!

31 So they took Joseph's tunic, and slaughtered a male goat, and dipped the tunic in the blood; 32 and they sent the varicolored tunic and brought it to their father and said, "We found this; please examine [it] to [see] whether it is your son's tunic or not."

Notice they didn't spell out to Jacob exactly what they wanted him to believe - but allowed him to come to his own conclusions.

33 Then he examined it and said, "It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured him; Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!" 34 So Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 35 Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, "Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son." So his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh's officer, the captain of the bodyguard.

Gen. 39: 2 And the Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. 3 Now his master saw that the Lord was with him and [how] the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge. 5 And it came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house on account of Joseph; thus the Lord's blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field.

Think about this – with Joseph there – everything worked better – the crops were better, the well worked better, the house ran smoother. Joseph was a fulfillment of Genesis 12:2 made to his great grandfather Abraham – And you shall be a blessing. Incidentally – that was the first verse that any of my kids memorized –
Gen. 12:2 – you shall be a blessing. I want to be and I want my kids to be a blessing to others.
Now – part of the application – when you go to work – is it obvious that the Lord is with you? Is your company more successful because you are employed there? Are you being a blessing to others? Just something to think about…

6 So he left everything he owned in Joseph's charge; and with him [there] he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

This last line – Joseph was handsome in form and appearance – This is a segue into the next section. Incidentally – the same phrasing was used for his mother, Rachel, in Genesis 29.

7 And it came about after these events that his master's wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me." 8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, with me [here,] my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. 9 "There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil, and sin against God?" 10 And it came about as she spoke to Joseph day after day, that he did not listen to her to lie beside her, [or] be with her.

11 Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside. 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside. 13 When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had fled outside, 14 she called to the men of her household, and said to them, "See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I screamed. 15 "And it came about when he heard that I raised my voice and screamed, that he left his garment beside me and fled, and went outside." 16 So she left his garment beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she spoke to him with these words, "The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to make sport of me; 18 and it happened as I raised my voice and screamed, that he left his garment beside me and fled outside. " 19 Now it came about when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, "This is what your slave did to me," that his anger burned.

Notice it doesn't say that his anger burned against Joseph specifically. In fact, Potiphar probably had the authority to have Joseph put to death - but personally, I don't think he totally believed his wife. Nonetheless...

20 So Joseph's master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. 22 And the chief jailer committed to Joseph's charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible [for it.] 23 The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's charge because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made to prosper.

1) Do the right thing, even when it’s difficult.
Whatever job you have – do it heartily – and God will make you successful –
Col. 3: 23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
Heartily means “from the soul and not with mere eye service” Again – is your company more successful because of you?
I also realize that there are some here who are out of work right now…
If your job is looking for a job, that is your job which you need to do heartily – from the soul.

1) Do the right thing, even when it’s difficult.
2) Be a servant - Servanthood is the best preparation for leadership – in whatever situation Joseph finds himself in, he steps up to a leadership role. We’ll see next week how God uses this to prepare him for the future. There are plenty of opportunities for you to be a servant – at home, at work, at church, and in your neighborhood.

1) Do the right thing, even when it’s difficult.
2) Be a servant
3) Trust God in the difficulties by claiming His promises. Difficulties are part of the will of God – and God is with us through the difficult times.
Look at Joseph – He was first thrown into the pit, and then sold into slavery. In slavery, it is obvious to all that God is with him and God makes him successful. Then he is unjustly accused and thrown in jail. In jail, it is obvious to all that God is with him and God makes him successful. When you are fettered, how does it become obvious that God is with you? By the words that you say and the attitude you display. Joseph didn’t have the scriptures. He didn’t have all the promises we have today – and yet, he had a few promises that had been handed down a few generations - and some fulfilled and unfulfilled dreams to go on – yet somehow, he had an intimate relationship with God. He truly believed that God was going to work it out for him.
Today, we have a promise in Romans 8:28
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to [His] purpose.
Does it say, We know that God causes all things to work together for good for everyone? No. To whom is the promise given? To those who love God, those who are called according to His purpose.

How do you show that you love God?
How do you answer His call?
What is God’s call?
John 6: 40 "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life ; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."
If you have never put your faith in Christ – to truly believe in Him – that is the starting point.
I also want to say, if you have never been baptized – that should be one of the first steps to obedience after putting your faith in Christ. If you would like to be baptized – or if you are not 100% sure that you have put your faith in Christ, come see me or Pastor Mike, and we’ll make sure you understand the Scriptures to know what you need to do.
To reiterate –
1) Do the right thing, even when it’s difficult.
2) Be a servant
3) Trust God in the difficulties by claiming His promises.

Each of you was given an index card. I’d like you to write a verse on that card and take it with you this week and memorize and claim that verse. If you don’t know of a promise to claim, claim Romans 8:28 – or John 3:16. There are many promises of God - 2Cor 1: 20 For as many as may be the promises of God, in Him they are yes;

Let’s pray