Forgiving Joseph's Way (I)

Forgiving Joseph's Way (I)

Genesis 42:8-17 (I)
Genesis 45:1-8

If there was one person in the Bible who had been wronged, it was Joseph. Yet Joseph is not known for exacting revenge, but rather he is known for forgiveness.

In Genesis 37, we read how Joseph went through great lengths to find his brothers to bring them food. When he did find his brothers, they plotted to kill him. Joseph was 17 years old at this time.

They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.
Genesis 37:18 ESV

Joseph was sold into slavery but not killed. In Egypt, he went through many trials including being was falsely accused and thrown into jail. In Genesis 41, Joseph was made prime minister after he was given insight on how to overcome an upcoming famine. Joseph was 30 years when he was made prime minister.

There were seven years of plenty and then seven years of scarcity. If Joseph saw his brothers in the second year of scarcity, this meant that he had not seen his brothers or family for 22 years. He had labored through all the hurt from his brothers but there was also all the longing of returning home to familiar places.

When Joseph's brothers came to Egypt to buy food. Joseph recognized them and remembered the past. This brings back the historical past into the present. All the emotions come back as well

And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. And he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.”
Genesis 42:8‭-‬9 ESV

God puts people in our lives for many reasons. There are those who have hurt us and sometimes we have to live with them. Joseph gives us a good example of forgiving which can be broken down into two steps.

1. Strive to understand why God would allow this pain in your life. Joseph remembered the dreams and how his brothers would bow to him. Although Joseph remembered the hurt of betrayal, he also remembered why God put Joseph where he is now. We should always acknowledge that the main purpose in our life is to be a witness of Jesus.

2. Joseph waits for three days before making his decision. He did not react immediately. For 22 years he had not seen his brothers and had lived with the grief and pain, but instead of letting his emotions take over, he removed himself. This gave him time to think and rationally think about what has happened and what can be done.

During this time Joseph remembered that the ability to interpret dreams came from God. He also knew that God had placed Joseph where he was.

Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”
Genesis 41:16 ESV

Joseph had the wisdom to know that God had used him even with all the hurt which came with it.

And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
Genesis 45:5 ESV

Let us not be controlled by our emotions but put our trust in God that He can be the true witness of Christ by practicing forgiveness.

300 Majesty -Here I am

Majesty

CCLI Song # 4219071 

Martin Smith | Stuart Garrard 

MAJESTY (Here I Am) - Michael Janz

Verse 1 
Here I am, humbled by Your Majesty 
Covered by Your grace so free 
Here I am, knowing I'm a sinful man 
Covered by the blood of the Lamb 
 
Pre chorus 
Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine 
Since You laid down Your life 
The greatest sacrifice 
 
Chorus 1 
Majesty, Majesty 
Your grace has found me just as I am 
Empty-handed but alive in Your hands 
 
Verse 2 
Here I am, humbled by the love that You give 
Forgiven so that I can forgive 
Here I stand, Knowing that I'm Your desire 
Sanctified by glory and fire 
 
Pre chorus 
Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine 
Since You laid down Your life 
The greatest sacrifice 
 
Chorus 1 
Majesty, Majesty 
Your grace has found me just as I am 
Empty-handed but alive in Your hands 
 
Chorus 2 
Majesty, Majesty 
Forever I Am Changed By Your Love 
In The Presence Of Your Majesty 
 
Chorus 1 
Majesty, Majesty 
Your grace has found me just as I am 
Empty-handed but alive in Your hands 

Chorus 2 
Majesty, Majesty 
Forever I Am Changed By Your Love 
In The Beauty Of Your Majesty 

Majesty (Here I Am) – Delirious Lyrics and Chords | Worship Together

주 앞에 (주 앞에 겸손히)

Martin Smith, Stuart Garrard

CCLI Song #6409793

Verse 1

주 앞에 겸손히 나 서있네

주 은혜 날 자유케 해

주 앞에 죄인 된 내 모습 보네

주 보혈 날 덮으셨네

Pre-Chorus

생명 주신

그 놀라운 희생으로

가장 크신 사랑

주 내게 주셨네

Chorus 1

위대한 나의 주

주 은혜의 손길 안에서

주의 능력으로 살아가리

Verse 2

주 앞에 그 사랑 날 겸손케 해

용서받은 나 용서하네

나 이제는 주 사랑 안에 있네

영광의 불 날 거룩케 해

Chorus 2

Majesty Majesty

주 영광의 임재 안에서

주의 사랑으로 변화되리

Majesty

Be Watchful over Temptations That Cause Sinning

Be Watchful over Temptations That Cause Sinning

Luke 17:1-6

In our lives as believers temptations will come. The good thing about temptations is that they do bring us closer to God.

The Bible gives many warnings and precautions both in the Old and New Testament. These warnings are to protect us and help us prosper. There are two sins in the New testament with grave warnings. In Luke 12:10 Jesus warns us about blaspheming the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us that all other sins will be forgiven but not blaspheming the Holy Spirit. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is when someone violates the direction of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that directs us to the cross so resistance to Jesus' saving grace cannot be forgiven. Luke 12 talks about the non-believers who refuse to accept Jesus as their savior.

In Luke 17, Jesus talks about our part in receiving and giving temptation. Anyone can receive temptation from outside sources, but we can also become temptations to other. In other words, we can become a carrier of temptation making other people fall into temptation and sin.

When Jesus talks about temptation in Luke 17, He means scandalous or a trap for in a scandalous event. This kind of temptation is like a trap that is triggered by an unaware prey. The temptation is purposely set to catch someone in sin.

Believers need to be aware of temptations so as to avoid falling into these traps, but believers do not have the ability to avoid all temptations. If anything, Christians are more likely to be tempted. The good news is that we are not alone, but rather that we have the Holy Spirit.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
John 14:16 ESV

We understand Jesus warns us that we do not become carriers of temptation. In fact, Jesus says that it is better if the person were never born. Jesus is showing the value of His members. Jesus values each one of His believers, and expects us to also value each other as He does.

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Luke 17:3‭-‬4 ESV

Unforgiveness is the biggest temptation in the congregation. Some members are insensitive about causing offences and unaware of the pain that they have caused. The burden on your heart blocks your blessings from God and the blessings meant for the person who has offended.

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
John 20:23 ESV

and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Matthew 6:12 ESV

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 5:23‭-‬24 ESV

Forgiveness is the only time in our lives when we can affect the blessings for others and ourselves.

Sometimes it is hard to forgive because we feel that we are better than them. At the same time, we should also not play a pacifist role. We need to be direct and not ignore what has happened and actively seek to forgive. Finally we have be careful not to fall back into unforgiveness when we are in post meditation. It is easy to reflect on how someone had offended us and bring up all those negative feelings and justifications why they should be punished and punished severely.

May the Lord Jesus give us heart of flesh, so we may forgive others like He has forgiven us.

If Not for Bread, Why Follow Him

If Not for Bread, Why Follow Him

John 6:41-51

For the past three weeks, we have been studying John 6 and discussing why people followed Jesus and His rebuke to some of them. There were three types that followed Jesus. Some followed because they had seen signs. Others followed because they had benefited from Jesus. These benefits may have been healings or being and fed. Finally. there were others who came because of who Jesus was.

Jesus has confronted all about their true motivations. Jesus discourages the crowd from putting their own priorities in place. We ought to follow Jesus because he is brought into the Convenantal family of God and Jesus will keep you in this family. We also need to follow Jesus because he will also care for us as individuals. Of course we still feel lack as well as enough, but this is how Jesus deals with us and perfects us.

So why did the multitudes not accept Jesus as he claimed. 

We know that these people valued their ancestors and their national history. This is why Jesus mentions manna and the time in the wilderness. Jesus knew these people, and they also knew him. In fact, at one time these same people wanted Jesus to be their king, but that was political. The reason that the people give for not accepting Jesus was they knew Him. 

The people had become too familiar with Jesus. Just like us, we lose our passion and become apathetic. We are so familiar with the scriptures they use their impact. The word becomes useless because we don't have the humility to accept the word. What was once awe inspiring and a mystery becomes plain and ordinary. Like so many other things, the newness wears off and we lose interest which takes away any value we once placed on the object of our interest.

What are the other motivating factors which compel us to follow Jesus? 

We come to follow a Lord who understands our lives.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
John 6:26‭-‬27 ESV

Jesus was God made manifest in flesh. God has come among people. God had to come and live life as a human being so He can understand us at our level.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:1‭, ‬3 ESV

We come to follow a Lord who understands we are weak and fragile.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:15 ESV

Our Lord is not withdrawn from our difficulties. He was insulted, abandoned and lived through all our sufferings.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
1 John 2:1 ESV

Jesus is in Heaven and will endure us. Jesus understands us and he defends us. He can sympathize with us and will aid us. Even when we fall into sin and disgrace ourselves, Jesus is with us.

Another reason for us to follow Jesus is because He delights in our existence. Jesus draws us to Him because Jesus loved us and desired to select us. Our merits and efforts did not have anything to do with us being chosen or kept us. It is a privilege for us to be Christians.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
John 15:16 ESV

May we give thanks through our obedience. There is nothing that can keep us with Jesus or bring us to Jesus. Just like the children of Israel, we are rescued and provided for because God wants to. Jesus deals with us individually in the way that will sustain and perfect us. In all the good times and bad times, let us praise Jesus and give thanks to Jesus.

The final reason to follow Jesus is that he is giving His life for us.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
John 6:51 ESV

May we follow Jesus for the right reasons and grow in His time under His direction.

2020 Spring

 

If not for Bread, Why Follow Him?

If not for Bread, Why Follow Him

John 6:35-40

Last week we had studied that there were three main reasons why people were following Jesus. Some wanted to see the miracles, others wanted some physical benefits while the third set came to follow Jesus to know Jesus.

For those who turned their backs on Jesus, we can understand that without the healings, miracles and bread these people lost interest in following Jesus. But if our realistic needs are not being met, what is the purpose of following Jesus?

Modern Christians have a tradition passed to them that all will be well with us. Our welfare will be taken care of. Initially, Jesus was doing this with the multitudes, but then He stops. He doesn't give them bread but tells the multitudes that He is the bread of life.

Bread and water is necessary for us to live. Jesus tells the people that the bread of life will satisfy. Jesus will give bread that takes care of the spiritual and the physical needs. Yet, all Christians will tell you that they still hunger for physical food and we have needs and wants. We do not seem to be at the Revelation lack of hunger.

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
Revelation 7:16 ESV

It is not only our physicals needs that continue to be in want, our spiritual needs are yet to be satisfied. We struggle with sin and make mistakes which are not pleasing to God or put God first.

There are three reasons why we should continue to follow Jesus even though it seems we are still in physical and spiritual want.

1.  We are to follow the Lord as Christians with the understanding that we enter the Commonwealth of Lord. We are under the protectorate of God.

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
John 6:37‭-‬39 ESV

In Exodus 16, the Israelites entered the wilderness without knowing how God would provide. God provided in a unique way that the Israelites could not really understand. But God did this to allow the people to build their trust. The food was beyond their understanding and they named the food from heaven as "What's this?" ; however, as we grow in our understanding of God, we need to change our motivation to follow God, or we may become disillusioned. We may end up following God only when our situation is well.

2.  We ought to follow the Lord because the Lord will protect us as members of the body of Christ.

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
John 6:37‭-‬38 ESV

We are brought together as a group but as individuals we are sustained as individuals. The will of the Father is that no one will be lost. Jesus will deal with us individually. There will be a variety of ways to bring us to where we need to be. This may include hard times or tragedy. The good news is that we will not go beyond our ability to withstand.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
James 1:2‭-‬8 ESV

3.  Jesus provides according to His will and not our will nor our understanding. Jesus follows God's will and God's will is to see us saved. Jesus will keep the promise of God to raise up those who look to Jesus and believe they will have eternal life.

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:40 ESV

Let us not lose heart when our situation leaves us in want, but rather remember that Jesus wants us saved and will raise us because we believe in Him to do so.

For What Reasons Do We Follow Him?(John 6:22-35)

For What Reasons Do We Follow Him?

John 6:22-35

We may come into a situation when someone ask you why are you a Christian? Many of us may have inherited our faith as a Christian or we decided to follow Christ.

How we came to follow Christ will show how we go through our lives. Are we Christians because God is our help in our time of need. Are we Christians because God forgives us whenever we fail. Are we Christians because God was forced on us and we have no other way we can live.

The multitude have just been fed miraculously and are looking for Jesus the next day. When people see that Jesus is gone, they find him on the other side. Jesus confronts the people about their motivation to find Jesus which was to get more food.

The crowd had seen miracles and signs and this was why they had followed Jesus. Many came to see the signs and others came to be entertained or were just curious. Still, others came for healing. The scriptures tells us that people had come to see the signs of healing and to be healed. However, the people also came to get provisions and Jesus points this out.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
John 6:26 ESV

These were people in need. They were desperate and Jesus saw this. We read about this in Matthew.

Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”
Matthew 14:15‭-‬16 ESV

These people were in need and it was not wrong to benefit from these miracles or what Jesus had done. The people see the figure of Moses in Jesus. They expect Jesus to keep blessing them and providing for them. Yet, Jesus points out the wrong motivation.

When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
Exodus 16:15 ESV

Jesus recognizes that these people are looking for daily provisions and material benefits. This is natural because we need these things to live, but Jesus them that they should not seek these physical benefits because they are temporal. Food, money, health, fame, beauty and good times will all pass. Jesus encourages the people to seek heavenly things.

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
John 6:27 ESV

Jesus wants the people to reorient their goals and seek heavenly things and understand who Jesus is.

For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
John 6:33 ESV

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
John 6:35 ESV

Let us ask ourselves, "Why do we follow Jesus?" Let us also ask that God help us change our reasons to follow Jesus.

From last week's sermon sans video.

What to Do in the Time of Uncertainty

April 26, 2020

Jeremiah 29:4-14

It is very easy to ask God when His promises are going to happen, or where are you, God, when so many bad things are happening. There is lots of speculation of why this pandemic is happening. In Korea, Christians are blamed for bringing COVID-19 such levels in Korea. It is typical to blame others and even God during these crises.

So what is God up to? We only need to remember that God is in control. In Jeremiah's time, we see that the Israelites are being told that they will become exiles and captives. The elites of Israel had already been taken captive. The temple treasures had been taken and there is no more army to defend Israel.

The sinners realized they have done wrong and were afraid of their punishment. But those who were pure and clean were also being punished. People were asking how long or why they were going to be punished.

God told the people through Jeremiah that the punishment was going to be long but that they should live and prosper. So what can we learn from the words of God which Jeremiah spoke to the people of Israel.

A. In difficult times, we should persistently seek to stand in the council of the Lord. We have to seek God through prayer and study and we will find God. We will expose ourselves and show our vulnerable parts. When we seek God, we will find God. Although we allow our circumstances to overcome our behavior, we need to ask God what He wants us to do.

In Jeremiah 24 we have the vision of the two baskets of figs. The good figs are those who sought God's council and the bad figs are those that did not. Whatever you do, be honest with God. God will respond and give you what is right. This is not the time to blame. God gas a purpose and it is is for our own God.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:11 ESV

B. Let us learn to accept our realities that we may find ourselves in, yet acknowledge the sovereignty of God over our situation (Jeremiah 29:4). This is where we are and who we are. We may be limited and stuck in our situation, yet by accepting our fate we allow God to work. Amor fati. Understand that it is God that allows this, it is not us who is in control. God loves us despite our failings or success.

C. We need to strive to establish normality out of the abnormal circumstances (Jeremiah 29:4-8). During the hard times we need to develop our selves and have trust in God that He wants good for us.

I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
Jeremiah 24:6 ESV

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord , plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

God has plans for you. They are to put you in a right relationship with God and they are good plans.