Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
PICS – celebrating too early.
In each of these pictures the person started to celebrate their victory only to lose because they hadn't yet crossed the finish line.
They lost focus in the last moments of the race and they lost.
In 2Timothy 4:7 Paul writes...
This is the goal.
We want to run our race all the way to the end.
That is why I love this pic (S).
There are three things I love here.
1 - He is running so flat out that the finish line tape is streaming behind him.
2 - He's smiling because he finished his race.
3 - His feet aren't touching the ground.
This is how I want to go out of this life.
I want to leave running my race in a flat out sprint.
I want to leave with a smile on my face because I finished.
And I want to be caught up to meet my Lord in the air.
I want to finish well.
This passage records the end of Joseph's life.
With this message we come to the end of Genesis.
The end of this record of God's faithfulness, His promises, and the anticipation of Him fulfilling those promises.
I find it fascinating that this book closes with a focus on God doing what He has promised.
Joseph is confident in the Lord, confident that God will keep His Word.
Joseph did not lose focus, Joseph finished well.
These verses demonstrate that in order to finish well I must meet two requirements.
Meeting these two requirements will enable me to stand before the Lord with the anticipation of hearing "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful, enter into the joy of your Lord."
As we look at the final days of Joseph's life we are met with the first requirement...
1. Finishing Well Requires An Eternal Perspective vv.
15-21
It is impossible to finish well if you are distracted.
The marathoner who carries a DVD player to finish their favorite movie will not be the one to complete the race.
Proverbs 4:25-27 says...
Keep your eyes focused!
Paul wrote this in Philippians 3:13-14...
We are to keep our eyes on the goal and run to win the prize!
When our focus is on heaven and things of eternal value we learn that...
a. Eternal perspective creates a tender heart vv.
15-17
These verses are almost depressing.
We have seen evidence of transformation of Joseph's brothers, yet they still live in fear and guilt and invent this story in an attempt to coerce Joseph into giving them the forgiveness he has already given.
The timing in v. 15 seems to be almost immediately after they get back to Egypt following Jacob's burial.
Joseph's brothers obviously still feel guilty for what they did to him.
Notice their uncertainty.
Perhaps.
They are not sure what will happen but they don't want to take any chances.
They are worried that he will repay them for the evil they had done.
They do recognize that the way they treated him was indeed evil.
They do not understand Joseph's character.
This is not surprising, they never understood him.
They also do not understand true forgiveness.
This is the kind of fear that those who do not know Christ and His forgiveness and love face.
They are afraid that Joseph will hate them.
"Hate" - שָׂטַם satam to be at enmity with, be hostile towards.
To hold a grudge (hate) - to dislike intensely and feel antipathy or aversion towards.
Their reasoning here is very worldly.
It is something that we can expect to face from time to time in this life.
They are expecting Joseph to respond how they would.
This is an admission that the motivation for how they treated Joseph in the past was hate.
They are assuming that he will feel the same way towards them and treat them the same way.
They had treated Joseph in an evil or morally depraved way.
For brothers to abuse and sell their own is repugnant in every way.
And so because of their actions and guilty consciences, they expect him to return in kind.
They don't even have the courage to come to Joseph themselves in v. 16.
They send messengers.
The message they carry seems to be an invention.
They tell Joseph that before Jacob died he had a command for him.
v. 17 details the brothers made up command and Joseph's response.
Say to Joseph, I beg you to forgive your brothers.
Within this false story are some very revealing statements.
The brothers believe they are in need of forgiveness.
"Forgive" - נָשָׂא nasa' to carry; to lift, lift up; to raise; to take/take away.
To forgive (lit.
lift up) - to forgive conceived of as lifting up (or perhaps removing) something.
This is a fascinating word.
They want him to lift up, or remove the trespass.
They recognize what they did to Joseph as an evil trespass and sin.
"Trespass" - פֶּשַׁע pesha` wantonness; crime; wrongdoing; offence concerning property; misdemeanor.
Evildoing - the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle.
This is a violation of law.
What's interesting here is that both this word and sin are used.
Not that a trespass is not a sin, but that it is a different type of sin.
"Sin" - חַטָּאָת chatta'ath sin; expiation, sin-offering.
Sin (act) - an act or feeling that transgresses something forbidden or ignores something required by God's law or character; whether in thought, feeling, speech, or action.
This is more general.
A trespass is more specific.
Saying someone is a criminal versus saying they are a thief.
They broke a law but they also violated the standard of God's glory and holiness.
"Evil" - רַע ra`a(h) evil, wickedness, depravity, misfortune, disaster.
Evil (behavior) - morally objectionable behavior.
Their deed also displayed moral depravity and wickedness.
It's like they had a complete absence of conscience.
That is what hatred does and why it is so dangerous!
So they know what they did and the great wickedness that it was.
At the same time they are trying to use guilt to convince Joseph to do what they want.
They remind Joseph that they are his brothers and that they all serve the same God.
They bring the covenant into it a little by by saying they are the servants of the God of Joseph's father.
Joseph's response to all of this is to weep.
This is the kind of man Joseph is!
He weeps over the fact that his brothers don't trust his forgiveness!
Joseph has a tender heart because he knows that all of this was orchestrated by God!
He said as much back in Ch. 45!
Joseph has an eternal perspective.
He understands that God is sovereign and His will and ways are not our own!
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