Good & Bad Fortunes
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Introduction
What is one of the best things about going to an all you can eat Chinese buffet?
It’s the fortune cookie. I have no idea how they fry this cookie with the paper inside. It has got to be one of the great mysteries of the world.
Now I don’t believe in fortune cookies but I would be lying if I said I didn’t crack them open and read them. As a matter of fact lets crack this one open and see what’s inside. (Read the fortune.)
That was pretty good right. The problem is they’re all good. I have never gotten a bad fortune from a fortune cookie.
Who’s ever got a fortune cookie that said, “Enjoy everyday of your life because you only have seven more.”
or “Get ready for a new love in your life because your husband is cheating on you.”
No! This is not what people want to here. They want to hear that everything’s going to be alright and that if you use the numbers on the back of your fortune cookie for the lottery, you win every time.
Fortune cookies always have good fortunes in them, therefore, I don’t trust them. That’s not reality. Not everyone has a good fortune in front of them. We know this from real life.
Many of us approach God as a good fortune cookie. Just tell me what I want to hear. I have so much negative in my life I just want to believe in something positive.
Sometimes we even trade in reality for the fortune cookie. Instead of doing what’s necessary to have a blessed and fulfilling life.
But the truth is sometimes life is just hard, unfair, and unforgiving. Whether we caused it or someone else caused it. It’s not always good.
You know what I desire more than anything. The Truth. Just tell me the truth and we can deal in reality. We can work through the problems and issues of life.
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
You see in Old Testament times some of the Kings would surround themselves with prophets that would only tell them good things about their kingdom and family.
You ever heard the phrase, “I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news.” or, “Don’t shoot the messenger.”
That comes from the fact of many prophets that died telling the truth when the truth was not desired.
Just make me feel good.
Truthfully not much has changed From the Old Testament till now.
2 Tim 4:
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
I feel this more as a preacher today then ever before. We are living in this scripture right now.
Let’s not talk about judgment, Let’s just talk about forgiveness.
Let’s not talk about hell. Tell us a story about heaven.
Let’s not talk about consequences, I’d rather hear about my freedoms.
The biggest issue with this is people grow and change through pain and suffering. “No Pain, No Gain.”
So how do we balance our attitude so that we are not living in the negative all the time.
Discover the truth no matter what it is.
Endure the pain necessary to live in the truth.
Enjoy the fruits of your labors.
Body of the Message
As we continue our story of Joseph we find him in prison. we know that he was 13 years in Egypt as a slave and in prison and more than likely he spent most of that time in the pit in prison.
Let’s read the story together in and then we will see what God is wanting to say to us this morning.
(Read )
Everybody wants the blessing. Nobody wants the curse.
Can you imagine Joseph interpreting those dreams for others when he had his own dreams he was holding onto.
The butler was doing easy time at that point because he believed he was getting out in 3 days. You can endure anything for three days.
But Joseph had been there for years with no sign of getting out.
So how do we handle good fortune from the Lord. Most don’t even handle the good news in a godly way.
Live in the confidence of God’s Word on your life.
Realize you are just a part of God’s bigger plan and he blesses you to bless others.
Remember where the blessing came from and show gratitude for those who helped you.
There is a story in of Jesus healing 10 lepers. They begged him to heal them and he said, “God and show yourselves to the priests.” and as they went they were healed. But only one man, a Samaritan, returned to give thanks and praise for being healed.
How many times are we healed and we forget to honor the Lord with love and affection.
So the butler forgot Joseph after he was restored for two whole years.
The news from the Lord is not always good news. The baker was hoping for good news but what he got was the truth. It was just as true as the butler’s truth. It just wasn’t good.
So how do we handle bad fortunes from the Lord.
Repent and ask God for mercy and grace.
When Jonah went to the wicked city of Niniva and told them God was going to destroy them. They gathered the men of the city and begged God for mercy, and God being a merciful God spared the entire city.
Seek to restore broken relationships no matter what the outcome.
Take the consequences and live in the truth.
I’m so thankful that God sent a messenger into my life to tell me the truth.
The truth of God’s wrath on an ungodly world mixed with the truth of God love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ his Son.
These are both true. One doesn’t make since without the other. And I believe it all.
I don’t know if you caught the story of Jesus in the passage so let me break it out for you.
Joseph is a picture of Jesus being falsely accused for someone else’s sin.
There are two men with Joseph:
One a cupbearer of wine, the other a baker of flesh.
The other a baker of flesh
These two men represent the two thieves on the cross with Jesus.
In the Butlers dream he crushed the grapes to make wine: a picture of the blood of Christ, and he offered it to the king.
In the Bakers dream he worked with his hands to produce delights in the flesh: a picture of works from the flesh, which will never satisfy the king.
One thief cursed Jesus and demanded he save them all.
One thief recieved the truth about Jesus and had one simple request. Remember me when you enter into your kingdom.
And Jesus replied, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.”
Conclusion:
I don’t know what truth you have recieved from the Lord today. Whether you are living in a blessing or a curse.
But I know this. God has not forgotten you.
You might be a leper on the side of the road.
A city that is under the curse of God’s wrath.
Or a baker with just a few days left.
But the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ has the ability to release you from your curse and restore you to a place of blessing.
Here’s what you need to do.
Repent and ask God for mercy and grace.
Seek to restore your broken relationship with the Lord
Take the consequences and live in the truth.
Seek to restore broken relationships no matter what the outcome.
Take the consequences and live in the truth.