Tawa Baptist

The Real Problem

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23

Video Link:  https://youtu.be/IF2_X66dpKo

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Defeating the purpose
  • The real problem
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

What is more important, the contents of a can or the label? Well, both have value. Without the label you wouldn’t know what was inside the can. But you cannot eat the label. The label merely points to the purpose of the can. The contents fulfil the purpose, which is to feed you, so the contents are more important. 

What is more important, having a shiny new paint job for your car or a reliable engine? Well, both have value. Without the paint job your car would be more vulnerable to rust. But the paint job isn’t what moves the car. The engine fulfills the purpose of the car, which is getting you from A to B, so a reliable engine is more important.

During the month of August, we looked at four passages from the book of Acts in support of Arotahi, our overseas mission organisation. Today we start a new series following the lectionary readings.

This morning’s lectionary reading focuses on the gospel of Mark, chapter 7.

In this reading, Jesus shows us what matters to God. The inner state of your heart is more important than the performance of external rituals. From verse 1 of Mark 7 we read…       

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus 2 and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) 5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” 6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” 9 And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observeyour own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honour your father and mother,’and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Defeating the purpose:

You have all heard of the phrase defeating the purpose. Defeating the purpose is when you do something that undermines what you are trying to achieve.

For example, cleaning your kitchen bench with a dirty cloth defeats the purpose.

Or take another example: the purpose of a holiday is to have a break from work, relax, unwind and spend time with family and friends. But if you keep checking your work emails all the time, that defeats the purpose of the holiday.

Or perhaps you want to provide counselling services for problem gamblers.

It would defeat the purpose somewhat if you funded the counselling services from pokey machines.           

Owning an electric car makes sense in a country like New Zealand, where much of our electricity supply comes from renewable sources, like hydro and wind. But if you live in a country where electricity comes mainly from coal, then the purpose of driving an electric car is defeated.

The purpose of the Law of Moses is to love God and love your neighbour.

Sadly, the Pharisees and teachers of the law, in Mark 7, were defeating the purpose of the law. 

A delegation of religious experts came from Jerusalem and gathered around Jesus. When they saw Jesus’ disciples eating food without first washing their hands, they questioned Jesus about it.

There was Jesus healing the sick, casting out demons, preaching amazing sermons, setting people free, basically making life better, and the Pharisees overlook all that, focusing instead on the hand washing habits of the disciples. 

It’s like reading a great novel only to take issue with a single word that was misspelt, even though the meaning was clear. Or it’s like eating the best meal of your life and then complaining about the colour of the waiter’s tie, as if that made a difference. Talk about missing the point.

Of course, the Pharisees cannot see they are missing the point. They think handwashing is the point and, if we had been immersed in their religion and culture from a young age, we might too.

Now, having recently come through the Covid pandemic, I need to be clear, the Pharisees’ obsession with hand washing was not for hygiene reasons. It was for religious reasons.

For centuries the Jews had been living under the thumb of their enemies.

Therefore, it was important for them not to be assimilated by the surrounding culture. They were very careful to maintain their Hebrew identity.

For the Pharisees, loyalty to God equated to staying separate from the pagan Gentiles around them. Observing ritual washing traditions was one of the ways the Jews stayed separate and pure. To break the purity rules was akin to treason, in their mind.

You also need to know that the Pharisees’ rules about hand washing were part of an oral tradition passed down by the Jewish elders. The law of Moses did not require this level of washing. Jewish priests were required to wash their hands as part of the ceremony of sacrifice, but regular people did not need to do this.

The Pharisees added to the law by expecting everyone to perform a little hand washing ceremony before eating.  

Jesus doesn’t beat around the bush. He tells the Pharisees very clearly, they are wrong. And he does this using Scripture and logic. Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah, an authority they accepted.

Basically, the Pharisees’ worship of God was in vain. Their worship was like an empty can. The label was misleading. Their worship was like a car with a shiny new paint job, but no engine. It looked good but it lacked power.  

In verses 9-14, Jesus gives an example of the way the Pharisees defeat the purpose of God’s law. God commands people to honour their parents. Among other things, this means helping to support your parents financially when they become unable to do this for themselves. (Remember, there was no government superannuation 2000 years ago. Your kids were your superannuation plan.)

Sadly, the manmade tradition of the elders gave people a loophole for getting out of taking care of dependent parents. If you declared your money or anything else you owned as dedicated to God, then (according to the Pharisees) you could avoid using it to look after your parents.

Thus, the Pharisees’ tradition defeated the purpose of God’s command.

Now, it’s important to remember that Jesus is not saying that all tradition is bad. We still need tradition. Tradition has a valuable role to play, particularly when it comes to teaching those who come after us.

Traditions can serve as a pathway to faith in Jesus. We just need to be careful that our traditions don’t defeat God’s purpose. If our traditions get in the way of obeying God in faith, then we change our traditions.   

From our vantage point it is tempting to look down on the Pharisees. We might wonder, how could they not see they had missed the point. How could they be so obtuse and not realise they were undermining God’s law?

Well, we all have our blind spots. We all have a little bit of Pharisee in us.

Better to ask ourselves…

What substance is there to our worship?

Are we living a life of justice, mercy and humility?

Is the label of our can a true representation of what the can contains?

Does the way we practice our religion look shiny and new but lack power? 

What minors do we major on?

Have we let go of God’s commands?

What traditions do we hold to that no longer serve God’s purpose?

The real problem:

Jesus gets the last word. The Pharisees have no answer for him. Seeing a teachable moment, Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” 17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) 20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

You may have seen an ad on TV about what to do if you have a heart attack. The ad shows a man (Jamie) feeling the symptoms of a heart attack. Blocked arteries, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, and a sore shoulder.

Unfortunately, Jamie is not aware of the real problem. He makes the call to take a hot shower, and the voice over says, ‘Unfortunately water won’t fix a heart attack. If you or someone else experience the symptoms of a heart attack, make the right call. Call 111 immediately.’

If you have problems with your heart, you need a doctor, not a shower.

The doctor might prescribe medication, or you may need an operation.

Whatever remedy the doctor prescribes though, it will work on the inside of you, not the outside.     

The Pharisees taught that ceremonial washing made people clean or spiritually right before God. Unfortunately, the Pharisees were wrong.

Washing your hands and kitchen ware to make yourself right with God is like trying to fix a heart attack by taking a hot shower. It doesn’t work. A heart problem is internal and washing is external. You can’t fix internal problems in an external way. 

When Jesus pointed this out saying, nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them, the disciples were in shock. Jesus was basically telling them, ‘Most of what you know is wrong’. Understandably, the disciples struggle to accept Jesus’ words.

Jesus’ meaning is basically this: Food is not dirty. Excrement (what goes down the toilet) is dirty. In fact, what you eat makes no difference to your relationship with God. (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

That probably doesn’t seem like a big deal to us, but it was earth shattering news for the disciples. There were certain foods, like pork and shellfish, that Jews never ate because they were not kosher (not clean). To eat any forbidden food was to break Israel’s covenant with God.

Now, the ban on certain foods wasn’t just a man-made tradition. It came from the law of Moses. So, by declaring all foods clean, Jesus was essentially declaring parts of the law of Moses to be no longer necessary. That was massive. To do that Jesus would have to be greater than Moses.

Why then did Jesus do this?

When you build a house, you often have scaffolding up around the outside.

But once the house is complete, the builders take the scaffolding down. 

It’s similar when you are pouring concrete. While the cement is still wet, you keep the boxing in place. But once the cement has set, you can remove the boxing.

Or think about when you make muffins. While the muffin mixture is runny and baking in the oven, you leave it in the muffin casing. But once the muffins are cooked and ready to eat, you no longer need the casing.

The kosher food laws were a bit like scaffolding or boxing or muffin casings. They were necessary for a time, but with the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, a new era had arrived and prohibitions on what you could eat got in the way.

God’s plan of salvation included the gentiles, which meant Jews and Gentiles needed to be able to fellowship together without worrying about what they ate or who they came in contact with.

(It doesn’t work to put new wine into old wine skins. It doesn’t work to patch an old garment with new cloth.) 

In verses 20-23, Jesus goes on to explain it is what comes out of the heart that makes a person unclean before God. Moral vices like theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, and so on, these are the things that defile a person.

There are some hard truths in Jesus’ words here that we must face…

Firstly, the moral aspects of the law (summarised by the ten commandments for example) are still very relevant. The kosher food laws may have served their purpose, but the moral law still stands. Jesus does not set us free to do whatever we want. Jesus sets us free to love God and love our neighbour.  

The second (equally important) truth is that what really matters to God is the state of your heart. Now, in this context, the heart is not the physical blood pump in your chest. Rather the heart refers to the core of your soul. Your mind, emotions and will. That part deep within you, where desire and motivation come from. Most of the time we are not aware of what is going on in our heart.

This was a complete paradigm shift for the disciples. They thought the problem came from the outside. Avoid contact with the Gentiles, don’t eat certain foods and God will accept you.

But Jesus is saying, no, the problem is not external. The problem is not with the Gentiles or with pork. The real problem is with you, with your heart. External rituals, like ceremonial hand washing, can’t cleanse the human heart any more than a hot shower can unblock clogged arteries.

So, what is the remedy? Well, Jesus does not offer a remedy in today’s reading. Jesus diagnoses the problem (which is the human heart) and leaves this truth with his disciples. He lets it sinks in.

You need to understand that the words Jesus spoke (about evil coming from within) were not just meant for the Pharisees or for people 2000 years ago. Jesus’ words apply to us today, as well. The problem is in you and it’s in me.

You may not have committed adultery or murder. You may not steal or bear false witness in court, but that is only by the grace of God and a lack of opportunity.

The potential to do great harm is within each one of us. Evil may lie dormant, so we are not aware of it. But, by a series of unfortunate events, it could be woken, and all hell would break loose. Pray that does not happen.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil, (especially the evil within).

The problem, Jesus said, is with the human heart. And the remedy is a new heart. The prophets talked about this remedy centuries before Jesus came.

In Ezekiel 36 the Lord says…

25 …I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 

A heart of stone is a hard heart, a dead heart, a mind and a will that is callous and obtuse to the ways of God. A heart of flesh is a soft heart, a living heart,

a mind and a will that is compassionate and responsive to God.

The thing we notice here is that none of us can give ourselves a new heart.

If you have a problem with your physical heart, you can’t do surgery on yourself to rectify the problem. Somebody else, with the right knowledge and skill, needs to operate on you.

It’s the same with your spiritual heart. You can’t do surgery on your own soul. God is the only one with the knowledge and skill to heal your heart, which is where Jesus comes in. It is through Jesus’ death and resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit that God cleanses us and gives us a new heart.

When you become a Christian, you hand the keys of your heart to Jesus.

Your heart comes under new management with Jesus in charge and Jesus sends his Spirit to begin renovating your heart.

With any renovation there is a demolition stage. A stage when your heart feels like it is in a mess, in turmoil. During the renovation process you will become more aware of the evil within you. You may wonder, ‘Am I really a Christian?

I thought I was meant to get better, not worse’.

Don’t give up. Hang in there. You are justified by Christ, not by anything you do. A greater awareness of your own sin leads to a greater awareness of God’s grace for you personally.  

The renovation of your heart carries on throughout this life. It can feel long and painful at times. But, when Jesus returns in glory and the dead are raised to life eternal, the renovation is over, and those who are in Christ will receive the new heart God promised. Exactly how God does this, is a mystery. It is beyond our comprehension.

Conclusion:

Shortly, we will share communion together. Communion is not an empty ritual. Communion is pregnant with meaning. Communion was something Jesus asked his followers to do, to remember him, especially his death and resurrection.

Communion honours what Jesus did on the cross to cleanse us from our sin. More than that, communion is an act of hope, affirming God’s power to raise the dead and give us a new heart, a new mind, a new motivation to love and obey him.

May the Spirit of Jesus renew us from within. Amen.

———————————————

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. Why were the Pharisees obsessed with hand washing? Why did Jesus criticise their traditions?
  3. What is the purpose of God’s law? In what way(s) did the Pharisees’ traditions defeat the purpose of God’s law?
  4. What traditions and rituals do you observe? How do these support you to obey God in faith? Are any of your traditions or rituals getting in the way of obeying God in faith? What needs to change?
  5. Discuss / reflect on the implications of Jesus’ words in Mark 7:15 & 18-19.
  6. What is the real problem (according to Jesus)? What makes a person unclean before God?
  7. What is God’s remedy for the problem? What has been your experience of the Spirit’s work in renovating your heart so far?  
Tawa Baptist

The Spirit & Lydia

Scripture: Acts 16:6-15

Video Link:  https://youtu.be/Yuu1LtQLwQk

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • An open window
  • A small beginning
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

The expression God never closes a door without opening a window has become a bit of a cliché. But that does not make it any less true. To say that God never closes a door without opening a window implies that God is exercising a guiding hand over our lives for good.

A door represents the usual means of entry. While climbing through a window is not the usual (or expected) way of getting in. Gaining access through a window requires us to think differently, to look for alternatives and to be prepared to make ourselves a bit uncomfortable.

During the month of August, we have been focusing on a series of passages from the book of Acts in support of Arotahi, our New Zealand Baptist mission organization.

The book of Acts tells how the Holy Spirit worked through men and women to spread the message about Jesus. Last week we heard how the Spirit involved Stephen, Ananias and Barnabas in the call and conversion of Saul.

This week we jump ahead in time around 15 or 16 years. By this stage, Saul is now the apostle Paul, about to embark on his second missionary journey.

But, as we shall see, this journey takes an unexpected turn when the Holy Spirit closes a door and opens a window. From Acts 16, verse 6, we read…   

6 Paul and his companions travelled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12 From there we travelled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that districtof Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

An open window:

Can you think of a time when God closed a door and opened a window in your life? Such that your life took a whole different path.

Perhaps you thought you would be an accountant or an artist, but you became a social worker or a teacher instead. Or maybe you thought you would live somewhere sunny and warm, but you ended up in Tawa.

Sometimes we think we are headed in a certain direction, only to encounter a roadblock before reaching our destination. Then, when we least expect it, another way is opened to us; a window to a world of possibility quite different from what we first imagined.

The Holy Spirit closes doors and opens windows quite a bit in the Bible.

David thought he was going to be a shepherd of sheep, playing his harp in the field. But God made him the shepherd and king of all Israel and the author of many psalms.

Peter thought he was going to be a fisherman following in his father’s footsteps, but God made Peter a fisher of men following in Jesus’ footsteps.

Paul thought he was going to be a Jewish religious leader, a guardian of the law. But Jesus made Paul an apostle, a guardian of the gospel of Christ.   

What doors has God closed in your life. What windows has he opened?

In the verses we just read from Acts 16, the Holy Spirit shut the door to Asia and opened a window to Europe.

We don’t know why or how the Spirit prevented Paul and his mates from entering Asia, but we don’t need to know. The point is, the Spirit of Jesus was directing the Christian mission with a bigger picture in mind.

The book of Acts isn’t primarily about the acts of the apostles. It’s more about the acts of the Holy Spirit, working through the apostles. 

Verse 6 of Acts 16 says that Paul travelled with his companions. This tells us Paul was not a one-man band. Paul worked as part of a team. Not a large team, just 3 or 4 highly committed people.

When it comes to Christian mission it is best not to go it alone. We need the encouragement, support and accountability of other believers. Paul’s team on this occasion included Silas, Timothy and Luke.

Silas was a respected leader in the early church and recognised as a good speaker, someone who would assist Paul in preaching the gospel.

Timothy was an emerging leader, Paul’s apprentice. The missionary journey was good experience for Timothy. Paul had an eye to the future, hoping that Timothy would carry on the work after he was gone, which Timothy did.

Luke was a physician and historian. Having a doctor travelling with them was a good health & safety measure. But Luke did more than take care of blisters. Luke took notes. He documented Paul’s work and wrote one of the gospels about Jesus, as well as the book of Acts. We (today) owe a great deal to Luke.    

Verse 9 says, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When Paul shared his vision with his companions, they all concluded Macedonia must be where God wanted them to go.

This shows us at least two things. Firstly, discerning God’s will is best done in community with other believers. Paul had the vision, but Silas, Timothy and Luke helped him to interpret it.

Secondly, Paul and his team held their plans loosely. They were open to God. God’s ways are not our ways. God has his own plan and we need to be flexible enough to adjust our sails to the wind of his Spirit. If we push a door and it doesn’t open, we don’t force our way in. We look for a window.

Verses 11 & 12 of Acts 16 tell us how Paul and his team obeyed the prompting of the Holy Spirit, travelling from Troas to Philippi, a leading city in Macedonia. The open window from Troas to Phillipi involved sailing across the sea and walking inland for a bit.

Macedonia is one of the largest regions of Greece. It is the place Alexander the Great came from. When the Romans took over from the Greeks, Philippi was populated with Roman army veterans. Consequently, Philippi was a city that was very loyal to Rome, quite different from Jerusalem.

Verse 12 says that once they had arrived in Phillipi, Paul and his friends stayed there several days. This is interesting. Paul doesn’t dive into preaching the gospel straight away. He simply observes for a while. He walks around, taking in the culture and getting a feel for the place. 

The first job of a missionary is to listen. Before we can communicate effectively, we must get to know the people and their culture.

A small beginning:

So what happened next? From verse 13 of Acts 16 we read about Philippi’s first Christian convert…    

13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God.

The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.

15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Life starts small. Biological life doesn’t come much smaller than a cell.

Cell size is measured in microns. A micron is a millionth of a meter, which is tiny. Your average human cell is about 25 microns in diameter, so you can’t see a human cell with the naked eye. You need a microscope.

As small as they are, cells are the basic building blocks of all living things.

The human body is composed of trillions of cells. Cells are essential to our physical functioning.

Life starts small but it grows. Last week we saw a video about the work in India. In 1938 Malcolm and Catherine Eade went to Tripura. Gwen told me the Eades worked as missionaries for ten years before seeing their first convert. Now, more than 85 years later, there are thousands of Christians and hundreds of churches in Tripura.  

In the gospel of Matthew, chapter 13, Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

The kingdom of heaven starts small, but it grows big enough to fill the whole earth.

Paul’s standard mission strategy, when going to a new city, was to begin by preaching in the local synagogue, because this is where the common ground was. As a Jew, Paul was usually welcome in the synagogue, at least at first.

Also, the Jews were more likely to understand what Paul was saying about Jesus being the Messiah of God. They already believed in the one true God and they had a concept of the Messiah through the Hebrew Scriptures.

However, there weren’t enough Jews in Philippi to warrant having a synagogue so that door wasn’t just closed, it did not exist.

Undeterred, Paul and his friends looked for a window. They went down to the river on a Sabbath where they expected to find people at prayer. The idea was to start sharing the message about Jesus with those who were most likely to receive it.

When Paul and his companions arrived at the river, they found a group of women gathered there. Before coming to Phillipi, Paul had seen a vision of a man from Macedonia. But on arriving they were faced with women. 

Now I imagine Paul and Silas probably felt a bit uncomfortable because, in their culture, it just wasn’t done for Jewish men to talk with women they didn’t know, especially Gentile women.

But that’s the thing about Jesus. He is for everybody, including those who are different from us. In Acts 8, the Spirit sent Philip to help an Ethiopian eunuch, who then came to faith in Jesus. And in Acts 10, the Spirit sent Peter to Cornelius, a Roman Centurion.  

Verse 14 says, one of those listening was a woman named Lydia.   

We don’t know Lydia’s origin story, only that she was a dealer in purple cloth, which in today’s terms equates to a business woman in the fashion industry.

The most likely scenario is that Lydia was a widow who took over running the business and the household after her husband died. She appears to be very capable, a woman of means.

Verse 14 notes that Lydia was a worshiper of God. In other words, she was a Gentile who converted to the Jewish faith at some point in the past. Therefore, she believed in Yahweh and was familiar with the Hebrew Bible (our Old Testament) but she did not yet know that Jesus is the Messiah.

Who is the Lydia in your life? Who do you know who is open to hearing about Jesus? Pray for them. Speak with them. Be friends with them.

Verse 14 goes on to say, The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.

The heart, in Scripture, generally refers to a person’s inner life. The heart is more than one’s feelings. The heart is the core of your being, including the mind, emotions and will. The heart is where desire and longing and decision making come from.   

I imagine that Paul gave Lydia some wonderful rationale for believing in Jesus, but I don’t expect it was solely logic that convinced Lydia. I believe the door to Lydia’s heart was opened by the love of Jesus. As she heard about Jesus’ sacrifice, Lydia was moved from within to respond to God’s love

In Romans 5, Paul writes, “And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of love and truth. The Holy Spirit is the key which unlocks genuine heart understanding. We can’t really put our trust in Jesus without the help of the Holy Spirit. So how does Lydia respond?

Well, she and her household are baptized with water. Baptism is an outward sign of an inward reality. By being baptized, Lydia is sealing her commitment to Jesus and bearing witness to the work of the Spirit within her.

After Lydia and her household have been baptized, she opens her home to Paul and his friends, saying: “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And the apostle Paul and his friends show their acceptance of her as a true believer in the Lord (like them) by staying in her home.

We are not told if anyone else listening to Paul that day became a Christian.

Unlike the church in Jerusalem, which started with 3000 converts on the day of Pentecost, it appears the church in Europe started small, with just one household.

But life often starts small, with only a single cell. Lydia’s home became the first house church for believers in Phillipi. Since that humble start, 2000 years ago, literally millions of people have become followers of Jesus throughout Europe.

Conclusion:

The thing I like about today’s reading is that there is nothing spectacular or dramatic about it. The opening verses of Acts 16 are like a jam sandwich, sweet but ordinary.

So often in the book of Acts we encounter miracle after miracle. The apostles speak in foreign languages, they heal people and cast out demons, they confound their critics with wisdom from heaven, the doors of prisons fly open for them, they see the Spirit manifest God’s power in supernatural ways, they are bitten by scorpions and live. The miraculous is common place in Acts.

And while that is all wonderful and true (and irritating), it seems a long way from our own experience.

I like that Paul and his companions stumbled their way into Europe. They had intended to go to Asia but the way was blocked. For a few days there they didn’t know where the Spirit was leading them. That’s how it is for us most of the time. More often than not we only see God’s guidance with the benefit of hindsight.

I like the way Lydia and her household came to faith in Jesus. There was no walking on water, no healing of the blind or deaf. No tongues of fire or any other drama. The Spirit did something within Lydia, something deeply personal, which unlocked her understanding and communicated the love of Christ.

This is a work of God for introverts. How precious is that inner change, that almost goes unnoticed.

And I like way Lydia responded with a simple obedience of faith, no grand gestures. She was baptised in water and offered the apostles hospitality.      

Miracles are great but they are not the destination. They are merely sign posts along the way pointing to an even greater reality. The reality of God’s love for us in Christ.

So, this is my prayer today…

May Jesus be real for you in the ordinary things of life.

May Jesus be real for you whether you are vacuuming or making the dinner.

May Jesus be real for you whether you at the supermarket or at work.

May Jesus be real for you whether you are reading your Bible or watching TV.

May Jesus be real for you whether you are feeling happy or sad, angry or calm.

May Jesus be real for you whether the door is open or closed.

May Jesus be real for you whether the beginning is small or large.

May Jesus be real for you in all of life. Amen.   

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. Can you think of a time in your life when God changed the direction of your life, when he closed a door and opened a window? What happened?
  3. Who does Paul take with him on his second missionary journey in Acts 16? Why does Paul take these companions? Who are your companions on the journey of faith and mission?
  4. What is the first thing Paul does when he arrives in Phillipi? Why does he do this?
  5. Why did Lydia respond to Paul’s message as she did?
  6. Do you know anyone like Lydia? Who are the people in your life who are most open to hearing about Jesus?
  7. What small (Spirit inspired) beginnings are you aware of?
Tawa Baptist

The Spirit & Saul

Scripture: Acts 9

Video Link: https://youtu.be/v9xfsj7_kas

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Stephen
  • Ananias
  • Barnabas
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Over the past two or three weeks we have watched Olympic athletes from all over the world competing at the highest level. These men and women are extraordinary in their ability, their commitment and their work ethic.

But, as capable as they are, most (if not all) of them did not get there alone. Each of them had people in the background of their lives supporting them. Coaches, parents, fundraisers, physios, friends and so on.

During the month of August, we are focusing on four messages from the book of Acts in support of Arotahi, the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society. The book of Acts tells how the Holy Spirit used men and women to share the message about Jesus.

Today our sermon focuses on the conversion of Saul, also known as the apostle Paul. Paul accomplished great things for God. He changed the world.

If Christian mission was an Olympic sport, then Paul would be one of the GOAT’s, one of the greatest of all time.

We do well to remember though, that Saul would not have become the apostle Paul without the help of some key individuals supporting him in the background. From Acts chapter 9, verse 1, we read…

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind and did not eat or drink anything.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

I said before that Saul would not have become the apostle Paul without the help of some key individuals. The Holy Spirit used three people in particular in the process of Saul’s call and conversion: Stephen, Ananias and Barnabas. Let’s begin by considering how the Spirit used Stephen. 

Stephen:

If you have a blocked sewer pipe, it does no good to keep flushing the toilet. The paper and the poo will back up until it finds a way out. The way out might be a vent somewhere onto your back lawn or (if you are unlucky) it might be the actual toilet bowl itself. Either way you end up with a smelly mess.

If your sewer line blocks, you really have to call a plumber who will put a camera down to see what the problem is. Sometimes the blockage can be cleared with an auger or a high-pressure hose. But if the pipe is damaged, you may need to replace it.

The psychologist, Carl Jung, said: “Fanaticism is always a sign of repressed doubt”.

Or, to put this another way, if repressed doubt is like a blocked sewer line, then the fanatic refuses to admit there is a problem and continues to flush the toilet more and more, even as the paper and poo of his fanaticism and anger spew out where it is not wanted.   

A fanatic is a person filled with excessive zeal, often for an extreme religious or political cause. Fanatics tend to be one eyed. They struggle to see things from another perspective. Before Saul met the risen Jesus, he was a religious fanatic.  

As we heard last week, Saul was present when Stephen gave his speech to the Jewish leadership and he approved of the crowd stoning Stephen. In fact, the killing of Stephen became the catalyst for Saul to go from house to house, dragging Christian men and women off to prison.

Stephen’s message was basically this: Jesus is the Messiah of God and the religious leaders (whom Saul aligned himself with) killed Jesus. But God has vindicated Jesus by raising him from the dead.

Stephen was so convinced that God had raised Jesus from the dead that he was willing to die for it. Stephen brought the religious leaders’ hate to the surface, only to forgive it.

This caused Saul to doubt his own belief system. If Stephen was right, then the religious leaders and Saul were on the wrong side of God. If Stephen was right, then much of what Saul believed in was a lie.

Of course, Saul does not want to face the possibility he is wrong. And so, he represses his doubt. He pushes his doubt deeper down into his unconscious. Saul thought he could get rid of his nagging doubt by flushing the Christians away. But the blockage caused by repressed doubt won’t be shifted like that.  

The more Saul persecuted the church, the more the paper and poo of his fanaticism and hate overflowed where it was not wanted.  

Having done as much damage as he could in Jerusalem, Saul moves on to Damascus to round up more Christians there. Damascus is about 140 miles north of Jerusalem. It would have taken about a week to get there on foot.

Saul was probably travelling with temple guards.

As Saul drew near to Damascus, the risen Lord Jesus appeared to him and said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” When Saul asks who is speaking to him, the Lord replies, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting”.

It is characteristic of Jesus to say much with few words. In just two short sentences Jesus removes all doubt and frees Saul from his fanaticism.

Saul now sees first hand, for himself, that God has raised Jesus from the dead and he understands clearly that Stephen was right. He (Saul) is on the wrong side of God’s purpose. By persecuting Christians Saul was in fact fighting against God, without being aware of it.

We must not miss the inference in Jesus’ words here. The risen and ascended Jesus is intimately connected, by his Spirit, to his church on earth. When Saul persecuted Christians, Jesus felt it. ‘What you do to least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do to me’, is what the Lord says in Matthew’s gospel.     

The point I’m making here is that the Holy Spirit used Stephen to sow the irritating seed of gospel truth in Saul’s heart. Without someone like Stephen to sow the seed, Saul may never have become a Christian. Stephen’s message and death had a profound effect on Saul.

Now most people are not as fanatical as Saul was. But pretty much everyone holds some kind of false belief at some point in their life. And, whether you become a Christian or not, the Holy Spirit is likely to use a person (like Stephen) to challenge your false beliefs.

When that happens, you have a choice. You can either offer your doubts up to God and say, ‘Lord, show me the truth about Jesus and the truth about myself’.

Or you can double down and repress your doubt. But if you do that, your doubt will surface somewhere else in your life as fanaticism. Either way, the truth will come out in the end. You cannot avoid it.   

Who is your Stephen? Who sowed the irritating seed of gospel truth in your life? Whose Christian witness got under your skin? Who caused you to doubt your false beliefs? Who brought your fanaticism and hate to the surface, only to forgive it?

Jesus wants to remove the blockages to faith in him caused by the lies we believe. Be open to the truth. Accept Jesus by faith.

We are talking today about the people the Spirit of God used to bring Saul to faith in Jesus. We have heard how Stephen planted the irritating seed of gospel truth. Now let’s consider how the Holy Spirit used Ananias to heal Saul. From verse 10 of Acts 9, we continue the account of Saul’s conversion…

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Helen Keller once wrote, ‘Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light’.

She knew this from experience. Helen Keller was both deaf and blind. She was also intelligent and courageous, a woman of faith. She wrote a dozen books and became an inspiration to millions. But Helen Keller did not accomplish these things on her own. There were people in the background of her life who supported her and helped her reach her potential.

In particular, Anne Sullivan. Anne became Helen Keller’s lifelong teacher and mentor. Anne used touch to teach Helen the alphabet and to make words by spelling them with her finger on Helen’s palm. Helen soon caught on.

Eventually Helen learned to read Braille and write with a specially designed typewriter. With Anne Sullivan’s tutoring, Helen Keller was admitted to College and graduated with distinction. And, when Anne Sullivan married John Macy in 1905, Helen Keller went to live with them and the support continued. [1]

Without Anne Sullivan, the world may not have been blessed with the insight and inspiration of Helen Keller. 

After his encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, Saul was struck blind. He could hear well enough; he just couldn’t see. Saul’s blindness was quite different from Helen Keller’s blindness. Helen was only physically blind, whereas Saul was both physically and spiritually blind. 

Ananias, a Christian believer, received a vision in which Jesus told him to go and lay hands on Saul to heal Saul of his blindness. Ananias wasn’t too sure at first, but Jesus insisted so Ananias found his courage and obeyed Jesus in faith.

Christian faith isn’t just thinking the right things about God in our head. Real faith always finds expression in obedience to Christ.

The healing wasn’t just for Saul’s benefit. It was also for the benefit of the other Christian believers. The Holy Spirit’s healing of Saul, through Ananias, demonstrated to the church that Jesus had forgiven Saul and accepted him, therefore they could too.

When Ananias entered the house where Saul was staying, he said, ‘Brother Saul…’ Brother. There is no recrimination. No judgement. No accusation. Simply an offer of grace. Jesus had accepted Saul and that made Saul family. 

Saul accepts God’s grace through Ananias and his sight is restored, both his physical sight and his spiritual sight. Then, as a sign of his conversion and commitment to follow Jesus, Saul was baptised with water.

We don’t really hear much else about Ananias after that. His time in the spotlight is brief but significant. For without Ananias’ faithful obedience to Jesus, Saul may not have become an apostle of Christ. The Holy Spirit used Ananias to help Saul at an important crossroads in his life.

Usually, when someone becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit involves a number of different people in the process. But, at some point in that process, we each need to make a decision for Christ. At some point we reach a crossroads, when we must make a commitment and say, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me. I surrender my life to you’.  

Are you at the crossroads? Are you ready to commit to Jesus?

Who is your Ananias? Who has the Spirit provided to minister God’s grace?

Who has Jesus sent to hold you through the waters of baptism?

Accept the Lord’s help. Be in Christ. Be right with God.

And for those who have already given their lives to Jesus, are you ready to be an Ananias for someone else?

The Holy Spirit used a number of different people in the process of Saul’s conversion. Stephen diagnosed Saul’s sickness, and Ananias ministered God’s cure. But there is one other person who played a vital role in supporting Saul and that is Barnabas.

Barnabas:

For many days after his baptism Saul stayed in Damascus and began preaching that Jesus is the Son of God. Eventually though he had to leave because there was a conspiracy to kill him. From verse 26 of Acts 9 we continue Saul’s story…

26 When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. Barnabas told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 

Some trees, in nature, require other buddy trees of the same species planted close by to help promote pollination. For example, apple trees, pear trees and plum trees may need up to three other trees of the same variety around them in order to fruit well.

Christians are a bit like that too. To be fruitful we need other believers around us.

Saul had a problem. People were afraid of him. They wouldn’t let him get close. Saul was like a lone apple tree. He couldn’t be as fruitful or effective in his witness for Jesus by himself. Saul needed an advocate, someone trustworthy who could vouch for him.

Barnabas was just that person. Barnabas believed in Saul and trusted the work of the Holy Spirit in Saul’s life.

Barnabas reassured the believers in Jerusalem that Saul was the real deal and could be trusted. This enabled Saul to stay connected to the church and continue the work Jesus had called him to.

There is much more we could say about Barnabas and Saul’s partnership in the gospel, but we don’t have time today. Suffice to say, that without Barnabas, Saul’s career as an apostle may have been far less fruitful. 

Who is your Barnabas? Who believes in you when no one else does? Who sees you and trusts the work of the Spirit in your life. Who comes alongside you and keeps you connected with God’s people? Who makes you more fruitful for Christ? Take care of that relationship. Your life may depend on it.

Consider also who you can be a Barnabas for.

Conclusion:

Let us pray…

Father God, thank you for including us in your plan of salvation.

Holy Spirit, give us eyes to see your hand at work in the world around us.

Lord Jesus, help us to live in a way that glorifies you. Amen. 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. Who do you identify with most in Acts 9? Saul, Stephen, Ananias or Barnabas? Why? 
  3. How does doubt affect human behaviour? How did Saul deal with his doubts? How do you deal with your doubts?
  4. Discuss / reflect on Jesus’ words to Saul on the road to Damascus. What does this tell us about Jesus and his relationship with the church?  
  5. How did Stephen help Saul? Who is your Stephen? Who sowed the seed of gospel truth in your life? Whose Christian witness gets under your skin? Who caused you to doubt your false beliefs?
  6. How did Ananias help Saul? If you haven’t yet committed your life to Jesus, what are the next steps for you? If you are committed to Jesus, are you ready to be an Ananias for someone else?
  7. How did Barnabas help Saul? Who is your Barnabas? Who believes in you when no one else does? Who makes you more fruitful for Christ? What can you do to take care of that relationship? Who can you be a Barnabas for?

[1] From womenshistory.org

Tawa Baptist

The Spirit & Stephen

Scripture: Acts 6-7

Video Link: https://youtu.be/-NhR2-BJGTY

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Grace and power
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning, everyone.

A light bulb works when it is connected to electricity. Without electricity, all you have is a glass globe and darkness.

A river works when water flows through a channel along the ground. Without water, there is no river, just a scar on the landscape.

Your mouth and your tongue speak when your mind provides a thought. Without a mind, the mouth and the tongue having nothing to say.

During the month of August, we are focusing on four messages from the book of Acts in support of Arotahi, the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society. Then, at the end of August, we will take up a special Renew Together offering for our Baptist missionaries.

The book of Acts tells how the Holy Spirit used ordinary men and women to share the message about Jesus. The Spirit is essential to the spread of the gospel.

The Spirit is to mission what electricity is to a light bulb.

The Spirit is to mission what water is to a river.

The Spirit is to mission what the mind is to speech

The church simply cannot function without the Spirit of Jesus.    

Last week we heard how the Holy Spirit worked through Peter and the other apostles, in Acts 2. This week we hear how the Holy Spirit worked through Stephen. From Acts chapter 6, verse 8, we pick up the story of the Spirit and Stephen…

8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen… who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. 11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” 12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” 15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Grace and Power:

Some things are powerful but not graceful. Storms are like that. Lots of power, but little or no grace. Storms can do a lot of damage. Guns are also powerful, but once the trigger has been pulled, there’s no grace. The bullet is unforgiving.

Other things are graceful, but not powerful. Take butterflies for example. Butterflies are graceful, they are beautiful to watch, but they lack power. You have nothing to fear from a butterfly.

Flowers are also graceful, but not powerful, at least not in the same way that storms and guns are powerful. In fact, flowers are quite fragile. Sometimes flowers can have a powerful affect though, if arranged in a certain way or given with great love.  

Then there are those things which are both powerful and graceful.

Medicine is powerful and graceful on a chemical level. It has the power to heal you, in a relatively gentle way.  

Dancers possess both power and grace. They have exceptional strength for their body weight. At the same time, their movement is beautiful to look at. A ballerina glides with a grace and power that defies gravity and touches the heart.

And then there is the power and grace of the moon. The moon is beautiful to look at. Reflected light gracing the night sky, but with the power to move whole oceans.

The Holy Spirit combines divine grace with divine power. The Holy Spirit possesses a power unmatched in the universe and a grace far beyond human comprehension. The Holy Spirit gives life to all creation.

In verse 8 we read that Stephen was a man full of God’s grace and power.

This is another way of saying that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit.

If Stephen was the lightbulb, then the Holy Spirit provided the electricity.

If Stephen was the channel, the Holy Spirit was like water flowing through him.

If Stephen was the mouthpiece, then the Holy Spirit was the mind providing the thought for Stephen to speak.  

The grace and power of the Spirit of God enabled Stephen to perform great wonders and signs among the people. We are not told exactly what these signs and wonders were, but it may have included miraculous healings. To heal someone is an action that is both gracious and powerful.

Verse 9 says opposition arose from one of the Jewish synagogues. A synagogue was a bit like a local church congregation, except for people of the Jewish faith. These Jews began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him.

Here we see the God given power and grace of reason and logic. The Holy Spirit empowered Stephen to overcome his opponents with words of reason, as opposed to acts of violence.

Christian faith has intellectual integrity. Becoming a Christian does not mean throwing away critical thinking. Although we cannot grasp all the mysteries of Christian faith, we still seek to understand what we can. Jesus taught us to love God with our mind as well as our heart and everything else we possess.  

Stephen’s Spirit inspired rationale and wisdom should have been enough to convince the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah, but they refused to believe. Worse than that, they framed Stephen. They falsely accused Stephen of blasphemy. They stirred up the anger of the people and brought Stephen before the Sanhedrin.

The Sanhedrin was the name for the ruling council of Jewish leaders. Jesus stood before the Sanhedrin, falsely accused of blasphemy, just a few years before Stephen. Stephen was quite literally following in the footsteps of Christ.

The accusers said Stephen spoke against the holy place (that is, the Jerusalem temple) saying Jesus will destroy the temple and change the customs Moses handed down.

Jesus had predicted (with tears) that the temple would be destroyed. This happened in AD 70, nearly 40 years after Jesus. But it wasn’t Jesus who destroyed Jerusalem. The Romans destroyed the holy city because the Jews rebelled against Rome. Jesus tried to warn the people, telling them not to revolt against Rome, but the people would not listen.

As for the charge that Jesus had come to change the customs Moses handed down, this wasn’t right either. In fact, Jesus came to fulfil the law of Moses.

Stephen could see that Jesus’ once for all sacrifice on the cross made the ceremonial and ritual aspects of the Jewish Law unnecessary.

The moral aspects of the Law, which can be summarised as loving God and loving your neighbour, still stand. But we don’t need to keep sacrificing animals for the atonement of sin because Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is sufficient. Our forgiveness is through faith in what Jesus has done for us.

We can see why the Jewish religious authorities felt so threatened. If they accepted what Stephen was saying, their whole organisation would need to be restructured. They would lose a lot of power and control and status.

What’s more, they would have to humble themselves and admit they were wrong about Jesus. No wonder they wanted to silence Stephen.

Verse 15 says, ‘All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.’

Angels have knowledge from heaven. Stephen had knowledge from heaven and the Sanhedrin could plainly see that, it was written all over his face. Yet they would not concede that Stephen was right about Jesus.

As far as the Sanhedrin were concerned, this was a legal proceeding (Stephen was on trial), so the high priest gave Stephen an opportunity to respond to the charges brought against him. Stephen addresses his accusers with grace and respect, calling them brothers and fathers.

Stephen starts by finding common ground with his enemies. He talks about their shared history (their whakapapa or ancestry). After highlighting God’s call of Abraham, Stephen goes on to feature Joseph and Moses.

The thing Joseph and Moses have in common, is they were both used by God to save the people, and they were both rejected by the people they came to save. Stephen is drawing a connection here with Jesus. Like Joseph and Moses, Jesus was rejected by the people he came to save.

In verses 37-39 of Acts 7, Stephen says…

37 “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’ 38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us. 39 “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and, in their hearts, turned back to Egypt.

Stephen is saying that Jesus is the prophet Moses talked about, and they (the Jewish leadership) have rejected Jesus, just like their ancestors rejected Moses.

Stephen goes on to talk about the idolatry of the Israelites in the wilderness and how, later when they settled in Canaan, the first Jewish temple came to be built. But the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. Heaven is God’s throne, and the earth is his footstool.

It’s like the Jewish religious leaders have (ironically) made an idol out of the temple. They are worshipping something made by human hands. They have made the temple and sacrificial system more important than God Almighty.

From verse 51, Stephen makes his point clear, saying…

51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One [Jesus]. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”

This is powerful stuff from Stephen. Stephen is borrowing words from Moses. In Deuteronomy 10, Moses had said to the Israelites in the wilderness, 16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.

Circumcision was the sign of God’s covenant with Abraham. In ancient Israel you were not considered part of the people of God if you were not circumcised. You don’t need to be circumcised to become a Christian.

Baptism and communion are the signs of the new covenant for Christians. 

Whether it is circumcision or baptism though, outward rituals mean nothing without a corresponding inward loyalty of the heart and mind.   

Circumcision of the heart refers to keeping the covenant with God in the core of your being. Stephen was saying that many of the Israelites of his time were like the Israelites of Moses’ time, not truly committed to God and his covenant.

The Sanhedrin thought they were putting Stephen on trial, but Stephen (by the grace and power God’s Spirit) demonstrates that it is the religious leaders themselves who are on trial before God. They are the guilty ones, not him.

54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.

In Acts 2, when Peter confronted the crowd with the fact they had crucified the Messiah of God, the people were cut to the heart and repented. But Stephen is facing a different audience. These are not the same God-fearing Jews of Acts 2.

Stephen’s audience are more like corrupt politicians. These are men who only know the power of brute force and coercion by fear. Theirs is a power without grace. The power Stephen knows is different from political power. Stephen’s power is the power of the Spirit, power woven together with grace.

From verse 55 we read how, Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Stephen, the man with a face like an angel, who possesses knowledge from heaven, is witnessing to the fact that God has vindicated Jesus by raising him from the dead and giving him the place of highest honour in heaven.  

From verse 57, we continue…

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.  Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

At this point all justice has broken down. This is not a lawful proceeding. This is a lynching. The crowd is out of control. They are about to murder Stephen.  

Stephen has clearly hit a raw nerve. On some level the crowd know that Stephen is right, but they don’t want to admit they are wrong, so they double down.

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stephen responds just like Jesus, with the power and grace of forgiveness.

Verse 60 says that Stephen fell asleep. Actually he died, but for those who die believing in Jesus, death is like a restful sleep. Death is not something to fear if we are forgiven in Christ and forgiving of others. For just as Jesus was raised from the dead to eternal life, so too those who hope in Jesus will be raised.

In verse 1 of Acts chapter 8, we read how, on that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

While persecution is not pleasant, we can see God’s power and grace at work in it. It’s not that God wanted the followers of Jesus to be harmed. But, like Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers, God used it for good.

As Christian believers fled for their lives, they took the message about Jesus with them, and so the Christian faith spread like seeds on the wind. 

Conclusion:

Stephen was the first Christian martyr. When we hear the word martyr, we think of someone who was killed for their beliefs. And while that is true, the word martyr originally meant witness. A martyr is a witness. Stephen bore witness to the power and grace of Jesus and died as a consequence. 

As Christians we don’t want to be persecuted for our faith. We pray that God delivers us from trial and persecution. But if we do suffer because of our allegiance to Christ, at least we know our witness is being taken seriously.

Jesus said, 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Sharing our faith with others is a brave thing to do. It makes us vulnerable to rejection and abuse. But that is the pattern Jesus set. No one was more vulnerable than Christ on the cross.

Sometimes our witness for Jesus is well received, like when Peter spoke to the crowds at Pentecost and 3000 responded in faith to his message.

Other times though, our witness for Jesus is misunderstood, or it is understood all too well, and we are rejected like Stephen.

Peter’s message (in Acts 2) was in the goldilocks zone, but tradition says Peter was eventually crucified (upside down) for his testimony about Jesus.

We are not likely to be killed for our witness, like Stephen or Peter. But the reality remains, sometimes we make ourselves a target when we speak the truth about Jesus and align ourselves with him.

The promise of Scripture is that those who share in Christ’s suffering will also share in his glory. May the Spirit of God, fill us with the power and grace to stand for Jesus. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. How did the Spirit’s grace and power find expression through Stephen? Can you think of examples of the Spirit’s grace and power at work today?  
  3. How does reason support Christian faith? What role does reason and logic play in your faith?
  4. In what ways does Stephen’s experience correspond with Jesus’ experience?
  5. What are some of the key points of Stephen’s message to the Sanhedrin?
  6. Why did the crowd murder Stephen?
  7. How did God use Stephen’s death and the subsequent persecution of the church for good?
Tawa Baptist

Nose to Tail

Scripture: Genesis 49:29-50:26

Video Link: https://youtu.be/hqiV5tY437E

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Joseph’s forgiveness
  • Joseph’s death
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Some of you may have heard of ‘nose to tail’ cooking. ‘Nose to tail’ is about ensuring every edible part of the animal is prepared and eaten, as opposed to using only the high value cuts.

Cousins to the ‘nose to tail’ approach are ‘fin to gill’ (using every part of the fish) and ‘root to shoot’ for fruit and veges. ‘Nose to tail’ cooking utilizes the whole beast, reducing waste and providing greater nutritional value for the eater.

Today, after six months, we conclude our ‘nose to tail’ sermon series in the life of Joseph. Perhaps the key take-away from the Joseph story is that God, in his grace, is able to make something good out of the offal and gristle of human behaviour, as well as the rump and eye fillets.

The Lord uses all of Joseph’s family to bring about his purpose of salvation. God does not waste anything.

Our message is in two parts this morning. The first part deals with Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers. And the second part tells us about Joseph’s death. From Genesis 50, verse 15, we read… 

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”  16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. 18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. 19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?  20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Joseph’s forgiveness:

In his book “The Peacemaker”, Ken Sande recalls a joke he once heard.

A woman went to her pastor for advice on improving her marriage and when the pastor asked what her greatest complaint was, she replied, “Every time we get into a fight, my husband gets historical.”

When her pastor said, “Don’t you mean hysterical,” she responded,

“I mean exactly what I said; he keeps a mental record of everything I’ve done wrong, and whenever he’s mad, I get a history lesson.”

Clearly the husband has not forgiven his wife. By continually reminding his wife of the things she has done wrong, he is punishing her and trying to hold her captive to guilt. He is using the past against her.  

Forgiveness is about letting go of past hurts and grievances. With forgiveness we don’t necessarily forget the bad stuff. Rather we make a conscious choice not to hold people’s mistakes against them. We give away our right to get even.

Refusing to forgive someone is like handcuffing yourself to that person. It keeps you both captive. Forgiveness unlocks the handcuffs. Forgiveness breaks the shackles of bitterness, setting you free.

In the passage we just read from Genesis chapter 50, Jacob has recently died and now the brothers are afraid that, without their father around, Joseph will want to make them pay for all the wrong they did to him.

By this stage it had been nearly 40 years since they sold Joseph into slavery. And, for the past 17 years they have been living in Egypt near their brother. But even after all this time they are still afraid of Joseph.

Fear has messed with their perception and caused things to appear other than they really are. Joseph has forgiven his brothers. More than this, he has tested them to re-establish trust. Joseph is ready to move forward, but the brothers are stuck in the past. It seems they haven’t been able to forgive themselves.

If you touch a live wire on an electric fence with the palm of your hand, the current running through the wire causes your hand to clench into a fist automatically, so you can’t let go no matter how hard you try.

Forgiving ourselves can be like trying to let go of an electric fence. We want to find release, but we just don’t seem to be able to achieve it on our own. We need someone to turn the power off.

The disciple Peter found it difficult to forgive himself. Peter denied Jesus three times, the night of his trial. Oh, the torment Peter suffered for that. But later, after his death and resurrection, Jesus restored Peter saying, ‘Feed my lambs’.

There was no reprisal or recrimination from Jesus. To the contrary Jesus turned Peter’s fear off. Jesus reassured Peter with an act of trust.

Joseph points to Jesus. Joseph turns the brothers’ fear off by reassuring them and speaking kindly to them. Joseph wants a right relationship with his brothers, one that is based on love, not fear.

In verses 16 and 17 we read how the brothers tried to deceive Joseph by saying, ‘Our father Jacob gave instructions for you to forgive us’.

Joseph’s response is to weep.

Perhaps Joseph is sad because his brothers have thought the worst of him. They have misunderstood him. It hurts to be judged wrongly, especially by those close to us.

Perhaps also Joseph’s tears are an expression of compassion for his brothers. The sons of Israel have been bullied by guilt and fear for nearly 40 years. They have suffered their own silent torment.

In verse 18, Joseph’s brothers come to him, throw themselves at his feet and offer themselves as his slaves. Joseph’s dream of his brothers bowing to him (all those years ago) is fulfilled again, only now the meaning is clearer.  

The brothers are trying to make amends. They had sold Joseph into slavery and now they are saying they will repay their wrongdoing by becoming Joseph’s slaves. This shows their desperation. They have been slaves to guilt and fear for so long. They see Joseph as a kinder master.

The brothers (collectively) remind us of the prodigal son, in Jesus’ parable. After hitting rock bottom, he came to his senses and decided to return home and beg to work as a hired hand for his father.

He had his speech all planned. ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son…’ But before he could ask for a job, his father welcomes him with generosity and joy. The father does not need another hired hand. The father wants his son back.

Joseph does the same for his brothers. Joseph does not need any more slaves. He wants his brothers back.

The first thing Joseph says to his brothers (in verse 19) is, “Don’t be afraid”. He says it twice actually. By accurately naming their fear, Joseph shows his brothers that he understands them, and fear begins to lose its power.

The second thing Joseph says here is, “Am I in the place of God?”

The brothers were afraid that Joseph would exact his revenge. But to Joseph’s mind, judgement and revenge are God’s business.

It’s like Joseph is saying, ‘I am not your judge. I am just a man, like you. Far be it from me to condemn you. God is your judge and mine, and he is more merciful and gracious than you think’.

In verse 20 Joseph says, “You intended to harm me…” Joseph does not deny what his brothers did. Joseph acknowledges the truth that they meant him harm.He doesn’t do this to make them suffer more. He does this to help them feel better.

It’s a paradox you see. Pretending something didn’t happen doesn’t make anyone feel better about it. In fact, it usually makes people feel worse. It becomes an infected wound, breeding mistrust and doubt.

But when we acknowledge honestly what happened, in the context in which it happened (that is, with the people concerned), trust is restored and healing is able to take place.

Although Joseph’s brothers intended to harm him, God intended it for good, to save many lives. This is the main point of the Joseph story.

Joseph is highlighting the amazing grace of God. The Lord used the brothers’ decision, of selling Joseph into slavery, as a means of salvation. By placing Joseph in Egypt, God saved many lives from starvation.

It’s not that God needed the brothers to betray Joseph. If the brothers had been kind to Joseph, then God would have found another way. The point is, God (in his grace and providence) transformed evil intentions into a good outcome.

We are reminded of Paul’s words in his letter to the Romans…

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose.

This is ‘nose to tail’ salvation. This is the Lord not wasting anything.

This is God working all things for good. Was God pleased when Joseph’s brothers plotted against him? No, I don’t expect he was. But the Lord saw a way to redeem it.

The brothers had offered themselves to Joseph as slaves, but Joseph wouldn’t have a bar of it. Joseph says he will provide for his brothers and their children. Joseph’s intention is not to get even. His intention is to provide and protect. Jacob made Joseph leader of the family and that is what a leader does. They provide and protect.

Verse 21 of Genesis 50 says that Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them. The English translation here disguises the original Hebrew which literally reads… And he spoke to their heart.

Meaning he spoke tenderly and intimately with them. He addressed the deeper things for them. Conveying forgiveness is not just about trying to find the right words. It’s also about using a tender manner. It’s about communicating in a winsome way, with kindness and warmth. Heart speaks to heart.

Martin Luther King said, “Forgiveness is not just an occasional act – it’s an attitude”. As human beings, made in the image of God, forgiveness is meant to be our default setting.

Sometimes we can be lulled into the false idea that forgiveness is something we only need to do once and then everything will be sweet. But the reality with deeper hurts, like the ones suffered by Joseph, is that forgiveness is an on-going decision.

Forgiveness is like giving up an addiction. Not only do we have to decide to give up our revenge once, but we must go on giving up our revenge every moment of everyday. Sometimes the temptation is intense and all we can do is call out to God for grace and strength. ‘Lord, help me to let this go.’ 

Rather than re-playing his brothers’ wrong-doing over and over in his mind, I believe Joseph chose to replay the outcome achieved by God and this became his shield against bitterness.  

The 2010 film, 127 hours, tells the true story of mountaineer, Aron Ralston. Aron goes hiking in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park. Unfortunately, he doesn’t tell anyone where he is going.

While climbing through a slot canyon, a boulder comes loose and traps his right arm against a wall. There is no way for him to move the boulder and he can’t wriggle out of it.

Over the next five days he rations his food and water. Eventually he has to drink his own urine to survive. When it becomes apparent that no one is coming to his rescue, and that he will die if he does nothing, Aron uses his pocketknife to cut off his arm and free himself.

Cutting off his arm, like he did, took real grit, real willpower. Aron’s motivation to do this came from a vision he had of one day becoming a father. Aron imagined his yet unborn son. He focused on the outcome.

If Aron did nothing, he would die. He would lose his whole body and never get to live his life or have children. But if Aron sacrificed his right arm, he would save the rest of his body and have a future.

Forgiveness is essentially about release. It can be tempting to think that forgiveness is achieved with time. That simply by waiting, our feelings of bitterness will eventually go away. This is a myth. Time can help, but by itself it is not enough.

Forgiveness is not a passive thing. Nor is it an involuntary feeling. Forgiveness can be painful. It involves an intentional act of the will.

A decision to cut off your desire to get even, in order to free your mind and soul.    

I imagine for Joseph, the decision to forgive his brothers took real grit, real resolve, like cutting off his arm (metaphorically speaking). But what option did he have? If he held onto the bitterness and hurt, he would die between a rock and a hard place.

Joseph chose to think about the outcome God had created. Joseph magnified God’s grace and imagined a future in which he enjoyed a better relationship with his family. Would Joseph have been able to forgive his brothers if God had not provided a good outcome for everyone? I’m not sure.

Now most things you are required to forgive in this life are not as big as cutting your arm off. Most people are not sold into slavery by their family. More often, forgiveness is smaller, like removing a stone from your shoe so you can walk without hurting yourself.

Forgiveness is usually about little things, like when others leave you in the lurch or snap at you because they’re having a bad day, or you find someone has keyed your car. That sort of thing. Whether it is a big thing or a small thing though, we need God’s grace to forgive others and to forgive ourselves.

Joseph’s death:

Joseph was probably in his mid-fifties when his father died and his brothers asked for forgiveness. Another fifty odd years pass between Jacob’s death and Joseph’s passing. From Genesis 50, verse 22 we conclude the Joseph story…

22 Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years 23 and saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children. Also, the children of Makir son of Manasseh, were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees. 24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” 25 And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” 26 So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

These closing verses of Genesis tell us that Joseph lived a long and full life. After having been told a lot about the first half of Joseph’s life, we are not told anything about the last half of his life, except that he stayed in Egypt and got to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In a way, that points to the reality for all of us. We are each like Joseph in a way. We have a public life that people see and a private life that no one really sees (like the dark side of the moon). No one that is but God.

We do well to remember this. None of us knows the whole story of another person’s life and so we should reserve judgement. We don’t know half of what others endure.

In echo of his father Jacob, Joseph’s last words are words of hope, binding the family to God’s promise. Twice Joseph says, ‘God will surely come to your aid’.  Joseph foresees a time when God will lead the people of Israel out of Egypt and back to Canaan, the land of promise.

Do you feel like you are trapped in Egypt at the moment? Could this be a word for you? Can you believe that God will surely come to your aid.

Joseph asks his descendants to take his bones back to Canaan when they go. Joseph’s coffin (a symbol of death) becomes a sign pointing future generations to the hope of returning to their homeland.

Joseph points to Jesus. The cross of Christ (once a symbol of torture and death) has now become a sign of forgiveness and hope for those who believe. A reminder that Jesus will return in glory one day to reveal God’s kingdom in its fullness.  

Conclusion:

The book of Genesis starts with creation and the fall, and it ends with forgiveness and hope. Forgiveness is about letting go of our hurt and hope is about holding on to God’s promises for the future.

Forgiveness puts an end to fear and guilt. It puts the past to rest and in so doing creates a new beginning and new hope. Jesus is the one who makes forgiveness and hope possible. Jesus is the alpha and omega.

He is the beginning and the end and his grace sustains us in between.

May God help us to see the good outcome he is working in this world. Amen.    

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What is forgiveness? What does it mean to forgive someone? Why is it important to forgive?
  3. How might we ask for forgiveness? How might we forgive ourselves?
  4. Discuss / reflect on Joseph’s response to his brothers in Genesis 50:19-21. Why does Joseph say what he says? What might you say (or do) if someone came to you for forgiveness?
  5. Why does Joseph focus on the outcome God has created? What good outcome(s) has God worked in the circumstances of your life? Take some time to thank him for these.
  6. Do you feel like you are trapped in Egypt at the moment? Have you ever felt like this? Are you able to believe that God will surely come to your aid?   
  7. In what ways does Joseph point to Jesus?
Tawa Baptist

Grieving With Hope

Scripture: Genesis 49:29-50:14

Video Link: https://youtu.be/___6tWI6qGM

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Grief
  • Hope
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

If you have ever been on a long road trip with children you will have heard the chorus, ‘Are we there yet’. Some journeys seem to take forever. More than a few of you are probably thinking, are we there yet, with this current sermon series on the life of Joseph.

We started back at the beginning of February and now, nearly six months later, we are still going. Fear not. Today’s message is the second to last in this series. This week’s sermon focuses on the death and burial of Joseph’s father, Jacob. It’s about grieving with hope. From Genesis 49, verse 29, we read… 

29 Then he [Jacob] gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.” 33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people. Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him. 2 Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father, Israel. So the physicians embalmed him, 3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. 4 When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court, “If I have found favour in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, 5 ‘My father made me swear an oath and said, “I am about to die; bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’” 6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.” 7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt— 8 besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household. Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. 9 Chariots and horsemenalso went up with him. It was a very large company. 10 When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly; and there Joseph observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father. 11 When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.” That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim. 12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them: 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

In this reading we are shown how Joseph and his brothers grieve for their father Jacob and how Jacob binds his sons to hope. Let us begin with Joseph’s grieving process.

Grief:

Grief is the natural response to loss. If you lose someone or something important, then you will experience grief in proportion to the magnitude of your loss. Or, to say it another way, grief is the price we pay for love.

Grief is like a vomiting bug. Except with grief, you are not throwing up the contents of your stomach. You are throwing up the contents of your soul. Your anger and pain, your hurt and sadness. Releasing these feelings is necessary to the healing process, but it’s not pleasant.

Grief comes in waves. You are not in control. Just when you think you are okay, you throw up again, ambushed by tears or rage or both. After a while, you feel empty, tired, exhausted, spent. It takes time to recover your strength. Time before you are ready to risk enjoying life again.

When Jacob dies, Joseph throws himself upon his father and weeps. Joseph knows Jacob’s death is coming and so he skips the initial shock that often accompanies the news of significant loss. There is no stiff upper lip with Joseph. He lets his feelings out in the form of tears.

Tears are a kind of natural anesthetic. They are nature’s pain killer. If you cry for several minutes, from emotional pain, the body releases feel-good chemicals like oxytocin and endorphins.

Sobbing also helps to improve your mood by reducing the temperature of your brain. It calms you. More than this, when other people see you crying, they are likely to give you support or at least not be mean to you.       

After having a good cry, Joseph directs the physicians to embalm his father. Embalming was more of an Egyptian thing than a Hebrew thing.

It was a way of slowing the rate of decay, to preserve the body. From a practical point of view, this was necessary for transporting Jacob’s body to Canaan. 

When we experience significant loss, it can feel quite scary, like we have no control in the situation. To prevent ourselves from being overwhelmed by fear it helps to do something that gives us a feeling of mastery or control. Like mowing the lawns or cleaning the shower or baking a cake.

By directing people to embalm his father’s body, Joseph was able to buy a little more time and regain a quantum of control in the face of death.

Can you remember what you were doing on the 31 August 1997? It was the day Princess Diana died. It seemed like the whole world stopped. Yes, we were sad for Diana’s loss and for her sons, William and Harry. But it was more than that.

Diana’s death touched something in our collective unconscious, so that people everywhere felt they had permission to grieve their own personal losses. It was a time of lament for all the things in this world that are not as they are meant to be.

In verse 3 of Genesis 50, we read how the Egyptians mourn for Jacob for seventy days. That’s ten weeks. Whenever one of the pharaoh’s died, the nation would mourn for 72 days. Jacob gets almost the same honour and respect as a pharaoh.

It seems that Jacob’s death touched something in the collective unconscious of the Egyptian people. Most of them would not have known Jacob personally but they knew Joseph had saved them and without Jacob there would be no Joseph.

Jacob’s passing was not untimely, as Diana’s was. But perhaps, like the passing of Diana, it provided an opportunity for people everywhere to mourn their own losses.   

Grief is a heavy weight to carry. Honouring the people we have lost is an important part of the grieving process. It is necessary to acknowledge the truth that this person matters to me. Their loss is no small thing.

We honour the people we have lost by taking time to plan their memorial service. By speaking good words, true words, in memory of their life. And by not rushing back to a busy schedule too quickly. Giving ourselves time to heal. Slowing down and leaving room to feel our loss and express our grief.   

After the 70 days of national mourning have passed, Joseph gets permission to bury his father in the land of Canaan, as Jacob had requested.

It is difficult to know what to say when someone dies. We want to give words of comfort to those who are grieving, but no words are adequate.

Sometimes all we have to offer is our presence, which is precisely what Pharaoh’s officials give. They take time to accompany Joseph on his journey, so he is not alone. They show up to the funeral.

When Joseph and his brothers finally arrive in Canaan to bury Jacob’s body they lament loudly and bitterly, observing a seven-day period of mourning. This is at least three months after Jacob has died. Grief isn’t something we get over quickly. Grief keeps its own unpredictable schedule. It is a process punctuated by deeply felt emotion. 

Verse 13 of Genesis 50 gives a very specific location for Jacob’s burial plot. This is the second time in today’s reading we are given this geographical reference. It shows that Jacob’s sons were obedient in carrying out Jacob’s dying wishes.

It also provides a marker for future generations. This urupa (cemetery) is sacred ground. A symbol of Israel’s stake in the land.

Hope:

Some things on your dinner plate are not that pleasant to eat on their own. Take broccoli for example. You can eat broccoli by itself, but it tastes better with a bit of grated cheese on top. Likewise, mashed potato is okay on its own, but it really goes better with some gravy.

Grief on its own is like broccoli without cheese or mashed potato without gravy. Grief needs to be topped with hope.

We’ve heard how Joseph handled his grief. Now let’s consider how Jacob bound his sons to hope. 

Hope is like cherry blossoms in spring; reminding us that summer is coming. Or, to say it more plainly, hope is the belief that good things wait for us in the future.

Hope is not blind. Hope is a beautiful thing to behold. Hope sees the blossoms with the eyes of faith. While you can’t eat the blossoms, you know from experience they are a sign of summer fruit to come.

Hope is like a kite; it rises against the wind. Hope cannot fly without some opposition or difficulty. When life is easy, we have no need for hope.

Of course, for the kite to work, you need to hold on to it. Faith is the string that keeps us connected to our hope. When we believe that God has good things in store for us, our heart dances with joy, like a kite on the breeze.   

Hope is like a sail; it moves you forward. But for the sail of hope to work, you must raise it. Just as sailors need to take care of their sails, so too we need to take care of our hope.

Wise faith is the act of raising and trimming your sails to suit the conditions, so the boat doesn’t capsize and the sail doesn’t tear.

Hope is like a harness; it catches your fall. If you are abseiling down a rock face or being winched to safety by a rescue helicopter or gliding to earth with a parachute, the harness holds you and keeps you secure.

Obviously, for the harness to work, you need to stay attached to it.

Faith is wearing your harness. Faith and hope save you.   

As we heard earlier, Jacob instructs his sons to bury his body in the land of Canaan, where his parents and grandparents were buried. Jacob is living in Egypt at this point. A journey by camel to Palestine is no small thing. It would take weeks; it would be tiring and it would involve risk.

So why does Jacob put his sons out like this? Well, Jacob means to bind his sons to God’s promise.

You see, God had promised Jacob he would give the land of Canaan to Jacob’s descendants. In Genesis 48 and 49, Jacob speaks words of blessing and destiny to his sons. These words were intended to bind the next generation and those that follow to God’s promise.

Jacob’s request to be buried in Canaan is another way in which he harnesses his family to God’s promise and the hope that gives.

Death is an ending and it is often sad and emotionally painful for those left behind. What Jacob’s sons need, at this time, is to see the blossoms of hope. They need to know that God has good in store for them. And that good is the land of Canaan.

It’s like Jacob is handing the kite of hope to the next generation and saying, ‘Take this and hold on. Let the joy of what is to come dance in your heart, even as you grieve my passing’.

The people of Israel would live in Egypt for another 400 years before leaving that country in a great exodus. Hope is the sail that would transport them. Jacob wants his descendants to raise the sail of hope and keep it trimmed through the long years that lie ahead.

Some of you may have seen a film called The Way. The movie tells the story of Dr Thomas Avery who goes to France to collect the body of his son, Daniel, who died in the Pyrenees while walking the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St James).

Tom’s initial purpose was to retrieve his son’s body. But once over there he decides to walk the Camino, taking his son’s ashes with him. While on the trail Tom meets other pilgrims all looking for greater meaning in their lives.

Sometimes when we are grieving, we can isolate ourselves (emotionally) from others. We may become more grumpy and irritable than usual. More cold and prickly. This has the effect of driving people away.

It’s a self-protection thing. When we are in pain, we don’t want to let people get too close in case they touch our sore spots or remind us of our loss. What we really need though is some tenderness and love. We need people who will understand and see passed our changing moods. 

Tom starts the journey cold and closed off to his fellow travelers. He is distant and pushes them away. But they seem to understand, and they hang in with him until eventually he opens up. The pilgrimage through Spain becomes a way for Tom to work out his grief. 

A pilgrimage, such as Jacob asked his sons to take, can be a powerful thing. It changes the soul somehow. Grief is like a pilgrimage; it’s the journey of letting go of our hurt, pain and anger and taking hold of hope. The destination is acceptance.

By asking his sons to repatriate his body in Canaan, Jacob is (perhaps) giving his family a way to process their grief and find a common hope, together. Jacob is showing his sons, this is your homeland. This is where you belong. This is the purpose and hope for your descendants.

The word land is the fourth most common noun used in the Old Testament, after God, Yahweh and Israel. Clearly, real estate was important to the people of Israel.

But when we get to the New Testament, the word land hardly gets mentioned. Jesus had more to say about the kingdom of God and eternal life.  

As followers of Jesus, our destination, our hope, is not to own a quarter acre section in the middle east or even in Tawa. Our hope is to fully enter God’s kingdom, the kingdom of heaven.

We are bound to that hope by faith in Jesus. Faith and hope in Jesus are our sail and our harness. This life is our Camino.    

Conclusion:

As I look out at this congregation, I am conscious of the losses many of you have experienced and the grief you carry.

Many of you have outlived husbands or wives. Some of you have lost parents, at a young age, and others have lost children. A number of you have survived divorce or cancer or something else. It seems none of us are untouched by suffering in this life.

In preaching on a passage like this I don’t mean to open old wounds.

We each need to know we are not alone in our grief. Although grief pierces the human heart in different ways, the experience of loss is felt by everyone eventually. Others before you have walked the way of grief and have found hope.  

Jesus is a witness to your grief and pain. He sees what others don’t see. May Jesus (who himself suffered more than we can imagine), may he honour you for the grace and the courage and faithfulness you have shown. And may the joy of resurrection fill your sails and bring you home. Amen.  

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What losses have you experienced in life? How have these losses affected you?
  3. How did Joseph handle his grief? How do you handle your grief?
  4. What did the Egyptians do to support Joseph in his grief? What can we do to support other people in their grief?
  5. Discuss / reflect on the images of hope offered above. That is, hope is like cherry blossoms in spring, like a kite, like a sail, like a harness. What other images come to mind when you think about hope?
  6. Why did Jacob ask his sons to bury his body in Canaan?
  7. Israel’s hope was bound up with the land. As Christians, what (or who) is our hope bound to? 
Tawa Baptist

Prayer Revisited – By Peter Barnett

Structure:

  • Introduction 
  • Helps for prayer
  • When and where do we pray?
  • Examples of answered prayer
  • Places for prayer
  • Different types of prayer
  • Prayer diaries/journals 
  • Conclusion

Introduction: 

It is over four years ago since I gave a talk on the subject of prayer here in this church. Needless to say, many prayers have passed under the bridge since then. The last time I opened with comments to the effect that I have always loved to swim. I always have. I grew up not far from the beach. Even as a child in the summertime I would go off swimming every day of the school holidays. But I didn’t learn to swim by reading a book. You can read as many books as you like on how to swim but if you don’t actually get into the water and have a go you will never be able to say you can swim. 

It’s much the same with prayer. You can read as many books as you like and listen to all the podcasts you can manage to digest but if you never get around to actually praying it is unlikely you will ever become a convinced pray-er. 

What Scripture says about prayer: 

In Philippians chapter 4, verses 6 and 7, we are told – “not to be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guide your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus”. 

Also, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 17 and 18 “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”. 

Without prayer we go through life’s difficulties on our own. While with believing prayer we can face the same problems in the unlimited power of God. When this happens, our situations can take on a completely different aspect. 

The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. 

In Luke 11 we read that Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He ceased one of his disciples said to him, “Lord teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”

Even the disciples who were with Jesus on an ongoing basis and were well aware of his prayer life asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. 

What we can do to help us in prayer

There is an acronym “ACTS” which has been used by people for many years to help with prayer.  

A – is for Adoration, C is for Confession. T is for Thanksgiving and S is for Supplication. You may have been using this method of structuring your prayers for many years. Many people have found this method helpful in organising their prayers. Approach God with Adoration as He is the one to whom all adoration is due. He is the one we worship, the creator, the sustainer, the living God. He is the one who wants us to have a living relationship with himself. That is a concept that still amazes me even though I have been a Christian for many years. God wants us to have a personal one to one relationship with him. 

C – is for Confession – this is an opportunity to sort out those things that get in our way with our relationship with God. Tell Him and come clean with God about those things – whatever they are – you know what they are and so does God. God is in the forgiveness business and he loves to forgive and have a whole relationship with his people. 

T – is for thanksgiving – Thank God for everything. The small things and the big things. We have so much to thank God for. Philippians 4 says, in verses 6 and 7,  “Do not be anxious about anything but by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God”.

S – is for supplication – My wife had a friend who said that when it comes to prayer she didn’t want to bother God with things in her life. He is far too busy and He would not be very interested anyway. This always makes me smile. It’s good to be able to say that nowhere in the Bible is there any evidence that God is too busy and that He doesn’t want to be bothered with people and their lives. In fact, it’s quite the reverse. Anyway, how do we measure what is a big thing or a small thing in our lives that we might determine the extent of God’s interest? With God there is really no big or little thing. God is very interested in every detail of our lives so we should talk to him about everything and listen to him and he will guide us as we trust him moment by moment. 

The Lord’s Prayer can also be used as a template for prayer. This template is available on the internet. This template gives very helpful and specific information on how to pray. 

When and where do we pray? 

The Philippians verse just quoted says – “but in every situation”. It does not say only when it is important, or when we are in church or the home group or some other place or situation. We can pray at any time and any place about anything. It’s almost as if God can hardly wait to hear from us. He wants to be involved. 

Jesus on many occasions exhorted us to “ask”. He said, “You have not because you ask not”. Numerous times Jesus is recorded begging us to ask. Jesus is making it very plain that God wants us to make our requests known to him and that he wants to give. So why don’t we ask?

God wants us to pray. Not because it seems a nice thing, a “spiritual” thing to do but God wants us to talk with him. He created us for fellowship with himself. Not just in emergencies or when things get a bit difficult but all the time about all and everything. Not just the big things. So don’t let anything or anyone put you off talking with God.  

The more you pray the more you will find to pray about and the more you’ll be led to pray for others. Don’t allow unanswered prayer to discourage you or cause you to doubt that God has heard you. If you have received Jesus and are praying in his name, God hears you and something is happening whether you see it manifested in your life now or not. In fact, every time you pray you are advancing God’s purposes for you and others covered by the prayer. 

And what if you feel your prayers are not being answered? 

We need to remind ourselves that God’s timing is not our timing. I guess if God said “yes” to everyone’s request the world would get into quite a mess within a short space of time. God answers every prayer, it’s just that across some he writes “The time is not right yet”. Job, with all his trials asked, “How long will this trial last? Why doesn’t God answer?” Because it takes as long as it takes – and usually feels as uncomfortable the whole time. But there’s good news. Eventually your prayers become less about getting and more about connecting with God. By letting him work 1. You begin to realise he is with you. 2. You develop a deeper level of intimacy with him 3. You discover you can trust him entirely. 

Examples of answered prayer 

Earlier this year my son Daniel and his wife Amy asked my wife Patricia and myself if we would like to take an overseas trip with them to South America. We leapt at the opportunity as Patricia and I had never been to South America and so the flight seats were booked. About six weeks before we were due to depart, I managed to damage my sciatic nerve quite badly. It’s a very disabling pain affecting the spine. It was so bad that I could not walk upright. Well, how was I to sit in a plane for many hours let alone getting about sightseeing etc. Well of course there were prayers volunteered by various friends. One prayer occasion I remember distinctly was at a monthly meeting of the church prayer group. That’s the group of people who pray after each Sunday service down the front of the church. The meeting had just finished when Cate our leader suddenly said, “We forgot to pray for Peter’s back!” And so, we prayed. Well, my back started to improve gradually but still left me with a lot of pain right up to the day before we left. On the day we left I was totally free of pain. The second day I was free of pain and thanks to the Lord, subsequent days also. So, I’m a great believer in the power of prayer. 

Is God simply someone who exists to supply all our needs? A sort of Father Christmas God? We don’t pray simply for God to meet all our needs or rescue us from difficult situations. When we pray, we begin to realise that God is with us in our difficulties and he is also with us moment by moment, day by day. 

In Matthew 18 verse 19 Jesus says, “Whenever two of you on earth agree about anything you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in Heaven.”  Last time I spoke about prayer I quoted an extract from the Word for Today which was published some years ago now. Some listeners at the time enjoyed the story so much I will repeat it again here. 

Another example of answered prayer

Becky Smith was eighty-four years old and her sister Christine was eighty-two. The years had taken sight from the first and bent the body of the second, so they couldn’t attend church. Yet their church needed them. They lived on the Isle of Lewis off the North West coast of Scotland, and a spiritual darkness had settled on their village of Barvas. I looked up Barvas on Google and it had a sort of Chatham Island remote ambience about it. The congregation was losing people, and the youth were mocking the faith, speaking of conversion as a plague. In October 1949 the Presbytery of the Free Church of Scotland called upon their members to pray. But what could two elderly housebound sisters do? Quite a lot they determined. They turned their cottage into an all-night house of prayer. From 10pm until 4am two nights each week, they asked God to have mercy on their island. After several months, Becky told Christine that God had spoken these words to her: “I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground”. This is from Isaiah 44:3. She urged her pastor to conduct a revival and invite the well-known evangelist at the time, Duncan Campbell, to speak. When Campbell refused to come, she insisted: “God says he is coming and he’ll be here in a fortnight’. And it happened! For five weeks Campbell preached every night to overflowing crowds at 7pm, 10pm, midnight and 3am. Sinners were converted, pubs closed for lack of patrons and the Isle of Lewis tasted the presence of God – All because two women prayed in agreement. 

I’m sure that if we were really convinced how much God loved us, we would be so much more prayerful. I like to think we have a covenant God – not a contractual God. God loves us unconditionally. Not because we are “good.” This is his covenant – he has forgiven and redeemed us. He still loves us in spite of the fact we can’t keep our side of the bargain or covenant. We don’t have to earn brownie points with God. We don’t pray to get God to do what we want Him to do. We pray to find what God wants us to do – It’s as if he enlists us for a purpose and a plan. 

Imagine that! God wants to have a relationship with you and me. He constantly says throughout the Scriptures that he wants a relationship with us – why are we so slow to take him up on this???

Places for prayer

Now prayer can take place in different situations. 

Daily devotional prayer. You may read a part of the Bible or some form of Bible devotional material such as Daily Bread or Word for Today. My wife Patricia and I like to use Word for Today. 

You may be comfortable praying by yourself in a daily devotional way. 

Some groups have a prayer time after they have completed a time of Bible study. 

Some people have a prayer partner where they meet regularly for prayer in a one-to-one arrangement. 

In this church we have prayer here at the front of the church after the service for those who would like it. It is interesting to note that in recent times more people are taking this opportunity for prayer to involve God in their lives and the lives of others. 

What about walking prayers. This has become quite popular with some groups. People like to pray while walking around say, a house or school or a district asking the Lord to bring blessing upon that place and the people living there or constraining Satan and his activities. There is Biblical support in the Old Testament for this type of prayer. 

What about fasting and prayer? Fasting and prayer have been the experience of the church across history. Prayer and fasting could be defined as going without food in order to focus on prayer and fellowship with God. Prayer and fasting often go hand in hand but this is not always the case. You can pray without fasting, and fast without prayer. It is when these two activities are combined and dedicated to God’s glory that they reach their full effectiveness. Having a dedicated time of prayer and fasting is not a way of manipulating God into doing what you desire. Rather, it is simply forcing yourself to focus and rely on God for the strength, provision and wisdom you need. 

Different types of prayer

There are different types of prayer. Emergency prayers – God’s 24/7, 0800 phone line. You know that situation where you may be speaking with someone and can’t interrupt but you rush off a silent prayer anyway.

There are intercessory prayers where we pray on behalf of others. We have this type of prayer in our services at Tawa Baptist where we intercede on behalf of others on a wide range of local and overseas situations. 

Chat prayers where we sit down with God and discuss all the things going on in our lives along with things going on in the lives of others. Some people we may know and some we may not know. 

Mother Teresa was once asked by a journalist “When you pray what do you say to God?” She replied, “I don’t say anything, I just listen”. “And does God say anything to you?” “No – He just listens”. I know of some people who just remain silent and quietly listen to God. They don’t say anything but simply listen. 

Another source of prayer is our church prayer chain for those who would like prayer. Often for those who are facing an operation or other health issue. You can contact Will or the church office. An email request is then sent to those who undertake to pray for the person or situation. 

There is also the church Prayer Quilt support. The Prayer Quilt group use their skills to produce special prayer quilts. The quilt is displayed at the front of the church during a service and people are invited to come to the front and tie a knot on the quilt along with prayer for the person concerned. The quilt is then given to the person in need of prayer support. 

Prayer diaries or prayer journals

One way to be really encouraged in prayer is by keeping a prayer journal or diary. In the journal or diary, you record your prayer request or you may make a note of some biblical question that puzzles you. You pray about this and ask God for insight. Sometime later, say months or a year later, you go back to the journal and see how the Lord has answered your prayer or gives you clarification or insight. The internet has numerous templates for Prayer Journals so look them up on the internet if you want to start a prayer journal of your own. 

In Hebrews 9, verse 24, we read “For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf”. 

Prayer is a vital part of our Christian life. Jesus made the way open to God with what he has done in breaking down barriers. Through his death and resurrection we are able to go before his throne of grace. He has made the way for us. 

Conclusion:

So let’s pray without ceasing – don’t give up. As already mentioned in I Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 16 to 18, we are told to rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 

Let’s close with prayer…

Thank you Lord for prayer. Thank you that we can share all aspects of our life with you. The big and the small. We thank you Lord for your blessings and all you have done for us. Help us Lord to be more prayerful – to seek you and trust you more. In Jesus name, Amen.

Tawa Baptist

Character

Scripture: Genesis 49:1-12

Video Link: https://youtu.be/qYC-7kvaLCY

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Jacob’s character
  • Reuben, Simeon & Levi’s character
  • Judah’s character
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

The philosopher and poet, James Allen once wrote…

“The law of harvest is to reap more than you sow. Sow an act, and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny.”  

When we talk about character, we mean the mental and moral qualities distinctive to a person. Character can be life giving and good or not.

As a general principle, if you are in the habit of being honest and kind, then you will develop an honest and kind character. And if you have an honest and kind character people will trust you and you will find yourself on the path to friendship and respect. Generally speaking, you will reap what you sow.   

Today we continue our series in the life of Joseph. We have come to that part in the story where Joseph’s father, Jacob, is on his death bed. Jacob knows he doesn’t have long and so he calls his sons together to speak with them.

Jacob gives each son an insight into their character and the destiny of their descendants. This is the future Jacob sees for each of the tribes of Israel. From Genesis 49, verses 1-12, we read…

Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come. 2 “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel. 3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honour, excelling in power. 4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it. 5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers—their swordsare weapons of violence. 6 Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. 7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel. 8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. 9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? 10 The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongsshall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. 11 He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Jacob had twelve sons originally, before he adopted Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. We are not going to cover Jacob’s words for all twelve sons this morning. Just the first four, who were born to Jacob by his wife Leah.

Before we look more closely at what Jacob had to say about the character and destiny of Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah, first let’s consider Jacob’s character.

Jacob’s character:

The American author, H. Jackson Brown, is quoted as saying…

“Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking.”

Are you the same at church as you are at work or at home? Would you be okay with someone checking the search history on your computer? Have you ever walked out of a restaurant without paying? Or made a mess and left someone else to clean it up?

Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking.

As a young man, Jacob was inclined to deceit. He tricked his older brother Esau out of the birth-right and he lied to his father Isaac to secure a blessing. Jacob did not always demonstrate good moral character.    

Sow a character and you reap a destiny. Jacob’s deceit resulted in him having to run away from home to his uncle Laban. And Laban tricked Jacob out of seven years free labour. Jacob got a taste of his own character and he didn’t like it.  

Fast forward a few years and Jacob’s sons get rid of Joseph, then lie to Jacob to cover their tracks. Eventually the truth came out though. It always does.  

Jacob learned the hard way to be honest. Now, at the end of his life, Jacob does everything out in the open, for all to see and hear. Jacob calls his sons together. His words to them are not spoken in secret. Jacob does not fudge the truth. He speaks with absolute candor.

And as we have heard, some of what Jacob has to say about his sons’ character and destiny is not easy or pleasant.

The point here is that God transformed Jacob’s character. God changed Jacob from being a fraudster and a liar to being a prophet and a truth speaker. God wisely and patiently used the crucible of consequence to teach Jacob and refine his character.

God is able to do the same with us. God gives us the Spirit of Jesus, a Spirit of grace and truth, to help us in our character formation. Jesus’ Spirit gives us insight into the truth about ourselves and strength to form new habits that reform our character and put us on a path to a better destiny.

Okay, so that’s Jacob’s character. Let’s take a closer look now at Jacob’s three eldest sons, Reuben, Simeon and Levi. What did Jacob see in their character and destiny?

Reuben, Simeon and Levi’s character:         

John Locke, the 17th Century physician and philosopher, had this to say about character, “The discipline of desire is the background of character.”

John Locke is talking about self-control here. The ability to exercise restraint is essential to developing good character. Without self-control we can’t sow healthy habits that lead to good character.  

Let me tell you a tale from the Jungle Doctor stories. A small monkey called Tichi was fascinated by the curved beaks of vultures. One day, a vulture landed near Tichi in the family tree. Tichi stared at the bird and, when no one was looking, he threw it some food. Then he clapped and shouted, ‘be gone’.

The vulture flew off but the next day it returned with another vulture.

Again, Tichi threw the birds some food before clapping and shouting, ‘be gone’. This continued for a few days until there were so many vultures, Tichi was scared and started throwing stones at the birds.

The vultures grew bolder and bolder until, eventually, they closed in on Tichi who clapped and screamed in vain. In minutes the vultures had devoured the small monkey. Sadly, Tichi was not able to discipline his desire.

In verses 3 and 4, Jacob addresses Reuben, his eldest son. Reuben showed promise at first, excelling in strength and honour. Jacob had high hopes for Reuben. But those hopes were not realised. Reuben did not discipline his desire. Consequently, his character proved to be turbulent.      

The Hebrew root word, translated as turbulent, means to be insolent, proud, undisciplined, reckless, uncontrollable or unstable.

Reuben forfeited his rights as first-born son because he slept with one of his father’s concubines, Bilhah, the maid servant of his stepmother Rachel.

In other words, Reuben committed adultery with one of his father’s wives.

Reuben’s act of adultery didn’t happen by accident. Adultery doesn’t work like that. Reuben kept feeding the vultures of desire until one day he was overcome.

Reuben’s turbulent undisciplined unstable character resulted in him losing the privilege and responsibility of leading the family. From the perspective of Jacob’s other sons, this was a blessing. You don’t want people with a turbulent character in charge.

What about Simeon and Levi, Jacob’s second and third sons? Well, they didn’t fare much better. Verses 5-7 tell us Simeon and Levi shared a similar character, one shaped by violence and cruelty. Fair warning, what I’m about to say is not easy to hear. 

Simeon and Levi had a sister called Dinah. Back in the land of Canaan, Dinah made friends with some of the local girls. A young man by the name of Shechem took a fancy to Dinah and forced himself on her. Afterwards, he approached Jacob asking if he could marry Dinah.

Dinah’s brothers acted deceitfully. They insisted that Shechem and all the males in his family be circumcised first, before Shechem married Dinah. So, the men of Shechem were circumcised and, while they were still in pain, Simeon and Levi took their swords and killed every male in the town.

Then they carried off all their wealth and their women and children. This was an evil thing to do. Simeon and Levi did not discipline their desire for revenge and so they too forfeited the privilege and responsibility of leadership.

Now at the end of his life, Jacob says of Simeon and Levi, ‘Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly…’ Jacob wants nothing to do with that kind of behaviour.

Jacob was so disgusted with his sons that he cursed their anger. Notice though that Jacob does not curse his sons. He curses their anger and cruelty. Jacob is sending a clear message of what is acceptable for the people of God and what is not.   

Simeon and Levi had ended Shechem’s family line and so their own descendants would be scattered. This in fact happened. Centuries later, the Simeonites ended up living in various places throughout Canaan, while the Levites were dispersed throughout the land, serving as priests.

Two things we note with Jacob’s words to Reuben, Simeon and Levi. Firstly, Jacob does not cover up his sons’ crimes. Jacob does not sweep their evil deeds under the carpet. Nor does he excuse them.

Jacob brings what they did out into the open. As painful as this must have been it was necessary, like draining an abscess to prevent the infection from spreading.

We are reminded of the Royal Commission of Inquiry who, this past week, delivered its final report into abuse in care. This report is about bringing the truth into the open. Through pain and trauma. From darkness to light.

The second thing we note, is that despite Reuben, Simeon and Levi’s poor choices, Jacob did not exclude them or their descendants from the family or the nation of Israel. They still belonged to the people of God. This is grace. Truth with grace.

Judah’s character:

When Jacob comes to his fourth son, Judah, we note a positive change. Reuben, Simeon and Levi get five verses between them. Judah gets five verses all to himself. And it is good stuff too. Top shelf. No reprimand.

Kahlil Gibran once wrote, ‘Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars’. Is Kahlil Gibran saying that suffering develops character? Or is he saying that suffering reveals character?

Hmm? I’m not sure we can make a formula out of it. Too much suffering, at the wrong time, risks destroying good character, rather than building it. That said, God is able to use suffering to shape a person to serve his purpose.

Judah was a massive character, seared with scars. Some of those scars were his own doing, like when he sold Joseph into slavery and had to live with the guilt of causing his father Jacob untold grief.

Or the time he slept with his daughter-in-law (Tamar) thinking she was a prostitute. Judah tried to cover it up, but the truth came out and he was humiliated.

Other scars were not his doing though. Judah’s wife died before her time and then he lost two of his sons in short succession. Not his fault. But instructive all the same. Now he knew how his father felt losing Rachel, then Joseph.

Perhaps this was why Judah offered himself as a slave in Benjamin’s place, to save his father (Jacob) from further suffering. Would Judah have done this if he hadn’t suffered personal loss and humiliation? It is beyond our knowing.

What we do know is the future looked bright for Judah and his descendants.

Jacob’s words, in verses 8-10, make it clear that the tribe of Judah will lead the nation of Israel. In verse 8, Jacob says Judah’s brothers will praise him and bow down before him.

Also, that Judah’s hand will be on the neck of his enemies. This literally happened with king David, one of Judah’s descendants. David killed the Philistine, Goliath, cut his head off and lifted the giant’s head in victory.

The leadership imagery continues in verse 9 where Jacob refers to Judah as a lion. A lion is the king of the jungle, symbolic of sovereignty, strength and courage. Judah’s descendants (through the line of David) would become the ruling tribe among the southern tribes of Israel.

Jesus is the greater descendant of Judah though, for Jesus is the King of kings. In the book Revelation (at the end of the Bible) the apostle John has a vision in which one of the elders says to him, ‘Do not weep! See the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed…’  The Lion of the tribe of Judah refers to Jesus who has triumphed over sin and death.

Returning to Genesis 49, we find more leadership metaphors in verse 10 where Jacob says, ‘The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongsshall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his’.

Many commentators believe this verse refers to Jesus, the Messiah, who will reign over all the nations of the earth. These words are pregnant with hope. Jacob foresees a time when people everywhere will obey God. This will be heaven on earth.     

The donkey in verse 11 is an image of peace. To ride a donkey (as opposed to a war horse) was a sign that the king comes in peace. David rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as did Jesus many centuries after him.

Tethering the donkey to a vine speaks of a settled life. The vine is often used as a metaphor for Israel. So, the idea here is that the people of God will one day enjoy stable peaceful government through the Messiah.

The picture of washing his garments in wine indicates abundance, like bathing in milk or feeding eye fillet steak to your dog. Excess wine also points to a time of great joy and celebration. 

We are reminded of Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding in Cana, where the Lord transformed over five hundred litres of water into fine wine. Jesus’ coming heralded abundance and joy.

In verse 12 Jacob says, ‘His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk’. This is poetry. If your eyes and teeth are healthy then you are in good shape inside and out. Jacob is painting a picture of good health and vitality.

Not just good physical health but spiritual vitality as well.

Conclusion:

When we consider the character of Jacob and his sons we notice two things.

Firstly, character is not one dimensional. Human character has layers. We are a mixture.

When we are young, we don’t always know our own character very well.

We may think we are decent enough human beings until circumstance throws us a curve ball and we respond in a way that proves we are not as good as we thought we were. Most people as they get older have fewer illusions about their character. We call this process, ‘growth in self-awareness’.

In those moments, when you realise some flaw in your character, try to be kind to yourself. Know that God’s grace is sufficient for you. Yes, we each have shortcomings and gaps in our character. But we also have a basic God given goodness, for we are made in the image of God.

The second thing we learn from Jacob’s insights, in Genesis 49, is that character is not fixed. Human character is malleable, it can change, like clay in the potter’s hand. God in his wisdom is able to reform and refine our character. But it will probably hurt.

To be a Christian is to be on a journey with Jesus. This journey will inevitably change us if we stick with it. Our destiny is to become more Christ-like in our habits and character. To be transformed into his likeness, without losing our uniqueness.  

While some effort is required of us, I don’t believe we can achieve Christ-like character in our own strength. We need the help of God’s Spirit and God’s people. More than that, we need to rely on the goodness of Jesus’ character.

Let us pray…

Gracious God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What is character? How is character formed?
  3. How did Jacob’s character change over time? Why did Jacob speak his deathbed words to his sons in the open for all to hear?
  4. What role has suffering played (if any) in the (re)formation and refinement of your character? Can you think of a specific example?
  5. Discuss / reflect on the imagery of Jacob’s words to Judah, in verses 8-12.  In what ways do Jacob’s words here point to Jesus?
  6. What layers are you aware of in your character? Can you think of a time when you became aware of a character flaw? What happened? How did you deal with it? Would you handle things differently in future?
  7. If there was one thing about your character you would like to be different, what would it be? Is this something to change or something to accept? Give this to God in prayer.
Tawa Baptist

Blessed

Scripture: Genesis 48:13-20

Video Link: https://youtu.be/a4dc1e1e3Rs

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Words of blessing
  • Hands of blessing
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

“A bell is no bell ‘til you ring it. A song is no song ‘til you sing it. And love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay. Love isn’t love ‘til you give it away.”

Who can tell me what stage musical that song line comes from? [Wait]

That’s right, The Sound of Music. ‘Love isn’t love ‘til you give it away.’

This morning we continue our series in the life of Joseph. Last week we heard how Jacob adopted Joseph’s sons. In today’s reading Jacob blesses Joseph and his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. We could say, “A blessing isn’t a blessing ‘til you give it away.” From Genesis 48, verse 13, we read…

13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.  15 Then he blessed Joseph and said, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, 16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm—may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly on the earth.” 17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.”  20 He blessed them that day and said, “In yourname will Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

In these verses Jacob (also known as Israel) uses his words and his hands to bless Joseph’s sons. Let’s begin with Jacob’s words of blessing.

Words of blessing:

When I think of what it means to bless someone, I imagine some kind of tangible action which makes another person’s life better, or at least less difficult. For example, mowing their lawns or cooking them a meal or listening with understanding or doing some act of service to support them. In my mind, a blessing is a practical expression of love.

But this is not exactly the kind of blessing we find in Genesis 48. Jacob doesn’t do anything practical to make Ephraim and Manasseh’s life less difficult. Jacob simply speaks good words over their lives and places his hands on them. In this process though, something unseen yet powerful & lifegiving is communicated.

At the end of the service each week, someone (usually me) speaks a benediction (or a blessing) over the congregation. The word benediction has Latin origins. ‘Bene’ means well and ‘diction’ means speaking. So, a benediction is literally, ‘speaking well’ or ‘saying good things of someone’. [1] 

Our society today tends to discount words. We often use words carelessly or cheaply. But words have a certain power of their own, like seeds planted in our soul. We need to be sowing the seed of good words in people’s lives.  

Some years ago, when I was training for ministry, I spent a summer working as a chaplain at Greenlane Hospital, visiting patients. There was one man there, around my age, who was recovering from a stab wound.

He told me he was from Maketu, in the Bay of Plenty, not far from where I used to live. Sadly, he believed he was cursed. When he was young, an old woman pointed the bone at him and said some bad words over his life, the opposite of a benediction. Since then, he had been in and out of prison.

Words can be powerful things. What he needed was a blessing. What if that woman had spoken good words over his life, words of peace conveyed with warmth and love.

In verses 15 and 16 we read the words of blessing Jacob speaks over Joseph’s sons and, by extension, Joseph himself.

What we notice with Jacob’s blessing is the way God is front and center throughout. Four times God is referred to in the space of two verses. Jacob does not try to bless Ephraim and Manasseh in his own strength. He calls upon God Almighty to bless them.

Sometimes we Christians carry a heavy burden. We may feel like the weight of responsibility for blessing others rests squarely on our shoulders. It doesn’t. Any blessing (whether in word or deed) is done by God’s grace and in his power. We are simply vessels for carrying and imparting God’s blessing.

If the blessing is the tea, then you are the tea pot. The pot does not make the tea.  The pot merely holds the blessing while it brews. God makes the tea (or the blessing) and pours it out at the right time. 

As Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians, we have this treasure in jars of clay to show this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.     

In verse 15, we notice how Jacob’s words about God are not an abstract theory with no grounding in life’s realities. Jacob’s blessing comes from his own experience of God and the experience of his fathers.

Jacob begins by saying, ‘May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked…’

This speaks of a God who transcends time and geography. The God who blesses people through Jacob was around a long time before Jacob came on the scene, and he will continue to be around long after Jacob has gone.

What’s more, God is not fixed in one place like a statue or a building.

God moves around with his people. He walks with them wherever they go.

When Jacob talks about his father and grandfather walking faithfully before God, he is probably alluding to God’s covenant with Abraham. God’s covenant called for loyalty and trust. Jacob wants Ephraim and Manasseh to understand that being blessed carries a responsibility to honour the covenant with God.  

In the next line Jacob gets personal saying, ‘…the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day…’

Jacob, who made his living as a shepherd, talks about God being his shepherd.

I wonder if David took inspiration from Jacob when he wrote the 23rd Psalm. ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…’

The image here is one of security. To be blessed by God means having God lead, feed and protect you, like a shepherd. This means, for the blessing to be effective, Joseph’s sons must trust God enough to follow where he leads.

In verse 16, Jacob talks about the angel who has delivered me from all harm.

Most commentators think the angel here is a poetic way of referring to God. The key word though is delivered. It can also be translated as redeemed.

As in the ‘kinsman redeemer’. The close relative who gets you out of trouble, who redeems your life from slavery and financial ruin. Boaz (in the story of Ruth) is the classic example of a kinsman redeemer.

Jacob knew God’s deliverance and redemption on more than one occasion. God delivered Jacob from Esau who wanted to kill him. God delivered Jacob from Laban, who wanted to cheat him. And God delivered Jacob from grief and despair by redeeming Joseph’s life.  

What we notice here is the way the God of Jacob closely resembles Jesus.

Jesus is the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. Jesus is our kinsman redeemer.

Jacob frames God’s blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh in terms of great increase on the earth. This probably means having lots of descendants, which did happen over the centuries that followed.

The underlying principle at work in God’s blessing is abundant life. Abundant life may blossom in a whole variety of ways. Often ways that transcend the physical.   

When we think of Jesus, we note he died relatively young and had no biological children. Nevertheless, he has millions of spiritual descendants.

Jesus came that we may have life in all its fullness. Jesus was all for abundant life and fruitfulness. However, the path to life and blessing is not always smooth or pleasant. Jesus turns our understanding of blessing on its head.

Jesus described those who are poor in spirit as blessed because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Likewise, those who mourn are blessed because they will be comforted. And so on.

To be poor in spirit and to mourn is obviously not an ideal state of being.

But, as painful as it feels, being emptied by suffering and grief prepares us to receive God’s blessing. ‘A heart that is broken is a heart that is open.’ [2]

Okay, so those are Jacob’s words of blessing for Joseph’s sons. What about Jacob’s hands of blessing.

Hands of blessing:

Are you left or right-handed? Historically the left hand often carried negative connotations. The Latin word for ‘sinister’ means ‘on the left side’. And in English the word ‘left’ comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word for ‘weak’. In contrast, the right hand is associated with virtue and honour and being right.

In the Middle Ages lefties were, at times, thought to be cursed and in league with the devil, which resulted in burning at the stake.

The stigma and superstition of being left-handed carried over into the following centuries. King George the sixth, who was monarch of England from 1936 to 1952, was left-handed but his father (king George the fifth) forced him to write with his right hand.

Even today there is a certain negativity attributed to the left hand. For those who are familiar with the dating app, Tinder, you swipe right (so I’m told) if you like someone and you swipe left if you don’t. Right for accept’. Left for reject. Sounds quite brutal.  

Perhaps all this prejudice and superstition is because left-handed people are in the minority. It is thought that somewhere between 85-90 percent of people are right-handed, with only 10-15 percent being left-handed.

Now let me say, there is nothing wrong with being left-handed. You are not bad or cursed or anything else if you happen to be left-handed. Our handedness is simply a product of the way God makes us, like eye colour or being good with numbers or preferring savoury to sweet. God likes diversity.

In verse 13 we read how Joseph took great care to line his sons up correctly for Jacob. Joseph made sure his eldest son, Manasseh, was positioned to receive the right hand of blessing and Ephraim, the younger son, was positioned to receive Jacob’s left hand. Joseph believed (like most people of his time and culture) that the right hand of blessing was somehow better than the left hand.

But Jacob upset Joseph’s careful arrangement by crossing his hands over,

so the right hand of blessing went to Ephraim (the younger son) and the left hand of blessing went to Manasseh. Jumping ahead to verse 17, we read how Joseph was displeased by this.

The English translation is a bit soft here. The original Hebrew is stronger.

It says more literally that what Jacob did was evil in Joseph’s eyes. [3] 

It was like using the wrong name at a wedding.

Do you remember that episode from the TV show, Friends, when Ross is getting married to Emily but instead of using Emily’s name in his vows he uses Rachel’s name. (Rachel was one of Ross’ old girlfriends.) What Jacob did, in blessing the younger son with his right hand, was like that. A major faux pas. 

Joseph, who we know by now is very proper and righteous in all his ways, tries to correct his father, Jacob. Joseph tries to move Jacob’s right hand off Ephraim’s head and onto Manasseh’s head. Maybe Jacob is confused. Maybe his blindness has caused the mistake.

But the old man, Jacob, knows what he is doing. This is no mistake. Jacob says to Joseph, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.”

The text does not explain why Jacob crosses his hands. His actions are inexplicable just as God’s actions are often inscrutable. The hand of God is free to move and bless and shape history as he wishes.  God’s reasons do not bow to our cultural norms or traditions. God does not need to explain himself.

Jacob is not startled or angry with Joseph for interrupting him.

Jacob understands Joseph’s concern, without changing the decision.

The blessing is irreversible.

To his credit Joseph, now the ruler of Egypt, does not force Jacob’s hand.

In faith Joseph humbly accepts the father’s will, even if he cannot understand it. Note though that Ephraim and Manasseh both get the same words. Both brothers are blessed for the sake of Joseph. Only the younger is put first. 

In verse 19, Jacob talks about the younger brother (Ephraim) becoming greater than his older brother. What is greatness?

I’m reminded of the request of James and John, in Mark 10, to sit on Jesus’ left and right in his glory. It seems James and John had ambitions of greatness.

Jesus is not angry or impatient with them. Jesus graciously points out that they don’t know what they are asking. Then the Lord goes on to define greatness…

“…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

According to Jesus the greatest is not the most powerful or the most successful or the most popular. Rather the greatest is the servant of all.

Joseph was the Prime Minister of Egypt and yet that did not make him the greatest. Joseph was the greatest among his brothers because he was the servant of all. God blessed many thousands of people through Joseph.

Conclusion:

Love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay. Love isn’t love ‘til you give it away.

On hearing that again we might focus on the giving it away part. But before we can give love away, we must first have it put there by someone. We must be open to receive love.

Jacob puts his love in Joseph’s heart by giving Ephraim and Manasseh his blessing. And, to their credit, they receive Jacob’s blessing in an attitude of quiet trust, just as they humbly accepted Jacob’s adoption of them.

It’s quite difficult in kiwi culture to properly receive words of love and blessing. When people speak good words to us, we often deflect or minimize their comments. Good words raise a red flag. Can I trust what they say or is this a sucker punch? Tall poppies get cut down in New Zealand.

As difficult as it may be, we need to learn to accept the blessing God wants to give. We cannot give to others something we have never experienced or received ourselves. We cannot conjure up blessings out of thin air.

If the tea pot refuses to let the tea and water in to brew, it will have nothing to pour out. Before you can bless others, you must be open to receiving God’s blessing. You must let God put his love in your heart.   

God’s blessing is often communicated by the power of his Spirit, through ordinary people. So, receiving God’s blessing means letting honest, trustworthy people speak good things into your life, into your soul.

May you be blessed this week with knowing and feeling God’s love and grace for you personally, deep in your heart. Amen. 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What do you think it means to bless someone? What does it mean to be blessed by God?
  3. What difference have good words (or bad words) made in your life? What was said to you and how did that affect you?
  4. What is Jesus’ take on blessing? With Jesus’ beatitudes in mind, are you on a path to blessing?
  5. Are you left or right-handed? What difference does it make?
  6. Why does Jacob cross his hands over when blessing Ephraim and Manasseh? What might this reveal about God’s ways? 
  7. What is Jesus’ take on greatness? Why was Joseph great?   
  8. Why is it important to receive the blessing God wants to give? How might we remain open to receive God’s blessing?

Outtakes

When Jacob says, in verse 16, ‘may they be called by my name’, he means may Ephraim and Manasseh be reckoned among the twelve tribes of Israel, with a share in God’s covenant promises to Abraham. This is an affirmation of Jacob’s adoption of Joseph’s sons, which we heard about last week.

[1] Refer Henri Nouwen’s book, ‘Life of the Beloved’, page 56.

[2] This is a lyric from a U2 song, by Bono.

[3] Refer Bruce Waltke’s commentary on Genesis, page 600.

Tawa Baptist

Adopted

Scripture: Genesis 48:1-12

Video Link:  https://youtu.be/nSRh04MBs78

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Why Jacob Adopts (1-7)
  • How Jacob Adopts (8-12)
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Last week we had a dedication ceremony for Micah. And next week we have a graduation ceremony for those children moving up a level in Kids’ Church.

Ceremonies like this help to mark special occasions. Ceremonies are a way of saying this is important. This matters. More than that, ceremonies bring things into effect. They make it official. 

We have ceremonies for all sorts of occasions. Weddings, funerals, baptisms, becoming a citizen, bestowal of awards, ANZAC day, powhiri, and so on.

While people of faith usually value ceremonies and find meaning in them, mainstream society, in general, is relatively casual in its approach. Most people today don’t think the ceremony is that important.   

This is quite different from the attitude of people in the ancient world. In Biblical times things were not complete, they weren’t done properly, until a ceremony had taken place. Ceremonies were a must have.

This morning we continue our series in the life of Joseph. Last week we heard about the ceremony Jacob used to update his Will. And next week we will read about Jacob’s special blessing ceremony. Today’s reading though focuses on an adoption ceremony. From Genesis 48, verse 1, we pick up the story…    

Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. 2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me 4 and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’ 5 “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. 6 Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. 7 As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

8 When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”

9 “They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father.

Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.” 10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. 11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.” 12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

In this passage Jacob adopts Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.

In verses 1-7 Jacob explains why he is adopting two of his grandsons. And in verses 8-12 we read how Jacob adopts. That is, the ceremony of adoption. Let’s begin with Jacob’s explanation of why he is adopting Ephraim and Manasseh.  

Why Jacob adopts:

Normally when we think of adoption, we imagine a couple who want to have children but for whatever reason can’t, so they go through the long and difficult process of adopting kids. 

Or we might think of Whaangai, a Maori tradition, in which a child is raised by grandparents or someone in their wider whaanau.

Jacob’s adoption is not the same as either of these scenarios. It does have a formal, legal aspect to it and it is a family type adoption. However, Ephraim and Manasseh are no longer small children in need of care. Nor is Jacob able to take care of them.

We know from the end of Genesis 47 that Jacob was near death and verse 1 of Genesis 48 tells us that Jacob was ill. This is the first time in the Bible that illness is mentioned.  

Sometimes we get a warning that death is imminent. Other times death comes out of the blue, as a complete shock. Illness can serve as a prompt to get our affairs in order. It also gives family members the opportunity to say goodbye.   

In any case, Jacob is in no condition to take care of grandchildren. He needs his family to take care of him. So why is Jacob (at a 147) wanting to adopt Joseph’s sons, who are now in their early 20’s and hardly in need of looking after.

Well, in ancient times it was common practice that the eldest son received a double portion of the estate when the father died. By adopting Joseph’s sons, Jacob is effectively blessing Joseph with a double portion of the inheritance, even though Reuben is the eldest of Jacob’s sons.

To put it another way, Joseph’s two eldest sons will be reckoned as Jacob’s two eldest sons. So, the descendants of Manasseh and Ephraim will receive an allotment of land in Canaan. In this way, Jacob gives Reuben’s double share to Joseph. Reuben and Simeon don’t miss out though. They still get a share.

So as to avoid a family dispute later on, Jacob sets out a sound spiritual and legal basis for his decision.

In verses 3 and 4, Jacob remembers God’s promises to him. Although Jacob is not currently in possession of the land, he looks forward in faith to that time when God will increase his numbers and give his descendants the land as an everlasting possession.

Jacob is connecting his adoption of Joseph’s sons to God’s promises. This adoption is an example of Jacob’s faith expressing itself in love. You can’t get a better reason than that.

By quoting what God said to him, Jacob is also reminding people of his credentials. None of Jacob’s sons can say they have heard God speak to them in the way Jacob has. And since there is no higher authority than God Almighty, Jacob’s decision cannot be contested by his sons. 

In verse 7 Jacob talks about the premature death of his wife Rachel. At first glance we might think this is an old man getting a bit lost in his memories and digressing from his main point. But it’s not. Jacob is right on point with this comment about Joseph’s mother.

Jacob is drawing attention to the fact that, because Rachel died relatively young (while still of childbearing age), he missed the opportunity to have more children by her.

In the cultural thinking of the ancient near east, when Jacob adopted Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim also become Rachel’s sons. And as such they take the place (posthumously) of other children Rachel may have had to Jacob, if she had lived longer. [1]

That argument wouldn’t stand up in the family courts today, but it made for solid case law in Old Testament times.      

Did you know the head of a dandelion actually consists of many small flowers. A single dandelion head is a community of flowers. Jacob’s family in Egypt was a bit like a dandelion. It was a community of people soon to multiply and grow.

When we think of this adoption from Manasseh and Ephraim’s point of view, we begin to appreciate what Jacob did for them personally.

Joseph’s sons were not like their cousins. They had never set foot in Canaan. They had been born and raised in Egypt and they had an Egyptian mother. Maybe they struggled to speak the Hebrew language. Perhaps they felt like strangers in their own family.       

Being adopted by their grandfather would have given Manasseh and Ephraim a deep sense of belonging. It would have strengthened their Hebrew identity, giving them an honoured place in the dandelion head of Jacob’s family.   

Okay, so we have heard why Jacob adopts Joseph’s sons. Now let’s consider how Jacob adopts Ephraim and Manasseh. In verses 8-12 we catch a glimpse of the adoption ceremony.

How Jacob Adopts:

What do these four things have in common: a wedding, a baptism, a powhiri and a funeral? [Wait]

That’s right, they are all ceremonies. Each of these ceremonies involves spoken words and symbolic actions. And you’ll notice that each of these ceremonies create connections. They bring people together and form a bridge from one state of being to a new state of being.  

With a wedding, two people’s lives become one and two families come together. As the couple exchange vows and rings and a kiss, they enter a new state of being, marriage.

With a baptism, the person being baptized is joined to Christ and they become a part of the people of God, the church. Words are pronounced over the baptismal candidate and water is used as a symbol of cleansing and rebirth.

With a powhiri the manuhiri (or the guests) are properly welcomed onto the Marae and are joined with the mana whenua (the people of that place). Speeches and waiata are exchanged and then people line up to hongi before having a kai.  

With a funeral ceremony the body of the deceased is being returned to the earth and their spirit is committed to God. A funeral marks the transition from one state of being to another. From this life to the next. Eulogies are given, words of committal are spoken and flowers or dirt are put on the coffin.

In verses 8-12 of Genesis 48, we catch a glimpse of the formal ceremony Jacob uses to adopt Joseph’s sons. This adoption ceremony is serious business. It has all the gravity and sacredness of a marriage ceremony or a baptism. Manasseh and Ephraim enter a new state of being. They become Jacob’s sons. 

When Jacob says, in verse 8, “Who are these?” It’s not that Jacob doesn’t know who Manasseh and Ephraim are (even if he is a bit blind). It’s simply that the adoption ceremony follows this formal ritual.

Sort of like a wedding ceremony when the celebrant says, “Who gives this woman to be married?” And the parents say, “We do”.  Everyone in the room knows who the parents of the bride are but you still say the words to complete the protocol.

Joseph answers his father saying, “They are the sons God has given me here”.

Then Joseph brings his sons close to Jacob. If the boys weren’t grown men, Joseph might put them on Jacob’s knees. More likely, in this situation, Manasseh and Ephraim stand between Jacob’s knees, while Jacob sits on the edge of the bed.

The symbolism here is of a child coming from a parent’s loins. It’s like saying, ‘You have the same standing as a biological child. You are my blood’.

Jacob then embraces and kisses Joseph’s sons. Again, this might be a symbolic gesture similar to a wedding ceremony when the celebrant says, “You may kiss the bride”. Except the kiss of adoption will be that of a father and not a spouse.

And, as verse 11 indicates, the embrace and the kiss are not just for show. Jacob is expressing real warmth and love for Ephraim and Manasseh. He is also expressing gratitude to God.

For people of faith, a ceremony is empty if God is not in it. Although God is unseen, he is the most important person in the room and needs to be acknowledged as such.  

We are talking here of the sacramental aspect of ceremonies. In simple terms, a sacrament is something which conveys the presence and power of God. Christians believe it is the presence of God which makes the ceremony effective.

By way of analogy, imagine a bottle of wine. The ceremony is like the bottle and God’s presence and power is like the wine. A ceremony without God’s presence is like an empty bottle of wine. The purpose of the ceremony is only fulfilled when the wine of God’s Spirit is present.

Sacraments come in many forms. Marriage can be a divine sacrament when the Spirit of Jesus is active in the relationship to foster respect and intimacy.

Likewise, musical worship can be a sacrament when the Spirit of Jesus transports us to a place of deeper communion with God.

Enjoying a cup of tea and a good chat with a friend can also be a sacrament, when words of grace and truth are spoken, and loneliness is cast out. 

The church, the people of God, are a sacrament to the world

With any sacrament there is an element of mystery. We don’t know how God conveys his presence and power, but on a spiritual level we sense the Lord has communicated something of himself.

With Jacob’s adoption ceremony, God’s presence and power is honoured throughout. In verse 9, Joseph acknowledges that his children are a gift from God. And, in verse 11, Israel (aka Jacob) acknowledges God with gratitude for allowing him to see Joseph again and to adopt Joseph’s sons.

God’s presence and power is around us all the time, at church, at home, at school, at work, in the car or on the train. Sometimes though we are in too much of a hurry to notice the sacred in the everyday. Sometimes we need to slow down and be still so we can enjoy God’s presence in the simple things.

In verse 12, the adoption ceremony ends when Joseph removes his sons from (between) Jacob’s knees, before bowing down with his face to the ground.

It is unclear whether Joseph is bowing down to honour his father, Jacob, or to worship God. Perhaps it is both.

Joseph is thanking his father for blessing him with a double portion, by adopting his sons. And, at the same time, Joseph is acknowledging God Almighty who made this possible.

We note that Ephraim and Manasseh say nothing. They are led by their father Joseph and humbly receive what their grandfather Jacob wants to give them. Throughout the process they trust themselves to Joseph and Jacob.

Ephraim and Manasseh provide a model for us. As believers in Christ, we are led by the Spirit of Jesus and we humbly receive what God the Father wants to give, in an attitude of trust.  

Conclusion:

In his letter to the Romans, Paul reminds us how we are adopted by God. From Romans 8, verse 14, we read…

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sonsand daughters of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons and daughters, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,   

Let’s sit with that for a little bit. Through your faith in Jesus, you are adopted into God’s family. You stand to inherit the kingdom of heaven. Your identity is in Christ. Your place of belonging is the kingdom of God. You are royalty. You are special. You were bought with a price. You are loved more than you can imagine.

As those who have put their faith is Jesus, our everlasting possession is not an acreage of dirt in the middle east. Our everlasting possession is an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.

Like Manasseh and Ephraim, we have done nothing to earn or deserve this.

It is only by the amazing grace of God. All we can do is humbly accept God’s adoption of us through faith in Jesus and by the sacrament of God’s Spirit.

May God bless you with an awareness of his presence and power at work in your life every day. Amen.    

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What is your attitude (or feeling) in relation to ceremonies? Are they a must have, or just an optional extra? Thinking of your own experience, what kinds of ceremonies have you found meaningful? Why was that?
  3. Why does Jacob adopt Joseph’s sons?
  4. Where does your sense of belonging and identity come from?
  5. What are some of the key elements in Jacob’s adoption ceremony?
  6. What is a sacrament? When are you aware of God’s presence and power at work in your life?
  7. What can we learn from Manasseh and Ephraim’s example?  

[1] Refer Bruce Waltke’s commentary on Genesis, page 597.