The Practical Redemption Of Man

The Life Of Joseph, Session #1 - The Redemption Of A Man’s Pedigree

Intro.

- Have you ever noticed that even though God has redeemed you from your past, that He still finds ways to redeem your past?

- Please don’t misunderstand me: God is not about to glorify our sinful past when we were living in opposition to Him.

- However, that part of your past which helped mold and shape you into the man you have become is useful in the hands of the Lord for your future.

- One definition for “redeemed” is, “to make something acceptable or pleasant in spite of it’s negative qualities or aspects.”

- The difference is a semantic one, but that is how I am using the word “redeemed” in this particular series of studies.

- I am talking, in this session, about the redemption of your pedigree, the way in which you were raised, the core values that were instilled in you that God wants to redeem, make use of, for His sovereign purposes.

- Such is the story of all of our lives and is the clear illustration of Joseph’s life.

- This morning, I want to look at Joseph’s pedigree and how that will begin to serve a redemptive purpose.

Text

• Genesis 37:1-4 : “Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.”

- There are four points that are evident in this passage that speak to how Joseph was raised.

I. Faithfulness To God (v.1)

II. Responsibility To Family (v.2a)

III. Devotion To Righteousness (v.2b)

IV. Perspective To The Future (v.3,4)

I. Faithfulness To God (v.1)

- Jacob, Joseph’s father, is dwelling in a land not his own. They were strangers in the land, foreigners.

- Why were they strangers? God had called them to dwell there, for it would one day be their inheritance.

- This had been the call of God to Abraham, who left Ur of the Chaldees to go to a land that He would reveal to him in time.

- Therefore, Joseph grew up with an amazing spiritual heritage and an amazing story of interaction with God. His family was demonstrating a real dependance upon God and a trust in His word to them.

- As Joseph looked back, he was able to see faithful man, after faithful man, with God at the center of his family’s history. These were far from perfect men, but they were faithful to their God.

- There they are in a land full of heathens, the land of Canaan, but are dedicated to their God, to the vision that God had given to them.

- Canaan was a land about to develop into a diverse idolatrous league of nations. This is where God called this family to settle, and though they were in the world, they were not of the world.

II. Responsibility To Family (v.2a)

- The next thing we see is responsibility: Joseph tended Jacob’s flocks.

- Here we find that he is 17 years of age, definitively young for such a dangerous job, but obviously filled with the right kind of character.

- Remember that these were not the times of easy shepherdism, where there are dedicated fenced off fields for livestock to graze. Jacob’s flocks were out in the wild where there was the threat of highwaymen and the probability of attack from predatory animals.

- Joseph was a good shepherd and he took his responsibility seriously. I know that because of what we see next.

III. Devotion To Righteousness (v.2b)

- Joseph was working with his older half-brothers, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

- One commentator points out that there may be some grammatical evidence that points to Joseph actually being his older brother’s supervisor.

- In the process of time, they began to slack off or take their job with a lesser degree of seriousness. Perhaps they were demonstrating a hireling mentality, clocking in and clocking out with no concern for the well being of the business.

- Jesus talks about what a bad shepherd, and we could spend a whole study on that, was. In a nutshell, a bad shepherd was willing to sacrifice the well being of the sheep for his own personal convenience. Jesus, a picture of the good shepherd, lays down His life for the sheep.

- It seems that the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah were not of this caliber necessitating a bad report from Joseph.

- Let me say that standing up for the right thing is hard enough when it’s one on one. This situation is 4 on 1!

- Add a family dynamic to it and it’s even more difficult. These were Joseph’s older brothers. Joseph was the youngest son at this time and it’s probable that these other sons were into their 30’s by now.

- So, a teenage brat little brother brings some bad news about his older adult brothers to Dad! That can never be good!

- But Joseph’s concerns were in the right place, even at this early age. His priorities were straight and he had a strong sense of what was right and wrong.

IV. Perspective To The Future (v.3,4)

- Notice next the issue which seems like favoritism, but truly, the idea is that Joseph will one day be the head of the family.

- When Joseph brought this report, Jacob likely rose up and disciplined the other boys.

- While it seems that the gift coincided with this action, the boys’ vicious reprisal upon the men of Shechem in chapter 34 and Rueben’s disqualification as heir in Genesis 35 is likely the reason why Jacob bestows upon Joseph the multi-colored tunic.

- He sees that Joseph is ready to be trusted and ready to take responsibility.

˚ “The real idea behind the ancient Hebrew phrase for “tunic of many colors” is that it was a tunic extending all the way down to the wrists and ankles, as opposed to a shorter one. This was not what a working man wore. It was a garment of privilege and status.” David Guzik

- Jacob shows outwardly that Joseph is his choice to carry on the responsibilities of the spiritual head of the family.

- But it’s going to be costly. Note in this final verse the hostility.

- It’s always the case that when you want to do what is right, there are plenty of people and plenty of reasons that will rise up against you.

- The situation was no different for Joseph.

- Look at how Moses describes this: “But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.” (Genesis 37:4)

- They loathed him and could not even bring themselves to speak in a cordial way.

- They seethed under their breath and ground their teeth at him.

- The seeds for their hatred was ironically their own misbehavior, but that is always the case isn’t it? Men go astray and instead of being humble and admitting their mistake, they defend themselves and hate the messenger rather than their own methods!

- These men began from this day to see the favoritism and act against Joseph, if only on a hostile, verbal level.

- But just like every other sin situation, if not brought under the lordship of Christ, it will not sit in isolation for long, as it must act out.

Conclusion

- Immediately what we discern are good characteristics that were built into Joseph’s life.

- Some of our lives are built on similar ethics that have been brought under the authority of Christ.

- Let’s finish with a few thoughts and then onto our discussion.

- First, Never Underestimate The Importance Of Faithfulness. Some of you think that a spiritual life is a supplement to the rest of your life. Following Christ comes after the rest of our earthly commitments. Part of why God used Joseph so mightily was built upon generations of faithfulness to God.

- If that is not your background, don’t worry! However, that being said, do be inspired to let the story that is written from this point on, for the sake of your heritage, be a story of fidelity to God.

- Second, like Joseph, Let Our Labor Testify Of Our Faithfulness To Christ. Joseph was not intimidated to stand up for what was right in life. He might have feared in his heart, but that did not stop him from living for righteousness. To stand in Christ is to stand for righteousness in the world. Refuse to cut corners, take shortcuts ethically, or tolerate even the hint of wrong.

- Maybe some of us need to repent of the things that we have allowed in our homes. Perhaps there are discrepencies in how we handle money or our businesses. Think about it.

- Finally, Our Past Is Preparation For Our Future. God has sovereignly designed your character to fit your destiny in Him. Joseph needed to be what He was and you need to be what God has made you to be, in order that you might bring glory to Him.