The Practical Redemption Of Man

The Life Of Joseph, Session #4- The Redemption Of A Man’s Relationships

Intro.

- Some time has passed since Joseph first came to Egypt.

- In his early 20’s, Joseph was the steward of Potiphar’s house.

- Joseph had been working successfully until Potiphar’s wife made a play for him.

- Joseph, integrity intact, refused the temptation. Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph of assault, and forced Potiphar’s hand into hesitant action.

- It is very likely that Potiphar kept his star protégé close. In fact, Joseph was likely now in charge of Potiphar’s prison!

- I say this because during Joseph’s stay, an incident occurred in the highest office of the land.

• Genesis 40:3,4 : “So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while.”

- These prisoners were not ordinary prisoners. They were political prisoners, resurgents and the like. These particular political prisoners were the chief butler and the chief baker.

- We’re not privy as to why they were there in custody, but they were there a while.

- Then one night both men had disturbing dreams.

• Genesis 40:6-8 : “And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad. So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, ‘Why do you look so sad today?’ And they said to him, ‘We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.’ So Joseph said to them, ‘Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.’”

- The word "looked" is indicative of an investigation or deep observation on the part of Joseph. Others might have missed this, but Joseph was clued in.

- Joseph has not lost his perspective. Joseph in the middle of his suffering has not forsaken his loyalty to the Lord.

- The two officials tell him their dreams. Both dreams revolve around 3 days, and both dreams foretell a resolution to the respective situations.

- For the chief butler, in 3 days, he will be restored to his former post.

- Upon giving that news, Joseph adds a little encouragement to the butler.

• Genesis 40:14,15 : “But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.’”

- When the baker saw that Joseph gave out good news, he asked for the interpretation to his dream.

- Joseph quickly let the man know that he could expect a very different ending, as he would be found out, and the Pharaoh would have his head.

- Three days later and the interpretations were proven to be true. The chief butler was restored to his position, and the chief baker was sent to his death.

- A powerful experience to be sure, as an Egyptian was helped by a Hebrew slave.

- But in the middle of all the excitement, the Bible leaves us with a final note in this otherwise hopeful chapter.

• Genesis 40:23 : “Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.”

- As we survey this short chapter, I suggest that there are a few principles that are on display for us.

Text

- Before we get there, let’s remind ourselves that Joseph is in a very deep time of testing with regard to his faith.

- He has been in prison, likely more than a year, perhaps even years by this time.

- More than a prison, Joseph is in a dungeon. A dark, dank, lonely dungeon.

- It's likely that most of us would not be able to testify to what a physical dungeon might be like, but we have had "dungeon" experiences.

- It's dark and confusing. There is no control over our own life.

- And like Joseph, He does not know the end of the story.

- We know the end of His story, but in the dungeon, we cannot see it for ourselves.

- But in the dungeon, though God is silent in the chapter, He is still active in forging the character of Joseph.

- Therefore, my first observation regarding what this chapter teaches us that God Is More Concerned With Our Character Than With Our Comfort.

- Let’s go to that pesky verse that always gets quoted at times like this.

• James 1:2-4 : “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

- There are so many buzzwords in this section, like “when” and “various.” James tells us that the testing of our faith, and it’s always our faith, is producing something in us. It’s patience.

- It’s the word “endurance,” strength in and for the struggle, always with an eye towards completing the course.

- Joseph’s dreams were being severely tested, and though he is loyal (“Do not interpretations belong to God?) and talented, there is still more to be done.

- But this is our second lesson: God’s Tests Are Done When God Says So!

- “But I can’t take anymore!” you say; “Yes you can!” says the Lord!

- We know that trials will inevitably come and we know that they won’t last forever, but we will never know anything about the time in between!

- There is a time limit to the test and only God knows it.

- And I think that it’s valuable to remember this next lesson: God Prepares You And The Other Side.

- God is not just working on Joseph. He is also working on Pharoah.

- Soon, God is going to speak to Pharoah in a way that will get his attention.

- He is already at work. The pieces on the chess board are assembled and the plan of attack is laid out.

- Which leads me to my final point, and the one which is so clear to us from the final verse of this chapter.

- Let’s turn our attention there to verse 23 again.

• Genesis 40:23 : “Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.”

- The final point here is that God Will Not Share His Glory With Another.

- What do I mean by this? God will not allow Joseph to free himself and He will not allow Joseph to be freed by another. He wants to do the freeing!

- Imagine Joseph’s excitement though. “I have helped a big wig! I have connections in the palace of the Pharoah himself!”

- I could see Joseph thinking through logically, just like every man in the history of mankind, that he would only be there at the most, a couple of days, and then the chief butler would make telling the Pharoah about him, his top priority.

- I am sure that Joseph had a new lease on life during those first few days. I am sure he had a big smile on his face and couldn’t wait to tell his superiors what he had dreamed to tell them for years!

- He had short-timer written all over him!

- But when a few days turned into a week, the week into a month, that optimism fell back to the deep rigors of routine.

- I wonder if he fell into depression and confusion, like most people.

- “But God, I thought that you brought him here to meet me so that I could get in his good graces and then that would be my ticket to freedom!”

- With God, 1 + 1 does equal 2, but often times, not for a long time.

- God even allowed the butler to foget Joseph all together!

- The point is that even though God is going to redeem this relationship, he is going to do it in His time.

- And when He does it, it will be right, because the other side will be ready, and the character needed will be intact!

- When He does it, we’ll have a story and He’ll have His glory because when He does it, there won’t be an explanation, for a miracle will have happened!

- Now, take a moment with me and imagine what might have happened if God had answered Joseph’s likely prayer to bless this opportunity.

- Let’s say that the butler got word out to Pharoah and Pharoah freed Joseph.

- Now, Joseph would be treated as one of the court jesters, entertaining the proud Pharoah until he got tired of Joseph and sent him back to prison or worse!

- But what would happen if the Pharoah were truly distressed because of a dream? Well, that would be an entirely different prospect!

- No friends, we want more than anything, for God to have His will, in His time, employing His method, and there will be joy on every side.

Conclusion

- For some of you, the trial is difficult and it’s going from bad to worse.

- God is burning off the dross from your character and preparing you and those you might be ministering to. That takes time!

- Is that a comfort? Likely not!

- But where will the comfort come? Let me tell you from experience that it won’t come in the circumstance and it won’t come when the circumstance ends.

- Comfort comes when God strips away the “when,” as in, “when will this end” and the “why,” as in “why is this happening.” Comfort comes when God strips us of the when and the why and leaves with the “who,” as in “who is with me in this trial?”

- Only knowing Him and embracing Him will bring the comfort in the time of affliction.