Sermon A: 18 Pent: Gen 50:20

For the 18th Sunday after Pentecost, the three readings assigned for 9/14/08 are Genesis 50:15-21; Romans 14:1-12 and Matthew 18:21-35. The text chosen to preach on is Genesis 50:20, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”

Most Christians are familiar with Romans 8:28 in which God promises that everything will work out for the good to those who love Him. However, how often do we, even as Christians in faith, sense that God is no longer keeping His promises. We may be going through a tough time; events may not be turning out as we had planned or hopes for the future seem distant if not invisibile.

Jacob has died and the sons are worried that their brother Joseph will take vengeance upon them for what they had done in selling him into slavery. Instead, he comforts them with his faith that God took the evil against himself and turned it into the saving of thousands of people from starvation as he interpreted Pharoah’s dream about the seven years of famine soon to come.

The words of Joseph not only tell us about his deep faith but even more so of the character of God. Had the disciple the faith of Joseph, would they have fled from the Garden of Gethsemane? No, they would have trusted Jesus and believe that what was about to happen would work out to the good of mankind. How much do we need to learn that God will take care of us as He so promises?

Yet members of the congregation continue to sin which is just another way of saying that they mistrust the promises of God. The message of this sermon is that we are often more like the brothers of Joseph rather than like Joseph. We can thank the LORD, though, that while we are like those brothers, Jesus is tenfold more majestic, merciful and gracious than Joseph as He says to you from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!”