Sunday School Lesson for Jan. 22, 2012: Joseph Transmits Abraham’s Promise (Genesis 50:15-26)

Genesis 50:19
And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?





Genesis 50:20
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.





Romans 2:4
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?





2 Timothy 3:17
so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.







In my teen years I took Karate and I boxed a little bit. The Karate was fun and I pursued it for a few years. The boxing was difficult. I’m blind (by birth) in one eye, and I could never see the overhand right coming. However, I remained a fan, and when I’m watching a fight I can pretty quickly see what each fighter has brought to the ring. A good fighter works on his strengths and his weaknesses. He may bring certain natural physical gifts or abilities into the ring: height, speed, leverage, a good jab or a really naturally good right hand, but he’ll need to bring more than that in order to dominate in the sport. That’s where time in the gym is important. Foot work doesn’t come naturally to most. Neither does the uppercut or the left hook. They normally have to be added to a fighter’s repertoire through a lot of training and hard work. When the lights come up and the opening bell sounds it can become apparent pretty quickly what ‘tools’ a fighter brings with him into the ring. Styles make fights. If a fighter ends up in the ring with an opponent who nullifies some of his natural strengths, he will need to reach into his ‘toolbox’ and find the right tools to persevere.

The journey for the believer can be compared similarly. The various trials, tests and temptations that we face on a day to day basis can serve to help us to become the ‘over comers’, the ‘super conquerors’ that God intends for us to become. If we’ll do the hard work and add the tools that God offers to our tool box, we position ourselves for victorious living. This is where Joseph was. He had some very natural spiritual gifts that were apparent from his youth. Those gifts eventually brought him before Pharaoh. Years in slavery and prison developed in him many of the tools required to lead Egypt in the time of famine. The time involved also allowed him to add the spiritual tools he would need to reconcile himself to his family and reconcile his family to the promise of God.

Beloved, do not underestimate the power of forgiveness. In the same way that a bomb squad defuses a dangerous bomb, the ability to forgive will heal relationships, repairing them in such a way that they can be stronger than they were when first broken. God was building a nation: one nation, not twelve. God intended that the rift between brothers be healed in such a way that they would cohere to one another to form the nation of Israel. There was not this same kind of healing between Isaac and Ishmael or between Jacob and Esau (even though Jacob and Esau eventually forgave one another). Subsequently, neither Ishmael nor Esau received the blessing of God’s promise to Abraham. Forgiveness created a nation and set the foundation for the Church. Then Jesus…

Jesus gave Himself for us then, He forgave us. In doing so, He rescued us from eternal death (not an oxymoron) and reconciled us to God eternally. Isn’t that good news? Once we’ve been ‘redeemed’, God begins to equip us for service. HE does this in two ways: the renewing of our minds through the study of His Word and through the testing of our faith which brings out His character in us. If we can allow trials to make us better, not bitter, God will use those trials to add the spiritual tools to our toolbox that will allow us to further his redemptive work within our sphere of influence. Be encouraged. Where ever you are in the Lord, He’s not done with you yet. What ever it is you’re going through, God can allow it to work to your benefit. Keep your focus on Jesus. He’ll see you through.



Blessings,



.wb





James 1:2
[ Trials and Temptations ] Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,





Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.