OFFERING

We gratefully give our offering as worship to the Lord Jesus who has graciously given us so much - especially new life. So we faithfully, passionately, and generously respond to Him in praise and trust with all we have.

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In the Sanctuary, you can give your offering in the front baskets or online. See our Welcome Team for envelopes.

OVERRULED.  God’s overruling of human affairs is the key to understanding the whole Joseph story. And to understanding my story. I alone am responsible for my sin. And Christ alone is responsible for my salvation. In such grace, Jesus overruled the sin once ruling me, nailing it to the cross.

KEY WORD

So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt...So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt."

 GENESIS 45:4,8

the great story

In this narrative of forgiveness and reconciliation, Joseph presents a model of submission to God’s eternal and benevolent purpose (vv. 5–8). All the evil done to him by his brothers was only part of God’s secret plan designed for the good, not only of Joseph, but of his wicked brothers as well.

By God’s sovereign care, the covenant family has been rescued and reconciled. As Joseph says, God has done this. 

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While God surely has been in control - preventing sin, limiting sin, permitting sin, and directing sin - t he brothers are responsible for what they have done. Their guilt is not just brushed under the rug to be forgotten. Rather it has been brought to light by God and dealt with - they have admitted their sin and Judah's repentance has even made a substitutionary sacrifice . 

the great NEWS

The Bible makes it quite clear that God is not the author of sin - He does not cause sin nor tempt others into sin. But no human sin or even angelic evil is outside the governance of our mighty God. 

God can prevent sin. (Gen. 20:6; Ps. 19:13)    

God does not always prevent sin. The Lord can give people over to their stubborn and sinful hearts which renders it certain that we will commit the sins we desired. (Acts 14:16; Rom. 1:24-28; Matt. 19:8; 2 Chron. 32:31; Ps. 81:12-13)    

God can direct sin. God can permit some sins to occur yet redirect our sinful intentions in such a way that good comes out of it. He not only makes something good out of something bad, but in His amazing control can actually use our sin to accomplish His plans. Even though we meant something for evil, God could have meant it for ultimate good. (Gen. 45:8; 50:20) We see this is Gen. 29 where Laban's sinful deception to wed Leah to Jacob actually produces Judah, through whom Jesus will come to save the world. And we see it in what Peter and Paul say regarding Jesus - though people hardened hearts against Him and killed Him, through this sin God brought salvation to the world. (Acts 2:36; Rom. 11:13-15, 25).

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God can limit sin. (Ps. 124:1-3; Job 1:12; 2:6; Lk. 22:31-32; 1 Cor. 10:13) 
 
Many will ask, Why doesn't God stop all sin if He is so loving and so powerful?

We trust God is always accomplishing His purposes even as He continues to permit some sins. We find grace in that He does limit and prevent some sin and even redirects evil for our ultimate good and His glory. We can also point to the very good news that in fact He has done something once and for all to stop all sin - He died on the cross bearing our sin to remove the penalty of sin against and the power of sin over us, and one fine day He will return gloriously to remove even the presence of sin in us and in His world. 

NEXT WEEK GENESIS 47