Transformation

If you've got a Bible, please turn with me to Genesis chapter 43.

Genesis 43 · chapter mention

That would be great.

We're in the, I think it's the sixth installment in our Joseph series.

It's been great to take somebody we've known about since youth.

We've heard, we've seen on the stage.

We learn at Sunday school and to dig in and find out a bit more and see some new lessons.

There's Joseph and the gospel of many colors.

And this evening, we're in Genesis 43 and 44.

Just a small 62 verses for us to get through.

Anna Levinson writes in a New York newspaper these words.

By the time I was six and my brother was five, we were used to waiting.

Waiting for our father to show up.

On one particular afternoon, we sat in a pool of sunlight that poured through our living room bay window.

We were baking in our jackets ready to go while we waited.

Would he be late?

Would he come at all?

What state would he be in?

What would he smell like?

My parents had separated a year before.

And when my father came to pick us up for occasional visits, his gait was often wobbly and his words were usually slurred.

My mother worked full time in an insurance company.

Our nanny, therefore, would be left to handle these messy transfers.

Sometimes she wouldn't let us go when she saw his condition.

Whilst waiting and worrying, on this occasion I made a decision.

We're so stupid, I said.

He's never going to come.

Most days I would have been right.

But late, slurring but apologetic, he appeared.

We piled into the taxi and drove to Tenderloin, a rough neighborhood across town from where we lived.

On arrival, he gave us a quick tour of the cluttered apartment.

There was a withered pot plant and an overflowing ashtray on a long, dirty coffee table.

A woman with long, stringy blonde hair entered the room and introduced herself as my father's girlfriend.

Immediately, her bulging eyes and grubby fingers scared me.

I was used to meeting weird people when visiting my father, but she was by far the most manic.

After a brief introduction, she and my father abruptly headed to the bedroom, leaving me and my brother on the couch all alone.

A few quiet moments passed before we heard yelling and objects smashing and then silence.

Consumed with fear but driven by curiosity, I crept to the door and knocked softly.

When no answer came, I peered through the crack under the door to see my father and girlfriend passed out on the bed with needles all over the floor.

I ran to the door.

I ran to the door.

I ran to the phone to call my mother and begged her between sobs to come and pick us up.

Although at that age of six, I couldn't then verbalize exactly what was happening, but I knew one thing.

I never wanted to see my father again.

After that moment, my father disappeared from my life for 18 years.

Alana then writes about the ensuing years struggling with OCD, anxiety, depression, hypochondria and withdrawnness.

The article then moves to when she is in her mid-twenties.

Her father reappears, clean of drugs and eager to make up for lost time.

Yet Alana couldn't engage with him.

She was absolutely unable to trust him or respond to any of his attempts to build bridges.

She writes, my shattered trust couldn't be glued back together.

The article ends after a long and painful process with the barrier slowly coming down after her dad passed literally hundreds and hundreds of trust tests.

Alana writes, it was too risky to let him straight back into my life.

We started with monthly phone calls that he had to make when we had agreed.

Then letters that he had to write and they must be delivered to me every Monday.

After this, we'd meet for coffee miles from his house.

Then we'd move to lunches.

I would always tell him when and where and if he was late or missed, it was over.

Trust is slowly built and quickly destroyed.

I couldn't let him back into my life if he was going to ruin everything all over again.

Testing him, she writes, was the only way I could ever move to trusting him.

Horrible story, isn't it, about a six-year-old?

Crushed and severely affected by her father's drug abuse.

And to find out if he was clean, to find out whether he was worth investing in, she tests him in a number of ways.

And Genesis 42, where we've come from, functions a bit like Alana's story.

Joseph hasn't seen his brothers for 22 years.

The last time they met, it didn't go very well.

He turned up to see how their shepherding was going on and they stripped him and they beat him and they threw him in a well

before selling him to the Ishmaelites who carried him to Egypt.

That's his last memory of his brothers.

Before they turn up in chapter 42.

And as we saw with Paul Fred last week, Joseph sets about testing them.

Testing them to see whether he's better off without them.

Testing them to see whether they've changed.

Testing them to see whether he could ever trust them again after being so treated by them.

And in chapter 42, he sets four tests.

The first one is this.

Is Benjamin still alive?

In verse 12.

He asked them.

And they say he is, but there's no evidence.

So they fail the test.

Then he asked for a volunteer to go and get them and no one volunteers.

So they fail that test.

And then he says for a volunteer to stay while the other nine go to get their brother.

And no one volunteers to stay.

So he has Simeon bound before their eyes.

Will someone come back for Simeon?

Well, no.

Because he's still in Egypt.

By the time we open chapter 43.

Then he sets the money trap that they're on their way.

And they open their sacks.

And all the money they paid to Joseph was still there.

Would they go back?

Or would they carry on on their journey?

Well, they carry on on their journey.

There's no about turn.

And we should go and sort this out.

And then they tell him that we need to take Benjamin.

Have they earned Jacob's trust?

Well, no.

Verse 36.

He seems to blame them for absolutely everything.

You have deprived me of my children.

Joseph is no more.

And Simeon is no more.

And now you want to take Benjamin.

Everything is against me.

They don't trust him.

And I guess implicit in the same episode is,

does Benjamin trust them?

Well, we don't exactly see him jumping up and down saying,

I'll go.

So they fail that test as well.

In fact, you have to say,

in chapter 42,

Joseph brothers are an epic fail.

And you kind of think Joseph is better off without them.

They're still just a ragtag bag of swindlers and murderers

and liars and deceivers

who are all out for themselves.

They don't seem to have changed at all.

Yet what we're going to see in our two chapters

is how God is going to providentially work.

How God is going to set tests

and how things are going to be transformed

so that there'll be restoration, reconciliation

and a glorious reunion in chapter 45.

So why don't I pray?

Father God, thank you that you always have your glory

at the forefront of your agenda.

Father, following closely after that

is the blessing of your people

and the ultimate transformation of them

to look more and more like your son.

So as we open this, your word, this evening,

speak to us, we pray.

Glorify our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Transform us

and orientate our lives once again around your gospel.

Father, do this all

by your grace

through the power of your spirit.

We pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

So here's the first test

we're going to see

in this little passage.

God tests his people

to free them from idolatry.

God tests his people

to free them from idolatry.

As we enter chapter 43,

the famine is still severe.

It's gone on a long time

and they've run out of food.

They've gone to the cupboard

and it's been like old Mother Hubbard.

There was nothing there.

Simeon is still in Egypt.

He's been there since chapter 42, verse 24.

And Egypt remains their only hope.

The only place in all the world

that has grain surplus enough

that they can give out is Egypt.

And so Jacob says,

verse 2,

go back and buy us a little more food.

Go back and buy us a little more food.

Seems like a really obvious suggestion.

Egypt has food.

You need to go and get it

because we've run out.

And yet there's a problem.

There's a real problem

that Judah points out

in verses 3 to 5.

That if Egypt is their only hope,

then Benjamin is the key

to unlocking that hope.

Benjamin,

Jacob's prize son,

the one that he spent

at the end of chapter 42

saying,

no one's getting hold of Benjamin.

He's staying with me.

And so Judah's reminder

to his father of the fact

that Benjamin is necessary

to get food from Egypt,

stabs Jacob in the heart.

Jacob is very protective of Benjamin.

I don't think it's a stretch to say

that in Jacob's life,

Benjamin has become an idol.

Benjamin has become the center of his life.

Chapter 42, verse 28.

Which is the wrong verse.

38.

My son will not go down there with you.

His brother is dead

and he is the only one left.

If harm comes to him

on the journey you are taking,

you will bring my gray head

down to the grave in sorrow.

Jacob loves Benjamin that much

that he says,

if he dies, I'll die.

If he dies, I'll die.

43, verse 6.

Why did you bring this trouble on me

by telling the man

you had another brother?

Just want to keep him for myself.

Without him, I'll die.

Judah's going to say in verse 44

that my father's life

is bound up with this boy.

Jacob's affections

are completely tied up with Benjamin

and he will not let him go.

Tim Keller writes,

when anything in life

is an absolute requirement

for your happiness, life,

and self-worth,

it is essentially an idol.

Something you are actually worshipping.

When threatened,

your anger is absolute.

To diagnose what the idols

in our lives are,

we must ask,

what am I defending?

What is so important

that I cannot live without?

Seems to be where

Jacob finds himself.

Growing up,

we had a dachshund called Jaffa

and Jaffa was the most placid dog

you will ever find.

You'd let him out in the morning

like you should do all dogs

and if it was raining,

Jaffa would go,

well,

don't really fancy it today.

One time,

every month,

our dog would turn

into a ferocious animal

after a lamb Sunday lunch.

He'd throw the bone,

Jaffa would sit on the lawn

like gnawing at it like crazy

and literally,

if you got in within five meters

of this dog,

it would go for you

in the most savage way.

Jaffa became

the most stupid looking guard dog

anyone could ever imagine.

That seems to be

how Jacob is functioning.

If you come close to Benjamin,

there's going to be problems.

And so God is really testing Jacob

to free him

of his idolizing of his son.

Something profound

happens in this text.

Jacob starts by saying,

no way.

It's not going to happen.

And then in verse 8 to 10,

after Judah reasons with him

and says,

it's not just our lives

that are at stake.

It is your life

and the lives of your children.

You've got to let Benjamin go.

I'm even going to offer myself

a surety for him.

Jacob agrees

with Judah's proposal.

It is a remarkable transformation

between chapter 42

and chapter 43.

But Jacob says,

yes,

you can take him.

In fact,

there is a remarkable transformation

going on in chapter 42.

Jacob is repeatedly referred to

by his name,

Jacob.

When we get to chapter 43,

the name that Jacob

is referred by

is Israel.

Jacob's name means

the twister,

the self-reliant,

the one who's always

in it for himself.

Chapter 42

and chapter 43,

the covenant name of God,

the one who is struggling

with what God's will is,

struggling to trust him.

And in chapter,

in verse 14,

he makes three profound

professions of faith.

the beginning of the verse,

and may God almighty

grant you mercy.

How is

Jacob dealing with his idols?

Well,

he's subscribing

all power to God.

Almighty God,

the one who's in charge.

Suddenly,

when we see that God

is almighty,

our idols are minimized

in size

and they become futile

and worthless.

Where he's blaming God

in chapter 42,

why has God

let this happen to me?

Everything's against me.

Here he's saying,

almighty God,

I place myself,

I place everything

into your hands.

He places his children

into God's hands

so that your brother

will let

your other brother

Simeon and Benjamin

come back to you.

And then he places himself

in the hands

of the sovereign God.

As for me,

if I am bereaved,

I am bereaved.

Suddenly,

he's relinquished

his idol.

Suddenly,

he's trusted himself

to the sovereign God.

And he said,

my life is now bound up

with God's will

and what he wants.

Sounds remarkably,

doesn't it?

That last phrase,

if I am bereaved,

I am bereaved.

Like Esther,

when she goes before King Xerxes,

when she says,

I will go and see the king

even though it is

against the law

and if I perish,

I perish.

Trusting a sovereign God

with life and everything.

If you want to catch

a monkey in the jungle,

all you need to do

is put a banana

in a cage.

And the monkey reaches in,

grabs the banana,

but can't get its hand out.

It can't be free

because it won't let go

and the hand

plus the banana

won't fit through

the bars in the cage.

That seems to be

where Jacob has been.

He's holding on

to this idol

and he can't be free.

But God so tests him

that he lets go

in order that he would be free

to enjoy all that God

has for him.

Even more than he thought

he had.

It's not about preserving

Benjamin,

but God has something

much greater

in store.

And so I guess

we see that God

tests us

so that we let go

of our idols

so we'd be free

to worship him.

So we'd be free

to submit

to his ways

to fulfill his purposes

and enjoy him forever.

And I guess tonight

we're all conscious

that we're riddled

with idols.

Spurgeon will write

that the human heart

is the idol factory.

Riddled with

idolizing children

and work

and power

and money

and reputation

and stuff

and image

and countless

other things.

Jacob

didn't think

he could let

Benjamin go

but God

tested him

to release him

from his idolatry.

Centuries later

Jesus will stand

and say

whoever wants to be

my disciples

must

deny themselves,

take up their cross

and follow me.

Oh that God

would test us

in such a way

that we would

stop worshipping

futile

created things

that we might

be free

to worship

him alone.

God tests

his people

to free them

from idols.

We see that

in the life

of Jacob.

So what idols

are we cleaved

to?

What in our life

is so essential

that we think

we cannot do

without it?

And if it's

threatened

our anger

is disproportionate.

Many great saints

have testified

to the truth

it is only

when Jesus

is all that they have

they realise

that Jesus

is all that they need

and that God

would loosen

our grip

so we could

cling to his son

alone.

So they get

to Egypt

and here's

what I think

we learn from this

God tests

his people

to free us

from fear

and reveal

his grace.

They finally

arrive

the eleven

of their

well the ten

of them

when Simeon

is already there

they make it

down to Egypt

and I think

the whole thing

revolves around

verse 16

when Joseph

saw Benjamin

with them

he said

to the steward

of the house

take these men

to my house

slaughter an animal

and prepare a meal

they are to eat

with me at noon

I think

I'm sure

that Joseph

says to the steward

of the house

in Egyptian

that he knows

what's going on

but the brothers

don't have a clue

and that's why

they're so afraid

that is why

they're terrified

because they're being

ushered

into Joseph's

private quarters

and don't know

what is going

to happen

to them

but it's stupid

because Joseph

is the second

most powerful

man in all

of Egypt

and therefore

the world

Joseph doesn't

need to attack

his brothers

in secret

he can do it

out in the open

because he is

untouchable

the brothers

are frightened

the steward

comes in

and verses

19 to 22

is them

pleading

frantically

their innocence

you can imagine

the scene

they're all

talking over

one another

oh we just

found the silver

we tried to

pay you

somehow it

got back

into our

sacks

please don't

kill us

all making

a real

kerfuffle

then verse 23

the pagan servant

testifies to

God's grace

he says

we did get

your silver

your God

the father

your God

the God

of your father

has given us

has given you

treasure in your

sacks

then he brought

Simeon

out

they thought

they were going

to get knocked

off

and the servant

says no your God

is gracious

he's rewarded

you don't be

afraid

your God is

sovereign and

actually here's

your brother

unbound

fear always

makes us

suspicious

and cynical

and doubting

our fears

always make us

think that the

absolute worst

case scenario

is going

to happen

and our fears

get in the way

of trusting

a sovereign

God

that actually

the way that

we cope with

fear is

doctrine

that when we

see that God

is gracious

and he's

good

when we

see that he's

sovereign

we realise

we have

no need

to be

afraid

because our

God is

unstoppable

and we can

trust him

in every

area of

our lives

so when you

have a freak

out

get your

Bible out

verse 26

and 28

Joseph is

reminded of

God's sovereignty

here are the

brothers

bowing down

again before

him just like

the dream

of the wheat

and the

stars

and then he

sees

Benjamin

and suddenly

his fears

are subsided

they were

telling the

truth

Benjamin

is alive

and his

full brother

the only

other son

born of

Rachel

Jacob's

favourite

wife

is born

in

and it's

too much

for Joseph

deeply

moved

he has to

go out of

the room

to have

a good

cry

I wonder

what in

your life

makes you

afraid

and I

wonder

is the way

you can

conquer

that fear

knowing

more

about

God

trusting

the God

that is

revealed

in this

book

don't we

read in

1 Corinthians

15

that even

God is

sovereign

and gracious

and that

grace is

bigger than

death

he writes

death

has been

swallowed

up in

victory

where

oh death

is your

victory

where

oh death

is your

sting

sting

of death

is sin

and the

power

of sin

is the

law

but thanks

be to

God

he gives

us

victory

through

our

Lord

Jesus

Christ

surely

if God's

grace

is bigger

even

than

death

then fear

becomes

futile

if you

were here

on Thursday

you'd have

heard

Alexander

read

Psalm

23

and what

a beautiful

reminder

even though

I walk

through the

shadow

of death

you're

with me

it gets

even better

than that

you lay

a banquet

before all

my enemies

in the midst

of my enemies

well the brothers

go down to

Egypt

they think

they're going

to be treated

as enemies

God is

gracious

to them

and to top

it all off

Joseph lays

on a banquet

before them

I wonder

will we

trust a

sovereign

gracious

God

in every

area of

our life

so we

will not

be fearful

and we

remember

what he's

like

will we

trust him

in our

everyday

lives

will we

trust him

with

tomorrow

will we

trust him

in every

area

will we

trust him

as a

church

will we

trust him

in our

evangelism

is grace

going to be

sufficient

to quell

our fears

and so

God tests

these brothers

that they

might be

transformed

that fear

might be

replaced

by trust

and they

see that

God is

sovereign

over it

all and

is treating

them far

better

than they

deserve

okay

third point

here we

go

God

tests his

people to

free them

from

individualism

and bind

them

together

do you

see it's

a sting

operation

that it's

not just

the silver

that's

replaced

again

but there's

this cup

that has

special

significance

in

Joseph's

life

and Joseph

knows that

Benjamin is

still alive

but he

doesn't know

that his

brothers love

Benjamin

they're worried

that they

kind of treat

him like

they used

to treat

Joseph

and when

they're away

when Benjamin's

finally been

prized away

from their

father

will they

take this

opportunity

to kill

him again

he's already

partially tested

them in

chapter 43

verse 34

when Benjamin

gets five

times the

helping

will there

be jealousy

and rivalry

then

well it

doesn't seem

to be

everyone's

feasting

and drinking

together

and there

doesn't seem

to be a

hint

but then

dogs don't

turn on each

other when

there's enough

food to go

around

crisis will

reveal what's

really going

on

are they in

it together

are they a

family unit

united

or will

they go

it alone

well the

brothers wake

up in the

morning they've

had a cracking

night in the

prime minister's

house I'm

sure they've

got sore

heads and

they've still

got full

bellies

they've

partied like

Egyptians

they ride

along chatting

together

and then you

know like when

you see the

blue flashing

lights

in your

mirror

they see

the dust

of a

chariot

coming up

behind

not some

random

stop and

search this

is a sting

operation

the servant

repeats

Joseph's words

to them

why have you

repaid good

with evil

isn't this

the cup my

master drinks

from and

also uses

for divination

this is a

wicked thing

you've done

and again

they plead

their innocence

in verses

seven to

nine

if any

of your

servants

they say

is found

to have

it

he will

die

and the

rest of

it will

become my

lord's

slaves

that sounds

pretty

together

but verse

10 he

offers them

a get

out clause

very well

then he

said

let it

be as

you say

whoever is

found to

have it

will become

my slave

the rest of

you will be

free from

blame

they've got an

opportunity

they can go

it alone

they can cut

and run

and so

they're lined

up in

age order

go to

reuben

first

clean

keep going

keep going

and i bet

with every

clear sack

that doesn't

have the

cup

benjamin

gets more

and more

sure that

he's going

to be

fine

they get

to benjamin

sack

and he's

got the

cup

and everyone

tears their

clothes

the absolute

worst case

scenario

has happened

that perhaps

benjamin

won't get

back to

jacob

after all

but isn't

it incredible

that they

stick together

as a family

at this

they tore

their clothes

then they

all loaded

their donkeys

and returned

to the city

there seems

to have been

a radical

transformation

they left

simeon

in the city

no problem

benjamin's

caught their

roar

going back

you see how

god is

testing them

and through

these tests

he's freeing

them of it's

all about me

and they

become this

family unit

bound

together

this testing

strengthens the

ropes of

fellowship

between

the brothers

and don't

we know

that in our

own lives

that when

tough times

come doesn't

it bind us

together

some of my

proudest moments

of being

pastor of

Brunsfield

evangelical

church

has been

when all

our backs

are against

the wall

because we

see just how

tightly knitted

we are

together as a

family

that no testing

is very good

when you go

through it

and yet

doesn't it

strengthen those

ropes

doesn't it

bind us

together as a

family

all together

doesn't it

make us

into a true

spiritual family

and not just

people who

rub

shoulders

Christ

1 Corinthians

12

but God

so composed

the body

that there

may be no

division

but that all

the members

have the same

care for one

another

if one member

suffers

all suffer

together

if one member

is honoured

all rejoice

together

crisis comes

and it binds

people together

and yet don't

we know

sometimes when

crisis hits

we're secretly

quite pleased

when others

are brought low

I'm quite

disappointed

when someone

is lifted up

it cannot

be so

God

tests us

to knit us

together

God is for

us

he tests us

to free us

from individualism

and to bind us

together as

his family

lastly

God tests

his people

to free them

from lostness

and reveal

his true

leader

I think

we've seen

throughout

the Joseph

story so

far that

the brothers

are a bit

of a rabble

they seem a bit

rudderless

they don't really

have anyone

who's telling

them what to

do

when Joseph

says would

somebody

volunteer to

go

no one

volunteers

when somebody

says will

someone stay

behind

no one

stays behind

they're a bit

leaderless

they don't

really have

a captain

telling them

what to

do

but in

chapter 43

a leader

emerges

they're like

sheep without

a shepherd

and in

chapter 43

Judah

comes forward

he's the

fourth born

son

and yet we

see him

emerge as

the one

that

Jacob

listens to

Joseph

listens to

we saw

in chapter

42

Reuben

says give

Benjamin

to me

and if

he's dead

you can

kill my

two sons

Judah

says in

chapter 43

if Benjamin

doesn't come

back to you

then it's my

life that

will be

ashamed

before you

all the

days of

my life

Judah's been

growing in

repentance

and transformation

ever since

that really

grisly episode

in chapter

38

where he

gets Tamar

pregnant

and he

makes this

confession

she is

more

righteous

than I

a confession

of sin

and since

that

confession

since that

repentance

Judah's life

has been

changing

over the

last two

decades

and here

we see him

emerge as

the leader

he takes

the blame

he says

our guilt

has been

revealed

and then

he steps

forward

towards

Joseph

verse 18

then Judah

went up

to him

and said

if you

approach

Joseph

who's the

prime minister

uninvited

that's your

life

on the

line

and yet

he stands

before him

he takes

the blame

he recaps

the entire

history

verse 33

is the

most

significant

verse so

far

now

then

please

let your

servant

remain

here

as my

lord's

slave

in place

of the

boy

and let

the

boy

return

with his

brothers

this is

the first

case

in any

part of

scripture

in the

whole

unfolding

of

Genesis

so far

where

somebody

offers

their

life

for

somebody

else

you see

Judah

emerge as

a leader

and then

we see

that he

offers

himself

as a

substitute

you have

to say

that Judah

is behaving

more and more

like the

lion of

Judah

who would

come

a long

way down

the line

brothers

were

rudeless

he appears

as the

shepherd

for the

sheep

of his

brothers

and we

see him

offer his

life

for

Benjamin

Judah

becomes

the

substitute

shepherd

shepherd

John

John 10:14

10

verse

14

I am

the

good

shepherd

I

know

my

sheep

and my

sheep

know

me

just as

the

father

knows

me

and I

know

the

father

and I

lay

down

my

life

for the

sheep

seems

that there's

a shadow

and a

type of

a greater

one to

come

emerging

in the

life of

Judah

it's been

a bit

of a

whistle

stop

tour

I

hope

that

God

takes

what

is

for

us

and

keep

it

and

sear

it

on

our

hearts

God

tests

his

people

to

free

them

from

idols

see that

in the

interplay

between

Jacob

and

Benjamin

God

tests

his

people

to

free

them

from

fear

and

reveal

his

grace

God

tests

his

people

to

free

them

from

individualism

and

bind

them

together

God

tests

his

people

to

free

them

from

lostness

and

reveal

his

true

leader

let

me

pray

father

god

we've

romped

through

your

word

of

breakneck

speed

father

we've

left

a lot

out

but

lord

i pray

these

four

lessons

might

encourage

us

that

as

we

face

the

test

that

you

put

in

our

way

father

they

might

relinquish

the

grip

the

idols

have

on

us

father

that

we

might

trust

you

when

we're

afraid

of

what's

coming

against

us

knowing

that

you're

sovereign

and

you're

good

all

the

time

father

that

we

wouldn't

go

in

alone

but

it

would

strengthen

us

as

a

family

as

problems

come

as

storms

erupt

that

it

might

strengthen

the

ropes

of

fellowship

between

us

and

lord

that

it

might

make

all

the

more

us

trust

your

son

the

good

shepherd

father

thank

you

that

we

see

it

in

a

type

as

judah

emerges

as

a

leader

amongst

his

brothers

lord

thank

you

that

jesus

is

our

leader

who

offers

himself

for

us

who

takes

our

place

that

we

might

go

free

that

we

might

know

forgiveness

that

we

might

not

be

slaves

anymore

father

father

thank

you

that

the

one

who

knew

no

sin

became

sin

for

us

so

that

in

him

we

might

become

the

righteousness

of

God

father

bless

these

things

to us

we

pray

in

jesus

name

amen