Filled and Fruitful

All right, so we are continuing on in our series today on the life of Joseph, meant for good.

And just by way of reminder, our series text is Genesis chapter 50 and verse 20.

Genesis 50 · chapter mention

You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good to save many people.

You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good to save many people.

A few weeks ago, we covered Genesis chapter 37, and that was the beginning of the story of Joseph, favored but fallen.

Genesis 37 · chapter mention

And our takeaway was pride and envy are warning signs, but the start of Joseph's story points us to Jesus.

He is a type of Christ, someone in the Old Testament that points us to the future coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

And we see that throughout his story.

And then in week two, we talked about Joseph tempted and tried.

Tempted and tried as he was sold to Potiphar's house as a slave and rose up through the ranks.

And then the boss's wife tried to seduce him, and he stood firm in his faith in God and would not sin in that way.

And so the trials that God allows us to endure are always designed to draw us into closer relationship with him.

And then last Sunday, we talked about Joseph faithful but forgotten.

Faithful but forgotten.

Finding himself in prison, in Pharaoh's prison, after being falsely accused.

And our takeaway last Sunday was to let your season of divine delay make a discernible difference in how you live your faith.

Not just giving lip service to your faith, saying this is what I believe, but actually how does that affect your life?

We saw Joseph continue to grow throughout this season of delay, this in the meantime season for Joseph.

So now we're on to week four, and that is filled and fruitful.

Joseph, filled and fruitful.

Would you turn to Genesis chapter 41 with me?

Genesis 41 · chapter mention

And just because you've been sitting a little while, if you're able to join us in standing,

would you mind joining us in standing as we read Genesis chapter 41?

Genesis 41 · chapter mention

Just the first eight verses, and we'll continue on following that.

Genesis 41, verse 1.

Genesis 41:1

I'm reading from the New Living Translation this morning.

Two full years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River.

In his dream, he saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass.

Then he saw seven more cows come up from behind them from the Nile, but these were scrawny and thin.

These cows stood beside the fat cows on the river bank.

Then the scrawny, thin cows ate the seven healthy, fat cows.

At this point in the dream, Pharaoh woke up.

But he fell asleep again and had a second dream.

This time he saw seven heads of grain, plump and beautiful, growing on a single stalk.

Then appeared seven more heads of grain, and these were shriveled and withered by the east wind.

These thin heads swallowed up the seven plump, well-formed heads.

Then Pharaoh woke up again and realized it was a dream.

The next morning, Pharaoh was very disturbed by the dreams.

So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt.

And when Pharaoh told them his dreams, not one of them could tell him what they meant.

Let's pray together now.

God, please give us insight to the reading of your word.

Let your spirit transform the text to apply individually to our lives

and teach us what we need to learn from this morning.

I pray that you would call each of us into a season of fruitfulness by your Holy Spirit.

We'll give you the glory for it.

It's in your name we pray.

Amen.

You may be seated.

Thanks for standing.

So the introduction here to our passage is that a full two years have passed

since Joseph had this amazing victory where God gave him the interpretation of the dreams

for the two VIP prisoners, Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker.

God used him so powerfully, growing him through this time, giving him this wisdom and insight

like he does to all of us as he grows us often in difficult seasons of life.

But then two years passed.

Can you imagine after Joseph had had this breakthrough moment

where God gave him the interpretation of these dreams,

he shared it with these guys,

and then perhaps he had received word that they got out of jail

and it happened exactly as God had said it would.

like it always does.

But can you imagine every day for two years waiting,

wondering if that cupbearer would remember you?

Would you ever get out?

It all worked out great for him.

Not so great for the baker,

but it all worked out great for the cupbearer,

but it hadn't yet worked out for Joseph.

You ever been there?

You ever been in a waiting season of life?

Especially when someone else around you is thriving?

They seem to be in a season of victory and you're just not there.

You're just not experiencing it.

You're thinking,

what's wrong with me?

God,

why aren't you coming through?

What am I not doing?

I'm asking,

I'm seeking,

I'm knocking at the door,

and you just don't seem to be answering.

You don't seem to be coming through.

Why?

May I remind you

that while we're waiting,

God is working.

While Joseph was waiting,

God was working.

And we see it happen.

The Bible teaches us that one day,

in God's eyes,

is as a thousand years.

Now that may not give a lot of encouragement to you,

and you say,

man,

a thousand years seems like a long time,

and

that's just one day in God's eyes.

Not sure if I can wait that long, God.

Need you to come through a little faster than that.

I can't imagine what that two years was like for Joseph.

Thinking,

God,

I stayed faithful to you.

I did what you required of me.

I did not give in to the temptation.

I gave the accurate interpretation that your spirit gave to me,

to these two guys,

and now,

I'm paying this price

that I don't believe I deserve.

Let's look back at verse 1 of Genesis 41.

Two full years later,

Pharaoh dreams a dream.

These dreams are very similar.

The fat, healthy cows

versus the scrawny, thin cows.

And then he has the second dream,

the seven heads of grain,

plump and beautiful,

and then the seven heads of grain

that were shriveled and withered.

And of course,

the shriveled and withered

and the thin and scrawny

ate that which was healthy and plump.

And so what does this mean?

Well, Joseph is going to get his chance.

But first,

Pharaoh turned to those that he thought

could interpret it.

He turned to those

that in the system of ancient Egypt

Egypt were set up

to interpret these dreams.

His wise men,

his magicians,

he called them

and he told them his dreams

and not one of them

could tell him what they meant.

Surprise, surprise.

When it comes down to it,

the world will always fail.

Worldly wisdom

will always ultimately fail you.

So may I remind you, church,

as people of God,

why would we then turn

to that which will ultimately fail?

But we find ourselves doing it

like Pharaoh

time and time again.

The difference is

Pharaoh didn't know better.

That's all he knew to do.

But we as the people of God

should know better

than to turn ourselves

to worldly wisdom.

But we do it.

We do it continually.

We do it when it comes

to the areas of life

that we're not sure about.

And our trust in God

starts to fade

and we turn to the wisdom

of this world

and we find ourselves

making decisions

based on the wisdom

of this world

rather than the wisdom

that comes from God.

And that always

will ultimately lead us

to failure.

At some point,

you're going to run out

of human answers.

At some point,

we will always run out

of answers or explanations

for the season

we're going through.

I'm sure Joseph

ran out of reasons

for why God

was allowing him

to sit in that prison.

And Pharaoh certainly

had no answers

for the interpretation

of his dream.

Have you ever been

at a point where you

tried to figure out

why God was doing something?

You ever tried to do that?

Maybe even in hindsight

looking back,

well, maybe God

was doing this.

Guys,

we don't know

why God does

what he does.

But we can trust

that what he does

is good

and what he does

is right.

And what he does

is best.

So worldly wisdom

will always ultimately

fail.

I had it on the screen.

There it is.

Worldly wisdom

will always

ultimately fail.

Romans 1.22

gives us a great text

about that.

They claim to be wise

but they are fools.

You ever run into somebody

that claimed to be wise

and they thought

they had all the answers

but after they taught

for a while

you realize

he's a fool.

She's a fool.

Nothing but foolishness

ends up coming out

although in their own minds

they are so wise.

Y'all,

ultimately

the wisdom of the world

will always lead.

Those wisest

in all of its pursuits

will ultimately

reveal themselves

to be fools

apart from God

and his wisdom

because human answers

are eventually

going to run out.

Genesis 41

Genesis 41:9

verse 9.

Let's get down

and continue our story.

Finally,

what Joseph

had been waiting on

happened.

The king's chief

cupbearer spoke up.

Today I have been

reminded of my failure

he told Pharaoh.

Some time ago

you were angry

with the chief baker

and me

and you imprisoned us

in the palace

of the captain of the guard.

Boy,

I wouldn't have wanted

to bring that up again

if I was the cupbearer.

Remember that thing I did

that made you so mad

that you threw me

in prison?

Just kind of would have

wanted Pharaoh

to move on from that

and not dredge that memory up,

right?

But he realized

how critical

this situation was

and so he reminded

Pharaoh

of what

had happened

and he said

one night

the chief baker

and I

each had a dream

and each dream

had its own meaning

and there was

a young Hebrew man

with us

in the prison

who was a slave

of the captain

of the guard

Potiphar,

right?

We told him

our dreams

and he told us

what each of our

dreams meant.

Wow!

Pharaoh's got to be

looking at him.

You're just now

telling me this?

And everything

that happened,

everything happened

just as he had

predicted.

I was restored

to my position

as cupbearer.

The chief baker

was executed

and impaled

on a pole.

Yikes!

Verse 14

Pharaoh sent

for Joseph

at once

and he was

quickly brought

from the prison.

Well yeah,

if all his wise men,

if the system

had failed Pharaoh,

everyone who was

supposed to be able

to give him answers

had no answers

and now one of his

most trusted advisors

who he had gone

through a trial

with,

a storm with,

and he had

doubted his loyalty

and had to throw him

into prison

and then finally

had it reconfirmed

somehow

and trusted the guy

again and now

he's telling him,

by the way,

there's a guy

in that prison

that I was in.

Who can explain

this to you?

Then he said,

get him here.

Then he sent

for Joseph,

he was quickly brought

and after he shaved

and changed his clothes,

Joseph went in

and stood before Pharaoh.

Verse 15,

then Pharaoh

said to Joseph,

I had a dream

last night

and no one

here can tell me

what it means

but I've heard

that when you hear

about a dream,

you can interpret it.

This was Joseph's

big moment.

Joseph could have said,

yeah,

listen, Pharaoh,

I got this special gift,

all right?

I got this special ability.

You tell me what you need,

I'm your guy,

okay?

I'll tell you

what it means

but that's not

how Joseph responded.

This was his big moment

to win the favor

of the king,

Pharaoh to impress him,

to get high up

in his regard.

He could have let

Pharaoh make him

possibly the chief

wise man

in Egypt

but instead he said,

I'm sorry, Pharaoh.

I can't do this.

That's what he said.

He said,

it's beyond my power

to do this.

I can't help you.

I can't tell you

your dream.

And in my playing

out of this story,

there's a dramatic

pause right there.

And Pharaoh's

probably looking at him,

well, that's not

what I heard about you.

That's disappointing.

And then he's probably

giving the side eye

to the chief cupbearer

saying,

I thought this guy

was supposed to be able

to come through for me.

But then Joseph

kept talking.

He said,

but God

can

tell you

what it means

and set you

at ease.

I can't

but God

can.

And that's a reminder

that I believe

every one of us

needs to walk out of here

with this morning.

It's beyond my power

but God

can.

Listen,

you might come up

up against something

that you cannot

figure out a way through.

It's beyond your power

but God

can.

As a child of God,

you know that.

You have full knowledge

and understanding

and belief

and faith

that God can.

Otherwise,

you never would have

put your faith in him

for the forgiveness

of your sins.

But if you believe

that God

can

forgive your sin,

conquer death,

rise victoriously

from the grave,

then you believe

also that God

has power

over whatever

you're coming up

against in your life.

And that kind of power

is available to you

all day,

every day.

So when you come up

against a problem,

it's not,

oh man,

what are we going to do?

It's not pulling out

your hair

and thinking

this is it,

this is the end.

It's thinking

I can't

but God can.

If there's a problem

at work,

if there's a problem

with your finances,

if there's a problem

with a relationship,

if there's a problem

with your mind

and your struggle

and your own self

and your own heart,

I can't

but God can.

powerful words

from Joseph

spoken to this Pharaoh.

It's beyond

my power

but God

can.

He had the opportunity

to give himself

the glory

but he pointed

all glory

to God.

How many times

do you and I

do that?

Or do we

instead

try to give

all the glory

to ourselves

and forget

to give God

the glory

for what he's done?

all the glory

and the honor

to the son.

My sins are forgiven.

My future is heaven.

I thank God

and I give him

the glory

for what he's done.

Worldly wisdom

had failed Pharaoh

and now Joseph

tells him

I'm sorry

I can't help you.

I'm just like

all your other wise men.

I can't help you

but there is

a God in heaven.

Just like Daniel said

we talked about it

last week

when he was facing

King Nebuchadnezzar

in Babylon

many years later

he said

there is a God

in heaven

who can help you

with this

and Joseph

told him the same thing.

God can tell you

what it means.

At some point

folks

we're going to run out

of human answers

and we've got to turn

to that God in heaven

and say God

I know you can.

Whatever it is

I know you can.

Back in King

Jehoshaphat

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 20 · chapter mention

chapter 20

and verse 12

King Jehoshaphat

was leading God's people

up against attacks

from the armies of Moab

and the armies of Ammon

two of the most powerful

armies of the day.

They were certainly outnumbered.

They certainly had no chance

to win this victory

and King Jehoshaphat

turned to God

as the leader of God's people

and said

our God

we have no power

to face this vast army

that's attacking us.

We do not know what to do

but our eyes

are on you.

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

20-12

I think if there's a verse

you can commit to memory

that has to do

with this theme

this is one of the best ones

you can find.

Our eyes

are fixed

on you.

Our eyes

are turned

toward you.

We have no power

against this enemy.

We don't know

what to do.

Admitting that

is hard for us.

It's hard for American men

but listen

it's hard for any of us

right

to admit that

we don't know

what to do

in this situation

but sometimes

that's what we have to do

and just say

God

I don't know

I don't know

what to do.

Boy it's hard

for bosses

to admit that.

You're supposed

to have all the answers.

You're supposed

to have a plan.

You're supposed

to have a vision.

The king himself

had to stand

before God

and say

God

I don't know

what to do.

I don't know

how to win this.

We've got an army

coming up against us.

Two armies

joined together.

They knew

they couldn't

maybe defeat us

single handedly

against themselves

because we have

God fighting for us

but now they've

joined together.

We have no might here.

We have no power here.

There's no military strategy

that allows us

to win this battle.

Our eyes

are on you.

What are you

going to do God?

What did he do?

God said

stand still

and see

the salvation

of the Lord.

He said

don't do anything.

Let me fight

this battle for you.

Sit this one out.

I'll fight it for you

and God won

one of those

powerful battles

that we have

victories

that we ever see

recorded in scriptures

or in history

that day.

That's not the only time

we see this happening.

2 Corinthians 12

2 Corinthians 12:5–10

verses 5 through 10

the apostle Paul

you might think of him

as one of the greatest

Christians that we ever

get to see in the Bible.

He had a special

relationship with God

but he reveals

his vulnerability

here in 2 Corinthians.

He said

I will boast

only about my weaknesses.

If I wanted to boast

I would be no fool

in doing so

because I would be

telling the truth

but I won't do it.

He said

I have a lot

to boast about.

Humanly speaking

I've accomplished

a lot

both before Christ

and after I was

converted

I have done

a lot of great things

I have a lot of things

to boast about

but you're not going to

catch me boasting

about them.

I'm not going to

give you

all the records

of my exploits

and accomplishments.

I'm not going to

point it

all the attention

to myself.

I'm going to be

like Joseph

and I'm going to say

I can't

but God can.

He said

I won't do it

because I don't want

anyone to give me

credit

credit

beyond what

they can see

in my life

or hear

in my message.

That's what it was

about for Paul.

It was about

follow me

as I follow Jesus.

What you see me

doing in my life

and the message

that you hear me

proclaiming

in our starting point

course this morning

the foundational

discipleship truths

that we're going through

with some of our folks.

We talked about

the gospel message

this morning.

That is the mission

of the church.

That is the message

of scripture

from the Old Testament

to the New Testament

from Genesis

to Revelation

everything that we see

in the Bible

points to a single message

salvation in Jesus.

That's before you're saved

and that's after you're saved.

There's still salvation

in Jesus.

He's still the one

we turn to

and so Paul said

I don't want them

to see anything beyond

what they hear

in my message

what they see

in my life

even though I've received

wonderful revelations

from God

but to keep me

from becoming proud

I was given

a thorn in my flesh

a messenger from Satan

to torment me

and keep me

from becoming proud.

People have tried

to figure out

what that thorn

in the flesh was

that Paul was talking about.

He never really told us

but whatever it was

it kept him humble.

It was his weak spot.

Was it a physical problem?

Was it a sin problem?

We don't know

what it was for Paul

but it was something

that aggravated him

like crazy.

It bugged the fire

out of him.

He wished

he could overcome it.

He wished

he could conquer it

but he couldn't

ever do it.

You ever had something

you just can't overcome?

You just can't get past?

Maybe it's a physical problem.

Maybe it's a mental hang up.

Something that you just

can't seem

to resolve.

You're right there with Paul.

He said it kept me

from becoming proud

because those of us

who maybe have a blind spot

toward our weaknesses

maybe we've become

a little proud.

Maybe we feel like

we've got it all figured out.

We would never say

that we're sinless

but we kind of

act like we are.

We would never say

that we can't be wrong

but we kind of

act that way.

Paul didn't want

that to happen.

He said God

three different times

I begged God

to take this thorn

in my flesh

away from me

and each time

he said

my grace

is all you need.

Don't miss this.

My power

works best

works best

in weakness.

So now I'm glad

to boast about my weaknesses

so the power of Christ

can work

through me.

That was what it was about

for Paul.

He said

that's why I take pleasure

in these weaknesses.

I've grown to the point

in my Christian faith

where I'm not trying

to be perfect anymore.

I'm thanking God

for the weaknesses

that he's given me

because I realize

that when I am weak

then I am strong

in his strength.

I take pleasure

in the weaknesses.

I take pleasure

in the insults.

I take pleasure

in the hardships.

I take pleasure

in the persecution.

I take pleasure

in the trouble

that I suffer

for Christ

because when I am weak

then I am strong.

So

it's beyond my power

but God can.

It's one of the biggest themes

of Genesis 41 here.

I don't want you to miss it.

Let's look back

at the text.

Verse 17.

So

what happened?

Pharaoh told Joseph

his dream.

Joseph said

I can't do it.

It's beyond my power

but God can tell you

what it means

and set you at ease.

Boy,

Pharaoh was happy

to hear

that God

this God of Joseph

could set him at ease.

So he said

why not?

Let's give it a try.

In my dream

he said

I'm standing

on the bank

of the Nile River.

I saw seven fat

healthy cows

come up out of the river

began to grazing

in the marsh grass

but then I saw

seven sick looking cows

scrawny and thin

coming up after them.

I've never seen

such sorry looking animals

in all the land of Egypt.

Pharaoh was kind of

giving his commentary

about his dream.

These thin scrawny cows

ate the seven fat cows

but afterward

you wouldn't have known it

for they were still

as thin and scrawny

as before.

Then I woke up.

Then he had another dream

and in my dream

I also saw

seven heads of grain

full beautiful

growing on a single stalk

then seven more heads

of grain appeared

but these were blighted

shriveled and withered

by the east wind

and the shriveled heads

swallowed the seven

healthy heads

and I told these dreams

to the magicians

but no one could tell me

what they mean.

So Joseph responded

both of Pharaoh's dreams

mean the same thing.

God is telling Pharaoh

in advance

what he is about to do.

The seven healthy cows

the seven healthy heads

of grain

both represent

seven years of prosperity.

Basically Pharaoh

this was the same dream

and you had it twice

using two different examples.

Alright?

The seven thin scrawny cows

that came up later

the seven thin heads

of grain

withered by the east wind

represent seven years

of famine.

This will happen

just as I have described it

for God has revealed

to Pharaoh in advance

what he is about to do.

Pharaoh you should

consider yourself blessed

because God has revealed

to you

what he is about to do.

The next seven years

will be a period

of great prosperity

throughout the land of Egypt

but afterward

there will be

seven years of famine

so great

that all the prosperity

will be forgotten

in Egypt.

Famine will destroy

the land.

This famine

will be so severe

that even the memory

of the good years

will be erased.

As for having

two similar dreams

it means that

these events

have been decreed

by God

and he will soon

make them happen.

Just in case

you missed the first one

God gave you

another one

so you're sure

that this comes

from him

and this is going

to happen.

Therefore

Pharaoh should find

an intelligent

and wise man

and put him in charge

of the entire land

of Egypt.

Then Pharaoh

should appoint

supervisors

over the land

and let them collect

one fifth

of all the crops

during the seven

good years.

Have them gather

all the food

produced in the good years

that are just ahead

and bring it

to Pharaoh's storehouses.

Store it away

and guard it

so there will be

food in the cities.

That way there will be

enough to eat

when the seven years

of famine

come to the land

of Egypt.

Otherwise

this famine

will destroy

the land.

Verse 37

Joseph's suggestions

were well received

by Pharaoh

and his officials.

So Pharaoh

asked his officials

can we find

anyone else

like this man

so obviously

filled

with the spirit

of God?

Did you catch that?

Can we find

anyone else

like this man

so obviously

filled

with the spirit

of God?

Here's my question.

Is it obvious

to those around you

that you're filled

with the spirit

of God?

Boy it was obvious

in that moment.

Pharaoh is sitting

here

as Joseph

starts to just

go off.

He's explaining

I feel like

a mile a minute

just how this

is going to go

and then God

gives him wisdom

in this moment

and not only

does he explain

what the dream

means

he gives Pharaoh

advice on what

to do.

Here's what it

means now here's

how you should

handle this.

And Pharaoh's

just sitting here

looking at him

like man I

haven't heard

anybody like

this.

All these wise

men all these

magicians that I

have surrounded

me they don't

hold a candle

to this guy.

this guy is

filled with the

spirit of a

real God.

A true God

that actually

gives him wisdom.

He didn't know

it was the one

true only God.

So is it obvious

to those around you

that you're filled

with the Holy Spirit?

Or is it more

obvious that you're

filled with another

spirit?

I'll be honest

with you I'm the

pastor and that

means pastors wake

up and go to bed

and all the hours

in between we are

filled with the

spirit of God

right?

Why y'all laughing?

Course not.

We're human like

anybody else.

We have to be

filled moment by

moment with God's

spirit just the same

as you do.

Joseph needed

wisdom for that

moment.

God's spirit filled

him and gave it to

him and it was so

evident.

evidence.

When was the last

time that somebody

said wow you are

filled with the

spirit of God?

If not have you

got to spend a

little more time

with God?

Have you got to

intentionally carve

out time in your

day whenever that

is?

Whether it's waking

up earlier or

staying up a little

later or carving

out some of your

lunch break or

whatever it is

finding time

throughout your day

to intentionally

stop and turn

your eyes back to

Jesus.

Get in the word.

Man it's never been

easier.

The Bible gets to

go around with us

on our phones now.

We always have

access to God's

word and we

always everywhere we

go have access to

prayer.

Talking to our

Lord.

Anytime, any

place we can stop

and be filled again

with the spirit of

God.

He's always

present.

He's always with

us.

We believe that if

you place your

faith in Jesus

Christ then his

spirit comes and

lives inside and

goes around with you

everywhere.

But if you want to

be filled with the

fullness, with the

goodness, with the

power, with the

transforming grace,

love, the attributes

of the spirit of God,

the fruit of the

spirit of God, you

want to be filled

with that and see

that make a

difference in your

life?

You got to stop

and make time for

him.

See what he has to

say.

Listen to him.

Let him speak to

you.

So is it obvious that

you're filled with the

spirit of God like it

was for Joseph?

And then in verse

39, we're picking it

up and we're almost

finished.

Then Pharaoh said to

Joseph, first he looks

at the guys around him,

can you believe this

guy?

We've never seen

anything like him.

This guy is filled

with the spirit of God.

And then he said to

Joseph, since God has

revealed the meaning

of the dreams to you,

clearly no one else is

as intelligent or wise

as you are.

Something that no one's

ever said to me.

No one else is as

intelligent or wise as

you are.

That's all right.

You will be in charge.

If y'all come up after

church and say that to

me, I'm going to know

that you're not being

sincere, okay?

You will be in charge

of my court and all my

people will take orders

from you.

Only I sitting on my

throne will have a rank

higher than you.

Wow!

Joseph went from zero

to hero in no time

at all.

This guy was promoted

in the blink of an eye.

I have to question

maybe Pharaoh's methods

of promoting staff here,

but elected officials,

there was no elected

officials, was there?

This guy is now second

in command of all of

Egypt just because

Pharaoh was amazed at

the way he interpreted

his dream.

But Pharaoh sensed

something about this

guy.

He knew that there was

something different.

He knew that it was

God's spirit and I

believe God maybe

prompted him to do

this.

So he said,

now you only answer

to me.

You are in charge of

everything else in my

nation.

Pharaoh said to Joseph,

I hereby put you in

charge of the entire

land of Egypt.

Can y'all just stop and

realize what's happening

here?

Joseph's ship finally came

in.

Anybody know what that

means when your ship

comes in?

I heard that growing up.

It's like the big great

thing that you've been

waiting for finally

happens.

Everything had been

going bad for Joseph

time and time and time

and time again and then

finally, boom, it all

came together.

And Pharaoh says,

now I place you in

charge of the entire

land of Egypt.

Last night you slept

in a jail cell.

Tonight you're sleeping

in the palace.

Then Pharaoh removed

his signet ring from his

hand and placed it on

Joseph's finger.

He dressed him in fine

linen clothing and hung

a gold chain around his

neck.

Then he had Joseph ride

in the chariot reserved

for his second in

command.

And wherever Joseph

went, the command was

shouted, kneel down.

So Pharaoh put Joseph in

charge of all of Egypt

and Pharaoh said to him,

I am Pharaoh, but no

one will lift a hand or

foot in the entire land

of Egypt without your

approval.

Don't mistake this,

Pharaoh, Joseph.

I'm still in charge,

all right?

I'm still Pharaoh.

But besides me, you're in

charge of everyone else.

I finally found a guy I

can trust.

I finally found a guy I

believe in.

I finally found a guy I

have absolute confidence in

because you're different.

So I'm putting you in

charge of everyone else.

Then Pharaoh gave Joseph

a new Egyptian name,

Zephanath-Paneah.

I like Joseph better

myself, but that's all

right.

He gave him a wife whose

name was Asenath and she

was the daughter of

Potiphar, the priest of

On.

Just in case you're

thinking, it seems like

those are two different

people, okay?

If you're thinking,

Potiphar and Potiphar,

the same people, it

seemed like they were

two different people.

If you want to argue

that with me, we can

talk after.

That's all right.

But at first I was

looking at this.

Did he marry Potiphar's

daughter?

How crazy would that

be?

It seemed like they were

two different people.

For one, this guy was a

priest and the other

one was the captain of

the guard.

So Joseph, sorry, a

minute, just lost my

place.

Here we go.

So Joseph, end of

verse 45, right?

There we go.

Joseph took charge of

the entire land of

Egypt.

Can you believe this?

What a transformation.

And Joseph is a type of

Christ.

Joseph was first humbled

and then he was exalted.

Philippians 2 says this,

let us be like Christ

Jesus who took the humble

position of a slave.

He humbled himself in

obedience to God.

Now God has elevated him

to a place of the highest

honor and given him the

name above all other

names.

So at the name of Jesus,

every knee should bow.

You see what was

happening in Egypt with

Joseph.

They would all have to

kneel to him as he drove

by in the chariot.

And someday every knee

will bow to Joseph,

to Jesus.

I'm sorry.

Not Joseph.

Yeah, not, not, not

Joseph.

They're not going to bow

to Joseph anymore.

That was just for that

time.

But now for all ages,

every knee someday will

bow to Jesus in heaven

and on earth and under

the earth and every tongue

will declare that he is

Lord to the glory of God

the Father.

So once again, we see a

type of Christ here.

And that is the nations

blessed through him.

So we see that Jesus was

lifted up.

He was a slave and then

he was lifted up.

And then we're going to

see that the nations were

blessed through Joseph,

just like the nations will

be blessed by Jesus.

So before we get there,

would you look here?

Verse 46.

Let's look back at verse

46.

He was 30 years old when he

began serving the court of

Pharaoh.

Can I just throw a little

interjection in here?

Don't despise young people.

Okay?

Joseph was younger than I am.

I'm turning 40 in a couple

months.

But I'm still young, right?

How many of y'all think I'm

young?

The rest of you can just leave,

all right?

I'm young.

Messing.

Don't leave.

I am young, all right?

Young people, I am young.

You're old, man.

No, I'm not.

Don't despise young people.

The Bible even says, as a

challenge to young people,

don't let anyone despise your

youth.

Let it be an example of the

believers.

Boy, that's exactly what we see

Joseph doing here.

This guy was in the prime early

years of his life when all this

was going on.

And by age 30, he sees himself

second in command of all of

Egypt.

That had to be just a shocking

reality for him to wake up to

every day.

God brought Joseph from the pit to

the palace, but he was careful to

give God credit for every blessing.

Now, as predicted, God came

through.

Every time that Joseph predicted

something, we know it came from

God because God came through just

as Joseph had predicted it.

In verse 47, seven years the land

produced bumper crops, and Joseph

gathered all the crops grown in

Egypt and stored the grain from the

surrounding fields in the city,

piled up huge amounts of grain like

sand on the seashore.

Finally, he stopped keeping records

because it was too much to

measure.

And during this time, before the

famine years, two sons were born to

Joseph and his wife, Asenath, the

daughter of Potiphar, the priest of

On.

His oldest son was named Manasseh,

and he said, God has made me forget

all my troubles and everyone in my

father's family.

And then the second one was named

Ephraim, for he said, God has made

me fruitful in this land of my

grief.

God gave Joseph everything that he

thought maybe was never going to come

to pass.

Sitting in that jail cell for two years,

wondering, is God ever going to come

through?

His faith stayed with him.

And in just a blink of an eye, his

moment came.

Your moment will come.

I don't know what it's going to look

like.

Can't promise you that you're going to

be made wealthy.

Can't promise you you're going to be

put in charge of anything.

I don't know what it's going to look

like for you, but I know that at some

point, God is going to have a moment

for you like he had for Joseph.

And then the waiting period will end.

The in-between period will end.

And then God will say, I need you now.

And Joseph was ready.

He was called, dragged from the prison

cell.

Before Pharaoh, boy, his faith had to be

strong.

Had to be ready in that moment.

God, I need you.

I need you right now.

Tell me the meaning of this dream.

And he did.

And then God brought Joseph from nothing

to everything.

And then gave him a family.

Gave him sons.

And these names of his sons show that God

gave, Joseph gave God credit for every

success and every blessing.

And then the nations were blessed

through him.

Galatians chapter 3, verse 8.

Galatians 3:8

The scriptures look forward to this

time when God would make the Gentiles

right in his sight because of their

faith.

God proclaimed this good news to Abraham

long ago.

This is the Abrahamic covenant we learned

about a couple Sundays ago.

All nations will be blessed through you.

So all who put their faith in Christ

share the same blessing that Abraham

received because of his faith.

And now Christ has rescued us from the

curse pronounced by the law.

So all of us can now partake in the

same promise that God gave to Abraham

because of Jesus.

When he was hung on the cross, he took

upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing.

Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the

Gentiles with the same blessing that he

promised to Abraham.

So now we who are believers might receive

the promised Holy Spirit through faith.

Listen, God blessed the nations through

Joseph, but that was just a pale picture of

someday that how God would bless all

nations through Jesus Christ.

And you and I get to be part of that

blessing.

D.L.

Moody said this quote.

Famous preacher, one of the most famous

preachers in our nation's history.

He said, no one can sum up all God is able to

accomplish through one solitary life,

wholly yielded, adjusted, and obedient to

him.

We have a hard time with the adjusting part,

don't we?

We're willing to say, God, I yield myself to

you.

Whatever you want, I'll do it.

God, I will obey you.

If you command me to do something, I'll do it.

The hard part is adjusting.

What if God wants you to change something?

What if God wants you to stop doing something?

What if God wants you to start doing something?

We fight that sometimes, don't we?

But I think he got it right when he said,

there's nothing that God can't accomplish.

We can't even begin to sum up what God can

accomplish through one person, adjusted to God.

God, always willing to adjust to what God says.

So, we see at the end of Genesis 41,

the nations carried out what Joseph said.

The wisdom of God came through.

Egypt prospered when the famine came.

They were ready.

The grain was stored up.

And he was able to feed the nations because of

the wisdom that God had given him.

Folks, there's no limit to what God can do through you.

There's no limit.

The only limit is us.

Joseph was filled with the Spirit of God.

So much so that the heathen Pharaoh saw it,

called it out, said,

this man is filled with the Spirit of God.

But to be filled, we have to be empty.

We have a hard time being filled with God's Spirit

because we're filled with everything else, aren't we?

We fill ourselves with everything else under the world.

So we don't have room left for God's Spirit to adjust us,

to change us.

But there's no limit to what God can do.

Our takeaway this morning is God can do what I cannot do

when I am empty and he fills me.

We saw that play out in Genesis 41.

I can't do it, God, but you can.

So I empty myself and I offer myself to you.

God, fill me and use me to accomplish what you want to do.

Maybe you're going to bless the nations through me.

Maybe you're going to bless my family through me.

Maybe you're going to bless my friends through me.

Maybe you're going to bless my workforce through me.

Maybe you're going to bless my coworkers.

Maybe you're going to bless this county.

Maybe you're going to bless this church.

Maybe you're going to bless far beyond

what I could ever see or predict.

But I've got to empty myself so you can fill me.

Would you bow your heads with me right now?

God, we ask you to do what only you can do.

There are people in this church who love you.

There are people in this church who've been following after you

for many, many years.

But God, sometimes over the course of following you,

we get filled up with things other than you.

God, empty us today.

Church, can I ask you this question?

How many of you would say, I know I'm a sinner

and I know that Jesus died for me

and I've never placed my faith in Jesus

for the forgiveness of my sins.

I believe that he died, that he rose again,

that he's alive, and I want to place my faith in Jesus

for the forgiveness of my sins to become his child.

Would anybody here who would say that,

say, I've never done that and I'd like today to be the day.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Let me ask you this question.

How many of you would say,

I need to empty myself this morning

so the Holy Spirit can fill me and work through me?

Would you slip your hand up and just say, that's me.

Thank you.

Thank you.

God, there's too many hands to count.

And I just need you right now

to work with each person supernaturally.

You can speak to each of us at the same time

and you can show us exactly what we need to let go of,

exactly what we need to change,

exactly what we need to start.

Empty us, God.

We're full of pride.

We're full of fear,

full of jealousy,

full of discontentment,

full of worry,

full of fatigue.

Sometimes we find our joy in things other than you.

Sometimes we find our confidence in things other than you.

And God, that just fills us up,

not with your Spirit,

but another Spirit.

Empty us, God.

We'll give you the glory for it.

It's in Jesus' name we pray.