JOSEPH: GOD SPEAKS TO THE CONSCIENCE (Part 3)

  (Genesis 43)

…FAMILY REUNIONS are usually quite interesting!  As a boy I remember traveling from Buffalo to western PA

  to attend a reunion of my mother’s side.  All sorts of characters showed up…”these are your relatives.”

…The Lord was causing another family reunion to occur, though only one of the brothers knew it was happening. 

…God was awakening the consciences of Joseph’s brothers.  With increasing measures, He was softening their

  hearts and bringing them to repentance, confession, regeneration and reconciliation with Joseph.  So far, God has

  used NEED, HARSH WORDS, SOLITUDE, and KINDNESS to speak to the brothers.

TWO MORE DEVICES USED BY GOD TO SPEAK TO THE CONSCIENCE

DRAWING US TO CONFESSION AND BLESSING.

…Here we see the power of God in directing the lives of His people and in carrying His plans to completion!! 

I.      God Uses The Cycle Of Need To Speak To Our Conscience.  (vv.1-15)

                A.            Up to now, the brothers have only confessed their sin to each other.  Only a measure of

                              confession has been accomplished.  So, God will impose a new cycle of need upon them.

                                1.             They had returned home, and NORMAL LIFE had set in…which really was abnormal,

                                                because it was contrary to God’s character and His will. 

                                2.             They thought they were in CONTROL of their lives…but not so.  They had food to eat

                                                and were safe.  God made them hungry again!  Now they were “not in control.”

                B.             God uses “the loss of the sense of being in control” to awaken the conscience to God’s demands

                                upon our lives.   

                                …as long as we are “in control,”  we think we can keep God and His standards at a distance.

                                …when we lose control, we are more inclined to acknowledge that it is God’s World in spite of

                                  everything and that we ultimately must come to terms with Him.

                C.             Note the KINDS of need that God brought to the brothers:  (Lack of control)

                                1.             NATURE.  There was a terrible famine in the land.  It lasted far longer than thought.

                                                …it is frightening to think that so little can be done about a famine.  There are many

                                                  “acts of nature” that humble us and remind us that we are not SOVEREIGN, and that

                                                  only God is.  They also remind us that we dare not trifle with the God of NATURE…

                                2.             THE WILL OF MAN.   This seems to us to be escapable.  We can change the minds of

                                                others.  (wife…husband, worker…boss)   But, these changes do not always come and we

                                                are forced back to God, Who alone is able to change people.  (1 Peter 3:1)

                                                …Here, if they did not bring Benjamin with them…no food!!!!  (vv. 3-10)

                                3.             CIRCUMSTANCES.  Just the way things are…

                                                …Jacob protests against sending Ben to Egypt…but this was the situation, and they

                                                  had to deal with it as it was.    Like our lives, we may chafe under the circum-

                                                  stances, but our restlessness and protests accomplish nothing!    God uses them to

                                                  change us and sometimes “to ferret” out problems in our lives. 

                D.            These worked.  Look at the changes in both Judah and Jacob…

II.     God Uses The Display Of Much Tender Love To Speak To Us.  (vv.16-34)

                …Joseph began to pour out his love and care on them.  

                A.            The bothers were afraid, thinking that nothing good was going to come from their return.  They

                                had a misguided fear.  (v. 18) However:

                                1.             Joseph’s steward assures them of God’s blessing…in returning the money.   (v. 23)

                                2.             They are treated as royalty…invited to a banquet, Simeon was returned…these were

                                                signs of great respect and courtesy.   To eat with the Prime Minister…Wow!!!

                B.             When Joseph comes, he speaks kindly to them asking about their health, father, and Ben. (v.27)

                                …When Joseph saw his  brother, Ben, it was like the first time…he was 1 year, when last seen.

                                …Overcome with emotion, Joseph rushes from the room to regain his composure.  (vv.30-31)

                C.             Joseph serves his brothers from his own table.  A family reunion.  What a display of love!!

                D.            This is the picture of God’s COMMON GRACE for us.  God makes provision for people, yet they

                                fail to acknowledge Him.  You are not a believer, and yet, you are still out of HELL.   GRACE!!

LESSON FOR OUR LIVES: