JOSEPH: GOD SPEAKS TO THE CONSCIENCE  (Part 4)

(Genesis 44)

…Jim Boice reminds us of the words of Chuck Colson, who was the Special Counsel to President Nixon, when he

  tells that it was not any of his awards and honors that God chose to use in his life, rather it was his biggest

  failure, for he was now an ex-convict.  His greatest humiliation, was the beginning of God’s greatest use of him,

…The same is true for us.  We must be broken in spirit.  We must despise any self-confidence that we find within.

  Self-confidence is just another word for pride, and it will keep you from salvation and from being used by God.

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

  brother’s hearts.  God had used: NEED, HARSH WORDS, SOLITUDE, KINDNESS, NEED AGAIN, AND LOVE. 

THREE COMMON AREAS OF SELF-CONFIDENCE STRIPPED BY GOD DRAWING US TO REPENTANCE AND BLESSING.

…For God, through Joseph, was using one last devise to draw the brothers to confession of sin.

I.      Many Of Us Find Confidence In Thinking That Our Word Is Good. (vv1-5)

        A.            This was true of the brothers, who had left Egypt with full bags of grain, and were happy

                                with themselves to have made friends with the Prime Minister.  (vv 1-5)

                                …They had both Simeon and Benjamin with them and were on their way home.

                B.             On their first trip, they were called “spies.”  They protested by saying they were not spies, but

                              a family.  Joseph made them prove their WORD, by bringing their youngest brother to Egypt.

                                …They had done so, and proved their Word to be good.  They had spoken the truth, and they

                                were quite pleased as they departed, “telling themselves that it is certainly always a wise

                                course to tell ‘the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.’”  Their Word had been

                                  vindicated.  They were proud of themselves! 

                C.             Our word should be good, but it is not always.  For often we do sin with our mouths.  We lie, we

                                tell half-truths, which are lies.  We slander and use our tongues for all sorts of things that

we shouldn’t.  No, there is no room for any pride or self-confidence in our Words. (Rom 3:10ff)

II.     Often Our Money Is A Source Of Self-Confidence keeping Us From God.

                …For our ability to make money, use it, and store it up can provide a false sense of confidence.

                A.            Joseph’s brothers had paid for the grain with their own hard earned money.  At least on this

                              grounds they were even with the rough Prime Minister.  He could not touch them as defaulters.

                                …They had made the purchase.  Their money was GOOD.  They were not dishonest men…

                B.             How often this happens in the experience of sinful men.  Men desire to be right with God, but

                                they want to do so in their own way.  Confident…”self-made” men…is not the way to heaven.

                                1.             Like Cain, who brought the fruit of his own labors…  (Genesis 4) 

                                2.             Like the Pharisees who brought their own prayers, tithes, and gifts.

                C.             When our efforts are laid upon God’s altar, they count for nothing and are given back.  For the

                                MERCY of God is not to be BOUGHT by anything we can bring.  It must be received as a gift

                                without money. 

III.    Finally, Our Imagined Integrity Keeps Us From Being Broken Before God.(6-34)

        A.            Joseph has one more test for his brothers.  (vv. 2-5)   He places his cup in Ben’s bag.

                B.             God would use this test to bring these men to their knees…for they realized that it was God

                                who was dealing with them because of what they had done many years earlier to Joseph. (v. 16)

                                “…for God has uncovered your servant’s guilt.” 

                C.             When they are approached by Joseph’s servant, they are full of confidence.  (vv. 7-9)

                                …So sure they were of their integrity they said, “let the one who has done it die and we will…”

                D.            When the cup was found in Benjamin’s bag, they were horrified.  Now they were stripped of

                                every rag of self-confidence. (vv. 12-13)

                E.             Joseph desired to see how the brothers would respond to this.  Would they be heartless, like

                                they were with him when they sold him?  Did they desire to get rid of Benjamin too?  Would

                                they care what this would do to their Father? 

                                …Judah…makes one of the most wonderful speeches in the Bible.  It is filled with compassion

                                as he asks for MERCY for Benjamin, and offers himself as a substitute.  God had changed them!!