Jacob's life, particularly his later years and interactions with his son Joseph, illustrates God's overarching plan and faithfulness through hardship and familial dysfunction. The sermon traces Jacob's journey from patriarch to his encounter with Pharaoh, highlighting the jealousy and deception surrounding Joseph, Jacob's grief, and the eventual reunion. The core lesson emphasizes that God's purposes unfold even amidst human failings and suffering, leading to a greater understanding of our identity and value in God's eyes. Ultimately, the message calls listeners to recognize their unique worth and divine equipping for God's work, regardless of their circumstances.
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I was at a conference a few years ago sharing the time with another speaker, and at one of his messages he asked this question, what significant thing happened to you in your experience in the last decade? What marks it out? And we all thought for a while and then contributed what had happened in that past decade. I made an astounding observation. In that decade, up to that point, all of the generation ahead of me, my mom and dad and uncles and aunts, had passed from the scene, and all my grandchildren up to that point had been born.
It was a decade of generational change. and I hadn't even noticed it, really, up until that point. That process continues, and it was the process that we see happening in the life of Jacob. We left him last night with his brother Esau at the graveside of Isaac. Abraham was gone. Isaac was now gone. and the last of the three patriarchs, Jacob, now assumed leadership of that broad clan which would in a little while become the nation of Israel.
And we see that happening in the close of the book of Genesis and the opening of the book of Exodus. And we see that clan family with Jacob as the head. making his way into Egypt. And then after a bit, a great nation coming out of the land of Egypt in the Exodus. You recall last evening, poor Jacob was in the middle. Laban was pursuing from one side. Esau was coming to greet, if not kill.
As far as Jacob thought from the other, and in between, he has that great experience of wrestling with God and having his name changed. The next movement in the life of Jacob, we see him coming back into the promised land with his extended family now, with all the boys, minus Benjamin, and all the extended family and all the flocks and all the herd, and it's going to be easy from now on. There's peace with Esau. Life with the twelve is going to be wonderful.
Oh, we know better. This phase of the life of Jacob sort of blends in with the life of that youngest son at that point, Joseph. It begins in chapter thirty-seven. Would you turn there? and we will look at some of the narrative and see the struggles of Jacob in leading his people and we will finally see him in Egypt before Pharaoh and draw some principles and conclusions from that chapter thirty seven verse one now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger in the land of Canaan.
This is the history of Jacob, Joseph, intertwined. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And we know this story well. Jacob likes Joseph best of all, how dysfunctional families continue their dysfunctioning from one generation to another. Here is favoritism again. Didn't work the first go around. It's not going to this time. And let's give Joseph a nice coat that marks him out from all the rest, the coat of many colors. And Joseph goes out and meets the boys with his flashy coat.
And they're out there in their blue jeans, taking care of the sheep. They would have been Levi's, no doubt. Oh. Sorry. I don't know where some of this comes from. My wife has a good idea, but... And he comes out and they are jealous. They do not get along. And we know another conspiracy is hatched. This is a family of conspiracy, isn't it? Like mother and son, brothers, it just keeps happening wave after wave of conspiracy. Even Joseph, when he is forcing repentance in the right biblical way, has a plan that is a positive conspiracy, as he does not reveal himself.
We all know that story. And they are so angry over this jealousy that they're willing to kill him. But another avenue is pursued. And the story goes as we know that Joseph's beautiful coat is torn and covered with blood, and then they return this to Jacob. And we pick it up in verse thirty-two of chapter thirty-seven. Then they sent the tunic of many colors And they brought it to their father and said, We have found this.
Do you know whether it is your son's tunic or not? And he recognized it and said, It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt, Joseph is torn to pieces. Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. And, oh, this verse, think of this verse, and all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him. Imagine that. Comforting him with lies. They could have really comforted him and said, hey, he's not dead at all.
But they sat and watched Jacob go through this misery that they themselves had invented. And then had the hypocrisy to try to comfort him. And he refused to be comforted. As God is dealing with his servant Jacob, here is another of those great and horrible trials. that is going to bring him to his place of greatness. He went through all the misery of losing a son as God brings about his good purposes in the life of Jacob and as Joseph will say later in relationship to the preservation of the people of God.
How many of you have lost a son or a daughter? That's hard, isn't it? It's the reverse of the way it should be. Children bury parents, not parents, children. Joseph saw the big picture, and Jacob would soon see the big picture, but there was misery. and frustration and hurt and hypocrisy and duplicity before any of them saw the big picture.
That's the way it is for all of us. We hurt. We are in pain. We cannot be comforted sometimes. because we yet do not see the big picture. How do the pieces ever fit together? And one of the great comforts of the book of Genesis is that we have something of an insight as to the great and miraculous workingness of God to see how the thing fits together.
But that meant little to Jacob at this time. All he knew was that his favorite youngest son was gone. And he concluded dead. And that's not the end of the problem. Chapter forty-two. when jacob saw that there was grain in egypt jacob said to his sons why do you look at one another i kind of like that and don't they're doing nothing looking at one another indeed i have heard that there's grain in egypt go down to that place and buy for us there that we may live and not die so joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain in egypt but jacob did not send Joseph's brother, Benjamin, with his brothers.
For he said, Let some calamity befall him. He was not going to let Benjamin out of his sight. His young son, Joseph, that was enough. And they went down, and then in verse twenty-nine of the same chapter, We pick it up. Then they went to Jacob, their father, in the land of Canaan, and told him all that it happened to them, saying, The man who is Lord of the land, Joseph, spoke roughly to us and took us for spies of the country. But we said to him, We are honest men. We are not spies. Verse thirty-four, Bring your youngest brother to me.
So I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are honest. Verse thirty-six. And Jacob their father said to them, You have bereaved me. Joseph is no more. Simeon, who was left behind, is no more. And you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me. Do you feel the pressure building in this dear man's life? Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands. and I will bring him back to you, but he said, My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead and he is left alone.
If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring me down, bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave. Judah intercedes a bit later and says, I will be a surety. Verse eleven of forty-three, and their father Israel said to him, them if it must be so then do this take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessel and carry down a present for the man a little balm and a little honey spices myrrh pistachio nuts almonds take double money in your hand take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks perhaps it was an oversight take your brother also and arise go back to the man And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release you, your other brother, and Benjamin.
If I am bereaved, I am bereaved. Oh, you can hear the resignation in the voice of Jacob. It's going to happen again. It's our last resort. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved. Verse twenty-five of chapter forty-five, then they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob, their father, and they told him, saying, Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt, and Jacob's heart stood still. That good news almost killed him. Because he did not believe them.
But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, And when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father, Jacob, revived. Then Israel said, It is enough. Joseph, my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die. And in the process in the next chapter, God speaks to Jacob once again, assuring him of the fulfillment of the promise. What an up-and-down experience. And now Jacob and all of his sons and all the little ones and all the flocks and all the herds make their way down to see Joseph, the ruler of the land.
And in chapter forty-seven, the scene that I want to focus in on today, as Jacob and five brethren of Joseph come in to meet Pharaoh. Come in to meet Pharaoh, the most powerful man on earth at that time. The ruler of one of the greatest empires this earth has ever seen, resplendent in all this gold and jewelry, the cleanest of all of the empires of the ancient days.
That was the place to be. Joseph second in command. And here come these shepherds who have not had proper food for a good while, rough men of the field, not accustomed to the court and etiquette of the greatest empire in the world. Imagine approaching that scene with all the great structures that are still amazing things for us to behold, and seeing the glories of Egypt at its prime, and coming into the very throne room of the Pharaoh.
There is Jacob, and there is Pharaoh. Do you see them too? A tall, slender, parable. Pharaoh, a stooped, old, wrinkled, weak Jacob. Limping in, remember? Limping in. They despise the shepherds. Then Joseph, verse seven of chapter forty-seven, brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh. I expect Joseph was a little anxious, you know.
Listen to the end of verse seven. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, How old are you? And Jacob said to Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life. and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. It's been a hard life, he is saying. And verse ten says again, So Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from before Pharaoh.
In Genesis chapter fourteen, Jacob's grandfather met a person, coming back from delivering life. And Melchizedek comes to Abraham, the priest of the Most High God, Melchizedek. And Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek. And what did Melchizedek do? Melchizedek blessed. Abraham. And in the book of Hebrews, a great doctrine is based on this concept, and it is this.
The greater blesses the lesser. And hence, the Melchizedek and priesthood of Jesus Christ in typological form is superior to the Aaronic priesthood as two great priesthoods. Stand facing one another in Abraham, the Aaronic priesthood, in Melchizedek and the priesthood of Christ. And Melchizedek blesses Abraham. And the author of Hebrews makes that conclusion. The greater blesses the lesser. Now take that to this picture. Who is the greatest person standing in the courtyard of the pharaohs there?
Is it the Pharaoh, the ruler of the world? No, it is that little Jacob, Israel, prince with God. God's man is the greatest. On all the kings of the earth, we look down. because we are heirs of God and join heirs with Jesus Christ. All that he possesses is ours.
And if it so, I shall be like thy son. Is this the gift which he for me has won? Father of mercy, fought beyond all thoughts in glory to his own blessed likeness brought. There is no higher person on earth than the person who is identified with the true and the living God. Jacob was God's man on this earth. And I want us all in the minutes that remain to recognize who we are.
individually who am I what involvement has God had in my life what does he think of me the psalmist when he is writing concerning the people of God he says in some hundred thirty nine hundred thirty nine you knew me in my mother's womb you intricately wrought me in that moment of conception and development do you ever think about that what happens in God's working.
My wife went to a lady's Bible study one time and topic for conversation was, how do you think you felt when you were in your mother's womb? I think that's a rather meaningless discussion. I could say I'd probably feel a little confined. Enough said. But I am interested in what the Bible says that God was doing. The Apostle Paul will say something about his experience and say, I was separated to the gospel when I'd expect the road to Damascus, but now from my mother's womb. What is involved in that?
Well, largely who I am as a person is determined at that moment of conception. My intellectual limitations are set. My personality is fixed. The basic physical structure and looks are determined throughout that period of time. I can prove it. See that here? Is that ridiculous? Got another one to match. It's a perfect set. Passed on from one generation to another. along with a lot of other things.
One day I was sitting in a room at home, the television wasn't even on, I was just sitting in the chair, and I looked at the reflection of myself in the television, and I thought my father was on TV. You know? If any of you knew my father, you'd understand how accurate that is. I hear myself talking the same way. I see same thought patterns. Family resemblances are enormously strong. The acorn does not fall far from the tree, does it?
And all that is set. How many of you like the way it got set for you? Most people don't like it much. I wish I'd look different. How many are satisfied with the way you look? See your hands. Good for you. Hey. I asked the young people that at school. They're never very happy. One girl said, different nose, please. And that girl's related to Ernie Woodhouse. And it was a good laugh.
But it was an instant response. We all have, hey, God's in that. He knew what I would be if I wasn't a perfect human being physically. So He made me this way. This is part of it. My intellect, your intellect, your personality, your emotions. How many of you are born warriors? We got any of those kind of people? Some are reaching across other people here. How many know somebody next to you that's a born warrior? Maybe, you know. And others of us are really easy going. I'm sort of an easy going guy. Some people link that up with spirituality and it's going to work out, you know, kind of thing.
It's a lot easier for me not to be anxious than other people not to be anxious. It's got nothing to do with spirituality, just how I'm wound up. We are, none of us, to be anxious as a pattern of life, but for some it's a lot harder. Some of us are introverts in nature, shy. I am a shy person. A lot of people don't believe it, but I am. My wife, in a mass days, broke my shyness because she figured I could never serve the Lord the way I should, not talking. And she pushed and pushed and pushed.
Boy, didn't she push. And I thank God for that. But some of us are shy and we overcome it. Some of us are introverts. We're quiet. Others are not. Hey, that's from God. He wanted us that way. He was involved. This day was an exciting day for us. We purposed in the free time to just go over and sit at the ocean and watch God's hand anywhere. We didn't even go into St. Augustine. Just sit at the ocean and enjoy his great creation. The sounds.
The stake in the ground that he drove and said thus far and no further. Oh. The years of that rolling sea that he has control. And we weren't looking to see people, but God teaches us all the time. And as we came back for a second little time after a little lunch, there were a group of high school girls on the beach, two groups. And that's why he pulled the car right up to the beach and we're within twenty feet of the ocean or so.
Melsie said, there's no sound. They're not speaking. Not one girl was speaking. just a little bit over the bridge there's the Florida school for the deaf and the blind and there was a basketball tournament of deaf girls non-speaking girls this weekend and they were posing for pictures and as I had been thinking about how God has been involved in our lives, in the very formation within our parents' womb, our mother's womb, to be what we are for His glory.
I saw forty girls who could not speak. And I heard Moses saying to God, Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent. Neither before nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and slow of tongue. So the Lord said to them, to him, Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the death, the seeing, or the blind, have not I the Lord? Isn't that a verse?
Got a little book with sayings of great Christians. Fanny Crosby said, I would not see. I would prefer seeing my Savior first of all. These are hard things. And we who are perfectly healthy and whole, praise God for the way He has made us. And we who are not healthy and perfectly whole should likewise praise God, because the same God is involved in our lives for one reason or another, be it the smooth and comfortable way or the hard and difficult way.
Did I not make the blind and the deaf and the mute and the lame? I wouldn't say that about God, but God says it about himself. And I think that's safe to say. He's involved. In all that is what we would consider positive in our being. Our intellect, our sensibility and will, those limits, our physical stature, our natural gift, natural gift, artistic gift. Have you enjoyed the flowers? Take me a long time to do that.
Wouldn't quite look like that if I did it. One of the things I so enjoy about Park of the Palms is the creativity of the folk in taking care of the little details. Isn't it wonderful? The way the placemats in the dining hall match the table thought, match the flowers, match the food, everything matches. It's beautiful. And people have those capabilities. And they are natural gifts, artistic gifts.
Music. The capability of singing and leading us in singing. Natural gift that some of us could practice all our lives and never be able to do. And we are each one of us different in the area of natural gifts. There is grace before salvation that we have all experienced. And as I have mentioned earlier, every person here, if we would know their testimony, is a miracle of timing and precision and grace before any of us knew Jesus Christ. Your own personal salvation and how it came to you is a mystery of God's grace.
And there is grace before salvation. In Hebrews it says God sends these angels ministering spirits to those who shall be the heirs of salvation. The angels of heaven are involved in caring for us and overseeing our lives so that we come to faith in Jesus Christ and are preserved to enter into that. He sends His Holy Spirit to convict us of sin and righteousness and judgment, and that is unique in the way it happened to every one of us.
Different for us all. At that moment of salvation, He gifts us with spiritual gifts. so that we are unique and distinct and different and only we can do, you can do, I can do for the glory of God in that mix of intellect and sensibility and will, that personality, the experience, only you can do what you can for God. And then He has this great plan for us. For by grace you have been saved. Through faith, that not of yourselves.
It's a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship. We're his workmanship in the womb. We're his workmanship before we were ever saved. We are His workmanship in physical structure and mental capabilities and personality. We are His workmanship. We are His workmanship in the history that is distinct in every one. We are His workmanship in the way He brings us to salvation through the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit. And He gifts us with spiritual gifts that work in tandem with our natural gifts.
And he has works for us to do. And only you can do the work for God the way he wants you to do it. Who am I? I am a new creation in Christ Jesus. All things are new. All things have passed away. I had enormous worth. You did too as an unsafe person. But oh, when God has completed His work, when we stand before the highest of all people on earth, we are God's man, God's woman, sent to do only what God has in mind for you individually and for me individually.
Call us ambassadors for Christ. Pilgrims, strangers, representatives. This is what we are in Jesus Christ. So valuable to him. So unique. So different. Every one of us. And we have been equipped to serve him. And glory of glory. He rewards us for doing what He has equipped us to do. When we have done all that we should, we say we are unprofitable servants.
We say that. He says, receive the crown of life. Receive the crown of righteousness. Receive the crown of glory. Receive the martyr's crown. Receive the evangelist crown. Because you have. done those works which I have before ordained that you should walk in them. Hey, who are we? We're God's man. We're God's woman. Doing God's work on all the kings of the earth.
We look down. We look down. Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Let's pray together. Our Father, it is amazing love that you have taken such as we were and made us a kingdom of priests, made us accepted in the beloved, made us capable of serving you with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, and have equipped us to do that in a unique and particular way.