This is a stand-alone sermon on more lessons we can learn from the life of Elijah.
This is a stand-alone sermon by Ellwood Splane.
In this passage, Joseph tests his brothers to see if they are the same men who sold him into slavery twenty years earlier, or if they have changed. We naturally don't want our sin exposed. But God loves us so much that He invites us into the light of His presence, so that we might be forgiven of all our sins and walk in newness of life.
In this passage, we see God's good providence in exalting His suffering servant to kingship - first with Joseph, but even more so with Jesus - in order to save the world. We too can entrust ourselves to God's good providence, knowing that He is able to accomplish His purposes for our good.
In this passage, we see Joseph's response to being thrown into prison on account of his faithfulness to his God is to continue to trust in the sovereignty of God. By faith, we too can trust that God is for us working all things according to His purposes.
In this passage, Joseph goes from the penthouse to the prison. But in all of this, the Lord was with him. We are reminded that God is with His people in times of prosperity and in times of adversity.
In this awkward interruption of the story of Joseph, we read about the royal line of Judah that ultimately leads to the Person of Jesus Christ. This narrative gives hope to believers in Jesus that, despite our scandalous rebellion of the King of the universe, God's grace is greater than all our sin.
In this passage, we see Joseph's sale into slavery, which ultimately points to the Person of Jesus Christ, the beloved Son of God who not only became a servant and suffered humiliation and scorn at the hands of His "brothers," but who really did die to save God's people from their sin.
In this passage, we see the difference between worldly greatness and spiritual greatness. Esau may look impressive because he is in the land of his possession and has plenty of offspring, while Jacob is simply a sojourner in the land of Canaan and have become a stench to those around him. But what matters is that Jacob's trust is in the Lord who is more precious than any worldly pleasure.
In this passage, we see God graciously correct and complete the life of Jacob. Jacob was a man who made a lot of mistakes but who trusted in God when it counted. The life of Jacob reminds us that God is still delivering sinful people and keeping His promises today.