Sermon and Announcements July 27

 July 27, 2025

Joseph, a man of Faith and Integrity

The Final Chapter

Genesis 41:1,8+9,14-16,25-32,39+40

We are going to get through the remainder of Josephs incredible story

this morning. We may stay till noon to complete the story but we will

do it. Last week we left it with Joseph in prison. That’s the bad part the

good part is the warden put Joseph in charge of the entire prison.

Joseph interpreted dreams for 2 of Pharaoh’s men while they were in

prison. One was restored by Pharaoh to his former position the other

was put to death. In both cases this happened exactly how these 2

men’s dreams predicted things would happen and exactly how Joseph

said it would happen.

This catches up to what we read from Genesis 41 today. We read

Pharaoh had had a dream that was troubling him. He called in those in

the kingdom that should be able to tell him what the dream meant but

none of them were able to do so. The chief cupbearer who was in

prison with Joseph became aware of Pharaoh’s frustration and finally

remembered Joseph. He told Pharaoh how Joseph had interpreted his

and the chief baker's dreams for them and that things happened just as

Joseph had told them. So, Pharaoh calls for Joseph to be brought to

him.

Pharaoh proceeds to tell Joseph his dream and once again God gives

Joseph the wisdom to interpret the dream for Pharaoh. The dream told

of 7 years of abundant crops to be followed by 7 years of poor crops.

Do you have any idea why this is all happening to Egypt, Pharaoh and

why Joseph is the one to deliver the news? We are about to find out.

Before we get there, however, Pharaoh is so impressed by the

importance of this dream that he is determined to find someone to

create a plan for storing crops over the next 7 years so they can survive

the 7 lean years. He finds no one in all of Egypt who he fells can handle

the job until he realizes Joseph this incredibly intelligent and Blessed

man is the one for the job.

So not only is Joseph taken out of prison, but he is put in charge of

everything in Egypt. God is with Joseph in such a powerful way that this

former Hebrew slave becomes the second most powerful man in all of

Egypt.

Now it really gets even more amazing. After the seven good years in all

of the middle east a drought hits everyone. I’m not going to read from

the Bible the rest of what happens next, but you will find it in the 42 nd

thru the 47 th chapters of Genesis.

Now Jacob, Joseph's dad, becomes aware that Egypt has plenty of food

in spite of the drought that is affecting everyone in the region. Jacob

sends all of Josephs brothers except Benjamin to Egypt in hopes of

buying what they need to survive the drought. When they get to Egypt

who is it that they must talk to about buying what they need? Joseph.

Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn’t recognize him, after all

many years had passed by now and there would be no way Joseph

would have such a job in Egypt.

Joseph upon meeting with his brothers realizes one of his brothers is

not with them, Benjamin. Joseph asks is this all the brothers you have in

your family to which they respond one brother is back with their father

the other is “no more”. Joseph told them I want to see this youngest

brother I will sell you the grain you request but you must leave one of

your brothers here and go bring Benjamin here to me before all of you

can return back to your father. While this was going on Joseph had

some of Pharaoh’s men put back the silver in with the brothers'

possessions along with the grain Joseph had agreed to sell them. On the

way back to their father they realized they had silver in with the

possessions that should not be there. The brothers were afraid of what

their father was going to say when they told him everything that had

happened.

To fast forward the story they returned to Egypt again this time with

Benjamin and even more silver to give to Pharaoh. Joseph inquired

about their dad and eventually sent them on their way back home but

this time Joseph had pharaoh’s men plant a fancy silver cup in

Benjamin’s bag. They tracked them down and accused Benjamin of

stealing. This time Joseph demanded that their dad come to Egypt or

Benjamin will never go free. Before they left to go on back to their dad

Joseph revealed who he really was to his brothers. They were both

shocked and terrified, but Joseph assured them God made this all

happen so many lives could be saved from the drought.

Joseph said please go get our father and bring him here many years of

drought are still to come, and you can live here in peace and safety.

Ultimately all of Josephs brothers acknowledged their sin to Joseph and

said we deserve to be slaves to you but Joseph, knowing that God made

all of this happened told his brothers these powerful words. You sought

to do evil to me; but God meant it for good. What a statement of Faith

and trust Joseph delivered to his brothers.

So what, if anything, is for us to learn from Josephs life and example?

There are no less than 7 major events that happened in Josephs life.

1. He was sold into slavery by his brothers

2. He was put in charge of Potiphar’s house and all of his possessions

3. He was falsely accused of inappropriate behavior and thrown into

prison

4. While in prison the warden put him in charge of the prison

5. Because God gave him the ability to interpret dreams, he foretold

the future to Pharaoh and as a result was released from prison

and put in charge of all of Egypt

6. Joseph was reunited with all of his family, and they lived securely

in Egypt for the remainder of their lives with Pharaoh’s blessing.

7. Joseph said one of the most powerful statements and

acknowledgments that all of us at times should lay claim to

sometimes the things that happen in our lives Satan uses to try to

pull us away from God

8. We can agree with what Joseph said when he said “you intended

evil for me; but God intended good

Joseph’s life is one of the most powerful examples of what can

happen if we are people of Faith and Integrity. Time after time it

would have been easy for Joseph to give up and say what’s the use.

Know matter how hard I try to do the right thing I always seem to get

kicked in the teeth. I give up, what’s the use. But that wasn’t what

Joseph said and did. Joseph was another person who wasn’t anyone

special other than the fact he refused to give in to what Satan was

trying to do through all of these events.

Gods hand was upon him every step of the way and Joseph’s

faithfulness was ultimately rewarded. The lesson for us is to never

give up or give in to Satan’s lies. God is always with us and even

when we can’t see it God is working all things for good for those who

are in Christ Jesus Romans 8:28. So when things try to pull you down

stay strong God will you through just like he did in Josephs life.

Pastor Larry

Announcements:

Sunday School 9:00

Tuesdays 9:30 Bible Study

August 10 Larry & Cathy’s last Sunday with us—farewell

potluck meal after worship—meat and drink provided

August 17 Doug Larrick—message in song

Executive Committee and Search Committee after

worship

August 20 12:00 Women’s Lunch, meal provided

First Sundays: Food Bank donations

Pastor Larry Traxler (217) 454-2362

Keep in Your Prayers

Louis Sulwer family; Carroll Clarkson family; Randy and  Michelle West; Bill Traughber; Martha Wood; StacieWarren; Nancy Fansler; Ruth Siburt; Dorthea Wood; Mike and

Kathy Gentry; Steve Needham; Larry Traxler; Nancy Gorrell;

Nora Hanaver; Ron and Kathleen Petersen; Doug Larrick; David and Jan Bower; Debbie Garvey Leibrock;

Adiline Young; Mayo Hanaver; many unspoken requests;

victims of shootings and of natural disasters; shut-ins; the

Nigerian church; the Haitian church; the CoB in the Democratic

Republic of Congo; those in the middle of war and violence;

military and other services and their families; Brethren Volunteer

Service workers; Disaster project workers; immigrants, the poor

and needy, flood victims and their families; those who will lose

insurance and Medicaid

District Prayer Calendar: Pray for the Charismatic Christian

Center in Chicago and for the Intercultural Ministries office.

Sermon and Announcements July 13

 

July 13, 2025

                                Joseph, a man of Faith and Integrity

           

                                             Genesis 37:1-8,16-28

 

It has probably been a while since most of us have looked at the story of Joseph. There are several men with the name of Joseph that have played important roles in Gods story, Gods relationship with mankind. In Genesis 37 we pick up on the story of one of the sons of Jacob who had an important role in shaping not only the direction of his family but the nation of Israel from this point forward.

 

Joseph was the first son born to Rachael and Jacob. Let’s quickly go back and look at first Jacob’s story then Jacob and Rachael’s. Jacob got both the birthright and the blessing that was supposed to go to Esau. The first Esau gave up willingly the second was taken from him with trickery. As a result of these actions Jacob escaped to Paddan Aram to the relatives of his mother. Esau, his brother, had vowed to kill Jacob if he ever caught up with him.

 

While in this new land he saw a young women named Rachael and fell in love with her. He spoke to her father about marriage and it was agreed if he worked for him for 7 years he could marry Rachael. There was one catch Jacob didn’t know about before he could marry Rachael Labans oldest daughter must marry. Laban tricked Jacob and after 7 years he was really marrying Leah not Rachael.

 

He ultimately also married Rachael and finally had the girl of his dreams. However, one of the most important things to a man at this time was carrying on the family name and Jacob really wanted to do this through Rachael but she seemed unable to have children. Without going any deeper into the story than we already have Rachael finally did have 2 boys, Joseph and Benjamin. Jacob’s favorite of all the sons he had been blessed with was Rachaels firstborn, Joseph.

 

Jacob was the father of 12 sons; they eventually became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. With all that being said let's get back to the story of Joseph that we read a little about in Genesis 37. We read that Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other sons. As a result, he gave Joseph this amazing coat that set him apart from his brothers in a very visible way. Josephs brothers were jealous of the way their father favored Joseph in many ways. Their jealousy turned into hatred. Things got worse when Joseph had a dream that told how the older brothers would bow down to their younger brother something that was unheard of in the culture of the day.

 

Instead of keeping this dream to himself he told his brothers about it which made them hate him even more. As bad as things were already Joseph had one more dream that even had not only his brothers bowing down to him but his dad as well. As far as his brothers were concerned this was the last straw, they vowed to kill Joseph first chance they got.

 

That’s where we picked up the story at the 16^th verse. The brothers didn’t kill Joseph they decided to sell him to traders on their way to Egypt instead. So, they were sure he was gone forever, and they got some money besides. What was Joseph’s biggest crimes? The love of his father that he personally had nothing to do with and being naïve. Joseph just honestly told his brothers and also his dad the dreams he had. We don’t know whether Joseph actually thought those dreams would come true or not but the fact that he had the nerve to tell his brothers and his dad these dreams were just too much for his brothers to take.

 

I don’t know how many of you might be the youngest son or daughter in your family but sometimes it seems like the youngest child gets away with a lot more than the older brothers and sisters were able to do. That may have also been the case with Joseph as well. To be perfectly clear Joseph wasn’t actually the youngest son but was the favorite because he was the first son born to Jacob by Rachael. Still he was one of the youngest sons as well.

 

We are going to follow Joseph’s story a little more next week but before we close things out today, I would like to read Genesis 38:1-6 for you. Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.the Lord was with Joseph, and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When the master saw the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and all that he owned, the Lord Blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

 

So we see that Joseph was a man of honesty as well as integrity. And we see the Lord blessed everything Joseph did even in this foreign land. Gods blessing clearly came as a result of his faithfulness to God in spite of everything that had happened to him. How would we have reacted if the things that had happened to Joseph happened to us? Would we have questioned God? Would we be angry at God for allowing this to happen even though he had really done nothing wrong. One might say, so that’s what I get for being honest.

 

Josephs story still has a few more twists and turns in it that we will pick up next week. Just a couple of things to think about as we wrap this up today. Can you remember a time when you told the truth about something that had no intention of hurting anyone only to have it come back to bite you? Have you ever felt the anger of someone because you seemed to be favored by someone even though you did nothing special that lead to that favoritism? That what set all this in motion for Joseph. Maybe we could say he didn’t use the best judgement with his brothers and his dad but I think it’s hard to say he was doing anything more than just telling them about his dream.

 

Next Sunday we will see what still lies ahead for this man of faith and integrity. We will see if there are things in Joseph’s life and how he faced a variety of challenges that we can apply to our own lives.

Pastor Larry

Announcements:

Sunday School 9:00

Tuesdays 9:30 Bible Study

 

July 15 6:00 pm Search Committee

July 21-25 VBS at the Oakley Brick CoB

July 24-26 Town rummage sales

 

We sent a total of $1940 to Heifer International. Thanks to all who gave and to Witness Commission for matching the giving.

 

First Sundays: Food Bank donations

Pastor Larry Traxler (217) 454-2362

 

 

 

Keep in Your Prayers

The Baker family; Shirley Clarkson and family; Randy & Michelle West; Bill Traughber; Martha Wood; Stacie Warren; Nancy Fansler; Ruth Siburt; Dorthea Wood; Mike and Kathy Gentry; Steve Needham; Larry Traxler; Nancy Gorrell; Nora Hanaver; Ron and Kathleen Petersen; Doug Larrick; Louis & Carol Sulwer; David and Jan Bower; Debbie Garvey Leibrock; Adiline Young; Mayo Hanaver; many unspoken requests; victims of shootings and of natural disasters; shut-ins; the Nigerian church; the Haitian church; the CoB in the Democratic Republic of Congo; those in the middle of war and violence; military and other services and their families; Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers; immigrants, the poor and needy, flood victims and their families; those who will lose insurance and Medicaid

District Prayer Calendar: Pray for Camp Emmaus, campers, staff, and manager Randall Westfall.