Open—Andy Klassen
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I trust my brethren will bear with me. I did not intend to get up.
But the subject that our brother Randy and our brother Bill have brought before us as touched my heart.
I remember when.
My youngest son was born.
I spent some time at home with my wife helping her.
And in the process of some down time, I read a book and I'm not going to mention the name of the book and I'm not going to mention the author.
Because I don't want to be liable. It's a book that's well known among us, but I do not want to be responsible for encouraging anyone to read something that could stumble them.
It nearly stumbled me.
It was written by a man who spent some time among Brethren.
And he later went on.
To be very much used of God as an evangelist, and I'll leave it at that.
But as one who knows the inner workings of any particular company.
He had once been among brethren.
And he very skillfully pointed out their defects and their weaknesses on this very subject that we're Speaking of.
When I read that book by the time I was done.
I asked myself, what am I connected with?
I was struck.
When our brother Don Rule made the comment that I hadn't noticed it before in Numbers 19 as to a clean man.
And I would like, with the Lord's help, to just briefly look at.
Circumstances that could come into anyone of our lives that could render us incapable of participating in this work.
Of restoration, recovery, and repentance.
With that said, let's turn to Genesis.
Genesis Chapter 44.
Rely somewhat.
Your acquaintance with.
This passage of Scripture.
Josephs Brethren had sold him into Egypt.
And time had gone on, and Joseph was cast into prison.
Unjustly so he was framed up, and I want to say this at this point that.
There are several in this room that are aware.
That I have been touched in a very personal way.
As to these matters.
And I'm not standing up here to make any defense of anyone. I want to clear the air on that account.
But rather to just simply look at.
The things that can disqualify us in this most valuable work of restoration.
Joseph was in prison.
The day came when Pharaoh had some dreams.
And there was a man who also had been in prison, and he said there's a man that can interpret your dreams.
And so Joseph is brought out of the prison house.
And he interprets.
Pharaoh's dreams.
But before he interprets them.
He makes the most notable statement.
That is so valuable that I believe it's perhaps something he learned.
That is valuable for us, that if the Lord is going to use us, it's the recognition of humility and he says.
Pharaoh, it's not in me.
And if you and I feel that we have the assessment of any given situation and we can just nail it and we know what all the issues are.
We may very well be disqualified from God being able to use us.
But rather when these most delicate situations arise.
That we recognize that there is wisdom that comes from only one.
And that is God himself.
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And Joseph recognized that. So the first one would be humility.
Of brokenness and the recognition that I don't.
Know this thing inside and out?
The second one is and I trust we'll see it as this unfolds because we can imagine it.
Joseph was sold by his brothers.
It's the closest Thai. It's the family Thai.
And you and I know that when things go wrong.
And family connections.
There's nothing that hurts like that.
Nothing.
Joseph is now in a position where he's dealing with his brethren.
And it's going to become evident if there is something that he is harboring in his heart.
That this is the day of vengeance.
This is the day to even the score.
You know, it's remarkable. Well, let's just read it.
Genesis Chapter 44.
And the minute left Joseph's house.
To go back home to their father.
And Joseph's cup was in Benjamin SAC, and they're overtaken by.
The Lord of Joseph's house in verse 12 of Genesis 44 and he searched and began at the eldest and left at the youngest and the cup was found in Benjamin SAC.
Then they rent their clothes and laid it. Every man is asked and returned to the city.
And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house, for he was yet there. And they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? What ye not this, such a man as I can certainly divine?
And Judah said, What shall we say unto my Lord?
What shall we speak?
Or how shall we clear ourselves?
God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants. Behold, we are My Lord's servants, both we and He also with whom the cup is found.
And he said, God forbid that I should do so. But the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant. And As for you?
Get you up in peace unto your Father.
I would just say this to anyone here.
Maybe is?
Struggling with something in your life that we've been Speaking of? Maybe serious sin?
That maybe no one else is aware of.
And maybe.
It's in the past quite a ways.
And you're hoping with the passage of time that.
Somehow will be taken care of.
What's interesting here?
As Joseph is a type of Christ.
That he brings things around to the identical circumstance in which these men had failed before. The players are slightly different. Granted, it's now Benjamin. It's not Joseph.
But what's interesting is that in this case, the brethren can if they want.
Step away and go back to Dad.
And legitimately say we didn't think Benjamin would take the cup, but he did because it was found in his sack.
Here is an opportunity. If there is if this matter of jealousy that they had had toward Joseph is also directed toward Benjamin, they can act on it, but they can do so legitimately.
And they can go back.
Supposedly with a clear conscience.
But here's the test.
Has God wrought? He has.
Now I'm not going to read it for the sake of time.
But we know that Judah had been through.
A tremendous amount between the time that Joseph was sold in this moment.
And Judah steps forward.
And he makes a statement that I want to focus on that I think will illustrate the point of how Joseph was a clean man. It's this.
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Verse 18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, O my Lord, let thy servant I pray thee, speak a word in my Lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant.
For thou are even as Pharaoh.
My Lord? Asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father?
Or a brother.
And we said unto my Lord, we have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one.
And his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
Judah at this point does not know who he is actually speaking to.
He assumes it's still a ruler of Egypt. He doesn't realize it's his own brother.
And he says to him, he says, You've asked us about two things.
You've asked us about our father.
And you asked about a brother.
I want to say this at this point.
You will never read.
In the scriptural account.
That Josephs Brethren ever apologized to him for what they did to him.
That was not a prerequisite with Joseph.
I would say this brethren, and I want to make this entreaty.
When we deal with one another.
If we deal from the basis.
Of personal issues.
Of unresolved personal issues.
We have disqualified ourselves.
Was Joseph.
Going to say, as I said before, was this the day of vengeance?
Or was he looking beyond the personal issue of himself because it's apparent in the next chapter he was completely free. He looked at what had happened to him as God's sovereign ways, and he was freed from any personal bitterness.
And what he wants to know is this lie that has been lived in relation to their father.
In this matter of jealousy.
Had those things been faced?
And if we approach discipline issues from the vantage point of Maine.
And myself and what's been done to me, it's going to make us petty and small minded.
But when we can step outside of ourselves and realize that God is working and reaching for roots in the soul of which I may be a symptom, of those roots that need to be judged, that if I deal with the symptom.
I will not be able to effectively be used of God to bring conviction to the soul as to the real issues that are at stake.
I'm no different than anyone here. I want to make that clear. I too can be offended.
And I can operate on that basis.
But I can say as I read that book.
By that man.
I thought, wow.
What a mess.
What a mess.
And brethren.
We have a history.
That's humbling.
I believe by the grace of God that we could deal with these things.
In a much different way than we have.
But we have to be set free.
From what we feel is owed to.
And look at these things from God's standpoint.
That's when there will be light, that's when there will be clarity.
To bring conviction and health deliverance.
Recovery.
And restoration.
Just to end on a.
A happy and positive note. Let's go into Chapter 45.
I would just make this comment that at least 13 times in Judah's discourse, in chapter 44, he mentions his father.
And he ends by saying I can't go back.
And face my father.
And continue to live a lie. I can't do it. Here was a man who was repentant.
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A man who?
Was wide open. But this is what's beautiful in verse one of chapter 45, and Joseph could not control himself before all them that stood by him. And he cried.
Sorry, I have a parallel edition, verse one of 45. Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him. And he cried, 'cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.
And he wept aloud in the Egyptians, in the House of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brother, and come near to me, I pray you.
And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph, your brother, whom he sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that you sold me, hit her, for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Verse seven God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me. Hit her, but God, and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and Lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
We'll close their.
Who May God grant us the help and the honesty one with another?
That if we're acting on these issues on a personal level.
That we would be faithful with one another and encourage one another.
To let them go.
That we might be used of God for the good and blessing of our brother.