Jesus Restored
Acts 7:9-19
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our text for this morning comes from the New Testament lesson. This is still part of Stephen's response to the high priest. We heard about Abraham and how God called him to be a special people and would make him into a great nation. We heard about how Moses had to go through changes in his life. Moses went from knowing everything to knowing nothing to knowing God.
Now, we look at the story that joins these two together. Joseph. Joseph was the 11th out of twelve sons. Joseph's tale is about going from high to low to High. This is also a story about dreams. Most people either remember Joseph was a dreamer, or they remember Joseph's coat of many colors.
But neither of these are the heart of Joseph's story. Joseph's brothers were jealous of Joseph because he was favored by his father. Joseph was the only son of Rachael at the time. So his mother loved him and made him this extravagant coat of many colors. His father Jacob would show his love by not making him do harder work, and he was the youngest.
It is always nice being the youngest, with the exception that you get picked on by older siblings. Joseph got picked on in the worst possible way. His brothers sold him into slavery. Joseph went from the most important person in his father's house, to being a slave.
Then he was taken down to Egypt. There he was sold to Potiphar, one of the leaders of Pharaoh's guard. This is a place of prominence. Potiphar even noticed that Joseph was blessed and made him second only to Potiphar in his household. Thus, Joseph is back at the top even as a slave.
Potiphar's wife lies about Joseph mistreating her. Joseph is thrown into prison. There in prison he finds himself low again. But God sees Joseph's hardships and blesses him and all he does. The chief guard sees this, and places Joseph over all the prisoners. Joseph finds high station, even in the lowest of places a prison.
Finally, God blesses Joseph to interpret the dreams of the Baker and the Cup bearer of Pharaoh. One gets killed and the other restored. Through this death and restoration, the cup bearer tells Pharaoh about Joseph. Joseph is then brought to interpret Pharaoh's dream about 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine in the land.
And you all know the rest. Pharaoh places Joseph over all the land of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh in all the land. Pharaoh even provides Joseph with a wife. And during the years of famine Jacob and Joseph's eleven brothers come down to Egypt and settle in the land of Goshen. There in Egypt they live out their days.
You can see how God blessed Joseph in times of hardship. We can look at our lives and think God is not blessing us, or we can recognize that God is blessing us. When Joseph was sold into slavery, he probably could not see the blessing. When he was placed in prison, Joseph could not see the blessing. Even when he was made second only to Pharaoh, he probably saw some blessing. But when his brothers and family come down to Egypt, Joseph could actually see God's plan come together. Joseph had to be brought to his lowest, so he could be lifted up and then provide salvation to his entire family.
Do you see the connection yet? Joseph is like Jesus. Sent from his father's house to save his brothers. Jesus is humbled to be born of a human, and to take on human flesh. He suffers, hungers, thirsts, and endures everything we do in earthly life, on account of sin. He was beaten and bruised for our iniquity. Jesus was cast out not for his own misdeeds but for yours and mine. He was crucified in our place, and for our sack.
He then was restored to life. After three days he was raised from the dead. He was given life again. He still had flesh and blood. He still had wounds in his hands and side. Jesus then ascended to the highest place. He is seated at the right hand of God the father. There he is preparing a place for us, in everlasting life.
Joseph was made second over all of Egypt. Yet, it was not that day when his brothers saw their salvation. It was not until years later when the famine had gotten very bad. Then they came to find salvation in a new land, Egypt. Jesus will come, and raise us from the dead. He has won our salvation now, already, even though we still suffer with the hardship and pain of sin. But Jesus is coming to rescue us from this hardship and famine.
So we may come to God like Joseph's brothers to Joseph, begging him for forgiveness on how we have mistreated Jesus, and how we have squandered our lives, and his love. Joseph told his brothers, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."
Those who desired to kill Jesus meant it for evil, but God has used their evil desires for the good of us all. You have life in Christ's death. You will have life in Christ's resurrection. As John the Baptist once said, "I am not Elijah," so Joseph says, "am I in the place of God." Joseph's tale truly becomes a parallel to Jesus story and our story.
Throughout the highs and lows of life, God has provided a plan. God is blessing you. God has blessed you in Jesus Christ. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
