The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is studying God's providence or divine providence in the lives of David and Joseph and how we can apply His providence in their lives to our lives today.
The providence of God is the governance of God by which He, with wisdom and love, cares for and directs all things in the universe. Divine providence asserts that God is in complete control of all things. He is sovereign over the universe. He is in control of the physical world. He is in control of the affairs of nations. He is in control of human destiny. He is in control of human successes and failures. He protects His people.
Last week we talked about how we should react when things don’t go our way. Our study was concentrated on Jacob’s reaction when his sons returned from Egypt after buying the grain necessary for them their families and Jacob to survive. Jacob panicked because his focus was on what was right in front of him. He had a son in jail, a son dead (or so the thought) and now the prime minister wanted to see his last son. If that is all that you see, what is in front of you, you may miss what God is doing. We have to change our focus from a horizontal one to a vertical one.
Today we are going to look at how grace operates.
For our study we are using Great Lives: David: A Man of Passion and Destiny, and Joseph: A Man of Integrity and Forgiveness by Charles R. Swindoll. To study along with us you can purchase the books by clicking the Links here or the images after the notes.
Don’t Stop at Just Reading God’s Word
By Rick Warren
“Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24 (NIV)
There are many things you can do with God’s Word. You can receive it, read it, research it, remember it, and reflect on it. But if you fail to put into practice what you learn, all those things are useless. As James 1:22 says, “Be doers of 98the word, and not hearers only” (ESV).
It can be hard to be a doer of the Word, because Satan fights it so intensely. He doesn’t mind you going to Bible studies, as long as you don’t do anything with what you learn.
But God’s Word doesn’t really become part of you until you obey it. Just reading or studying a truth doesn’t mean you’ve internalized it.
Actually, you can be so busy with Bible study—going to the next class or seminar or Bible conference—that you have no time to implement what you’ve learned. You forget one study on your way to the next one!
Without implementation, all our Bible studies are worthless. Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24 NIV).
Jesus also pointed out that God’s blessing comes from obeying the truth, not just knowing it. He said, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:17 NIV).
It’s so valuable to be part of a small Bible study discussion group. We always learn truths from others that we would never learn on our own. Other people will help you see insights you would miss.
But be sure to take the next step too. Let God’s family help you apply his truth in a practical way.
The best way to become a doer of the Word is to always write out an action step after you read, study, and reflect on God’s Word. Develop the habit of writing down exactly what you intend to do. This action step should be personal (involving you), practical (something you can do), and provable (with a deadline). Every application will involve either your relationship to God, your relationship to others, or your personal character.
As you become a doer of God’s Word, you’ll be building your life on a foundation that cannot be shaken.
The providence of God or divine providence is the governance of God by which He, with wisdom and love, cares for and directs all things in the universe. Divine providence asserts that God is in complete control of all things. He is sovereign over the universe as a whole, He is in control of the physical world, He is in control of the affairs of nations, He’s in control of human destiny, He’s in control of human successes and failures, He protects His people. Through divine providence God accomplishes His will.
Last week we talked about how we should react when things don’t go our way. Our study was concentrated on Jacob’s reaction when his sons returned from Egypt after buying the grain necessary for them their families and Jacob to survive. As you remember Joseph holds Simeon as a hostage in jail and tells them not to come back unless they bring their youngest brother who is Joseph’s only full-blooded brother. They tell Jacob what happened, and they also learn that they got the grain free. Instead of having a vertical focus and thinking the God is in this and may be working something out Jacob panics. Which is what we do when things don’t go the way we plan them.
Jacob panicked because his focus was on what was right in front of him. He had a son in jail, a son dead (or so he thought) and now the prime minister wanted to see his last son. If that is all that you see, what is in front of you, you may miss what God is doing. We have to change our focus. How do you do that?
1. Recognize and admit your negative mentality. Recognize, realize, admit your negative mentality. Don’t hide it. Quit Denying it, and ask for forgiveness
2. Force a vertical focus by praying for strength, admit that you had been trying to handle it yourself, and ask yourself “Could God be in this situation? Is God trying to get through to me?” Ask for direction.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Trust God rather than resist change out of hand.
Today we are going to look at how grace operates.
Jacob agrees to let his sons take Benjamin and go back to Egypt to get more grain. They take back the money that they took down the first time plus more money for grain and they take more gifts down.
They go back not really knowing what will happen.
They didn’t know what awaited them in Egypt. They didn’t know if they would ever find Simeon or if he was still alive. They had no idea what would happen when they once again stood before the royal ruler.
Will the Egyptian prime minister release Simeon? Will he look with favor on us for returning the money, or will we all be imprisoned like our brother? Will he let us return?
When they get back, remember they don’t know that the prime minister of Egypt is their brother. They are just going back to buy more food, prove that they are not spies by showing that they told the truth and to hopefully get Simeon.
Now that they are back in Egypt, I’m quite sure that Joseph is anxious to see his brother and find out more information about his father. So, when he knows that they are back he plans a feast for them. They don’t know what’s going on and neither do the Egyptians.
Why would the prime minister invite this dusty, dirty tribes of Hebrew nomads to a feast?
Remember we have talked about what happens when we never really deal with guilt from a past action. These guys already think that everything negative thing that has happened is because God is somehow punishing them for what they did to Joseph.
Genesis 42:21-28 NIV They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.” Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter. He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes. Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them, they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. “My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.” Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”
They don’t know what to expect so they think they have been summoned to the prime minister because somehow, he knew that the money the paid for the grain before somehow came up missing, so they confess to the steward.
Guilt always does a number on us. It certainly did on Joseph’s brothers. Though standing before an unnamed, soft-spoken servant from Egypt, whom they had never really known throughout their lives, they poured out their confession.
Genesis 43:19-22 NIV So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. “We beg your pardon, our Lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food. But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us. We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”
Remember what we said about guilt before, that it keeps you from accepting grace. That’s a problem people have about salvation the think I’ve done so much dirt in my life how is it possible that a sinless God could not just accept me but save me and give me eternal life with him.
The servant tells them to calm down. He put the money back in the sacks under the order of Joseph.
Genesis 42:25-26 NIV Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them, they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.
Remember they are now in the home of the prime minster wondering what is happening. They are probably terrified and then Joseph comes home and rather than being harsh he is very calm.
Genesis 43:24-28 NIV The steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys. They prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there. When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?” They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him.
Then he sees in full blooded brother Benjamin,and he is overcome with emotion.
Genesis 43:29-30 NIV As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.
The way that God created us he created us with emotions. He created us this way because God exhibits emotions. He gets angry. God gets angry when there is a violation of His character. God is righteous, just, and holy, and none of these attributes can be compromised.
Isaiah 42:8 NIV “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.
Jesus got angry with the religious teachers and leaders of that day for using religion for their own gain and keeping people in bondage.
John 2:13-16 NIV When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”
Romans 1:18 NIV The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by1 their wickedness,
God greaves
John 11:33-35 NIV When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept.
Ephesians 4:30 NIV And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
God shows happiness.
Psalms 16:11 NIV You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Don’t be afraid to release your emotions even if it's anger toward God. He can handle it.
The problem is that when we sometimes get overcome by our emotions our focus becomes horizontal not vertical. When our focus is vertical,we can lean on God to get us through whatever is happening.
Joseph get himself together and rejoins his brothers for the meal. At this point there were 3 different groups at the same meal. There were the Egyptians, who usually ate when Joseph ate. He ate by himself because the Egyptians knew he was a Hebrew and Egyptians and Hebrews didn't eat together and then there were the 11 brothers.
The amazing thing about the table with the brothers is that they were seated according to their age from the oldest, Ruben to the youngest Benjamin. And when they were served Benjamin got the largest portions. The only way that could happen is that the host knew this.
Genesis 43:32-34 NIV They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians. The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment. When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.
Rather than revenge and retribution the were given something they didn't deserve. Grace. They were given a meal.
The reunion was really a banquet of grace—on full display—thanks to Joseph, a man of integrity and forgiveness.
Undeserved grace just like God’s grace to us.
Instead of being blamed, we are forgiven. Instead of feeling guilty, we are freed. And instead of experiencing punishment, which we certainly deserve, we are seated at His table and served more than we can ever take in.
For some, it’s too unreal. So we desperately plead our case, only to have Him speak kindly to us—promising us peace in our own language. We then try to fend off His anger by bargaining with Him, thinking our hard work and sincere efforts will pay Him back for all those evil past deeds we’re guilty of. But to our astonishment, He never even considered our attempts important enough to mention. What we had in mind was earning just enough to silence our guilt, but what He had in mind was overwhelming us with such an abundance we’d realize we can never, ever repay.
What a beautiful picture of Christ at the cross, bearing the sins we committed, forgiving us in the process. Isn’t it amazing? The One who was rejected is the same One who works so hard to get us reunited with Him.
Isaiah 30:18 NIV Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
Grace is something you can never get but only be given. There’s no way to earn or deserve it or bring it about any more than you can deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks or bring about your own birth. . . .
A crucial eccentricity of the Christian faith is the assertion that people are saved by grace. There’s nothing you have to do. There’s only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you'll reach out and take it. Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too.
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