Genesis 45:1-15

Once upon a time there was a boy named Joseph. He was loved by his parents and he was favored by God. But his brothers hated him. They hated him because God had given him gifts they didn't have. They hated him because he was the baby and Father had given him a fancy colorful coat.

Even though Joseph was favored by God his life was not easy. His mother died in childbirth while his baby brother was being born. God had favored him with a gift of having and interpreting dreams. But his visions of the future just alienated him from his brothers more.

Finally his brother's anger against him boiled over. They decided to kill their brother. But cooler heads prevailed and they merely sold Joseph into slavery.

So, the one who had been his father's pet was now a slave in strange land. But God was with Joseph even in slavery. God blessed his work. Everything he did prospered. Soon he rose to be in charge of all the affairs of his master's house.

And Joseph remained faithful to God. Once his master's wife tried to seduce him, but he resisted. She made it look like he had tried to take advantage of her. And Joseph's master had him thrown in jail.

But God was there even in jail. In jail he won the trust of the jail keeper and soon he was in a position of authority within the jail. While in jail he met Pharaoh's cup bearer and baker. They had some strange dreams and Joseph used his God given ability to interpret them. According to Joseph's interpretations one was set free and the other was executed.

Meanwhile back at the palace, Pharaoh was having some disturbing dreams himself. In these dreams seven fat cows came out of the Nile and then seven thin cows. Then the thin cows ate the fat cows. These dreams so disturbed Pharaoh that he called all his magicians to interpret the dreams. Of course they could not interpret it. Then Pharaoh's cupbearer remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about him.

When Joseph was brought to Pharaoh, Joseph interpreted the dream. God was warning Pharaoh that there would be seven fat years of plenty and seven lean years of famine. So for the next seven years of plenty the Pharaoh should buy grain and then sell it during the years of famine. Pharaoh was so happy that he put Joseph in charge of this buying and selling.

It just so happened that when the famine hit Egypt, it also hit Canaan where Joseph's family was living. So Israel sent his 10 oldest sons, the very ones who had sold Joseph into slavery, to Egypt to buy grain. Now they had no way of knowing that Joseph was in charge of the grain they wanted to buy. In fact when they appeared before him they didn't recognize him. Joseph played a game of cat and mouse with them for a while.

Finally, when he could stand it no longer he revealed himself to them. And what did he say to his long lost brothers who had sold him into slavery? Did he chastise them for their crimes against him? He was the Pharaoh's right hand man he could have ordered them beheaded or tortured. Instead he threw his arms around their necks and wept for joy at seeing them again. And what did he say about his situation? Did he blame his brothers for his slavery and imprisonment? Did he say, "If it weren't for my brains and good looks I would still be a slave?" No, he said, "Do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life."(Gen. 45:5)

Joseph had looked back and seen that this was God's plan to place him in Pharaoh's court so that his family and many others would be spared in that time of famine. God didn't sell Joseph into slavery and God didn't have Joseph thrown in jail. Those were the acts of sinful people. God despised those evil acts. God despises all acts of evil. But God was there with Joseph in the pit, in slavery, and in jail. And God manipulated all those circumstances to put Joseph where the Almighty's plan said he should be.

I began telling Joseph's story by saying "Once upon a time..." That is how one begins fairy tales. The story of Joseph's life is no fairy tale. It is a story that is true to life. But its most important truth is in its message. "God cares for those who place their trust on high."

It doesn't matter who you are or where you are, God will be faithful to you. No matter what the situation is in your life, God is at work in it. If you have placed your trust in Jesus, then you shall be saved. Not just from the fires of hell, but from everything that is not a part of God's plan for you.

You will still have troubles. You may find yourself in a pit, or in bondage, or imprisoned, just as Joseph did. But know this: God is there with you using those circumstances for your best good. Just remember that once upon a time there was a man named Joseph who placed his trust in God, and that God saved him. And God will preserve you as well.

Family Values You are going to hear a lot about them this year. Especially with the elections coming up. All the candidates will be talking about how they are for family values. They will claim that their policies and proposals are best for the family.

And Family is important. The Family is the basic unit of society. The family is the primary place that values are taught. The stability and success of any society is based on the family. So family values are important because families are of such value.

But whose family values? Talking about family values is not simple matter. People have many different definitions of what a family is. For some people a family can be any group of people; even a gay couple. For others the term "family" only applies to a husband and wife and children. Different cultures have different models of family. In some cultures there are extended families that include three or four generations in one small dwelling and resemble a tribe in their size. In other societies families only include one generation and their dependents. And within these different definitions and models there are many sets of values. Some families value love and support and are nests where people are cared for and nurtured. Other families are dysfunctional and people are hurt and abused instead of loved and nurtured. Some families reach out with love to others and seek to include others. Some families take advantage of outsiders all in the name of preserving the family. With all these competing sets of family values we need to decided what set will be our family values. And as Christians we need to start with the question "What are God's family values?"

I could preach a whole series on this topic but I only have a few minuets today. I will scratch the surface but let's look at a few passages beginning with Psalm 133. Psalm 133 is one of a group of psalms called songs of ascent. They were sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem to worship. The journey was one that was undertaken on foot and having a song to sing with your companions made the trek easier.

The song's opening line states its theme: "How good and pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to live together in unity." And it is good for brothers and sisters to live together in unity. I know when I was growing up my sister and I used to fight all the time. My parents I am sure longed for the day when we would live together in unity. But Psalm 133 is not so much sibling rivalry as it is the unity of Israel. You see, just like the children of Stevenson, the children of Israel did not always live together in unity. Along with little battles between tribes there was even as major civil war that divided the country between north and south. This division may be alluded to, or even prophesied, where it says the "dew of Hermon" falls on the "mountains of Zion." Hermon was in the north while Zion, or Jerusalem, was in the south. Perhaps this was meant to emphasize that God wanted the children of Israel, north and south, to live together in unity. But ahead of this is the precious oil running down the head and beard of Aaron and down his robes. The descendants of Aaron or course were the priests of Israel. And the oil was used to anoint the priests to serve God. It is significant that the robe is mentioned because just as preachers sometimes wear robes today the priests of God in Israel wore robes. So God not only wants them to live together in unity but to live together in devotion and worship.

So when you ask what God's family values are you have to look first at the big picture. God values the whole family of God. God wants all who worship to worship and live together in unity. In the last few years the ecumenical movement has taken a new turn. It used to try to merge denominations, but now it is trying to break down the barriers that keep us from worshipping together, from celebrating communion together. This family value of worshipping together in unity is one of the reasons that many churches, ours included, practice open communion. All of God's children, including the children, are welcome at the this table. These are expressions of God's Family value that we dwell together in unity.

The second passage that I want to look at is the story of the Canaanite woman. In this incident a Canaanite, or gentile, woman comes to Jesus wanting him to cast out a demon from her daughter. Jesus first response is, "No, I have come only for Jews." This seems out of character for Jesus, but to his disciples this is exactly what they expected. They had been taught from childhood that they were the chosen people and that God would send them a Messiah. It would make sense to them that the Messiah would refuse to help. I think Jesus said what they expected knowing that the woman had the faith to persist. And in the end it becomes apparent that The Messiah has come for everyone.

In short Jesus took the big picture of the family of God and made it even bigger. Up until Jesus the family of God only included the literal descendants of Israel. Suddenly Jesus made it worlds bigger. Even a Canaanite woman who had faith could receive the blessings of the Messiah. If the Son of Man had not come only for the children of Israel then he must have come for the whole world.

This is significant for us. Jesus disciples had counted that Canaanite out of the kingdom. Perhaps we need to be careful who we count out. Perhaps instead of seeing who they are or even what their behavior is we need to see them through the eyes of love. Realizing that God loves them and Jesus died for them and we are called to love them as well.

What are God's family values? I have just scratched the surface but I think we can see that God's definition of family is bigger than most of us are willing to imagine. While I was in seminary a spent a semester as a chaplain at Duke hospital. One day I walked into a room and there was a man and a woman both in robes sitting on the bed. As I talked to them I discovered that they were brother and sister and the sister was giving one of her kidneys to her brother. I walked into another room a few doors down and again there was a man and a woman and this time it was the brother who was donating his kidney to his sister. What a loving sacrifice to give a vital organ for another. True, a person can live fine with just one kidney but it was still a tremendous sacrifice. You know when one of our own is in need we will do almost anything for them. And we should. We will even give vital organs to save them. And that is love.

Perhaps if we can take that level of sacrificial love and turn it us a few notches. Maybe we can see the world a little differently, a little more the way God sees it. Maybe we can begin to think of our neighbors and even strangers as brothers and sisters in the family of God. Maybe we can see the poor and homeless and not think of them as a problem but think of them as family in need. Perhaps we can look at government reforms and instead of thinking of tax breaks for ourselves, we can be concerned for children in poverty. And we can look at the gay community and instead of seeing a bunch of sinners we can see prodigal sons and daughter and we can more effectively reach out to them in love.

You might say, "Preacher you're starting to sound like a bleeding heart." And I say, "Thank you" because my Jesus was a bleeding heart. His heart bled for every publican and prostitute every sinner and Sadducees he met. His heart bled even for a Canaanite woman who was not a descendant of Israel. His body was broken and his blood was shed for me, a sinner. Maybe if we really consider ourselves children of God we should let our hearts bleed a little too. Don't talk to me about "family values" unless you are willing to try God's family values on for size.

Genesis 45:3-11, 15

The Story of the life of Joseph, the son of Israel and Rachel is one of those Old Testament epics. It is a tale that spans a whole lifetime. It is a tale of deceit and sin, but also a tale of grace and forgiveness. It begins in Judea but ends in Egypt. And the scene I have just read is one of the pivotal incidents in this epic story.

To understand it better you have to know what went before. The Story began in Canaan where Israel and his wives and children lived. Joseph was the 11th son of Israel but the first born of Rachel, his favorite wife. Joseph was favored by God who gave him a special gift of having and interpreting dreams. Israel also favored Joseph by giving him a colorful coat with long sleeves.

Needless to say Joseph's brothers were jealous of him. One day when Joseph was about 17 his brothers turned on him. At first they plotted to kill him, but then they decided to sell him into slavery. Some Ishmaelites were passing by so they sold their brother Joseph to them. Then they dipped his colorful coat in goat's blood and sent it to their father. Israel immediately recognized the coat and came to the conclusion that a wild animal had devoured his favorite Son Joseph.

By sparing their brother's life and instead selling him into slavery, the sons of Israel set into place a series of events that could not be stopped. Israel assumed that Joseph was dead and after mourning he went on with the business of being a busy patriarch. The brothers, however, probably wondered about Joseph. Where was he? How was he? Was he suffering, or had he died? They probably felt like they had killed their brother. And the ten of them had an ugly secret that they shared.

In the mean time Joseph's life was moving quickly. He was sold to an Egyptian who eventually had Joseph thrown in jail. While in jail Joseph met Pharaoh's cup bearer and interpreted a dream for him. After that the cup bearer was released and was serving Pharaoh again. Then Pharaoh had a strange dream that he did not understand and he called for anyone who could interpret it.

Pharaoh's cup bearer told him about Joseph. So Pharaoh sent for Joseph and told him the dreams. Joseph told him that the dreams were a warning from God that there would be seven fat years of plenty and seven thin years of famine. Joseph also said that Pharaoh should buy all the grain he could during the fat years and sell it during the lean ones. In gratitude for interpreting the dream Pharaoh made Joseph Chief of State over Egypt. Pharaoh also put him in charge of buying and selling the grain. So for seven years Joseph bought grain for Pharaoh and when the lean years of famine came everyone came to Joseph to buy grain.

This brings us back to Joseph's brothers. When the famine hit Egypt, it hit Canaan too. Israel and his eleven sons held out for two years. Then they began to wonder if they would starve to death. So Israel sent his ten oldest sons to Egypt to buy grain. He decided that his youngest, Benjamin, would stay at home.

They had no idea that Joseph was the one in charge of selling grain. When they were brought before him, they didn't recognize Joseph, but he recognized them. He didn't reveal himself to them at first, he didn't know if he could trust them. They had sold him into slavery before, what would they do to him now. So he tested them; he tested their loyalty. Joseph kept one of their brothers in prison to see if they would risk their own lives to come back for their brother.

Only when they came back did he reveal himself. Imagine how Joseph's brothers felt. They were afraid that they would throw them in prison. They even thought they were being punished for selling their brother into slavery. They didn't know if they would live or die. Then all of a sudden, there was their brother, the one they had betrayed, offering them life and riches.

Joseph's story is an epic that is as large as life itself. It's the story of a real person's life, so it reveals to us something about life in general. Life is unpredictable. We never know what will happen next. One moment Joseph was about to be killed then he was on his way to Egypt. One day Joseph was rotting in prison as a slave, then he was the Chief of State for all of Egypt. As we look at our lives none of us knows from one day to the next where we will be tomorrow. Like the sons of Israel we could be on the brink of starving to death or being killed as spies and then be living in Pharaoh's palace the next. Look at your lives. Consider your life now. Could you have predicted all the things that have happened to you until now. And what makes you think you can predict what will happen to you later.

Joseph's life shows us that life is unpredictable, but it also reveals to us that God is always faithful. God promised to make Abraham's seed as many as the stars in the sky. When Abraham's grandchildren and great-grandchildren were about to starve to death, God made a way for them. God had prepared Joseph and put him in place so that he was waiting for them when they came seeking help. God's hand was behind Joseph meeting Pharaoh's cupbearer and Pharaoh's dream and all those events.

Joseph's life not only shows us that God is faithful, but it shows us that God can bring good ends out of bad situations. I don't believe God wanted Joseph's brothers to sell him into slavery, but they did. What they did was a sin and they paid for it. But God used what they had done for God's own purpose. They had sent Joseph to Egypt so God used Joseph there to bring salvation to Israel's children. The Almighty took the situation as it stood and used it to its fullest advantage.

This is a true story. Not just in the events that it tells about but also in the things it reveals about life. None of us knows where we are going in life or how we will get there. Like Joseph all we can do is follow God's directions and seek to be faithful. Like Joseph's brothers all we can do is admit our mistakes and seek forgiveness.

We don't know where we are going, but we know who has been there before us. When we face starvation, God is arranging a way out. If we are headed to Egypt, then God is already there getting things ready for us. God has promised to preserve us. The story of Joseph and his brothers proves that.

In the mean time we may find ourselves in a pit. You may be in one now. Your sisters and brothers may have thrown you there, Or it may be a pit of sin that you have thrown yourself in. Don't worry, God will use it to your advantage if you will let Christ take over your life. God used slavery as a means of saving the children of Israel. And God used a prison to bring Joseph to Pharaoh's court. Finally God used a famine to bring together brothers that had been separated and alienated by sin and years of guilt.

What is happening in your life? God can use it. We can't know how, but all things, even slavery, deceit, treachery, famine and sin can be tools in God's hands. It doesn't matter what you or others have done to your life in the past, God can use it now to bring you a blessing. Just turn it over to him.

I can still remember Melissa's reaction when she found out she would become a mother for the first time. I was still in seminary but was getting ready to graduate. She had been to the hospital to have a blood test done that morning and they told us to call back in the afternoon. We called back and the lady on the other end of the line looked up Melissa's lab report. Then she said that the test was positive. Melissa was very excited and the nurse on the other end of the line could tell. She just laughed and said we made her day.

Have I ever told you how Mary Joy, our first child, got her name? "Mary" had been both of Melissa's grandmothers' first name. So if it was a girl Melissa wanted to make Mary her middle name. But Melissa never could settle on a first name. When Mary was born I told Melissa, "It's a girl. We need to pick a name." As Melissa held Mary for the first time she was talking to her and she kept saying, "Are you Mother's Joy." That was that! Joy would be her middle name and Mary would be her first name.

If a young woman got so excited at the birth of her first child, I can only imagine Sarah's joy in our Old Testament lesson. We know she laughed the first time God told Abraham that Sarah would bear a child.(Genesis 18) She thought it was a joke that a woman in her 90's who had never had a child would bear a son. But God had said it so it happened. And Sarah laughed again. She laughed so hard that she named her son "Laughter" and to this day people still laugh with her.

Motherhood is a joyful thing. The stories of Melissa and Sarah are only the tip of the iceberg. I am sure that if we took the time all the mothers in this room could tell their own stories of their joy at the birth or adoption of their children. And many women, some of whom have never had any children of their own, have experienced the joy of mothering children placed in their care.

Children can give a mother such joy. They can also give them such pain. When a child is sick or hurt, it is worse on the mother than is she herself were sick of hurt. I remember when Mary got seriously ill for the first time. She was 13 months old. They rushed her from Abbeville Hospital to Greenwood Hospital and then put her on a helicopter to send her to Columbia. Melissa cried all the way to Columbia.

That is what I imagine it was like for the woman in our lesson from Matthew. She was a Cannanite woman and all it says is that her daughter was tormented by a demon. We have no indication of the details of her torment. But we know that her mother came to Jesus. She had seen her daughter suffer and she suffered with her. So she chose to seek out this Jewish healer she had heard about from Galilee.

Now Jesus' response to her is a little disturbing. At first he ignored her and his disciples asked him to send her away because she was so persistent. Then he told her to leave him alone and in essence called her a dog because of her race. These events make Jesus seem indifferent to her pain and even racist. I believe Jesus knew she would be persistent and he had every intention of healing her daughter, but he wanted to help his followers, then and now, see the depth of her faith. In other words he ignored and rebuked her because he knew she would persist and he wanted everyone to see that.

Finally after Jesus said he had come to feed the children and not the dogs she responded to him, "But even the dogs eat what is fallen from the table." At this Jesus replied as we expect him to. With her faith made plain for all to see he says, "Woman, great is your faith. Let it be done as you wish." And her daughter was healed!

Mother's today, both biological and spiritual, face a similar situation. Our children are tormented by demons on all sides. There is violence and drugs. There are all kinds of dangers. Even good children are not immune to the possibilities of being killed or injured. Violence in our schools is just the tip of a huge ugly iceberg.

And many people pray for the children. I wish all mothers did. I wish all mothers followed the example of the Cannanite woman. All mothers should go to Jesus and ask him to save their children from the demons that torment them. To save them from demons or violence and greed and drugs and war and materialism.

But sometimes it seems, from a human perspective, that Jesus is not listening. So many quit. But the Cannanite woman didn't quit. She kept on asking Jesus for help. She begged and pleaded, and Jesus responded.

Don't quit praying for your children, both those in your immediate family and those in the family of God. Jesus is listening. Follow the example of the Canninte woman. Even if you feel Jesus is ignoring you, don't stop!

I promise you that Jesus hears you. And not only does he hear you but he feels your pain and loss as much as you do. After all he died on the cross to win deliverance from all evil.

I can't guarantee you that your children will not suffer. I can guarantee you that Jesus will be with you. And he will hear your prayers and answer them when the time is right.

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