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FAMILY NEWSPOTLUCK TODAY: It is the first Sunday of the month, so we will be having our monthly potluck. Plan to stay and enjoy a meal with us. We always have lots of food, so stay and eat with us and enjoy fellowship together. After we clean up, we will go to the Timbers Nursing Home and conduct a worship service. We need workers for what we do at Timbers. When we have several people singing and people passing out books and taking people to their rooms, it is an encouragement to the staff and the patients. It usually lasts about 30 minutes starting at 2:30. Please help. REMINDER: Next Sunday is “Mother's Day.” If you are fortunate enough to have your mother still alive, send her a love letter. Mother's Day should be a time of good memories, healing, and joyous family celebration. Make it a good day for everyone. Being a mother is not a biological process, it is a role. THANKS: To Shane Wallace for doing the mowing of the grass and to Samantha Wheeler for taking the young people to the youth rally at the Lagrange Church of Christ. TODAY'S LESSON
INTRODUCTION
A. For people to listen to us as Christians, we must radiate authenticity, which starts
I. JOSEPH SUFFERED BECAUSE OF OTHERS.
....with integrity. B. Reputation — what people think of us. C. Integrity — what we are when no one is looking. D. Joseph — a classic example in Genesis 37 – 45 A. Youngest of 11. First son of Rachel — father's pet
II. JOSEPH TAKES WHAT LIFE GIVES HIM.
1. Father made bad choices.
B. Genesis 39:1 – 5 — Potiphar's house — headed for success
2. Brothers did a horrible thing — jealousy. 1. Verses 6 – 9 — Potiphar's wife makes a pass at him.
2. Verse 9 — God's standard governs him, not man's. 3. Verse 10 — He does everything he can. 4. Verse 20 — She lies. What would you do? A. Genesis 39:22 – 23 — Gets a position in prison.
III. JOSEPH NEVER FORGOT HIS ROOTS OR GOD.
B. Takes an interest in others — Genesis 40:5 – 8, 14, 23. 1. Two years — things happen in God's time. 2. Problems open doors — Genesis 41:39 – 40. A. Genesis 41:51 — Names his son “Manasseh.”
IV. JOSEPH INTERPRETS HIS LIFE AS GOD PLANNED.
1. Names his 2nd son “Ephraim.”
B. When brothers show up his focus is on family.
2. Does not blame, attack, retaliate 1. Meets with his brothers physically and emotionally. 2. Does not succumb to prejudice — Genesis 43:32. A. Genesis 45:1 – 5 — God did not cause the actions.
1. Romans 8:28 — The worst of situations can be used.
B. Do you and I have the integrity to let God work?
a. War, disease, divorce, abuse, etc. b. What does it take to get our attention? 1. Every step of Joseph could have been different. 2. Do not let Satan's bad blind you to God's good. THE BACK PAGEWHAT IS THE CHURCH?One of the biggest problems people in this country seem to have with Christianity is that they do not understand what the church is. Part of the problem is that we are careless with how we use the word “church,” but a lot of the issue is that the biblical concept of the church is not the same as what we see and hear from the world around us. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said that he would build his church on the confession that Peter had just made that Jesus was “the Son of the living God” (verse 16). It is obvious that this is not in reference to any physical structure. The only other time Jesus used the word “church” was in Matthew 18:17 when he talked about having a dispute with a brother. In that passage he told his followers to take it to the offending person and if that did not work to have two or more witnesses, and if that did not work “tell it to the church” (verse 17). Once again, he is not suggesting we talk to a building. The word church is translated from the Greek ekklesia meaning “that which is called out.” Acts 2:47 is the earliest use of that word, but it flows through all of the letters. In none of those cases does it refer to a building of any kind, but always refers to Christians. We do “go to church” to worship, but it is the people we go to and not the building. The building of elaborate structures to worship in may be one of the most destructive things that humans have done spiritually and economically. The church we read about in Acts did not have buildings they built. Their resources went mostly to meet human needs. First Corinthians 3:16 is perhaps the best description of what the church is about: “Don't you know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you.” This is continued in chapter 6:15 – 20 in reference to how we live and conduct our moral choices. This building in which we meet is a convenience, not a necessity. There is nothing sacred about the structure, but what meets within the structure is sacred and full of God's Spirit. If we met in someone's home, that would still be the case. The government can control this building, but not the church. — John Clayton Our sign by the street!
Sign saying from "The Up Side" of GUIDEPOSTS, May 2017, page 12. |
