10/20/2024 [English] Not you, but God

Acts 31 - Sermon

Date: 10/20/2024

Title: Not you, but God

Text: Acts 7:9-16

9 His fathers were jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt, but God was with him.

10 And he delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and Pharaoh appointed him ruler over Egypt and over all his house.

11 At that time there was a famine throughout Egypt and all the land of Canaan, and there was great distress, and our ancestors had no food.

12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors first.

13 And he sent again, and Joseph became known to his brethren, and Joseph's kinship was revealed to Pharaoh.

14 Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five of them.

15 Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.

16 They were brought to Shechem and buried in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a price of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

Summary of past stories

We have been able to take a detailed look at key figures in the Old Testament. While preparing the message, I reflected deeply on the ancestors of faith and how God led them, connecting their lives to ours. What stood out was not only their greatness but also how God trained and grew them. Their journey of obedience, failure, and eventual growth, along with their limitations, became clearer. Jesus, who lived a perfect life, took our place, and we now have the privilege and duty to live as God's children.

The term "children," like "disciples," means growing to resemble a parent. Thus, when we examine the figures in the Bible, we must view them as people undergoing growth, and this perspective is essential.

If we don't see it this way, what might happen?

We could view Abraham abandoning his wife for survival, Rebekah and Jacob scheming for blessings, David succumbing to sexual temptation, and other sins of Old Testament figures too lightly. These were people God used and blessed greatly, but if we simply see them as heroes of faith, we might trivialize their sins. This mindset has dangerous outcomes, and we continue to witness this today.

Just in this past year, four prominent megachurch pastors in the U.S. resigned due to inappropriate behavior, and the sins of many Catholic priests are too unspeakable to mention.

Jesus Christ didn’t wait for us to become clean; He died for us while we were still sinners, and He called us in that state. He came to our sinful lives and knocked on the door first. This is immeasurable grace.

When He healed and forgave sinners, He always said, "Your sins are forgiven! Sin no more! Now, live a new life!"

Of course, He wasn’t demanding instant perfection, but He was commanding an immediate change in attitude. While some things can be stopped right away, other transformations may take a lifetime. This is the journey toward holiness, and the standard becomes clearer as we progress.

In the process, we become more humble as we recognize the changes we haven't achieved. Rather than viewing this journey as rigid rules, it becomes a path we walk with the loving Lord! Even amid our persistent limitations, we live with gratitude, knowing that we are still loved by God. In this way, we follow the way of Jesus.

It is by grace that we are not only saved and given eternal life, but also by grace that we are restored to our original identity as children of God.

If the word "children" means that we are people who must grow and mature as we follow our parents, then "disciples" are those who learn and become like their teacher.

No other religion uses the word "disciple" as much as Christianity does. As a result, the word "disciple" has accumulated various meanings, like "someone chosen" or "someone who demonstrates exceptional abilities." However, the original meaning of the word disciple, "one who follows and learns from the teacher," cannot change.

When Jesus called His disciples, what He required of them was nothing other than "Follow me!"

Therefore, we are people who continually follow Jesus as our example, being transformed along the way. This is the meaning of being a "disciple of Jesus."

We must view ourselves and one another through this perspective that Jesus taught. When I see myself as someone who must continue growing as I follow Jesus, I can genuinely be humble, not pretending to be holy or humble. And when I look at others, I won’t fall into the pride of judging them with an unfair, impossible standard of perfection.

Looking at the forefathers of faith, another important point is that God never demands from us something He doesn't first give. This aligns with what Paul later said: "The Lord only gives trials we can bear."

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were people who received many blessings, and thus, their faith was also greatly tested.

But were they more blessed than we are? Their encounters with God and the coming Savior were brief moments, but we, as Christians, live with the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of God, dwelling within us. We live in a time when the things they only dreamed about have already happened or can happen.

Therefore, the faith and obedience required of us are incomparable to theirs. With both the Old and New Testaments completed, our knowledge of God is beyond comparison.

After closely observing the forefathers of faith, we realize that Jesus is the One who fulfilled what God delighted in within their lives more perfectly. He is the Son of God who took upon Himself all their flaws and sins! We rediscover Jesus, the perfect Abraham, the true Isaac, the true Israel—the Son of God. And through this, we come to know more deeply the Jesus who lives within us.

We begin to realize the depth, size, and vastness of the grace we enjoy.

I hope that this journey will continue to deepen and expand as we meet more figures in the future. Amen!

Today, we will take a look at Joseph, another person in Genesis who occupies the most space and is shown to be greatly blessed.

Joseph

Joseph is also a figure who reflects many aspects of Jesus, but he too had several limitations. His story clearly shows how he grew through God's providence.

Joseph, with childlike innocence, told his brothers about the dream he had where they bowed down to him. He also proudly wore the special multicolored coat his father had made just for him, a naive but self-centered child who lacked consideration for others.

Moreover, as the eleventh son and nearly the youngest, Joseph often acted as a messenger for his father to check if his brothers were doing their work properly, which naturally caused his brothers to dislike him.

One day, while his brothers were working in Shechem, a place that required several days' journey, Joseph was once again sent by his father as a messenger to check on them.

But when his brothers saw Joseph approaching from a distance, they began plotting to kill him. The eldest brother, Reuben, intervened to stop them.

Genesis 37:22
"Do not shed any blood," Reuben said. "Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from their hands and take him back to his father.

However, while Reuben was away, some Midianite traders passed by. Judah, one of the brothers, suggested, "Let's not kill our brother and leave him to die. Instead, let's sell him to the slave traders." The brothers agreed to this plan.

In the end, it was Judah who saved Joseph's life, and this event became one of the reasons the tribe of Judah was given special status among the twelve tribes.

By the time Reuben returned, Joseph had already been sold to the slave traders.

The brothers dipped Joseph's multicolored coat in goat's blood and deceived their father, Jacob, into believing that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. Jacob was devastated and lost all hope in life.

However, Joseph was still alive. He had been sold into the household of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard in Egypt. There, Joseph worked diligently and earned Potiphar’s favor, eventually being put in charge of the entire household. But soon, Potiphar's wife became infatuated with Joseph because of his competence and hard work.

Genesis 39:8-10
8 But Joseph refused and said to his master's wife, "My master does not concern himself with anything in the house. He has entrusted everything he owns to my care.
9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"
10 Though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

Potiphar's wife persistently tried to seduce Joseph, but when she couldn’t succeed, she falsely accused him of attempting to assault her, leading to Joseph being thrown into prison.

Satan Speaks in Reverse

Satan falsely accuses in this way—not by twisting words slightly, but by convincing people to believe the exact opposite of the truth. The charges that led to Jesus being nailed to the cross and the accusations that imprisoned and killed Paul and the other disciples all claimed they had blasphemed against God. In reality, these were the very people who loved God the most, yet they were condemned for the exact opposite crime.

This is how Satan operates. For instance, someone might love and care deeply for another, giving them space and waiting patiently, even suppressing their own desire to reach out—only to be misunderstood as being indifferent or neglectful. Satan twists the truth into its complete opposite.

On the other hand, in the church, when someone is given a responsibility or asked to help, it is often because the opportunity to serve the Lord in love is being offered. However, Satan makes people believe that they are being used for someone else’s personal gain or ambition. This is Satan's method—lying by reversing the truth.

Take a look at what the man who received one talent said to his master in Jesus’ parable.

Matthew 25:24-25
24 Then the man who had received one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

This person viewed his master as harsh, as someone who gave him work merely for his own personal gain. He misunderstood his master as being selfish and ambitious.

This is precisely Satan’s lie and deception. But what is the truth? What is the essence of the situation? Why did the master actually entrust the talents? Wasn’t it out of love? Didn’t he return the profit to those who multiplied what they were given? The master entrusted the talents not for his own benefit, but for theirs.

How to Defeat Satan

Let’s look at how Joseph ultimately overcame Satan.

Genesis 39:20-21
20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison,
21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

Joseph didn’t plead his case to people, nor did he try to manipulate his situation. Instead, he trusted in God and accepted his circumstances. He remembered how God had saved him from death at the hands of his brothers, how he had been sold as a slave but was raised to manage Potiphar’s entire household by God’s grace. He had experienced how even evil events worked together for good.

Genesis 40:6-7
6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected.
7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”

Even in his miserable and unjust situation, Joseph had grown to the point where he could care for the concerns of others. He was no longer the self-centered child who failed to consider his brothers’ feelings and only focused on himself.

Jesus’ life was never about serving Himself. Likewise, as His disciples, becoming more like Jesus means becoming people who live for others.

As those who believe in Jesus and have received eternal life, the only reason we remain on this earth is to live for others. What in this world could compare to even a moment in heaven? That’s why every moment we live here is not for our own pleasure but for someone else. This is the transformation we must undergo. But the world tells us the exact opposite. “Me, me, me!” It insists that even when we make sacrifices or pretend to be humble, it’s all ultimately for our own benefit.

However, such a life will never lead to God’s blessing. When love and grace flow not just to ourselves but to our brothers, sisters, and neighbors, we will experience true freedom, real joy, genuine peace, and abundant blessings.

Eventually, Joseph met one of Pharaoh’s close officials while in prison. His ability to interpret the man’s dream opened the door for him to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, and after over ten years in Egypt as a slave, Joseph became the second-in-command, the prime minister of Egypt, the most powerful nation at the time.

Throughout this process, Joseph’s deep respect and reverence for God consistently shone through.

Genesis 41:16
Joseph answered Pharaoh, “I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

This shows that Joseph had reached a level of faith beyond that of his ancestors, even his father. Standing before Pharaoh, the man who could either elevate him or condemn him to death, Joseph didn’t just accept Pharaoh’s praise. Instead, he boldly corrected Pharaoh, stating that it was God who held the power to interpret the dream.

Genesis 41:38-40
38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

Joseph adapted to his circumstances but never compromised his faith. He boldly praised God and placed Him above all, no matter who he stood before. In doing so, Joseph demonstrated a faith more complete than that of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob combined.

This explains why so many Christian parents choose the name Joseph for their sons.

God’s Providence

Amid Joseph’s busy life as a powerful ruler, some familiar faces suddenly appeared before him—his brothers. These were the very brothers who had once tried to kill him and ultimately sold him into slavery. Now, due to a severe famine in Canaan, their father, Jacob, had sent them to Egypt to buy grain.

It was a fateful reunion.

However, the situation was now completely reversed.

To summarize, Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Now a high-ranking Egyptian official, Joseph’s appearance and mannerisms were so different from the young boy they had sold. As Egypt's prime minister, Joseph questioned them—asking if their father was still alive and whether the youngest brother, Benjamin (the only other son of Rachel), was safe. To ensure Benjamin’s well-being, Joseph demanded they bring him to Egypt, keeping Simeon as a hostage in the meantime. Joseph was concerned that, like himself, Benjamin might have suffered from his brothers’ jealousy.

In a dramatic twist, when the brothers, who had thought they could just buy grain and return home, were met with this unexpected and personal interest from the Egyptian ruler, they began to argue among themselves. They thought this trouble was the result of their sin against Joseph. Speaking in their own language, believing no one could understand them, they discussed their guilt—but Joseph, understanding everything, had to leave the room to weep in secret.

Eventually, the brothers returned home to tell their father, Jacob, what had happened. However, Jacob refused to let Benjamin go despite Reuben’s pleas. Time passed, and the grain they had brought back ran out. With the famine persisting, they had no choice but to go back to Egypt. This time, Jacob reluctantly agreed to let Benjamin go.

Upon seeing Benjamin, Joseph was relieved, but he wanted to test his brothers to see if they had truly changed. He framed Benjamin for theft and threatened to imprison him. The brothers were horrified and tore their clothes in despair. They couldn’t bear the thought of returning to Canaan without Benjamin, knowing it would destroy their father, Jacob.

At this critical moment, Judah stepped forward and explained the entire situation in great detail, which is recorded in Genesis 44. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read Joseph’s story in the Bible. In summary, Judah expressed that if Benjamin didn’t return, their father, who had already suffered from the loss of Joseph, would not survive. He then offered himself as a substitute for Benjamin, saying:

Genesis 44:33
“Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.”

Judah was pleading to take Benjamin’s place as a prisoner.

Does this scene remind you of anything? It is because of this act that Judah became the forefather of Jesus Christ, the One who would later take our place as sinners. From Judah’s lineage, Jesus would come. The Bible’s grand narrative of salvation is astonishing in its depth and beauty.

Genesis 45:1-3
1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.
2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

This is an overwhelming moment.

Can you imagine the brothers’ shock? The powerful Egyptian prime minister they had been dealing with turned out to be the very Joseph they had once tried to kill and sold as a slave, thinking he was long dead. What an emotional storm—regret for their past sins, fear of revenge, and perhaps a glimmer of gratitude for the opportunity to be freed from their guilt—all mixed together, leaving them speechless.

Yet Joseph, in this moment, said something truly remarkable:

Genesis 45:5
“And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”

Genesis 45:8
“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.”

Joseph reassured his brothers not to worry or feel guilty, explaining that everything that had happened was part of God’s providence. The dreams he had as a boy were coming true—God had sent him to Egypt to become prime minister and save lives during the famine, including the lives of his own family. It was all part of God's plan.

However, we must be careful not to misunderstand or justify human sin through this story.

What does this mean? Even if Joseph's brothers had willingly let him go, he could have fallen into a pit on his own and been discovered by slave traders. Or, even if Potiphar’s wife hadn’t tried to seduce him, Joseph, already recognized for his abilities in Potiphar’s household, could have been recommended by Potiphar to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. These are all hypothetical scenarios, but what Joseph realized is that God’s providence will always be fulfilled, no matter what happens.

In the end, Jacob’s entire family was invited by Pharaoh to move to Egypt, where they lived in comfort and were treated with great honor. Imagine how joyful Jacob must have been to reunite with the son he thought was dead, now standing before him in royal splendor.

A similar scene will unfold when we arrive in God’s kingdom.

Isn’t it incredible that from the very first book of the Bible, we see God’s astounding providence at work? In Joseph’s life, although it involved many sinful acts, the ultimate message is that even when we make a mess of things, God will still accomplish His purposes.

At first, the brothers tried to kill Joseph, but God prevented that through Reuben. The Lord allows us to mess things up only to the extent that it can still be redeemed. That’s what He shows us.

This means that even if I feel like I’ve ruined my life beyond repair, the Lord can still restore it. Amen.

Is there any more comforting message than this? There is a limit to suffering, and even to how much we can mess things up. Knowing that all these stories will ultimately lead to a beautiful conclusion of grace for those who are in the Lord—doesn’t that bring us eternal peace?

With this in mind, I can forgive those who seem to have ruined my life. I can even reconcile with God, who I might have felt abandoned me in my times of need. My past, which may have seemed bleak and colorless, will now shine with varied and beautiful meanings.

There’s no need to live struggling to protect myself or my pride. If we are Christians and believe in God’s providence, we trust that the Lord knows all our grievances. Like Joseph, we can trust in Him.

When we shift our focus from ourselves to others and live for them, we will reach a point where even small problems no longer trouble us. At that point, we will experience God’s fullness in our lives.

Look at how magnificently God’s promise to Abraham—that his descendants would be a source of blessing—was realized through Joseph. Joseph wasn’t just the recipient of blessings but became the conduit of those blessings.

When we surrender the pursuit of personal wealth and focus on bringing life to others, we will experience true abundance.

This is what it means for the God of Joseph to be my God. Those who live not for themselves but for their brothers, sisters, communities, and neighbors will see the blessings of God pour out upon them. Amen.

Let us pray.