Let me begin by saying thank you. It is an honor and a real privilege to be here this morning. These have been six very fun weeks. It’s been six weeks now that I’ve been on staff here, and we’re just delighted. We’re having a great time, and you’ve been very welcoming, and we’re deeply grateful. Thank you for welcoming my kids and my wife, and me as well. So thank you.

This morning we turn our attention to a text that is particularly significant to me. Many years ago a friend of mine was driving with his family. They were coming home from northern Idaho to Spokane, where we were living, and were hit by a drunk driver head-on who was driving 80 miles an hour. Several of his family members died and, as you can imagine, there were many long, hard, painful conversations that followed.

This text was one that we came back to often, because it deals with so many of the same themes that he had wrestled with at that time. And I’d submit that these are themes that we wrestle with all the time.

Read: Genesis 45:1-15

Well, if you’ve been with us for the last several weeks, we have been going through the Joseph story. And for many weeks now, we have reviewed the Joseph story. It is becoming quite familiar, I hope. It’s a great story to have committed to memory. And today, since we have reviewed this story several times now, and since there are many children with us and youth, and often times I find you guys know the story as well as anyone in here, we’re going to do a little group project. Instead of having me retell the story to you, I’m going to invite you to tell the story together. We’re going to recall some of the events within the life of Joseph.

Now, if we don’t get all of the pieces that’s okay. If we tell the story out of order, that’s okay. But there’s so much going on in this story and we’ve heard it many times, and it’s crucial to remember all that has taken place if we’re going to make any sense of today’s text. So let me invite you (and this is not a rhetorical question), “What do we remember from the life of Joseph?”

• Many brothers.
• His father gave him a beautiful coat, and only him.
• Vivid dreams.
• He interpreted dreams.
• He went to jail.
• His mother was Rachel.
• His brothers resented him.
• Sold into slavery by his very own brothers.
• They resented him that he told them they would bow down to him.
• The leaf doesn’t fall so far from the tree.
• Many of the themes that we’ve seen in the past we’re revisiting now.
• They called them brothers.
• There was a famine and they came for grain.
• The brothers did bow down.
• He accused them of being spies. Interesting.

Fascinating story. There were just so many twists and turns, and who would put together a story like this. It’s a fantastic story.

We have reviewed. We get a sense of the flow of the story. Joseph’s brothers show up as he is appointed second in command to Pharaoh only. And they come seeking grain because the famine is severe. And as we heard, Joseph says, “You are spies.” And they tell the story, “No, honestly. We have another brother. He isn’t here.” Joseph clues in on that. And Joseph says, “If you come back, you bring him.”

They fill the sacks with grain and they go home, and sure enough, the grain runs out. And so Jacob says, “We need more food. Go and buy more food.” And the brothers, they know what will happen if they show up without Benjamin. And so they plead with their father and very grudgingly he agrees to let Benjamin go. And so they all head back to Egypt.

Joseph sees them a long way off and prepares a feast. Amazingly. For his brothers. They show up. For some crazy reason this guy throws a celebration. But while they’re eating Joseph has instructed one of his men, “Put my silver cup in the youngest’s sack.” So they eat and the brothers prepare to leave. They’re on their way and Joseph sends his men. “Go find that cup.”

And so they meet up with the brothers and reveal the cup that has been hiding in that sack. The brothers, as you can imagine, are dismayed, and send back. And so they all end up in front of Joseph. And it’s revealed that the cup has been hiding in this sack of grain.

Joseph now wants to keep Benjamin, and the brothers remember. This would do our father in. And so Judah agrees, or suggests, “Let me take his place.”

That’s where we come to the reading this morning. And Joseph is overwhelmed. And he breaks down. And he reveals himself for who he is.

God brings an opportunity when no one would have expected it.

There are a couple of things that intrigue me about this story...two in particular. One is that as Joseph begins thinking about what has transpired in his life, he sees the hand of God. That amazes me. Because the people around him have been so difficult. He has suffered at the hands of people. And he has not forgotten. When Joseph reveals himself, he says, “I am your brother whom you sold into Egypt.”

He says, “I am the one that you threw into the pit. I’m the one you sold into slavery. I remember that conversation that you had when you thought through the pros and cons of whether you ought to kill me. I remember. I remember from the bottom of that hole.” He repeats himself. “You sold me into Egypt. But now, don’t be distressed.”

What a crazy thing to say. “Don’t be distressed.” Here they are, face to face with one of the few people who know their secret. And it’s a bad one. Not only have they been found out, but they’ve come to realize that he has become perhaps the second most powerful person alive at the time, second only to Pharaoh, in very likely the most powerful nation on earth. It’s a drag to have enemies. But it’s a real drag to have powerful enemies. And they have done this man wrong.

Joseph says, “Don’t be distressed because you sold me into Egypt. God had His hand in it. You intended it for evil, but God intended it for good.”

If there’s anything I know about this passage, it is that the people have been a problem.

• When Joseph was thrown into the pit, it was the brothers who were responsible.
• When Joseph was seduced by Potiphar’s wife, it was Potiphar’s wife who was responsible.
• When Joseph was forgotten by the cupbearer, it was the cupbearer who was responsible.

Real people were to blame. And there’s no question about that. Joseph has not forgotten that either. And yet, 3 times Joseph credits God with where he is in this situation. So it’s an amazing thing that Joseph sees the hand of God at work in this. In this mess, God has shown up.

The other thing that strikes me is just how much Joseph has suffered.

Joseph didn’t ask for the coat. Joseph didn’t ask for the dreams. Now, true, it was very tactless at best to describe those dreams to his brothers. You and I would encourage our children not to do such a thing.

Captured by his brothers from the bottom of the pit, they discuss “Well, what should we do?” And Joseph remembers it. Later on in the text, the brothers reveal that they remember the anguish on Joseph’s face as they discussed this amongst themselves.

If that weren’t bad enough, he was sold into slavery, not because they wanted to avoid blood on their hands, but they realized a money-making opportunity in this. He’s sexually harassed, and he tries his best to avoid it. One day he ends up at the wrong place at the wrong time. She makes an advance. Wisely, he gets out of there. She lies to her husband and Joseph finds himself in prison.

Later on, Pharaoh’s cupbearer has a dream. Joseph interprets the dream and says, “Just do me this one small thing. When you get out, will you remember me to Pharaoh?” Just that one little piece. He’s in there 2 more years. He’s lived now 20 years away from his family without his father, with the memories of all that has happened to him. Can you imagine how much counseling that would take?

And yet, when his brothers stand before him, he recognizes the opportunity. God has brought an opportunity where no one would have expected it. God has brought an opportunity out of Joseph’s pain.

So where does that leave us this morning?

Like Joseph, you and I are given opportunities. Many of those opportunities are unexpected. Many of those opportunities come out of pain.

Now I’m still getting to know you. There is a lot that I don’t know about you all and your stories. I do know that many of us from time to time find ourselves in difficult circumstances.

While I was in construction…I did that for a number of years before beginning youth ministry…I worked with many people who worked a schedule that made relationships difficult. Early morning hours. Hard physical labor. They get home, they’re exhausted and want nothing but to go to bed by 8:00 pm. That’s difficult on a family.

When I started doing youth ministry, there was a group of students I was getting to know…6 girls in particular. And it didn’t take long to realize every one of these 6 girls had been abused. We counseled kids through suicide. Issues with their families. Relationships at school.

I don’t know what we’re all experiencing today. I don’t know what you’ve been through. Some of you may have watched a friend turn their back on you. You’re living with difficult relationships. You may have experienced failure in business or some kind of financial hardship. You’ve been hit by illness or injury. Many of you have lost loved ones. Some of you have been abused.

And here’s the message today: God gives us opportunities. When we least expect it, sometimes when we don’t want it, and often out of our pain.

Maybe the opportunity in front of you today is simply to allow yourself to be loved and embraced by God. Maybe it’s to come face-to-face with the God who loves you and intends healing in your life. Maybe God has allowed you to comfort other people in ways that only you can. Maybe God is giving you, like Joseph, the opportunity to make decisions that are going to help people. Maybe we’re given the ooportunity simply to care a little less about things that aren’t as important. Maybe it’s the opportunity to let go of our pride…to be freed from our past.

God knows where we’ve been. God is aware of what we need, and he is aware of what people around us need. And God invites us into things when we least expect it.

Joseph suffered in ways that no one should have to suffer. People had done terrible things to him. And yet when his brothers stood before him, he recognized he was being given an opportunity by God. May you and I be people who watch for opportunities and embrace them as they come.

Let us pray.