1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,760 We begin with Joseph in the prison where we left him last week. You remember he suffered this great injustice 2 00:00:06,460 –> 00:00:11,460 his career has been ruined as far as serving in Potiphar’s House is concerned and 3 00:00:12,260 –> 00:00:16,320 We saw that God gave a dream to the cupbearer who was alongside 4 00:00:16,900 –> 00:00:23,120 Joseph in the prison. The dream Joseph interpreted, and the interpretation was that the 5 00:00:23,840 –> 00:00:28,139 Cupbearer would be pardoned that he would be released that he would be restored to his position 6 00:00:28,139 –> 00:00:32,560 Which was right next to the king himself and because God had given the interpretation 7 00:00:33,000 –> 00:00:36,720 as he gave the dream this indeed came to pass and 8 00:00:37,799 –> 00:00:42,720 Joseph said to the cupbearer before the cupbearer left the prison. Remember me 9 00:00:43,080 –> 00:00:45,980 You’re gonna be right next to the king when you get to the king 10 00:00:46,540 –> 00:00:52,080 Remember me and we saw how the thief on the cross took up that same request to Jesus 11 00:00:52,299 –> 00:00:56,840 Will you remember me? He said when you come into your kingdom and 12 00:00:58,560 –> 00:01:00,459 Jesus was a better 13 00:01:00,459 –> 00:01:06,139 Savior to the thief than the cup bearer was to Joseph because at the end of chapter 40 14 00:01:06,139 –> 00:01:11,160 We find that the cup bearer when he got into the presence of the King he forgot all about Joseph 15 00:01:11,160 –> 00:01:18,000 Well, thank God, we have a Savior who will never forget about us his people. Well, we take up the story 16 00:01:18,519 –> 00:01:24,760 Today in chapter 41 and you’ll notice from the first verse that two whole years now pass 17 00:01:25,199 –> 00:01:31,180 Since where we were at the end of last week two years with Joseph just being forgotten 18 00:01:32,120 –> 00:01:34,519 Two years with Joseph being passed over 19 00:01:34,519 –> 00:01:41,660 Two years with nothing of significance that you would record in regards to Joseph’s life 20 00:01:41,660 –> 00:01:43,660 No great answers to pray 21 00:01:43,760 –> 00:01:46,720 No great movement forward in the purpose of God 22 00:01:47,360 –> 00:01:51,419 No great achievement just two years where day-after-day 23 00:01:51,440 –> 00:01:55,839 It seemed like he was waiting and if you’d asked him. What exactly is God doing? 24 00:01:55,839 –> 00:01:59,879 I don’t think that he could have given you an answer and there may be times in your life 25 00:01:59,879 –> 00:02:02,480 In fact, there will be times in your life that are like that 26 00:02:03,160 –> 00:02:06,440 Times where it is not clear what God has for you 27 00:02:07,239 –> 00:02:10,880 times when you’re not sure about your future direction and 28 00:02:11,199 –> 00:02:14,119 If someone were to ask, you know, what is God doing right now? 29 00:02:14,119 –> 00:02:16,479 It would not be clear to you to know the answer 30 00:02:17,160 –> 00:02:20,380 See we are able to see what God was doing in Joseph’s life 31 00:02:20,399 –> 00:02:23,679 Because we know the end of the story from the Bible 32 00:02:23,839 –> 00:02:29,259 But for Joseph at this point, it must simply have been the pressure of unanswered questions 33 00:02:29,720 –> 00:02:36,300 He’s still in the prison. It’s a low point in his life the low point. Why was I beaten up by my brothers? 34 00:02:36,320 –> 00:02:38,559 Why have I been carted off to Egypt? 35 00:02:39,220 –> 00:02:43,380 Why have these lies been spoken about me, and they’ve never been corrected 36 00:02:43,779 –> 00:02:46,100 Why is it that I’m here in this prison? 37 00:02:46,119 –> 00:02:53,220 Why is it that the cupbearer has forgotten me and it’s two years and nothing has happened when I asked him to remember me 38 00:02:53,580 –> 00:02:55,440 Well, I think if I’d been in Joseph’s shoes 39 00:02:55,440 –> 00:03:01,000 I would have asked these questions and I expect that you probably would have done the same 40 00:03:01,639 –> 00:03:05,800 But today in chapter 41 we come to the day the moment where everything 41 00:03:06,259 –> 00:03:13,580 Changes in Joseph’s life, and I want to offer three very simple cameos of the three characters in the story today 42 00:03:13,960 –> 00:03:17,500 We’re going to look first at the troubled leader. That’s fatal 43 00:03:17,720 –> 00:03:19,699 We’re going to look second at the wise 44 00:03:19,839 –> 00:03:27,820 Counselor, that of course is Joseph who points us to Jesus, and then the forgetful servant, with whom I think we’ll identify 45 00:03:28,059 –> 00:03:35,320 Ourselves. So first then the troubled leader. And I want us to look at verse 8 where we are told that Pharaoh’s spirit 46 00:03:36,000 –> 00:03:38,000 was troubled. 47 00:03:38,300 –> 00:03:44,419 And the reason pharaoh’s spirit was troubled was, and many of you know this story well, that one night Pharaoh had a dream 48 00:03:44,600 –> 00:03:48,880 and in the dream he sees seven fat healthy-looking cows. 49 00:03:49,979 –> 00:03:52,479 It’s a beautiful picture because these cows, 50 00:03:52,839 –> 00:03:58,740 Healthy as they are, are feeding on the lush grass at the side of the river Nile. 51 00:03:58,759 –> 00:04:02,199 It’s a beautiful sight that he saw in his dream. 52 00:04:03,339 –> 00:04:06,839 But then in his dream something very disturbing happens. 53 00:04:07,460 –> 00:04:13,580 He sees seven other cows that are scrawny, and they’re specifically described as ugly and 54 00:04:13,839 –> 00:04:15,679 in verse 19 55 00:04:15,679 –> 00:04:18,799 Pharaoh says they’re cows such as he had never seen before. 56 00:04:19,820 –> 00:04:25,600 So think of cows kind of distorted, threatening, frightening animals 57 00:04:25,619 –> 00:04:28,019 and they’re emaciated animals. 58 00:04:28,019 –> 00:04:30,019 And they of this lean and mean 59 00:04:30,059 –> 00:04:33,760 look about them. And what’s even worse is that they’re coming up, 60 00:04:34,079 –> 00:04:35,579 out of the Nile. 61 00:04:35,579 –> 00:04:41,940 Coming up out of the river. You almost need the jaws music to go with this because you’ve got these 62 00:04:42,459 –> 00:04:45,820 threatening animals and they’re kind of disturbing all the beauty of this 63 00:04:45,920 –> 00:04:50,559 nice scene of the healthy cows that are feeding on the lush grass. And these 64 00:04:50,959 –> 00:04:54,820 ugly animals, these threatening animals, they come up out of the water, 65 00:04:54,820 –> 00:05:00,380 they stand beside the beautiful healthy fat plump cows and then they eat them. 66 00:05:00,380 –> 00:05:03,459 And only the ugly remains. 67 00:05:04,040 –> 00:05:08,459 Now just think about that picture. It applies in so many areas of life. 68 00:05:08,920 –> 00:05:11,940 Everything that is beautiful and healthy is gone. 69 00:05:13,200 –> 00:05:17,440 It has all been swallowed up by what is distorted and what is ugly, 70 00:05:18,420 –> 00:05:21,980 so that only what is ugly and distorted remains. 71 00:05:22,980 –> 00:05:26,480 How often that is the case, for example, in the world of the arts, 72 00:05:26,940 –> 00:05:29,420 where that which is beautiful and 73 00:05:29,859 –> 00:05:34,220 healthy gets swallowed up, taken over by that which is 74 00:05:34,940 –> 00:05:37,760 ugly and that which is distorted. 75 00:05:38,459 –> 00:05:45,220 How easily that can happen in relationships, that which is beautiful and that which is healthy and it just gets consumed 76 00:05:45,339 –> 00:05:51,380 by that which is distorted and ugly so that only what is distorted and ugly remains. 77 00:05:51,380 –> 00:05:53,940 It’s a nightmare that he has and 78 00:05:55,220 –> 00:06:01,859 he awakes, verse four, and I expect he was thinking to himself as you do when you have a strange dream like that. 79 00:06:01,859 –> 00:06:03,859 What in the world was that all about? 80 00:06:04,500 –> 00:06:07,179 Then he goes back to sleep, verse five, 81 00:06:07,179 –> 00:06:10,579 and he has another dream, and it’s actually very similar except this time 82 00:06:10,579 –> 00:06:15,700 it’s fat ears of grain that are swallowed up by these emaciated 83 00:06:15,980 –> 00:06:23,500 thin ears of grain that look as if they have been blighted by a storm or by an east wind. 84 00:06:24,260 –> 00:06:26,660 We read then in verse seven that 85 00:06:34,339 –> 00:06:39,220 Now let’s pause here and think about this. 86 00:06:39,220 –> 00:06:46,339 Here’s a leader, and he carries a huge weight of responsibility that’s on his 87 00:06:46,339 –> 00:06:51,820 shoulders, and his own spirit is troubled. 88 00:06:52,500 –> 00:06:57,380 Put yourself in Pharaoh’s shoes. 89 00:06:57,579 –> 00:07:01,540 People look to this man for leadership 90 00:07:02,019 –> 00:07:07,820 He’s a public servant, and the good of many many people will depend on the 91 00:07:07,820 –> 00:07:13,679 wisdom of his decisions and the directions of his leadership, but at the 92 00:07:13,679 –> 00:07:18,519 end of the day he’s only a man, and he’s been thrust into this position of 93 00:07:18,519 –> 00:07:24,519 responsibility and it weighs heavily on his shoulders. He has to make the calls 94 00:07:24,519 –> 00:07:31,239 and there is a loneliness that often comes with high responsibilities in 95 00:07:31,239 –> 00:07:38,320 regards to leadership in whatever sphere. Now added to the weight that is 96 00:07:38,320 –> 00:07:42,239 on his shoulders, Pharaoh has these very troubling dreams, 97 00:07:42,239 –> 00:07:47,959 and he feels that there is some message that is coming to him in them, but he’s 98 00:07:47,959 –> 00:07:53,779 not really sure what it is. And nobody in the palace can tell him. And so he calls 99 00:07:53,779 –> 00:08:00,540 in the pundits, all of the advisors. Verse 8, he calls for the magicians of Egypt 100 00:08:00,540 –> 00:08:05,619 and all its wise men and he told them his dreams but there was none who could 101 00:08:05,619 –> 00:08:12,859 interpret them to Pharaoh. This is unusual. Whenever was there a day when 102 00:08:12,859 –> 00:08:18,339 the pundits had nothing to say you know. All of the advisors, all of the folks who 103 00:08:18,339 –> 00:08:22,619 have spin on every story on all of the media channels, all of the folks who have 104 00:08:22,619 –> 00:08:26,540 access to this particular leader, tell him what to do. Here’s what you should do 105 00:08:27,019 –> 00:08:34,380 for once, they have nothing to say and Calvin has a delightful comment on 106 00:08:34,380 –> 00:08:39,539 this. He says God must have shut their mouths because this would be the first 107 00:08:39,539 –> 00:08:44,039 time in the world that there had ever been pundits with nothing to say. But 108 00:08:44,039 –> 00:08:48,780 they have nothing to say and this must have made Pharaoh even more anxious, even 109 00:08:48,780 –> 00:08:53,260 the folks that are around me. It always telling me what to do, they don’t know 110 00:08:53,260 –> 00:09:02,739 what to do about this, and that’s his position. Now, the troubled leader. Some 111 00:09:02,739 –> 00:09:06,940 of you may very much relate to that little cameo, God has put you in a 112 00:09:06,940 –> 00:09:12,440 position of responsibility and you’re feeling the weight and the burden of it. 113 00:09:12,440 –> 00:09:17,299 Maybe that you’re feeling today particular responsibility for your 114 00:09:17,299 –> 00:09:22,119 children and their future direction or others God has placed in your life. Or it 115 00:09:22,299 –> 00:09:27,299 be that God has given you a position of significant responsibility in business 116 00:09:27,299 –> 00:09:33,119 and the welfare of others in some significant degree hangs on your 117 00:09:33,119 –> 00:09:39,760 decisions. Or in education you have responsibility with regards to policy 118 00:09:39,760 –> 00:09:46,640 that will affect the good of many, many people. Or in ministry or in the wider 119 00:09:46,840 –> 00:09:51,340 sphere of the public good of the community and you have responsibility 120 00:09:51,340 –> 00:10:01,979 and you have to make calls and the weight of it hangs upon you. I want us to 121 00:10:01,979 –> 00:10:08,080 take away from this little cameo today from the Bible that we have a 122 00:10:08,080 –> 00:10:15,020 responsibility to pray for those who carry the weight and the burdens of 123 00:10:15,059 –> 00:10:22,419 responsibility especially in public life. Those who serve the community, our 124 00:10:22,419 –> 00:10:29,179 elected officials, leaders on whose wisdom the good of many many people 125 00:10:29,179 –> 00:10:37,739 will depend. And friends, this is an area where we really need a distinctive 126 00:10:38,080 –> 00:10:45,440 Christian witness. And I’ll tell you why. You know that we are living in a 127 00:10:45,440 –> 00:10:51,219 time and in a culture that is becoming increasingly cynical about leaders, about 128 00:10:51,219 –> 00:10:59,419 any leaders. That’s the spirit of the age in which we live. And one of the great 129 00:10:59,419 –> 00:11:06,099 tragedies for a culture that becomes by default cynical about any leaders in any 130 00:11:06,140 –> 00:11:12,859 sphere is that such a culture no longer produces or attracts people to positions 131 00:11:12,859 –> 00:11:17,140 of leadership. You can find that in the Old Testament scriptures where at one 132 00:11:17,140 –> 00:11:21,159 point, children are becoming the leaders. The Prophet says why? Because they can’t 133 00:11:21,159 –> 00:11:26,539 get people of ability to step up. Because the whole culture has undermined the 134 00:11:26,539 –> 00:11:33,239 very fabric of what it means to lead. Now we are living in a culture that is 135 00:11:33,299 –> 00:11:39,599 increasingly marked by that disease. And we desperately need a distinctive 136 00:11:39,599 –> 00:11:45,940 Christian witness in regards to this and what is that witness? We are to remember 137 00:11:45,940 –> 00:11:53,239 that God calls us as Christian believers to pray for our leaders. 1 Timothy in 138 00:11:53,239 –> 00:11:59,559 chapter 2, check it out, we are to pray for those who live under the pressure of 139 00:12:00,080 –> 00:12:05,159 complex decisions day after day after day and in our arrogance it’s so easy 140 00:12:05,159 –> 00:12:08,520 for us to think, oh well we would do this we would do that and most of the time 141 00:12:08,520 –> 00:12:15,239 we have the faintest idea. The weight and the responsibility of those who serve in 142 00:12:15,239 –> 00:12:20,679 public office and if like Pharaoh, those who serve in public office do not know 143 00:12:20,679 –> 00:12:26,159 God and do not walk with God we should pray with them all the more. We should 144 00:12:26,159 –> 00:12:30,020 pray for them all the more because if it is a weighty thing for a person who 145 00:12:30,020 –> 00:12:34,359 knows and walks with God to carry the burdens of leadership how much more of a 146 00:12:34,359 –> 00:12:38,640 weight and a burden is it for someone like Pharaoh who carries all this weight 147 00:12:38,640 –> 00:12:43,000 of responsibility is troubled within his own spirit does not know what to do and 148 00:12:43,000 –> 00:12:49,880 does not even know God? For such we should pray even more. So let us pray for 149 00:12:49,880 –> 00:12:53,719 those who are in public office let us pray for others in the congregation who 150 00:12:53,799 –> 00:12:58,880 rise to take positions of leadership as you are called to take this and this 151 00:12:58,880 –> 00:13:03,739 interest is laid upon your heart, it is a wonderful and a significant thing to do 152 00:13:03,739 –> 00:13:08,840 but as God’s people we should encourage those who lead we should help them we 153 00:13:08,840 –> 00:13:14,400 should pray for them and we should encourage others to join them. So that’s 154 00:13:14,400 –> 00:13:20,479 the first cameo and it’s really important, the troubled leader and our 155 00:13:20,679 –> 00:13:26,059 own sensitivity to the weights of what that is so that we as distinctively 156 00:13:26,059 –> 00:13:31,520 Christian people may exercise a ministry of prayer that will be a ministry of 157 00:13:31,520 –> 00:13:36,460 help. Now here’s the second cameo, the first is the troubled leader, the second 158 00:13:36,460 –> 00:13:41,739 is the cameo of Joseph and I’ve called this the wise counselor, 159 00:13:41,739 –> 00:13:47,479 the wise counselor. Now the cup bearer when he sees how troubled the king is 160 00:13:47,580 –> 00:13:53,719 suddenly remembers Joseph and of course he’s embarrassed that he has not 161 00:13:53,719 –> 00:13:59,500 remembered Joseph before and so he blurts out to this apology really in 162 00:13:59,500 –> 00:14:06,719 verse 9 he says, I remember my offenses today and what he says to the King is 163 00:14:06,719 –> 00:14:13,320 basically this, Pharaoh there was a time when I was in exactly the same position 164 00:14:13,919 –> 00:14:19,559 as you. It was two years ago I was back in the prison there because of my 165 00:14:19,559 –> 00:14:26,580 offenses and I had a dream and I had absolutely no idea what it meant but 166 00:14:26,580 –> 00:14:32,119 there was a man there who told me and what he said came true 167 00:14:32,119 –> 00:14:36,520 well of course this was wonderfully good news for Pharaoh, well where is this man? 168 00:14:36,520 –> 00:14:40,239 Well I should have mentioned him to you before but actually still there in 169 00:14:41,200 –> 00:14:46,700 no and well get him and so Joesph gets the call and suddenly in one day there’s 170 00:14:46,700 –> 00:14:51,219 this amazing transformation and as you read through the story that the details 171 00:14:51,219 –> 00:14:55,880 are recorded in quick fire succession. I mean imagine this he’s been languishing 172 00:14:55,880 –> 00:14:59,960 in prison for years and suddenly gets the call you’ve got to go into the 173 00:14:59,960 –> 00:15:03,460 presence of the king right now and so suddenly he’s got to get himself shaved 174 00:15:03,460 –> 00:15:09,179 and he gets new clothes put on and he’s immediately ushered into the presence of 175 00:15:09,179 –> 00:15:13,280 the King. It all happened so fast it makes me think about that verse in the 176 00:15:13,280 –> 00:15:18,020 New Testament that says that in a moment in the twinkling of an eye we shall all 177 00:15:18,020 –> 00:15:21,599 be changed. That’s gonna happen for every believer and I think that’s what it was 178 00:15:21,599 –> 00:15:27,659 like for Joseph suddenly from the prison to the palace and it just all happened 179 00:15:27,659 –> 00:15:33,859 and what an astonishing transformation that must have been for this man. 180 00:15:34,619 –> 00:15:40,900 Now the troubled King then tells his story and his dream to Joseph, and Joseph 181 00:15:40,900 –> 00:15:47,159 gives the interpretation, verse 25, the two dreams have one meaning and the 182 00:15:47,159 –> 00:15:54,340 meaning is this, that’s the seven thin cows that eats the seven fat cows and 183 00:15:54,340 –> 00:15:59,559 for that matter the seven thin ears of grain that eat the seven fat ones, what 184 00:15:59,580 –> 00:16:04,719 this speaks off is that seven years of plenty will be followed by swallowed up 185 00:16:04,719 –> 00:16:13,919 by taken over by seven years of famine and since this is going to happen 186 00:16:13,919 –> 00:16:19,900 Joseph counsels Pharaoh to appoint someone who is going to be wise and is 187 00:16:19,900 –> 00:16:25,979 going to be discerning and will implement a strategy a strategy of 188 00:16:26,080 –> 00:16:31,479 preparing for the future by saving a fifth of the harvest during the years of 189 00:16:31,479 –> 00:16:37,820 plenty so that there will be an adequate supply of food during the years of 190 00:16:37,820 –> 00:16:44,159 famine. Now the two words that are really important at this point in the story 191 00:16:44,159 –> 00:16:48,780 are the words wise and discerning which is why they’re in the title of the 192 00:16:48,780 –> 00:16:55,859 message today. They come twice. Verse 33 Joseph says to Pharaoh let Pharaoh 193 00:16:56,099 –> 00:17:03,460 select a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. Verse 39 194 00:17:03,460 –> 00:17:08,040 Pharaoh says to Joseph since God has shown you all this there is none so 195 00:17:08,040 –> 00:17:16,800 discerning and wise as you are. This story is about the discerning and wise 196 00:17:16,800 –> 00:17:23,959 Counselor Joseph. Now, obvious question. What does it mean to be discerning and 197 00:17:24,079 –> 00:17:34,380 wise? What would it mean for you, for me, to be wise and to be discerning? Well 198 00:17:34,380 –> 00:17:39,079 clearly there are many, many answers to that question. But in this story there 199 00:17:39,079 –> 00:17:44,500 are two answers in particular. The first is to be wise and to be discerning will 200 00:17:44,500 –> 00:17:51,420 mean that we restrain indulgence in times of plenty. That’s the first point 201 00:17:51,560 –> 00:17:57,260 really that Joseph is making. That in years of plenty, when God prospers you, it 202 00:17:57,260 –> 00:18:03,380 is easy to become extravagant and to become wasteful, to get carried away with 203 00:18:03,380 –> 00:18:09,819 these resources that you have and not to steward them wisely. And Joseph is 204 00:18:09,819 –> 00:18:13,839 saying we really have to make sure that that does not happen here because the 205 00:18:13,839 –> 00:18:17,500 seven years of plenty are going to be followed by seven years of famine so 206 00:18:17,500 –> 00:18:24,739 let’s make sure don’t waste what you have been given. Restrain indulgence in 207 00:18:24,739 –> 00:18:32,420 times of plenty. And then to be wise and discerning means a second thing, that we 208 00:18:32,420 –> 00:18:38,160 take reasonable measures to provide for the future. And again, Joseph discerns 209 00:18:38,160 –> 00:18:42,739 that what this will mean in that particular situation is that a fifth of 210 00:18:42,739 –> 00:18:46,719 the harvest should be put in store for seven years to be 211 00:18:46,800 –> 00:18:54,880 saved up in anticipation of the years of famine that are to come. And Joseph sets 212 00:18:54,880 –> 00:19:02,319 out a brilliant plan that has details of where the savings are to be made and how 213 00:19:02,319 –> 00:19:08,040 the stewardship is to be exercised. It’s all there in the plan that he lays out, 214 00:19:08,040 –> 00:19:16,520 and it is a remarkable model of wisdom and discernment from someone who at this 215 00:19:16,520 –> 00:19:23,160 point in the story is only 30 years old. Thirty years old, and he has this wisdom 216 00:19:23,160 –> 00:19:28,199 from God that in order to be wise and to be discerning we need to restrain 217 00:19:28,199 –> 00:19:33,439 indulgence in times of plenty so that we do not become wasteful, that we do not 218 00:19:33,439 –> 00:19:39,939 go after things that end up putting us in a worse position in the future when 219 00:19:39,939 –> 00:19:47,459 our circumstances change, and that we take reasonable measures to provide for 220 00:19:47,459 –> 00:19:56,959 the future. Remarkable wisdom from someone who is 30 years old. Now George 221 00:19:56,959 –> 00:20:01,040 Lawson, who has written a very helpful book on Joseph, I’ve quoted from it a 222 00:20:01,040 –> 00:20:05,780 number of times and I’m sure will again, he asks a question that I think is 223 00:20:05,780 –> 00:20:14,800 significant here. He asks, how does this policy of JOSEPH to store up the food 224 00:20:14,800 –> 00:20:21,260 relate to the words of JESUS when He says, do not lay up for yourselves 225 00:20:21,260 –> 00:20:25,819 treasures on earth where moth and rusts destroy, and where thieves break through 226 00:20:25,819 –> 00:20:30,500 and steal. There’s a thoughtful man who believes that all of the Bible is the 227 00:20:30,500 –> 00:20:35,199 Word of God and he says, now our Lord JESUS says this about not storing things 228 00:20:35,199 –> 00:20:39,560 up and Joseph says this about something a fifth has to be put aside, how are we 229 00:20:39,560 –> 00:20:43,000 to put these things together? Because it’s all the Word of God and we need to 230 00:20:43,000 –> 00:20:48,380 understand one in the light of the other. He makes this comment that I think 231 00:20:48,380 –> 00:20:54,300 is very, very helpful. He says, this rule, that is, the rule of Jesus with regards 232 00:20:54,300 –> 00:21:02,020 to not storing up, is not intended to prohibit us from providing in time of 233 00:21:02,060 –> 00:21:07,719 plenty for a time of scarcity. So what Jesus says about not storing things up, 234 00:21:07,719 –> 00:21:12,839 it is not intended to stop us from providing when we have four times when 235 00:21:12,839 –> 00:21:21,880 we will have less. And then here’s his key comment, As long as this can be done 236 00:21:21,880 –> 00:21:31,800 without neglecting the necessary duties of charity and piety. Now you can tell 237 00:21:31,939 –> 00:21:34,660 that he was writing more than 100 years old. And you might be saying, 238 00:21:34,660 –> 00:21:37,680 What in the world does he mean that by saying that? Here’s what he means. 239 00:21:37,680 –> 00:21:44,880 He says this, The first duty of a Christian in regards to the money that 240 00:21:44,880 –> 00:21:50,880 God trusts to us, however much or however little that may be, the first duty of a 241 00:21:50,880 –> 00:21:55,780 Christian is in regards to our giving to God. That’s what he refers to under the 242 00:21:55,780 –> 00:22:02,420 word piety. And with it is our duty to be generous in relation to the needs of 243 00:22:02,420 –> 00:22:06,599 others who are in particular circumstances of need. And that of 244 00:22:06,599 –> 00:22:11,439 course is what he refers to as charity. Now he says when we have done that, when 245 00:22:11,439 –> 00:22:17,420 we have done the first things, the first things that God calls us to, that is our 246 00:22:17,420 –> 00:22:21,800 duty in relation to our giving to God himself and our duty in relation to 247 00:22:21,880 –> 00:22:25,880 giving to others who are in some particular need. When we’ve done the 248 00:22:25,880 –> 00:22:31,599 thing in relation to piety and in relation to charity, then out of what 249 00:22:31,599 –> 00:22:39,099 remains we are to think in regards to saving with regards to future times of 250 00:22:39,099 –> 00:22:46,140 scarcity. Now this is a very important principle. For a Christian believer 251 00:22:46,180 –> 00:22:53,939 saving is important, but for a Christian believer saving is not and never can be 252 00:22:53,939 –> 00:22:59,660 the first thing. If saving is your first thought with regards to money, you have 253 00:22:59,660 –> 00:23:04,939 not allowed the Lordship of Jesus Christ yet to penetrate into that sphere of 254 00:23:04,939 –> 00:23:10,339 your life. It is an important thing, but it is never it can never be the first 255 00:23:10,420 –> 00:23:16,920 thing. It arises after the duties of piety and charity which are the first things 256 00:23:16,920 –> 00:23:22,540 that God calls us to fulfill. Now this is very important because we must always 257 00:23:22,540 –> 00:23:29,979 remember that there are two ways to dishonor God with your money. One is that 258 00:23:29,979 –> 00:23:35,459 you spend what you should have given so you see something that really gets your 259 00:23:35,459 –> 00:23:38,540 eyes flashed you say I really really like to have done if I really stretch 260 00:23:38,719 –> 00:23:43,060 everything I can go for that and what you do is you spend what you should have 261 00:23:43,060 –> 00:23:46,839 given and you dishonor God in relation to your money because you’ve made that 262 00:23:46,839 –> 00:23:50,160 decision. You put that thing that you wanted 263 00:23:50,160 –> 00:23:58,959 above the claims of God above piety and above charity and you have spent what 264 00:23:58,959 –> 00:24:03,739 you should have given but there’s another way to dishonor God with your 265 00:24:04,339 –> 00:24:08,699 and it is perhaps the way that comes particularly to a conservatively-minded 266 00:24:08,699 –> 00:24:14,079 people and that is that you can dishonor God with your money by saving what you 267 00:24:14,079 –> 00:24:19,479 should have given by saving what you should have given and friends, where that 268 00:24:19,479 –> 00:24:23,479 is our temptation it’s good to remember that saving may actually hold the more 269 00:24:23,479 –> 00:24:30,099 subtle temptation because if you are by instinct a saver and that is always the 270 00:24:30,199 –> 00:24:34,819 first thing in your mind, it is very easy for you to feel righteous with regards to 271 00:24:34,819 –> 00:24:39,959 this and you need to hear then the words of the Lord Jesus when he says, 272 00:24:39,959 –> 00:24:44,180 do not lay up for yourselves treasures on the earth where moth and rust corrupt 273 00:24:44,180 –> 00:24:49,660 and where thieves break through and steal. And then for others of us our 274 00:24:49,660 –> 00:24:55,140 instinct is to spend, were always maxing ourselves out, we are overreaching and the 275 00:24:55,819 –> 00:25:01,099 we’re spending what we should be giving and what you need to hear is the 276 00:25:01,099 –> 00:25:06,219 counsel of Joseph here save during the years of plenty so that there will be 277 00:25:06,219 –> 00:25:13,520 enough when the time of scarcity comes. So there’s a whole world here in 278 00:25:13,520 –> 00:25:18,020 relation to the Lordship of Jesus Christ over money which is the subject that’s 279 00:25:18,020 –> 00:25:22,660 in view in this part of the Bible today. And I hope that very practically this 280 00:25:22,780 –> 00:25:27,260 will stimulate realistic and honest and insightful wise and discerning 281 00:25:27,260 –> 00:25:31,739 conversations in the life groups as we come to apply the word of God further 282 00:25:31,739 –> 00:25:38,599 into the fabric of our own lives and our own practice in this coming week. So what 283 00:25:38,599 –> 00:25:43,579 does it mean to be wise and discerning? Well it means to restrain indulgence in 284 00:25:43,579 –> 00:25:50,300 times of plenty and it means to take reasonable measures to provide for the 285 00:25:50,300 –> 00:25:56,939 future. Now let me take a few moments here to point us to the Lord Jesus 286 00:25:56,939 –> 00:26:02,800 Christ. I want us to see today three very wonderful ways in which Joseph the wise 287 00:26:02,800 –> 00:26:08,099 counselor points us to Jesus who is of course the wonderful counselor the one 288 00:26:08,099 –> 00:26:13,599 who is greater than Joseph. And the first of these ways in this story is that the 289 00:26:13,599 –> 00:26:20,099 wise counselor Joseph speaks the Word of God. It’s very striking that with all of 290 00:26:20,300 –> 00:26:24,800 the angst that’s going on in the palace, all of the burden that’s on Pharaoh, 291 00:26:24,800 –> 00:26:30,920 all of these advisers are out there. In the first 15 verses there isn’t a single 292 00:26:30,920 –> 00:26:36,939 reference to God. And the reason there isn’t a single reference to God in the 293 00:26:36,939 –> 00:26:43,020 first 15 verses of chapter 41 is that no one in the court knows God. No one is 294 00:26:43,020 –> 00:26:47,719 actually walking with God. And so here are these folks with great responsibility, 295 00:26:48,319 –> 00:26:53,199 great worries, great anxiety, troubled spirit and there’s no one who can speak 296 00:26:53,199 –> 00:27:00,560 a word from God to them. And then Joseph comes on the scene. And in verse 16 the 297 00:27:00,560 –> 00:27:04,900 very first sentence he speaks he brings God into the conversation. And it never 298 00:27:04,900 –> 00:27:09,640 stops after that look at it, verse 16. Joseph answered Pharaoh, first sentence 299 00:27:09,640 –> 00:27:16,780 It is not in me, God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer. Verse 25. Joseph said to 300 00:27:16,780 –> 00:27:20,619 Pharaoh the dreams of Pharaoh are one. God has revealed to pharaoh what he’s 301 00:27:20,619 –> 00:27:26,300 about to do. Verse 28 is as I told pharaoh, again, God has shown to Pharaoh 302 00:27:26,300 –> 00:27:31,560 what he’s about to do. Verse 32 and the doubling of pharaohs dreams means that 303 00:27:31,560 –> 00:27:38,520 the thing is fixed by God and God will shortly bring it about. So here the name 304 00:27:38,520 –> 00:27:43,500 of God hasn’t even got a mention in the royal court until this man comes in 305 00:27:44,000 –> 00:27:51,180 know God and he is able to speak the Word of God. And Pharaoh then says to his 306 00:27:51,180 –> 00:27:59,319 servants in verse 38. Can we find a man like this in whom is the spirit of God? 307 00:27:59,319 –> 00:28:06,739 Now Pharaoh is talking about God. And what do you make of that phrase, a man in whome 308 00:28:06,739 –> 00:28:11,359 is the spirit of God? I mean Pharaoh spoke more than he knew. 309 00:28:11,880 –> 00:28:15,540 He did not have a fully developed doctrine of the Trinity or the indwelling of the 310 00:28:15,540 –> 00:28:19,459 Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. He didn’t know any of that. But here’s 311 00:28:19,459 –> 00:28:27,359 what he’s experienced. This man has come in here and he has spoken from God. He 312 00:28:27,359 –> 00:28:31,160 knows God, he knows what God has said, he knows what God will do, he knows the 313 00:28:31,160 –> 00:28:37,140 mind of God in some way. The spirit of God must be in him, because what I hear 314 00:28:37,140 –> 00:28:40,359 for him is the Word of God. 315 00:28:41,359 –> 00:28:45,359 And you see how wonderfully that points us to the Lord Jesus Christ. 316 00:28:45,359 –> 00:28:49,979 The wise and wonderful Councillor who comes into the mysteries, and all the 317 00:28:49,979 –> 00:28:53,800 pressures of your life when you’re pressed down with burdens and 318 00:28:53,800 –> 00:28:58,939 responsibilities. You do not know what to do or where to turn. And he knows the 319 00:28:58,939 –> 00:29:06,280 mind of God because he is the Son of God. He has God with us. What he says is the 320 00:29:06,719 –> 00:29:10,599 word of God. So when he comes into the world he says. 321 00:29:17,939 –> 00:29:23,119 He says, no one knows the Father. Nobody knows God the Father except the Son and 322 00:29:23,119 –> 00:29:28,900 those to whom the Son reveals him. And therefore he says, 323 00:29:28,900 –> 00:29:34,160 all you who are burdened, all of you who are weary, all of you press down 324 00:29:34,260 –> 00:29:38,920 with the weight of responsibility, heavy laden like Pharaoh, all of you 325 00:29:38,920 –> 00:29:41,859 who don’t know where to turn and feel perplexed, Jesus says. 326 00:29:41,859 –> 00:29:46,119 Come to me. Why does he say because he is the very 327 00:29:46,119 –> 00:29:48,719 word of God, the Son of God? He has the mind of God. 328 00:29:48,719 –> 00:29:52,439 He brings you to the knowledge of God because he is God 329 00:29:52,439 –> 00:29:59,040 in the flesh himself. Wonderful. Then a second way in which the story 330 00:29:59,040 –> 00:30:03,040 points us to Jesus is that the wise counselor Joseph here is 331 00:30:03,119 –> 00:30:08,640 appointed and then he’s honored. Pharaoh experiences through 332 00:30:08,640 –> 00:30:15,040 Joseph the knowledge of God and of his word. So he says to 333 00:30:15,040 –> 00:30:21,199 Joseph verse 40, you shall be over my house. And all my people 334 00:30:21,199 –> 00:30:25,680 shall order themselves as you command. You see what he’s 335 00:30:25,680 –> 00:30:29,959 saying? You have the wisdom of God, Joseph, so I’m going to 336 00:30:29,959 –> 00:30:37,000 hand authority over to you. See, I have sent you Verse 41 337 00:30:37,040 –> 00:30:42,880 over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh wants all the people to 338 00:30:42,880 –> 00:30:47,599 know that he Pharaoh has given authority to Joseph. And so he 339 00:30:47,599 –> 00:30:51,540 takes his royal signet ring, and he puts it on Joseph’s finger. 340 00:30:52,400 –> 00:30:55,439 He takes the royal garments and drapes them on Joseph’s 341 00:30:55,439 –> 00:31:01,180 shoulders. He takes the golden chain of office and puts it 342 00:31:01,180 –> 00:31:04,939 around his neck. What a change that was when you think that 343 00:31:04,939 –> 00:31:08,699 earlier he’d had this collar of iron around his neck in the 344 00:31:08,699 –> 00:31:11,760 earliest days in the prison. Now he’s got the golden chain of 345 00:31:11,760 –> 00:31:16,380 office around his neck. And then they send out the chariot and 346 00:31:16,380 –> 00:31:20,420 the heralds go in front. And they as they take Joseph through 347 00:31:20,680 –> 00:31:24,819 he goes through the streets. They’re saying verse forty-three 348 00:31:24,819 –> 00:31:31,880 bow the knee, bow the knee, bow the knee. Well, you read this. 349 00:31:31,880 –> 00:31:35,040 The one who is taken from the lowest place and he’s exalted to 350 00:31:35,040 –> 00:31:39,000 the highest place and he has all the offices of the king that 351 00:31:39,000 –> 00:31:44,500 are placed upon him. You cannot but think of our Lord Jesus 352 00:31:44,500 –> 00:31:48,040 Christ as he is raised from the dead and he is exalted to the 353 00:31:48,239 –> 00:31:52,599 at the right hand of the father, every knee shall bow and every 354 00:31:52,599 –> 00:31:57,599 tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. And so, here’s Jesus 355 00:31:59,640 –> 00:32:03,680 and he comes to us with the message of grace into our lives 356 00:32:03,680 –> 00:32:08,920 of trouble and of pressure. When he comes to us as the word of 357 00:32:08,920 –> 00:32:14,099 God, the very truth of God, the one who makes God known because 358 00:32:14,239 –> 00:32:19,739 he has God with us, the wise and discerning response when we 359 00:32:19,739 –> 00:32:23,540 realize that that’s who Jesus is, is in Pharaoh’s language. 360 00:32:23,540 –> 00:32:26,979 To make him Lord over our house, you’re gonna be over my 361 00:32:26,979 –> 00:32:31,219 house, you’re gonna be over my life. The wise and discerning 362 00:32:31,219 –> 00:32:34,640 response when you realize who Jesus is is to bow the knee to 363 00:32:34,640 –> 00:32:38,439 him and to order your life at his command. 364 00:32:39,719 –> 00:32:43,500 All of this is shining the light on Jesus Christ and how we 365 00:32:43,579 –> 00:32:44,619 respond to him. 366 00:32:46,280 –> 00:32:49,319 And then there’s one more wonderful way in which Joseph 367 00:32:49,319 –> 00:32:51,140 points to Jesus, and it’s this. 368 00:32:52,640 –> 00:32:55,239 That the wise counselor who points to the wonderful 369 00:32:55,239 –> 00:33:00,239 counselor is the one who supplies the need of the people. 370 00:33:01,680 –> 00:33:05,900 Joseph sets up these storehouses in all of the centers 371 00:33:05,900 –> 00:33:09,859 of population, and he does that for this reason of course, 372 00:33:09,859 –> 00:33:14,800 so that there should be easy access for all of the people 373 00:33:14,800 –> 00:33:17,680 to come and to receive in time of need 374 00:33:17,680 –> 00:33:19,500 what is supplied for them. 375 00:33:20,719 –> 00:33:23,060 And the seven years are plenty, the come and they go, 376 00:33:23,060 –> 00:33:25,260 and then the seven years of famine arrive. 377 00:33:25,260 –> 00:33:29,160 And in vese 55, which is a wonderful, 378 00:33:29,160 –> 00:33:31,479 wonderful climax to the story. 379 00:33:33,079 –> 00:33:35,479 We’re told that when all in the land of Egypt 380 00:33:35,479 –> 00:33:36,699 were famished, 381 00:33:37,699 –> 00:33:40,959 the people cried to Pharoah for bread. 382 00:33:42,380 –> 00:33:46,400 And Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, 383 00:33:47,719 –> 00:33:49,020 Go to Joseph, 384 00:33:50,520 –> 00:33:51,660 go to Joseph, 385 00:33:52,859 –> 00:33:55,400 go to Joseph. 386 00:33:55,400 –> 00:33:58,420 And what he says to you do. 387 00:33:58,420 –> 00:34:00,099 I love this, 388 00:34:00,099 –> 00:34:04,099 the King does not say go to the storehouses, 389 00:34:04,339 –> 00:34:06,020 he says go to Joseph, 390 00:34:06,939 –> 00:34:09,459 he is the one who has what you need, 391 00:34:09,459 –> 00:34:12,719 he is the one who will open the storehouses to you, 392 00:34:12,719 –> 00:34:15,419 he is the one who is going to feed you. 393 00:34:17,100 –> 00:34:19,000 And you cannot read that you know, 394 00:34:19,000 –> 00:34:21,500 Joseph being the one who opens access 395 00:34:21,500 –> 00:34:24,300 to the bread that the people are craving, 396 00:34:24,300 –> 00:34:28,219 you can’t read that without hearing the Lord Jesus Christ 397 00:34:28,219 –> 00:34:30,659 taking up that great theme. 398 00:34:30,699 –> 00:34:34,219 And he says I am the bread of life. 399 00:34:34,219 –> 00:34:37,300 And whoever comes to me shall no longer be hungry 400 00:34:37,300 –> 00:34:41,379 and whoever believes in me shall no longer thirst. 401 00:34:41,379 –> 00:34:46,219 If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink, 402 00:34:46,219 –> 00:34:48,540 all who the father gives me will come to me 403 00:34:48,540 –> 00:34:50,060 and whoever comes to me, 404 00:34:50,060 –> 00:34:54,000 I will never, never, never drive them away. 405 00:34:54,919 –> 00:34:59,919 Oh, says Pharaoh, go to Joseph and he’ll give you the bread. 406 00:35:01,080 –> 00:35:04,919 Oh, says Jesus, come to me, I am the bread. 407 00:35:04,919 –> 00:35:09,919 Go to Jesus and you will find that in him, 408 00:35:10,560 –> 00:35:14,500 you have access to all the store houses of God’s grace. 409 00:35:15,560 –> 00:35:18,820 Go to Jesus, he has stores of mercy 410 00:35:18,820 –> 00:35:21,580 that are sufficient to cover and to cleanse 411 00:35:22,419 –> 00:35:26,340 every one of your sins and you can go to Jesus today 412 00:35:26,340 –> 00:35:29,919 and he will not send you away short-handed or empty. 413 00:35:31,479 –> 00:35:35,379 Come to Jesus, he has the storehouses of strength 414 00:35:35,379 –> 00:35:38,179 to be able to stand up under the pressures, 415 00:35:38,179 –> 00:35:40,540 the weights, the burdens of responsibility 416 00:35:40,540 –> 00:35:42,600 that you’re facing in your life. 417 00:35:42,600 –> 00:35:46,419 Sufficient grace, sufficient wisdom for everything 418 00:35:46,419 –> 00:35:49,219 that you need for life and for godliness. 419 00:35:49,219 –> 00:35:52,560 Christ is the one who opens the storehouses of grace. 420 00:35:52,560 –> 00:35:56,179 We have access to all of the heavenly blessings 421 00:35:56,179 –> 00:35:59,500 in Christ Jesus. 422 00:36:00,679 –> 00:36:05,340 A troubled leader, a wise counselor 423 00:36:06,520 –> 00:36:09,760 who points to the wonderful counselor 424 00:36:09,760 –> 00:36:13,239 who not only speaks but is the Word of God, 425 00:36:13,239 –> 00:36:17,699 who wise people will appoint and exalt as Lord 426 00:36:17,719 –> 00:36:21,820 over all of their lives and all of our affairs. 427 00:36:23,060 –> 00:36:26,699 And then, just in this very last minute, 428 00:36:26,699 –> 00:36:29,719 this little character that might get forgotten. 429 00:36:30,699 –> 00:36:34,040 The cupbearer, the forgetful servant. 430 00:36:35,500 –> 00:36:39,159 This guy who I feel sorry for 431 00:36:39,159 –> 00:36:42,459 because I think he’s so embarrassed in verse nine. 432 00:36:42,459 –> 00:36:44,899 I remember my offenses today. 433 00:36:45,780 –> 00:36:48,719 You know what he’s saying? 434 00:36:50,060 –> 00:36:51,860 Pharoah, I am so sorry. 435 00:36:53,379 –> 00:36:55,439 I’ve been working for you, 436 00:36:55,439 –> 00:36:58,020 I’ve been working right next to you 437 00:36:58,020 –> 00:37:02,060 for two while years and in two years 438 00:37:02,060 –> 00:37:03,100 that I’ve been working for you, 439 00:37:03,100 –> 00:37:04,639 I haven’t said to you a single word 440 00:37:04,639 –> 00:37:06,639 about the one person who can really help you 441 00:37:06,639 –> 00:37:08,500 with the burdens that you’re bearing. 442 00:37:09,820 –> 00:37:11,340 And there is such a person 443 00:37:12,159 –> 00:37:15,439 and I know that he can help you 444 00:37:15,439 –> 00:37:16,679 because he has helped me. 445 00:37:16,679 –> 00:37:19,739 He’s the one who spoke the Word of God to me. 446 00:37:19,739 –> 00:37:21,719 But the truth is that of I’ve been put 447 00:37:21,719 –> 00:37:23,479 into this exalted position now, 448 00:37:23,479 –> 00:37:24,560 this promoted position, 449 00:37:24,560 –> 00:37:26,760 I really haven’t given him a single thought. 450 00:37:27,719 –> 00:37:30,760 I’m so sorry, I haven’t thought to speak to you about Joseph 451 00:37:32,199 –> 00:37:34,800 but of course he remembers. 452 00:37:34,800 –> 00:37:37,340 The forgetful servant remembers 453 00:37:38,159 –> 00:37:41,479 and he was the one who had the honor 454 00:37:41,479 –> 00:37:44,780 of making the introduction of Joseph to Pharaoh 455 00:37:45,860 –> 00:37:49,060 and his hand was involved in all the blessing 456 00:37:49,060 –> 00:37:50,199 that came from that. 457 00:37:51,139 –> 00:37:53,280 The lifting of all these heavy burdens 458 00:37:53,280 –> 00:37:54,679 that were on Pharaoh’s shoulders 459 00:37:54,679 –> 00:37:56,939 and they’re lifted because he’s introduced 460 00:37:56,939 –> 00:37:58,580 to Joseph by the cup bearer. 461 00:37:59,500 –> 00:38:01,739 People who would have died in a famine 462 00:38:01,739 –> 00:38:05,100 and lives are saved because of the provision 463 00:38:05,179 –> 00:38:09,760 that is made because he introduced Joseph to Pharaoh. 464 00:38:09,760 –> 00:38:10,879 And not only in Egypt, 465 00:38:10,879 –> 00:38:12,139 we’re told at the end of the chapter, 466 00:38:12,139 –> 00:38:13,780 people came from all nations on earth 467 00:38:13,780 –> 00:38:16,179 because Egypt was the only place where there was food 468 00:38:16,179 –> 00:38:17,620 and so lives were saved there 469 00:38:17,620 –> 00:38:20,340 and more than that, among the many nations that came, 470 00:38:20,340 –> 00:38:23,739 there were, as we’ll see in the second part of the series, 471 00:38:23,739 –> 00:38:27,520 Joseph’s own brothers, including Judah and his children 472 00:38:28,820 –> 00:38:31,919 the line into which Jesus Christ, 473 00:38:31,919 –> 00:38:33,820 the savior of the world would be born. 474 00:38:35,939 –> 00:38:38,919 The cupbearer remembered 475 00:38:40,139 –> 00:38:43,600 and introduced his boss 476 00:38:44,739 –> 00:38:46,219 to the one who could help him. 477 00:38:47,979 –> 00:38:48,820 And I end here 478 00:38:48,820 –> 00:38:51,379 because for all of us who know Jesus Christ 479 00:38:51,379 –> 00:38:55,139 and love the wonderful Counselor, the Son of God, 480 00:38:55,139 –> 00:38:56,939 the one in whom we have access 481 00:38:56,939 –> 00:39:00,620 to all of the supplies of God’s grace, 482 00:39:00,620 –> 00:39:04,820 to us, too often, the forgetful servant 483 00:39:05,780 –> 00:39:08,679 is given this immense privilege 484 00:39:08,679 –> 00:39:10,500 that we should be the ones 485 00:39:10,500 –> 00:39:12,620 who have the opportunity 486 00:39:12,620 –> 00:39:17,219 of introducing other people to Jesus. 487 00:39:17,219 –> 00:39:18,840 Let’s pray together. 488 00:39:18,840 –> 00:39:23,219 Father, we don’t want to be forgetful servants today, 489 00:39:23,219 –> 00:39:25,179 we want to be remembering servants, 490 00:39:25,179 –> 00:39:27,360 and so we’re coming around the table 491 00:39:27,360 –> 00:39:29,419 where we remember you. 492 00:39:29,419 –> 00:39:34,219 And we pray that we will be those who come to you. 493 00:39:34,219 –> 00:39:36,560 We thank you that while people got, 494 00:39:36,560 –> 00:39:40,639 by going to Joseph, got bread that lasted for a time, 495 00:39:40,639 –> 00:39:44,300 that in coming to you, we have the living bread 496 00:39:44,300 –> 00:39:47,399 that feeds us and nourishes us to everlasting life, 497 00:39:47,399 –> 00:39:50,820 and that in you, we find all that we need 498 00:39:50,820 –> 00:39:52,979 for life and for godliness. 499 00:39:52,979 –> 00:39:55,419 So please help us as we seek in response 500 00:39:55,419 –> 00:39:57,239 to draw near to you today, 501 00:39:57,239 –> 00:39:59,060 and these things we ask in Jesus’ name 502 00:39:59,060 –> 00:40:01,239 as everyone said, amen.