Here for a reason...

Genesis 45; Job 11; Mark 15; Romans 15

Every time I read the story of Joseph, particularly Genesis 45, I burst into tears. Why is it so touching? The obvious reason is reconciliation and forgiveness in the way Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and tells them they need not be angry or distressed with themselves.

“And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 45:5–8)

On a human level, this is a classic statement of faith in the sovereignty of God yet this morning I see how more. It is also a classic picture of what God did in sending Jesus Christ.

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me but raise it up on the last day.” (John 6:38–39)

Joseph’s family suffered in famine and went to Egypt for food, not knowing that their ‘salvation’ would meet them in that place. Did they deserve to suffer? No indication of that, only that God arranged it.

Job also suffered, not in famine but in severe loss. He was certain that he’d done nothing to deserve it even though he did not realize that God had allowed it. His anguish was a test to prove that faith in God did not depend on the fullness and wealth of life.

However, one of his ‘friends’ said God was letting Job off easy; he got less punishment than he deserved! This certainly was a heartless statement but it also missed a major truth — all of us deserve more than we can imagine for we are all sinners. We all fall short, including this ‘friend’ who said, “Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.” (Job 11:6)

Is not this falling short the very reason that God sent His Son to this world? Joseph typifies His mission being sent ahead to preserve life, not destroy it, to reconcile rather than retaliate!

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

The Apostle Paul took seriously what had been written in the former days. He also took seriously the words of Jesus who said, “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18) Paul was not clueless about the work God gave him. He said:

In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (Romans 15:17–21)

He was also a man sent by God to deliver God’s people. Like Joseph, he obeyed even when rejected and persecuted. He suffered, not the same losses as Job but the loss of all confidence in anything he’d gained:

"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith" (Philippians 3:7–9)

Christ shines in these people, in the outcome of their lives and stories. He walked them into struggles and sufferings and brought them through as heroes of the faith who modeled His life and story.

To make this personal and practical in my life, I also need to take seriously the words of Jesus: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21) remembering the impact of Joseph’s reconciliation, the fact that all have sinned and need forgiveness, that the losses that I take are nothing compared to the gain, and that Jesus Himself has put me here to do His will.