Greetings everyone and thanks for joining me for this edition of our Sunday School preview. This Sunday’s lesson is entitled “God Rewards Obedience” and is found in Genesis 41:22-33; 37-40; 50-52.
In last week’s lesson, we saw Joseph sold as a slave to those travelling to Egypt. Today, we find that same Joseph receiving authority to become second only to Pharaoh king of Egypt, marrying the daughter of a prominent Egyptian family, being blessed with two sons and receiving an Egyptian name from Pharaoh and becoming a naturalized citizen.
What a turn around! From slave to vice-president of a foreign nation. How did all this happen? This happened because God had a plan for Joseph’s life that would involve the salvation of all mankind and because Joseph remained faithful to what he believed about God.
So many times unpleasant and unexplainable things can happen in life. We can find ourselves in a position or place or situation not of our own choosing and often not of our own making. It is in times like these we can become discouraged and not only question our faith in God, but abandon our faith in God.
Faith in God is more than a belief that God exist or is real as we learned earlier, but it also involves obedience to God. Joseph had several opportunities and reasons to abandon faith in God. He found himself a slave in a strange land. Yet by God’s grace he ended up in a household that allowed his God-given favor to elevate him to a position of trust and honor.
After leaving the pit of slavery to a place of privilege and honor, he found himself once again in the unwanted and undeserving place of prison after remaining faithful to God. After surviving and enduring one devastating event in his life, here he was facing a seemingly even worst one.
Yet he didn’t abandon His faith in God and God’s grace elevated him even in prison. And it was from prison, he was called to stand before Pharaoh. What were the odds that a prisoner would be called before Pharaoh and made vice-president of a nation?
None of this could be foreseen by Joseph or anyone else. Joseph had no idea that God was taking him through all that went on in his life for the moment he found himself before Pharaoh. But at that moment with the telling of Pharaoh’s dream, it all became clear that God had prepared him for that moment.
We can’t see and know why God takes us on the journey he takes each of us on. We don’t know whose life we are called upon to impact nor the path God will take us on in order to impact that life. Joseph’s life ended up impacting the lives of millions of people including our own. The important thing is for us like Joseph never to lose faith in God along the journey.
We must believe God has us right where He wants us to be impacting those around us in the way He sees fit. Though the circumstances may not be pleasant nor of any making or doing of our own, we can be confident that God has His reasons for us being in the places we are in. For not only is God using us for His purpose, but He is preparing us for life in His eternal kingdom at the same time.
Well, I hope you will be able to attend SS this coming Sunday and share your thoughts with your class. If you cannot attend your own Sunday School, you are invited to join us online at 9:00 am live and interactive at our website. If you have any comments or questions, be sure to place them in the comment section of this preview. So, until next time remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
