Weekly Reflection 3/27/24

Hebrews 11:22

“No one is ready to live until they are no longer afraid to die.” (Adrian Rogers)

“By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.” Hebrews‬ 11‬:22‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Faith remembers the promises of God. 

• Genesis 50:22-26 
• Now the key to all of this is in verse 24. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”
• Now how did Joseph know this? How did Joseph know that they were coming out? 
• Why was Joseph so sure that the Jews would not stay in Egypt? 
• Because God had made a promise.
• I’ll read the promise to you, “Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.” Genesis‬ 15‬:13‬-14‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
• Now that is a clear promise in the Word of God. 
• Now get the point. We’re talking about Joseph’s faith. 
• What was the root of his faith? He had a promise from Almighty God. 
• It is so evident that Joseph knew the Word of God, Joseph knew the promise. Joseph trusted in, had faith in the Word of God.
• “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans‬ 10‬:17‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
• What is faith? It’s not positive thinking. It’s not following a hunch. It’s not hoping for the best. It’s not a feeling of optimism. It’s not self-confidence. It’s not wishing upon a star and crossing your fingers. 
• Faith is getting a promise from the Word of God, believing it, and living like you believe it.

Faith relies on the character of God. 

Why can you have faith? How can we be sure of the Word of God? Because of the character of God. On the one hand, God says He can do it, He will do it. He is faithful. God has proven Himself over and over. On the other hand, we know that God is able to do it. He is powerful. Just think about the promise of resurrection. Jesus raised people from the dead. Jesus said of Himself, I will die and on the third day rise from the grave. And He did. He proved that He is faithful and has the power to do what He says.

Now look again in Genesis chapter 50 verse 24, “And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, BUT GOD WILL visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”  So, Joseph is remembering the promise of God, and he is relying on the faithfulness and power of God to fulfill that promise.

I want to think about three ways the enemy will try to hinder our faith in God fulfilling His promises. The first way is circumstances. When Joseph said this, there was no reason they should leave. They are in a place of favor. They are in comfortable circumstances. Outwardly, there was no reason that they should leave. Now what they might have done, had they been like some, they may have said, “Well, we’d better re-examine the promises in the light of the present circumstances.” Have you ever done that? Looked at circumstances and said, “Well, perhaps it won’t happen.” God’s faithfulness and power are not affected by our circumstances.

The second way that the enemy may hinder our faith is our emotions or feelings. Do you sometimes say, “Well, I just don’t feel God is going to do this. I just don’t feel it’s going to be that way?” Feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving. Don’t base your faith on how you feel about it.

The third hindrance to our faith is time. It had been a long time since God made that promise, 300 years. Time cannot erode away the promises of God. “For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” Habakkuk‬ 2‬:3‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Don’t let circumstances, don’t let emotions, don’t let seeming delay keep you from believing the Word of God. Joseph was a man of faith, and Joseph said, “Take my bones with you.” Joseph’s faith relies on the faithfulness and power of God. “God will surely bring you out.” Do you believe that God has the power to do what He says He will do? 

The Peace of God

• Faith that remembers the promises of God and relies on the faithfulness and power of God results in the peace of God and a life free from the fear of death.
• “And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Genesis‬ 50‬:24‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
• His recognition that he’s dying, willingness to accept it, not trying to avoid it displays a peace.
• But also verse 25, “Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 
• Why did Joseph care about his bones? Why make them swear to take his bones with them?
• You see, Joseph knew that when he died and they put his bones in a coffin, that God was not finished with those bones. 
• “By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.” Hebrews‬ 11‬:22‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
• We don’t know how much Joseph knew but we do know that he was looking forward to the promised land and looking forward to Jesus; that’s why he is listed here in Hebrews 11 this way.
• The only explanation for Joseph’s mentioning the exodus and giving direction concerning his bones being connected with faith is that he was looking forward to the eternal promised land, that he was looking forward to eternal life, looking forward to a resurrection when those bones will come out of the grave and receive a new body in the eternal promised land.
• And you’re going to die, if Jesus doesn’t return. And our bodies are going to turn to dust and our bones will be about the only thing left. 
• But listen to what the Word of God says, listen to the promise of God Almighty:
•  “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” John‬ 5‬:28‬-29‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
• Everybody here is going to be raised from the dead; everybody. 
• “having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.” Acts‬ 24‬:15‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
• Don’t get the idea that just Christians are going to be raised from the dead. 
• Everybody’s going to be raised, the saved and the lost. 
• There is coming a resurrection! This is not fantasy! This is not make believe! 
• Jesus said it would happen! 
• You are going to rise from the dead, either to be swept into the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ, or to meet in the judgment a God that you do not know. 
• But there’s a resurrection coming. And I wonder, are you ready for that resurrection?
• Listen to this promise from the Word of God:
• “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John‬ 11‬:25‬-26‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
• Jesus said whoever believes in Me, whoever puts their faith in Me, whoever trusts Me…whoever believes that Jesus was the Son of God, went to the cross and God the Father punished Him for your sin, that Jesus died and on the third day rose from the grave, triumphing over death; whoever believes shall never die.