Out Of Evil Comes Good
(Message delivered by Pastor at the True Life Church 10.30 am Service, Oct 3, 04)
Text: Gen. 50:15-21
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” (Gen. 50:20)
Joseph’s brothers hated him and sold him down to Egypt. But God was with him so he prospered in Potiphar’s house. When Potiphar’s wife solicited sex from Joseph but he refused because he feared God, Potiphar’s wife turned upon him and he was thrown into prison. In prison Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s two servants, the Butler and the Baker. The Butler dreamed of a vine with three branches and how it brought forth ripe grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in his hand and he pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup. The three branches are three days. In three days Pharaoh would restore the Butler. But the Butler clean forgot to say a word to Pharaoh for Joseph. Now the Baker dreamt of three white baskets on his head. On the uppermost basket the birds ate up all the bakemeats for Pharaoh. The interpretation: The three baskets are three days after which Pharaoh would execute the Baker.
After two years Pharaoh dreamt of seven fat cows and there came out of the river seven thin cows which ate up the seven fat cows. Pharaoh dreamt the second time and there were seven fat ears of corn. Then came up seven thin ears and ate up the fat ears. Joseph interpreted the two dreams are one. There would come seven years of great plenty to be followed by seven years of famine. Joseph rose to Prime Minister of Egypt.
During the famine years Joseph’s brothers came from Canaan to Egypt to buy corn and Joseph revealed himself to them. He forgave them for their hatred against him in selling him down to Egypt.
For one year Life Church has cast True Life Church out over the question whether the Bible has mistakes as asserted by my two Assistant Pastors. I as Pastor declared we have a Bible 100% perfect without any mistake.
Now the Life Church Session has admitted the Bible has no mistakes in a half hearted confession, still lacking the Assistant Pastors’ word of apology.
In this separation of our now becoming a True Life Church, God has a higher plan. We are blessed with many new believers.
And we see Christ’s Second Coming is so near that it may be in our lifetime. There was a peace period of only 21 years between 1918 end of WWI and 1939 beginning of WWII. Between 1945 end of WWII and the next war should it erupt which is WWIII it will soon be 60 years. How much longer will this phoney peace last?
Significantly Rev. 9:13-16 says the last war will erupt again from the Euphrates which is Iraq.
Let us hasten with soul saving and let those who should make a clean breast with God also hasten before it is too late.
“Out of evil comes good.”
THE GOSPEL OF LIFE: Chapter VII
To those who imbibe of His Spirit Jesus Christ flows as Rivers of Life
We have noted earlier that it was Jesus’ custom each year to go to the Passover in Jerusalem. But not this year! Between the feeding of the five thousand and the feast of tabernacles, there is a wide gap of silence in John because the details of this period of half-a-year are given in the Synoptic Gospels. The reason why Jesus “walked in Galilee” and not in “Jewry” was that the Jews were seeking to kill Him. As His “time had not yet come” (v. 6) Jesus found it more profitable to make hay while the Galilean sun shone. To court danger unnecessarily is not of the wisdom of God. For staying in Galilee thus, our Lord invited the taunts of his unbelieving kinsfolk.
But our Lord never shrunk from the call of duty. He did leave for Jerusalem as the Feast of Tabernacles drew near. The Feast of Tabernacles, as earlier noted, was one of three great feasts of Israel. It was a feast to commemorate the wilderness sojourn when Israel dwelt in booths (Lev 23:33-44). Though our Lord arrived at the Feast of Tabernacles in the midst of the celebrations, His decision to face the music at the Passover to come in six months was His chief aim. Thus, He travelled to Jerusalem incognito, “not openly, but as it were in secret” (v. 10).
It must be remembered that Jesus at that time had become a national figure by His teachings and miracles and was the subject of daily discussions on everyone’s lips. He did not want to be sidetracked by undue excitement in the populace.
Nevertheless, He fearlessly once again entered the arena of the capital city. His teachings immediately clashed with the traditions of the Jews. This led to another bout of debates with His opponents. But preaching is not dialogue but monologue, a declaration of “Thus saith the Lord” to whomsoever willing to hear. John 7 is best remembered by Christ’s famous statement in vs. 37, 38: “In the last day, that great day of feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Memorise this verse.
John 7:1-5
“And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” (Matt. 10:36)
This is one of Jesus’ famous paradoxical statements. Expanding on this statement, our Lord reiterates, “And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.” What’s the reason? “For my Name’s sake.” The cross of Christ becomes a sword (Matt. 10:34) that divides the closest affections of human relationships, yea, within even one’s own household. Within the same church!
Our Lord did not speak these things from theory, but from personal experience. He was rejected by His townsfolk, the people of Nazareth, when He first started out to preach. Remember how He said earlier: “No prophet is accepted in his own country.” (Lk. 5:24). Now, as He comes to Nazareth again, most probably, He is taunted by His brethren, “for neither did His brethren believe in Him” (John 7:5). There’s a Chinese saying, “Difference in doctrine separates friends”, that elucidates. The prophet Amos says, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3).
Jesus Christ is the light of the world as we will see in the next chapter. As light and darkness do not mix, so He cannot compromise with his brothers who are in darkness.
Reader, are you facing a similar situation in your own home, being misunderstood and persecuted by your parents, husband, wife, brothers, sisters, uncle, aunt? Our Lord who has tasted these sorrows for Truth’s sake is beside you, to comfort and to cheer. Let the Apostle Peter’s words conclude this brief study: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye ….. if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” (I Pet. 4:12- 16).
