Joseph: The Universal Plot Twist
Genesis 30:22–24 (ESV) Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the LORD add to me another son!”
Today’s Goals:
See your story in proper context
Understand the Universal Plot Twist
Respond so that the Author’s storyline can be realized
Your Story Is Being Written/Recorded
Joseph’s story is one of many stories in the Bible
Every story is being recorded, yours included
Revelation 20:11–15 (ESV) Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
What’s written so far?
How will it turn out?
Is it a good story? Is it guaranteed? Will destiny be fulfilled?
What will it take to be fulfilled - get aligned with the author
Acts 3:15 (ESV) and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
Your Story Has A Larger Context
Personal/circumstantial/context - we live life at this very granular level
Illus: consider the ant, in the grass on a football field - zoom out to the people watching the game in the stands and then to the climber on top of a nearby hill, and then to the passenger in a passing airplane, and then to the astronaut on the moon
Family/circumstantial context
Regional/circumstantial context
Global/circumstantial context
Embedded into your story is the spiritual context for each:
Personal Spiritual Context - Psalm 51:5 (ESV) Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Family Spiritual Context
Deuteronomy 7:13 (ESV) He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you.
Deuteronomy 5:9 (ESV) You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
Regional Spiritual Context
Daniel 10:12–13 (ESV) Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,
Ephesians 6:12 (ESV) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Global Spiritual Context
2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV) In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Luke 11:20–22 (ESV) But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.
A Universal Plot Twist Is Planned For Every Story
The Revelation: Acts 9:1–6 (ESV) But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
The Response: Acts 9:17–20 (ESV) So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
The Universal Impact: 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (ESV) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Joseph’s life fulfilled maximum impact
The plot twist was introduced
He responded
It’s impact was recorded
What about you?
Psalm 139:14–17 (ESV) I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!