Title/ God sent me ahead of you Text/ Genesis 45:1-15 One of the difficulties I had to deal with during my first ministry at the previous placement was that there were a few parishioners who blindly believed in so-called ‘the double predestination.’ They followed the extremely radical idea that God has predestined some to be saved, while others to be destroyed from the beginning of the time. I understand that we can trace the theory of predestination from the Bible, but it is always focused on the grace of God who blesses, loves and cares for His people way before they realise it or even before they exist. The Bible, as far I know, does not talk about the merciless God who already designed a device to destroy particular people. Nonetheless, a small group of the church in Canberra, who had been influenced by the extreme Calvinism, would insist that they were already been chosen to be saved, while others were to be excluded out of the scheme of God’s salvation. What a selfish and stupid idea it is! Do you believe that the destiny of this world and of your own had been already made? Do you follow the stupid idea that there are some people who are predestined to end up in the hell? I hope (and know) none of us at Croxton has such a dangerous idea. Let me say this again. The theory of predestination is all about the grace of God who loves this world, not about the judgmental weapon towards the people of the world. There are 4 verses over 2 biblical passages that contain the word ‘predestine,’ and all of them talk about the divine plan to benefit and bless us in the spiritual meaning. “He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. (Ephesians 1:5)” “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, (Ephesians 1:11)” “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30)” It was John Calvin who theologically developed the theory of predestination in the 16th Century AD, but he was not the original author of the idea. There were a number of people who already made their confessions on the predestined (or prevenient) grace of God before the theological works by this Geneva Reformer. I’d like to include Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob, as one of them. As we’ve heard from the Bible story, the dreamer was sold by his own brothers in their jealousy. In Egypt, he worked hard as a slave, faced a series of unfair problems, and was even put in a jail for many years. There was nothing fancy about his life in Egypt, where he was forced to start off his new life as a poor migrant. Nevertheless, Joseph never cursed or disowned the Lordship of his God. No matter what would happen to him, Joseph kept his faith in Him and believed in goodness, faithfulness and the promise of the Lord. (https://youtube/watch?v=PVWpgmiIbas) After 7 years’ ups and downs, Joseph is now at the seat of the Governor of Egypt, the second highest position next to Pharaoh. With the wisdom of God given through his dreams, Joseph was able to prepare his country well enough against the great famine that would last 7 years. So many people made their visits to Egypt to buy foods from abroad, and Joseph found that his 10 brothers were among them. Hiding his old identity as their brother, while using his new identity as the Egyptian Governor, Joseph gave them a test and let them bring his beloved little brother, Benjamin. Finally, as shown in today’s passage, he made himself known to his brothers who once sold him into Egypt. “I am Joseph. Is my father still living?” he said, “Come close to me. I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!” No doubt, his brothers got nervous and terrified at this, because they might think Joseph now would take revenge on them. But Joseph did not take any action on them. He only made a confession before them on the amazing providence of God along his life journey in the foreign country. In v. 5, Joseph said, “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” Again in vv. 7 & 8, “But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance./ So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.” In other words, Joseph did praise the grace of God that had been provided even before his life in Egypt had began. It was his 10 cruel brothers who sold this innocent dreamer, but this man of God confessed that it was surely God who had sent him there! My friends, could you believe this? Could you forgive your enemies and say that there has been God’s faithful plan ahead of their malicious intervention? Can you really praise the predestined grace that pre-exists ahead of your scheme and action? I hope all of you to believe in the God who works in all things for the good. He never misses the smallest part of our lives, but uses them all for His great master plan. While the people who belong to the world talk ‘luck’ ‘coincidence’ and ‘accident,’ we Christians are the people who to talk ‘God’s grace’ ‘God’s plan’ and ‘the predestination of God.’ God has sent us here to save people around us. God has planted us in order to serve this community. And still God is expecting us to be His sincere servants for His glory, for His Holy name, and for His Kingdom. Just as Joseph did through his life, let your life be a certificate of God’s grace. And let your death be a token of His providence. And let your final words to your beloved ones be this; “God sent me ahead of you!” Wrapping up today’s sermon, I would like to read a passage from the Book of Wisdom, which is one of the seven Deuterocanonical books. “1But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them. 2 In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be a disaster, 3 and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace. 4 For though in the sight of others they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. 5 Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself; 6 like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them. 7 In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, and will run like sparks through the stubble. 8 They will govern nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord will reign over them forever. 9 Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones, and he watches over his elect. (Wisdom 3:1-9, New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition) Amen. (Aug. 17th, 2014 Sunday Worship)
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 04:47:43 +0000
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