All right, if you wish to follow
along, Genesis chapter 50. The last chapter. Genesis chapter 50. I want to read verses 14 through
21. Genesis 50 verse 14. And Joseph returned into Egypt. He and his brethren and all that
went up with him to bury his father after he had buried his
father. And remember, this was a great
procession. Probably one of the largest and
longest funeral processions that ever existed. And even Pharaoh
was involved in it. Isn't that amazing? Even Pharaoh
honored this man in his death. That's amazing. And when Joseph's
brethren saw that their father was dead, now think about this. Remember, don't lose sight of
who they were by nature. Remember what they had wanted
to do to Joseph. They were going to murder him. Think about that. Now, not every
single one. but they were going to murder
him. And when Joseph's brethren saw
that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure
hate us and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did
unto him. How wrong they were. How wrong
they were. But think of this, this is not
the message, but think of this. Aren't you glad that Jesus Christ
ever lives to make intercession to God for us? Kind of an opposite
thing here. I understand their natural reaction,
don't you? I understand that. He's gonna get us now. Daddy's
gone. He's gonna get us now. Oh, how
heinous our unbelief is. I didn't say them out there.
I didn't say all you folks out there. I said, how heinous is
our evil, wicked unbelief. They sent a messenger unto Joseph,
saying, and I don't know whether this really happened or not,
because it's not in the recorded scripture, thy father did command
before he died, saying, is it? So shall ye say unto Joseph,
forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren and
their sin, for they did evil unto thee, and now we pray thee,
forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And
Joseph wept when they spake unto him. I don't know what all emotions
were moving inside of Joseph at this time. Sadness, probably. but also some happiness as well. They've now finally come to confess
their guilt. Now you don't have to confess
your sins as the world generally puts it. Come forward, come to
some man-made altar and confess your sins. You don't have to
go to some box and confess your sins to some priest. You don't
have to come forward in some revival meeting and stand up
and tell people what all evil you've done in your life. But
God's people confess their guilt to God. To God. You're not saved by confessing
your guilt. But if God Almighty saves you,
you will confess your guilt. and there's not a thing in this
world that you can do about it to make it better. You understand? They could not change what they
had done to Joseph. There was no do over. No amount of confessing your
guilt before God assuaged your guilt before God. Sin must be
punished. Now you remember what I told
you last week. The judge is my daddy. He is. The judge who sits on
the throne's my daddy. But he doesn't sweep my guilt
back under the rug. He satisfied divine justice in
the person and work of his son. And now he can smile at me and
retain all his holiness and righteousness and say, I forgive you. I forgive
you. And Joseph wept when they spake
unto him. And his brethren also went and
fell down before his face. And they said, behold, we are
thy servants. And that's what happens between
an individual and Jesus Christ when God saves him. This ain't
about making Jesus your personal savior, though he is a personal
savior. but it's about bowing to him
as your Lord. It says that if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth, then what's the first thing? The Lord Jesus Christ. And that God hath raised him
from the dead. And that's not just saying it
with your lips. That's your lips saying it because it's true down
in here to you. The Lord Jesus Christ, whom God
raised from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Even if a person can't confess
it with their mouth, Joe, there's one way that all of God's people,
generally speaking, I know of one exception given in scripture.
He was a man died on a cross. There's one way all of God's
people can confess Jesus Christ as my Lord. That's go into that
water. Be baptized and say, I am going
to obey him. In spite of myself. In spite
of myself. And Joseph said unto them, and
I don't know that I'll be able to read this like it needs to
be read. Fear not, isn't that a good phrase for them to hear
from Joseph? Fear not, they had reason to
fear. Practically speaking, simply
from the human standpoint, simply by human law, but even the law
of God written in the conscience of men and testified to us in
this book. A man who sheds man's blood,
that man's blood will be shed. Now, while they had not shed
his blood, they were going to. Only God's sovereign purpose spared
them from it. And Joseph said unto them, fear
not. For I am in the place of God. Now, I know I'm not The emphasis
here he's saying is that God Almighty has brought me to this
place for this specific purpose. That's the whole point there.
My emphasis on I'm certain is not correct. He's not, though
it is a question form. He's saying, fellas, you don't
have to question this. Look, look at everything. You know, Now, look at this. But as for you, 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. Now therefore fear ye not, I
will nourish you, do you see it? And your little ones, and
he comforted them and spake kindly unto them. For this morning I
want to concentrate on just one part. One part, one phrase that
Joseph gave them here. But as for you, But as for you,
notice the actual wording. Now they talked about what they
did to him. Joseph now don't even talk about what they did,
but just what you thought. He's not rubbing it in. You see
what I'm saying? But notice how he says it. Let
me give you this. How often we misquote scripture. I've often quoted this, you meant
it for evil, God meant it for good. That's not what it says. Joseph said it like he said it
for a particular reason. He's saying God Almighty's in
this thing. You understand that? This all
has to do with God Almighty, not you. God Almighty is in sovereign
control of this thing, not me and not you. But as for you,
ye thought evil against me, but God meant it. unto good. That's my subject and my title.
God meant it unto good. First, two quick, simple observations. They thought God meant. They thought God meant. And it's
God meant. God didn't turn it for good.
Not here is it even that God manipulated it for good, although
God does turn and manipulate things and men and people and
circumstance, does he not? You can't read this book and
not see that God does that unless you just really don't care about
this book. But as for you, ye thought it
evil against me, but God meant it unto good. When I looked up
that word meant, surprised me somewhat, but not really. It
means to plait. To weave. But in a more tightly
wound thing than just plaiting some hair, or maybe weaving a
piece of cloth, it means to, here's one of the base meanings
of this old Hebrew word, to interpenetrate. That's not just this. I mean,
it's this. You thought evil against me.
God meant it for good. Folks, when we talk about the
absolute sovereign of the universe, creator God, we are talking about
Jesus Christ. That's the only God we'll ever
see. You understand that? That's the only God, we're in
glory. He's still gonna be the light and the lamb. And we're
gonna be worshiping him. But when we talk about this absolute
sovereign God, we are so intertwined with this world out there and
in here too, that we become a little gun shy. Because God haters,
people who don't fear God will start coming back, well, you
make God a monster. I mentioned this to you before,
Henry Mahan said, I'm tired of trying to fight that. He said,
I'm gonna tell you, get ready to meet a monster. Let's quit shooting the gun in
our holster. Pull it out, and I'm not talking
literally, I'm being metaphorical. Pull the truth of God out and
fire the truth of God's gun and let the chips fall where they
may. God help me to do that. I don't
all too often. The shot goes off, people start
screaming, what did you do that for? Why'd you say it like that?
Because God's book says it just like that. Jacob is saying, boys,
God did this. God meant this. It's his purpose,
even your evil. Is that not what he says here?
That's what he says here. And then they say, you're giving
men excuse to sin. They don't need excuse to sin. I could write you out a license
and laminate it and give it to you. You're still not gonna commit
more sin. We are sin. The plowing of the
wicked is sin, even if he's doing it to feed his little babies.
Do you hear what I'm saying to you? even if he's doing an admirable
thing to feed his little babies and his wife. The plowing of
the wicked is what? Sin. Even our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags in God's sight. And then we get upset when people
say, you make God the author of sin. Our besties are sin. And don't you think God moves
upon men to be kind to one another at times and deal decently with
one another at times? Yes, sir, but God says even that's
seeing. So let's quit being gun-shy about
God's truth. You see, the problem is men have
in their minds what seeing is. And this over here, it's not
really seeing. God must honor that. God honors perfection only. absolute holiness only. God honors
absolute justice only. God does not want our best shot.
He demands perfection. They thought it for evil, God
meant it. You see it? I'm not gonna draw
back from that. God meant it for good. Here's
the second thing. They thought evil against, God meant it for. good. Joseph is saying that even their
evil acts under the sovereign wise purpose of God was good. Do you hear what I'm saying?
No. Do you hear what Joseph was saying? And I'm just repeating what he's
saying. Well that makes it okay. Shall the clay say to the potter? How can you yet find fault now
since all I'm doing's your will? Nay, but old man, who art thou
that replies against God? Paul doesn't use philosophy.
He doesn't use religious argument. He doesn't even go to the scripture
per se and try to say, well, we see how this fits and how
that. He said, who are you that replies against God? Shall the
thing form say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus?
God does as he pleases with this human race. The scripture describes us sometimes
as ants. You ever went over to see one
crawl along and just stuck out the finger, just squished him
into oblivion? Huh? Now maybe not everybody, I don't
know how many I've squished, Joe, I never give it a second
thought. Somebody says, that's not God. That is God. That is
God! The God of Abraham and of Isaac
and of Jacob, full of mercy and compassion, plenteous, Joe, in
redemption, but he's also a just God. a holy God and a righteous
God. Oh, thank God for his wise, merciful,
gracious, interpenetrating of his sovereign purpose in spite
of you and in spite of me. In spite of you and in spite
of me. But even in light of our utter failures. Hmm? Folks, if our existence in this
world and our spiritual equilibrium depended upon who we are and
what we do, we'd be constantly spiritually miserable. The only
thing that gives this sinner any peace to close his eyes at
night is Jesus Christ and him crucified for sinners. That's just all there is to it. Even in our thoughts, Because
you remember what our Lord said? Out of the heart comes evil,
and the first thing he mentioned is not some overt deed. But what? Evil thoughts. Because it all
begins with a thought. Usually it looks more like thoughtlessness,
but it still is thought nonetheless. Because we do choose. We got
a will. We're born with a will and we
make choices. The problem is we destroy the
truth of God every time we make a natural choice. Thank God for his absolute sovereignty. Most people that profess to be
believers are nothing more than the proverbial scared person
whistling in the dark through the graveyard. That's all they're
doing. by his grace, I believe God. God help my unbelief, but I believe
God. You see, our God, that is the
God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, he determined and is carrying
out his determination in all thoughts and actions. I am saying, In unequivocal terms,
God predestinated everything that comes to pass in this world
before this world was ever created. Good or evil. Wicked or righteous. Godly or ungodly. I'm saying
he predetermined it. And you know this passage. I'm
not gonna try to give excuse for my God. Ecclesiastes, in
just this one song, somebody might have to help me find, oh,
there it is. Ecclesiastes 3, verse 14, that's it. Ecclesiastes
3, verse 14, and leading up to it, Solomon, one of the wisest
men, apart from Jesus Christ, probably the wisest man that
ever walked the face of this earth, other than Adam before
he fell, And here's Solomon, he says there's a time to everything
and a purpose. And he names off everything pretty
much. And then he says these words,
I know, I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever. Nothing can be put to it, nor
anything taken from it, and God doeth it that men should fear
before him. That is, he controls everything,
but it's more than even that. You understand? And that's why
people are so flippant about God today. Because the message
of who God really is, is not preached. They present God as
some really loving old grandpa up in heaven that just wants
the best for everybody but just can't seem to get it done because
they won't let him. That is not the God that is declared
in this book. It is an idol. Men are worshiping
idols and they don't even have to cut out a piece of rock or
wood to do it. They form that God in their own mind and they
worship him rather than the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You see, nothing is outside of
God's absolute determination. Good or evil. You see, if God
don't control everything, God really don't control anything. That's just the way it is. You
see, God is either absolutely sovereign, he's not sovereign
at all, because that's the very meaning of the word sovereign.
I mean, there are people out there, some of them, it may still
be big in the Southern Baptists. And there were some men, I'm
not criticizing just because you're a Southern Baptist, but
I'm telling you there were some men who were Southern Baptists and they
were preaching we believe God is mostly sovereign. There is
no such thing as mostly sovereign. That's asinine talk. It is lying
to men and women. Sovereign means you're in control. What you say goes. And you've
got the power to back it up. The power to back it up. Nothing
is outside of God's absolute determination. Two areas here. Number one, even evil thoughts
and acts. Look at Joseph's brothers. And
I mean, it's clearly stated here. We'll go back through that. But
do you remember a man named Elimelech? Lived in the time of the judges.
His name is mentioned in the book of Ruth. He was very prominent
when the book starts out. He died right as the book starts
out. You know why he died? Because
God Almighty sent famine to Bethlehem, to the whole area. Bethlehem,
that's where Elimelech lived. And he owns the property, evidently
enough to sell out and move out. You know what that was, don't
you? I'm gonna take care of me and mine, I'm not worried about
the rest of y'all. and he sold out his property. You can go
back and read the book of Ruth, you'll find this out, because
he had to have a kinsman redeemer for his wife to get all this
back. This man lived in pride and self-will,
and he sold everything he had and moved down into Moab, and
took his two boys and his wife with him, and him and his two
boys died in Moab. And God left his wife, who had
nothing to do with it, Empty. Bitter. She said when she went
back to Bethlehem, is this Naomi? Pleasant? No, don't call me that.
Call me Mara. Bitter. Why? Because God has
dealt bitterly with me. But didn't gripe about it a bit. Now folks, that's faith. Is it
not? That's faith. But I'll tell you
this folks, Thank God. Thank God, not the man and not
the deed itself, but thank God for that man and his deeds. You know why? There was a Moabitess
woman down there in Moab worshiping idols that would have never known
God had that wicked man not sold out and moved out and moved to
Moab. And her name was Ruth. And you and I had better thank
God because guess who Ruth was? She's in the very lineage of
our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Paul said it in Romans, but,
no, Romans six, but God bethanked. So you shouldn't say it like
that, preacher. Gives people the wrong idea. Listen to what
Paul says. But God bethanked that you were
the servants of sin. But God did something for you.
Now he didn't say, but God bethinked that God did something for you
because you were the servants of sin. That's not what he said.
Why? Because all things work together
for good to them that love God, to them that are called according
to his purpose. Everybody else, it just adds
to their condemnation. It just adds to their condemnation.
Think about this. The Jews fall. Is that a glorious,
happy thing that the Jews as a nation fail? And they fail!
Is that a good thing? Paul says it is. Through their
fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now is he glorifying
their fall? Is he excusing their fall? Oh
no. And they fail because of unbelief. Do you hear me? If it was Mason,
I'd have never known the Christ of God had they not fallen. If
that wasn't God's sovereignty, if it was all about Israel, David
Wright, this Gentile, would have been left out there in utter
darkness. And rightfully so. Oh, thank God. Thank God he's
bigger than we are. Isn't that good? Thank God he's
bigger than we are. Think about this, Christ, Jesus,
torture. You understand, they tortured
him. And were it not that he had his own life in his own hands,
they would have tortured him to death. And they were coming
to break his legs. And this is not even talking
about what God the Father did to him. We're just talking about
what evil wicked men did to him. Tortured him. And then they were
coming to break his legs so the life would suck out of him. But
he'd already given up the ghost. And if you go back and read it
sometime, I'm not gonna tell you. Go back and read what the
apostles said about this in Acts chapter four, specifically verses
23 through 29. They said the Jews got together,
the Gentiles got together, they hated one another. Pontius Pilate
and Herod got together and all this mess, them two hated one
another. Pontius Pilate didn't really care about the Roman people.
He liked the power. So the same thing with Herod.
Here was all these enemies and they joined together against
what? God's holy child, Jesus. For to do whatsoever thy hand
determined before to be done. God saved me by that. God saved my soul. Don't you think, God? I don't know whether it's right
to say it this way or not, but I think I really just deep inside,
I think it is. Jesus Christ was hurt more than
any individual ever was hurt, even physically. I mean, you
could chop a man's head off. That's a whole lot more merciful
than what they did to him. And chopping a man's head off,
I can only imagine the fear when you're laying there and they
got your hands tied and you get that bottom blade right under
or whatever it is, piece of wood here and you know that thing's
coming down. But God used it to save our souls. And yet, Peter said, ye crucified
and slew him. Didn't he? You're guilty! But
God meant it unto good. And bless God, good shall come
from it. You think God did that to his
son? Do you think God suffered evil
men to do that to his son, and there's not gonna be some sure
results? You don't know who God is. You've been lied to all of
your, I'll give you, Christian life. Now somebody's coming along,
maybe just telling you the truth. See, even men's evil thoughts
are but God's interpenetrating of his purpose good to his beloved
people. Consider the other side. God
meant it unto good. Christ suffered the evil of man,
but God ordained it for our salvation. Think about that. Christ suffered
the evil of man, and yet he kept his mouth shut and took it Obeying
God in it He didn't even open his mouth The couple times he
did he told pilot he said don't you understand man? I got power
over you. I said you ain't got nothing
on me The only power you've got is what my God gives you Is that
not what Christ said? God's not like that on occasion.
That's God always God don't have sovereign spurts He's sovereign This includes even our everyday
circumstances. If God be for us, who could be against us? And
then he tells us some things through which we will go in which
God is for us. Death, persecution, tribulation,
sufferings, does he not? And he says, not through all
these things, he may bring us through it, he may kill us in
it. In all these things, we are more
than conquerors. Because Joe, it is after all
about the soul. It's not about just this body or even the emotions
that goes along with this brain and what's in here. It's about
God saved my soul. And no matter what happens to
this body, no matter what men may do to this body, God Almighty
gonna give me a better one one day. Are you gonna transform
this one or raise it up and make it like into his own glorious
body? Don't fear what men can do to you, fear God, who can
destroy both body and soul, where? In hell. Now I know sometimes
we preachers like to talk about how it means reverence. It does
mean reverence, oh, but you better be afraid of God, because he
has the power, that means both might and right, to destroy all
you are. in hell forever. No relief ever. Mason, that frightens
me. If I sit around and think about
that a lot, it makes the hair stand on the back of my neck.
But that is God. See the state and conduct of
a God-given faith. I'll turn to 2 Corinthians. I'm gonna move along, 2 Corinthians
chapter four. These are some amazing words,
some words that only faith can utter. You don't have to be inspired
to utter them, you just have to have faith to believe them.
He had to be inspired to write them and they'd be introduced
as God Almighty's absolute holy word. But look at what he says. Let me read 2 Corinthians chapter
four, and we'll begin in verse eight, but don't forget the first
part of the chapter. He's talking about the glory
of the gospel, the message of the glory of God seen in the
face of Jesus Christ. And he says, verse eight, we
are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. Only faith can
get a hold of that. Because, what, what? Wait a minute. We're troubled
on every side but not distressed. Paul, that's a cop out. That
sounds like just a good old talking point. No, this is real. But it's a spiritual thing. It's
not a physical thing. We are troubled on every side,
yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in
despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast down. but not destroyed,
always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,
that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus'
sake. Now folks, that's what a part
of being a Christian is. And if you don't want that, I
tell you, you better just get something else. Because you make
all the professions you want, you're gonna hate every step
of the way. You hear what I'm saying? I'm saying this is real.
Count the cost, Christ said. Is it really worth it? Do you realize there's something
more to you than what you can see and touch and smell and hear?
There's something inside me that I need to be concerned about.
It's my soul and spirit. Now if all you care about's the
corporal, then tear it up, buddy. You better enjoy it all you can.
But remember, a reckoning is coming. But let's go on. For we which live are always
delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus
may be made manifest in our mortal flesh. This fallen creature,
that's all you see, is encouraged by the gospel of Christ. Every
day, God reminds me of it, Mason Hilley. It encourages me, just
keep on going. and I fall flat on my face and
I sin against God. And faith says just keep on going.
Let me tell you, people will set you up. I don't care how
much they care about you. They'll set you up and they'll
put you in predicaments that you can't change and then they'll
point your finger at you. Oh yeah, yeah. I don't care if it's your boss
at work. I don't care if it's maybe a spouse. or a boyfriend
or a girlfriend, whether it's a family member, they'll put
you in a predicament that you cannot alter or change, and they'll
sit and criticize you about it. But that's all right. Criticize
away. I may not can change my state
in this world, but bless God he saved my soul. See the undeath worketh in us?
but life in you. We having the same spirit of
faith. It's gonna take a God-given faith
to be able to see that right there. We have the same spirit
of faith according as it is written, I believed and therefore have
I spoken. Not I could prove it. Not it
was all, I could be out here in tangible things and prove
it to you. That ain't what it's about. I have believed and therefore
have I spoken. We also believe and therefore
speak. Knowing that he which raised
up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus and present
us with you. For all things are for your sakes.
All things? Yes, all things. God means it for good. Don't
try to figure it out, just believe God. For all things are for your
sakes that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving
of many redound for what? The glory of God. That's what
all this is about. In the end, we're gonna look
back and say, boy, how little I knew. How little I understood. How little I believed God. And
yet what belief he gave me was glorious. And look, for which
cause we faint not, and that's the only way you don't just pass
and give up. If I didn't know God Almighty was in absolute
control now, I'd go stark raving mad. Just dealing with myself. Not
even having to worry about you. I'd go stark raving mad. What
about you? Look, for the which cause we
faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man
is renewed day by day. And then here, it's gonna take
faith to say this, for our light affliction. And I have not suffered
anything like Paul the Apostle suffered. We live in a country,
at least right now, we got pretty much liberty to worship God as
we see fit. and no man forbidding us, you know what I'm saying?
Mason, I don't know a whole lot about what, but here's Paul,
he said, for our light affliction. And when we start to grumble
and bellyache and complain, think about that. Look, for our light
affliction, which is but for a moment, it's necessary, why? Worketh for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight. I don't even understand none
of that. Eternal weight, but it's a good weight, because it's
an eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things
which are seen, and that's our problem when we start looking
at what we see. While we look not at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things
which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not
seen, that's God Almighty. Not really behind the scenes,
he's only behind the scenes because we don't get it like we ought
to get it. But God Almighty behind the scenes, and Mac, he's everything
that happens, good or evil, it's for my good. It's for my good. My conclusion is this, my brothers
and sister, it's okay to believe God when you can't do anything
else. Well if I could just change this
one thing in my life, it's sin, if I could just change that,
I know religion says come to Jesus, all of a sudden all your
old evil desires are gone. That's a lie. They are liars. They're the ones that hide their
liquor in the cedar chest rather than putting it right up on the
table and asking if you want a drink when you come to visit. Yeah, they're the ones that sneak
around somewhere and smoke a cigarette. Rather than find a nice cigar
or a cigarette if you want one and lighten it up, say, here,
do you want one too? If not, that's fine too. You know what I'm telling you
is the truth. It's okay to believe God. Folks, there are some things
in this world you cannot change about yourself. Sometimes it's
not even if you could will to do something, you're not the
one in control. Even in a man-to-man, woman-to-woman,
human sense. There are people that are over
you that you can't do nothing about it. And they're gonna do
to you what they want to do to you until God Almighty, no? Because
God Almighty is in this thing. It's okay to believe God. This
is what God says, and we'll sing this last song. Isaiah 66, verse
one. Thus saith the Lord, the heaven
is my throne and the earth is my, what? Footstool. Where is the house that ye build
unto me? And where is the place of my
rest? He does have a house, they're called his people. And he does
have a rest, it's called Jesus Christ Shiloh. But look, for
all those things hath my hand made, and all those things have
been, saith the Lord, but to this man will I look. This ain't
about works, but this is God telling you. Here's the man I'm
gonna look to, the woman I'm gonna look to, the young boy
or the young girl, the old man, the old woman. Here's the one
I'll look to, look what it says. Even to him that is poor and
of contrite spirit. But it's not just that, and trembleth. and trembleth at my word. There's a lot of this word I'd
love to do. I'd like to be like Joseph. More in my life. But I tell you
what, I do tremble at God's word. You see, his word, as far as
things in this world, his word means more to me than anything
else. That's right, it does. It means more to me than anything
else in this world. He said he exalted his word above his own
name. And even him who is the word, when he came, he could
have spoke new, great, astounding things. Could he not? He could
have enlightened humanity of all kinds of things. He kept
saying it. It is written. It is written. It is written. So bless God, we better take
some care about what's written, have we not? Have we not? All right, let's stand and sing
number two.