I'll stay and not have dinner,
because everybody's going to be eating on Friday and Saturday like pigs. So ain't
no use to do any more damage than we need to. Other than that,
I can't think of any announcements, except to remember those who
requested prayer. Melvin's doing some better today. Continue to
remember Perry Schell. Add to your list Jesse and Buford
Smith. Both of them have COVID. And also Sam's cousin, John Grabowski,
who has COVID. Remember them in your prayers.
Let's begin our worship service tonight with hymn number 236,
Amazing Grace. ? Amazing grace, how sweet the
sound ? That saved a wretch like me My watch was lost, but now
am found. Was blind, but now I see. T'was grace that taught my heart
to fear, and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed Through many dangers, toils, and snares have already come. His grace has brought me safe
thus far, and grace will lead me home. When we Bright shining as the sun, we've
no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun. Hymn number 227, The Cleansing
Wave. Oh, now I see the cleansing wave,
the fountain deep and wide. Jesus, my Lord, mighty to save,
points to his wounded side. The cleansing stream I see, I
see, I plunge. Oh, it cleanseth me. Oh, praise the Lord. It cleanseth
me. It cleanseth me. It cleanseth me. I rise to walk in His own light
above the world. ? With heart made pure and garments
white ? ? And Christ enthroned within ? ? The cleansing stream
I see, I see ? ? I plunge in, oh, it cleanseth me ? ? Oh, praise
the Lord, it cleanseth me ? ? It cleanseth me, it cleanseth me
? To feel the blood applied. And Jesus only, Jesus no, I Jesus
Christ. I see, I see, I plunge at all. It clincheth me. Oh, praise the
Lord. It clincheth me. It clincheth
me. Yes, clincheth me. Remember that family in your
prayers, the Stamper family. She died of cancer, did you say? Genesis chapter 49. We're going
to read one verse of scripture tonight. The beginning of the
description that Jacob gives of Joseph is pretty extensive,
so we're going to look at one scripture tonight. Verse 22. Joseph is a fruitful bough, even
a fruitful bough by a well whose branches run over the wall. Let
us pray. Our Father, we come in the blessed
name and perfect righteousness through the shed blood and perfect
death of our Lord Jesus Christ to come boldly before your throne
to seek help in our time of need. We pray, Father, for those of
our company who are sick. We continue to pray for Melvin
Mr. Gromowski and Jesse Buford Smith
and these others who requested prayer, ask Lord to help for
them for Brother Perry. Also for our shut-ins, we ask
your help and strength. For ourselves, Father, we ask
that you'd be pleased to meet with us in the presence of your
Holy Spirit. Take the things of Christ and
reveal them unto us. We thank you for your word. Thank
you for the glory of it, for the wisdom therein, for what
it teaches us and how it comforts us and strengthens us in this
day. Help us, Lord, to worship you tonight as we consider the
greatness of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ as represented
in so many ways by Joseph, the son of Jacob. Help us, Lord,
we pray in Christ's name. Amen. Now, the description that Jacob
gives of Joseph, his beloved son, is extensive. It covers six verses and illustrates
the truth expressed in the words, Joseph is a fruitful bower. Now Joseph is a prolific type
of the Lord Jesus Christ. We've already seen that throughout
the Old Testament. Joseph is also a picture and
type of the sinner saved by grace, the elect of God, especially
as his life pictures the tribulations and the trials that attend faith
And though the language employed in the description here is horticultural,
he's called a fruitful bough, the actual description is familial.
The description in the original language is that he is the honored
son. That's what is spoken of in the
original language. Metaphorically, Joseph is a fruitful
bough, but the words employed designate him as the honored
son, and that's important. And the branches that go over
the wall, though the word here is branches, the original word
is daughters or children. Both descriptions apply as a
fruitful bough and as the honored son. But first, the designation
as the honored son, Joseph's history certainly applies there.
He was the firstborn of Jacob's true love, Rachel, whom he worked
12 years to have. He was beloved above all His
brethren, and that is the language of Scripture. That is by Holy
Spirit inspiration in chapter 37, when we first meet Joseph. In chapter 37, in verse 3, it says, Now Israel, that is
Jacob, loved Joseph more than all his children, more than all
his children, because he was the son of his old age, and he
made him a coat. of many colors. So he was a son
that was exalted. He was honored by his father. You remember his dreams were
He pictured the Lord Jesus Christ, he said to his brethren, you're
going to bow down before me in the dreams about the she's. And
then he actually had another dream where his mom and his daddy
was going to bow down for him. And that upset Jacob a little
bit, but nonetheless, that's the language because we know
that to Jesus, all God's children will gather and they will bow
to him. and give him honor and give him glory. He was honored
at Potiphar's house. He was made kind of the head
of Potiphar's house. It was said of Potiphar that
he didn't even think about anything that went on in his business
because Joseph was the head of his household basically until
Potiphar's wife got to wanting him real bad and chasing him
around the house. She grabbed him and said, you're going to
lie with me. And he said, no, I'm not. And he left his coat in her hands
and left. Then she lied about Joseph and they put him in prison. And he was honored in prison.
In prison, he was so smart and capable that the head of the
prison made him kind of the head of the prison. He was in charge
of all the prisoners. Then he was taken to Pharaoh's
house and he was honored by Pharaoh as second only to the king of
Egypt. This is an honored son. He is honored throughout his
life and he was honored to be the single instrument of salvation
of Israel, of his people, of his family, of his household
when he went to Egypt. And one has only to apply the
Holy Writ to see how Joseph pictures the Lord Jesus Christ. to his Christ, to his son, the
Lord Jesus Christ, several times in the book of scripture, saying,
this is my beloved son. And we know he's the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth. But he said, this
is my beloved son. He said that at his baptism.
He said that at the Mount of Transfiguration. This is my beloved
son. Now, we are all his sons. by
adoption and by new birth. We are his children, but he has
one beloved son, whom he's making all of his other children to
be like, predestinating them to be conformed to the image
of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. But Jesus Christ is the beloved
son of God. God the Father referred to Christ
as the Beloved Son, and He is called the Son at the right hand.
Now, He says the right hand is the hand of salvation throughout
the Old Testament. The Lord raised His right arm
and His right hand to save men. when men are told to let go of
desires that they believe that they might have something to
do with their salvation. Our Lord uses the example, He says,
if your right hand causes you to offend, cut it off. We know
the right hand has to do with salvation. The Lord has said,
summarily stop that. Quit that right away if you think
that you have anything to do with your salvation. God the
Father referred to Him on His right hand. We know after He
finished the work of salvation, He is seated at the right hand
of the Majesty on high. And the Father honors the Son. He honors the Son and makes sure
that His people honor Him too. It is the heart of every child
of God to honor the Lord Jesus Christ. Now the Lord makes that
a very important thing over in John chapter 5. John chapter
5. In verse 23 our Lord says that
all men should honor the Son, that all men should honor the
Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son
honoreth not the Father which is hidden. If you want to honor
God, there is only one way you can honor God, and that is to
honor the Lord Jesus Christ who is God and who is the Son of
God. It's the only way it can be done.
He's the Son of Honor, the Honorable or the Honored Son. And the greatest
honor was the honor He received from His Father for the substitutionary
sacrifice that saved all His people, His household, from their
sins. In Isaiah chapter 53, we'll look
at a few verses, how God is said to have honored Him. In Isaiah 53, you probably know
this by heart, but we're going to say it anyway. This is one
of those passages that everybody who knows the gospel knows pretty
well. In Isaiah 53 and verse 10 it
says, Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. That word pleased
means satisfied, propitiated. Propitiated the Lord to bruise
Jesus Christ. He hath put him to grief. When
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days, and
the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall
see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied. By his
knowledge, or his skill, shall my righteous servant justify
many, because he'll bear their iniquities. Therefore will I
divide him a portion with the great. He shall divide the spoil
with the strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death.
He was numbered with the transgressors. He bared the sins of many. and
made intercession for the transgressors. He's an honored son. This is
how Peter spoke to him at Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. In Acts chapter 2. If you want
to know what Pentecost means, forget about this Pentecostal
message going around and read what Peter said at Pentecost.
You'll find out what the Pentecostal message is. In Acts chapter 2
verse 34 it says this, For David is not ascended to heaven, but
he has said himself, the Lord said to my Lord, this is what
David said in Psalm 110, sit thou on my right hand until I
make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of
Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus whom
you crucified, both Lord and Christ. And if you look over
at chapter four of the same book, verse eleven says, this is the
stone which was said at nought of you builders, which is become
the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in
any other, for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must, M-U-S-T, we must be saying he's the honored
son and we know in Philippians chapter 2 when it says chief
christ was obedient even unto the death of the cross wherefore
god has highly exalted him and given him a name that is above
every name that at the name of jesus every knee should bow and
every tongue confess that he's lord to the glory of the father
he's the honored son so joseph is a picture of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Secondly, the term of fruitful
bow most likely refers to the fact that though he was a son,
he was also a father of two of the tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. These tribes played important
prominent roles throughout the remainder of scripture, both
good and evil, and in the history of Israel. Now Christ is the
fruitful bow. He's the fruitful bow. He is
the everlasting father of many out of every nation, tongue,
tribe, and people. The fruit of the bough is said
to be innumerable of Christ as the bough, more than the sands
of the seashore and the stars of the skies. His fruitfulness
is seen and displayed in that Christ saved all his people.
Christ is not a failure. I know he's made out to be by
religion in this day, that he tried his best, he wants to do
this and wants to do that, and he's tried to do this and tried
to do that. None of that, that's not the language of written scripture.
Scripture doesn't talk about Christ that way. in no way, shape,
or form that he tried to do something, that he wants to do something.
It talks about what he did, what he's done, and he actually and
truly saved his people from their sins. And that is his fruitfulness.
It's seen and displayed in the fact that he saved all whom he
came to save. All who came to save. Not one
for whom he died. Not one for whom he died will
ever perish. He said that when he talked about
the will of the Father. He said this, All that the Father
giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven,
not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
And this is my Father's will which is sent me, that of all
he has given me I should lose nothing. How many is he going
to lose? He's going to lose any. I should
lose nothing but raise him up again in the last day. This is
the promise of his name. This is why they named him what
we named him. This coming week, a lot of people are going to
celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, most of them
don't know who he is, but they're going to talk about it anyway,
and I'm glad his name is being mentioned. I don't have any problem
with that, and I don't have any problem with the Christmas holidays.
I used to, when I first thought I knew something about scriptures,
I used to fight about Christmas trees and silly stuff like that.
I don't bother with that. for the economy, I'm glad that
people spend money and buy presents for each other, I'm glad that
at least once or twice a year people get together, at least
they act like they like each other for a few hours, and you
know that's good, that's fine with me. But his name means something. His name means something. Now
people will say today, Jesus is the reason for the season.
That's not what his name means. His name is Joshua, Jesus, Savior. The angel said, Call His name
Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. That's why you're calling that.
That's why you're calling that, Matthew 1.21. Now this fruitful
bough is said to here, back in our text, to be by a well. It
says, Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well. What does that mean? That means
this bough, this tree that is planted by the well and near
to a wall, this tree will always have vigor and strength because
there will be plenty of water for it. There will always be
plenty of water to maintain its fruit and bring forth its fruit.
It will have vigor and health. It is said of the Lord concerning
His mission on earth that He shall not fail. He will be productive. He will produce. Remember the
pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. That's what it said
in Isaiah 52 and verse 13. I think it says in prospering
He shall prosper. He prosper prosperously. He shall
not fail. He is vigorous and alive and
well and He is productive. The same language is used in
describing our Lord and Lord in Psalm 1. I remember many years
ago the first time I heard somebody preach on Psalm 1 all they did
was the whole Psalm was trying to make me feel
bad about what I wasn't doing or what I was doing. As all Psalms are, they are about
the Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 1 says this, Blessed is
the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth
in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth
he meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree planted
by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his
season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth
shall prosper." That speaks of the Lord Jesus. That's that tree.
That's that bough planted by the whale. Now the word used
for whale is of a primitive root. It has many applications and
definitions. But the primary meaning of that word, well, is
the eye or sight. And it suggests a mental and
spiritual acuity and wisdom. Joseph showed this in many occasions
that eventuated in the salvation of his people. He showed great
wisdom and understanding. but christ is said to be the
power and the wisdom of god especially as it relates to salvation remember
first corinthians chapter one when that is quoted the world
by its wisdom cannot know god that's what it says in first
corinthians one twenty one the world by its wisdom cannot know
god but christ those who believe in christ have the wisdom of
god have the wisdom of god because they have christ who is the power
and the wisdom of God. That is that eye, that sight,
that spiritual understanding. You know the eighth chapter of
Proverbs is dedicated to Christ alone as the wisdom of God. He
is the wisdom of God. Read that eighth chapter sometime.
It will be a blessing to your heart. A secondary definition
of the word well is what we think of a well, a spring, or a fountain,
or a fountain. Both of these apply to the Lord
Jesus Christ and His Gospel. He is the water of life. He is
the water of life. In a few verses of Scripture
we can look at Jeremiah. In Jeremiah chapter 17, Christ is described this way.
Jeremiah 17 and verse 13. It says, O LORD, the hope of
Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that
depart from thee shall be written in the earth, because they have
forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. That is who
they have forsaken, the fountain of living waters. Over in Zechariah. In Zechariah chapter 13. Verse 1 says, In that day there
shall be a fountain open in the house of David to the inhabitants
of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. We sing there is
a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins and
sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains. In the last book of the Bible
in the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in Chapter 21 Verse 6 says, He said unto me,
this is Christ speaking, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end. I will give unto him that is
a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He is that fountain. He is that
bough planted by the well. By the well. And it says, whose
branches shall overrun the wall. That refers to the descendants
of Joseph being prolific and spreading outward, and they did. If you read the Prophets, and
the Minor Prophets also a great deal that talks about Ephraim
and Manasseh. You have one hero of the faith
of Manasseh's tribe, Jephthah, who was a great hero of the faith,
who made his daughter a perpetual virgin, who caught Ephraim in
a lie when he said, say Shibboleth, and Ephraim said Sibboleth, you
know, and so thousands of people died because of the wrong, not
putting an H in a word, but that's a fact. That's a fact. Jephthah,
great. He's in Hebrews chapter 11. That great, that great chapter
about those who approach God by faith. those who believed
God. He's a prolific outwarder. Manasseh occupied both sides
of the Jordan. Half of the tribe of Manasseh
stayed outside of the promised land. Half of the tribe of Manasseh
went into the promised land. Some of the daughters of Manasseh,
the five daughters of Jeholaphat, They were the first women to
gain an inheritance in the Bible. They did it in the sense of overcoming
the law of male-only inheritance, and they pictured the Church
of the Living God where there is neither Jew nor Greek, male
nor female, but they're all one in the Lord Jesus Christ. Going
over the wall suggests that the proliferation of Joseph cannot
be hindered or frustrated. The wall did not stop these branches. They grew up and they went over
the wall. They went over the wall. The
idea here is that the Gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ and
Joseph cannot be hindered. The word run over the wall carries
with the idea It actually does. The word run is not a definition
that you can find with this word. It's the word march. March. This picture's an army headed
out to engage the enemy with the single aim of victory as
their intent. They're on the march. That speaks
of the church of the living God. This typifies the church. The
church, most people don't think of the church as anything but
some kind of social organization that helps the public. That's
what they think of the church. The church is a militant organization.
We're on the march. We're sojourning here. We're
armed and we are in full battle array. All of our equipment is
on the front side because we're not going backwards at all, but
we're going forward with the sword of the Lord. This typifies
the church, marching forward in the name of Christ with a
singular aim and intent. That's what we do when we tell
somebody the gospel. That's what we do when we preach
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have a singular weapon.
We have words. I know people don't think much
about words, but words are what God uses to convert His people. It is the preached gospel that
does that. Our weapon is the word, the gospel, that two-edged
sword of truth, and victory is sure. I know in this day and
age, people look around and say, don't look like things are gonna
happen. The church may be in for a real
hard time in the near future in this nation. May just be a
thing, may be a thing. Let me tell you about the church
under great trial. Read your church history. The greatest
revivals that ever occur was when the church was under the
greatest persecution ever. The greatest, all of them, always
happened that way. Our weapon is the word of God.
Victory is sure. Victory is sure. We've read the
end of the book. We know how the story ends. The
Lord fights for us. And even the gates of hell, according
to the word of God, shall not prevail against His church. What does that mean? It doesn't
mean hell is attacking us. Because an army does not carry
its gates with it when it goes. It means we're assaulting hell
every time we preach the gospel. We're going against its gates
and its gates shall not prevail against us. A picture of that
is the Lord said if I'm going to save my people I must come
in as the one who is stronger than the strong man who holds
them and capture him and bind him and take from him his spoils. Christ must overcome and he will
overcome and we see him in that great day described in Revelation
19. I love this description. Verse 11 says, And I saw heaven
opened, behold, a white horse, and he that sat upon it is called
faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire,
and on his head were many crowns. And he had a name written that
no man knew but himself. His clothed vesture dipped in
blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies
which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed
in linen white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a
sharp sword. that with it he should smite
the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. He treadeth
the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God Almighty,
and he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And he says to his little flock
scattered here and there and everywhere, Fear not, little
flock, fear not, for it is the Lord's pleasure to give you the
Kingdom. Joseph is a fruitful bough, a
fruitful bough by a well, his branches run over the wall. Father, bless us to understand
and pray in Christ's name. Amen. All right. Merry Christmas to all of you.