The Forgotten Promise? (2)

A Sermon Series on the Life of Joseph

Gen 40:14-23

Remember me (40:14-15)

¹⁴ But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. ¹⁵ For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon."

For the first time we see that the narrator reveals Joseph’s inner thoughts. He reveals how Joseph felt being in the “dungeon”. How he was carried off from his home and brought to Egypt by force. “Show me some kindness”. The word used here is hessed, which is the same word as used in describing how God loves His creation, His people. This is a loyal love to His people, even when they do not deserve it. God expresses that loyal love towards His creation (like agape in NT). Joseph is pleading to this man to show him kindness (hessed) and asking him not to forget him when he is released from the prison.

The fulfillment of the dreams (40:20-22)

It happened exactly like Joseph predicted it. One was exalted and the other was hanged.

The forgotten promise (40:23)

23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

How could he forget Joseph?

We humans are not good in remembering our promises. Even when we are meaning well, we have the habit of forgetting things.

Do you know that keeping a promise is a virtue?

Conclusion

-The Forgotten promise is not forgotten by God

In chapter 41 we see that after 2 years the butler finally remembers that there was a man called Joseph in the prison.

Two years in the prison. Think about it. I remember my brother Sako had an auto accident in Syria a long time ago. I was with him in the car. They took us to jail, (that is the law in Syria). Being a minor, I was soon released, but my brother who was the driver stayed in jail for a week. When my father visited him in jail, my brother begged him to do anything to take him out of that place.

Two years in jail living with the hope that this man would one day remember him…

A forgotten promise, yet you know God did not forget Joseph. In fact, God has His own time to do things.

When Jesus was buried in the tomb, the disciples and the people thought this is the end. But God did not forget His promise. Jesus was raised from the death.

God did not forget Joseph, absolutely. God had plans. He had plans to preserve the seeds of this family. He had made a covenant with His people, that one day the Messiah would come from this family. Those plans required that Joseph stayed in prison, even for two years, so one day he would be exalted in Pharaoh’s palace.(41:9-14)

-I read about Southwest Airlines. Did you know how tough it was for this airline to start? Colleen Barrett, a secretary of a lawyer became the president of the airline. She says that they learned by going through difficult times. When they started three other airlines sued them. That made them struggle and helped them learn how to be an airline. The lawsuit provided Southwest with “free” advertisement on the first pages of all newspapers and magazines. It was the top hot news those days.

After three years of struggle, nowadays this airline is great one. I use it often when I go to LA.

Let us go back to our story. God is the main actor of this story, do not forget. He has a master plan. We need to learn to trust Him. We need to learn that God is greater than the circumstances we live in.

Let me give you another example from prison life:

God allowed Peter, Paul and the other disciples to be in prison, closing the prison doors, so one day new doors would be opened in their lives. Because of the prison experience, new doors opened in palaces, and public places to speak boldly about Christ.

Even Stephen’s speech in Acts 7 includes a message from Joseph’s life: ⁹"Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him ¹⁰and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.

Prison doors closed so that palace doors would be opened for Joseph.

The prophets of Israel faced similar situations where they did not understand everything but they trusted that God would reveal to them day-by-day.

“Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing
       without revealing his plan
       to his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7)

-Joseph learned to wait for the Lord

Joseph was in slavery for 13 years including the two years of prison. He learned to wait for the Lord.

Also he did not sit down, relax and sleep all these years. He was a doer. Everyplace he went he took charge of the situation. He became the chief executive of Potiphar’s house. He became the chief of the prison. He was a doer.

I heard from a preacher this interesting line. “Church is not cruise-ship, church is battleship.”

In the cruise ship, people come and relax and others serve them.

In the battleship, everyone has an assignment. No one in a battleship complains about the chairs, the room temperature, or the food…etc. They are in battle. They have learned to listen and obey the commander in chief.

We need to learn from Joseph that things can be tough, yet waiting for the Lord is the answer. This does not mean that we do nothing; this means we ask God to give us guidance how to be His servants daily in our lives.

Joseph did his best while waiting. In Eccles 9:10 we read the following:

¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.

Did you hear that: Do it with all your might.

Let me finish with these words from the bible:

“But those who hope in the LORD
       will renew their strength.
       They will soar on wings like eagles;
       they will run and not grow weary,
       they will walk and not be faint.(Isaiah 40:31)

Amen