1 Year Lectionary – 6th Wednesday in Lent – Wednesday, March 30, 2022 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough
| Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough: |
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:28 | in the name of Jesus |
| 0:30 | amen |
| 0:31 | so now it’s happened what what an |
| 0:34 | amazing story and a lot of things i want |
| 0:36 | to point out here you’ll note that our |
| 0:39 | my sermons for the lenten tide have been |
| 0:41 | more of the meditation on what we’ve |
| 0:43 | been reading in scripture and as i’ve |
| 0:45 | been pointing out the story of joseph |
| 0:48 | wow does it have amazing connections to |
| 0:51 | that of christ but i’m going to point |
| 0:53 | something out here at the very beginning |
| 0:56 | and that is is that joseph suffered |
| 1:00 | terribly |
| 1:01 | the psalms described the torment that he |
| 1:04 | went through the difficulty that he |
| 1:06 | experienced the pain that he physically |
| 1:08 | suffered he had to wear |
| 1:10 | a fetter an iron fetter around his neck |
| 1:13 | and it dug into his skin and he was in |
| 1:15 | prison for 13 years yet not a single |
| 1:20 | hint of revenge upon his brothers for |
| 1:24 | the evil that they had done to him |
| 1:27 | and indeed it was evil they betrayed him |
| 1:30 | every bit as much as judas betrayed |
| 1:33 | jesus it’s really that kind of bad but |
| 1:37 | in him there is only forgiveness only |
| 1:41 | recognizing that god |
| 1:43 | had a hand in all of this and it’s here |
| 1:46 | where he really exemplifies christ |
| 1:49 | consider this these words from first |
| 1:52 | peter chapter 2 verse 22 |
| 1:55 | jesus committed no sin neither was the |
| 1:57 | seat found in his mouth |
| 1:59 | when he was reviled |
| 2:02 | he did not revile in return |
| 2:04 | when he suffered |
| 2:06 | he didn’t threaten |
| 2:08 | but he continued entrusting himself to |
| 2:11 | him who judges justly and he himself |
| 2:14 | bore our sins in his body on the tree so |
| 2:16 | that we might die to sin |
| 2:19 | and live to righteousness and by his |
| 2:21 | wounds we have been healed you see all |
| 2:24 | we like sheep were straying sheep but |
| 2:26 | now we’ve returned to the shepherd and |
| 2:28 | the overseer of our souls and so |
| 2:31 | joseph exemplifies this but here’s kind |
| 2:33 | of a key thought and that is is that in |
| 2:36 | christ |
| 2:38 | suffering has |
| 2:40 | meaning |
| 2:41 | and we are called by scripture |
| 2:45 | explicit commands of the new testament |
| 2:48 | to |
| 2:49 | share in the sufferings of christ these |
| 2:52 | are not meaningless things and you’re |
| 2:54 | going to note that the world that we |
| 2:55 | live in |
| 2:56 | nobody wants to deny themselves anything |
| 3:01 | in fact that is the big sin |
| 3:04 | that well the media and the culture |
| 3:07 | think is is the most unforgivable sin of |
| 3:10 | all if anybody anybody is made to deny |
| 3:14 | themself |
| 3:17 | and you know |
| 3:18 | suffer |
| 3:19 | and you know maybe it’s making a |
| 3:21 | decision because you’ve well |
| 3:24 | you’ve sinned against god and you’ve had |
| 3:26 | committed sexual immorality and you’ve |
| 3:29 | gotten pregnant and instead of murdering |
| 3:32 | your child |
| 3:33 | you decide |
| 3:35 | that you’re going to confess your sin |
| 3:38 | and that you are going to keep your |
| 3:39 | child and give your child a life but |
| 3:41 | understand by doing that you’re making a |
| 3:44 | sacrifice you see and in this life |
| 3:48 | suffering is the thing that nobody wants |
| 3:50 | to do nobody wants to deny themselves |
| 3:52 | you think that you’re you were born a |
| 3:54 | man but you think that you’re a woman |
| 3:55 | you just go right ahead and you start |
| 3:58 | wearing |
| 3:59 | different dresses and stuff |
| 4:01 | you get the idea here and that’s the |
| 4:03 | thing but for us christians we see the |
| 4:06 | suffering of joseph |
| 4:08 | how it parallels and foreshadows the |
| 4:10 | sufferings of christ |
| 4:12 | and we must acknowledge this |
| 4:15 | that in this world there is suffering |
| 4:17 | and this is because of our sin |
| 4:20 | and what we did to jesus jesus has |
| 4:23 | worked for our salvation |
| 4:25 | suffering has |
| 4:27 | meaning |
| 4:28 | it legitimately |
| 4:30 | does and |
| 4:31 | joseph’s suffering didn’t make him |
| 4:34 | bitter |
| 4:36 | didn’t cause him to lack |
| 4:38 | anything in his faith |
| 4:41 | for god and his faith never wavered in |
| 4:45 | fact if anything his suffering seems to |
| 4:47 | have |
| 4:48 | well made his faith even |
| 4:51 | stronger something to consider in the |
| 4:53 | world that we live in but it’s in this |
| 4:55 | capacity then that we consider what’s |
| 4:58 | going on if you remember last week i |
| 5:00 | noted the fact that |
| 5:01 | joseph’s brothers show up |
| 5:04 | they show up in egypt |
| 5:06 | second time and before of course the |
| 5:08 | first time they showed up you know they |
| 5:10 | made the uh |
| 5:11 | fatal mistake of trying to explain to |
| 5:14 | joseph how they were honest men okay |
| 5:17 | of course who was missing benjamin so |
| 5:19 | what does joseph got to do he’s got to |
| 5:21 | figure out whether or not his full |
| 5:22 | brother is still alive did they do to |
| 5:24 | him what they |
| 5:26 | did to him did they do to him what they |
| 5:28 | did yeah you got the how the pronouns |
| 5:30 | work there right |
| 5:34 | and so they bring benjamin back but |
| 5:36 | remember before they go judah steps up |
| 5:40 | and says i will be responsible i will |
| 5:43 | bring him back to you |
| 5:46 | and it’s here where i can’t help but |
| 5:49 | think about the father’s heart the god |
| 5:51 | the father and how what christ did |
| 5:55 | is is so akin to that except for he went |
| 5:58 | to go and rescue |
| 6:00 | the lost children |
| 6:02 | of god you |
| 6:04 | and me |
| 6:05 | and he’s the one who lays down his life |
| 6:07 | and bleeds and dies for our sins so that |
| 6:09 | we can be reconciled and forgiven and |
| 6:12 | returned |
| 6:13 | safely |
| 6:14 | to our heavenly father oh man the themes |
| 6:17 | in this text are just amazing but coming |
| 6:19 | back to judah here judah once they’ve |
| 6:22 | been marched back after they found that |
| 6:25 | cup and benjamin sack a little bit of |
| 6:27 | interesting planting of evidence there i |
| 6:30 | believe that the crime scene was cooked |
| 6:32 | what do you guys think but |
| 6:35 | here |
| 6:36 | judah finally comes clean |
| 6:39 | and he says this |
| 6:40 | god has found out the guilt of your |
| 6:42 | servants |
| 6:44 | yeah think |
| 6:49 | do you think for a second god didn’t |
| 6:50 | know about your guilt you know and |
| 6:53 | here’s the thing god knew about their |
| 6:54 | guilt the entire time and he was already |
| 6:57 | walking them down the path of repentance |
| 7:00 | that’s what this is all about this is |
| 7:03 | not merely about joseph being reconciled |
| 7:06 | to his brothers |
| 7:09 | but also his brothers being reconciled |
| 7:11 | to god and he recognizes his guilt and |
| 7:14 | he confesses his sin |
| 7:16 | if we say we have no sin we deceive |
| 7:18 | ourselves the truth is not in us if we |
| 7:21 | confess our sins god is faithful and |
| 7:23 | just to forgive us our sins |
| 7:26 | cleanse us from all not some not a |
| 7:29 | little bit all of it the whole thing all |
| 7:32 | unrighteousness and so here then he |
| 7:35 | offers |
| 7:36 | himself |
| 7:38 | in place of benjamin of course because |
| 7:39 | benjamin is the one who was caught |
| 7:41 | having the the chalice a chalice |
| 7:45 | huh kind of reminds me of the lord’s |
| 7:47 | supper just saying all these little |
| 7:48 | props in here they’re not throwaway |
| 7:50 | details god knows what he’s doing so |
| 7:53 | judah offers to be a substitute |
| 7:56 | oh wow isn’t that exactly what jesus did |
| 7:59 | for us |
| 8:00 | indeed it is and |
| 8:02 | where judah |
| 8:04 | offered it christ truly |
| 8:07 | did it he fulfilled it by taking on our |
| 8:11 | sin god made him to be sin who knew no |
| 8:15 | sin |
| 8:16 | so that you and i we could be the |
| 8:17 | righteousness of god or as isaiah says |
| 8:21 | oh god has laid on him the iniquity of |
| 8:24 | us all and the chastisement the |
| 8:28 | punishment that brings us peace with god |
| 8:31 | was upon him oh yeah he was pierced for |
| 8:34 | our transgressions |
| 8:36 | he’s bruised for our iniquities yours |
| 8:38 | and mine |
| 8:43 | well |
| 8:44 | as the story goes |
| 8:46 | now comes the big |
| 8:48 | reveal this is kind of fun |
| 8:51 | and i’m going to note here just remember |
| 8:53 | that up until this point |
| 8:57 | joseph has been speaking to his brothers |
| 9:00 | through an interpreter |
| 9:02 | and he hasn’t uttered a word |
| 9:06 | of ibrit hebrew he hasn’t spoken a |
| 9:10 | single word of it and as a result i am |
| 9:13 | convinced that the first two words out |
| 9:16 | of his mouth were in hebrew and from the |
| 9:18 | from the moment he says those two words |
| 9:20 | i think he’s speaking full hebrew to his |
| 9:21 | brothers because he can understand them |
| 9:23 | right |
| 9:24 | and so here’s here’s what it says so |
| 9:27 | joseph could control himself no longer |
| 9:30 | but and so he cried make everyone go out |
| 9:32 | from me no one stayed when joseph made |
| 9:35 | himself known to his brothers and he |
| 9:36 | wept aloud oh man doesn’t this remind |
| 9:39 | you of jesus at lazarus’s tomb it says |
| 9:42 | that jesus wept |
| 9:44 | ah it’s the same thing here so he wept |
| 9:48 | aloud the egyptians heard it the |
| 9:49 | household of pharaoh heard what’s going |
| 9:51 | on in there man |
| 9:53 | and then joseph said to his brothers |
| 9:57 | two words to start off in hebrew |
| 9:59 | ani yosef |
| 10:01 | ani |
| 10:02 | hai yosef i am i am joseph |
| 10:08 | is my father still alive |
| 10:13 | it’s so |
| 10:15 | good |
| 10:17 | his brothers couldn’t answer him they |
| 10:19 | were dismayed at his presence |
| 10:21 | oh |
| 10:22 | no we’re doomed we’re un |
| 10:27 | they have mistaken joseph for somebody |
| 10:30 | else |
| 10:32 | somebody who |
| 10:33 | well |
| 10:34 | thinks the way the world thinks |
| 10:37 | maybe the way the klingons think how did |
| 10:39 | the klingon say revenge is a dish |
| 10:42 | best serve cold right you know i’m |
| 10:44 | showing my nerdiness there |
| 10:47 | but that’s not what joseph is about |
| 10:50 | joseph is not |
| 10:52 | there |
| 10:53 | to reveal himself so that he can say aha |
| 10:56 | and now call in the guards off to prison |
| 10:58 | with you guys but joseph said to his |
| 11:01 | brothers come near to me come please |
| 11:03 | so they came near and he said |
| 11:07 | i am your brother joseph whom you sold |
| 11:09 | into egypt and now do not be distressed |
| 11:12 | or angry with yourselves because you |
| 11:14 | sold me here |
| 11:16 | for god sent me before you to preserve |
| 11:18 | life |
| 11:25 | i think of the words of peter in one of |
| 11:27 | his sermons in the early portion of acts |
| 11:29 | you murdered the author of life right he |
| 11:32 | says |
| 11:33 | but what we did for evil god has worked |
| 11:36 | for good |
| 11:37 | what we did is the ultimate crime in all |
| 11:40 | of humanity the one sinless human being |
| 11:43 | to walk among us |
| 11:45 | and we murdered him |
| 11:46 | he turns his murder into the very thing |
| 11:49 | by which he atones |
| 11:51 | for your sin and for mine do not be |
| 11:55 | alarmed you you sold me here god sent me |
| 11:58 | before you to preserve life it’s like |
| 12:01 | what paul says in philippians he says |
| 12:03 | have this mind among yourselves which is |
| 12:05 | in christ jesus who though he was in the |
| 12:08 | form in the very nature of god he didn’t |
| 12:11 | count equality with god a thing to be |
| 12:13 | grasped instead he emptied himself by |
| 12:15 | taking on the form of a servant being |
| 12:17 | born in the likeness of men being found |
| 12:20 | in human form |
| 12:22 | he humbled himself by becoming obedient |
| 12:24 | to the point of death even death on the |
| 12:26 | cross |
| 12:28 | and god is the one who has exalted |
| 12:30 | christ |
| 12:31 | and so note |
| 12:33 | it is the father who sent jesus |
| 12:35 | and he humbled himself and he suffered |
| 12:38 | terribly if you think about it if karma |
| 12:41 | were true then jesus wouldn’t have |
| 12:43 | even suffered even a little bit i mean |
| 12:45 | he wouldn’t even had a hangnail you know |
| 12:48 | instead he was nailed to the cross |
| 12:51 | and so here |
| 12:53 | just like christ that same |
| 12:55 | loving forgiving |
| 12:58 | merciful grace |
| 13:00 | he says |
| 13:01 | god sent me here to preserve life god |
| 13:04 | sent me before you to preserve for your |
| 13:06 | remnant and keep alive for you many |
| 13:09 | survivors |
| 13:10 | so it was not you who sent me here it |
| 13:14 | was |
| 13:15 | god |
| 13:22 | i could go on |
| 13:24 | the story is so good and i read so much |
| 13:28 | and so the idea then is that |
| 13:31 | as we consider then |
| 13:33 | a close of our mid-week services for |
| 13:36 | this lenten season |
| 13:38 | lent is a penitential season |
| 13:40 | it is a season for us to reflect upon |
| 13:42 | our own sin |
| 13:44 | the sin that separates us from god and |
| 13:48 | has separated us we have not seen god’s |
| 13:50 | face because of our sin |
| 13:53 | we he’s off in a distant land it seems |
| 13:56 | because of our sin |
| 13:58 | the ways we have sinned against him and |
| 14:00 | thought word deed by what we’ve done and |
| 14:03 | left undone all the |
| 14:05 | muck and i’m not talking about over your |
| 14:07 | lifetime i’m talking about what you did |
| 14:09 | today before this service |
| 14:13 | yeah i know i’m a sinner too |
| 14:16 | and note that |
| 14:18 | christ forgives us all of it so true |
| 14:22 | repentance has two parts |
| 14:25 | contrition |
| 14:26 | sorrow |
| 14:27 | recognition that what you’ve done is |
| 14:30 | evil |
| 14:31 | and has earned god’s wrath |
| 14:33 | true sorrow for that but real repentance |
| 14:37 | has a second component and that is |
| 14:40 | confidence |
| 14:41 | absolute trust and faith in confidence |
| 14:45 | in the promises of god for the merits of |
| 14:48 | Christ |
| 14:49 | that we are forgiven in him you remember |
| 14:52 | when joseph was first sold into slavery |
| 14:54 | how he was in the house of potiphar and |
| 14:56 | it says that god blessed |
| 14:59 | potiphar for the sake |
| 15:01 | of joseph |
| 15:03 | know then this you are clothed in the |
| 15:06 | righteousness of christ |
| 15:08 | and god blesses you for the sake of |
| 15:10 | jesus he forgives you for the sake of |
| 15:14 | jesus he |
| 15:15 | just like |
| 15:17 | israel just like jacob and his whole |
| 15:19 | family |
| 15:20 | being taken up from where they were to |
| 15:22 | where they were going to be where it’s |
| 15:24 | going to be safe christ has now |
| 15:27 | taken you on your exodus to the real |
| 15:30 | promised land he has promised you a new |
| 15:33 | heavens and a new earth and all of this |
| 15:35 | will someday |
| 15:36 | be a distant memory but christ assures |
| 15:39 | us behold i make old things new |
| 15:42 | so as we wrap up our midweek lenten |
| 15:44 | services i think it is important to say |
| 15:47 | this |
| 15:48 | we all need to |
| 15:50 | repent |
| 15:51 | in the name of Jesus amen |
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