God’s Way for Successful Living

Genesis 50:15-21

Introduction.

  1. There are many books out there.

    1. Some of them are written to help you to improve yourself.

    2. E.g. by John Maxwell – he uses biblical principles in his books.

    3. If it’s true, it’s also a Bible concept.

    4. So there is no book better at self-improvement than the Bible.

  2. Joseph lived a successful life (Gen. 50:15-21).

    1. When his father died, his brothers were afraid of what Joseph would do.

    2. They thought he was kind to them for their father’s sake.

    3. But Joseph showed himself to be tender, humble, spiritual, and dedicated.

  3. These are traits we ought to emulate in our lives.

Body.

  1. A Man With a Tender Heart.

    1. Joseph’s tenderness is evident when he wept (vs. 17).

    2. He wept several times in Genesis:

      1. When he saw his brothers again (twice – 42:24; 43:30).

      2. When he revealed himself to his brothers (45:2, 14-15).

      3. When he reunited with his father (46:29).

      4. When his father died (50:1).

      5. Here, when his brothers begged forgiveness (50:17).

    3. Weeping is not something that is easy for a lot of men to do.

      1. My wife calls herself a weeper—she will cry over many things.

      2. By contrast, I saw my own mother cry only a handful of times.

      3. I have cried several times over my parents’ passings, but such is not a regular occurrence.

      4. It is understandable when men cry over being reunited with loved ones (I dare you not to keep a dry eye when you see videos of servicemen returning to their families).

      5. It is understandable when men cry over the loss of loved ones as well.

    4. But why did Joseph cry here in Gen. 50?

      1. His brothers asked for forgiveness.

      2. They must have thought he would have sought vengeance now that their father was no longer an issue.

      3. It was a legitimate fear: Joseph went through so much before becoming a ruler in Egypt.

      4. But it was clear Joseph forgave them a long time ago.

      5. It was a bumpy road, but God meant this to happen “to save many people alive” (50:20).

  2. A Man With a Humble Heart.

    1. The evidence for this humility is evident when he refused to play God (vs. 19).

      1. His brothers bowed down before him, not unlike his dream when he was a teen.

      2. He acted as Peter did when Cornelius bowed down to him in Acts 10.

      3. Or as the angel did when John bowed down to him in Rev. 19:10.

    2. It is easy to have a high opinion of ourselves when we have been successful.

      1. Joseph was successful by this point, but he remembered that he was only a man.

      2. Pharaohs in Egypt, along with other kings and rulers, often exalted themselves to the level of godhood.

      3. Joseph was not like this, and neither was David (Psalm 39:4).

    3. Thomas Cranmer, a vacillating leader in the English Reformation, was executed under Queen Mary who tried to bring England back to Catholicism after King Henry VIII died.

      1. Before he died, Queen Mary urged him to recant his Protestant doctrines.

      2. He did, and his life was spared.

      3. Later, he changed his mind and said he should not have done this.

      4. As a result he was executed.

      5. On a copy of a prayer book that Cranmer penned, someone wrote in Latin: “We are all men (people).”

      6. We all have the frailties of men, so let us be gracious, forgiving, and humble as Joseph was.

  1.  

  2. A Man With a Spiritual Heart.

    1. God always directed the life of Joseph—he knew this!

    2. This was evident in Joseph’s statements to his brothers (50:20).

      1. Without these trials, Joseph would not have been in Egypt.

      2. His time in Egypt saved many lives from starvation.

    3. When we review our thoughts of the day, what is foremost?

      1. How we felt that day?

      2. What our children are up to?

      3. Perhaps you’re worried about a business transaction?

      4. What about God? Did we meditate upon His Word?

      5. Are we walking with God as Enoch and Noah did?

    4. No matter how bad things got for Joseph, God was in charge and had not forgotten him.

  3. A Man With a Dedicated Heart.

    1. Joseph intended to do all the good he could.

    2. He provided for his brothers and their children (50:21).

      1. His brothers thought he might intend to take vengeance.

      2. Yet Joseph’s mind was to take care of them!

    3. Jesus “went about doing good,” as Peter told Cornelius (Acts 10:38).

    4. Paul told us to do good to all men, as we have opportunity (Eph 2:10; Gal. 6:10).

Conclusion.

  1. The world is so wrapped up in evil.

    1. In Noah’s time, the thoughts and intents of the heart were on evil continually.

    2. That could almost describe this world today.

  2. The world needs more Christians doing good!

  3. Joseph lived this way, with

    1. a tender heart,

    2. a humble heart,

    3. a spiritual heart, and

    4. a dedicated heart.

  4. God’s book of success is the Bible, and Joseph’s story is in it.

  5. Joseph lived 110 years of doing good—let us do the same for as long as we can!