Genesis 40
Genesis 40 and look at verse number 8 Genesis 40 verse 8 and they said unto him
We have dreamed a dream and there is no interpreter of it and Joseph said unto them do not
Interpretations belong to God so the title for the sermon this afternoon is interpretations belong to God
Interpretations belong to God one thing that I forgot to mention on Wednesday when I preached through
Genesis 39 is that Genesis 39 Genesis 40 and Genesis 41 are three chapters together
That are excellent as far as teaching leadership what it means to be a leader
You know we have a great example in Joseph
It reminds me very similar to Genesis 31 32 and 33
Which were three to three chapters together that dealt a lot with conflicts and conflicts resolution
But if you're someone that has a desire to be a pastor or you know you're a leader
I really recommend study
39 40 and 41 there's lots of great tips we see how Joseph goes from being nobody to you know
Taking over a whole prison you know or nobody and taking over Potiphar's house and having a you know people
Subjected unto him and having that great authority and we continue learning about what it makes to be a great leader
And I want to tailor this more to the church today
I'm here in Genesis chapter 40, but let's how let's pick it up here in verse number one Genesis 40 verse 1
And it came to pass after these things so just a reminder
Joseph was accused falsely accused for trying to lie with Potiphar's wife, and he was then sent into prison
So he's now in prison, and he has a high authority there right he's looking after the things there
So he came to pass after these things that the butler of the king of Egypt
That's the butler of Pharaoh and his baker had offered their Lord the king of Egypt
Sorry offended have offended their Lord the king of Egypt and
Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers
against the chief of the butlers and against the chief of the bakers and
He put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard into the prison the place where Joseph was bound
Now look at verse number four this was a memory verse and the captain of the guard
charged Joseph with them and
He served them and they continued a season in ward
So what do you notice there about Joseph a great man of God a great leader, and I his he's gone to prison
He's now found grace in the side of the of the prison keeper. He's now in charge of the whole prison
He's running the show and then you see these two being brought into prison
And they're putting under the authority of Joseph
He Joseph is charged with them to care for them and then what it that say say they're in verse number four and he
Served them hey, you know what the great truth of biblical leadership is you're a servant
You're a minister okay, and the pastor and I know I've preached on this again
But hey what we're going chapter by chapter the Lord sees fit to remind us of these things if you want to be a leader
In the house of God you want to have biblical leadership. You've got to be the servants
You've got to lower yourself, and you've got to put others before you know Joseph has a great position here
What does he do he serves all right?
He sees the need that I have he takes care of them
And he serves them and again
This is what a lot of pastors need to hear you know the church is not about the pastor
The church is about the body of Christ and the past is called to be a minister to humble himself and to teach the Word
of God this is a
Ministry this is a job of ministry studying God's Word and preaching God's Word
And look you know you may not be in a position of the leadership
But the principle is still true for you the principle here is still true that you ought to look after people especially if they're under
Authority, but I'll just read to you Proverbs 11 verse 4 Proverbs 11 verse 4
It says there is that scattereth and yet increaseeth and there is that withholdeth more than his meat
But it tendeth to poverty actually you guys can go there
Let's go there probably got a Proverbs 11 staying in in Genesis 40 got a Proverbs 11 verse 24
Let's read it again together Proverbs 11 verse 24 because even if you're not a leader
You can take heed to this you can take heed about being a servant by being a help to other people
Proverbs 11 verse 24, let's read it one more time. There is that scattereth and yet increaseeth
What's that are talking about? That's somebody that has possessions, but he's not keeping it for himself. He's taking it and it's scattering it
He's sharing his possession right and even though he shares that he scatters what he has it says he yet increaseeth
Okay, this is a biblical principle if you're a child of God and you want to increase
Well learn to be someone that is generous learn to be someone that's ready to serve other people
Because look at the reverse and there is that withholdeth more than his meat and that is a temptation of some
You know you have a lot and you want to withhold it. You want to keep it for yourself
You don't want to give it away. You don't want to lose it right withholdeth more than his meat, but it tendeth to poverty
See if you're just looking out for number one, you're just looking out for your family
You don't care about anyone else
You can you will tend to poverty not being you know for not being generous for not being a servant to other people
Let's keep going verse number 25 the liberal soul. What does liberal mean someone? That's that's again generous someone
That's giving right that's liberal with what they have the liberal soul shall be made fat
And that's why I'm on keto cuz I was too liberal
Being fat is being prosperous being given many things right, but he was liberal. He was willing to share
He was willing to be a blessing to other people he shall be made fat
Look at this and here that waterproof shall be water or also himself all right
So if you give it
This is a concept of reaping what you sow if you reap you sow you do good to others
Good will be done to you and that goodness may very well
Just come directly by the hand of God look at verse number 26
He that withhold of corn so this is someone that has food that has wheat he withholds it the people shall curse him
Alright, but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it
So if you've got more than you need you've got food
You know you can even sell it you can start a business you know and sell it to other people people
Appreciate that, but if you keep it to yourself. It's going to wither away
It's going to rot and people will curse you because of what you look at look what you've got
Why aren't you being generous, and this is a great principle in the Bible?
You know be generous with what you have and I know money can be tight
I know you know you're thinking well
We could really do this
but really if you've got your needs met see how you can be a blessing to other people right see how you can be a
blessing to others and
Jesus puts it this way in Matthew 23 verse 11, but he that is greatest among you shall be
Your servants you won't be great in the kingdom of God you want to do great things for God on this earth
You shall sorry yeah
You shall be your servant or shall be your servant he that is greatest among you shall be your servants and brethren
We need to learn how to be servants
You know it's great to be served and here's the thing if all of us
Learn to be servants you say I'm going to come to the house of God, and I'm going to serve yeah
I don't know how many of us we are is a 45 something like that
Well if you just make yourself a servant and everyone else in the church applies this principle
You're going to have another 44 people serving you how good is that right 44 people serving you all you have to do is make
Yourself a servant everyone else in this church a servant, but what if they don't serve me?
What if I'm the only one serving don't worry there were blessings for that as well
We'll cover that later on but this is biblical leadership a servant
Okay, lowering yourself and making sure other people even those that are under your authority are getting what they need all right and as a pastor
It's my job to make sure I preach the Word of God without compromise
And I give you what you need to help you in your spiritual walk
But back to Genesis 40 now Genesis 40 verse 5 Genesis 40 verse 5 you see this cap that this this baker and this
butler they now have these
Amazing dreams these dreams that were given to them by God look at verse number five and they dream the dream both of them
Each man his dream in one night each man according to the interpretation of his dream
The butler and the Baker and the king of Egypt which were bound in the prison and look at look at Joseph again
He's a guy of authority look what he does right and Joseph came in unto them in the morning
so he's looking out for them right serving them and
Looked upon them and behold they were sad
Now look
I don't know if you've ever been a supervisor in your job or maybe parents with your children when you see people under your authority
That are sad. How are you gonna react I?
Get over it. What are you doing?
Is that what Joseph does verse number seven and he asked?
Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his Lord's house saying wherefore look ye so sadly today
You see Joseph's heart he cares for those that are under his authority he sees they're upset. They're worried
They're in sorrow. It says look what you know. What's up? Can I help you? You know? What's what's the situation?
You know Joseph was able to just you know lower himself to the point where he can you know weep with those that weep?
You know he was he was concerned for the willful
Welfare of others and I love that about Joseph because it's not just Joseph that is like that
But our Lord God is like that you know when you're going through difficulties when you're going through hardships when you're going through sorrows
You know the Lord will weep with you. You know the Lord wants to comfort you it says in Psalm
147 verse 2 the Lord doth build up Jerusalem
He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel the outcasts the rejects of Israel
he gathers them together, and then he says this he healeth the broken in hearts and
Bindeth up their wounds you know what God wants to do in your life. He wants to heal your broken heart
He wants to bind your wounds
Okay, and it's great that we have a God like that and we see that as an expression when Christ was walking this earth
2,000 years ago, you know he came healing the brokenhearted right he came
Encouraging those that were without those that were weak
And he was a great blessing to them, and if that's how our Lord God is then we need to reflect that same character
Within ourselves okay, especially if you have people under your authority. You've got to tend to their care to their to their needs and
You know I said for Romans 12 15 rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep
so it's showing empathy right when you see a brother in Christ when you see somebody under your authority or just a brother or
Sister just someone in church
That's suffering then be going to go and suffer with them go and weep with them go and encourage that person and
Back in Genesis 40 verse 8 Genesis 40 verse 8 why were they sad in verse number 8 and they said unto him?
We have dreamed the dreams and there is no interpreter of it and
Joseph Joseph said unto them do not interpretations belong to God and that's the title for the sermon do not interpretations belong to God
Yes, okay, tell me tell me them. I pray you
Now when we look at this it's telling us that God is the interpreter
What does it mean to interpret you know if we had somebody that couldn't speak English?
Let's say we had someone visiting and all they could do is speak Spanish
Well, I could be an interpreter right you wouldn't understand what they're saying they wouldn't be able to communicate with you
But he could speak Spanish to me
And I could translate that or you know interpret that into English for you so that which was unclear
I can now be made clear to you and now you can respond and speak back to that Spanish speaking person through me
I can interpret back
That's an interpretation right and what it's saying here these guys are having two dreams
And the only one that can interpret this correctly is the Lord God
That's the only one and brethren this is what it's like about the church
And this kind of goes hand-in-hand together with what I preached this morning
But your life needs to be interpreted
You know the place you're in the way you are the family that you have the sins that you're struggling with whatever
Shortcomings you have it needs to be interpreted in light of God's Word. It's God who interprets our lives
Right we have it kind of mixed up, and we use this term loosely interpretation. We'll say well
How do you interpret the Bible I mean even I use that lingo sometimes, but you know what the Bible's not to be interpreted
You know there's no it like we there are not various interpretations of the Bible
Okay, the Bible is to be read
This is how God sees things and then we interpret our life in light of the Bible interpretations belong to God
You know I have brethren sometimes come up to me
And you know there's some some situation some difficulty in their life, and you know
It's like well. What do we do? What does you know? What does God want for us?
Well, then I need to take your life and put it measure it next to the mirror of God's Word
And then we interpret where you're out in life in light of God's Word
And if possible you try to like line it up more with God's Word and of course there are mistakes that we make that we
Can't necessarily go back and fix
But we try to line it up as close as what possible as we can with the Word of God
If you guys can keep your finger there and go to 2nd Peter chapter 1, please 2nd Peter chapter 1
2nd Peter chapter 1
Interpretations belong to God brethren 2nd Peter chapter 1 verse 19
And I feel like this is one of our favorite passages of the church a lot of us turn here
But 2nd Peter chapter 1 verse 19 such a great passage it says here
We have also a more sure word of prophecy speaking
That's all the Word of God
Where unto you do well to that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place
Until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts
What's it saying there that the scriptures are is what gives light?
To your life to the things that you need to believe the things that you need to do verse number 20
Knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation
Listen the scriptures are not of a private interpretation
Okay, God does not expect you to come and bring your own private interpretation to this word and what what it's actually saying that in context
Here is that the scriptures were not written by private interpretation of men. This is not man's ideas
This is not man's thought. It's not man's private interpretation verse 21. What is it then if it's not man's interpretation?
It says for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man
But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost
You see the Bible is God's Word. It's God that wrote this book and therefore we interpret our life
We interpret our beliefs we interpret our our opinions in light of God's Word
Okay, too many preachers out there will bring their opinions will bring their interpretations and stick it into the Bible and preach it like that
No, we have to take God's Word as it is written right and then we interpret how we live in our lives the things that
We need to believe and again like we use this term loosely
You know how do you you know we might disagree on a passage for example, and we'll say well. That's your interpretation
There's only one interpretation. It's God's interpretation right now the Bible has usually you know
I've often heard it said there is one interpretation or one meaning, but multiple applications all right now
That's something you need to understand sometimes. It's hard to differentiate between those things, but again sometimes
Let's say the men we have a Bible study on a Friday
We look at the Word of God we look at one verse and one might say well
It's like this and one might say well
It's like that right and then but here's the thing those are applications you're taking the same truth
But then you're applying it to different things and that's fine. You can take the truth of God's Word
It is very deep it is multi-layered and apply it to many many things
But at the end of the day there is only one interpretation there was only one mean what?
That's coming out of that you're not going to have a private interpretation of your own and bring something in that's not there in the
Word of God that's why I'm very careful as a preacher. I try to preach on what is black and white
I try not to deviate too far from the Word of God because the more I deviate from the Word of God the more likely
I could preach error preach something wrong okay, so we need to understand
There's only one interpretation God's interpretation of life, okay?
But many applications that come from the Word of God
That's why some people can preach you know you might listen to another preacher that preaches through Genesis 40
And he might take what what's being taught here and apply in a different way, but here's when you know
There's it. There's a private interpretation when it's not
That there are different applications, but rather what people are saying are contrary to one another you know if I take a portion of scripture
And I preach it one way, but then someone else preaches it, and it's a conflict you know that they cannot be both true
Well, that's when there's a private interpretation
That's where one is wrong or both could be wrong both could be wrong okay?
But generally speaking if we have the Holy Ghost in us we take the word Bible as it is we take it literally as much
As possible and that's the right way when you read your Bible take it literally until it's obviously not talking about literal things
Okay, when it says about the trees clapping their hands. That's not literal okay. They don't have clap our hands
But it's all about creation just glorifying God
Because of the creation that it is and so we take things literally then if it's clearly not literal we'll take a you know
as an allegory or something that is spiritually spiritualized or something like that, but
interpretations belong to God interpretations belong to God and
The Bible also says in 1st Corinthians 2 13 it says here which things also we speak
Not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth
Comparing spiritual things with spiritual you know who's teaching you today. Yes, God's using
Pastor Kevin right now, or we have another preacher here. Let's say Sam brother Sam
You know God will be using brother Sam, but if it's coming from the Word of God
It's the Holy Spirit that's teaching you these things the same Holy Spirit
That's in me is in you okay the same Holy Spirit that taught me these things is the same
Holy Spirit that can teach you those things as well to yourself, okay?
That's why we can go back and compare these things to the Word of God
But then it says in verse 14, but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God
What's the natural man?
That's the old man so those that are unsaved with the old man without the new man they cannot understand the spiritual things
But here's the thing if you're walking after the flesh if you're living after a carnal way
Life you're not going to understand the scriptures as well, and you're going to find yourself in error
It's the natural man receive not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him
Neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned
So Joseph is correct Joseph's gonna go into interpret their dreams
Okay, but he says the interpretation belongs to God so whatever
He says we coming from God directly and as a preacher whatever you preach must come from God directly must come from the Word of God
Okay, we're given the same privilege that Joseph did okay. He was able to interpret their dreams with the Word of God
We have the Word of God in full the full canon all 66 books
We had more than what Joseph had praise God for that right now back in Genesis 40 verse 9 Genesis 40 verse 9 and
The chief butler told his dream to Joseph and said to him in my dream behold a vine was before me and the vine were
Free branches, and it was though it sorry
And it was as though it buttered and her blossom shot forth and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes and
Pharaoh's cup was in my hand
And I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and I gave the cup into
Pharaoh's hand so that's pretty straightforward dream. He has a dream. You know he's a he's a he's a butler and
He sees these ripe grapes. He takes those grapes
He squeezed them into Pharaoh's hand fresh juice right there fresh fresh wine
You know and you know non-alcoholic wine being drunk there by Pharaoh. That's the dream that he has and he says well
What's this about? Why did I dream this and and again? These are not your your average dreams, okay?
These are not your ever dream
These are dreams that were given by God and God would use these dreams eventually
For Joseph to get out of prison and become second in charge of all of Egypt okay eventually
But you know we could say these dreams reflect our personal lives, okay, these dreams that they're not some nonsense dream
these are dreams that actually
a
Future events to come you know very shortly future events to come so we don't have these dreams that are given by God
But we have life okay, and we might be at a point in our life
And we don't know where the Lord is leading us
We don't know what to go where to go we don't know what decisions to make in life
And that's when
You know your life needs to be interpreted by the Word of God you need to go back to the Word of God and get
Clarity as to you know where you need to head in life and Joseph because of God was able to then
Interpret these dreams look at verse number 12 look at verse number 12
so Joseph is being used to interpret that which is unclear verse number 12 and
Joseph said unto him this is the interpretation of it the three branches are three days
Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head and
restore thee unto thy place and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand and
The former manna when thou wast his butler so it says look in three days
You're going to get back your old job. You're going to get back your old position
This is what your dream is and you're going to be serving Pharaoh once again
You're going to get out of prison after three days okay, so this is good news good news for the butler now
We're going to skip verses 14 and 15 just for now. We're going to come back to it later
We're going to skip verses 14 and 15 look at verse number 16
It says when the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good
So was this a good interpretation?
Yes, right this would have given joy this would have given confidence satisfaction to the butler hey, I'm going back to work
I'm going to get my job back. I'll be back providing for my family whatever it is that he needs to do
It's exciting news. It's good news right and this again
You know we're taking these lessons as a leader especially as in the church especially if you're a preacher
You know that there is a time to preach. What is good. You know and everything in the word of God is good
Don't get me wrong, but you know there are times to just edify one another one another it has times to just motivate one another
It's there's times to send a good message right, but it's it's it's good when it's true
The point is whatever you preach behind the pulpit. It's got to be true. You know even if it's good even if it's bad
It's got to be true. Hey look yesterday yesterday
I went to get a haircut all right, so I went to aura to the to the barber there's a pretty expensive
I'm not recommending to go there, okay
But I got talking to the guys there, and they've been to church before they went to the city life
I can't remember which one it is right and
So I'm talking to him about church and stuff, and he's like yeah, it's all right
You know but and this is exactly what he says he goes. He was just too happy clappy for me
You know I mean because the Pentecostal star right too happy clappy. He goes like it was good for a while
But there was a time. I just I just needed something else. It's always happy all right
It's always happy and I said to him well come to our church
But just get ready to hear some controversial things and he goes yeah, that's where it's at the controversy
Okay, so listen. You know people want the truth
You know the happy clappy church will make your flesh happy for a little while
But if you're someone truly seeking the truth of God's Word you know what you're going to want to hear
It's yeah good things, but you also want to hear the bad things
you're going to want to hear the times that the things that you need to change in life right and
That's what we see about Joseph right now. He's given a good interpretation
You know this is kind of similar to someone you know you know just living a righteous life in general
Just living a righteous life, and you're preaching against sin
You're preaching what is righteous what you ought to be doing and it encourages you when you know you're on track
You know when we're preaching about soul-winning you're out there soul-winning
You're saying you know the the work of your hands, and you know that Lord is being pleased
You're being encouraged by those words
You know you start to feel good when you when you can see that your life lines up to the Word of God
But you also have to be ready to receive it when your life does not line up to the Word of God
Okay, and let's keep reading here in Genesis chapter 40 verse 16
Genesis chapter 40 verse 16
Actually before we read that let me just read a very popular passage to you in 2nd Timothy 3 16
It says all scripture is given by
Inspiration of God so who does the sorry yeah inspiration of God and is profitable so it's profitable now
It's going to talk about two positive things and two negative things. It's profitable for doctrine
Teaching that's things that we can learn and grow by that's a positive, and then it says for reproof. That's actually a negative
That's when you're being corrected right or all correction that there is all correction
That's another negative thing in a way in a sense, and then it says for instruction in righteousness another positive thing
Okay, so we have a positive positive and negative and negative
Okay, the Word of God is given for us, so we can profit so we can grow even if it you know ruffles
Our feathers a little bit okay
We need to hear it and look at verse number 16 verse number 16
So when the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, so he says man. He got a great interpretation
He's now thinking. I'm gonna get a good interpretation as well things are going to go well with me
The interpretation is going to be good. He says here. He said unto Joseph. I also was in sorry
I also was in my dream and behold. I have three white baskets on my head and
In the uppermost basket there was all manner of baked meats for Pharaoh and the birds did eat them out of the basket
upon my head
So what do you think it's sounding like now? You know he wants to serve Pharaoh
He's got those free baskets of bread
But they're constantly he's flying off these birds from eating the bread in his baskets that kind of sounds negative that kind of sounds bad
Right I don't think this is going to be a good interpretation right, but here's the thing
Does Joseph back away from giving a bad interpretation
You know
No, he's going to tell the truth now look if if this you know if this Baker had gone to Joyce Meyer
Okay, you know Joyce Meyer would have said you know Pharaoh is not mad at you
Pharaoh's not mad at you. You know or jolos and live your best life now. You've only got three days
You know leave your best life now. No no Joseph is not that kind of preacher
Okay, it's not that kind of preacher look at verse 18 and
Pharaoh sorry and Joseph answered and said this is the interpretation thereof the free baskets are three days
Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee and shall hang thee on a tree and the birds shall eat
Thy flesh from off thee that's pretty graphic
So he says look in three days
You're dead Pharaoh's gonna hang you and your body's just gonna be left to be eaten by the vultures
You know whatever the birds of prey whatever it is in Egypt that they have there, so it's it's bad news
Okay, but what do we learn from Joseph whether it's bad news whether it's good news. He's going to preach the truth
He takes God word God's Word. It doesn't matter if it's gonna upset somebody
He's there to tell the truth, and that's what the preacher is for okay the preacher is to tell the truth
It doesn't matter if you feel that people are gonna be offended or upset or whatever if it's the truth
It's the truth right if your life doesn't line up with the Word of God
You know and the preacher preaches it and makes you feel uncomfortable. You've got to accept it
Okay, accept it and learn from its profitable for reproof for correction. It's profitable
God wants you to profit okay the reason you get convicted in your heart the reason you get upset
When you hear things like that is because God wants you to improve
God wants you to do you know like we said this morning
He wants you to do the things that you've heard and he wants you to bless you by the doing of his work
Even if it's something you don't want to hear, and I'm sure this man didn't want to hear it
He wanted to come to church and hear the good news all right now
but sometimes the bad news needs to be preached as well, okay, and
Verse number 20 verse number 20 actually before I read that second Timothy 4 3 for the time will come
When they will not endure sound doctrine
But after their own lush shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears
And they shall turn away the ears from the truth and shall be turned unto
Fables that's what Joyce Meyer does the fables all right these preachers these takes our TV evangelist fables
Okay, they want you to feel good, but it's gonna lead you to hell
Alright, there's no point of Joseph making this guy feel good when he's going to die and his flesh is gonna
Be eaten by birds all right Joseph was ready to tell him the truth, okay, and
This is important because again. I get
sometimes people in church asked me about this situation and
You know the temptation in my flesh is to say well, it's all right. Don't worry about it
You know, but is that the truth no okay, and you know I've been challenged on this a few times
You know it's like well. Why don't you?
You know make it easier for that person or why don't you you know just?
You know make them feel better
Look I try to be as nice as I can I try to be as friendly as I can with the brethren right like
Joseph was he cared for those that were under he cared for the butler all right he cared for the Baker all right
But at the end of the day he's got to say the truth. This is how God sees it
This is how your life is interpreted in the light of God's Word, and you're gonna die
And that's the news that he's going to receive you know when we go and lock doors
What do we tell them if you don't believe in Christ you're going to hell?
Okay, that's the truth. We're not doing it to get them all angry at us and just to spark controversy
We want them to understand the truth of God's Word and let me say it's not always it doesn't feel good as a preacher
Necessarily does it to tell them they're on their way to hell you don't really want to do it like in of yourself
You don't want to say that to them right, but you're persuaded by God's Word
You know the truth you know they're headed to hell you need to wake them up and show them the truth
No matter how uncomfortable it is
Okay, and so you know as soul winners not just the preacher behind the pulpit as always you will experience this and you will be
Tempted sometimes to say I don't know you're right with God. No okay. No you've got to express the truth
Okay, and that's the kind of person Joseph was
Verse number 20 Genesis 40 verse 20, and he came to pass the third day
Which was Pharaoh's birthday, and he made a feast unto all his servants
And he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants
And he restored the chief butler unto his butler ship again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand
But he hanged the chief baker as Joseph had interpreted to them
So you can see these dreams came to pass you know Joseph taught the truth and these things came to pass now
Let's not read verse 23 just yet
We're going to put this together with the verses that we skipped so if you can go back to verse number 14, please
verse number 14
And so we're picking up the story once again when Joseph preaches
The good news the good news to the to the butler and he says here in verse number 14
He says after he's interpreted his dream after he's made the butler feel better about himself
And he's relieved him from those sorrows and those concerns
He says in verse number 14
But think on me when it shall be well with thee and show kindness
I pray thee unto me and make mention of me unto Pharaoh and bring me out of this house
So he's saying is bring me out of this prison look when it comes to pass
You know remember me that you know God is using me God has given me this ability to interpret these dreams
Let Pharaoh know about it. Okay. Just remember me remember the good that I've done to you, right?
It's not asking for too much verse number 15 for indeed
I was stolen away of the out of the land of the Hebrews and here also have I done nothing
That they should put me into the dungeon. So look, you know just saying look I don't deserve what I'm suffering
You know, I don't deserve being this prison. I don't deserve being locked up. So please think about me, you know
You've got influence. You're one of the chief guys there in Pharaoh's, you know court house, whatever it is
You know, please think about me mentioned my name to Pharaoh so maybe he could make use of me
You know, he's asking for something that I think this guy should have been able to do. Okay
But drop down to now verse number 23 now drop down to verse number 23
It says here yet did not the chief butler remembered Joseph, but forget him
So the chief butler had his dreams interpreted feel better and he forgot all about Joseph. Okay
Now what's the lesson there for preachers for leaders, you know
Or if you're not a leader, but you do well to other people you do good to other people, you know
Not everybody's gonna thank you. That's the lesson. All right, that shouldn't stop you from doing good though
okay, you serve one another you do good you lift other people up right and
It's gonna happen that they're not going to thank you
I'm sure you can think right now of situations that you've done things for people
Maybe even people in the church. Hey, maybe even even for me
Maybe you've done something nice for me and you didn't get the thank you, you know, you didn't get appreciated
You know
It was forgotten the things that you did and what happens Brevin what happens when when that people forget you can get discouraged
You can get downcast you can think well this person hates me
Why doesn't he like me but maybe just forgot right you can think many things and and the worst thing to think about is this
Well, if people have used me they've used me in the past. They've used me today
I'm done. I'm done with friendships. I'm done with service. I'm not gonna do it anymore. I've been burnt too many times
Wrong, that's the wrong attitude. Okay, the right attitude is to continue serving
Continue lowering yourself just doing what's right just doing good to one another just continue doing it
Once again, you're going to reap what you sow if you stop sowing you're gonna stop reaping
Okay, continue doing what is right and we see look Joseph was a great man
Okay, he's been let down again and again and again and he does something great for this Butler
Yeah, Butler and he's been forgotten. Now if you guys can take your Bibles and turn to um
Keep your finger there, but turn to Luke chapter 6 please Luke chapter 6
Luke chapter 6 and
This is what's going to keep you serving one another this is what's going to keep you motivated and not let down by other people
Colossians 3 22 you go to Luke 6 Colossians 3 22 it says
Servants obey in all things your masters according to the flesh
Not with eye service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart fear in God
You say you know, well, I pleased my brother I did world to him
Well do it fear in God put that as your priority because when they're I'm thankful
You're going to continue doing it with the fear of God the singleness of heart
you've got a single purpose in you verse 23 and whatsoever you do do it heartily as
to the Lord and not unto men
That's what you do. That's how you serve one another you do it as unto the Lord, right?
Now if I say to my kids, you know, can you can you fill up my cup?
You know, sometimes I get half a cup back right do it as unto the Lord. How much would you give Jesus?
That's what you do. All right, that's the care. I'm not having a go my kids once again, right?
I feel bad. I always mention my kids. I start mentioning other people's now. That'd be worse, right?
But hey, that's what we do right whatsoever you do do it heartily
Do it with all your heart the Bible says as to the Lord and not unto men
Knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the Lord
Christ that's what keeps you going. That's what keeps you serving. I don't care if I'm not being thanked
I'm serving Christ and guarantee is he's going to give me the reward of the inheritance because we serve the Lord Christ
What a great thing as a Christian
Nothing we do nothing good. We do we've got a waste, you know, if we don't get rewarded here
If we don't get thanked here God's gonna reward us in heaven for all eternity
It's never a waste to serve God. It's never a waste to serve the Brethren
It's never a waste to do good
The Bible says to do good to your enemies and those enemies aren't going to probably return that back to you
But you're even required to do good unto them. The Lord will see it do it as unto the Lord
Now look at Luke 6 verse 35
Luke 6 35. Sorry. I skipped ahead. I mentioned the enemies the enemies are mentioned here by Christ Luke 6 35
But love ye your enemies and do good and land. Look at this hoping for nothing again
That's hard. All right, I'm gonna do good
Hoping for nothing
Hoping for nothing, you know, normally you do good expecting the thank you expecting the appreciation nothing wrong with getting appreciation
But what it's saying what Jesus is saying here do it just and hope you don't get anything. All right, why why and your reward?
Shall be
Great and you shall be the children of the highest for he is kind unto the unthankful
And to the evil man, your your reward shall be great
You know what next time you do something good for someone and they don't thank you rejoice
Right rejoice your reward shall be great. That's how you continue serving. Okay, don't give up brethren
Don't don't don't be weary in well-doing, you know continue serving continue lowering yourself continue being Christ
like even as unto your enemies, okay, and
If you can go back to Genesis 40 actually Genesis 41, let's go to Genesis 41. I'm almost done now Genesis 41 verse 9 and
So we fast forward a little bit here in time and just verse 9 is the only one we're gonna be looking at in this
Chapter because finally that the butler remembers Joseph later on right?
It says here in verse number 9 then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh saying I do remember my faults this day
So the butler finally realizes right and what does it say? Oh my faults I did wrong is what he says
I did wrong. The last thing I want to take out of this lesson brethren is
You know, like I said, I'm sure there are times you've done good to people and they've been unthankful
Okay, but you know what guaranteed guaranteed there have been times people have done good to you
All right, and you forgot to be thankful you forgot to appreciate them
I'm sure all right because we forget all right people
I'm sure people have done good things to you and just totally forgot to say thank you
Maybe in your heart you're thankful, but you just forgot to express that to them
You know then what you do in that case when you when it comes back to your remembrance just like the butler
All right, just like the butler said
Saying I do remember my faults this day and you go and thank them
I was a year ago go and thank them. Anyway, if it was a year ago, you know
And I've got to remember this because there's a lot of people serving in this church
there's a lot of people serving in the church and it's in Sydney and
Sometimes I get to church and in Sydney and they're writing things on their own and I you know
I just I started to start song leading start preaching and then I go home and then I'm like man
You know what? These guys are doing it without a pastor. These guys are faithful. They're going to church
They're so winning, you know that you know
People are doing people doing things here and I often just forget and then every now and again
I just I just try to all right this Tuesday when I get there
I'm just gonna thank everybody before I know what they do, right?
Because I don't want to forget like you'd forget right you forget you go through the motions and you forget the service that everybody is
Doing so I haven't forgotten your services this last year. I've got you guys a little gift though
I'll share that with you already share that with you, but like the calendar
Okay, so make sure you pick one of those up, but you know
Let's make sure we show appreciation if you have forgotten well the butler forgot as well. It happens
Okay, but when you remember what the good that people have done unto you, you know, go back and thank them go back and show them
appreciation so that's what I want to leave you guys with you know, it
Just serve one another just humble yourself. Just lower yourself
Joseph you can see how much you care he had for the people under his authority, you know, and
Secondly make sure that whatever you're doing in life you take God's Word and shine the light on it good or bad
It doesn't matter shine the light of God's Word onto your life and make the necessary changes
You know be someone that's searching for the truth no matter how offended you get at it, you know
And finally, you know, if you're not thanks, just keep serving the Lord keep serving the church keep serving the brethren. All right, let's pray