Sermon Reflections based on Dream Ignition | Alex Hardt | January 7, 2024
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! The New Year is always a time of reflection about what the year might have in store, goals you might like to see accomplished, and hopes and dreams for all the days that lie ahead. Sometimes we have things we know will take place in the coming year and we want to get ready for them-like a wedding, a baby, a vacation, a move, a new job or as with all of us the unexpected events that will fill the year. How much of your dreaming adds God into the equation? Do you seek His guidance when you are planning the wedding or the vacation, for the new job or when you think a new home is needed? Do you seek His wisdom for dealing with a new child, a new job or a budding relationship? In Pastor Alex’s sermon, he challenges us to dream, and dream big but also to consider God and to include Him when dreaming. He uses Joseph and his situation to show how God reveals and guides. Joseph was 17 in our passage from Genesis 37:1-11. He was the favored son of Jacob the patriarch by his wife Rachel. Jacob learned favoritism in his growing up years with his mother Rebecca who favored him and his father Isaac who favored his brother Esau. His brother Esau disregarded his birthright and sold it to Jacob for a bowl of stew. But, when it came time for the patriarchal blessing, Esau wanted it back. Jacob used trickery to keep the birthright Esau had sold him. Jacob fled to his Uncle Laban’s home in Haran where he encountered an uncle who used trickery against him so that he married Leah, the older sister, instead of Rachel. Jacob had agreed to work 7 years for Rachel and after marrying Leah he had to work another 7 years to be able to marry Rachel, his beloved. Considering this history of favoritism, trickery and deceit, it should not surprise us that Jacob showed unashamed favoritism towards Joseph. At this point we don’t know much about Joseph and his character except that he was young, favored by his father and would bring reports back to his dad about what his brothers were doing in the fields. He would go out into the fields, tend the sheep and then report back to his father. Genesis 37:2-4 “Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.” Their hatred of Joseph was due to jealousy, favoritism by their father and Joseph’s own inability to be sensitive to hurt they were feeling and the rift caused by their father’s actions. Into this scene comes dreamer Joseph. Having dreams was not an uncommon way for God to speak with his people. In fact, I’m sure they had heard of the many dreams had by their great-grandfather Abraham about his calling to come to Canaan, their grandfather’s Isaac servant who had a dream about choosing their mother Rebecca when sent to find a wife for Isaac, or their own father Jacob who had dreamed of a ladder to heaven with angels ascending and descending upon it and his own wrestling with an angel. Joseph would have known all this as well as his brothers. Unfortunately, Joseph’s telling his brothers and father about his dreams that showed him lording it over them and their bowing down to him did not go over well. They attributed this to him as arrogance and just another example of how he was ‘better’ than they were. What do we learn about dreams, God’s ways and God in this story? God has unlimited ways He can get our attention. He can use dreams, prayer, other believers, His Word or He can speak to us himself. When we do hear from God, we need to take it in, reflect, pray, and consider those we share it with. Joseph’s audience was not receptive to the message. It would set in motion a chain of events that God would use to bring glory to himself and accomplish his plan. God could have accomplished his divine purpose another way but man’s human desires of envy, jealousy, favoritism and hatred intervened. God did indeed accomplish His plan and Joseph reflected on God’s truth of this in Genesis 50:20, our memory verse for this month. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” God is sovereign over all events and as Job 42:2 reminds us “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Joseph shared his dreams with his brothers and father and we know it increased his brothers’ jealousy but his father stored it away in his mind. “ His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.” Genesis 37:11 God used this too in the years to come when they discovered Joseph was a powerful ruler in Egypt and indeed ruled over them just as God had shown in the dreams. God’s power was confirmed and his guidance and trustworthiness was fully seen by them and by us as we read the stories in Genesis. Ask yourself as you begin this New Year, how big is your God? Can you possibly dream a dream too big for Him to accomplish? Pray, seek His guidance, and let Him show you what He has for your New Year. Open your heart and mind to Him. Linda MESSAGE LINK Click Here to View the Message on Youtube Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass. Alex Hardt October 30, 2022 Why? God…Do You Let Bad Things Happen
Pastor Alex approached this heady question by looking to the books of Wisdom in the Bible. He took us to Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job. Each book had a different perspective on this question. All agreed that God is Wise, Sovereign and Just and we can rely upon His character. Proverbs leads us to see that God is Wise and His wisdom can be relied upon in all situations. God’s wisdom is given by God and can augment what we learn in and through life. His wisdom shows us how to apply it to our lives. I love James 1:5 as it assures me that God’s wisdom is accessible. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” How can God’s wisdom help me when I am questioning why things are happening? God’s wisdom will point you to Him and His character. God is good, trustworthy, compassionate and faithful. He will do as he says and will take care of you, no matter the circumstances. He has your back! Through Ecclesiastes Alex pointed us to the fact Solomon discovered, that all life is meaningless without God. In God we can find joy and peace, hope and direction. The book concludes with verses 12:13-14 “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Solomon concluded that God is in control of all things so we need to focus on following Him for our good and His glory. All will be revealed in time so leave the worry to God and focus on living for Him. I love Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Paul councils us to stop worrying- God has this! Pray and receive His peace for living. Lastly, Alex looked to the book of Job. Many hard things happened to Job as he was tested by Satan. Job would not give up his faith in the justice and righteousness of God. He would not give in to the pressures of his friends to curse God and die. He clung to God in faith, but did question God personally. I love this about Job. Job had questions and went to God. God answered in the storm and laid out His power and might for Job to see. Job realized the right answer and his relationship to the God of the universe, in Job 42:1-3 Then Job replied to the Lord: 2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. Job caught a glimpse of God and realized that God is beyond total understanding with our finite minds. God is incomprehensible. We can know God but cannot totally understand all His ways. Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.” I love the assurance about God we get from 2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” We have the power of Christ within us to help us understand the things that are happening around us. Praise God for His mercy and grace to us in Christ Jesus! I would like to add to this subject by turning our focus to our memory verses for this week. They add a different perspective that we also need to remember when questioning why things happen. Ephesians 6:12-13 “ For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” If we lived in a world without sin, all would be in harmony and working to glorify God. However, we do not. Jesus calls us to cling to Him and stand for Him. We are not to dwell on things we do not understand or doubt the circumstances of the world or rail against them, but to put on His armor so we can stand for Him in the midst of all things. He wants us clothed in the belt of Truth, the breastplate of His Righteousness, feet fitted with the shoes of the gospel, taking in hand the shield of faith and putting on the helmet of salvation. Along with these defensive weapons we care to take the Sword of God- His Word and Prayer which are our offensive weapons. Dressed each day for His battle, we can rely upon His eternally good character to sustain us in all things. Lots of things to meditate upon this week as we consider God’s answer to why? Trust in me as I am wise, sovereign and just in all ways. You may not comprehend my ways but walk in trust clothed in your battle armor so you can stand firmly for me! Linda SERMON LINK Why? God... | Do You Let Bad Things Happen? Click Here to View the Sermon Sermon series, "Why? God...." Today Alex Hardt teaches from Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job If you are local, please join us for our weekly service. Our Sunday service is held at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass. |
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