36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine."
37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.
38 So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?"
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
It seems to be a judgement year of politics in all over the world in 2012. There will be 59 countries elect a president or a prime minister for each among 193 countries. For instance, China, Taiwan, India, Mexico, Turkey and so on. Also, in South Korea there will be election of lawmakers and a president in 2012. All citizen are considering who should they elect as their leader for the election in each region. On the other hand, election of president is more serious. Each party considers who should they nominate for the election and they tense to make strategies and research public sentiment. The problem is nobody willingly step forward for the election, which makes citizens hesitate to elect.The reason that we talk about the election of lawmakers and a president before hearing the sermon, is through the history we could know the event that the leaders we elect will play the significant role for the country. Who should we elect? What kind of leader should be nominated? These problems are not only concerned for common people but also for Christian, furthermore, for people all over the world.
Moreover, these problems should be the pray topic that we Christian should play the role of locomotive in this period.It is said to have good fortune of people to meet good people. So sometimes he or she says "You have good fortune of people". Through life's journey, we will meet many people who could be our partners or companions in our life.Among these people, they offers great helps when we meet lots of difficulties. We are thankful for these people, who are our companies and partners in our life. It should be our pray topic to meet these kind of people. Moreover, we should make our effort to become this kind of people for others, which also should be our pray topic.
So that when people who meet difficulties could remind us and feel happy and overcome their difficulties. Pray for we could become this kind of people in Jesus name. In the view that who should we select and what kind of people we should become as Christian, let's talk about today's scripture. People notice the appearance. Thus, commonly people look for a handsome man or a pretty woman. So plastic surgeon becomes more and more popular. It is positive to seek for beauty thinking from the view of God creating us. However, everything should have a standard and we should not look at something from a biased point of view. Thus, the standard to become the bible recommended leaders in this period is the core contents in today's sermon.
When this kind of standard of value becomes ours, we could elect that kind of people as leaders. It could be applied not only for the election of leaders, but also for our generations to be the foundation stone for happy life in the future life. Moreover, we also apply the bible standard of value to ourselves to play good role to others standing in front of God.
1.Today's issue.
The story we talk today is the true event happened in Egypt thousand years ago. At that period Egypt was very strong and developed in the field of politics, economics, social, culture, and military. Pyramid and sphinx are the representative symbolic icon that we know.However, the strong Egypt met disaster of drought, which was so serious that could lead to the fall of human in Egypt and neighbor countries. The King of Egypt at that time did not grasp the seriousness and live a common life. One day the King took a special dream, and what made it more strange was that he took the dream twice.Once he took twice same dream, he felt it related the fate of Egypt and it needed to be explained.
To explain his dream, the King collected all famous dream readers in Egypt. But the responses of dream readers to the dream were unexpected that no one could explain the dream. The King felt anxious since no body could explain. So what were the dreams that he took?The first is described as follow. One day the King walks along a river and there are seven healthy and fat cow walk to a field of reeds. The bible says the appearance of cow is beautiful and they eat grasses peacefully.Some time later, there are another seven pale and lean cow walk to the field, and then they eat the beautiful cow. The King was shocked and woke up.
Some time later, the King fell asleep again and took a dream concerning ear of rice. The fice ear of rice he see is full of ears which have seven ears in each ray. After that, the King see another ear of rice which have seven very thin and skinny ears. What made surprise and strange is that the thin and skinny ears eat the rich ears. The problem is that no one can interpret this dream. There is no one even if collecting all scholars or officials in Egypt. At that time there is one official who is in charge of serving wine to King and he said to King: “ My king, when I was in prison, I had a dream which is the same dream another official who is in charge of food had at the same day. Surprisingly, that dream come true as he interpreted."
Pharaoh wonders this guy after he heard this story. The official answered that this guy is Joseph who is in prison now. And this offical metioned that Joseph has been falselycharged. The king becomes interested in this news.
2. Joseph who is deeply moved by the spirit of God
Let's read text of verse
38 So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?"
Amen, Today's scripture introduced Joseph as a person who is moved by spirit of God. Joseph was not a citizen of Egypt, but he was only a slave. He was falsely accused by violence accusation and then he had a long life of suffering in prison. this is Joseph's life.However, according to today's scripture, King of egypt highly praise this joseph as saying"Can we find anyone like this man?" Praise for Joseph is not from King only but also from all official according verse 37. We may imagine. Joseph is a migrant. He is truly a foreign migrant. He was sold by his brothers and hold the life of suffering in egypt even falsely charged to prison. He was serious offense. He was falsely accused for violating wife of Egyptian official. This accusation is serious, and there is no one who visit to see him in prison. This is definitely miserable life. However, to this miserable Joseph who seems no hope, Pharoh said "Can we find anyone like this man?" what a surprise !
Are there any other talented people in Egypt? Yes, they do. Nevertheless, King and all officials in Egypt accept Joseph when he interpret the dream of King Pharoh.Hahlelujah! Then, what does it mean for " One in whom God's spirit is"
3. God's vision - Joseph's vision
Joseph once heard Pharoh's dream and then answered as written in verse 15-16.
15.Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."
16"I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."
Amen. Pharaoh said to Joseph that you can interpret my dream. What does it mean? Pharoah acknowledged and said to Joseph that you are a great man, you have a special ability, you are the man of high mentality. However, In verse 16, Joseph replied I can't interpret it but God can give the answer. I am the tool and servent of God. I can not do anything if God do not tell me. My ability is not from me, but from God. Halleluyah!
The meaning of " Joseph in whon spirit of God is" is that Joseph had a straight and solid mission and he knew what God really want to him do. When I was preparing this scription of sermon, I prayed and ask to God what is God want to me do. In a New Year's Eve service of 2011, I got a message that "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." What is "serve"? How to serve? that is to spread Gospel to those foreigners in Korea. Kindly teach the bible and give sermon, helt them to understand God's words so that they can believe sometimes. It is serve. Halleluya!
Recently one paster named Sin,SungJong published one book. the contents ot that book is mostly related to Heaven and Hell. In the book, it was shocking to describe some people who may not go to hell. Among them, there is a paster in the hell unexpectedly.(In this book, there is even recorded the name of the paster) The reason is told as that the paster did not the teach the God's words truly. Dear saints, I don't want to go hell. What does it mean? This means all saints in Kyundong Church who heard this message should believe this and live by faith. Someone comes to church to play soccer, someone comes to for problem of late disbursement of wages, change of company, or insurance or occupational health and safety insurance, or someone come for meet friends, etc.
However, mostly important thing is that believe God and obey Gog's words and fear God and praise God. Dear brother and sisters. today's scripture seems to show that Joseph suddenly released from life of prison and become the prime minister. But it is told in Psalm 105 chapter that this suffering keep long time. Joseph may have one prerequisite of fulfill God's word. that means believe God's words, and live life through God's words. Or obey God's words. How does God's spirit move or touch us? God can move or touch your mind when you believe God's words and follow and obey God. Then, what happens once you is moved by God's spirit? Verse
39 is for conclusion of today's message.
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
Amen, God show to Joseph all this. When live in this world, live through wisdom that God gave. when Joseph's project is started, all people including all scholars or officials of Egypt which is top country at that time admire this project God gave.Dear friends, what people we should meet in our life. We should meets someone in whom God's spirit is. In our pray request, we should include this, we should pray for meeting coworker in God, and also pray that let those who had God's spirit become official of country or governor of country or leader of country.
Also, let our children become like Joseph in whom God's spirit is, so that they can reign and serve this world through wisdom that God give. Moreover, ourselves, I and you should become the people moved by God's spirit. When we are touched by God's spirit, we can fulfill God's works through us. Hope all of us can understand God's works, fullfill God's willing in 2012. I bless you in the name of God. |
