God's grace does not call us into a religion of perfection; God's grace calls us into a relationship of faithful obedience.

Lasting Transformation is found in the gospel, lived out in community and while being on mission.

The book of Genesis ends with the deaths of Jacob and Joseph, both of whom express interest in their physical remains resting in the Promised Land rather than in Egypt. Within the context of Genesis this is not surprising, because the emphasis is on God's promise, a promise which is not about "going to heaven when you die" but about Israel's fate in the land God promised to them. Assured of God's love for them, God's people dare to believe that even after they die God will finish the plan that he started in the beginning.

As Jacob nears the end of his life, he passes on the patriarchal blessing to Joseph and predicts the future for each of his twelve sons. We get a sense of what is coming in the rest of Israel’s history, replete with the surprising twists and turns that have characterized the lives of the three patriarchs in Genesis. Hope that Israel’s God will be faithful to his promise to his people lives on, along with the prospects that the entire world will be blessed because of it.

Convinced that Joseph was still alive, Jacob moves his family to Egypt. The reunion of father and son is a touching scene, but a larger story in unfolding. Israel has arrived in Egypt where they will flourish and become a mighty nation and where God will begin to demonstrate his saving power through them.

The 4th part of the Genesis story is coming to a climax. Joseph sees his dreams come true. Judah’s character is transformed and we see redemption in his words and life. Joseph tests his brothers to see if their jealousy is gone and their honesty is real. As Joseph is revealed, we see the coming of peace and unity to the brothers, and of revival to the nation. There is real reconciliation and a new beginning.