Most of the biblical texts envisioning the coming of the Messiah associate him with royalty. The vision of a gilded savior at the head of an army, ruling on a throne, and bringing prosperity to Israel gave the lower classes hope that their fortunes would one day change. How shocking and unexpected, then, for the Messiah to be born into a low-class family of peasants, too poor to afford a lamb as a sacrifice, too unimportant to sleep in their crowded family’s guestroom? What do we learn about the love of God that he would so radically associate himself with the poor and marginalized by being born as one of them?

When the New Testament was written, the might and rule of the Roman Empire was at its peak. In fact, the shadow of Rome falling over everything was such a common phenomenon that the biblical authors rarely draw our attention to it. For example, Luke does not mention that the census of Augustus in 2:1, which leads Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem, also sparked off a violent rebellion in Galilee. The shadow of Rome and the unrest it fomented in Israel was just a part of life. However, as we look back at the first century with two thousand years of history between us and Rome, we can gain a lot of new insight by grasping the implications of Jesus being born under foreign military occupation. What do we learn about our savior as we consider his deep identification with a people oppressed by empire?

We too often take the incarnation for granted because of how familiar it is. In this message, however, we will explore the staggering implications of the eternal Word of God taking on flesh and walking among us as a fully human man. What does it tell us about the love of God that he would willingly enter his own creation as one of us?

Tim's Final Sermon by Grace Church

Now that Joseph is in a position of extreme power over Egypt, he can prepare the country for seven years of famine. Because of his wise stewardship, the land has grain to see them through a time of shortage. This is a blessing to the Egyptians, but also to his own family, who seek Egypt’s aid as they struggle to survive. In the story we see how Joseph is reunited with his brothers, tests them to see if their hearts have changed, and ultimately reveals his identity through tears. In this emotional reunion, Joseph explains that God had a purpose behind all of it, even him being sold into slavery at his brothers’ hands. The story ends with the family of Abraham reunited, safe from famine, and sheltered from hardship in Egypt where they can “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:22). The stage is set for the family of Jacob to become a nation… a nation called to bring God’s blessing to the world.

As Joseph’s story continues, we see him yet again rising from a place of destitution to a position of wealth and authority. Through his gift of dream interpretation, the prisoner Joseph is introduced to Pharaoh, earns his trust, and ultimately becomes his second in command. It’s an even more meteoric rise than his earlier ascent out of slavery. Now we begin to see God’s master plan at work: the salvation of not just Joseph, but of many people at risk of famine.

The author of Genesis is here inviting us to meditate on God’s sovereignty. If Joseph hadn’t been hated by his brothers, he might never have been sold into slavery. If he hadn’t been sold into slavery, he would have never ended up overseeing Potiphar’s house. If he hadn’t been falsely accused there, he would have never ended up in prison. And if he had never ended up in prison, he would have never ended up as Egypt’s second-in-command. How does such a roller coaster ride change our expectations of God’s hand at work in our lives? And how does it invite us to live differently in the waiting?

When making his covenant with Abraham, God said, “I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3). As Joseph serves in Potiphar’s household, we see this promise beginning to come true as God blesses Potiphar’s family and flocks. However, this cycle of blessing is threatened by the sexual advances of Potiphar’s wife towards Joseph. Will this young man give in to the temptation and breach his master’s trust? Thankfully, the answer is no. Joseph remains faithful, despite the consequences. After being falsely accused of attempted rape, Joseph once more finds himself in chains. This sequence of events raises important questions about our life with God. Do hardships in our lives mean God’s plan has been knocked off course? Do setbacks indicate that God has abandoned his plan of salvation? Are we willing to reject temptation, regardless of the consequences, if it means staying faithful to God’s desires? The story of Joseph in Potiphar’s house is a strong reminder to be steadfast as we seek to live out the heart of God for our broken world.

In this final week of the series, we will attempt to draw these biblical threads together and talk about what it takes to truly become a steward full of contentment and faith: wisdom. If we are to use our finances in a way that leads to flourishing for others and for ourselves in light of God’s abundance, we must be wise in the decisions we make with our money. With wisdom and intentionality, we can become stewards who multiply God’s investment in our lives by bringing healing to the world around us and releasing ourselves from stress and worry in the process.

October 6 | Biblical Stewardship | Making Change | Barry Rodriguez by Grace Church

A final component of God’s healing work to consider is that so much of it happens through the community of faith. Through prayer, service, and tangible support, God works in and through us to bring healing to others’ minds, bodies, and spirits. This is a part of what it means to be Christ’s representatives in a broken world!

In this message we will explore our responsibility to use our gifts, our presence, and our resources to help bring healing to others as representatives of Christ. We’ll be reminded of the importance of listening and having compassion for the healing others desire instead of coming in with all the answers and healing what we think is broken (e.g. My Body is Not a Prayer Request). Finally, we will remember the importance of trusting our community to journey through pain together and not try to weather these challenging storms alone.