Surprises, Surprises

Genesis 45:1-15 Rev. Tyler Amundson August 14, 2011

Prayer

The work of the Word is done within your heart,

not within your mind.

Within your heart lies all love and peace,

and it is your heart that you must give.

Your actions and words

are demanded by the (world),

“Do this and that and we will be satisfied.

Say this and that and we will be pleased.”

But it is your heart they truly need.

For from your heart,

and not from your achievements,

come the healing power of God. [1]

Our scripture today comes from The Message Bible, Genesis 45:1-15

1-2 Joseph couldn't hold himself in any longer, keeping up a front before all his attendants. He cried out, "Leave! Clear out—everyone leave!" So there was no one with Joseph when he identified himself to his brothers. But his sobbing was so violent that the Egyptians couldn't help but hear him. The news was soon reported to Pharaoh's palace.

3 Joseph spoke to his brothers: "I am Joseph. Is my father really still alive?" But his brothers couldn't say a word. They were speechless—they couldn't believe what they were hearing and seeing.

4-8 "Come closer to me," Joseph said to his brothers. They came closer. "I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don't feel badly, don't blame yourselves for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives. There has been a famine in the land now for two years; the famine will continue for five more years—neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me on ahead to pave the way and make sure there was a remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance. So you see, it wasn't you who sent me here but God. He set me in place as a father to Pharaoh, put me in charge of his personal affairs, and made me ruler of all Egypt.

9-11 "Hurry back to my father. Tell him, 'Your son Joseph says: I'm master of all of Egypt. Come as fast as you can and join me here. I'll give you a place to live in Goshen where you'll be close to me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and anything else you can think of. I'll take care of you there completely. There are still five more years of famine ahead; I'll make sure all your needs are taken care of, you and everyone connected with you—you won't want for a thing.'

12-13 "Look at me. You can see for yourselves, and my brother Benjamin can see for himself, that it's me, my own mouth, telling you all this. Tell my father all about the high position I hold in Egypt, tell him everything you've seen here, but don't take all day—hurry up and get my father down here."

14-15 Then Joseph threw himself on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. He then kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Only then were his brothers able to talk with him. [2]

This text today comes from the Joseph Novella...this is the complete narrative of Joseph's life that we find in Genesis. It begins as many of you know with Joseph's coat of many colors and ends with his death. Within this complete story there are a few surprises. Surprises that alter our understanding of God and how God functions in the world. Let me start by recapping the story of Joseph:

Joseph is beloved by his father. Joseph is given his coat...you all know this. Joseph is beaten and left by his brothers to die, but one objects and instead sells him into slavery. Joseph ends up in Egypt and working for Pharaoh where he discovers his talent interpreting dreams. Joseph interprets dreams of the Pharaoh about a coming famine of which Joseph’s homeland will also suffer. His brother's come and do not recognize him, and he gives them food and warns them of the coming famine. However, he deceives them and plants a surprise in their youngest brother's bag. Placing him under arrest and bringing him back to Egypt. Then we see this part of the story where Joseph reveals himself and Israel is invited to be save from famine with Egypt. Later we have Joseph’s death.

So what? Right...that is an interesting fact, but what does it have to do with surprises?

I named the sermon “Surprise, Surprise” because within this story there are two big surprises that play out in our faith. First Surprise...You will never guess.... It is hidden in the entire Joseph Novella, this whole story about Joseph. What character is absent from the story? Now I realize when it comes to Bible I am a bit of a Holy Book nerd. And the first question a nerd like myself would sit down and ask in this story is, “Does God ever say an actual word throughout this entire story?” No, God doesn't say a word throughout any of this story. And this is a big deal. This is the first time in the Bible that God is not telling people what is going on or what to do. THIS IS A BIG DEAL!!! Alright I realize it is kind of a nerd thing, just like when my heart skipped a beat when I heard those words first “Luke, I am your father.” Star Wars is the ultimate nerd moment. Think about it though, if God is not verbally dictating all throughout this story then it must mean something. Most scholars agree that it means that humans have a role to play in God's actions in the world. God's blessings are passed not just from God to humanity, but from human to human. The blessing of God is passed from human to human. That is a scary responsibility and an humbling reality. We have a responsibility as people of God to pass along the blessing of God, God's unconditional love, from each one of us to the next.

We can look into this story itself to see what is considered the ultimate passing of this blessing. If we read the section of scripture for today we find Joseph forgiving his brothers. This is the ultimate act of forgiveness, especially if we consider Joseph’s past. His brothers beat him and threw him in a pit to die, and then decided that might be a bit harsh. Instead they sold him into slavery. Joseph has been mistreated by his brothers, in my sight he has no reason to forgive his brothers for what he has done.

He forgives despite these immense injustices. Joseph accepts God’s responsibility of passing the blessing and passes it to his brothers. As and author in a Jewish commentary put it, “Forgiveness of family members has implications not just for those involved, but for future generations. If we can find a way to forgive and overcome pains of the past rather than be stopped by them, perhaps our own lives will be lived with a new kind of fullness.”[3]

This is why as a church it is so vital for us to be engaged in our community. Community assists us in finding this new fullness, to learn forgiveness, and to love one another. Seeking ways to help those who do not have the basic needs of life. Helping one another discover our gifts and blessings.

I had the opportunity to experience this passing of the blessing last week as I counseled Senior High Camp at out United Methodist Camp on Flathead lake. If you ever want to see a group of people seeking to help one another see God's blessing in the world and to help each other discover our gifts. It can be witnessed in the youth that attend and experience the camping community. Camp is structured very simply. The day involves various group activities and free time. However, it is the family group that brings the experience of God's blessing out in the camp. The family group is a random assortment of youth and a few leaders who get together and discuss the topics of the day. Each family group makes a covenant and commits to keeping the information shared their confidential, except if someone were to be in some sort of danger. The trust that develops allows youth of all different social strata, home location, activity level, or any other difference to connect. As the youth connect they leave behind the stereotypes, the assumptions we make about other humans. Instead they begin to see the humanity, God's blessing in each human being.

Now by the end of camp no one wants to leave, and while I could chalk this up to some teenage idealistic vision that this is a perfect community. The community is rarely perfect and I, as a counselor, experienced this not wanting to leave. What happens is that the community breaks down the social barriers and begins to constantly remind you that you have value. These teenagers begin living in a kingdom of God, in a community of God where they each can remind one another of their worth as human beings. Of their ability to each bless the earth. If you are absolutely wondering if we can do this as other ages, the answer is that this kind of community is possible anywhere. We just have to remember as the story of Joseph does, it is our job as humans to remind one another that we pass the blessing of God along.

Now for the second surprise from the Joseph Novella. Surprise....God is not just for his chosen people. God is for everyone. Even the soon to be enemies...the Egyptians in this story. For us it means that God is for the people we love, dislike, despise, and detest. God is for the forgotten and the lost. All of them have God's love and God's blessing is available for them all. We see this in how God saves Egypt and Israel through the interpretations of dreams that Joseph enacts and his connection that saves the nation of Israel. God is in action both inside and outside of the beloved community.

Now for us this is no surprise. And many of you are unimpressed. I can tell looking out there. It may be a nerd thing again, but this is a big deal. Before this, Israel was where God was at work. For the ancient world God's were designated to certain groups of people and places. However, this story begins to Universalize God. As humans we were beginning to understand that the Holy transcends time, place, and people. It is in all of us and that God's blessing is passed on through every living thing.

Now we have two great surprises: God's blessing is passed on by humans, and God's blessing is a universal blessing for the entirety of creation. This is a big deal...this means we all have a role to play in the kingdom of God. Not only that, as a professing people of God we have a responsibility to pass God’s blessing on to others. We do this in two ways: We pass the blessing as a community through acts of justice and as individuals through moments of personal blessing.

An example of a community act of blessing is how we have adopted the Family Promise. I know we have highlighted Family Promise a lot lately, but I think our excitement around this ministry is that it a new part of our mission effort. We are practically assisting families by housing, feeding them, and the organization itself is getting families into homes. It is practical mission and it feels good.

Next month we are going to hear more about a fundraiser called tent city, which can get our whole community organized around this idea. It will invite youth to participate in a all night event in which they will live like homeless do in tents or in cardboard. This event and our support of it encourages us to pass along the blessing of God to the world. To encourage our community to continually bless the outcast and the stranger.

Passing the blessing can also be personal too. Joseph’s lone act of forgiveness is important. It is a family moment where his forgiveness of his brothers will echo in the generations to come. Personal acts of blessing solidify our ability to be human to those closest to us. By passing the blessing on in our personal relationships we create space for love to grow between one another. As we learn from Joseph, this personal act of blessing may be the most difficult. We have to learn to reconcile the injustices done to us. In doing this we hope that the world might see love in an abundant and amazing way.

So Surprise...the Old Testament taught us two great things today. God’s blessing is passed from human to human. This passing of the blessing is available to all humanity and creation.

Prayers and Blessings that you are able to find ways to pass the blessing.

Peace be with you.

[1] Martin, William C.. The Art of Pastoring. Pittsburgh: Vital Faith Resources, 1994.

[2] Peterson, Eugene H. The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado

Springs: NavPress, 2002, 11 Aug. 2011 <http://www.biblegateway.com/>

[3] Drinkwater, Gregg, Joshua Lesser, and David Shneer. Torah queeries: weekly commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. NYU Press, 2009.

(audio link to this sermon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjVJZVmJ3LY )