Series: Growing Up Into Christ
#7: The Journey Outward
Genesis 42-50 (esp. 45:1-5 and 50:15-21) and Philippians 4:12-13 (NLT)
By John Gill ~ February 12, 2023

This morning we come to the seventh sermon in our series on “The Spiritual Journey” as we “Grow Up Into Christ.”

Our faith journey began when we first recognized that God exists and has a claim on our lives. We said “yes” to Jesus’ offer of salvation, and became disciples as we devoted ourselves to learning about this faith, and then set out to find ways to live out our faith in tangible ways.

When we reach The Productive Stage, we feel fulfilled, and are pleased with our progress – in fact, we can mistakenly think we have finally mastered the religious life. That is, until our level of faith is proven inadequate to make sense of the morally complicated world we live in. We begin to turn inward as we struggle with doubts and uncertainties about the faith we had been taught, and may even backslide.

We have come a long way along the path, a trail that has been a winding and difficult journey – a trek that led to a Wall – a crisis of faith we had to struggle our way through. But now we are on the other side, and we discover that our faith has grown and deepened. We are wiser than before, more content, more grounded and at peace with God. We are closing in on our destination: The Life of Love.

In their book, The Critical Journey, Hagberg and Guelich describe this stage beyond the Wall like this:

“The journey outward is the next step after rediscovering God and accepting love. Now we surrender to God's will to fully direct our lives, but with our eyes wide open, aware but unafraid of the consequences. Once parts of the deep excruciating inward journey have been experienced, the natural outcome is to venture outside of one’s self-centeredness and back into the active world with a new sense of fulfillment.

This is the outward journey, a venture outside our self-interest – to others, based on the growth and Peace of Mind we have experienced from the inner journey. This outward venture may or may not be different from our previous [stage when we focused on the productive life] but our focus [now] is different. Our focus is outward, but from a new, grounded center of ourselves. Once again, we have been changed. We have experienced a new wholeness.” p. 133

Our Wall experience that we had thought threatened to destroy our faith, has in fact worked a miracle in our spiritual life. We no longer struggle inwardly with doubts and grasping for answers or panaceas to fix our anxiety and brokenness.

Instead, we have a new more intimate relationship with God. Because we have passed through the refining fire of adversity and learned to trust God through our tribulations, our focus is no longer inward, but outward – our purpose is to Trust God and to Love Others, to be gracious and loving, forgiving faults and seeing all people through the eyes of Christ, to be a conduit of God’s grace to all we meet.

Some of you in this room know what I’m talking about. To others who have not yet hit the Wall, or are still struggling through it, this stage of faith may sound like a fairy tale – a fantasy, something beyond your reach. But I assure you – if you persevere through your Wall, you will understand that the Outward Journey is – not only possible, but essential if we hope to reach our goal: the very heart of God.

It is obvious on reading the Bible that the “spiritual giants” whom God called into service were all people who confronted their own Wall, some crisis of faith, a “dark night of the soul,” – and struggled through it and came out on the other side. Like metal that his refined and purified in the flames, only to become more pure and more precious, the biblical characters were transformed into spiritual giants who lived for God alone. They experienced a “call” in their

lives to fulfill God’s purpose for them, and were willing, even eager, to live into that purpose – no matter the personal cost.

In considering which biblical character best exemplifies this Journey Outward stage, I settled on the Old Testament figure, Joseph – whose life is described in the final chapters of the Book of Genesis. This morning, we heard two excerpts of Joseph’s amazing life. But before we can understand the events we have read in our two passages, we need to refresh our memories about the details of this fascinating story.

It’s a complicated plot with so many twists and turns that it’s easy to get lost along the way. Last Sunday I gave you the cliff note version of the Book of Job. So now, bear with me as I give you the cliff note version of the story of Joseph. Just sit back and let me review exactly how we got to this point in the story.

You’ll recall that Joseph was one of 12 sons, the sons of Jacob – and that these sons become the fathers of the “12 Tribes of Israel.” Jacob had children by four different women, two wives who were sisters (Leah and Rachel), and two concubines (we may find that arrangement odd, but polygamy was accepted practice in those days). That means that the sons were born to four different mothers – the first 10 sons were born to Leah or one or the other of the concubines. Now, Rachel was the “true love” of Jacob’s life, but sadly, she was barren for many years - until finally, she gave birth to the 11th son, Joseph. Later, Rachel became pregnant again, but tragically died in childbirth. Thankfully, son number 12 arrived safely – his name was Benjamin.

Now I tell you all that detail about birth order and parentage because it plays a key role in the unfolding of our story. Because Joseph and Benjamin were born to his beloved Rachel late in his life, Jacob loved them more than the others and doted on them – much to the consternation of the other sons. You will recall that Jacob made matters worse when he presented Joseph with a very special and expensive coat of many colors, making the brothers even more jealous. The spark that lit the fuse of their anger was the way their bratty little brother bragged about the dreams he had had: a vision of the future that predicted that one day, he would rule over his brothers. Needless to say, they were livid.

All that hostility came to a head when one of the brothers, Judah, suggested to his brothers (not including young Benjamin, of course) that they murder Joseph. The other brothers were willing to go along with that crime, but Ruben suggested that, to avoid having blood guilt on their hands, they instead sell Joseph to slave traders, which they did. While poor Joseph was being dragged down to Egypt, the brothers took Joseph’s beautiful coat, smeared it with the blood of a goat, and convinced Jacob that Joseph had been eaten by wild animals. As you can imagine, Jacob was beside himself with grief. And from that moment on, the family lived with the lie, and the brothers wrestled with the guilt of what they had done to Joseph.

Now the story shifts to Egypt. Joseph was sold to a military officer in charge of the palace guard, a man named Potiphar. You may remember if you ever have read the story, that Potiphar was so impressed by the administrative abilities of his young slave that he put him in charge of his household and all his business interests. Joseph excelled at everything he did.

All was going well for Joseph until Potiphar’s wife, who lusted after the handsom young Hebrew slave who rebuffed her advance, falsely accused him of attempting to rape her. So, Potiphar threw him into prison, where he remained for two full years.

Then, in a remarkable turn of events, Pharaoh sends for Joseph to interpret his dreams. Joseph foretells seven years of bountiful harvest, followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh is so impressed with Joseph’s wisdom that he makes Joseph his prime minister, assigned to administer all of Egypt so that the kingdom would be prepared for the coming famine. And so, in the span of one day, Joseph went from being a slave in the dungeon to becoming the ruler of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself!

And that sets the stage for the drama we are considering this morning.

You see, the famine that hit Egypt also affected Canaan, as well. Jacob and his family were struggling to survive. So Jacob sent his sons (all, that is, except precious young Benjamin), to go to Egypt to purchase grain. As foreigners, they had to make their request before the prime minister – Joseph himself. Of course, they had no idea that they were standing in the presence of the brother they had treated so badly.

And imagine how surprised Joseph must have been to look up and see his brothers walking into the room! What a flood of emotions must have washed over him! Joy, anger, longing, resentment. How should he react to seeing them again? I’m sure his first impulse was to tell them who he was right away. But then Joseph reconsidered. He wondered if his brothers had changed after so many years. He had to find out. So Joseph came up with a plan to test them – and to have a little fun at their expense, watching them squirm! (After all – they were brothers, and you know how brothers are!)

So, Joseph accused them of being spies. Then he threw them all in prison for three days. I’m sure those three days in jail gave them lots of time for soul searching! On the third day, he called them back before him and told them that he would sell them the grain they asked for. But to prove they weren’t spies, they would have to leave one of the brothers in prison as collateral while they went back to Canaan. Then they were to return and bring their youngest brother, Benjamin. If they did so, that would prove they weren’t spies, and he would release their brother from the dungeon.

Before they set out on their journey, Joseph provided each brother with the sack of grain they had bought. But he gave his servants orders to also put in the sacks the money they had used to make the purchase.

So, Simeon stayed behind in the dungeon as his brothers left Egypt. When they arrived in Canaan, they had a lot to share with dear old dad! Why was Simeon locked in the dungeon of a powerful Egyptian official? And how would they convince their father to allow his beloved Benjamin to travel to Egypt to win Simeon’s release, putting Benjamin in jeopardy of suffering the same fate? Jacob was distraught all over again – he had lost Joseph, and now Simeon. Would Benjamin be next? Finally he gave his consent, but only after Judah vowed to personally guarantee that Benjamin would return to his father safe and sound.

Then they opened their sacks of grain. What a shock to discover that the money they had used for the purchase was still in their sacks! How did it get there? When they go back to Egypt, they will be accused of stealing! So Jacob sent them with the money they originally took, PLUS more money to buy more grain. Perhaps that will convince the Egyptians they are not thieves.

So, when the brothers arrived back in Egypt, they appeared before Joseph’s servants and tried to explain the situation - that they had discovered the money in their sacks and had no idea how it got there, and so they were returning it, plus more. But Joseph had his servants tell them that the debt had already been paid, even suggesting that God had given them the money, so they should keep it. Strange! But then, things were about to get even more bizarre!

The brothers had anticipated being accused of stealing, and were bracing themselves for the Prime Minister’s anger. But instead, Joseph ordered that his servants prepare a great feast. And what’s more, he had his servants seat the brothers in order from the eldest to the youngest. The brothers must have been mystified – how is it possible that this prime minister of Egypt knows their family so well that he can seat them in the proper birth order!

When Joseph arrived for the banquet and finally laid eyes on Benjamin (his only full brother whom he hadn’t seen since they were children) he was overcome with emotion. He had to excuse himself so he could find a private place to weep. Then, when the meal was served, Joseph made certain that Benjamin got portions that were five times as large as the other brothers. But he still didn’t tell them who he really was. There was one more test.

Before sending them on their way, Joseph ordered his servants to fill a bag with grain for each of the brothers, just as he had done on their first visit. This time, however, he handed his best silver chalice to his servant and instructed him to plant it in Benjamin’s sack.

As the brothers were leaving the city to set out on their journey, Joseph sent his guard to catch up with them and accuse them of stealing his cup. Dumbfounded, they were dragged back into Joseph’s presence. Each sack was examined, beginning with the eldest brother’s. One by one the sacks were opened. What a shock the brothers had when the cup was discovered in Benjamin’s sack!

Now was the moment of truth! How would the brothers react? Would they turn on their little brother to save their own necks? Would they leave Benjamin in Egypt to rot, just as they had done to Joseph? Or had they changed?

Joseph declared that Benjamin would be kept in Egypt to serve as his slave, but that all the others were free to go. That’s when something amazing happened – all the brothers said that they shared Benjamin’s guilt, so they all should become the slaves of the Prime Minister. Joseph must have been impressed! But Joseph refused their offer – saying, only the one who was found guilty would be punished. With that Judah speaks up.

Now remember – Judah was the brother who had wanted to murder Joseph, and would have, if it hadn’t been for the intervention of Reuben. And, it was Judah who had just promised his father that Benjamin would be returned safe and sound to him. Now it is Judah who is offering to take the place of his brother Benjamin – asking that the prime minister might accept Judah as his slave, so that Benjamin could be returned to their father.

That proved it – a dramatic transformation had taken place in the hearts of Judah and all the other brothers. They were not the same men they were. And neither was Joseph!

That’s where our reading from the story comes in. In a flood of emotion, Joseph reveals his identity, and the brothers are finally reunited! Joseph was able to let by-gones be by-gones, and he readily forgave his brothers. A remarkable scene, indeed! It seems, “All’s well that ends well.” But is it?

Put yourself in the place of the brothers. You had thought you had been dealing with an Egyptian official, a foreigner who held your future in his hands. With each strange turn of fate as they traveled back and forth to Egypt, the brothers had begun to wonder out loud if God was punishing them for their sin against their long-lost brother. But they didn’t have the slightest inkling that the man they had been dealing with was Joseph himself. What a mix of emotions they must have felt when Joseph unmasked his identity – Amazement? Joy? Apprehension? Fear? No doubt their minds flashed back to the dreams Joseph shared with them so many years before, that one day he would rule over them all. And now the prophecy had come to pass.

They knew their guilt. And they knew that they were at the mercy of the brother they had wronged, who now was the second most powerful man on earth. Yes, they had good reason to be fearful.

But Joseph tried to assure them that all was well. God had been at work through the events of their lives, placing Joseph in his position so that he could save his family and all of Egypt. They should not fret – they would have nothing to fear from Joseph.

So, Joseph tells his brothers to go back to Canaan, and bring the entire Jacob clan to settle in Egypt in the land of Goshen, and that is precisely what happens.

And again, it seems “all’s well that ends well.” But is it? If that is the “happy ending” to the story, then why does Genesis continue on for five more chapters? Even after the reunion scene in chapter 45, there is unfinished business between these brothers.

Our second excerpt tells the rest of the story. After living together for some time in Egypt, the patriarch of the family, Jacob, dies. Joseph, along with all his brothers, take Jacob’s body back to Canaan for burial. But once Jacob has been buried, old guilt and fears resurface.

Now that Jacob is out of the picture, would Joseph be as forgiving of his brothers who had harmed him so? Was Joseph’s gracious forgiveness offered to the brothers only for the sake of their father? And now, with dad gone, would Joseph finally retaliate? Forgiveness has been given – but, has it really been received?

So, in the 50th chapter of Genesis, Joseph finally hears his brothers confess their sin against him, and plead for mercy; These were their words to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” What sweet words those must have been to Joseph’s ears!

But Joseph has already forgiven them. He made that clear on the day they were reunited. Joseph had forgiven. But, the brothers were having trouble forgiving themselves. So, for a second time Joseph extends grace to his brothers and assures them there are no hard feelings. At last, the gift of grace is received. And now, finally this broken family can truly live “happily ever after.” “All’s well that ends well!”

Isn’t that an amazing story! The power of grace and forgiveness to restore broken relationships. But this story would NOT have had that happy ending if Joseph’s spiritual journey had stalled when times got difficult. It’s no wonder that the church has recognized Joseph as one of the greatest figures of the Old Testament, and one of the biblical personalities whose personal qualities actually foreshadow those of Jesus himself! We should all strive to be like Joseph.

I tell you this long and fascinating story this morning because, of all the characters in the biblical drama, Joseph is one of the best examples of this “Outward Journey” – the stage of the spiritual journey we are focusing on today. In the story of Joseph, we see the amazing transformation that can take place in a life when we confront our Walls, and come out on the other side with a deeper, more mature faith. We take the lemons life gives us, and make lemonade! And in the process, we are blessed, and we become a blessing to others.

The mature Joseph we meet in the scripture passages Joan read earlier is indeed a spiritual giant of the Bible. But Joseph didn’t start out that way. As a young man he may have been taught to love God and had a childish, immature faith. But then his life took a tragic turn as he confronted one Wall after another – tragic circumstances that would cause even a strong believer to begin to question his faith. No doubt, Joseph was forced to go deep in examining his relationship with God – actually forced to turn inward to address the “dark night of the soul.” And yet, instead of losing his relationship with God, Joseph’s trials only strengthened his faith. Through it all, Joseph learned to trust in God alone – that even in prison in a pagan land, he was not alone or abandoned by God.

Joseph had learned what the Apostle Paul described 1700 years later – as Paul wrote in the other passage read this morning from Philippians: “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

God heard Joseph’s pleas, and raised him from the dungeon to the palace. Why? – so that he might be in a position to save his family – the family of the covenant God had made with his great-grandfather, Abraham – the family that would be a light to the nations and draw the world to God – a family that would one day produce the Messiah- the Savior of the World. Because Joseph successfully struggled through the Wall – his crisis of faith – and emerged with a mature, gracious, and forgiving faith, the covenant of God was maintained. Without the Walls that Joseph struggled through, there would have been no Jesus.

But the Covenant held. That’s because Joseph’s spiritual life was transformed, he emerged from his trials and difficulties a new man – he entered the more mature spiritual stage of “The Journey Outward.”

Listen to how Janet Hagberg, one of the authors of the book The Critical Journey describes this stage and see if it doesn't sound like Joseph:

When we have reached the stage of the journey outward, “we have been through so much and have learned to trust God so completely that we are willing to let go to God. We know that God will take us to the places we need to be and we are willing to do what God calls us to do, because we know - that is what is in our best interest. We can pray the prayer, ‘Bring me closer to you, [O God], no matter what the consequences” without flinching inside…. We have learned, from praying for clarity and courage, that it works, so now we can ask for more courage to live out Our Calling in the world… Our goals are [both] intimacy with God and deep healing for all. We began to show outward signs of our intimacy with God while we are [still] in the Wall, and now these signs are evident to more people: calm; sense of humor; willingness to confront issues without anger; joy; ability to see our [own] shadow-[selves] -and laugh; willingness to embrace and heal addictions; compassion; [and] love…”

Now, doesn’t that sound like Joseph? It also sounds a little like the fruit of the Spirit Paul lists in his Letter to the Galatians: “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

These are the evidence of a truly mature spiritual life. Do they describe you?

In closing, I’d like to share with you a prayer – one you may think you know, but perhaps – not completely. You may be familiar with The Serenity Prayer used by the 12 step program Alcoholics Anonymous.” But you may not be aware that there is more to this prayer than is usually quoted. The prayer is written by Reinhold Niebuhr, and the full prayer goes like this:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

enjoying one moment at a time;

accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to his will;

that I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with him

forever in the next. Amen.

Friends, that is the prayer of those who have achieved the outward journey of a mature faith – a faith that seeks both deeper intimacy with God, and deep healing for all people. Joseph had achieve a truly mature faith!

May you persevere in your spiritual journey until you can learn to trust God so completely that you are willing to let go and surrender to God; – That you would trust God to take you to the places you need to be, and willing to do what God calls you to do, because you know that will be what is in your best interest; - That you can honestly pray the prayer, “Bring me closer to you, O God - no matter what,” – and mean it. Amen