Sermon Title: God With Us
Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:25-34
Moses’ Purpose for Genesis
Worry and fear are synonymous terms. The warning against fear and the link between fear and unbelief are predominant themes in Scripture. Abraham is afraid in Egypt. Moses was afraid of Pharaoh and the Israelites. Joseph’s brothers were afraid when reintroduced to Joseph. Israel was afraid in the wilderness. Israel was afraid of the Promised Land. God warns over 450 times in the Bible against fear.
Remember, Moses wrote Genesis for exiled Israel. One of Moses’ goals in writing Genesis is reflected in Joshua’s encouragement to the Israelites (Joshua 1:5).
- Exodus 3:1-12 (v. 12)
- Joshua 1:1-5, 17 (v. 5, 17)
Genesis 15:1 (Abraham); 26:24 (Isaac and Abimelech); 28:15 (Jacob on the way to Laban’s house); 31:3 (Jacob returning home from Laban’s house); 39:2-3, 21, 23 (Joseph in Potiphar’s house and in prison); 50:24 (Joseph on his deathbed).
God is With Us
The theme of God’s presence with his people runs like a major thread from the patriarchs (26:3-24; 28:13-15; 31:3) to Joseph (39:2-3, 21, 23), to Israel (Exodus 13:21; Psalm 23; 46:7; Isaiah 41:10; 43:2), to Jesus who is Immanuel (“God with us” [Matthew 1:23]), to Jesus’ promise, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20), to Jesus’ pouring out his Spirit on the church at Pentecost (Acts 2), to Jesus’ second coming when “God will dwell with his people” (Revelation 21:3).1
God walked with Adam in the Garden, but Adam did not fully know God; God visited Abraham and revealed himself to Abraham using various Hebrew names, but Abraham did not fully know God; God dwelt amongst Israel in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night; God then dwelt with Israel in a mobile tabernacle and then a stationary temple. Then, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14) and God was with us (Matthew 1:23). “But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:5-7). Jesus was telling the disciples something like this: I must go away so I can really be with you.
Think About It
Thing about how much we don’t know that happened in Genesis. Genesis records a very small percentage of details from hundreds of years of history. God is absolutely sovereign. Think of how one small detail could have sent the dominoes falling and derailed God’s perfect plan of redemption. We understand God’s plan cannot be thwarted and that He is infinitely wise, powerful, and good. However, I would argue our worry, impatience, anger, and fear show we might not really believe it.
Me just this week: my children’s college education; my children’s salvation; my retirement; the building fund; my vehicles; my marriage; changes at Church; etc.
The following questions are meant to give us perspective, confidence, and comfort regarding God’s intimate perpetual presence in the life of a believer:
- What if Adam and Eve would have divorced?
- What if Eve would have said, “I can’t take the pain of losing another child” and not had Seth?
- What if Noah said, “No, I don’t want to build a boat.”
- What if Rosetta Stone would have come out immediately after the Tower of Babel?
- What if Sarah would have said “I need security and stability” and refused to follow Abraham to Canaan?
- What if Lot would have chosen to dwell in Canaan and Abraham in the Jordan Valley?
- What if an arrow would have hit Abraham when fighting to rescue Lot?
- What if Ishmael would have been angry like Cain and murdered Isaac?
- What if Abraham felt more attracted to Hagar and left Sarah?
- What if the angel who yelled for Abraham to stop when Abraham was lowering the knife upon Isaac would have been late or got something stuck in his throat?
- What if during circumcision, Abraham injured Isaac, making him unable to reproduce?
- What if Abraham would have gotten scarred and cowardly sold his wife to a king in order to save his life? Oh wait, that did happen.
- What if Sarah would have been physically unable to conceive? Oh wait, that did happen.
- What if Abraham’s servant was unable to find a woman who was willing to move to a foreign country and marry a man she had never seen?
- What if Isaac had insanely rebellious children who had no care for the things of God and His plan for redemption? Oh wait, that did happen.
- What if Esau would have killed Jacob?
- What if the Canaanites and the Perizzites would have attacked Jacob and his children because of what Simeon and Levi did?
- What if Joseph’s brothers would have killed him?
- What if the slave traders were going anywhere else in the world but Egypt?
- What if Joseph would have chosen to give in to temptation with Potiphar’s wife?
- What if Potiphar would have killed Joseph?
- What if the baker was the one who lived and not the cupbearer? Would the Pharaoh confide in the baker?
- Genesis 38: Judah, Tamar, and Judah’s three sons
- What if Jacob refused to send Benjamin to Egypt? After all, four times Judah mentions that Jacob will die if he loses Benjamin (Genesis 44:22, 29, 31).
- What if Joseph was not merciful?
Worry and Fear
Worry and Fear are essentially the same thing. The Greek word for worry is "merimnao", a combination of two words – "merizo" (to divide) and "nous" (mind). Worry actually means “a divided mind.”
Worry is not to be confused with diligent concern and care toward your responsibilities (2 Corinthians 11:28; Philippians 2:20; Galatians 4:19). Also, all fear is not sinful (you should fear a snake).
Worry is sin; Worry is unbelief (Matthew 6:25, 31, 34; Philippians 4:6). God is wise, good, and powerful. To worry and fear is to doubt all or a combination of the three attributes of wisdom, goodness/loving, and powerful. Therefore, you can believe all three and rebel against God’s decision (idolatry) or repent of unbelief (Matthew 6:30).
The solution for worry: Right Praying (Philippians 4:6-7), Right Thinking (Philippians 4:8; Worry doesn’t come from uncertainty, but perceived certainty), Right Acting (Philippians 4:9).
The solution for fear is to trust in God’s love (I John 4:18).
Contentment
“Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition” (Jeremiah Burroughs).
Afflictions are God’s love letters to me and often act as the lenses through which I see Him best and the amplifier through which I hear Him most.He is not poor nor much enticedWho loses everything but Christ.It won’t be long before the rodBecomes the tender kiss of God.
Puritan Thomas Brooks:
“But God, who is infinite in wisdom and matchless in goodness, has ordered troubles, yes, many troubles to come trooping in upon us on every side. As our mercies—so our crosses seldom come single; they usually come treading one upon the heels of another; they are like April showers, no sooner is one over but another comes. And yet, Christians, it is mercy, it is rich mercy, that every affliction is not an execution, that every correction is not a damnation. The higher the waters rise, the nearer Noah's ark was lifted up to heaven; the more your afflictions are increased, the more your heart shall be raised heavenward.”
Forsaken
“Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit” (Genesis 40:14-15).
Joseph’s great hope and prayer – to be released from prison where he bitterly reflects he had been most unfairly kept, was left unanswered. His experience of painful, apparently fruitless waiting is typical of that of the patriarchs looking for children (Genesis 15:2; 25:21: 30:1), of Job praying for vindication (Job 19:7), and of numberless psalmists who cry, “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1; 22:2).2
Although God was with Joseph and Israel in times of prosperity and in times of adversity (Isaiah 54:7), Jesus, at the height of his suffering, was momentarily forsaken by God (Mark 15:34). He was forsaken by God so that we might never be forsaken by him.1
“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:24).
Closing – Read Psalm 56
References:
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