Forest Park Church

The momentous reunion of Joseph and Jacob that has been long anticipated in the story is all but swallowed up in the larger context of the nation of Israel's descent into Egypt. Through Joseph's wisdom, God preserved Israel physically and spiritually in Goshen, where they lived in Egypt and remained distinct. Under Joseph's administrative wisdom, and Jacob's blessing of Pharaoh and Pharaoh's honoring of Israel, Israel and Egypt survived the grievous famine and prospered. This story begins to illustrate the promise of being a blessing for the nations.

Jacob, named “Israel,” is marked by prevailing in the struggle of life. Leaves Canaan to be reunited with his son, knowing the dangers and challenges ahead. Stops at Beersheba to remember the Lord and offers a sacrifice of worship and reliance on the Lord. In the middle of the night, the Lord reveals and reassures Jacob that the Lord is the “I will God”. Just like Jacob, the Christian life is marked by prevailing struggle. How do we prevail in the struggle of life?

After his brothers respond to his test in Genesis 44, Joseph is overcome with emotion and finally reveals himself. Shocked and scared, the brothers sit in dismay as Joseph reassures them that God is ultimately in control and used their sinful actions to bring about His will for His glory and their good. He further urges them to bring this good news and testimony to their father Jacob so God can open up his heart to receive and believe it that his son is alive. This further reminds us today of how we too must faithfully bring the good news of the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to others with our testimony so God can open up hearts to receive it and believe it!

Joseph puts the brothers through the final test. If the first test was designed to retrieve Benjamin, the second test is designed to expose their genuine attitude towards their youngest brother, Benjamin. In this final test, we continue to see evidence of the Lord's restoring work.

All the brothers, including Benjamin, are returning to Egypt on their second journey. As the Lord is restoring this broken family, we begin to see the Lord's transforming grace in their lives. Where their hearts are changing, they are concerned for one another and are willing to lay down their lives for one another, and they are slowly turning from fear to trusting the Lord.

Easter Sunday is one of the biggest highlights in the life of the church as we celebrate the resurrection. But after all the excitement dies down, we are often left with the question in our lives of what happens next? How do we handle the magnificent news of the Gospel now that we have received it and responded to it? How do we truly live for Christ and cling to Him? To find these answers, we'll take a look back to Jesus' sermon on the mount to see how Jesus is the greatest treasure one could ever have, and how as a result, we must pursue Him and His Gospel each day!

Our world has been experiencing a growing crisis of hope. The future seems uncertain and the present volatile. When you feel hopeless and beaten down by life, Peter reminds us that we have a God who is merciful and sees our helpless state, who has made us alive and has given us a living hope that is anchored in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through Christ, our eternal future is secured in the vaults of heaven, where it cannot die, fade or be corrupted.

Palm Sunday is the first day of holy week or the first day of the final week before Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. It is the day we traditionally celebrate Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As we take a closer look at Jesus' triumphal entry, what was Jesus declaring about himself in this triumphal entry? Did the disciples and the crowds really understand what they were saying? What difference does this day make for us over 2000 years later?

If the Lord was with Joseph, and if Joseph remained faithful and persevered, why does it seem like things went from bad to worse in his life? Throughout the Bible there is a paradoxical principle, before exaltation comes humiliation. As we take a closer look at Joseph's exaltation and Pharaoh's humiliation, we will see that the Lord is the one who exalts the humble and humbles the exalted.

As our story continues in Genesis 41, we find that despair sets in for Joseph whose been left in jail for years, and Pharoah who receives multiple disturbing dreams. But their desperate paths will soon collide as Pharoah is recommended to find the meaning of his dreams from Joseph, who is pulled from prison to sit before the king. After only a short time, Joseph points Pharoah to see how only God can provide the knowledge to find the diagnosis of one's real problems and how only God's wisdom can guide one's actions towards the only cure!

Joseph has descended from being thrown into a desolate pit, to being sold as a slave, to being thrown into prison, and forgotten. Joseph was a victim of his brother's hatred, of the false accusations of Potiphar's wife, and now the forgetfulness of a cupbearer. It is easy to rush through the story where Joseph exchanged his prison clothes for the crown of Egypt. But what we must understand is that the events in chapter forty make possible the advancement in chapter forty-one. In chapter forty Joseph is called to persevere. Just like Joseph we are called to persevere. What does it look like to persevere?

In our text today, we are going to see Joseph confronted by temptation. Unlike his brother Judah who gave into temptation, Joseph resisted temptation and overcame temptation. How did Joseph overcome the temptation? The Lord's presence.

In the highs and lows of Joseph's life in Egypt, the key point hammered home repeatedly is God's presence with Joseph. This was the reason for his endurance and diligence as a slave in Egypt, the success in his work and being a blessing to others, and how he could have victory over the temptation of sin. Christians can take heart, for like Joseph in the highs and lows of life, the Lord is with us.

We come to an obscure story that seems like an interruption from Joseph in Egypt. Yet this interruption is important, because through the evil actions of Judah, his two sons (Er & Onan), and Tamar, the Lord, executes his divine judgment, shows mercy to Judah, and redeems the broken situation by providing the continuation of the promised seed.

As we are introduced to the sons of Jacob, it becomes very evident of the dysfunction of their family. Jacob loved Joseph, while his brothers hated him more and more. This familial relationship breeds destruction and death. Yet the Lord is working in the destruction of their sin, accomplishing his purposes of salvation. That means our only hope when we find ourselves entangled with sin, is the work of God.

Encountering God Almighty changes everything. God – through His calling, revelation, and promises – is the source of transforming grace and sustaining grace. We'll see how that is true in Jacob's life as his story in Genesis comes to a close, and we'll see how we must live our lives in light of God's transforming grace, by the power of his sustaining grace.

God has come through marvelously for Jacob – restoring his relationship to his estranged brother and restoring him to the land of promise. But as soon as he found himself settling in, disaster strikes. Things quickly escalade from bad to worse. When the story seems to end with only tragedy, God speaks.

As the night had passed and the day had begun, Jacob emerged as a transformed man. When he faces his brother Esau, he is a completely different man. As we look at the evidence of Jacob's transformation, we will learn how God can transform us.

In the tense anxiety of the night, Jacob is waiting to see if his plan will succeed and if his brother will accept him. While waiting all alone in the night, God appeared in human form and wrestled Jacob throughout the night. Depriving Jacob of his natural strength, making him weak and yet declaring him the victor. What was the purpose of this wrestling, what did it mean for Jacob and what does it mean for us?

Jacob is on the doorstep of the greatest trial of his life. He has an angry brother ahead of him and an angry father-in-law behind him, and all his family and accumulated wealth is at stake. His conniving has cornered him into imminent disaster. His only hope is divine deliverance and out of fear and desperation he turns the Lord in prayer.

The fact that Jesus had a human body just like our human bodies is seen in many passages of Scripture. Why did Jesus have to be fully human if he was going to be the Messiah and accomplish our salvation?

When we speak of the humanity of Christ, we must begin with the miraculous birth of Christ, known as the virgin birth. Why is the virgin birth important and what does it mean for us today?

Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit writes a stunning and beautiful passage about Jesus in Colossians 1:15-20. When Paul is thinking about Christ and His work, he uses the repeated phrases of “all things” and “everything”. In these repeated phrases he is reminding his readers of the definite, certain, complete and finish work of the Jesus, who is fully and completely God.

A complete Biblical picture of Jesus is that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man in one person and will be so forever. As we take a closer look at the deity of Christ, starting with the claims of Jesus, we will see that Jesus clearly claims to be God. Why is it necessary for Jesus to be fully God?

The most important question that Jesus asked his disciples is, “who do you say that I am?” This question demands a response, with implications of either accepting or rejecting, submitting or rebelling against Jesus. As Peter confesses Jesus as the long awaited anointed one and King, who has come to deliver God's people and to rule over them. Jesus reveals a profound truth to how Peter came to that confession.

Throughout Scripture we see a theme of God dwelling with His people. We see it in the beginning with Adam and Eve, and we see it with the prophecies, tabernacle, and temple when God is veiled behind the most holy of holy places. But in today's sermon, we'll look at how one moment changed everything as Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, willingly became enfleshed in the incarnation. And through this great miracle, we'll learn how Jesus unveiled God and made Him known to us, as He demonstrated how our God is personal in dwelling with us and is the initiator of salvation. Finally, we'll learn how this proves Jesus is our great savior!

The conflict between Jacob and Laban continues and will come to a head. Laban's animosity towards Jacob begins to grow. In more deceit Jacob sneaks away from Laban. Laban pursues and overtakes him and the two finally come to terms with each other. Yet, Jacob's prosperity, protection and preservation are not a result of Jacob's cleverness, wit or strength, but a result of the Lord's intervening work.

Jacob has completed his fourteen years of work for Laban and now he is ready to go back to his home and family. However, Laban recognized the benefits of having Jacob around. Not wanting to let Jacob go, both the cunning Laban and Jacob the deceiver will enter a duel of attempting to outsmart one another through tactics of deceit and trickery. Yet Jacob will prevail at the expense of Laban. Not because he outsmarted Laban, but because of the Lord's grace and the Lord being faithful in fulfilling his promises to Jacob.

A major theme in the life of Jacob is conflict, conflict with his brother Esau, his father-in-law Laban and now we will see conflict surrounding his two wives. Two rival sisters competing with one another over their husband's affection, utilizing their power to conceive and using every scheme possible to gain the upper hand. What is the Lord doing in all this dysfunction? We will learn that when sin is rampant, God does His greatest work.

Jacob receives a taste of his own medicine, when his uncle Laban takes advantage of him and deceives him. Over time the Lord would use this painful experience to expose and remove his sin and mold him into a man that is both humble, submissive and dependent on the Lord. We learn that the Lord is committed to transforming His people.

Jacob is a fugitive on the run, and the Lord in His grace revealed Himself in a dream and gives him wonderful promises. Yet Jacob is “backwards” in his dealing with the Lord. Instead of believing and trusting the Lord's promises, he bargains with the Lord and sets the conditions for trusting the Lord. Yet the Lord is gracious to him and will begin the work of transforming unworthy Jacob the deceiver to worthy Israel who is totally dependent on the Lord.

In today's message, we see that God's will is always accomplished even in spite of our sins. God's covenant blessing is from God, fulfilled by God, to bless His people and we can trust in Him .

A theme in the life of Isaac is that the Lord protects and provides in adversity. Isaac must learn to trust the Lord in adversity, and at times he will stumble in fear, but the Lord will remain faithful in providing and fulfilling His covenant promises.

In our text today we will be introduced to Isaac whose life is filled with struggles, the struggle to conceive, the struggle between two brothers and the struggle for the birthright. In these struggles, the text is pointing us to look ahead in how God is working in fulfilling His covenant promises and how God in His sovereign grace is choosing His covenant people.

As we come to the end of Abraham's life, the account of his death and burial is in between two “rejected genealogies”. The genealogy of Keturah's sons and Ishmael. Twice we will be reminded that Isaac is the one blessed by God, who will inherit the covenant promises. The natural questions are, what is the purpose of mentioning these “rejected genealogies”? What makes Isaac so special? What is the Lord revealing about Himself?

As Abraham reaches the end of his life, he needs to find a wife for Isaac, so that the Lord will fulfill his covenant promises. The task of finding a wife for Isaac was so important that he sent his most trusted servant under an oath. What we learn is that both Abraham and the servant's confidence and actions were rooted in the covenant promises of the Lord.

In today's message in 2 Kings 7:1-9 from missionary Ken Beckley, we learn how God uses people to advance His good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This same message resonates with us today as God calls all Christians to share the good news of the Gospel with the world!

After the death of Sarah, Abraham looks for a burial plot to bury his wife. Amazingly though, Abraham doesn't return to his homeland of Ur of the Chaldeans, but instead rests in God's promises that one day his descendants will inherit the land he is currently a sojourner in. As such, he stays and buys a plot of land in Canaan to bury Sarah in, that one day his entire family will also utilize, showing how God's promise of Abraham's descendants inheriting the land comes true. Likewise, it shows us today how we should trust in God's promises, as those who place their faith in Christ will also one day receive the inheritance of the Kingdom of God!

God's command that Abraham should sacrifice his son is highly unusual. This narrative raises many questions that remain unanswered. But what becomes very clear in the beginning of this narrative that behind this command, God is testing Abraham. Does Abraham truly trust God in fulfilling his promises to him? What we will discover in this test is the outcome of the matter that reveals as much about God as it does about Abraham.

A constant theme of Genesis 20-21 is the Lord's provision, protection and presence in accordance with His divine promises. That did not mean Abraham was passive, but rather Abraham had to learn to trust in the Lord's provision, protection and presence. As a sojourner the Lord was teaching Abraham to rely on and trust Him. Just like Abraham, we too are sojourners, learning to trust in the Lord's provision, protection and presence. How do we live as sojourners today?

How do we respond in suffering in a way that is healthy that deals with our emotions and is God honoring? We will take a closer look at three biblical truths of human suffering that will help us respond in suffering.

God's covenant promise comes true as Abraham and his wife Sarah joyously conceive their only child Isaac. Their joy quickly turns to distress though, as Abraham's young teenage son Ishmael from his servant Hagar, who was conceived in trying to circumvent God's covenant, begins harshly ridiculing Isaac. As a result, Abraham is forced to send away Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness trusting God's promises to care for them, to which God miraculously does as He shows how He is the ultimate promise-keeper!

Again, Abraham fails to trust the Lord for protection and resorts instead to deception. Despite Abraham's failure, God preserves the covenant line of promise, just as He had in Egypt. The preservation of Sarah and the blessings from the Gerarites illustrate again the surprising grace of God, who ensures that the promise will come to pass.

After the Lord rescued Lot, we to come to the end of Lot's life in a dark cave hiding in fear with his two daughters. With good intentions they want to preserve their father's line, but with deplorable means of incest. How do we make sense of the story, and why does Peter refer to Lot as righteous? We will discover that the Lord can redeem from the darkest cave.

A rich young ruler seeks out Jesus to ask what more he can do to secure eternal life. No doubt hoping for a quick fix, the man's expectations are soon flipped upside down as Jesus reveals to him that eternal life is not found through accomplishing checklist items, but rather through having a relationship with God. Further yet, the man soon learns that it's not about what he can do to earn salvation, it's about what only God can do to accomplish salvation, as true wealth is found in Jesus Christ alone!

After the Lord revealed His plan to Abraham, we see the unfolding of the Lord's plan in rightfully judging the evil cities, and in His mercy rescuing Lot from the coming destruction of the evil cities. As we look at the story, there are two questions we need to answer from our text: Why does God destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? Why does God rescue Lot?

After Abraham hosted the Lord, the Lord revealed His plan of dealing with the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham would serve as an intercessor appealing to the Lord's justice and mercy, where he would learn from first-hand experience the Lord's justice and mercy.

While Abraham and Sarah are struggling to trust the Lord and His promise of a son. The Lord appears to them in visible form, giving them assurance for keeping His promise. In Sarah's pain and disappointment behind closed doors, the Lord saw her, heard her, and knew exactly what was going on in her heart and in His grace told her that nothing was impossible for Him.