Faithful Stewardship, the Chosen

BIBLE STUDY # 809-CHURCH IN THE HOUSES TUESDAY, APRIL 8-14, 2014

Topic: “Faithful Stewardship, the Chosen” Genesis 37:1-11 Joseph was one of Jacob’s twelve children. At the age of seventeen he was the shepherd of a flock just like his brothers. (Genesis 37:2 “This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers….”). He had the responsibility of supervising the flock and his brothers (“… he brought their father a bad report about them.”) His character was one of love, faithfulness, and responsibility; he was always involved only in what had to do with service. But, his brothers saw him as a gossiper, and they abhorred him. Joseph was endowed with a character of superior qualities; that is why he was in this position granted by his father of watching over the flock and his brothers. Joseph labored, not like a gossiper, but as a faithful steward that duly updated his father of the scandalous conduct of his brothers. We see in Joseph THE RIGHTEOUSNESS of a servant. We see THE JUSTICE in he who is called to serve. An important position can only be given to someone like Joseph; someone capable of LOVING. His father had a great inclination towards him because of his devotion, love, passion and integrity. This provoked great jealousy in his brothers, although maybe not all of them. His brothers abhorred him and could not speak to him peacefully. What a great tautness there must have been in that relationship! Joseph was the son in Jacob’s old age, although Benjamin was his last son, the youngest. (Genesis 37:3-4 “Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.”) For Jacob Joseph was “the son of his old age.” This is a Hebrew phrase that indicates the wise son, one that possesses prudence and wisdom superior to the age he has, one who has an old head over young shoulders. Joseph’s robe was different and special; it was a robe of various colors. But, it was not the robe what made Joseph different and special; it was what he was as a person, his character and his exemplary life. Joseph, great servant, later on, due to his brothers’ contempt, was sold as a slave to some merchants and given for dead (Genesis 37:28). This news, so sad and false, was told by his brothers to their father Jacob, leaving Joseph marked for his father with his colorful robe full of goat’s blood. (Genesis 37:31, 32 Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. They took the ornamented robe back to their father and said, “We found this….”). We can see the hatred of the others even though there was one heart loving them. Yes, Joseph loved them even though he suffered each day for being left aside for his faithful service. His brothers could not talk to him peacefully. (Genesis 37:11 “His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind”). These painful things happen to those who love, who serve, who surrender and who excel because God is with them. The customary greeting expression among friends and acquaintances was: “Peace be with you!” It was a sacred duty to give everyone this greeting, but this wasn’t for Joseph. A SERVANT CANNOT EXPECT ANYTHING! Joseph, as a servant, only received hostility from his brothers who were always displeased with him. (Genesis 37:5 “Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more”). He was a mockery to them, well they called him “the dreamer”. (Vs. 19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other”). However, it was all for their own good because in time Joseph would come to be governor in Egypt and they would have to go there in search of food and it would be Joseph the one to serve them again providing the food (Genesis 42:1, 6 and 25). Joseph cried! (Genesis 42:24 “He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again…”). What had he been born to do? To serve, to give of himself and to live in surrender for others! We see that Joseph’s life, after having been sold, was one of great pain and sorrow. But, upon this man what mattered was only to fulfill his duty. Why so much hatred and pain? In spite of all that he always fulfilled his duties; he either served as a servant being a slave or he would serve as the highest governor being the lord of Egypt (Vs.42:6). His position as a servant could be fulfilled as a slave or as a lord; he wanted to serve others in spite of his great pains and tears. When Joseph was sold to the Midianite merchants and taken to Egypt he also started serving Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh’s army. Because of the wickedness of Potiphar’s wife Joseph was sent to jail, but he continued to serve in jail. In jail Joseph was also in charge of the king’s prisoners and he served them (Genesis 39:1, 4, 22). THIS IS BEING A FAITHFUL STEWARD! To love even though you are envied and hated, not being able to stop serving. This is the labor: to hold up and care.

He, as a servant, was to protect, sustain, feed, and support those whom God put under his care. So did Joseph die, working for others, whether he was called a “servant” or a “lord”. No one can be hated or envied because of his service. A servant walks thru mysterious roads: Joseph’s brothers sell him, Potiphar’s wife accuses him, he was in jail, the cupbearer forgot about him (Genesis 40:13, 14, 23)…but NOT GOD! Joseph was that faithful servant who did not bear hatred or reproaches. He never said: Why do I live what I live? Instead he grew old and lived in the most sublime, tender and grand; watching and enjoying his descendants up to the third generation. (Genesis 50:22, 23 “Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years and saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children. Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.” That man, mocked, rejected, hated, accused, and forgotten by those whom he loved, in his great old age and his blessed knees managed with purity his descendants. He was blessed by God for guarding his heart so that there would not be pride or hatred. Joseph as a FAITHFUL STEWARD surrendered himself totally and without reproaches serving his generation with a righteous and just heart, full of love. And you? Amen.