THEY WERE MADLY IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER!!
MIKE CUNNINGHAM
FEBRUARY 10, 2013

I took advantage of the opportunity that the Lord gave me last week to share some recently learned information in last Sunday’s sermon. I was appalled by the enormity of human trafficking in our country during events where there are thousands of people gathered in one city such as at the Super Bowl, the World Series, and big conventions. Although she didn’t say anything to me about the sermon and the Super Bowl after hearing it preached like her brother Jake did; I was especially pleased to read my granddaughter Amanda’s post on my blog about how “that and many other things distract us from church.” In speaking with her the next day, Amanda said that she appreciated learning about this evil activity and she intended to be on her guard. I suggested that she pass that information along to her teenage friends.

I was also pleased when I received the following email from Amanda’s Mom who wasn’t able to be with us that day. Veronica wrote: “Hi Dad, First, Thank you for your sermon. I read it twice before making a comment so here I am. I agree with you that once the Sunday service is over a lot of Christian people tend to forget to communicate again with God unless something went wrong with them. Whatever circumstances we’re in we should never forget to communicate with God. Been there, done that and I’m guilty too.

Secondly, thank you for mentioning the Super Bowl in your sermon. I have never thought in my life that underage sex trafficking existed during this huge event. It is a big eye opener for me and a warning for my children to be extra cautious and be aware of the problem about our surroundings. Love you dad, Veronica.”

That sermon was preached to glorify God and because of the love I have for each of you folks. I hope I didn’t put a damper on anyone’s enjoyment of watching entertaining activities last Sunday; activities such as the Super Bowl or watching and cheering for children who were participating in a sporting event. There’s nothing wrong with doing such things. But when I think about the shocking revelation that during the 2009 Super Bowl in Tampa, the “Florida Commission Against Human Trafficking” estimated that “tens of thousands of women and minors were trafficked in the Miami area according to reports,”

That was a real eye-opener for me just as it was for you folks who were here last Sunday. I mentioned during and after the sermon that; according to various reports that I read, “the human trafficking industry is the fastest growing criminal enterprise in America today with estimated annual revenue in excess of 50 billion dollars.” The fact that those women and young girls are slaves reminded me of Joseph in the story we have been reading. For those of you who are not regular attendees of our church the following is a quick recap of what we’ve covered so far.

Joseph was the son of Jacob and a woman named Rachel who was one of Jacob’s wives. It was quite obvious that Joseph was his father’s pride and joy. As a result, his step-brothers became angry, bitter, envious and jealous. Very! To make the situation worse, Joseph started to have dreams that he shared with them. He told his brothers and father that the day was coming when he would rule over them and they would all bow down to him. The brothers became furious and decided to kill Joseph at the earliest opportunity.

That day soon came and his father sent Joseph out to find his brothers and the flock of sheep they were shepherding and report back to him how things were going. When they saw Joseph coming their way they decided to throw him into a cistern and let him die there. His brother, Judah, persuaded them to spare his life and instead sell him to a caravan of Ishmaelite merchants that was headed their way. The brothers then slaughtered a goat and drenched Joseph’s fancy coat with its blood. When they got home they showed it to their father and asked him if he recognized it. Of course, Jacob did. He thought that a wild beast must have attacked Joseph and eaten him. Needless to say, the old man was devastated.

When the merchants arrived in Egypt they sold Joseph to a big-shot named Potiphar. Now the 17 year-old kid became a slave. Recognizing Joseph’s intelligence and many skills; the man put Joseph in charge of his entire estate. But then one day the big-shot’s wife tried to seduce Joseph. After several unsuccessful attempts, she managed to convince her husband and servants that Joseph tried to rape her. The guy became furious and put Joseph in prison. The prison warden also quickly recognized Joseph’s intelligence and numerous skills. He knew that God was blessing whatever Joseph set out to do, and so He put Joseph in charge of running the prison.

It just so happened that the prison housed the King’s Prison. The Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and chief baker were incarcerated in it. Both of them had a dream that they couldn’t figure out. When Joseph interpreted the chief cupbearer’s dream for him he told the guy to tell Pharaoh about him when he finished serving his sentence and was released. But the cupbearer didn’t tell Pharaoh what Joseph had done for him and that the dream came true exactly as Joseph had predicted. Then, would you believe, Pharaoh started having dreams, but he and his sages and magicians couldn’t interpret them. The following Biblical account should be easy to understand.

1 Two years passed and Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile River. 2 Seven cows came up out of the Nile, all shimmering with health, and grazed on the marsh grass. 3 Then seven other cows, all skin and bones, came up out of the river after them and stood by them on the bank of the Nile. 4 The skinny cows ate the seven healthy cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. 5 He went back to sleep and dreamed a second time: Seven ears of grain, full-bodied and lush, grew out of a single stalk. 6 Then seven more ears grew up, but these were thin and dried out by the east wind. 7 The thin ears swallowed up the full, healthy ears. Then Pharaoh woke up—another dream. 8 When morning came, he was upset. He sent for all the magicians and sages of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but they couldn’t interpret them to him.

9 The head cupbearer then spoke up and said to Pharaoh, “I just now remembered something—I’m sorry, I should have told you this long ago. 10 Once when Pharaoh got angry with his servants, he locked me and the head baker in the house of the captain of the guard. 11 We both had dreams on the same night, each dream with its own meaning. 12 It so happened that there was a young Hebrew slave there with us; he belonged to the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams and he interpreted them for us, each dream separately. 13 Things turned out just as he interpreted. I was returned to my position and the head baker was impaled.”

14 Pharaoh at once sent for Joseph. They brought him on the run from the jail cell. He cut his hair, put on clean clothes, and came to Pharaoh. 15 “I dreamed a dream,” Pharaoh told Joseph. “Nobody can interpret it. But I’ve heard that just by hearing a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered, “Not I, but God. God will set Pharaoh’s mind at ease.” 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile. 18 Seven cows, shimmering with health, came up out of the river and grazed on the marsh grass. 19 On their heels seven more cows, all skin and bones, came up. I’ve never seen uglier cows anywhere in Egypt. 20 Then the seven skinny, ugly cows ate up the first seven healthy cows. 21 But you couldn’t tell by looking—after eating them up they were just as skinny and ugly as before. Then I woke up.

22 “In my second dream I saw seven ears of grain, full-bodied and lush, growing out of a single stalk, 23 and right behind them, seven other ears, shriveled, thin, and dried out by the east wind. 24 And the thin ears swallowed up the full ears. I’ve told all this to the magicians but they can’t figure it out.” 25 Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s two dreams both mean the same thing. God is telling Pharaoh what he is going to do. 26 The seven healthy cows are seven years and the seven healthy ears of grain are seven years—they’re the same dream. 27 The seven sick and ugly cows that followed them up are seven years and the seven scrawny ears of grain dried out by the east wind are the same—seven years of famine. 28 “The meaning is what I said earlier: God is letting Pharaoh in on what he is going to do. 29 Seven years of plenty are on their way throughout Egypt. 30 But on their heels will come seven years of famine, leaving no trace of the Egyptian plenty. As the country is emptied by famine, 31 there won’t be even a scrap left of the previous plenty—the famine will be total. 32 The fact that Pharaoh dreamed the same dream twice emphasizes God’s determination to do this and do it soon.

33 “So: Pharaoh needs to look for a wise and experienced man and put him in charge of the country. 34 Then Pharaoh needs to appoint managers throughout the country of Egypt to organize it during the years of plenty. 35 Their job will be to collect all the food produced in the good years ahead and stockpile the grain under Pharaoh’s authority, storing it in the towns for food. 36 This grain will be held back to be used later during the seven years of famine that are coming on Egypt. This way the country won’t be devastated by the famine.”

37 This seemed like a good idea to Pharaoh and his officials. 38 Then Pharaoh said to his officials, “Isn’t this the man we need? Are we going to find anyone else who has God’s spirit in him like this?” 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “You’re the man for us. God has given you the inside story—no one is as qualified as you in experience and wisdom. 40 From now on, you’re in charge of my affairs; all my people will report to you. Only as king will I be over you.” 41 So Pharaoh commissioned Joseph: “I’m putting you in charge of the entire country of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his finger and slipped it on Joseph’s hand. He outfitted him in robes of the best linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He put the second-in-command chariot at his disposal, and as he rode people shouted “Bravo!” Joseph was in charge of the entire country of Egypt.

44 Pharaoh told Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but no one in Egypt will make a single move without your stamp of approval.” 45 Then Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name, Zaphenath-Paneah (God Speaks and He Lives). He also gave him an Egyptian wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On (Heliopolis). And Joseph took up his duties over the land of Egypt. 46 Joseph was thirty years old when he went to work for Pharaoh the king of Egypt. As soon as Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, he began his work in Egypt. Genesis 41:1-46 (MSG)

As usual, there’s a lot of food for thought in those passages. I was most impressed by the manner in which God rules the world. His ways are not our ways; His ways are infinitely higher than our ways and are impossible for human beings to figure out.

I can relate to Joseph as I’m sure each of you folks can. God doesn’t always give us the desires of our heart immediately. We can take comfort in the fact, that, as we’re learning in the story of Joseph, God never lays a burden on any of His children which is greater than he or she can handle. He also promises that He will indeed work every one of their painful experiences out for His glory and their ultimate good. And don’t forget that God is conforming each of His children into becoming increasingly Christ-like. In a recent online daily devotional, Joni, the famous quadriplegic says that, “We are most like God when we are full of joy, godly joy that overflows from meekness, humility and spiritual poverty, that is, a deep awareness of our deepest need for Him.” The Lord has been teaching me the truth of that statement and I’m learning it. Does this fact ring true for each of you? I sure hope so because I’ve been trying to drill it into you folks for the past several years.

Here’s something else to think about. It’s a fact which is conspicuous by its absence. Do you have any idea what I’m alluding to? Can you think of an important person who wasn’t even mentioned in the story of Joseph and his brothers? How about Jacob’s wife? I can’t imagine her being any less devastated than Jacob was. After all, it was her son that she believed had been attacked and eaten by a wild animal. I wonder if she was like Job’s wife who only had two things to say to her husband about the horrible losses they were experiencing: “Job, you have rotten breath and,” “why don’t you just curse God and die?”

And how about Jacob’s parents, the folks who were Joseph’s Grandparents? It seems to me that they were also very important people. I doubt if most of you have any idea why these people weren’t mentioned in the story so I’ll tell you. I didn’t start the story of Joseph and his brothers in the beginning. It’s as simple as that. Most people don’t start reading the Bible in the beginning either, and I’m no exception. Let’s go back a bit and consider these Scriptures.

46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m sick and tired of these local girls. I’d rather die than see Jacob marry one of them.” Genesis 27:46 (TLB) 1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and said to him, “Don’t marry one of these Canaanite girls. 2 Instead, go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of your grandfather Bethuel, and marry one of your cousins—your Uncle Laban’s daughters. 3 God Almighty bless you and give you many children; may you become a great nation of many tribes! 4 May God pass on to you and to your descendants the mighty blessings promised to Abraham. May you own this land where we now are foreigners, for God has given it to Abraham.” 5 So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-aram to visit his Uncle Laban, his mother’s brother—the son of Bethuel the Aramean. Genesis 28:1-5 (TLB)

1 Jacob traveled on, finally arriving in the land of the East. 2 He saw in the distance three flocks of sheep lying beside a well in an open field, waiting to be watered. But a heavy stone covered the mouth of the well. 3 (The custom was that the stone was not removed until all the flocks were there. After watering them, the stone was rolled back over the mouth of the well again.) 4 Jacob went over to the shepherds and asked them where they lived. “At Haran,” they said. 5 “Do you know a fellow there named Laban, the son of Nahor?” “We sure do.” 6 “How is he?” “He’s well and prosperous. Look, there comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.” 7 “Why don’t you water the flocks so they can get back to grazing?” Jacob asked. “They’ll be hungry if you stop so early in the day!” 8 “We don’t roll away the stone and begin the watering until all the flocks and shepherds are here,” they replied.

9 As this conversation was going on, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 And because she was his cousin—the daughter of his mother’s brother—and because the sheep were his uncle’s, Jacob went over to the well and rolled away the stone and watered his uncle’s flock. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and started crying! 12 He explained about being her cousin on her father’s side, and that he was her Aunt Rebekah’s son. She quickly ran and told her father, Laban,

13 and as soon as he heard of Jacob’s arrival, he rushed out to meet him and greeted him warmly and brought him home. Then Jacob told him his story. 14 “Just think, my very own flesh and blood,” Laban exclaimed. After Jacob had been there about a month, 15 Laban said to him one day, “Just because we are relatives is no reason for you to work for me without pay. How much do you want?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters, Leah, the older, and her younger sister, Rachel. 17 Leah had lovely eyes, but Rachel was shapely, and in every way a beauty. 18 Well, Jacob was in love with Rachel. So he told her father, “I’ll work for you seven years if you’ll give me Rachel as my wife.” 19 “Agreed!” Laban replied. “I’d rather give her to you than to someone outside the family.”

20 So Jacob spent the next seven years working to pay for Rachel. But they seemed to him but a few days, he was so much in love. 21 Finally the time came for him to marry her. “I have fulfilled my contract,” Jacob said to Laban. “Now give me my wife, so that I can sleep with her.” 22 So Laban invited all the men of the settlement to celebrate with Jacob at a big party. 23 Afterwards, that night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24 (And Laban gave to Leah a servant girl, Zilpah, to be her maid.)

25 But in the morning—it was Leah! “What sort of trick is this?” Jacob raged at Laban. “I worked for seven years for Rachel. What do you mean by this trickery?” 26 “It’s not our custom to marry off a younger daughter ahead of her sister,” Laban replied smoothly. 27 “Wait until the bridal week is over and you can have Rachel too—if you promise to work for me another seven years!” 28 So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. Then Laban gave him Rachel, too. 29 And Laban gave to Rachel a servant girl, Bilhah, to be her maid. 30 So Jacob slept with Rachel, too, and he loved her more than Leah, and stayed and worked the additional seven years. Genesis 29:1-30 (TLB)

With a love that was manifested on His cross for sin drenched sinners such as me and you, the love of Jesus infinitely surpassed the love that Jacob had for Rachel. Valentine’s Day is this coming Thursday. If there is a special person in your life who is your Valentine, would you be willing to endure for him or her all that Jacob did for the love of his life? Obviously, I don’t know the answer to that question. However, I do know that as far as it pertains to Jacob and Rachel, “They Were Madly in Love With Each Other!”

Lord willing, next week ….