Un/belief – “Stuck in Egypt” 

‍Hebrews 11 repeats a single phrase over and over again: “It was by faith…” It’s easy to see God at work in hindsight; it takes faith to trust him in the present. When we do, we often experience some of life’s most pivotal moments. It turns out the most pivotal moments don’t happen to us; they happen through us, by faith. Today we look at an odd, pivotal moment of faith in the life of Joseph.

1. Don’t get stuck in Egypt.  (Hebrews 11:1-2, Exodus 13:19, Joshua 24:32, Matthew 6:19-21) 

• Joseph was Abraham’s great-grandson. His dying wish is for his descendants to take his bones when they leave Egypt. Hundreds of years later, Moses did (Gen 13:19, Josh 24:32)! But Joseph was a national hero in Egypt: they would have built monuments in his honor. So taking his bones would have been a big deal. It’s as if Joseph is saying: “Egypt is part of my story, but Egypt is not my legacy.”
• The same applies to us: it’s easy to get ‘stuck in Egypt,’ and focus on earthly success. Joseph reminds us to keep our eyes on the Kingdom of God, and make an eternal legacy. Jesus echoes the same idea in his famous Sermon on the Mount (Matt 6:19-21). 
• One way we invest in the Kingdom is through financial giving. When we give to the Church, we build an eternal legacy! Giving also grows our faith, because it’s a material act of trust to give when God calls.
• Pastor Ben noted two reasons why he likes to give through the church: 1) Our giving is handled by leaders we know and trust. And 2) We get to see the impact, both in the church and through partners in our community!

2. The miracle often comes in the mud. (Hebrews 11:22, Genesis 15:13-14)

• When Joseph is on his deathbed, there is no ‘nation’ of Israel–just his brothers. So when he says confidently “the people would leave Egypt,” it’s a statement of faith. Joseph connected the dots, and believed God’s promise to Abraham, that he would make them a great nation (Genesis 15:13). 
• It would take 400 years, but by the time of the Exodus there were about 600,000 male Israelites (estimates say 2-3 million people total). But God’s promise came with fine print. In Genesis 15:13-14, God warns Abraham that Israel would be slaves in a foreign land for those 400 years.
• God fulfilled his promise while the Israelites were slaves–not in the promised land. Oftentimes we wait for perfect circumstances so God can do something good. But this story reminds us: “God often does his miracle in the mud” (Pastor Ben).
• Sometimes the world feels like a mudslide. What do we do when we are knee-deep in mud? Some of us wait for God to remove it. Some of us try to push the mud uphill. Meanwhile, God often wants to do something in the mud that we couldn’t imagine. 

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE

These passages may provide additional insights related to the subject of this week’s message. All verses are NLT unless otherwise noted.

Genesis 37-47; Exodus 1:1-14; Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:15-21; Matthew 25:14-30; Matthew 26:39

Video of the Week: Book of Genesis Summary (Part 2)

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

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1. When you think about the end of your life, what legacy do you want to leave? Does Joseph’s example or Jesus’ teaching make you think any differently about your legacy, or success in life?

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2. Share a story of someone in your life who invested generously in others, and made a meaningful impact. How might you use your resources (time, attention, money) to invest in something eternal? 

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3. Pastor Ben noted that financial giving often grows our faith, because it forces us to trust God with what we have. Has God ever used your wallet to grow your faith? Share a story if you’re willing.

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4. When life gets tough or messy, we all respond differently. How do you respond to the ‘mudslides’ of life? Try to push it back uphill? Wait for God to clean it up? Or something else?

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5. “God often does his miracle in the mud.” Have you ever experienced God at work, right in the middle of your pain and suffering? Share a story if you’re willing. 

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6. It’s not wrong to ask God to resolve our messy situations–but we shouldn’t wait for perfect circumstances before we trust him to work. What is an example of something in your life that you’ve prayed for God to resolve? How might trusting God ‘in the mud’ change or add to your prayers?

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