Where's Jesus? Joseph's beg for Benjamin's Life (Genesis 44)

The Joseph stories are fascinating looks into human relationships and the emotional responses that are born out of these interactions. But even more than that, they place before us a picture of God and Christ.  This week, Joseph's brothers return after being "framed"for theft.  They return to plead for the life of their youngest brother Benjamin.  As readers and Christians, we must ask, "Where is Jesus in a story like this?"


Most often we read the story and take offense at the way Joseph treats his brothers - framing Benjamin for a crime he didn't commit, putting the brothers through extreme emotional hardship, and breathing into them the "fear of God."  But that kind of reading assumes that justice is situational.  What I mean is this:  Many westerners believe that guilt is only attributable to specific actions. One cannot be found guilty for a crime they didn't commit, even if in their past, they were guilty of a crime which hasn't come to light yet.  We would assume that prosecuting someone and calling them guilty when in fact they are innocent of that specific crime would be a perversion of justice and so we chafe at a story like this one in the Bible.  It is unjust.  It isn't fair. 

Thrilled with Butter Beans

Have you ever thought you struck it rich when you found a....butter bean in your soup bowl?  Tonight, both our Ethiopian girls were thrilled with their multi-bean soup.  They were eating away, until suddenly they stopped and gave giggles of excitement.  I looked over at each of them to see their eyes as wide as they could open and then staring at it saying "Daddieee, Daddieee."  They goggled it down, so I dug through the soup bowl found a few more and snuck them into the bowl each time they were looking away. The same response every time they looked back.

This makes me realize just how much we take for granted and how difficult it is for us to get excited in America.  It takes something really big.  But what about the little things, the clean water, the fresh fruit, the fact that we never have to go hungry, at least not most of us.  Warm houses, Clothes without holes, good healthcare.  All of these and so many more should cause of equal amounts of glee and give us plenty of reasons to thank God for his generous provisions.

Baptism and Adoption Liturgy

Mark Ruiter modified this liturgy from the CRC Grey Psalter Hymnal to relate baptism and adoption together.  We used this liturgy on April 18, 2010 to baptize Amariah Ruiter and GraceLynn and FaithAnne Roberts.  Feel free to use it or modify it.

Hear the words of Jesus:

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matt. 28:18-20)

And the words of the apostle Paul in Galatians

²⁶You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, ²⁷for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.  (Galatians 3:26-29)

Through adoption these children have a new identity.  They are no longer orphans; they full members of the Ruiter and Roberts families.  They have all of the rights, responsibilities and benefits of the rest of their children.

Who’s your Father? (Galatians 3:26-4:7)

“Whose your father?” he asked. 

The child responded, “I am not sure.” 

“But surely you live with a man in your hut.  What’s his name?” the missionary asked. 

“His name is Masapi, but I am not sure if he is my father.” 

 Perplexed, the missionary took the child to Masapi’s hut and that evening he asked his language helper the meaning of the child’s words. 

 “Oh, no one is sure who their father is.  In our culture, you can never be sure who the father is, for you can never be sure which man was in the house, but you always know who the mother is because you can see the child come out of her. That is why children belong to the mother’s side and not the father’s.”

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q22

Q.22. What then must a Christian believe?

A. Everything God promises us in the gospel.  That gospel is summarized for us in the articles of our Christian faith – a creed beyond doubt, and confessed throughout the world.

Monday

Last week we explored what faith is.  Now we ask, what must we believe?  Last week we found that faith involves what God has revealed in his Word. This week we find that Everything God promises in his Word is included in our faith.  Why must we believe all that Jesus brought and taught?  Read John 5:39-40.  The answer is contained in these few words: All Scripture points to Jesus and he is the giver of life.  If we don’t believe the words of Scripture, then we are cutting off an important part of its testimony to Jesus Christ.

Baptized for the Dead? 1 Corinthians 15:29

A friend of mine from Colorado wrote this.  I would love to hear your comments and thoughts on it.  You can find more of his work at www.livinggodministries.net

When we begin to mature in our faith in Christ Jesus, our life becomes an adventure of discovery. One way we begin to discover what we now have, is by reading the Bible. When reading the Bible we often discover what our God has said and done in the past. When reading through the letters of the Apostle Paul, we occasionally discover passages that are difficult to understand. Peter recognized this challenge in his second letter, chapter 3:15,16. One of these difficult passages is found in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, 15:29, where he wrote, "Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?" What is difficult, is that we recognize that a person cannot be baptized on behalf of someone else. Baptism is a personal and individual decision by those who undergo conversion. However, it appears that Paul is suggesting that we can undergo this sacrament of conversion on behalf of someone else who is already dead. How can this be without contradicting the rest of the Scriptures that specifically address personal responsibility with regards to salvation? Understanding this verse requires an understanding of the pharisaical doctrines of baptism and indwelling life. With an understanding of these doctrines, it will be easy to both understand and appreciate this statement to the church in Corinth.

Great Skit

here is a great skit on being formed into Christ, on Godly discipline, on self-worth...

Enjoy the 9 minutes here