God Meant it for Good (Gen 50:19-21) Intro: 'You give them something to eat' (Mt 14:16) 'Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints' (Ps 116:15, see Ps 72:14)
Exposition: 'You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.' 1. You Meant It For Evil 'they hated him even more for his dreams & for his words' (Gen 37:5-8) 'We shall see what will become of his dreams!' (Gen 37:20)
2. God Meant It For Good 'I remember my faults this day' (Gen 41:9) 'God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, & to save your lives...' (Gen 45:5-8)
3. How can this be? 'How unsearchable are His judgments & His ways past finding out!' (Rom 11:33) 'Being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will' (Eph 1:11, see Acts 2:23, Rom 8:28)
Application: Joseph's message of comfort 1. Defer to justice of God (v19) 'Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?' 'Do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord' (Rom 12:19)
2. Rest in sovereignty of God (v20) Say w/Joseph, '[though] you meant evil against me; God meant it for good.'
3. Reflect kindness of God (v21) 'Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you & your little ones.' 'Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good' (Rom 12:21)
Conclusion: Maybe it isn't all about me 'God meant it for good ... to save many people'
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“ Encouragement after the Virginia Tech tragedy ” David Vance's church meets in a library near the Virginia Tech Campus, and this message, preached less than a week after the tragedy, is a blessing indeed! Regardless of what may befall us and those around us, God makes no mistakes.
