There’s nothing quite so disconcerting as to be dropped into a story midway through and find yourself wondering what happened before you got there. You are overwhelmed with catching up so you can make some sense of where you are and where the story is going and what it means.
The story of Joseph in our lectionary started last week at chapter 37 of Genesis and this week skips to chapter 45 and then we’re done with it. Wow! There is a lot that’s left out before last week’s reading and after this week’s reading that really matters if we are to understand the importance of this story for us today. So, here goes with a Cliff’s Notes version:
Two weeks ago we heard the story of Jacob and his wrestling with God all night long (Gen. 32: 22-28). At the break of day, Jacob is renamed Israel by God. This new name signifies Jacob’s struggle with God and his new life as one who has held fast to God. It also signifies God’s holding fast to Jacob and blessing Jacob. New name, new life. God tells Jacob that Jacob will be the father of a nation and a community of nations and a king will come from him (Gen. 35: 9-11). Last week, Jacob, now named Israel, has settled and has fathered 12 sons (Gen. 35:23-29). And, as with most every family, siblings don’t always get along. Some siblings are favorites of one parent or the other and jealousy erupts.
Joseph, son of Jacob, is such a favored son. The famed coat with long sleeves or coat of many colors is demonstrable proof to the elder brothers that Joseph is the favored son. Wanting to reclaim their place in their father’s eyes, the elder brothers conspire to do away with Joseph. They end up selling him to the wandering Midianites and Joseph ends up in Egypt. Joseph‘s troubles don’t end there. He ends up becoming the attendant to Potiphar, the Pharaoh’s captain of the guard. Potiphar’s wife wants an affair with Joseph and he refuses. Scorned, she lays charges against Joseph and he ends up in prison. (Gen. 39:1-19). We’re told that the Lord was with Joseph and once again Joseph ends up in a position of trust and authority and responsible for all that goes on in the prison (Gen. 39:20-23). Things seem to be going along reasonably well for Joseph when into the prison comes the Pharaoh’s cup bearer and baker. And these two begin to dream but they didn’t know what to make of their dream. Along comes Joseph. Joseph reminds the cup bearer and the baker that the interpretation of dreams belongs to God. Through Joseph’s relationship with God, Joseph offers interpretations that come true (Gen. 40: 4b-22). Two years later Joseph is still in prison when the Pharaoh has dreams that he cannot interpret. Joseph is remembered by the cup bearer and brought forth from prison to interpret the dream for the Pharaoh. Joseph reminds the Pharaoh that it is God who will give Pharaoh the answers about what the dream means (Gen. 41:1-16). Joseph tells the Pharaoh about the upcoming 7 years of plenty to be followed by 7 years of famine. Joseph urges the Pharaoh to plan for these events. The Pharaoh put Joseph in charge- second only to the Pharaoh because it is clear to Pharaoh that the spirit of God is in Joseph (Gen. 41: 38,
40-43). And it came to pass just as Joseph said. The years of famine followed the years of feasting. But Joseph had stored food and word that food was available in Egypt came to the ears of Jacob, his father, living in Canaan.
Jacob sends the 10 older brothers to Egypt to buy grain so that his family will not starve. But the youngest, Benjamin, has stayed with Jacob. The 10 older brothers come to Egypt and beg for grain from Joseph. They do not recognize him but he recognizes them. He does not yet tell them who he is, but rather gives them grain and sends them back to their father. To prove that they are not spies, Joseph requires his older brothers to bring the youngest, Benjamin, back to Egypt in exchange for more grain. Once they have eaten the grain from the first trip, off they go to Egypt and to Joseph again – needing more grain to avoid starvation. And, we’re finally caught up to our reading today.
The older brothers have returned to Egypt, needing more food. They brought the youngest, Benjamin, with them as Joseph had ordered. Still, the brothers do not recognize Joseph. When Joseph reveals himself as their brother, he tells them not to be distressed or afraid – that God sent him ahead to help prepare for the famine and to preserve Jacob’s progeny to be the family of nations predicted way back when Jacob wrestled with God. Joseph remained close to God and believed that God intended what had happened to Joseph for good. That through all the horrible things that had happened to Joseph, God was able to use Joseph to provide for God’s family even during a famine. God used Joseph and his talents to plan for the upcoming famine. Joseph, through his understanding of the dreams of the Pharaoh, convinced the Pharaoh that planning was critical to avoid the looming disaster. Fortunately, Pharaoh not only listened, he engaged the services of the one who had the necessary talents and the willingness to plan.
The story of Joseph and his amazing, Technicolor dream coat, is the story of family. Of all that happens to us when we put our own interests, driven by pride and greed or fear or frustration, ahead of our relationship with God. We forget to act like Jacob or like Joseph: holding fast to God, enabling God to hold fast to us. God does not force us to hold fast – but will hold us fast when we are willing to recognize that God is the source of all that is good in our lives. That even when humans intend action for harm, God can use those very same circumstances it for good (Gen. 50: 20). Family history – family dynamics- inform how we live our life and what we understand our life to be about. Parish history and parish dynamics are equally important. Understanding who we have been in our past up until today informs who we may become as we move forward into the future.
Without time and the willingness to reflect upon our past, we will not be able to go forward into calling the appropriate rector with the gifts and talents necessary for the next chapter in our common life. We do not need to dwell on our past except as it offers us insight into how we have come to be and who we are at this point in our journey with God and our presence in Greencastle, Indiana in the 21st century. As we reflect together, each of us will have remembrances about how our lives have been impacted by the worship and outreach and presence of St. Andrew’s. These memories will differ as we differ. Not everyone will remember things exactly the same. But each memory is important as it informs the whole. And each memory is important as we
transition into the future.
There is an old adage that has relevance both to the story of Joseph and to our journey: those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Joseph convinced the Pharaoh that planning for the famine that would follow the feast was essential to living through the famine and coming to a new time of feast. Joseph was nominated and accepted the call to plan. Because he planned, failure did not result. Similarly, the first developmental task of this transition period is to help us come to terms with our past- good, bad and indifferent- and see how it can help us plan for the future. By looking back at those priests who have served St. Andrew’s since its beginning in 1938, we will get a sense of their strengths and weaknesses and see how that impacted the life of St. Andrew’s. This will help us determine what gifts and talents might be needed in the next person to serve as rector. We are not who we were 24 years ago. We do not live in the same world as 24 years ago. All you have to do is think about things that have changed- many of which are outside of our control- to realize that life is about change. What matters is how we adapt and respond to that change. How we adapt – how we respond – and whether we consider change something to be embraced or something to be fought against comes partly from our history. It will be important to think about how that history informs our future as we acknowledge that change will come to us, like it or not. Change will come if only in the person and ministry of the next called rector.
The story of Joseph, with all its ups and downs, with all its sibling rivalry, with all its political overtones, is our story. Joseph is reunited with his family through the tragedy of famine. Joseph reassures his older brothers who originally wished him harm that they did not need to fear him even after their father, Jacob renamed Israel, dies. Joseph remains steadfast in his faith and his confidence that what others meant for harm, God is able to use for good. Those who remain steadfast in the Lord can be comforted knowing God holds fast to them. The promise of God’s care and love for us continues to this day.
Whether or not we have a life of ease or a life of turmoil, we can be confident that God holds fast to us when we hold fast to God. The promise of Joseph to his brothers that they did not need to be afraid to be a family again is true for us. Just as Egypt was not to be the permanent home to Israel, our past is not our future. Look to and learn from the past, yes – but with joy and expectation that the next chapter in the life of St. Andrew’s will be filled with new ways to show the love of God to each other, our families and our communities. Do not be afraid. Step out in faith. Hold fast to God. Amen.
Share