9/11 Verses
A. INTRODUCTION... My email Bible Study is always the condensed version of last week’s in-person class. Coming just before the 9/11 anniversary, we looked at verses that we have used at times of national tragedy: 9/11, Newtown and Parkland school killings, etc. Alida and I, when such things happen, ask ourselves, what do people need to hear? What does the Bible say or offer in times of great hurt? The two obvious approaches are the almost unanswerable “Why?”; and “how can we get through this?” At our 9/11 and Newtown services I don’t defend God or explain horrors. Instead, we aim to help each other through this. That’s a big part of what church, faith, the Bible, and pastors are for.
B. TODAY... Genesis 50:20, "Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today."
C. SUMMARY. Did you see “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat?” The Broadway musical is based on the story of Joseph. He was the spoiled younger brother of a large family of boys, and a bit obnoxious. His brothers got fed up and sold him into slavery in Egypt. From slavery he ends up in prison. But thanks to an uncanny gift of accurately interpreting dreams, Joseph is asked to interpret Pharaoh’s troubling dream of fat and thin cattle. He correctly tells Pharaoh it means that there will be seven years of great crops, followed by seven lean years. Impressed, Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of famine prep. When the famine does strike, Egypt is prepared. Wait, there’s more! Joseph’s brothers are sent to Egypt to find food for their large, extended families. Never expecting to see Joseph again, they don’t recognize him – but he recognizes them! After toying with them a bit, he reveals himself, reconciles, and utters today’s profound verse
D. KEY POINTS
1. “Lemons into Lemonade.” All through life we have experiences that leave a bitter taste, like a lemon. Yet, a little work transforms it into a delicious and refreshing drink. This is how Joseph explained what happened to him. His brothers intended to do him harm, be rid of him. God turned the whole experience around, lifting Joseph up to a position of power and in position to save his family I don’t believe God does evil. Jesus tells us it is against God’s nature. But “when bad things happen to good people” God very much desires to be in the middle of it with us. As Joseph rightly says, God intends our lives for good, and works with us to make it so. This is NOT to minimize the troubles we face. But it IS to say that troubles do not have the last word.
2. Other verses for comfort and strength. Psalm 147:3, “God heals thy brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Isaiah 40:31, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” These are realistic voices. They admit to those times when we are wounded and brokenhearted, and when we are down so low, we need to be renewed. When I think of the tragedies that have befallen America during my pastorate, I remember people pouring into church, with heavy hearts, tears, despair, fear, anger, visceral pain. My father always told me, “always look up.” Our jobs as pastors is to help people at such time to look up. An old religious TV show from the 50's was even called “Look Up, and Live.” These two Biblical promises lift us up out of deepest upsets, and promise to go forward and upward with us. Sometimes God leads the way, sometimes shows the way, sometimes pushes you the right way. The push, show, or leading come to us in many forms. Our job is to be open, even looking, for those many forms.
