“What is 3R Thursday?”

3R Thursday is a short devotional written by Cole F. Watson that contains Ramblings, Ruminations, and Reflections published most Thursdays to equip Christians with practical theology and Biblical philosophy.

Previous devotionals can be read here ⬅️ 

Foundational Framework 📖 

Soli Deo Gloria ✝️ 

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3R THURSDAY: A Holy Irony

I had the honor of preaching my first sermon last Sunday at First Baptist Church of Iowa Park, Texas.

Enjoy!

Good to see you again! This has become one of my favorite views each week. Unfortunately for you this time, I will be up here longer than a few minutes: I have been tasked with more than a couple announcements.

As many of you know, my name is Cole Watson.

I have the honor and privilege today to fill the pulpit and preach my first sermon. I’ve had the opportunity to lead a life group here and the Lord has worked more in these last 6 months than perhaps in any other time in my life.

As some of you may know, I’m a third-generation Watson in Iowa Park. It was the summer of 2005 when my family moved back. As my dad says, we left the “metro-mess” to live closer to family—a pattern I have since repeated when I moved my little family back to Iowa Park last summer.

What many of you probably do not know is the story of how I became acclimated to the community. Back in the summer of 2005, before starting at the junior high, my dad had the great idea of shipping me off to Boy Scout camp the day after we moved here. As if moving to the middle of nowhere wasn’t bad enough, he wanted to send me in a van full of strangers to spend a week tying knots, sleeping in a tent, and surviving the Texas wild—in the summer.

As I recall, we rolled up to Iowa Park, and then the next morning—at 5 a.m.—my dad drove me down the street to the Methodist Church with a backpack and a tent and loaded me up in a passenger van with a dozen or so other fresh-faced scouts and a few adults.

We were headed for Post, Texas.

Anyone know where Post, Texas is?

That’s right: it’s actually the last stop before you fall off end of the earth: there’s nothing on the other side of the Boy Scout Camp in Post, Texas.

Naturally, I assumed that this is where my life ended, but God had other plans. I made friends. Earned some merit badges. And returned from camp all the more confident to tackle the Iowa Park Junior High in a couple of months.

Looking back now, I knew my dad had a plan for sending me to some distant place, knowing that I would return more confident and assured in my faith in God. In fact, I would say that my dad’s plans for me were God’s plan for me.

Had I known (or had my mother known) of the brutal camping conditions and hazing traditions, there might have been more trepidation for my adventure.

But alas, I survived and I’m here to tell you about it today, which is similar to what we’ll cover this morning as we see another father sending his son into brutal conditions, which ultimately formed the son into the man he was destined to become.

Turn with me to Genesis Chapter 37. We’re picking up with the life of Joseph.

As you probably remember from last week, Joseph just told his family that he would one day rule over them; that they would bow down to him. Remember the dreams of the sheaves and the star?

Keep in mind that Joseph was not only the second youngest son (out of 12) of Jacob, but he was also the oldest son of Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife.

Not only that, but in Genesis 37:3, it says that Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son because “he was the son of his old age.” Because of that, Jacob made Joseph a “robe of many colors.” Not unlike the clothes of many colors displayed this month—but for a completely different expression of pride.

Naturally, Joseph’s brothers hated him for this reason and were jealous of him (we see that in Genesis 37:11)—which provides us an excellent background for today’s passage.

If you’re in Genesis 37, starting with verse 12, say “deception.”

[Deception]

12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem.

13 And Israel [that is, Jacob] said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.”

14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

Okay: The scene is set.

- We have angry, jealous brothers.

- We have a father who’s concerned about his sons and decides to send his favorite son to check on those angry, jealous brothers—who happen to be in the middle of nowhere.

- What could go wrong?

Let’s keep reading:

15 And a man found him [Joseph] wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?”

16 “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.”

17 And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

If you’re following along, here’s the first question you may have: Why did the brothers have to move further away?  Shouldn’t Jacob have known that the brothers would be in Dothan, not Shechem?

Go back to Genesis 37:17.

Joseph was searching for his brothers in Shechem—that’s where his father sent him—but Joseph didn’t find them there. A nameless guide pointed him to Dothan, some 20 miles away. Some commentaries suggest that this “man” was either an angel or a human.

Somehow this nameless guide (1) found Joseph wondering around, (2) overhead his brothers’ conversation about their itinerary, and (3) knew how to direct Joseph to his brothers. Regardless of who he was, the unseen hand of God is readily apparent.

Scholars believe that the draught (that we see play out in Genesis 41-42) had already begun because the brothers had to move further north to Dothan to pasture their sheep. Not only that, but (!)spoiler alert(!) the pit that Joseph’s brothers eventually threw him in—was empty—there was no water in it, which also indicates that famine was imminent.

Let’s keep going.

18 They [that is, the brothers] saw him from afar [remember the coat of many colors], and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.

19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer.

20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.”

Well, that escalated quickly.

Joseph is wandering around in the desert with his coat of many colors, loud and proud. A nameless guide finds him and points him in the right direction. Then Joseph’s brothers see him “from afar” and conspire to kill him.

Here was the brothers’ opportunity to manifest their jealously into murder and ultimately deceive their father as to Joseph’s cause of death.

The brothers’ plan was to deceive the deceiver. Remember, Jacob deceived his brother, his father, and his father-in-law.

And now his own sons wanted to deceive him. Lies usually begets more lies—a good reminder for you fathers out there wanting to mitigate generational sin.

So let’s zoom out a little. We have the luxury of seeing how God worked out all things according to his plan: we normally just call it the “Bible.”

There is a great irony being set up here. A holy irony, if you will.

Go back to Joseph’s dream.

 Joseph dreamt that his family would one day bow down to him, which as we know, is good news: we know that it means Joseph’s godly obedience and wisdom ultimately saved his family from starvation.

But at the time of Joseph’s dreams, he didn’t know that.

His father didn’t know that.

And his brothers certainly didn’t know that.

 Yet the draught has already begun. The timeline of events that bring Joseph’s dream to fruition is taking place—right now! The stage is set for one of the greatest redemption stories in all of history.

 The brothers have migrated north to feed their sheep. And here comes their little brother—who will eventually save their lives—but instead of welcoming him, they conspire to kill him. The brothers seek to kill the man that will eventually save their lives and as we’ll see, by virtue of trying to kill Joseph, it sets him along a path that ultimately leads him to saving his brothers from certain death.

Remember their quip in verse 20: “We will see what will become of his dreams.”?

 Haha brothers! By attempting to kill Joseph for his dreams, they are actually bringing his dreams to reality.

This is a holy irony.

Let me stop here, because the foreshadowing is also palpable. 

Here is a Father—Jacob—sending his beloved son—Joseph—into a hostile world—to his brothers. Right? To his angry and jealous brothers.

Joseph has good news, that one day the brothers will bow down to him (which we know is because Joseph saved his brothers’ lives). Yet the brothers would rather kill him because they don’t recognize the good news of Joseph’s dreams.

Or in other words, the son has good news of salvation but the world would rather kill him than receive him.

Does that sound familiar?

[If that’s not a layup for a Sunday School an…—sorry, Life Group—answer, I don’t know what is.]

So here’s the first point, and our sermon in a sentence: Jesus is the better Joseph.

Turn to John 3, starting in verse 16: [cliché quip]

“16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Do you see that Joseph is foreshadowing Christ? Joseph’s life points to Jesus. Joseph could not fully save his brothers in the way that Christ could, but Joseph reflected the nature of Christ because Joseph was given the means to save his brothers, his family.

Yet, what did his brothers do?

They conspired to kill him.

They chose darkness over light.

They chose deception and lies over truth.

Go back to Genesis 37:21 and let’s keep going:

21 But when Reuben [remember that’s the oldest brother] heard it [that is, the murderous conspiracy], he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.”

22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.

Good ol’ Reuben, attempting to compromise here. Rather than flat out murder Joseph, Reuben proposes throwing Joseph into a pit.

[That’s almost as bad as throwing a kid

in a tent

in the Texas summer

surrounded by a bunch of strangers

at the end of the earth.]

It’s easy here to see that Reuben is trying to negotiate with his brothers. Right? He’s trying to compromise with them:

[“Hey, don’t like stab him or anything like that, just toss him over here or something.”]

The brothers have whipped themselves into a murderous frenzy and are ready to kill Joseph as soon as he arrives.

 Reuben on the other hand is attempting to protect Joseph. As verse 22 says, “that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.” But Reuben’s motive for protection is selfish at best in the same way that the brothers’ motive for murder is selfish at its very worst.

Remember back to Genesis 35:22 when Reuben sleeps with his father’s concubine, Bilhah. There’s likely some notion here of hopeful redemption for Reuben. [Do you see that?] Reuben wants to return to the good graces of his father. As the firstborn, Reuben should not only have received his father’s blessing and birthright, but he should have also commanded the respect of his brothers. This scene, however, shows that Reuben does not have the latter and Genesis 49 will show that he does not have the former either.

So here’s our next question: Have you ever tried negotiating with the world?

Or compromising on the Gospel?

Have you ever tried to excuse sin?

Do you know people with this loosey-goosey theology of “I’m a Christian, but _________” [fill in the blank]? Have you seen that before?

· I’m a Christian, but love is love.

· I’m a Christian, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

· I’m a Christian, but I work in Corporate America; I have to list my pronouns in my email signature.

· I’m a Christian, but my kids love that show; what’s the big deal with having those characters in the show?

· I’m a Christian, but I’m not allowed to pray here, say that here, act that way here.

· I’m a Christian, but if someone wants to waive a rainbow flag, what harm is that to me? My kids? My community? My savior?

Christian, can I tell you something?

The Gospel does not compromise with sin.

The Gospel does not compromise on the truth of Jesus Christ.

Turn to Matthew 10. This is Jesus speaking to his disciples. Starting in verse 34:

 “34Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

The Gospel does not appear softly into the world; it is antithetical to the world.
Christian, can I tell you something?

You can’t wear a cross and waive a rainbow flag.

You can’t sing the praises of Jesus’ name on Sunday and neglect the discipleship of your children throughout the week.

You can’t worship the Creator of the universe and be apathetic about the sanctity of life.

You can’t love the Word of God and be crippled by pornography, by greed, by the comforts of this world.

The Gospel does not negotiate with the world.

The Gospel does not compromise with sin.

Jump up to verse 16, still in Matthew Chapter 10.

“16Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake.”

But here’s good ol’ Reuben. More than willing to comprise with his murderous brothers and throw Joseph—his own brother—into the pit.

How often are we like that? More afraid of what the world will think of us and our “crazy” beliefs that we’d rather negotiate on their terms rather than stand for truth?

Why do we do that?

Is it because we’re afraid? Afraid that we won’t be deemed “reasonable” or “tolerant” or “accepting” or dare I say “loving” by the world’s standards?

Jump over to John 15, starting in verse 18. Jesus says:

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

And remember what Jesus said during the Sermon on the Mount?

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Christian, the life you choose in Christ is a life of persecution—not compromise, not comfort.

It’s an all or nothing proposition, not one in which we have one foot in, one foot out. Remember what Pastor Josh said last week? We say we want heaven, yet we cling to the path of hell.

C.S. Lewis said that “the safest road to hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”

The path to hell is the default path.

As we grow closer to Christ, we should expect opposition from the world.

We should expect persecution.

We should expect our colleagues to say, “Just get in line. What’s the big deal?”
We should expect our culture—even in Iowa Park, Texas—to excuse and negotiate with sin.

But then what are we to do?

Are we going to act like Reuben and try to find favor in the midst of a murderous conspiracy?

Or are we going to be like the apostles in Acts 4 and say we can’t help but speak of what we have seen and heard? Or in Acts 5 when they say, “We must obey God rather than men”?

Christian, can I tell you something else? When we are persecuted, we’re in great company.

Persecution is the means by which the Gospel spreads. After Stephen is stoned to death in Acts 7, the Christians and early church are scattered—but what do they do immediately thereafter in Acts 8:4? They “went about preaching the word.”

 In other words, they did not find a way to compromise with the world in light of certain opposition. They continued preaching and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. How incredible is that?

Opposition should be expected, not avoided.

Charles Spurgeon often said, “I have learned to kiss the waves that throw me upon the Rock of Ages.”

So again, I’ll ask: are you Reuben negotiating with the world, trying to find favor therein? Or are you a Christian that welcomes the opportunity to be the light in a very dark world?

Go back to Genesis 37, picking up in verse 23.

23So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.

24And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

[Remember: the grand story of God is already unfolding. The brothers will eventually bow down to their brother regardless of their current opinion of him. God’s plan will not be foiled.]

25Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.

26Then Judah [remember: that’s the 4^th oldest son] said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

27Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” [Remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 10? “Brother will deliver brother over to death”?]

And his brothers listened to him.

28Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

So here we are:

- Father sends son into hostile world.

- World seeks to murder son.

- Those closest to the son sell him for silver.

But remember: Jesus is the better Joseph. There is hope. There is redemption. The Savior of the world is coming. He will conquer death and be vested with all authority in heaven and on earth.

What does this mean for us? It means that Reuben’s compromise meant nothing.

The world will still have its way and always seek its selfish desires until the true, good, and beautiful are infiltrated by lies, deceit, and pride.

So now what happens?

Back to Genesis 37, picking up in verse 29.

“29When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes 30and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?”

[Still selfish, still thinking of himself, and how he can negotiate with his brothers and find favor with his father]

31Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.

32And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.”

33And he identified it and said, “It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.”

 34Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.

35All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him.

The deceiver was deceived.

The world had its way.

Reuben’s standing with his father and brothers was destroyed.

Greed consumed and Judah’s trick worked. But don’t worry: Judah’s punishment is coming.

But what of Joseph? What will become of his dreams?

Look at verse 36. Here’s one of the greatest words in the Bible. “Meanwhile”

“36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.”

God’s plans will not be foiled. God’s sovereignty is always greater than our sins. He will be glorified and he will be triumphant.

So Christian, this is the last day of what our society calls “Pride Month.”

Much like Joseph’s robe of many colors was covered with blood, the blood of Christ was shed to save us and the people who celebrate the abomination that is “Pride Month.”

And here’s the thing: We are all sinners before a holy and mighty God.

Christian, my final question for you is this: what does the next month look like for you?

Do you have hope in the plans of the Lord?

Do you seek to glorify him in all that you do?

Or will you just try to get by? Comprise with the world? Negotiate with sin? Try to impress the right people who may be in their own murderous frenzy of sorts?

See, I think a lot of the time, we think we’re Joseph in the pit—right? We think we are the ones that have been

cast down, abandoned,

forsaken, ridiculed,

embarrassed, betrayed, deceived

—but I believe more times than not, we’re actually Reuben trying to straddle the impossible divide between God and sin.

Or maybe we’re Judah devising the murder.

Or Judas betraying Christ.

Or Peter denying him.

Or Saul persecuting him.

Christian, let me encourage you by saying God has big plans. Our sin will forever separate us from him, but praise the Lord that he sent his son, Jesus—the better Joseph—into this hostile world to save us from our sins so that we might have life everlasting in him.

Praise God that his love is greater than our sins. And praise God that while we were still sinners—while we were still Reuben, Judah, Judas, Peter, Saul—Christ died for us.

Let me leave you with one final story.

There was a man named Hugh Latimer. He was a British preacher who lived ~500~ years ago. One particular Sunday, King Henry VIII was in his congregation and Latimer preached on the infallible authority of Scripture. [Still a hot topic, yeah?] This message did not comport with King Henry’s galivanting and womanizing, so the King returned the following week to demand an apology from Latimer.

Latimer recognized the predicament and thought to himself, “Latimer! Latimer! The king is here. He could throw you in prison. He could chop off your head. Please don’t say anything offensive.”

And then he remembered: “Latimer! Latimer! The King of Kings is here. Be faithful to your Master, and declare all of God’s Word.”

Christian, I pray that we would be more focused with glorifying God and less concerned with pleasing and placating the people around us.

We should expect opposition.

We should take heart that God’s plan will not be thwarted by human’s foolishness and sin.

And Church, I pray that we would be that light that points others to Jesus and never compromise with sin.

Let’s pray.

Hope you have a blessed week.

See you next Thursday,
CFW

P.S. If this encouraged you, please share with a friend.