“It very well could be that the reason that God has you waiting is so that you will learn to trust Him.” — Ptr Nic Sy
Sermon #3: Detours & Dungeons
Sermon Series: God Meant It For Good
Scripture Text: Genesis 40
Sermon Notes
GENESIS 40:1-8 NIV
1 Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them. After they had been in custody for some time, 5 each of the two men--the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison--had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. 6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. 7 So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were in custody with him in his master's house, “Why are your faces so sad today?” 8 “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”
“The brain grasps no time because there is no time. Unless you write down what has happened, you forget it immediately.” – Michel Siffre (2018 interview)
– In jail.
– Two men.
– Two dreams.
– Two interpretations.
– One lives, one dies.
– One man forgets.
– In jail.
GENESIS 41:1 NIV
"When two full years had passed … "God works when we are in our never-ending present."
“God works while we wait.”
JOHN 5:17 NIV
Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”
“Way Maker. Miracle Worker.
Promise Keeper. Light in the Darkness.
My God, that is Who You Are.
Even when I don’t see it, You’re working.
Even when I don’t feel it, You’re working.
You never stop, You never stop working.”
“Joseph’s time in the waiting room did not make his heart bitter, it made his faith better.”
3 Lessons:
Lesson 1: He served where he was.
GENESIS 40:1-4 NIV
1 Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them. …
In the Old Testament, this same phrase is used to describe the ministry of Aaron (Exodus 28:35,43) of the Levites (Deuteronomy 10:8) and of the priests (1 Kings 8:11).
“…he attended them…”
“The righteous response to suffering is to help someone else.”
“When your heart is right, even though the bottom may have dropped out of your life, it is remarkable how sensitive you can be to somebody else in need.” —Charles Swindoll
Are you ready to serve God right where you are even when you’d rather be somewhere else?
Lesson 2: He sought to glorify God.
GENESIS 40:5-8 NIV
5 each of the two men--the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison--had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. 6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. 7 So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were in custody with him in his master's house, “Why are your faces so sad today?”8 “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”
“…Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.
(Genesis 40:8b)”
“If your hope is in God, He is all you need.”
Lesson 3: He learned to hope in God.
GENESIS 40:20-22 NIV
20 Now the third day was Pharaoh's birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh's hand, 22 but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.
GENESIS 40:23 NIV
23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. "Joseph learned that he shouldn’t put his trust in man but in the Lord." "God is never too early or too late, He's always on time. He doesn't keep time the way we do."
“It very well could be that the reason that God has you waiting is so that you will learn to trust. “
ISAIAH 40:31 NIV
31 but 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.