Don’t Lose Your Head by Pastor Ted Stahl
Today’s Passages – Genesis 38 – 40
(Second Milers also read – Mark 1 – 2; Proverbs 15; Psalms 71 – 75)
Scripture Memorization for January – Isaiah 53
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 48:1 & 2
Good morning. After reading about the butler and the baker in Genesis 40, I wanted to take a closer look at them.
Pharaoh was angry, and the Bible doesn’t say exactly why. The problem could be traced to the Chief Butler, and the Chief Baker. It could have also been because of something one of their subordinates did to anger Pharaoh. Leadership is responsible for those they are leading. Pharaoh was angry and had the Chief Butler and the Chief Baker thrown into prison. They must have been old too, because God’s Word tells us that your old men shall dream dreams; which is exactly what they did (I know – I dream all the time!). As God would have it, their paths crossed with Joseph who was able to interpret their dreams. Good news for the butler, bad news for the baker. And the dreams came to pass: the butler was restored, and the baker was hung.
God is angry at the wicked every day (Ps. 7:11). God tells us (the butler and the baker’s dreams) in His Word that there is none righteous, and for all have sinned and come short of His glory (Romans 3:10,23). Joseph was there to explain the dreams (Ephesians 4:11-12). God provided the only Way out (Pharaoh brought them both out of prison). The Chief Butler received Pharaoh’s grace, the Chief Baker did not (Genesis 40:20-22). They were both servants to Pharaoh: the wages of sin is still death to the non-Christian as well as the Christian. We should always want to please God in all the things that we do. And God made it so simple for us. A lesson can be learned from a conversation that the Lord Jesus Christ had with Peter…
“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved f0llowing; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.” (John 21:15-22).
When we do things like gossip, spread lies about people, or anything else to hurt the body of Christ, it angers God. If you have been hurt by gossip, or lies, or any other attack, God knows what happened. You need to pray for those who have done these things to you: they put themselves under the judgment of God. God knows how to chastise perfectly: He knows exactly what to do. As rotten as those who offended you seem to be, do you really want to see them chastised by God? Don’t you think it would be better if they humbled themselves and got their hearts right with God before the hammer comes down? Pray for them. Get back in church. Don’t lose your head. And as Jesus said, “…follow thou me.”
Peace. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
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