FORGOTTEN

Don't tell anyone, but back in the 80's Mike and I were teaching Sunday School and had taken our second graders off campus for a McDonald's treat.

When we loaded everyone back into the Suburban, somehow we didn't count right.  That's right, even back then it was a real life nightmare.

The missing boy had gone into the bathroom and when he came out, he  realized his class had left him.  He was forgotten.

To a much greater degree, that's how Joseph in the Bible must have felt.  We have been going through the life of Joseph at church this month and last Sunday, we talked about how Joseph was forgotten.

You may think your family is dysfunctional, but imagine being at the bottom of a well and hearing your brothers come to a consensus about how to finish you off.  Imagine the humiliation of getting sold into slavery to a caravan of Esau's pagan descendants.  Or what about Joseph's ascension to the top of Egyptian hierarchy, only to be falsely accused and thrown in the slammer.

Think Joseph didn't feel forgotten by God?

I try to imagine myself in those circumstances.  Could I have Joseph's attitude that displayed an amazing lack of bitterness?  Could I have squelched my inner "Poor Pitiful Pearl" and her whine "That's not fair!"?

As you read Joseph's story, all you see is his confidence that God is on the throne.  I want to be like Joseph, a "type" of Christ.

Last Sunday we also talked about the white spaces in our lives.  Ever felt like you were stuck in the white space?

Joseph was SEVENTEEN when his brothers sold him into slavery and THIRTY when he was raised to power in Egypt.  That leaves a pretty long white space of thirteen years.  Thirteen long, incarcerated years.

Joseph hoped for TWO YEARS after he interpreted the baker and cupbearer's dreams, thinking that would earn his release.

Had God forgotten Joseph?

God the Father was making Joseph more like His Son so that when Joseph's moment came and Joseph faced his brothers and saved his nation, he could say with certainty and forgiveness... "you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good".

WHEN WE RUN OUT OF STEAM IN THE WHITE SPACES AND QUIT, WE WILL NEVER KNOW THE END OF OUR STORY.  Joseph kept on.  David kept on.  Paul and Peter kept on.  We shouldn't quit in the middle of our story.

Know the rest of the story about our forgotten boy at McDonalds?  He was resourceful and started walking...alongside busy Rodney Parham Road!  The good news was someone from our church was driving by and stopped to pick him up.  The bad news was it was Robert Lewis (our pastor), so our sins found us out.  I can't believe his parents still speak to us.

Your story, my story, and the second-grader's story are all important to God.  He made you for Himself and His plans are for your good.  If you are in a white space, He is the Lifter of your head.  Lean into Him because He PROMISES to never leave you or abandon you...and God keeps all of His promises.

P.S.  If you are feeling forgotten and think Sunday's sermon would be encouraging, this will take you to an AUDIO FILE.  

POTTY MOUTH

Last week I was getting gas at WalMart at a busy time when all the pumps were full.

Suddenly a woman roared up, slammed on her brakes, and hung out her window, screeching like a fishmonger at a man who must have cut her off in traffic.  She let out the most awful blue stream I had ever heard and it seemed to go on for five minutes as she repeated some words over and over.

I cringed once for myself and then again for the little kiddos in the car behind me who heard her.

Foul mouths are everywhere.  Once a man's sport, cursing became a woman's sport...and now sadly, even a child's sport.

Whether we are in the marketplace, watching television, or seeing foul words posted on Facebook...everyone's doing it.

Lately I'm "clutching my pearls" as I think of the unlikeliness of a political candidate who asks people to follow him while his mouth is as nasty as an infected sore.

Times they are a'changin.

Let's think about what's so bad about foul language...

RESPONSIBLE
People should know that there will be an accounting for those who misuse God's name.  God is holy and tossing His name around (in an oath/cursing/using it for evil purpose) is disrespectful.  Don't we pray "hallowed be Thy name"?

REDUCTION
Using coarse words reduces us to a lower level.  "Don't use foul or abusive language.  Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them."  If words don't bless God or lift others, aim higher.

REVEALING
Our words are like a report card for our hearts.  When life squeezes, what's inside comes out.  Jesus said "The mouth speaks from what fills the heart.  The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury.  I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." 

The above THREE "R's" are addressed to Christians, but the principles apply to everyone.  Non-Christians should know irreverence will be held to account, they shouldn't reduce themselves to a base nature, and they should care about their heart condition.

FAIR WARNING:  habits are hard to break and this one will require the help of the Holy Spirit.

How about these quick principles?  SHOW GOD SOME RESPECT.  If you want others to listen or follow you, SET A GOOD EXAMPLE.  And because we were given our mouths to praise God and lift others up, STICK WITH THE PLAN.

PERSECUTION

At one time, Satan was the angel with greatest rank and access to God.  His responsibility was to take worship from the other angels and present it to God.

That must have proven intoxicating because there came a time when Satan began to desire God's worship for himself.  He wanted to be LIKE God and then he wanted to BE God.  Speaking doubt to other angels, he engaged a third of them to join his rebellion.

So here we are today and Satan has access to us and to God.  He takes the truth about us and speaks it to God...but he comes to us with lies.

Ever had Satan whisper lies in your ear, massaging truth so you'll doubt God?  Has he appealed to your base nature...brought up your past to put you down...declared to you there is no hope?  Satan persecutes God's people while God preserves them.

Satan is a spiritual terrorist.

There is a trail of tears that illustrates Satan's malevolence toward God's people as he tries to thwart what God has planned.  Here's just a "flyover":

BEFORE CHRIST
*Satan whispered into Eve's ear and led the first couple to disobey God; as part of the resulting curse, the Lord cast them out of the garden.

*The Lord was pleased with Abel because Abel believed God's promise that He would send a Messiah (shown by the offering God required and Abel brought); Cain listened to Satan, became jealous, and killed his brother.

*Satan led the people of Noah's day to rebel against God; God's judgment was a flood that would destroy the world.

*At the Tower of Babel, Satan's influence worked disobedience in the people; God scattered them all over the face of the world into people groups with differing languages.

*God picked Abraham to build a family which would carry His word to the nations; Satan turned his fury onto the Jews because their bloodline would bring the Messiah into the world.

*Satan foments fear and distrust with the Egyptians and they enslave Israel; God sends a deliverer and then preserves Moses' life to lead God's people in the exodus.

Joash, the last surviving royal, is crowned King of Israel.

*When King David was on the throne, all but one of the Messianic line was killed by Satan's followers (see 2 Chronicles 22); but God preserved a remnant by having Jehosheba hide the baby Joash in the temple for six years.

*Haman was influenced by Satan in Esther's day to lead a genocide against the Jews; but God moved a pagan king's heart and instead, the wicked Haman was killed on Mordecai's gallows.


AT THE TIME OF CHRIST
*King Herod was fueled by Satan's lies about Herod's power...and all the baby boys are killed in Israel; but God has no rival and an angel warns Joseph to take the baby and flee to Egypt.

*Satan thought his battle was won when Jesus died on the cross; Jesus arose because God is sovereign.  There is nothing Satan can do that will prosper if God has willed otherwise.  Still, it doesn't stop Satan from trying.

SINCE THEN
Jesus said Satan is not only the father of all lies, he is also a murderer.  Here is a brief list of how Satan has inflamed anti-Semitism to avoid the birth of the Messiah who would insure his demise:

*over a million Jews are slaughtered in 70AD destruction of Jerusalem

 and the temple

*the first Crusade ended with thousands of Jews in Jerusalem killed

*Jews are killed or expelled from Europe 

(from England in 1290, from France in 1007, 

from Spain in 1492 during the inquisition

*in the Middle Ages, Jews were blamed for the black death

*in Russia, Jews were blamed for the death of Czar Alexander II 

and pogroms were instituted

*three million Jews were killed during Stalin

*six million Jews were killed during the Holocaust

But wait a minute.  Why has Satan targeted the Jews AFTER Jesus was born?  In Hosea 5:15, the Lord says "I will return to my place until they admit their guilt and look to me for help.  For as soon as trouble comes, they will search for me."  If Satan can destroy the Jews, they will have no way to officially acknowledge their rejection of Jesus and ask Him to return.

IN THE FUTURE

Revelation 12 describes Satan as a powerful dragon who God throws down to the earth.  Knowing his time is short, Satan will be filled with terrible anger as he begins the predicted tribulation ("Jacob's trouble").

People down the timeline have called out to God to return and remove our "ancient foe who works us woe".  He has said He will return.  Knowing God keeps all His promises brings great comfort.  

God the Son, the mighty Lord of hosts, will return to fight the battle.  Spoiler alert: God wins.