Garry spoke this morning from Genesis 45:8-20, looking again at the life of Joseph (who, so often, is a ‘type’ of Christ.) Joseph was made lord of Pharaoh’s entire household and ruler of all Egypt; he was ideally placed by God in a position to help those suffering from famine (including his own family.) Jesus too has been raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of God (Eph 1:18-22); Jesus came as a servant but now has been raised to the heights where He rules over all and is an exalted great High Priest (Heb 7:24-8:1)
Jesus truly meets our need; He is the perfect fit, the perfect fulfilment of all we need. He understands us, provides for us and leads us into new life. Joseph’s family were given the best land in Egypt (Gen 45:18); we have been given great things in God (see 1 Cor 2:9); we are fellow heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17). We were deserving of God’s wrath, but instead have become heirs of the kingdom of God in Christ, something we could not earn or deserve but which is given freely to us from God’s grace. All the hard work necessary for our salvation was done by Christ; we just need to accept His free gift of life. Joseph’s family had to leave their home and live in a new place. It must have seemed daunting at first, but they were blessed greatly in their new lives. We too have the guarantee of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Eph 1:13-14) but must leave our past behind. All the guilt and condemnation that belonged to our old lives has to go; we are called not just to leave things behind but to leave the old way of life behind. Rom 12:2 reminds us that this requires the transformation of our minds as the Spirit of truth guides us into all truth. (John 16:13)
To get to the freedom of new life in Jesus, there is a beginning (salvation) and there is an ongoing journey. To arrive we have to leave things and our old life behind, sure that what lies ahead in God is far greater. (‘Things We Leave Behind’, Michael Card)
