Jesus is a Better Joseph: Finding Hope in Suffering

• The Purpose of the Bible 00:33:20 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor argues that the Bible's goal is not to extract principles for self-improvement but to reveal Jesus, who rescues believers from sin and death so they can bring heaven to earth.
• Saving Love (Sotso) 00:35:04 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor defines 'saving love' using the Greek word 'sotso' (rescue), explaining that Jesus rescues us from sin's corruption and death, emphasizing that human effort cannot clean oneself up.
• Reading the Bible Correctly 00:35:46 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor contrasts reading the Bible with social media consumption, asserting that engaging with Scripture transforms believers into the image of the Son of God for His glory.
• Abrahamic Covenant and Multiculturalism 00:37:09 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor connects the promise to Abraham ('father of many') to the New Testament concept of 'polychromos' (multicolored), illustrating that the church represents the fulfillment of God's promise to gather all nations.
• Identity in Christ vs. Ancestry 00:38:00 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor clarifies that for believers, spiritual ancestry is Abraham, not ethnic or national origin, while still acknowledging the value of personal immigrant history.
• Jacob's Limp as Testimony 00:39:17 ▶️ 📄
  > Using Jacob's wrestling with God and subsequent limp as an analogy, the pastor encourages believers to view their scars and struggles as testimonies of God's work rather than sources of shame.
• Jacob's Identity and Scars 00:39:12 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains Jacob's name change to Israel and uses his limp as a metaphor for spiritual testimony, encouraging the congregation not to be ashamed of their scars.
• Joseph's Suffering and Salvation 00:41:02 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor introduces the theme that Joseph's suffering saved the nation of Israel, which is important because Jesus came through Israel, and Jesus' suffering saves the church.
• Definition of the Church 00:41:22 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor defines 'Ecclesia' as 'called out ones,' emphasizing that the church is people, not a building, and that Jesus died for individuals.
• Betrayal by Family 00:43:02 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor highlights the pain of betrayal by those closest to us, specifically mentioning relatives who abuse or toxic parents, connecting it to Joseph's brothers.
• Slavery and Human Trafficking 00:44:36 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor corrects the historical misconception that slavery started in the US, noting its ancient origins and linking it to modern sex trafficking as a 'demonic human invention' that requires a response of love and justice.
• Biblical Interpretation vs. Political Culture 00:46:03 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor warns against interpreting the Bible through a modern American political lens, urging the congregation to focus on the Bible's historical context and its ultimate call to love.
• God's Presence in Suffering 00:47:38 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor addresses the theological question of how God can be with Joseph during slavery, asserting that suffering and God's presence are not mutually exclusive.
• Moving Forward from Trauma 00:48:47 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the analogy of driving a car while looking in the rearview mirror to illustrate the futility of dwelling on past hurts, encouraging the congregation to move forward with God.
• Sin and Consequences 00:50:42 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor discusses Joseph's refusal to sin with Potiphar's wife, using it to warn against pornography and illicit relationships, emphasizing that sin affects others and erodes the soul.
• Suffering and Maturity 00:56:34 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor argues that suffering is necessary to mature spiritual gifts and prevent arrogance, using his own experience as a football player and preacher.
• Forgiveness and Boundaries 01:00:26 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor clarifies that biblical forgiveness does not mean ignoring abuse or lacking boundaries, contrasting Joseph's mercy with the need for justice in cases of abuse.
• Self-Worth and Identity 01:05:24 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor asserts that human worth is built on the 'rock of ages' and the blood of Jesus, not on personal achievements or self-esteem.
• Jesus as the Bread of Life 01:03:47 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor contrasts Joseph's physical grain with Jesus' spiritual provision, citing John 6 to show that Jesus satisfies eternal hunger and thirst.
• Overcoming Lies and Anxiety 01:05:56 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor instructs believers to reject negative thoughts ('lies') by affirming Jesus's sufficiency, and reframes anxiety not as a sign of God's anger but as a human condition to be turned into worship.
• Christ as the Reward 01:06:46 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor corrects the common interpretation of 'many rooms' in the Father's house, arguing that Jesus Himself is the palace and the reward, not just a transactional means to get there.
• Suffering and Purpose 01:10:21 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor encourages believers to view their pain and tragedy as material that God will turn into purpose and triumph, specifically to bless others.

• Sermon Illustration 00:38:23 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his Viking wife from Denmark, whose family immigrated in 1840 and can trace three relatives to the Mayflower, contrasting this with his own limited genealogical record back to his great-great-grandfather Moses Davis, who fought in the Civil War.
• Sermon Illustration 00:40:27 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor humorously describes Joseph receiving a 'multicolored sweater' (comparing it to Gucci) while his brothers work in the fields, illustrating the favoritism that led to Joseph's betrayal.
• Sermon Illustration 00:39:17 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor describes Jacob wrestling with God and receiving a limp as a testimony of his encounter with God.
• Sermon Illustration 00:40:31 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor references his own Gucci sweater and the biblical story of Joseph's multicolored coat to illustrate favoritism and the resulting jealousy among brothers.
• Sermon Illustration 00:40:50 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses a humorous analogy of Joseph relaxing in a tent watching Netflix while his brothers work, contrasting with the brothers' cold-blooded betrayal where they eat a meal after selling him into slavery.
• Sermon Illustration 00:46:47 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor compares the pain of being sold by brothers to playing Mario Kart with friends who then betray you.
• Sermon Illustration 00:49:14 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the analogy of driving a car while looking in the rearview mirror to explain how dwelling on past hurts prevents moving forward in life.
• Sermon Illustration 00:53:00 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses an analogy of studying a football playbook to explain that knowledge is meant for application in the 'game' of life, not just for show.
• Sermon Illustration 00:55:35 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor references his own experience playing in front of 80,000 people to illustrate that he can handle the pressure of a single crying baby during a sermon.
• Sermon Illustration 01:00:38 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about watching women in his family suffer abuse until he grew up and stopped it, using it to validate the need for boundaries against abusers.
• Sermon Illustration 01:04:04 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the analogy of 'gluten-free bread' to explain that Jesus' grace is 'grace-free' (without gluten/gluten intolerance issues), meaning it is accessible and sufficient for everyone.
• Sermon Illustration 01:10:00 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his difficult relationship with his father, who struggled with substance abuse and mental health issues, contrasting this with his reliance on his 'heavenly dad' to turn that pain into purpose.

• Pastoral Charge 00:45:53 ▶️ 📄
  > The congregation is called to actively embody love, honesty, justice, and grace, specifically by speaking out against injustice like human trafficking.
• Pastoral Charge 00:51:10 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor commands those struggling with pornography to seek assistance and support.
• Pastoral Charge 00:54:32 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor urges the congregation to align their thoughts and prayers with God's forgiveness and righteousness rather than material circumstances.
• Pastoral Charge 00:55:26 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor commands the congregation to actively give their hearts to God for healing instead of passively attending the service.
• Pastoral Charge 01:05:36 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor instructs the congregation to constantly affirm their worth in Christ and verbally reject lies from the enemy.
• Pastoral Charge 01:11:28 ▶️ 📄
  > Recite a specific prayer of faith, repentance, and commitment to follow Jesus.
• Pastoral Charge 01:12:08 ▶️ 📄
  > Check the connection card to indicate a decision to receive Christ, renew faith, or request baptism.
• Pastoral Charge 01:12:35 ▶️ 📄
  > Participate in the 'big sort' event by providing gifts or volunteering to serve.

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Can somebody give Jesus a shout of praise in this place?
[00:00:12] I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.
[00:00:14] We worship the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords.
[00:00:15] Can somebody give Jesus another shout of praise?

[00:00:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
The rock on which I stand When everything around me is shaken I've never been more right I put my faith in Jesus He's never let me down He's faithful through generations So I believe
[00:01:29] So walk with me
[00:02:17] Rain came, wind blew, my house was built on you
[00:02:46] I'm gonna make you mine
[00:05:25] A thousand generations Falling down in worship To sing the song of ages to the Lamb And all who've gone before us And all who will believe Will sing the song of ages to the Lamb
[00:05:51] Your name is the highest Your name is the greatest Your name stands above them all
[00:06:04] and all forms and dominions all powers and positions your name stands above them all and the angels cry holy all creation cries holy you are lifted high
[00:06:35] Holy forever And if you've been forgiven And if you've been redeemed Sing this song forever
[00:07:05] Let's sing this song forever to the Lamb

[00:09:10] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Reconciliation Christ

[00:09:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Holy, you will always be Holy, holy forever You will always be
[00:10:03] Holy forever You will always be Holy Holy forever We worship You Cause You will always be Holy
[00:10:39] Holy forever You are holy Holy forever And ever and ever You're holy forever And we cry holy, holy
[00:11:08] Holy, and we cry Holy, Holy, Holy And we cry Holy, Holy, Holy Holy is the Lamb So we lift our hands and sing We cry Holy, Holy
[00:11:38] We are holy and we cry holy, holy, holy, and you are holy, holy, holy, and you are holy, he is the Lamb

[00:12:36] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Holy Jesus, He's your Holy Jesus

[00:13:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
And the angels cry out, Holy, O creation Christ, Holy, You are lifted high, Holy, Falling forever.

[00:13:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Hear the people sing.

[00:13:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Holy, to the King of Kings Holy, you will always be

[00:14:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Come on, give Him praise in this place.

[00:14:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
How I live for the moments
[00:14:47] Well I'm still in your presence All noise dies down Lord speak to me now You have all my attention I will linger and listen I can't miss a thing
[00:15:08] Lord, I know my heart wants more of you My heart wants something new So I surrender all All I want is to live within your love Be undone by whom you are
[00:15:32] I desire it to hold you deeper And Lord, I will long enough again Throw my fears into the wind
[00:15:45] I did dance before the touch of heaven You're the fire in the morning You're the cool in the evening
[00:16:13] The breath in my soul, all the life in my bones
[00:16:40] Surrender all in the Lord
[00:17:43] I need more, Lord.

[00:18:07] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
I want more.
[00:18:07] I want more.
[00:18:07] Give me more.
[00:18:08] More of Your Spirit.

[00:18:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Come on, let's all pray this morning.

[00:18:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Make way for the Lord.
[00:18:47] Prepare the way for the Lord.
[00:18:54] Open up your hearts, open up your minds, open up your souls to what he wants to do.
[00:18:57] Let him minister to you today.
[00:18:58] Matthew says, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
[00:19:00] Come on.
[00:19:00] Sing it out.

[00:19:08] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
The love in your heart

[00:19:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
More of your glory!

[00:19:49] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
More of your power!
[00:19:50] We want to see your face!
[00:19:50] We want to see you!

[00:20:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Come on, if you could lift your hands in this place.
[00:20:31] We give you all that we have, all that we are.

[00:20:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
And if the highest place I reach is at your feet, then I don't know if the best thing
[00:20:49] If the highest place I've reached is at Your feet Then I've done it all The best thing that I've seen is Your glory
[00:21:18] Let us sing!
[00:21:43] Let's sing your name I'm so proud of y'all I'm so proud of y'all I'm so proud of y'all

[00:22:13] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
What a God!
[00:22:36] What a God!
[00:22:36] What a God!
[00:22:36] What a God!
[00:22:36] What a God!
[00:22:37] I can't worship for you!

[00:22:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
I can't praise Him for you!
[00:22:38] Come on!
[00:22:45] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

[00:23:14] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.

[00:23:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
What a God, what a God And what a God, what a God What a God, what a God You've been faithful to me, yes And what a God, what a God What a God, what a God
[00:24:28] Sometimes it's okay to just sit in His presence.

[00:24:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
and hear the small still whisper of our God.
[00:25:05] I look around this room and I see tears on people's faces.
[00:25:11] That's just the evidence that He's alive.
[00:25:17] That's just the evidence that He's been faithful.
[00:25:20] That's the evidence that He's been good.
[00:25:25] And I believe this morning that our God is collecting those tears.
[00:25:33] He's collecting those tears.
[00:25:38] For the person who walked in here that doesn't feel seen, you have no idea.
[00:25:46] He's never failing and His love never gives up.
[00:25:52] He's loving, He's kind, He's true, He's just, He's righteous, He's holy.
[00:25:59] He redeems, He restores the brokenhearted and calls them back to Himself.
[00:26:07] We thank You for being such a mighty God, an everlasting Father.
[00:26:16] Like Isaiah says, the Prince of Peace, we worship You.
[00:26:21] In your name we pray, everybody said.
[00:26:23] Come on, give him one last praise in this place, he's working.

[00:26:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Transformation Church, what a God we serve.
[00:26:36] Welcome, we are so glad that you're here.
[00:26:39] Can we give it up one more time for our incredible music team?
[00:26:43] Guys, that was incredible.
[00:26:45] Amazing.
[00:26:46] Well, my name is Winnie Erb.
[00:26:48] I want to give a warm welcome to each one of you.
[00:26:50] And maybe today is your very first time either here in the room or watching us online.
[00:26:55] So welcome.
[00:26:56] I want to invite you out to the Next Steps area at the end of the service.
[00:27:01] The team there would love to meet you and offer you a gift, a copy of Pastor Derwin's book, The Good Life.
[00:27:07] Really, this is just our way of saying thanks so much for being here with us today.
[00:27:11] Now I also, no matter how long you've been coming, I wanna invite you to get better connected here at TC.
[00:27:18] Y'all, God is moving in incredible ways.
[00:27:21] Jump in and be a part.
[00:27:23] All you have to do is grab that connection card on the seat back right in front of you.
[00:27:27] If you're watching us online, you can head to the chat.
[00:27:30] There's a link to that very same connection card right there.
[00:27:32] Take that, fill it out, let us know how you wanna be a part of what God is doing here.
[00:27:39] Come on in, it's amazing.
[00:27:41] We are so excited.
[00:27:44] Now is our time to begin our worship through financial generosity.
[00:27:49] Now we have worshiped in incredible ways today.
[00:27:51] We've worshiped through music, through connecting.
[00:27:54] We will be worshiped through learning and understanding more with Pastor Derwin.
[00:27:58] But now we have an opportunity to worship through our financial generosity.
[00:28:02] We have a good God that has been so generous and so faithful, and he's gone over and beyond for us.
[00:28:10] So we want our financial generosity to be a reflection of that.
[00:28:14] There are multiple ways that you can give here at Transformation Church.
[00:28:17] You can hop online, you can utilize our app, or if you're here in the room, you can also utilize our generosity drop boxes on the way out.
[00:28:25] But I also wanna let you know a very exciting announcement.
[00:28:28] In case you missed it, on December 14th, we are inviting all of Transformation Church to participate in All Give Sunday.
[00:28:38] It is gonna be an incredible time.
[00:28:40] Now, All Give Sunday is where we are coming before God with a heart of generosity and trust.
[00:28:46] We are praying for 100% participation no matter the size of the gift.
[00:28:51] And today I am so excited to let you know what our generosity is gonna be supporting.
[00:28:57] First off, Seed India.
[00:28:59] This is our incredible partner that is serving in the slums of India and they are equipping families to move from poverty into opportunity.
[00:29:08] It is incredible.
[00:29:09] Also, we're gonna be funding Bible translation.
[00:29:12] TC, we're gonna be a part of translating the New Testament for the very first time in the language of two people groups in Nigeria.
[00:29:21] How incredible is that, right?
[00:29:23] Pretty amazing.
[00:29:25] Also, we're gonna be supporting and advancing initiatives right here at TC.
[00:29:30] First of all, things like that right turn lane, because y'all, our traffic is crazy, right?
[00:29:35] It's nuts.
[00:29:36] So we wanna invest in that.
[00:29:37] Also, future locations to go where God is calling us to, and launching a multi-ethnic church planting network.
[00:29:46] There is some really, really exciting things that our generosity is gonna be supporting.
[00:29:50] So let me challenge you.
[00:29:52] Start praying now about how God wants you to participate in All Give Sunday.
[00:29:59] Maybe you'll be giving for the very first time, that very first step out in faith, or maybe this will be a gift over and beyond your regular generosity.
[00:30:07] But either way, TC,
[00:30:09] What an amazing time and chance to come together on December 14th and step out in faith and trust together.
[00:30:16] It is really gonna be exciting.
[00:30:18] Will you join me and pray and get ready for December 14th?
[00:30:21] Yeah?
[00:30:22] Sound good?
[00:30:23] Awesome, thank you.
[00:30:24] All right, well, I'm sure I don't have to tell you, you're seeing the Christmas lights, y'all, Christmas is coming.
[00:30:30] And here at TC, we get to participate in an incredible thing called Roll Out Hope.
[00:30:36] This is how Transformation Church gets to love our community during the Christmas season.
[00:30:40] So why don't you guys take a look at this?

[00:30:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
As Christmas approaches, many of us plan to celebrate by making memories with our family and friends through gift-giving meals and traditions.
[00:30:55] Yet, for many families in our community, this season doesn't feel like a celebration.
[00:31:01] Through Roll Out Hope, we get to provide hope and affirm dignity for families by equipping them to make their own Christmas memories.
[00:31:08] It all starts as we purchase gifts from our online wish list.
[00:31:12] Each gift has been individually selected for a specific child and affirms that child's God-given interests.
[00:31:19] Then, those gifts are delivered to Transformation Church, where we organize and get them ready to distribute directly to the parents and guardians.
[00:31:27] Along with each gift, we provide everything the family needs to wrap their gifts and prepare a Christmas meal so that they can create their very own Christmas experience.
[00:31:38] As we enter this Christmas season, we have the opportunity to bring hope, give generously, and reflect God's faithfulness to the families in our community.
[00:31:47] Join us as we roll out hope together.

[00:31:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
All right, let's just keep the applause going.
[00:31:55] Let's take a moment to welcome our guests who are physically here at Transformation Church Indian Land, Transformation Church Lake Wylie, and those of us who are watching online.
[00:32:04] Welcome, welcome, welcome.
[00:32:07] And I want to especially welcome those of you who are yet to follow Jesus, or you're confused, you're not sure, maybe someone shot you with a tranquilizer dart and you ended up at Lake Wylie or Indian Land.
[00:32:21] Welcome.
[00:32:22] And let's give a big welcome.
[00:32:23] to the over 1,400 correction facility partnerships that are tuning in from around America, the mighty men and incredible women of God.
[00:32:33] And I just want to pause here.
[00:32:34] I'm so grateful.
[00:32:36] To be a part of a church where we want to follow the words of Jesus.
[00:32:41] In the book of Matthew, he said things like, feed the hungry, clothe the naked.
[00:32:44] He also said, minister to those in prison.
[00:32:47] And I'm grateful that we have a free grocery store we've had for years.
[00:32:50] I'm grateful for the thousands of men and women behind bars who are probably experiencing more freedom than many of us are because they are free in Christ.
[00:32:59] So great job, Transformation Church.
[00:33:01] and to our friends.
[00:33:02] And TC, it's good to see everybody.
[00:33:05] So, so grateful.
[00:33:06] So, we're continuing our series called Jesus is Better.
[00:33:10] On the count of three, say better.
[00:33:11] One, two, three.
[00:33:12] Better.
[00:33:13] Now, if you're new to following Christ, if you're exploring who he is, and even for those of us who follow Jesus, it's very, very important to understand this.
[00:33:20] The Bible is not about you and it's not about me.
[00:33:24] The Bible is about God
[00:33:28] and it's about what God has done through his eternal son Jesus to rescue us from this virus called sin, death and evil not so that we escape earth but so that we can bring heaven to earth as he lives in us and as he lives through us.
[00:33:43] Now sometimes when we read the Bible what we tend to want to do is get principles from the Bible to try to live by.
[00:33:50] That's not the goal of the Bible is to extract principles.
[00:33:53] The goal is to find a person of Jesus
[00:33:55] and to live from his life and in his power.
[00:33:59] My preaching is not gonna help you if you're into pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.
[00:34:04] My preaching is not gonna help you if you have a lot of confidence in your abilities outside of God.
[00:34:10] However, it will help you if you realize I am toe up from the flow up.
[00:34:16] Translation, I need God.
[00:34:19] and when you and I come to that point, He will do things in your life you never ever thought was possible.
[00:34:25] So we're gonna look today that Jesus is a better Joseph.
[00:34:30] So let me give you a premise here.
[00:34:33] If you dig deep enough, in the soil of every chapter of the Bible,
[00:34:40] There is a crimson cord that leads to Jesus.
[00:34:45] All the Bible is about Him and His saving love.
[00:34:50] All the Bible, every main character, a historical person is a shadow, a template, a door into what Jesus actually came to do.
[00:35:01] Now when I say saving love, that's kind of a technical term.
[00:35:04] In the New Testament, the word for save is sotso.
[00:35:07] and what it really means is rescue.
[00:35:10] And so God literally in Jesus rescues us from sin that corrupts us, that estranges us, separates us from God, saves us from the power of sin and ultimately saves us from death.
[00:35:22] Now listen, I don't care how good a shape you're in, you're gonna die.
[00:35:26] And so am I.
[00:35:28] and Jesus rose from the dead.
[00:35:29] So we don't have to fear death anymore.
[00:35:31] We don't have to fear the tyranny of sin anymore.
[00:35:34] And for those of you who don't know Jesus, you don't have to worry about cleaning yourself up because you can't, but he will.
[00:35:40] That's what saving love is.
[00:35:43] And so all the Bible is this crimson cord.
[00:35:46] And what I'm trying to do, the way I teach, the way I preach, is to help you read the Bible correctly.
[00:35:53] If you follow Jesus, I'm assuming that you're reading the Bible more than you're on Facebook.
[00:36:00] I'm assuming you are reading the Bible more than you're on Instagram.
[00:36:08] I'm assuming that you understand the more you look at social media, particularly young ladies, the more depressed you're gonna get.
[00:36:15] I'm assuming that you know there's only so much you can see people hit them, folks.
[00:36:21] They're still doing that.
[00:36:23] So we want to be a people of the Word of God because when we get in the Word of God, the Spirit of God will transform us into the image of the Son of God for the glory of God, and that's why you were created.
[00:36:32] You and I were created for His glory.
[00:36:35] What does that simply mean?
[00:36:36] It means God wants to live in you, and when He does, you truly become you.
[00:36:42] So what we're gonna do is we're gonna look at the story of the Bible character Joseph.
[00:36:47] On the count of three, say Joseph.
[00:36:49] One, two, three, Joseph.
[00:36:50] I like to call Joseph Jojo.
[00:36:53] So how is Jesus a better Joseph?
[00:36:56] But let's pause here.
[00:36:57] How do we even get to Joseph?
[00:36:59] So in Genesis chapter 12, God calls a man by the name of Abram and changes his name to Abraham, which means father of many.
[00:37:09] And God makes a covenant with him, a promise, and he says this, Abraham, through you.
[00:37:13] I'm gonna make a great nation made up of all the families of the earth.
[00:37:18] In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul calls that polychromos, and it means multicolored.
[00:37:23] In other words, Abraham, through you, I'm gonna give you a great, big ol' colorful family.
[00:37:28] How do we know?
[00:37:28] Because at the end of the Bible, we see Revelation chapter five.
[00:37:32] Verse nine, in the new heavens and new earth we see every nation, tribe, and tongue.
[00:37:35] It looks a lot like our church.
[00:37:37] By the way, don't take for granted this polychromos beauty that you see here in Christ, because it doesn't have to be that way, but God in his grace has allowed us to steward this.
[00:37:49] Y'all crazy enough to believe what I'm saying and what he said through me, so amen.
[00:37:54] So Abraham, if you follow Jesus, you know who your ancestor is?
[00:38:00] It's not the tribe from Sweden your family immigrated from.
[00:38:05] By the way, we all know we immigrated from somewhere, right?
[00:38:09] I mean, I just wanna make sure everybody know, unless you're Native American.
[00:38:12] Some of us came willingly, some of us came unwillingly.
[00:38:15] So please understand this.
[00:38:16] And by the way, don't neglect your immigrant story and where your people come from.
[00:38:21] I told you, I love my Viking wife.
[00:38:23] She's straight up out of Denmark.
[00:38:24] They came over in 1840.
[00:38:26] When your people come?
[00:38:29] She can trace on her dad's side three relatives to the Mayflower.
[00:38:34] That's wild.
[00:38:36] I can only go back as far as my great, great, great, great grandfather's name was Moses Davis.
[00:38:41] He actually fought in the Civil War for the Union.
[00:38:45] So up in his blood is patriotism.
[00:38:47] Born, I love America.
[00:38:51] Like up in his, so the point is, don't think you just popped here by accident.
[00:38:56] Somebody got you here.
[00:38:59] and ultimately if you in Christ, guess who your ancestor is?
[00:39:02] Abraham.
[00:39:04] Abraham, Isaac and then Jacob.
[00:39:07] Jacob was one of the sons and he was a kind of shady character.
[00:39:12] His other name was Israel because the name Israel means to wrestle with God.
[00:39:17] and Jacob actually wrestled with God when God told him who he was and he began to walk with a limp.
[00:39:23] By the way, never ever be ashamed of the limp you have from walking with God because that limp is a testimony that he got you to the place of who you are.
[00:39:36] Listen, some of you have scars from cutting.
[00:39:44] I know somebody else who has scars.
[00:39:46] and his name is Jesus.
[00:39:48] You're still breathing, you're still here.
[00:39:50] You matter deeply and God's gonna resurrect your situation and your life and those scars are gonna be a testimony to how great and how beautiful he is.
[00:40:02] Jacob has multiple wives.
[00:40:06] In the Bible, polygamy never turns out good, ever, ever, ever, ever, never.
[00:40:11] It's a disaster.
[00:40:13] One man, one woman.
[00:40:15] Well, Jacob, Israel, he's into Rachel, and he has a son with Rachel named Joseph.
[00:40:22] He's the youngest one at the time, and there's a bunch of other brothers, and guess what he does?
[00:40:27] Because Joseph is his favorite, he gives him a multicolored sweater.
[00:40:31] Looking at my Gucci, it's about that time.
[00:40:33] I mean, he got a Gucci.
[00:40:36] He got a Coogee.
[00:40:37] I mean, he's looking good, the sweater.
[00:40:39] I mean, he's like, what's up, bros?
[00:40:40] They out working in the fields.
[00:40:42] He's in the little tent, sipping on an Alma Palmer, watching Netflix, probably Stranger Things or something.
[00:40:50] And so, they didn't like him, and one day, Israel, Jacob says, hey, go check on your brothers and see what they're doing.
[00:41:00] Pause.
[00:41:02] The first statement is this, Joseph's suffering saved the nation.
[00:41:05] What we're gonna find is Joseph ends up saving the nation of Israel.
[00:41:09] Why is that important?
[00:41:10] Because through Israel came Jesus.
[00:41:13] Then we're gonna see how Jesus is a better Joseph because Jesus' suffering saves the church.
[00:41:22] Quickly, the church is not a building.
[00:41:24] The word Ecclesia means called out ones.
[00:41:28] Christians didn't even invent the word.
[00:41:30] The Roman government, when there was a protest, they would say, that's the Ecclesia, they're called out for a purpose.
[00:41:35] Well, the early Christian says, no, we're called out from darkness into light.
[00:41:39] We're called from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the sun.
[00:41:42] and so we're the church so the church gathers in buildings and then it scatters throughout the world so when Jesus died he didn't die for brick or mortar nothing wrong with this building but he died for you you are the ecclesia if you follow Jesus now notice though notice though have you ever seen one brick and you go wow that's amazing house we together are the church let's get back to Jojo
[00:42:12] Jojo's going looking for his bros.
[00:42:15] When Joseph came to his brothers, on the count of three, say brothers.
[00:42:18] One, two, three, brothers.
[00:42:19] They stripped off Joseph's robe, the long sleeve robe that he had on.
[00:42:24] So immediately, notice what they did.
[00:42:26] They were like, that robe signifies that you are our father's favorite.
[00:42:31] Not only are we gonna hurt you, but we're gonna hurt him and we're gonna take the robe.
[00:42:35] And eventually, they dipped the robe in blood to tell their father that he was eaten by a wild animal.
[00:42:43] Then they took him and threw him into a pit.
[00:42:48] The pit was empty without water.
[00:42:50] Notice the detail.
[00:42:52] They took the robe, stripped and beat him, threw him into a well, boom, he hits.
[00:42:58] Let me pause here.
[00:42:59] This is tender, but it's important.
[00:43:02] Oftentimes, it's the people closest to us that hurt us the most deeply.
[00:43:07] Oftentimes, it's the relatives who sexually abuse us.
[00:43:11] Oftentimes, it's the narcissistic, toxic parents who pour into us and we spend the rest of our life unlearning.
[00:43:21] Oftentimes, no one hurts you and I more than you and I.
[00:43:27] Here's Joseph.
[00:43:29] His brothers threw him in a pit.
[00:43:33] They sat down to eat a meal.
[00:43:36] Man, in the words of Rick James, cold-blooded.
[00:43:41] How you gonna do this to your brother and then sit down and eat a meal?
[00:43:46] Like, and then they were sad.
[00:43:49] No, they were like, hey man, pass the ketchup.
[00:43:55] And when they looked up, there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilgal.
[00:44:01] Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and raisin and going down to Egypt.
[00:44:11] Judah said to his brothers, what do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?
[00:44:19] Come on, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him for he is our brother.
[00:44:26] Oh, thanks, Judah.
[00:44:28] Instead of killing him, we're just gonna sell him and make a buck.
[00:44:32] Let's pause here.
[00:44:33] This is really, really important.
[00:44:34] This is really important.
[00:44:36] In our political climate and culture, this is really important, okay?
[00:44:41] Slavery did not start in the United States of America.
[00:44:46] Black history did not start in 1619 with transatlantic slave trade.
[00:44:53] Please understand, if you're of European descent, do you know how ruthless the Vikings were with taking slaves from Britain and Scotland and France?
[00:45:01] That's why they were called Vikings.
[00:45:04] Slavery has been and is a demonic human invention of destruction that needs to be dealt with with love and grace and justice.
[00:45:16] And today, there are more sex-trafficking slave chain people now.
[00:45:25] And Charlotte is one of the worst cities.
[00:45:27] And as you can tell, there's a lot of politicians involved in stuff like that too.
[00:45:33] What if it was your child?
[00:45:35] How would you care about it?
[00:45:37] This is not a political issue.
[00:45:39] This is a Jesus issue of human beings made in the image of God.
[00:45:43] And let me tell you, the damage that comes from sexual abuse, addiction, trauma, all that stuff,
[00:45:51] So listen here, Transformation Church.
[00:45:53] We're gonna be a loving community, an honest community, a just community, a gracious community, and we will not be quiet.
[00:46:00] Last thing on this topic.
[00:46:02] It's very important.
[00:46:03] Do not interpret the Bible from a 250-year-old country like America.
[00:46:08] There is cheese in Europe older than America.
[00:46:12] We interpret the Bible from its historical context.
[00:46:16] The Bible don't know nothing about a Democrat or Republican, are you kidding me?
[00:46:19] Most Christians in history have never been a Democrat or Republican.
[00:46:22] My friends in Norway and Germany and all throughout the world are like, what's wrong with y'all people?
[00:46:28] We've jettisoned the Bible.
[00:46:29] But here, we preach, we teach the Bible, and ask the Holy Spirit to help us live the Bible, which is ultimately a life of love.
[00:46:36] Let's get back to the text.
[00:46:41] So guys,
[00:46:43] They sold their brothers a slave.
[00:46:45] Can you imagine that pain?
[00:46:47] Like dudes you played Mario Kart with and they're selling you as a slave.
[00:46:56] When the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out the pit.
[00:47:01] I wonder if he thought they were coming to save him and not sell him.
[00:47:06] And sold him for 20 pieces of silver.
[00:47:09] I know somebody else who got sold for 30 pieces of silver.
[00:47:14] To the Ishmaelites who took Joseph to Egypt.
[00:47:20] Joseph goes to Egypt.
[00:47:23] Instead of having a pity party, he celebrates and praises God and look what happens next.
[00:47:29] Check this out, teenagers, don't miss this.
[00:47:31] The Lord was with Joseph.
[00:47:33] Question, wait, hold on, how's the Lord with Joseph and he got sold into slavery?
[00:47:37] How was the Lord with him?
[00:47:38] God being with you and suffering simultaneously does not mean the absence of God.
[00:47:45] Please catch a hold of that.
[00:47:47] Teenagers and young adults, catch a hold of that.
[00:47:48] Everybody, catch a hold of that.
[00:47:50] In a world that is not yet the new heavens and new earth, suffering in God's presence being with us can happen simultaneously.
[00:47:57] Now, for those of you who've experienced suffering and pain, I get it.
[00:48:01] I think many of us can relate to it.
[00:48:03] And some of you going, man, how can there be a God when this is happening?
[00:48:06] I don't believe in God.
[00:48:07] Well, that's cool for the moment, but please understand that just because you don't believe in God don't mean you're not gonna suffer.
[00:48:13] It's like, I don't believe in God.
[00:48:14] I'm absent from suffering.
[00:48:15] You're still going to suffer.
[00:48:18] The question is, when you trust a God who is great and epic and good, even in the bad, He's working.
[00:48:26] It may take you years to see it.
[00:48:29] He is working and He's moving and no ounce of suffering is wasted in the hands of a loving God.
[00:48:39] The Lord was with Joseph and he became a successful man serving the household of his Egyptian master.
[00:48:46] So notice what Joseph does.
[00:48:47] Joseph has a choice.
[00:48:49] He can complain about what they did to him or he can go forward with the love of God.
[00:48:58] Transformation Church and guests, you can complain about what they did to you
[00:49:04] and by staying stuck on the past, you will stay stuck in the past.
[00:49:09] Have you ever tried to drive a car looking in the rear view mirror?
[00:49:14] Many of us are driving the car of life looking in the rear view mirror.
[00:49:19] I'm sorry it happened.
[00:49:21] and I hope you're sorry for the things that's happened to me and the things I've done and the things that you've done but ultimately when God holds us tightly and we say God hold me even in the midst of this God can do incredible things and Joseph is a testimony of that and things are going so good guys I mean things are going good Jojo is just crushing it man
[00:49:45] Look at this, look at this, check this out.
[00:49:47] When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful, Joseph found favor, that's grace, with his master and became his personal attendant.
[00:49:57] Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority.
[00:50:05] Oh man, he's crushing it.
[00:50:07] He's been hurt, he's been broken, but he's continuing to trust God, things are going good, and Joseph, he's working with his hands.
[00:50:14] He doing CrossFit.
[00:50:16] He eating a high protein diet.
[00:50:18] He out in the sun getting tan.
[00:50:20] He got an eight pack, testosterone kicking in.
[00:50:23] Young man.
[00:50:25] And guess what?
[00:50:26] Old Potiphar's wife was like, Jo-Jo.
[00:50:31] Hey boo-boo.
[00:50:34] She went cougar on him.
[00:50:37] She's like, Joseph, come sleep with me.
[00:50:40] And if you read the text, guess what Joseph says?
[00:50:42] Number one, he says, I will not do this to God nor my master.
[00:50:46] Hey friends, when you sin, and I know some of you right now are going, hey, when I watch porn, that's just me.
[00:50:50] No, no, no, no sin is ever just you.
[00:50:54] It's never just you.
[00:50:56] The people you're watching on porn, how do you know that they're not victims of being trafficked?
[00:51:01] How do you know their story?
[00:51:03] They're like, I ain't bothering nobody with my OnlyFans.
[00:51:05] Yeah, you are.
[00:51:06] First of all, you're offending God, and it's eroding your soul.
[00:51:10] Get some help.
[00:51:11] Let me say this.
[00:51:12] It is better to repent than get caught.
[00:51:16] It is better to do that.
[00:51:17] And I know, I've been around enough.
[00:51:18] There are many of you, men and women, who are drowning in pornography.
[00:51:21] Some of you are in horrible relationships.
[00:51:24] And God is going, that is not what I have for you.
[00:51:26] Think about me.
[00:51:27] I mean, you're singing, oh God, what a God.
[00:51:29] Bless me, and I'm gonna go sleep with my girlfriend after service.
[00:51:32] No, ain't no blessing coming.
[00:51:35] He has so much more for you and me.
[00:51:40] Joseph goes, no, I wouldn't do this to God nor my master.
[00:51:43] And guess what he gets, y'all?
[00:51:46] Thrown into prison.
[00:51:49] Man, if this ain't a bad life.
[00:51:52] But is it though?
[00:51:57] But the Lord was with Joseph.
[00:52:01] and extended kindness to him.
[00:52:04] He granted him grace, favor with the prison warden.
[00:52:13] When adversity comes, what do you do?
[00:52:17] What stories do you begin to tell yourself?
[00:52:19] You guys sang a beautiful song, I hope you saw it.
[00:52:22] Cast all your fears into the wind.
[00:52:25] What good is that when the fear comes, you think about it and not cast it to the wind?
[00:52:30] I mean, you think it's a free concert?
[00:52:32] I mean, you think like Micahus and the team were like, man, we did a great concert today.
[00:52:37] No, it's so that when the fear comes, you go, God, greater is you that is in me that is in the world.
[00:52:44] God, I don't know what's happening, but I know you do.
[00:52:46] God, I can't trust nobody but you.
[00:52:49] But you know what?
[00:52:50] What a God, what a God, what a God.
[00:52:52] That's when you begin to sing.
[00:52:53] That's when you begin to worship.
[00:52:55] That's when you call his name.
[00:52:56] Oh, hold on, hold on, hold on.
[00:52:57] You got in the thing, y'all.
[00:52:58] I'm just an old football player.
[00:53:00] We don't study the playbook just to study it.
[00:53:02] We study it to play the game.
[00:53:03] Well, you got a game.
[00:53:05] Hold on my curl right here.
[00:53:09] Check this out.
[00:53:10] It fell down.
[00:53:10] I got that good hair.
[00:53:11] It just fell on down.
[00:53:12] Couldn't help it.
[00:53:14] I got that good hair.
[00:53:14] Check this out.
[00:53:15] Check this out.
[00:53:17] We're not just singing and preaching so you can go, man, that was a good show.
[00:53:22] There's a life to be lived in the Kingdom of God and the King is with you.
[00:53:29] So Jojo's in prison.
[00:53:31] Man, he's experienced a lot of suffering.
[00:53:35] And not for this verse, I couldn't follow Jesus.
[00:53:39] We have a God who suffers with us.
[00:53:40] Check this out.
[00:53:42] This is speaking of Jesus.
[00:53:43] If you've got Jewish friends, ask them to read Isaiah 53.
[00:53:47] It says this about Jesus 700 years before he was born on earth.
[00:53:53] He was despised and rejected.
[00:53:55] A man of sorrows.
[00:53:56] He gets our sorrows.
[00:53:57] Acquainted with the deepest grief, he gets our grief.
[00:54:01] We turn our backs on him and look the other way.
[00:54:04] He was despised.
[00:54:04] You ever been despised?
[00:54:05] He goes, me too.
[00:54:07] And we didn't care.
[00:54:08] Yet it was our weaknesses he carried.
[00:54:11] It was our sorrows that weighed him down.
[00:54:15] And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins, but he was pierced.
[00:54:20] That's when he got the spear in his side.
[00:54:23] but He was pierced for my rebellion, your rebellion, crushed for your sins, crushed for my sins.
[00:54:29] No wonder we sing, what a God, what a God, what a God.
[00:54:32] I hope that when you were singing, what a God, what a God, what a God, you were thinking about the way He forgives you, the way He loves you, the way He declared you righteous.
[00:54:41] I hope that's what you were praying about.
[00:54:43] I hope it wasn't, oh, I got a job, what a God, what a God.
[00:54:46] When the economy tanks and you don't have a job, is He still a great God?
[00:54:51] He is.
[00:54:53] By the way, you do know most Christians around the world make very little money.
[00:55:00] You ready for this?
[00:55:02] They don't have two cars.
[00:55:08] You do know in Nigeria, there are Christians being murdered and slaughtered, right?
[00:55:13] So if our little microwave don't work, we're gonna be okay.
[00:55:19] I hope that when we say, what a God, what a God, it was because of this.
[00:55:23] He was beaten so we could be made whole.
[00:55:26] Friends, don't just come sing and listen to sermons but not give your heart to Him to heal those wounds and fractures.
[00:55:33] And by the way, if the baby's crying, don't worry about it.
[00:55:35] I played in front of 80,000.
[00:55:36] That didn't bother me.
[00:55:38] I can preach in front of one baby crying.
[00:55:39] I hope you can focus too.
[00:55:43] He was whipped.
[00:55:44] Why?
[00:55:45] So we could be
[00:55:47] How was Jesus a better Joseph?
[00:55:49] Teenagers, Jesus forgave his brothers at great emotional cost.
[00:55:53] Jesus forgives us at infinite cost.
[00:55:56] So check this out.
[00:55:57] Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers.
[00:56:00] They came to Egypt to get food.
[00:56:02] When Joseph was a little guy, God gave him a gift to know the future, the gift of prophecy.
[00:56:08] And guess what he did at the beginning?
[00:56:10] He told them what God told him.
[00:56:12] He was like brothers.
[00:56:13] Now imagine, imagine if your younger brother got a car before you.
[00:56:19] So he's like, hey guys, God told me all you are gonna bow down.
[00:56:28] Dad, even you too.
[00:56:32] He wasn't mature enough for the gift.
[00:56:34] but the suffering made him mature.
[00:56:39] Some of you have a gift that is only gonna be seasoned by suffering.
[00:56:45] If not, you're gonna be too arrogant.
[00:56:50] What I say to young preachers all the time, because they look at the Instagram, they look at me on the stage for 35 minutes and they think that's what pastoring is.
[00:56:59] It's just 2% of what I do.
[00:57:01] If you don't wanna suffer, if you don't wanna be lied on, if you don't wanna be slandered, if you don't wanna experience spiritual attack from your children to your own life, don't sign up.
[00:57:12] Do something else.
[00:57:14] Grown people only apply.
[00:57:17] Talking about, I want a platform.
[00:57:18] You need a towel to serve and clean some toilets.
[00:57:26] If I could tell you all the nights I laid on my face
[00:57:30] and a puddle of tears saying, God, you have to show up.
[00:57:35] Man, but in that suffering, all his tender mercies are there.
[00:57:39] I don't want it.
[00:57:42] I don't.
[00:57:44] But when I'm there, I know he's present.
[00:57:48] But you can't get to the pit to the palace by skipping the long road.
[00:57:54] There are a lot of people that wanna skip the road.
[00:57:57] People will be like, tell me how you made it to the NFL.
[00:58:00] Well, let's start in ninth grade.
[00:58:01] No, no, tell me how you made it.
[00:58:02] I'm trying to tell you.
[00:58:04] Oh, you just wanna know what it's like to play the game.
[00:58:08] You don't wanna know what it's like to get to play the game.
[00:58:15] So Joseph finally lets them know, hey, it's me, guys.
[00:58:18] And look at this, look at this.
[00:58:25] Okay, it's a little stuck, but I'm gonna read it.
[00:58:27] Did it work?
[00:58:28] Okay, here we go.
[00:58:29] It says this.
[00:58:32] Then Joseph said to his brothers, please come near me.
[00:58:36] And they came near.
[00:58:38] I am Joseph, your brother, the one you sold into slavery.
[00:58:42] The last time they seen him, he was a boy.
[00:58:45] And now he was a man of incredible power.
[00:58:49] Isn't it amazing a man of incredible power did not show vengeance, he showed mercy.
[00:58:54] Man, that's the kind of leader I want to be.
[00:58:56] That's the kind of leaders we all need to be.
[00:58:58] And now, and now don't be grieved or angry with yourselves for selling me here because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.
[00:59:11] For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plying or harvesting.
[00:59:16] God sent me ahead of you to establish a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by great deliverance.
[00:59:22] Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God.
[00:59:26] And he made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
[00:59:34] And then in Genesis 50 verse 20 he says this, You planned evil against me,
[00:59:40] God planned it for good to bring about the present result, the survival of many people.
[00:59:46] Let's pause here.
[00:59:47] 15 years ago, I wouldn't have to say this because it was common knowledge.
[00:59:51] But in today's world, you need to say it.
[00:59:53] There are sick, evil people within the church who will use this text to cover up things like sexual abuse, to cover up emotional and physical abuse, to go, hey!
[01:00:09] Well, God's going to use it, yeah, and you're going to jail.
[01:00:13] Forgiveness is, yeah, I forgive you, but you're going to jail.
[01:00:18] Well, you know, you're supposed to be a Christian woman.
[01:00:20] You remember Joseph?
[01:00:22] You see, what I took you through is to get you where you are, and you're supposed to forgive.
[01:00:26] Well, I am going to forgive you, but my soul and my face is no longer a punching bag.
[01:00:31] It's called boundaries.
[01:00:35] Ooh, I almost said something, because that's a tender spot for me.
[01:00:38] I watched women in my family get abused until I grew up and that nonsense stopped.
[01:00:45] So I'm just gonna take a breath and say if you need help, we'll help you.
[01:00:52] There's a lot of big guys here that like to box.
[01:01:06] Y'all laughing.
[01:01:08] I don't know why people laugh when I say, I should be a comedian.
[01:01:13] Joseph forgives at great cost.
[01:01:18] Jesus forgives at the ultimate cost.
[01:01:21] Look what Ephesians 1.7 says.
[01:01:29] He is so rich in kindness
[01:01:33] and Grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
[01:01:40] Joseph wept as he forgave, Jesus bled as he forgave.
[01:01:48] Can I say something?
[01:01:52] When have you come to grips with what happened to you?
[01:01:55] When are you gonna stop avoiding it?
[01:01:58] When are you gonna stop trying to bury it and all you're doing is burying yourself?
[01:02:02] It's coming out in your body.
[01:02:04] The body keeps score.
[01:02:06] You cannot hide from unforgiveness, family.
[01:02:08] High blood pressure, compromised immune system, agitation, irritation, depression, anxiety, and bring it to God.
[01:02:19] You actually might need to go see a therapist.
[01:02:21] Some of y'all pay money for like personal trainers.
[01:02:24] You got an eight pack, but your soul is flabby.
[01:02:31] Life is too serious.
[01:02:33] There's a gracious God who's beckoning you.
[01:02:37] Let me set you free.
[01:02:39] Jesus not only forgives our sins, but he breaks the chains from our sins and people's sins against us.
[01:02:50] Some of us got wounded not because of our own sins, but because of the shrapnel of other people's sins.
[01:02:57] Regardless, God is saying, come.
[01:03:02] Is this working now?
[01:03:03] Oh, there we go.
[01:03:04] Let me see if we're going.
[01:03:05] Keep on going.
[01:03:06] Oh, here we go.
[01:03:07] We're rolling now.
[01:03:09] How is Jesus a better Joseph?
[01:03:11] Joseph provided bread that kept people alive.
[01:03:14] Jesus gives himself as the bread of life.
[01:03:17] Genesis 41, 55 through 57.
[01:03:20] Jesus is a better Joseph.
[01:03:22] So with severe famine everywhere, Joseph opened up the storehouse and distributed grain, bread, to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt.
[01:03:32] And so we see what Joseph is doing.
[01:03:34] Look what Jesus does.
[01:03:36] And people from all around came to Egypt to buy grain for Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world.
[01:03:43] Jesus replied, I am the bread of life.
[01:03:47] Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again.
[01:03:50] Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty again.
[01:03:53] And so Jesus is saying, feed on me.
[01:04:00] And you know, there's some bread that's gluten-free.
[01:04:04] Jesus' bread is not grace-free.
[01:04:08] It's filled with all the grace that we need.
[01:04:11] So check this out.
[01:04:12] I'm giving you a preview.
[01:04:14] January 2026.
[01:04:16] I'm very excited about this.
[01:04:18] We're going to do a brand new series called Thriving.
[01:04:21] And as a part of that, we're going to do 40 days of prayer.
[01:04:24] So it's going to be the first time many of you have prayed for today straight.
[01:04:27] We're going to have devotionals.
[01:04:29] We're going to get us into the Word together on one accord because we're going to learn how to feed on the bread of life.
[01:04:36] Let me tell you something.
[01:04:37] Here's the biggest lie the devil tells you.
[01:04:40] Your life does not matter.
[01:04:44] If your life didn't matter, you wouldn't be born.
[01:04:49] Do you know how important you are to God?
[01:04:55] You are so important to God that He would send His eternal Son to purchase you.
[01:05:02] What can be greater than that?
[01:05:05] Think about it for a minute.
[01:05:06] See, that's our problem is we think less about Jesus and more about other stuff.
[01:05:11] Think about this.
[01:05:11] The greatest treasure in the universe was given for you.
[01:05:14] And we got low self-esteem?
[01:05:17] The only reason we got low self-esteem is we put too much into ourselves versus too much into Him, which is never impossible.
[01:05:24] My worth and your worth is not built on what we built.
[01:05:27] Oh my God, it is built on the rock of ages.
[01:05:30] Your worth and my worth is built on the blood.
[01:05:33] You need to preach this to yourself all day long.
[01:05:36] If you talk to me off the stage, I talk just like this.
[01:05:39] This ain't preacher talk.
[01:05:40] This is to live.
[01:05:41] This is to live.
[01:05:42] I am not going back to the pit.
[01:05:44] When He put me in a palace, I'm not going back to chains when He broke them, and neither should you.
[01:05:52] It's not that complicated, guys.
[01:05:54] The scene of the crime is your?
[01:05:56] When the lie comes in, say, go to hell.
[01:06:00] Where it belongs.
[01:06:01] Don't entertain it.
[01:06:03] Well, you're not enough.
[01:06:04] Well, you might be right, but Jesus is.
[01:06:07] Well, they did this to you.
[01:06:07] Yeah, they did, but let me tell you what Jesus did.
[01:06:13] Sometimes I think we make it more complicated than it needs to be.
[01:06:16] Let's dive into it.
[01:06:17] Let's land this plane.
[01:06:19] How was Jesus a better Joseph?
[01:06:21] Joseph rose from a pit to a palace to save Egypt.
[01:06:26] Jesus rose from a grave to glory to save humanity.
[01:06:29] Let me put it to you another way.
[01:06:32] Jesus rose from the dead to tell you that in his father's palace is many rooms.
[01:06:42] Most people read this and go, man, I can't wait to go to the palace.
[01:06:46] Guys, the palace is Jesus himself.
[01:06:50] He's the reward.
[01:06:53] Listen to me now.
[01:06:55] If you don't follow Christ yet, you just put this in your pocket, those of us who follow Christ.
[01:06:59] He's not a means to an end.
[01:07:01] He's not a transaction.
[01:07:04] He is the action.
[01:07:07] Appreciate it.
[01:07:10] Jesus told her,
[01:07:11] I am the resurrection and the life.
[01:07:15] Anyone who believes in me will live even after they die.
[01:07:19] Here's one of my favorite passages in John 1 through 4.
[01:07:26] Jesus speaking to his disciples, he says, don't let your hearts be troubled.
[01:07:33] Believe in God.
[01:07:35] Believe also in me.
[01:07:38] Not sure who this is for.
[01:07:42] Just because you feel anxiety or trouble doesn't mean God is mad at you.
[01:07:46] It means you're a human being.
[01:07:48] Do you understand?
[01:07:51] Do you know how much time I got worrying and stressed?
[01:07:53] The goal is not to have worrying and stress.
[01:07:55] The goal is when you have worrying and stress to turn it to worship and praise.
[01:08:01] You feel what I'm saying?
[01:08:05] I love this.
[01:08:07] In my Father's
[01:08:10] My house is in the middle of the street.
[01:08:14] My house... See, we got it too, Gen Z. Gen X got some songs.
[01:08:20] In my Father's palace are many rooms.
[01:08:26] And if it were not so, would I have told you that I'm going to prepare a place for you?
[01:08:34] If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you will be also.
[01:08:44] You know the way to where I am going.
[01:08:49] Friends, Joseph went from a pit to a palace.
[01:08:56] Jesus went to a tomb to take us to the Father's palace.
[01:09:03] But until that time, He is walking with us in every season.
[01:09:10] And the one who walks with you says, let me live through you.
[01:09:18] Bring them your fears.
[01:09:21] Hey men, what I want to encourage you to do is write down all your fears.
[01:09:24] When you get done today, write them all down.
[01:09:26] Women are better expressing stuff.
[01:09:29] I don't know what's the deal with us men.
[01:09:32] Write down all your fears and put a big old cross in it and say, Jesus is enough, then go to sleep.
[01:09:40] I don't know what you've been through.
[01:09:41] I don't.
[01:09:44] And it's not really important that I do, because I can't do nothing about it anyway.
[01:09:49] Oh, but I know the one who can.
[01:09:52] What if God would take your suffering?
[01:09:57] As I think of this story, I think about
[01:10:00] My dad, my next book I'm dedicating to my dad.
[01:10:03] We had a horrible relationship, substance abuse stole so much, mental health stole so much.
[01:10:12] But I'm not gonna let that stop me.
[01:10:16] Because I have a heavenly dad.
[01:10:19] You know?
[01:10:21] The pain that you've gone through, God is gonna turn to purpose.
[01:10:24] The tragedy's gonna turn into triumph.
[01:10:27] Would you let him do it?
[01:10:30] And you know what you'll find?
[01:10:31] That it's not just for you.
[01:10:36] It's to bless other people.
[01:10:39] Let's pray.
[01:10:41] God of grace unending, of mercy that reaches beyond the horizon and back, to the one who is full of love and kindness and power and glory, thank you that you take us from the pit to your Father's palace.
[01:11:00] May we live from the bread of life, King Jesus.
[01:11:05] Hey, right now in this moment, if you're saying, hey, Pastor Derwin, I'm ready to have my sins forgiven and I'm ready to give my life to Jesus and I'm ready to follow him.
[01:11:15] If that's you, today's your day of salvation.
[01:11:18] Today's your day to come to Jesus.
[01:11:19] Today is your day that your pain turns into purpose.
[01:11:22] Today's your day that tragedy becomes triumph.
[01:11:25] Today's the day that God gives you a room in his Father's palace.
[01:11:28] If you're ready to receive this room that's free of charge, paid for by the blood of Jesus, say this to him in the silence of your heart.
[01:11:37] Today, King Jesus, by faith, I believe that upon that cross, that should have been me, but it was you.
[01:11:45] Thank you for dying for me and forgiving me.
[01:11:48] I believe that on the third day you rose again to come and live in me through the power of the Holy Spirit to make me a part of your eternal family.
[01:11:53] By faith I choose to follow you all the days of my life.
[01:11:57] Amen, amen, and amen.
[01:11:59] Let's give God a round of applause.
[01:12:03] All right.
[01:12:04] Okay, check this out.
[01:12:06] There's a connection card and a seat in front of you.
[01:12:08] Have you prayed with me to receive Christ?
[01:12:10] Or renewed your faith in Christ?
[01:12:11] Or you want to be baptized?
[01:12:12] Would you check?
[01:12:14] I prayed to receive Christ.
[01:12:16] Please, please, please let us know.
[01:12:19] We want to serve you.
[01:12:20] Well, our soul tattoo, what is it that we are marinating on throughout the week?
[01:12:25] Live from the life of Jesus the better Joseph.
[01:12:28] Listen to the sermons as you go to school, as you work out.
[01:12:31] Let it just soak into you.
[01:12:34] And here's our action step.
[01:12:35] Participate and roll out hope through providing gifts or serving at the big sort.
[01:12:42] Okay?
[01:12:43] Love you guys.
[01:12:44] Can you welcome our campus hosts?

[01:12:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Thank you so much, Pastor Derwin.
[01:12:53] Transformation Church, stand with me.
[01:12:55] Let's get ready for our benediction, which really just means a good word or a blessing, but it's the way that we remind ourselves of who we are and who God has called us to be.
[01:13:06] And so we say upward because we love God completely.
[01:13:09] We say inward because in Him we can learn to love ourselves correctly.
[01:13:14] And we say outward because we love our neighbors compassionately.
[01:13:18] I'll point at you, you point back at me, and we say, Transformers, roll out!

[01:13:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Because this is just the... And now it's time to go play the... Alright, let's do it!
[01:13:28] One, two, three!
[01:13:29] Upward, inward, outward, Transformers, roll out!
[01:13:34] Have a great week!