Worship on the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany
10:00 am February 23, 2025
Minister: The Rev. Brad Childs Music Director: Binu Kapadia
Vocalists: Peter and Cheryl Sheridan
Welcoming Elder: Darlene Eerkes Reader: Vivian Houg
Children’s time presenter: Brad
We gather to worship God.
Music Prelude
Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
P: And also, with you
Lighting of the Christ candle
Welcome and announcements
Preparation for worship
Call to worship:
L: In the light of this day, we have gathered;
P: We are a community that is one, bringing our questions and our joy
L: In the song and silence, we will listen –
P: What is it that God would have us hear this day?
L: In our praise and our prayers, we will remember
P: That God’s glory shines around us and within.
L: So let us worship God.
Opening praise: Here I am to worship
Prayers of approach and confession
Faithful God,
You have gathered your people faithfully throughout many generations.
You have offered your blessing to us through their examples and led the Church through many changes and challenges by your Spirit.
Draw near to us this day to guide us in these uncertain times.
Root our faithfulness in the compassion and courage we meet in Jesus.
Renew us through your steadfast love so we may dare to trust our future to you.
All praise and honour are yours,
O God: Source, Saviour and Spirit of Life.
You are with us, even in our failings. Hear us as we confess our sins so that we might be able to begin again with you.
Gracious God,
you test the mind and search the heart, so you know the thoughts and intentions we keep hidden.
Trusting in your wisdom and mercy,
we confess the ways we have failed to love one another, the times we looked the other way when someone needed help, and the ways our actions betrayed your goodness.
Forgive us for missing opportunities to share your love and for carrying grudges that keep us from offering the forgiveness we hope for.
Renew us with your mercy to become more merciful to others we meet;
we put our trust in the example of Christ our Lord. Amen.
Response: I will trust in the Lord
Assurance of God’s peace
Hear and believe the good news: anyone in Christ is a new creation.
The old life is gone, and a new life has begun.
Trust that you are forgiven by God’s generous love, and have the courage to forgive one another for Christ’s sake. Amen.
We listen for the voice of God.
Song: Open our eyes (445)
Children’s Time
The young man said, I’m here to help, ma’am. Why don’t you just wait inside the car where it’s warm? And by the way, my name is Brian.
The older woman breathed a sigh of relief, and there’s no way she could have changed her own tire. With her back out. It would be impossible. Brian had the spare tire on the Jack down in less than 10 minutes. And he was tightening the lug nuts when the woman rolled down her window and began to talk to him.
She told him she was from Saint Louis and was passing through. She couldn’t thank him enough for coming to her aid, but Brian just smiled as he closed the trunk.
She asked him how much she owed and if any price would have been good for her. But Brian never thought twice about asking for money, even though he could use the help. Changing attire wasn’t a job to him; it was just a matter of helping someone in need.
Brian told the woman that if she really wanted to pay him back the next time she saw someone who needed help, she should give that person help instead. And when you do, Brian added, think of me. Brian waited until the woman had started her car and driven off carefully. It had been a cold, depressing day, but he felt pretty good about himself heading home.
A few miles down the road, the woman saw a small diner, though the place didn’t look like much. She went in to grab a bite To eat. And to shake off the cold. A kindly waitress brought her a clean towel to dry her wet hair. She had a kind smile and appeared pregnant. Then, the woman remembered Brian. After she had finished her meal, she gave the waitress a $100 bill while the waitress went to get the change. The woman slipped quietly out the door.
When the waitress returned to the table, she noticed something was written on a napkin. When she picked it up to read it, she found four more $100 bills Underneath and hidden away. Her eyes showed tears when she read what the woman had written down.
The message says you don’t owe me anything. I’ve been there too. Somebody friendly helped me out, and now I’m helping you. If you want to pay me back, here’s what you must do. Don’t let the chain of love end with you.
That night, when the waitress got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the woman had written. How could she have known? How much she and her husband needed that money. She knew her husband was distraught with the baby due in just a month. As he lay sleeping next to her, she leaned over to kiss him softly, and she whispered softly. Everything is going to be all right. I love you, Brian.
Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given unto you.” The unselfish life is an abundant life. God blesses us whenever we’re willing to bless others. And like Brian in the story, Jesus says, “The next time you see someone in need, think of me.”
The Lord’s Prayer: (535)
Song: This is a story full of love(504: vss 1,2,5,6)
Scripture readings: Genesis 45:3-11,15 ; Luke 6:27-38
Response: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
Message: God provides
We know biblical books through chapters and verses. But those were not in the original text.
A group of rabbis called the Masoretes (or The Tradition Masters) added these to help readers find scripture sections more easily. However, the original organization was done through the repetition of words, patterns of stories, and story cycles to indicate the flow and design of the original Genesis scroll. For example, there are four cycles of exile (from Adam to Noah to Abraham and now Joseph). In each story, ONE of the sons (a second or last born) is chosen to carry God’s blessing onto the world. In this case, Chapter 37:2, for example, says, “These are the generations of Jacob.” This phrase appears 10 times in the book of Genesis. Each use of this phrase indicates a new “chapter” to the original audience. Subchapters are marked as well. See, in this story, each dream is a new section.
At its core, however, Joseph’s story is about two things: 1. how God uses even our worst circumstances to build God’s plan for us (no matter what gets in the way), and 2. it’s about a person who was kidnapped, vulnerable, sold, abused, and exiled. In other words, it’s a story happening worldwide, even today. It’s the story of human trafficking.
Joseph is a 17-year-old boy, and he is traded to passersby and sold as an enslaved person and shipped halfway across the known world to be a prisoner for a people he can’t even understand because he doesn’t know their language. This is a horrific story with a surprise ending. And it is not the story of some guy 4000 years ago. It’s the story of today.
When Joseph first arrives in Egypt, he doesn’t know the culture, the language, the customs, the money, or anything else! He is enslaved, then a prisoner, and later a saviour. But first, he is an outcast and a foreigner forced to live in a land that is not his own. This is a story even people in this very room have seen firsthand. But it’s not the end all be all. It seems God has bigger plans for Joseph, and Joseph isn’t the only one God has bigger plans for. Joseph sees exile. But so have you.
Dreams were frequently seen as messages from the gods, conveying important information for personal guidance or communal benefit. This was a standard view then and, quite frankly, still is. Dreams are a bit of a mystery, and many believe God communicates with us that way. I want to tell you that our dreams are merely the stories our minds invent, but truth be told, the bible seems to disagree.
For many people, dreams serve as a bridge between the human and divine realms. I’m not one of them, but maybe I should be. Dreams often carried prophetic significance in biblical narratives and other ancient Near Eastern texts. They were seen as a way to reveal future events, requiring careful interpretation by those believed to have insight, such as priests or prophets.
Various ancient cultures, including the Egyptians, Mesopotamians, and Israelites, shared the belief in dreams’ spiritual importance. Not all dreams, mind you. I’m reasonably sure my dream about being hunted down by a giant tuna fish submarine sandwich is probably not a message from God. But maybe some dreams are. I know a person who had a dream about Jesus, although he had never heard of Jesus before. God can use absolutely anything to speak to us.
In Genesis, Joseph’s dreams play a central role in the narrative.
Joseph is a bit of a braggart.
About three weeks ago now, I went to Kansas for my grandmother’s funeral. My extended family commonly calls me “Favorite, Favorite,” as my sister did when we found my grandfather’s old wallet. He had pictures of most grandkids, but when my sister went through it, she quickly noticed a theme. He had quite a few photos of me. But while I do believe I was very loved, I don’t think I’m the favourite. I’m the second favourite. My cousin Nathan (despite his significant legal troubles, was 100% the favourite of my grandfather and grandmother). And to be precise – he needed that to be the case. I honestly suspect that favourites in the family are usually just that – the ones that need some extra attention.
In this case, we are told the exact reasons for Joseph’s favouritism. Joseph was his father’s “favourite” child because he was born at a time in Jacobs’s life when he was sure he was too old for more children. It wasn’t Joseph so much as it was the blessing of having another child.
But Joseph was a braggart. He dreams about ruling Earth and the sky. And then he tells his brothers this! And I don’t know if you ever had a big brother, but Joseph’s big brothers do precisely what big brothers always do. They put the little guy in his place. They put him in the ground and under the ground as well… in a well.
Joseph is estranged from his brothers because he is his father’s favourite. This favouritism recalls Abraham’s favouritism toward Isaac and Isaac toward Esau and even Joseph’s father, Jacob. Honestly, one of the first things we learn about Joseph is his dreams of reigning over his brothers. The author carefully chooses his words in this section, employing phrases designed to call to mind Adam and Eve’s sin in Genesis 3, Cain’s murder of Abel in Genesis 4, and the wickedness of Noah’s generation in Genesis 6. Remember, this is the story of “The Generations of Jacob”. We are meant to see the basic theme of children sadly repeating the sins of their parents. We’ve heard this story before and it will end up the same way it always does.
In the story, Joseph has two very unusual dreams. In his first dream, Joseph sees himself and his brothers gathering bundles of grain called sheaves in the fields. Suddenly, Joseph’s sheaf stands tall, and his brothers’ sheaves gather around it and bow down to it. When Joseph tells his brothers about this dream, they get furious. They think, “Wait a minute! Are you saying we’ll have to bow down to you one day? It didn’t go over well. If you are a younger sibling, you can imagine this. To quote Prince Harry, younger siblings often feel like they are the “spare” child, especially if they are the second of the same gender.
This is my trigger warning for middle kids and more.
I apologize in advance. This is how I feel and how I’ve generally described myself regarding family systems. In my family, my brother Chad is the firstborn son. Then there is me. My sister Hannah is the first girl. My sister Amanda is the baby.
Now, I should say that I tested this line on Maddie and Wesley, my kids, last night, and the resounding answer was, “Dad, don’t say that in church.” So I will clean this up, though it’s just technical language. Chad is the first born and boy, Hannah is the first girl, and Amanda is a baby. Me… well I’m just the second kid with the same genitals as the first one. In other words, Hannah and I are both middle children, but she’s the first girl. I’m just… “Oh, another boy, congratulations” [whispers – “Oh, it would have been so nice to have one of each”.
Joseph has a second dream. And again, he isn’t smart enough to keep it to himself.
In his second dream, Joseph sees the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to him. The sun represents his father, Jacob; the moon represents his mother; and the eleven stars represent his brothers. When Joseph shares this dream, they get upset again. And that’s for good reason. His brothers become jealous and angry because they think he’s saying he will rule over them. And he is. Like all the heroes of the bible, every example is first a broken and flawed person God will work through. That’s how EVERY story in the bible works save one – Jesus.
For ancient Hebrews at this time, these dreams were like hints from God about Josuah’s future. But just so we are clear here, Jesus is a Greek pronunciation of the Hebrew name Joshua. Jesus’ family would have pronounced his name “Yeshua” or “Joshua.” Jesus comes out in English simply because of how one language transliterates into another.
That’s the fun fact for the day. Jesus is actually Josh!
Anyway, these dreams suggested that God had something important in store for little Jo, but this news made his brothers jealous instead of making his family proud.
This is odd and out of place. Still, this part of the story reminds me of when Baby Boomers (do we have some baby boomers here today?)… when baby boomers talk badly about more recent generations, noting that they are soft and lazy and have a relatively easy life. All of that is true, by the way. But I say, “Yes, we have it easier. And wasn’t that the whole point? Wasn’t it?” Isn’t that what we all want for our children—for things to be far less brutal than they were for us?
Jacob and Joseph’s older brothers don’t see it that way.
Joseph’s coat is interesting because it’s imbued with symbolic significance. In ancient cultures, clothing signified protection from the elements and status. Joseph’s multicoloured robe—perhaps a crafted quilt of various patches the way ancient Iraq made them—was a costly gift and a sign of wealth. Likely, it’s a patchwork tunic made of multiple coloured squares. In other words, it’s almost like a Scottish kilt with colours and patterns to signify status and family. So, maybe it’s not exactly how we generally picture it. Still, it is an elaborate gift for only one son. It turns out that playing favourites is how this whole mess starts.
At this point, the brothers are in too deep. There is no way out. (Have you EVER felt that way – it’s not true; there is no such thing; there is always a way out. And God is about to prove that).
Nevertheless, the brothers have made their choice and are sticking with it. And so they grab their little brother and throw him into a dry well. Next, they take Joseph’s fancy coat and smear it with animal blood to convince their father, Jacob, that he has been attacked and killed by some wild animals. Jacob, believing a wild animal has consumed his beloved son Joseph, is tragically deceived—an irony not lost on the reader. Jacob had done something similar to trick his father.
Here, the animals that consume Joseph are, in fact, his brothers, driven by jealousy and rivalry. Kidnapped, sold, and subjected to the harsh realities of the slave trade, Joseph’s story does not merely point a finger into history. It points a finger into today, asking how this can still happen.
As the story unfolds, Joseph’s brothers conspire against him, driven by jealousy and a desire to silence his dreams. They take pennies! This money exchange is nothing, especially for a wealthy family like Jacob’s. Remember, Jacob later changes his name to Isreal! The entire nation comes from Him. A country comes from this one guy! But it isn’t just about the money. They are jealous. And they sell their brother to slave traders for the modern equivalent of only 15 Canadian dollars. 15 dollars!
They hate their little brother. And they sell him for almost nothing because of it.
Now, at this point, I think it’s important to note that no person could be permanently owned in Israel. You may have heard that the bible never condemns slavery. I don’t want to be rude, but… That’s an argument from people with no inclination to investigate history. But it’s popular opinion and is often foolishly shared by people lacking a bit of knowledge.
What is missing is that you could have hired servants in scripture, but freedom was always possible. The Hebrew bible does not condemn all slavery, but it does put conditions on servanthood that no other nation did. In ancient Israel, no person was enslaved the way we think of enslaved people today. They owed money and worked for set periods or even at most 7 years but could always be free again. Make no mistake! In the Bible, God moves slowly sometimes, but God is always moving. And by the time we get to the New Testament Paul writes an entire book about a returned enslaved person who is forever to be treated as a brother despite his position (but we will talk about that in a couple of months).
By selling Joseph to non-Hebrews, the author clarifies that Joseph will never be free again by all non-Hebrew laws! He is in the hands of magicians and pagans now and is as good as dead. He will never return from the death his brothers believe he has suffered or the slavery pagan nations forced on people, making them less-than-human for the entirety of their lives.
Please note: Joseph is not just an enslaved person. He is sold at least four times before he is purchased by a man called Potiphar in the Egyptian court. Eventually, he ends up in the home of Potiphar, a high official in Egypt. Strangely, even in his low position, his capabilities shine through. Oddly, Joseph is called “attractive” in this story—a title only three men receive in the Bible, but many women receive it in the Old Testament.
It matters to the story. He’s handsome and Potiphers wife likes him and attempts to seduce him. When that doesn’t work, she claims Joseph attached her. She is a socialite, and Joseph is a slave. Potipher is forced to believe his crooked wife, and because of that, Joseph is sent to prison.
Joseph has been grabbed, thrown into a deep dry well (a wastewater cistern) by his brothers, sold to multiple parties and traded, doesn’t speak the native languages, doesn’t know the customs, and doesn’t have any money, food, clothes, family or friends. He is accused of a crime and thrown into prison. He is enslaved and trafficked to wherever his buyers want him.
But once again, we are told, “And the Lord was with Joseph.” This phrase repeats over and over again for good reason!
At this point, Joseph’s cellmates have their own confusing dreams and wonder if Joseph understands them. And he does.
Once again, Joseph uses his abilities while he is locked away. So Joseph tells one of the men to “remember me when you leave this prison, remember me.” But guess what? That other prisoner immediately forgets him as soon as he’s free. So, Joseph remains imprisoned for two more years before the story continues.
Eventually, the prisoner remembers Joseph when he absolutely must. He hears of a problem with Pharoah and Pharoah’s dreams. Joseph is the answer.
Finally, believing he can help Pharaoh, Joseph is given a chance to shine. He explains Pharaoh’s dream, telling him that a seven-year famine is coming. Because of this divine guidance, Egypt prepared and had food when the shortages hit. At this point, Joseph becomes a Hero of Egypt.
Joseph is granted not only freedom but authority. In his new role he is appoint the Prime Minister of Egypt.
What happens next can be described as the “just desserts” of every action movie ever; it’s a tale of revenge. Joseph’s brothers are starving, and unbeknownst to them, they come to the brother they sold into slavery for help. The brothers who betrayed him now stand before him, desperate for food. Just as in his dream, they bow down to him and what God said becomes reality.
Forgiveness is a central theme that emerges profoundly throughout Joseph’s journey. Despite the grievous wrongs committed against him, Joseph demonstrates an extraordinary capacity for grace. Genesis 45:3-5 captures the essence of this moment when he reveals his identity to his brothers, saying, “I am Joseph!” In that instant, the emotional weight of betrayal meets the possibility of reconciliation. But where the reader wants Joseph to condemn his brothers he does not. He sees God at work instead.
Joseph’s forgiving ability is rooted in his broader understanding of divine orchestration. He acknowledges his brothers’ actions: “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” Joseph refuses to be defined by his circumstances or the malice of others. Instead, he sees the hand of God weaving a narrative that transcends human failures, ultimately leading to a great deliverance.
How often are we caught in cycles of bitterness, allowing past hurts to dictate our present? Joseph’s journey teaches us that forgiveness is not about dismissing the pain inflicted upon us; instead, it is a powerful choice to break the cycle of vengeance and extend grace. His story compels us to examine our lives and consider the moments where we, too, have been called to forgive—challenging us to reflect on the liberation and healing that such acts of grace can bring to ourselves and others.
As his father, Jacob, lays eyes on Joseph for the first time after many years, tears spill forth, bringing forth the weight of sorrow and joy. All the evil and all the bad in Joseph’s life have led to this moment. And every awful experience results in this: Joseph is in the perfect place to save the people who rejected him.
Ultimately, Joseph’s story is not just one of personal triumph; it illustrates the overarching themes of exile and restoration that resonate throughout Scripture. His rise to power is a shadow of more extraordinary redemptive acts, including the ultimate act of love through the suffering servant—Jesus Christ. In Joseph’s narrative, we see a foreshadowing of a redeemer who emerges from suffering to bring salvation.
What exiles have you faced, and how can you respond with grace? Just as Joseph chose to forgive those who wronged him, we, too, are called to extend that grace to others. Forgiveness does not negate the pain of betrayal; instead, it transforms it, allowing us to participate in God’s redemptive work.
The journey of Joseph does not unfold in isolation; it intertwines with the broader narrative of humanity’s encounter with God—a story that culminates in hope and restoration. Just as the Lord was with Joseph in Potiphar’s house and prison, we can find solace in knowing we are never alone in our struggles. Life may pull us into the depths, but God’s faithfulness assures us that we can emerge strengthened and equipped for the future.
Joseph’s imprisonment, for instance, could have easily led to despair, yet it was there, in confinement, that character and resilience were forged.
We may have experienced some form of exile—moments where we felt lost, alienated, or estranged from those we love or God himself. Seeing beyond our pain and hardship in those moments can be challenging. Yet, just as Joseph’s journey took him from the depths of despair to a place of authority and reconciliation, we too can emerge transformed from our trials.
The shared human experience of suffering invites us to recognize the interconnectedness of our stories. As we navigate our journeys, we must remember that many around us are wrestling with their struggles. Our collective challenges can bind us closer together, promoting empathy and understanding.
Just like Joseph needed the presence of his brothers, we thrive in the strength of relationships built on trust, love, and forgiveness. Let’s lean into our communities, supporting those wrestling with their exiles. Be an ear for someone who needs to share their burdens, remind them of hope when they feel hopeless, and encourage reconciliation where divisions exist.
Remember that you are not alone, no matter where you find yourself today. Just as the Lord was with Joseph in his darkest moments, He walks alongside you every step of the way. Embrace the journey, trust in His promises, and may you experience the transformative power of God’s grace in your life, enabling you to be a beacon of hope and reconciliation in a world that so desperately needs it. Whatever other people, the world, “fate,” situations, conditions, unhappiness, seemingly inherited, surroundings, circumstances, events or whatever else you feel wants to through you in a pit, wants to away, hate your successes, reject you are, where you are from, cast you out, sells you off, exiles you, mistreat you, abuses you, makes you “other,” whatever it is, I have news for you. You have no idea how far down the pit you can go and survive if you accept that God is still in control! You have no idea what heights God rewards the faithful for, remembering that everything and everyone else might bring about evil can still be used for good.
God is still and constantly working out good for you! If this is not your day to say “I’m Joseph,” “I still love you,” and it’s one of those, stripped of your dignity and down in a pit, sold into confusion times… Hope is here. What others have intended, even for evil, God can work out for your good. Amen.
Song: Let us sing to the Lord (412)
We respond to serve God.
Our time of giving
Prayer for ourselves and others
God of generous love, we bring our gifts with grateful hearts, for we have received so much through your kindness.
Bless our gifts, and use them to touch lives in situations we cannot even imagine with your love. Make us a blessing in our community for the sake of Christ, our friend and Saviour. Amen.
God of all life and each life, you created us and set us in relationship with each other
in families and neighbourhoods,
in communities and countries,
in cultures and nations.
Today we give you thanks for all the gifts of home life and community celebration
that bring meaning and encouragement to our lives.
Thank you for the blessings we know through the contributions of those who have gone before us.
Help us offer what we can to sustain the wellbeing of our community and country, so that all who make it their home will find security and dignity.
God of the whole human family,
Hear our prayers for your world.
God of our faith and our future, there are so many pressures we face today, so many problems without simple solutions.
Draw near to anyone who is struggling in economic difficulty, and all those burdened by challenges to their health and happiness.
Ease any conflict in homes and workplaces and inspire solutions that express mutual respect and deeper understanding.
Help us share with others the hope we find in your presence.
God of the whole human family,
Hear our prayers for your world.
God of mercy and forgiveness;
You call us to live together in peace and unity.
We pray for our neighbourhoods and the nations of this world.
Where people are divided and bitterness turns into resentment, show us how to work for reconciliation.
Where violence and fear turn neighbour against neighbour, or nation against nation, equip leaders to work for justice that will bring peace.
Help us build a world where children enjoy a future filled with good health and happiness.
God of the whole human family,
Hear our prayers for your world.
God, our hope and our help,
send your Spirit to equip our congregation with skill and resilience to weather whatever challenges and opportunities lie before us.
Strengthen friendships, new and old, and make us a source of encouragement and connection to each other.
Help each one find a place and a purpose in our mission and ministry. Amen.
Song: When the Poor Ones (762)
Sending out with God’s blessing
May God grant to the living, grace;
to the departed, rest;
to the Nation, peace and concord;
to the peoples, freedom
for all God’s servants the promise of everlasting life,
light to guide you on our way,
courage to support you,
and may Your blessing to unite us all
in service to our God and neighbour. Amen.
Response: The blessing
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Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).
The Rev. Brad Childs retains the copyright (© 2024) on all original material in this service. As far as Brad Childs is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.