Genesis 45:1-15
1Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his
attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”
So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to
his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him,
and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.3 Joseph said to his
brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were
not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.4
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they
had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold
into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with
yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God
sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in
the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and
reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a
remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.[a]
8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me
father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.
9 Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son
Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me;
don’t delay. 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me
—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and
all you have. 11 I will provide for you there, because five years of
famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all
who belong to you will become destitute.’12 “You can see for
yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who
am speaking to you. 13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded
me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my
father down here quickly.”14 Then he threw his arms around his
brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping.
15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his
brothers talked with him.
What is LOVE?
- strong affection for another arising out of
kinship or personal ties
- warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion
- unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for
the good of another (brotherly concern for
others)
- God is the source of all good.
- God is the source of all true love.
Why LOVE?
- Dear children, let us not love with
words or speech but with actions and in
truth.
I John 3:18
- Dear friends, let us love one another,
for love comes from God. Everyone who
loves has been born of God and knows
God. Whoever does not love does not
EXTENT OF JOSEPH’S LOVE (1-3)
1Then Joseph could no longer control himself
before all his attendants, and he cried out,
“Have everyone leave my presence!” So there
was no one with Joseph when he made himself
known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so
loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and
Pharaoh’s household heard about it.3 Joseph
said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my
father still living?” But his brothers were not
able to answer him, because they were terrified
at his presence
REASONS FOR JOSEPH’S LOVE (4-8)
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close
to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am
your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!
5 And now, do not be distressed and do not
be angry with yourselves for selling me
here, because it was to save lives that God
sent me ahead of you. 7 But God sent me
ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on
earth and to save your lives by a great
deliverance.[a]8 “So then, it was not you who
sent me here, but God.
CALL OF JOSEPH’S LOVE (13-15)
13 Tell my father about all the honor
accorded me in Egypt and about
everything you have seen. And bring
my father down here quickly.”14
Then he threw his arms around his
brother Benjamin and wept, and
Benjamin embraced him, weeping. 15
And he kissed all his brothers and wept
over them. Afterward his brothers talked
2 John 5-6
5 I am writing to remind you, dear
friends,that we should love one another.
This is not a new commandment, but one
we have had from the beginning. 6 Love
means doing what God has commanded
us, and he has commanded us to love
one another, just as you heard from the
beginning.
