Jesus, the Better Joseph

In one paragraph

Brian opened by reminding the Tribe fam that the church is the people, not the building, using the fact that the congregation has met in homes, parks, a Lutheran church, Snow King, and now a saloon to make the point. He then walked through the story of Joseph's reunion with his brothers in Genesis 45, treating Joseph as what he called a "type and shadow" of Jesus, a proto-Jesus who anticipates the...

Read together

1. Genesis 45:1-8 read aloud by a congregation member as the main text for the sermon
2. Zechariah 12:10 cited as a prophecy of Israel one day recognizing Jesus as their pierced Messiah
3. Zephaniah 3:17 cited as saying God will rejoice over Israel and calm their fears by singing over them
4. Ephesians 2:8-9 paraphrased when noting that salvation is by grace not works so no one can boast
5. Romans 2:4 paraphrased as it is his kindness that leads us to repentance
6. Romans 6:23 quoted by a congregation member as the wages of sin is death but the gift of god is eternal life in Christ Jesus
7. John 11:35 referenced as the shortest verse in the Bible when connecting Joseph weeping to Jesus weeping
8. John 11:25 referenced as Jesus declaring I am the resurrection and the life to Mary

Talk about it

1. Brian said the church is the community of people, not the location where they meet. How has that idea held up or fallen apart in your own experience of church?
2. Several people in the room spotted parallels between Joseph and Jesus, things like obedience, forgiveness, and being sent ahead to preserve others. Which of those connections landed most with you, and why?
3. Brian pointed out that Joseph made it clear his brothers could take no credit for how things turned out, and he tied that to salvation being by grace so that no one can boast. Where do you find yourself tempted to feel like you earned something from God, or like someone else does not deserve his kindness?
4. One person in the group connected Joseph weeping loudly with Jesus weeping, and suggested Jesus was also grieving over how many people would never realize what he had done for them. Does that reading of why Jesus wept sit well with you? What do you think was behind it?
5. Brian described communion as a memorial event God created because we have such chronic short-term memory. What helps you actually remember what Jesus did, rather than just going through the motions of a familiar routine?