Sunday Morning - September 20, 1998
Text: Genesis 48:17-22 "And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. 18. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. 19. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. 20. And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. 21. And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. 22. Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow."
BY FAITH JACOB
Hebrews 11:21 "By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff."
JOSEPH HAD BIRTHRIGHT
1 Chronicles 5:1-2 "Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. 2. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's:)"
TWO TRIBES
Joshua 14:4 "For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance."
BY FAITH ISAAC
Hebrews 11:20 "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come."
HE CHOSE DAVID
Psalms 78:70-72 "He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: 71. From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. 72. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands."
GOD DID SEND ME
Genesis 45:5 "Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life."
GOD SENT ME BEFORE YOU
Genesis 45:7-8 "And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: ..."
HE CHOSE JOSEPH
Genesis 50:20-21 "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them."
FEW CHOSEN
Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."
CHOSEN IN CHRIST
Ephesians 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children [placed as a son] by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,"
THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION
Romans 8:15 "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."
PREDESTINATED
Romans 8:29-30 "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
I CHOSE YOU
John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."
BRING FORTH FRUIT
Matthew 21:43 "Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."
TO FEED THE LAMBS AND SHEEP
John 21:15-17 "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
FEED THE CHURCH
Acts 20:28 "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."
FEED THE FLOCK OF GOD
1 Peter 5:2 "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;"
FEED MILK AND MEAT
1 Corinthians 3:2 "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able."
THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION
Galatians 4:5-6 "To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."
SPIRIT OF ADOPTION BY FAITH
Galatians 3:2 "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit [of adoption] by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"
MINISTER THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION
Galatians 3:5 "He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit [of adoption], and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"
CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION
Galatians 5:16 "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit [of adoption], and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION
Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit [of adoption] is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
SOW TO THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION
Galatians 6:8-9 "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit [of adoption] shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
BEAR MUCH FRUIT
John 15:8 "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."