Teaching by Book: Genesis
In the Beginning, Part 52: A Meal in a Palace
Joseph’s brothers sat down and had a meal while Joseph was trapped in a pit. Many years later, Joseph invited them to a meal in a palace. None of what happened to Joseph was “good luck” or “bad luck,” but it was the providential working of God to bring about His sovereign plan to redeem the world.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 51: Awakening of the Conscience
The accounts of Scripture are not just about individual people in history; they are a revelation of the human condition and our desperate need for somebody to take our sin and get rid of our guilty consciences. All pillows are soft if your conscience is clear.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 50: Pharaoh’s Dreams
Pharaoh has absolutely everything—but in reality he has nothing. Joseph has absolutely nothing—but in reality he has everything. Joseph’s encounter with Pharaoh has echoes of revelation, illumination, identity, and suffering, all of which find their fulfillment in Christ.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 49: Joseph’s Patient Hope
In a fallen and broken world, we are constantly going to be waiting. Waiting on the Lord is hard, but joy is the inner spiritual confidence that God’s grace is sufficient to see you through your earthly pilgrimage.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 48: Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
What appears to be a downward spiral in Joseph’s life is actually a trajectory toward greatness, because of the Lord’s providential working. Joseph’s identity was in the Lord, and the Lord was always with Joseph.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 47: Judah and Tamar
Judah married outside of his family line and was influenced by a pagan culture. He was a hypocrite, liar, and murderer. Sin gives birth to sin. Yet no sin can ever thwart God’s perfect plans.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 46: Providence Has the Last Word
Difficulty does not mean you are out of God’s will; it might mean you are right at the center of it. The world appears to be winning, but the providence of God will have the last word.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 45: Favorite Son, Jealous Brothers
Joseph’s brothers were immersed in unresolved bitterness that led them into grievous sin. The same can happen to any of us, but as we meditate day and night on God’s Word, He changes our hearts, minds, and souls.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 44: Introduction to Joseph
Every single link of Joseph’s life—the good, the bad, and the ugly—was leveraged by God to bring about His sovereign, glorious purposes. Each chapter of Joseph’s life shows that he continued to follow God, and that God was with him in all things.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 43: Echoes of Human Nature
Genesis 34 is a tragic chapter that depicts the dangers of poor parenting, favoritism, the escalation of sin, worldliness, and self-centeredness. But we all will act deceptively when we don’t trust in God’s sovereignty.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 42: The Anatomy of Unresolved Conflict
Conflict emerges out of the sin of pride. Resolving a conflict comes through humility, forgiveness, and trusting the results to the Lord.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 41: Wrestling with God
Coming to the end of ourselves happens when eternal matters outweigh temporal matters. Our souls are not designed to find satisfaction in this world.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 40: Appeasing Esau
Manipulation doesn’t relieve us of our problems; it just creates more problems. Our good deeds never erase our bad deeds.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 39: The Importance of Integrity
Integrity sets an example, is void of selfish ambition, doesn’t shift the blame, admits wrong, calms conflict, creates a safe environment, and keeps short accounts.
Watch / ListenIn the Beginning, Part 38: The Trajectory of Sin
By nature man is addicted to knowledge and allergic to wisdom.
Watch / Listen