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Stones Hill Community Church
Life Verses & Catchphrases
Welcome to the Life Verse and Catchphrases Series! The Words We Carry. The Truth That Carries Us. A Life Verse Is... A truth from God’s Word that becomes a personal compass, a source of courage, a reminder of identity, or a declaration against the lies of the world. A life verse is a verse out of the Bible that especially resonates with you and that has inspired you in some meaningful way. It has become a kind of focus point for you, a life mantra, or a kind of statement or even a counter-culture protest of sorts to battle some erroneous worldview assumption. What verse do you keep coming back to—and why? How did you come to settle on this verse? How has God used this verse in your life?
Locations & Times
Ligonier, IN
151 W Stones Hill Rd, Ligonier, IN 46767, USA
Saturday 5:00 PM
Genesis 50:15-21
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OPENING
When we experience days like September 11, 2001, we desperately want to know that we're not alone. We long for someone—someone who can see what we cannot see—to rise up and reassure us: “Your story is not over.” Because when you're living through the worst chapter of your life, you don't know it's a chapter. You think it's the whole story. You don't have the whole manuscript. You only have the page you're standing on. And that's where Joseph's story becomes so powerful.
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Because Joseph spent years living through chapters that made absolutely no sense. The pit. Slavery. False accusation. Prison. Waiting. Betrayal. But eventually Joseph got to see something he couldn't see while he was living through it. He finally got the vantage point. And when he looked back, he could say to his brothers: “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.” So today, Genesis 50 is going to show us this: YOUR STORY IS NOT OVER.
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FALLEN CONDITION FOCUS
Because we live with limited perspective and wounded hearts, we are tempted to doubt God’s goodness, take His place as judge, and withhold grace from people who have hurt us. When I can't see God's plan...
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1. I take God's chair. “I'll decide what people deserve.”
2. I reject God's vantage point. “I've decided that what I see is all there is and I get to determine what it all means.”
3. I withhold God's grace. “I'll decide whether or not someone should be loved.”
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PROPOSITION
We can't see the whole story, but we can trust the Author. Genesis 50:15-21 teaches us that you can trust God with your unfinished story by adopting THREE NEW PERSPECTIVES that will allow you to view God differently, view your circumstances differently, and view people differently.
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OUTLINE
View God Differently – Get Out of God’s Chair —
“Am I in the place of God?”
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View Circumstances Differently– Trust God’s Vantage Point —
“You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.”
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View People Differently - Mirror God’s Love —
“I will provide for you and your little ones.”
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CONCLUSION
Because Jesus humbled Himself for me, I don't have to play God. Because I know how God worked through the cross, I can trust Him when I can't yet see what He's doing in my story. Because Christ loved me when I was His enemy, I can begin loving those who have hurt me. Because Jesus took our place, we don't have to take God's place. Because Jesus trusted the Father in suffering, we can trust God with our story. And because Jesus forgave us at the cross, we can extend grace.