Sermon #1549 Miscellaneous Sermons
Title: The Second Time
Text: Acts
made known to his brethren.”
Subject: The Way Christ Reveals Himself
To Some Of
His Elect.
Date: Sunday Morning ―
Tape # X-88b
Introduction:
(Acts
You know the story of Joseph and his brothers. Because of their
envy and malice Joseph’s brothers sold him into bondage. Joseph was despised
and rejected by his own kinsmen. But God was with him. And, in due time, the
Lord exalted Joseph to the throne of
In all of
this, Joseph was a great type of our Lord Jesus Christ. As Joseph was brought
by the hand of God’s providence, through the malice of wicked men, to be ruler
in Egypt, to save the lives of God’s chosen people, so the Lord Jesus Christ
has, by his crucifixion at the hands of wicked men, been exalted to the right
hand of The Majesty on High to give eternal life to as many as God the Father
has given him. Christ is King over all things to give eternal life to God’s
elect (John 17:2).
As Joseph
was a type of Christ, so also his dealings with his brothers were typical, in
many ways, of our Lord’s gracious dealings with his people in saving mercy. In
our text, Stephen tells us, “And the second time Joseph was made known to
his brethren.” This did not happen, you will remember, the first time
Joseph’s brothers came before him. Joseph knew them
then, but they did not recognize Joseph. He hid himself from them. He filled
their sacks with corn, gave them provision for their journey, and sent them
home with great care. But the first time his brothers came before him in
This is, I
am sure, a clear picture of the way the Lord Jesus Christ frequently deals with
chosen sinners. This is the way our Savior has dealt with some of you. Many of
God’s saints did not find Christ the first time they sought him. It is not true
of all, but for many of us, seeking the Lord and obtaining mercy for our souls
was a painful and difficult struggle. The path to mercy is often a rough road.
Perhaps there are some here today like Joseph’s brothers. In some way or other,
you have sought Christ. But you have not found him. I urge you to seek him
again, in the way he has prescribed. It may be that at the second time the Lord
Jesus will make himself known to you.
“Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Salvation really is
that simple and that profound. To believe on Christ is simply to trust him. It
is to trust his great sin-atoning sacrifice. It is to trust him who stood in
the place of sinners before the holy Lord God and died under the wrath of God
as the sinners’ Substitute. Christ died, bearing the sins of his people in his
own body on the cursed tree, satisfying the righteousness and justice of
almighty God so that we might never die.
We tend to think that anyone who has heard the gospel message often readily understands it. But that is not the case. There are some of you here today who are yet in darkness. The light shines upon you. But you are blind. You have heard with the hearing of the ear for many years. But you have never yet heard the gospel. God has not yet spoken peace to your hearts. Perhaps you have come here today seeking Christ. Maybe you have been seeking him for some time. It may be that others look upon you as a model of real faith. But in your heart you know that, though you seek him, you have not found him. May this be the hour when the Lord Jesus will make himself known to you. May God now be pleased to reveal his Son in you by the power of his Spirit.
Proposition: I know this ― All who seek Christ with all their hearts shall find him.
But I know this also ― You will not likely find
him as soon as you begin to seek him (Jer. 29:10-13).
(Jer
29:10-13) "For thus saith the LORD,
That after seventy years be accomplished at
Divisions: I want to show you four
things about Joseph and his brothers, which will help us to understand the way
Christ reveals himself to his own elect.
1. Though Joseph’s brothers did
not know him, he knew them.
2. There were reasons why
Joseph did not make himself known to his brothers the first time they came to
him.
3. The only hope these men had
of life was Joseph, so they came to him a second time.
4. When Joseph’s brothers came
to him the second time, Joseph made himself known to them.
I.
Though Joseph’s brothers did not know him, he
knew them (Gen.
42:8).
(Gen
42:8) "And Joseph knew his brethren,
but they knew not him."
Joseph knew his brothers, though they were totally
ignorant of him. He knew who they were. He knew all that they had done. He knew
the dreadful condition they were in. He knew what they needed. And he knew how
to best supply their needs. They looked only to the present. He looked to the
future. They only knew that the man before whom they stood had their lives in
his hands. But he knew what he had in his heart for them.
A. Joseph loved his brothers,
though they had no love for him.
·
He supplied their needs.
·
He devised a plan by which he would bring them all to himself.
·
The plan involved great pain; but it was the best thing possible for
his brothers.
B. There is an unmistakable
parallel between Joseph and Christ in this regard.
Though we knew him not, our Lord Jesus Christ knew us. Though we loved him not, he loved us. And because of his great love for us, the Son of God devised a great plan by which he would secure our everlasting good. He redeemed us with his own precious blood. And he rules the world according to his wise and gracious plan of redemption on our behalf.
· All the days of our lives,
he protected us.
· Throughout the days of our
rebellion against him, he provided for us.
· Our great Joseph graciously
and wisely arranged all the affairs of providence to bring us to himself.
II.
There were reasons why
Joseph did not make himself known to his brothers the first time they came to
him.
In his wise, adorable providence, our Lord uses all
things to bring his elect to himself in saving faith. But salvation does not
come until Christ is revealed in a sinner’s heart by the gospel. The question
is often asked, “When is a person saved?” I know that in a sense all of God’s
elect were saved in eternity, in the purpose of God (Rom.
·
It pleases God to save him (Gal.
(Gal
1:15) "But when it pleased God, who
separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,"
·
He hears and believes the gospel of Christ (1 Cor.
(1
Cor
(Rom
1:16-17) "For I am not ashamed of
the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. {17} For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith
to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."
(Rom
10:14-17) "How then shall they call
on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall
they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and
how shall they hear without a preacher? {15} And how shall they preach,
except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of
good things! {16} But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
{17} So then faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God."
(1
Pet 1:18-25) "Forasmuch as ye know
that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,
from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
{19} But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot: {20} Who verily was foreordained before the foundation
of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, {21} Who by
him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory;
that your faith and hope might be in God. {22} Seeing
ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto
unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure
heart fervently: {23} Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. {24} For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man
as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth
away: {25} But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the
word which by the gospel is preached unto you."
· He is called, born again by
the Spirit of God (1 Cor.
(1
Cor
· He turns to the Lord with
his whole heart (Jer. 24:7).
(Jer
24:7) "And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they
shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with
their whole heart."
· Christ is revealed in his
heart by the Spirit of God through the gospel (Gal.
(Gal
1:15-16) "But when it pleased God,
who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
{16} To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen;
immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:"
(
Many
of you, in fact, most of you have had some experience in false religion.
God has graciously brought you out of free-willism, fundamentalism,
decisionism, and easy-believism. You once hoped for salvation and acceptance
with God on the basis of something you had done, felt, or experienced. Your
hope was your decision, your experience, or your works. You honestly sought the
Lord. You knew something of your need of him. And you walked in the light God
had given you at that time.
Like Joseph’s brothers, you
did the only thing you knew to do. But just as those men did not know Joseph,
you did not know Christ until he revealed himself to you in his true character.
I stress this point because it is needful for you to see false, free-will,
works religion for what it is, and renounce it.
Illustrations:
The Apostle Paul
Doug & Karen Weaver
Bobbie
Estes
Celeste
& Laura Peterson
Mark Henson
Merle
Hart
Ken Wimer
Henry
Mahan
Those men
who went down into
A. Joseph did not reveal
himself to his brothers because they were ignorant of him. They did not know
who he was.
My friends, as long as a sinner remains ignorant of
Christ, he cannot have saving faith in Christ. You cannot trust an unknown
Savior, anymore than the Athenians could worship an unknown God (Acts
(Acts
17:22-23) "Then Paul stood in the
midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of
(Rom
10:9-17) "That if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. {10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. {11} For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall
not be ashamed. {12} For there is no difference
between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that
call upon him. {13} For whosoever shall call
upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. {14} How
then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and
how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and
how shall they hear without a preacher? {15} And how shall they preach,
except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of
good things! {16} But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
{17} So then faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God."
Knowledge
is essential to saving faith! Knowledge is not faith. And you can have
knowledge without faith. But you cannot have faith without knowledge. You must
know Christ! How can you trust him whom you do not know?
1. You must know his Person
― The God-man.
2. You must know his
performance ― Redemption.
3. You must know his position
― Sovereign Lord.
4. You must know his power
― He is able to save (Heb.
B. Joseph’s brothers did not
know him the first time they came to him because they really did not want to
know him.
They were not interested in Joseph. They were only
interested in corn. They did not want to die. They came to Joseph, not because
they wanted him, but because they wanted what he alone could give them. That is
just the reason why many of you have not yet found Christ. You are only
interested in what Christ has, what Christ can give, and what Christ can do.
Most
people, though they may not be in agreement with the preachers of our day, have
the religion of our day. Theirs is a religion based upon health, wealth, and happiness.
· You want peace, but not the
Prince.
· You want forgiveness, but
not the Forgiver.
· You want mercy, but not the
Master.
· You want salvation, but not
the Savior.
· You want the sacrifice that
will bring you to God in grace, but not the Sovereign to rule over you for
God’s glory.
· You want cleansing, but not
Christ.
My friend,
Christ will never be revealed in you until you are made to cry from your heart,
“Thou, O Christ, art all I
want,
More than all in Thee I
find.”
It is true, I want and enjoy all the blessings of
salvation; but I love Christ himself. ― I trust Christ himself. ― I
want Christ himself. ― I enjoy Christ himself.
Illustration: The relationship Christ and
his people is, in many ways like the relationship of a
husband and his wife. It is a relationship built not upon what they can do for
each other, but upon their love for one another.
“Gracious Lord, incline
Thine ear,
My request
vouchsafe to hear;
Hear my never ceasing cry -
‘Give me Christ, or else I
die!’
Wealth and honor I disdain,
Earthly comforts all are
vain:
These can never satisfy,
‘Give me Christ, or else I
die.’”
C. Joseph did not reveal
himself to his brothers the first time they came because they came without any
real conviction of their sin and confession of their guilt.
Before Joseph would reveal himself to his brothers, he has
determined to make them know, feel, and confess their guilt (Gen. 42:21-24).
(Gen
42:21-24) "And they said one to
another, We are verily guilty concerning our
brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we
would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. {22} And Reuben
answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the
child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also
his blood is required. {23} And they knew not
that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
{24} And he turned himself about from them, and
wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them
Simeon, and bound him before their eyes."
Christ will not reveal himself to a sinner until the sinner is made to know, feel, and confess his guilt and sin. Conviction and repentance are necessary before there can be any comforting knowledge and assurance of God’s saving grace in Christ (Ps. 32:1-5; 1 John 1:9).
(Psa
32:1-5) “Blessed is he whose transgression
is forgiven, whose sin is covered. {2} Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not
iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. {3} When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring
all the day long. {4} For day and night thy
hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer.
Selah. {5} I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not
hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest
the iniquity of my sin. Selah."
(1
John 1:9) "If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness."
D. Joseph did not make himself
known to his brothers the first time they came to him because they did not all
come to him.
You remember, they left
Benjamin at home. And Joseph would not reveal himself to them until they
brought Benjamin to him.
And there
are many who seek Christ, but never find him, because they are not willing to
bring their Benjamins to him. They do not seek him with their whole heart. You
will never obtain mercy until you bring your darling Benjamin to the throne of
King Jesus, and give him up (Lk.
(Luke
14:25-33) "And there went great
multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, {26} If any man
come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children,
and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my
disciple. {27} And whosoever doth not bear his
cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. {28} For
which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth
the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? {29} Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not
able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, {30} Saying,
This man began to build, and was not able to finish. {31} Or what king,
going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth
whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with
twenty thousand? {32} Or else, while the other is yet a great way off,
he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. {33} So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all
that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."
E. Joseph did not reveal
himself to his brothers the first time they came because he would have them to
know that they were entirely at his disposal.
It was entirely up to Joseph whether these men lived
or died. Their lives were in his hands. And he wanted them to know it. They
must be brought to acknowledge his lordship.
Before the
Lord Jesus Christ reveals himself to any sinner’s heart in saving grace, he
first requires that person to acknowledge his sovereign lordship. Mercy’s
Gate is his gate!
· He opens it to whom he will.
· He opens it when he will.
· He opens it only to those
who seek him earnestly.
Unbelief goes away with no
answer from God. Unbelief can be spurned. But faith cannot be silenced. Faith
will not let go. Faith will not quit. Faith will not cease to cry after Christ.
Faith is always importunate, imploring, because it arises from necessity (Lk.
11:5-10).
(Luke
11:5-10) "And he said unto them,
Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say
unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; {6} For a friend of mine in his
journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? {7} And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the
door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give
thee. {8} I say unto you, Though he will not
rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he
will rise and give him as many as he needeth. {9} And I say unto you,
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be
opened unto you. {10} For every one that asketh
receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened."
1. David, the man after God’s
own heart, had to cry unto the Lord continually (Ps. 22:2).
(Psa
22:1-2) "My God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken me? why art thou so far
from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? {2} O my God,
I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not
silent."
2. Jeremiah, God’s faithful
prophet, had to wait before the Lord in prayer without an answer (Lam.3:8).
(Lam
3:8) "Also when I cry and shout, he
shutteth out my prayer."
3. Our blessed Savior himself
cried three times, “O my Father!”
Faith must have Christ, and will not be satisfied
without him! ― “To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of
eternal life.” ― “Whom have I in heaven but thee; and there is
none upon earth that I desire beside thee.”
III.
The only hope these men had
of life was Joseph, so they went to him the second time.
We read the account in Genesis 42-45. The corn
Joseph had given to his brothers had run out. Only when they were brought to
the point of utter starvation did they return to Joseph. They
came to him only when they had to have him. Finally, in desperation for
their lives, they went to Joseph the second time, “And at the second time
Joseph was made known to his brethren.”
I want, by
the Spirit of God, to persuade you to go to Christ (1 Cor.
A.
You must go to Christ, or you must forever perish
without him (Gen.
42:1-2).
(Gen
42:1-2) "Now when Jacob saw that
there was corn in
There
is only one Door of salvation; and that Door is Christ. Though that
Door remains shut hard before you, you are a fool if you do not knock until it
opens. Unless the Door is opened to you, you will perish! Do you want Christ?
Then knock until he opens to you!
“I’ll go to Jesus, though my
sin
Hath like
a mountain rose;
I know His courts I’ll enter
in,
Whatever may oppose.
Perhaps He will admit my
plea,
Perhaps will hear my prayer;
But if I perish, I will pray
And perish only there!
I can but perish if I go;
I am resolved to try;
For if I stay away, I know
I must forever die!
But if I die with mercy
sought,
When I the King have tried,
This were to die (Delightful
thought!)
As sinner never died!”
B.
Go to Christ in hope, because there are many who,
having come to him, have found life everlasting. ― “Who can tell
if God will turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?” (Jon.
3:9).
C. I implore you, by the mercy
of God, that you come to Christ, because he is able,
willing, and anxious to save all who come to God by him.
Yes, I said, “The Lord Jesus Christ is anxious to
save every sinner who comes to him.” “He delighteth in mercy!”
Joseph wanted his brothers badly. He wanted them more than they wanted him. He
was anxious to reveal himself to them. He was far more anxious to make himself
known to them than they were to know him. Even so, Christ Jesus wants his
people badly. His heart longs to be gracious and merciful to his elect. He
longs to reveal himself to those sinners he has purchased with his blood. And
at the appointed time he will. His heart of mercy and grace will burst itself
open upon those who seek him!
IV.
When Joseph’s brothers came
to him the second time, he made himself known to them.
When he could no longer restrain himself, “Joseph
said unto his brethren, I am Joseph.” Read the story of Joseph and his
brothers (Gen. 45) carefully, and you will find in it a prophetic picture of
what happens when a sinner comes to Christ.
If the
Spirit of God is now at work in your heart, showing you that everything needed
for your salvation has been done by Christ, if he enables you now to trust
Christ, you are saved by the grace of God, saved now, and saved forever! “He
that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life!” And I suspect that
your experience will be very much like that of Joseph’s brothers, when he
revealed himself to them.
A.
When Christ makes himself known to you, you will
tremble in his presence (Gen. 45:3).
Illustration:
John (Rev. 1) ― Isaiah (Isa. 6).
(Gen
45:3) "And Joseph said unto his
brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could
not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence."
B.
Then the Lord will bid you draw near to him (Gen. 45:4).
(Gen
45:4) "And Joseph said unto his
brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into
Illustration:
Thomas (John
(John
20:26-28) "And after eight days
again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus,
the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. {27} Then
saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach
hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but
believing. {28} And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my
God."
C.
Next, the Lord Jesus Christ, like Joseph, will fall
on your neck and smother you with kisses (Gen. 45:14-15; Lk.
(Gen
45:14-15) "And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon
his neck. {15} Moreover he kissed all his
brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with
him."
(Luke
15:20) "And he arose, and came to
his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had
compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."
Those
kisses meant…
· “Welcome!”
· “All is forgiven!”
· “We are reconciled!”
· “I love you dearly! ― Always have and always will!” ― A
kiss is a symbol of much love, deeply felt.
D.
And Christ will, little by little, explain to you
the mind, will, and purpose of God, for the comfort of your heart (Gen. 45:5, 7; 50:19-20).
(Gen
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."
(Gen
45:7) "And God sent me before you
to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save
your lives by a great deliverance."
(Gen
50:19-20) "And Joseph said unto
them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? {20} 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."
Joseph seemed not to be able to tell his brothers
often enough that everything was alright, that they were forgiven, that God’s
will was accomplished, and that he had been glorified. Is that not just like
our Redeemer?
Application: ― “Seek the Lord while he may
be found, Call ye upon him while he is near.”
1. Those who seek Christ feel
their need of him.
2. Those who seek Christ
believe him.
3. Those who seek Christ seek
him earnestly.
4. Those who seek Christ seek
him continually.
5. Those who seek Christ shall
find him.
Illustration: The farmer who lost his
wallet in the barn.
Illustration: D.L. Moody’s Tormenting
Error ― Farwell Hall, The night of The Great Chicago Fire ― As the fire bell rang, Moody said to the congregation, “What
shall I do with Jesus? Take that question home with you. Think it over. Next
Sunday come back and give me your answer.” But, for many, next Sunday never
came!
Do not wait until next Sunday. Do not wait until
tonight. Seek the Lord now, with all your heart. Seek him, and you will find
him. Bring your Benjamin to Christ now. Do not delay. “Behold, today is the
day of salvation!”
Today the Savior calls,
Sinner, for refuge fly:
The storm of God’s strict
justice falls,
Eternal death is nigh!