Have you ever felt like it was a really bad day?
You know it’s a bad day when you turn on the morning news and they’re displaying emergency routes out of your city.
You know it’s a bad day when the sun comes up in the west.
You know it’s a bad day when your boss tells you not to bother to take off your coat.
You know it’s a bad day when you jump out of bed in the morning and miss the floor.
You know it’s a bad day when the bird singing outside your bedroom window is a buzzard.
You know it’s a bad day when you wake up and your braces are locked together.
You know it’s a bad day when your horn goes off accidentally and gets stuck when you’re following a group of Hells Angels on the expressway.
You know it’s a bad day when you put both contact lens in the same eye.
You know it’s a bad day when your pet rock snaps at you.
You know it’s a bad day when you walk to work and find your dress is stuck in the back of your panty hose.
You know it’s a bad day when you call your answering service and they tell you it’s none of your business.
You know it’s a bad day when you wake up to discover your waterbed is leaking, and then you realize you don’t own a waterbed.
You know it’s a bad day when you see the 60 Minutes’ news team waiting for you in your office.
You know it’s a bad day when Suicide Prevention puts you on hold.
We think we know what bad days are like, can you imagine Joseph? Already, sold by his own family, accused by his boss’s wife and thrown into jail. What else could happen?
Have you ever had one of those days, or weeks or even years when it seemed like it just got worse and worse and worse and just when you thought it had to be over it got worse? Ever been there?
Sometimes we wonder, Does God have anything to do with this? If you are like me it is in those times when you even wonder if God exists or is really a part of your life.
There have been times when it seemed like all I dealt with was terrible emergency after emergency. Then I hear someone give a testimony about how God is doing this or that in their life or ministry. Or turn on the TV and this preacher is talking to Jesus on stage. And here I am dealing with tragedies and I just seem to be getting a busy signal from God. Do you know what I’m talking about?
How can we survive in world full of rats. People are selfish. They will do whatever it takes to take you out so they can get more, so they can get the job, the grade, the promotion, whatever.
How many of you have ever had a rumor spread about you?
Ever had someone out to get you? When others start to hurt you, sometimes you start to believe it and feel like you can’t be loved.
Sometimes the world is full of rats. Full of people that want what you have and will hurt and climb all over you to get it.
Ever had someone claim credit for your work or idea? Joseph did. He had someone promise to get him out of prison and they forgot him. Ever feel like that, like someone purposely forgets about you. When everyone else is getting together, going out, hanging out, but they forget to call you, how do you feel? Now you can appreciate Joseph. Notice.
Joseph is Forgotten.
Genesis 40
Simple message today, people can be cruel, but Jesus is always there.
I. When People Behave Like Rats
·People Use
In this story the two prisoners, the butler and the baker used Joseph’s gift. Joseph had the ability to interpret dreams, remember a couple of weeks ago when he told his family some dreams. Joseph had this gift and these two men used it for their benefit.
Unfortunately people often use other people. They will use your gifts, talents, good looks and ideas and then get rid of you. Have you ever felt used, like someone told you a lie in order to use you?
There are some young men that do that every week to young ladies. They talk real sweet and promise them everything only to use them and their bodies.
When you are used it is like someone stealing from you. Stealing something precious. I have sat and listened to father’s cry and weep because they learned their daughter had been used by some boy.
I get used by people wanting to get married, they agree, meet, get married and then are gone.
People will use you and then get rid of you.
·People Abuse
When people abuse it is more than just using, this is intentional hurting. Whenever I have mentioned this there have always been people in the audience that have suffered abuse and the mere mention brings terrible pain.
This was hard for me to understand. I had never experienced any type of abuse, physical, verbal or emotional. Then I became a police officer and was exposed daily to the reality of child abuse in every form.
I couldn’t handle what I saw. The other cops would go out and drink, I would drive off and go hide in the cemetery and cry. Some of you know what it is like to live in a home where someone gets drunk and angry and begins to beat everyone. Some of you have been sexually abused and have felt ashamed, guilty and dirty. Let me pause to tell you that you can overcome those terrible things, it is not your fault.
Abuse causes us to fear and hide from people. It causes us to hate and live a life of anger. Some of you don’t know what I am talking about, but some of you do. Children that have been abused think that everyone is like that. They grow up hating people and torment themselves by remembering their abuse.
This message is all too real for some, but please listen, there is hope and there is happiness for you. Jesus has the answer.
People use, people abuse and
·People Misuse
This is when people take advantage. There are bosses that misuse employees, using them beyond what their job calls for. There are wicked business that prey on the vulnerable and steal them blind.
There are a lot of terrible people in the world, and left to our own ways we all are naturally evil people. I have been many senior citizen that have a distrust for the world. They have been taken advantage of and become so distrustful of everyone. Their whole attitude and personality can change and become one of fear and it keeps them away from the world.
We live in a tough world sometimes. People are basically very selfish, they want their stuff and they want yours too. And they will do whatever they can to get it.
We have all been hurt by others. By what someone has said, or done. People use, abuse and misuse each other. If we only look at people we will be terribly disappointed.
I tell you today that there is one that is unlike any other person. One that loves and never hurts or steals from you. If I knew someone that would give you some awesome things, and help you and love you and never, ever hurt you, wouldn’t you like to meet this person?
Have you ever been lonely? Felt like no one else knew or cared, ever sensed that even though you are around a lot of people, you were so terribly alone?
Loneliness is the more prevalent today than ever before. People will do anything to have friends and have people like them. The internet has become the best friend to a lot of people. People can reach out and have others actually listen and respond to them.
You can live in a house full of people, work in an office surrounded by people, live in a neighborhood with people 40 feet away and still be lonely. Ever been so lonely you could die and you think no one would care or even notice much?
We live in a world that is full of hurt, people hurt people. We live in a world that is full of lonely people. I think this must be how Joseph felt. He was used, abused and misused. He was in a place of loneliness. That last verse in chapter 40 says it all, “the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot
him.”
Fell like you have been forgotten? Please listen, because there is someone who takes notice of you everyday.
II. How Jesus Responds to Your Life
We get to where we really wonder is this Jesus thing is real. What is it like, what does it feel like, what does Jesus really do? The message that most people get is so distorted and so far from reality. Most people see some wild stuff on TV in the name of Jesus and think, ”I don’t want any part of that.”
What is the real story, if Jesus is real then what does that mean for me and what will that do for my life? Those are fair real questions people have. Notice,
·He Knows Your Need
Jesus knows exactly what is going on in your life and how to help you deal with things.
John 10:1-5
1 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 "But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5 "Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
Jesus knows exactly what you need in your life. He knows you better than you know you. He knows you need someone to love you, someone to listen to your side, someone to encourage you. He knows, and more importantly He meets your needs.
Philippians 4:19
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Today some of you have great needs, whether they are physical, financial or spiritual Jesus knows and will fill your needs.
Jesus is able, to meet your needs. You may be hesitant because you are afraid of being used and abused, Jesus will never do that, He is real and He will come into your life today.
Why? Because,
·He Shares Your Pain
Rom 8:26-27
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Jesus knows what you go through. When others talk about you, when they stop calling, when they don’t want you around, when no one seems to love you and when everything seems to be going wrong, Jesus loves you.
I know it is easy to say, but today, someone needs this encouragement. Jesus truly does love you. More than your could ever imagine, He knows what your are going through and will help you right now if you will let Him.
Joseph was forgotten and forsaken by everyone but God. God knew and he alone comforted Joseph, that is how he made it. That may be what you need today.
Did you come here thinking, I don’t how to go on? I really need something, this is it, Jesus knows and Jesus cares.
·He Cares for Your Soul
Jesus is not all talk like many people, He backs it up. Jesus really truly cares for you. You matter to Jesus. More than anything else going on in the world right now, Jesus wants to have a relationship with you.
He loves you so much that He gave His life so you could be a part of His family. Jesus loves you so much. He wants to talk to you and spend time with you and just hang around with you.
Most of know what it is like to realize we have been shut out by people. By others that get together without us and talk about us. When you feel like no one else cares, remember hearing this, Jesus does. Today this may be just what you are looking for, someone to trust, someone that likes you, someone that will listen.
Like nobody can, Jesus will be your closest friend and He will never leave you hanging. Because He knows what its like, to be left all alone hanging by himself. Just as Joseph was used and misused and left all alone, and we can relate, so can Jesus. That is why He will never leave us or forsake us.
This reminds me of an old, old song. Listen to these words,
No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus.
Do you need this today?
Close.
