Faith When Faithless - Samson Part I (Judges 13.1-25)

Introduction

If you went up and down High Row in Darlington with a clipboard and a microphone asking people what their idea of a hero is, some people might talk about the armed forces, emergency workers, healthcare professionals or charity campaigners. Others might mention their parents, or prominent sports stars or performing artists or mythical figures like Spiderman.

Heroes usually inspire us, but sometimes they disappoint us when for example some sordid truth about them gets exposed.

This sermon series is called Heroes of Faith and the letter to the Hebrews, chapter 11, contains a long list of them. Listen to what it says there about their exploits; “They conquered kingdoms … they shut the mouths of lions, they quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; their weakness was turned to strength; and they became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again.”

And in this list, alongside the likes of Joseph and Moses and Gideon, we find Samson. Samson was the one who shut the mouths of lions and who was endued with mighty strength.

We have no physical description of Samson in the Bible, apart from his long hair. Illustrated Bibles usually imagine him looking like this. 

This is an image that appeared at the top of my Google search. But if Samson was an absolute unit, like this, why do you think Delilah asked him in chapter 16, “Samson, what is the secret of your amazing strength?”

If Samson had the physique of Mr. Universe, there would be no secret. The source of his strength would be obvious. So he probably looked quite ordinary, maybe more like this.

Because the secret of his mighty strength was not rippling biceps, or a washboard stomach, but the supernatural anointing of the Holy Spirit.

God calls flawed people, inadequate people, who may be, humanly speaking, totally unfit to serve him. I raise my hand as Exhibit One.

God delights to use you just as you are. Please, never say, “Oh, I could never do that.” You can. The Bible says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” So you certainly can. Because God loves to empower ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Well, let’s read the beginning of the story of Samson. This is Judges, chapter 13.

Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, so the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years...

[Remember what Ciaran said two weeks ago? This is the cycle that keeps repeating in the book of Judges. Israel rebels against God. So God sends enemies against them, which is painful. So the people cry out to God. So God, in his mercy, sends them a deliverer. So the land is restored to peace. But then the people forget God and fall into sin once more. And the cycle starts all over again].

...A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth. The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, ‘You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.’
Then the woman went to her husband and told him, ‘A man of God came to me. He looked like an angel of God, very awesome. I didn’t ask him where he came from, and he didn’t tell me his name.

[And then she repeats what the angel said to her].

Then Manoah prayed to the Lord: ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.’ God heard Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman while she was out in the field; but her husband Manoah was not with her. The woman hurried to tell her husband, ‘He’s here! The man who appeared to me the other day!’
Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said, ‘Are you the man who talked to my wife?’ ‘I am,’ he said. So Manoah asked him, ‘When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule that governs the boy’s life and work?’The angel of the Lord answered, ‘Your wife must do all that I have told her...’

[And then the angel repeats again the instructions he gave earlier].

Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, ‘We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat for you.’ The angel of the Lord replied, ‘Even though you detain me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the Lord.’ (Manoah did not realise that it was the angel of the Lord.) 

Then Manoah enquired of the angel of the Lord, ‘What is your name, so that we may honour you when your word comes true?’ He replied, ‘Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.’ Then Manoah took a young goat, together with the grain offering, and sacrificed it on a rock to the Lord.
And the Lord did an amazing thing while Manoah and his wife watched: as the flame blazed up from the altar towards heaven, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame. Seeing this, Manoah and his wife fell with their faces to the ground. When the angel of the Lord did not show himself again to Manoah and his wife, Manoah realised that it was the angel of the Lord. ‘We are doomed to die!’ he said to his wife. ‘We have seen God!
But his wife answered, ‘If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and grain offering from our hands, nor shown us all these things or now told us this.’ The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Calling and character

Samson, like Gideon and all the other Judges, was called by God for a particular mission. His precise calling was announced even before he was born. Before he had done anything at all, good or bad, God says about Samson in v5, “He will begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”

When you read Romans 9 you see God’s sovereignty in sharp focus. It shows how God knew that he was going to send Jesus to save sinful people before he created sinful people.

In addition, it shows how God has a plan for individuals even before they are born, and it names Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, Esau and Pharaoh.

God has a purpose for your life too. It was established before you were conceived. Before creation was spoken into existence, God already knew you, loved you and had a design for your life. This is what the Bible says, so pursue the Lord with all confidence, because he calls you according to his plan and purpose. 

But Samson is not just about calling. His story, as we’ll see over the next two weeks, is all about character, which is critical if you are going to fulfil the purposes of God for your life.

Samson was filled with the Holy Spirit in an amazing and unique way. The anointing of God on that man was powerful. If Samson was around today, he’d have his own show on God TV.

But tragically, as we’ll see, Samson will never fulfil his potential. For all his Holy Spirit anointing, Samson will never have the stability or the gravitas of a real man of God and he will waste his life.

I say this with great sadness - and I’ve seen it time and time again - you can have a magnetic personality, and charisma in spades and incredible gifts; you can heal the sick and drive out demons, you can wow everybody around you with how amazingly prophetic you are.

But if you don’t display the fruit of the Spirit; love, patience, moral goodness, kindness, gentleness, self-control; if you find all that stuff boring and instead spend your whole life running after the next charismatic sensation, you will never build anything enduring in the kingdom of God.

God calls and God equips in unique ways, but his greatest desire for each one of us is to grow up into Christlike maturity.

One of the biggest puzzles in life, for me, is that God doesn’t always give the anointing of the Spirit to the most mature people.

When I get to heaven, I’m going to ask God, “Why did you sometimes give the most powerful gifting to weirdos who were unaccountable, unteachable, proud and self-exalting?” Me, me, me. I remember Jeremy Simpkins saying, “Stick an i in front of any product and it will sell better.” iPhone. iPad. id.Buzz. iPod. iMac. iPlayer.

Samson more than anyone, loves it when the world revolves around me, me, me. He’s ungrateful, self-obsessed, sexually loose and excessively violent. And yet undeniably anointed by God!

The calling of God on his life (to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines) was, in the end, fulfilled - because God is faithful. But Samson’s death, as we’ll see in two weeks’ time, is even more tragic than his life. He will crash and burn. He will die a pathetic hero, humiliated, blinded and tormented by the regrets of a wasted life. He will never master his own appetites and he will never bring himself under control.

Lanny Bassham, was gold-medallist in the Montreal Olympics in the small-bore rifle competition. And he once said this: “Our sport is controlled non-movement. We are shooting from 50 meters - over half a football field - at a bull’s eye the size of a small coin. If the angle of error at the point of the barrel is more than 0.005 of a millimetre (that is five one-thousandths), you drop into the next circle and lose a point. So we have to learn how to make everything stop. I stop my breathing. I stop my digestion by not eating for 12 hours before the competition. I train by running to keep my pulse around 60, so I have a full second between beats. You do all of this and you have the technical control. Then you have the other 80% of the problems - the mind.”

That’s the self-mastery you need to be a winner. If we’re going to avoid ending up like Samson, wasted talent, we’re going to have to put to death the flesh, embrace spiritual discipline and learn to hate the excesses that ruined Samson’s life.

Samson's parents – a few problems

In chapter 13 of Judges, we get to meet the parents, Manoah and his wife. What does the Bible say to us about these two? They seem to be an ordinary couple. They have their cares and worries like everyone else: their people are suffering under the oppression of the Philistines, a situation which has lasted 40 years already.

Moses had warned the Israelites, in Numbers 33.55, that the Philistines would be “thorns in your side”. It’s a warning that God repeats word for word in Judges 2.3.

These Philistines are a serious enemy, constantly raiding the foothills from the coastal plain; arson, kidnapping, ransacking, plundering, killing. Isaiah 2.6 speaks of their divination; it’s a people steeped in the occult. They settled on what we now call the Gaza strip, and they caused Israel constant grief.

But Manoah and his wife’s greatest grief is that they can’t have a child. For years they wait, for years they try. Years of visits to the doctor, years of praying, years of hopes, of disappointment, and finally of defeat.

I think being unable to have children is an affliction unlike any other. In my own life, my most uncontrollable sobbing has come at times of miscarriage. So I guess Manoah and his wife must have cried together, they must have yelled up at the stars at night, “Why us?” Now this couple is already past the stage where they are inconsolable. Now they are simply resigned. There’s nothing they can do. They are powerless. And it’s then that God acts.

Maybe there are some amongst us today who are waiting on God for a breakthrough. For years, you have prayed for something and… you’re still waiting. Spiritual barrenness, a brick wall at work, a family problem, a matter of the heart, a long illness, a financial worry… What if today is the day when at last God announces the breakthrough?

Even if long ago you quietly gave up believing that God hears your prayers, who knows if today isn’t the day that he has chosen to move? One of our grown-up children was estranged from us for about ten years. It’s a long story…

Some of you know the story well. Kathie and I prayed, and prayed, and had all but given up hope. Then, in a single day, everything changed. Contact was reestablished and everything was restored. Manoah and his wife are a reminder to us this morning that nothing is impossible with God.

Every time I read this story, I get the impression that Samson’s parents are a couple with problems. Reading between the lines, I think they have issues with communication and trust. For a start, we keep finding them physically apart. It’s like they find being with each other a bit of a strain.

Then in v10, when they are together, she tells the Manoah that the angel has come back, but he doesn’t really believe what she says. Why doesn’t he just take her word for it?

Then in v11 he has to ask, “Are you the one who spoke to my wife the other day?” She’s literally just told him that in v10. How to make your wife feel devalued, lesson number one; never take her seriously.

And it seems that Manoah is familiar with lesson number two as well. In v12 he asks the angel what he’s supposed to do about this son who is going to be born. And the Angel of the Lord replies, a bit frostily, that if he’d listened to his wife in the first place, he wouldn’t need to ask. “I’ve already told your wife,” he says - twice. How to make your wife feel devalued, lesson number two; check out everything she tells you with independent sources.

The evidence points to the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Manoah are not all that happy together. Marital misery so often traces its origin to small niggles like this. Frustration leads to bickering, and bickering leads to scoring points - we’ve all seen couples behave like this and it’s horrible. It’s embarrassing.

The seeds of divorce are things like misunderstandings, poor communication, buried anger, disagreement which is swept under the rug instead of being dealt with, and unforgiveness.

It’s true for couples but it’s true for all relationships. Maybe today the Holy Spirit is putting his finger on something you need to put right today. God loves to mend broken lives and strained relationships.

Samson himself – a promising start

What about Samson himself? Here’s an interesting statistic I came across once: the percentage of Americans who own a pair of running shoes and who never actually do any running. It’s 87%! That’s Samson, he’s got all the equipment, all the flashy stripes, all the right gear, but what’s the point?

In v25 it says, “The Spirit of the Lord began to stir him.”

God’s Spirit is starting to rouse him, to fire him up, to awaken passion for the mission God has for him to do. But it’s only a beginning. And the truth is that Samson loves the trainers, but he never actually runs anywhere. He gets out of the starting blocks with God but doesn’t run far because he gets distracted by something in the crowd.

I wonder if there are people here today who feel that they are at exactly the same place? There’s no medal awarded for bursting out of the block quickest. God is looking for men and women who are going to stay on track and finish the race. So let the Holy Spirit today reignite that flame, that zeal, inside you.

Some of us here have been Christians a long time. Maybe you had a powerful experience with God and you remember being spiritually ablaze, but that was ages ago, and the fire has long since cooled. Or maybe, if like Samson, you’ve only known the Spirit start to stir you… You have a spiritual gift or natural ability that you never use.

For others here, what you know God wants to do in your life has stalled. There may be reasons for that. You might be unwilling to let go of something that is inhibiting what the Spirit has started. You might be nervous about going deeper with God. You might be paralysed by feeling unworthy. Can God really use me? Yes, he can.

Still others of us are young in faith. So the Holy Spirit is stirring you now and it’s a new adventure in your life. People sometimes say, “I need more of the Holy Spirit.” Will you let Holy Spirit have more of you?

Philippians 1.6 says “I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

I believe God will bless and honour your next step of faith and humility to respond to him now.

Ending

In the 1970s, Paul Anderson was the strongest man in the world. In 1956, he won the Olympic gold medal for weightlifting. He only stood 5'9" tall, but he weighed over 26 stone, or 170 kilos. His massive body allowed him to lift weights his competitors couldn't even imagine.

He’s in the Guinness Book of Records for a back lift of over 2,840 kilos. It is listed as the greatest weight ever lifted by a human being.

He was also a devoted Christian who put on shows to support orphanages he ran in Georgia. He did things like lift a table holding 20 people from the audience. He also drove nails through boards with only a wrapped handkerchief protecting his palm. Then he would say: “If I, the strongest man in the world, can’t get through one day without Jesus Christ, what about you?”

As we share communion now, we do so saying, “Me either. I can’t get through one day without you, Lord. I need grace to start again. I need your forgiveness. I need to hear once again, “neither do I condemn you, now go and sin no more…”

So, as we come to his table, let’s respond now in faith to the One whose strength is displayed perfectly in our weakness.


Sermon preached at King's Church Darlington, 25 October 2026

Faith When Advancing - Joshua Part II (Joshua 3.1-17)

Introduction

The 16th Century nun, Teresa of Avilla, once went through a very difficult and painful time in her life. She was a feisty and courageous reformer, a bit of an eccentric, but she was a woman of faith.

During this troublesome phase of her life, certain members of her religious order began to resist the changes she was trying to introduce; they criticised her and bullied her. Her friends and associates were also harassed and made to jump over endless bureaucratic hurdles. They obstructed her drive for spiritual renewal. They forced her into ‘voluntary’ retirement (which didn’t actually stop her, but it was discouraging).

From about this time, there’s an old story about her going on a journey to set up a couple of houses of prayer. Her journey was frustrating and exhausting – and at one point perilous. And it’s said that at this point, it all got a bit much, and she turned to God in a prayer of utter exasperation. “My Lord,” she said, “when will you cease from scattering obstacles in our path?”

And she sensed God saying to her, “Do not complain, daughter; this is how I treat all my friends!” And, according to sources, she said back, “In that case, Lord, it’s no wonder you haven’t got very many!” I told you she was feisty!

In the Psalms, we often find this kind of outburst in times of trouble. “How long, Lord?” “God, hear my complaint.” “Have you forgotten us, Lord?” “Lord, why are you so far away?” If your spiritual journey, like Teresa of Avilla’s, or the psalmist’s, is challenging or demanding at the moment, don’t forget; at no point did Jesus ever promise us a smooth ride. But remember, he does assure us of a safe arrival.

Two weeks ago, we were looking at the parting of the Red Sea with Moses. It is followed by four decades of frustration and obstacles in the wilderness. Today, we’ll be reading about crossing the Jordan on dry land with Joshua. You can’t help but notice the striking parallels between the two miracles either side of those desert years.

Both involve the travels of the people of Israel. The first miracle is at the beginning of their flight out of slavery towards the Promised Land. The second one marks that journey’s end. Both feature a daunting body of water to cross. In both, the water defies the laws of physics and piles up in a heap. And in both, the people cross safely without getting their feet wet.

Matthew Henry, in his commentary, says this repetition is “to show that God has the same power to finish the salvation of his people that he had to begin it.”

God was with them not just at the start, but all the way and, after many ups but mostly downs, he finished off what he began. As with them, so with us. You might say to yourself, God doesn’t seem as close as when I was first saved. The sense of his presence with me is not as intense as it once was.

But God does not deliver us from the slavery of sin only to then leave us to finish off our salvation on our own.

It’s why Philippians 1.6 says you can be confident, “that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” when he returns in glory. It’s why 1 Thessalonians 5.24 says, “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”

And, with all that in mind, let’s read Joshua, chapter 3.

Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out… and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits [that’s 900 metres roughly] between you and the ark; do not go near it.’ 

Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.’ Joshua said to the priests, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.’ So they took it up and went ahead of them. And the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so that they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: “When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.”’ 

Joshua said to the Israelites, ‘Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord – the Lord of all the earth – set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.’ 

So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is in flood all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. 

So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

Prayer…

Let’s try and set the scene. We can tell from Joshua 4.17 that this event is set in the early spring. At this time of year, the Jordan is in flood and very fast flowing, because all the mountain snow has melted upstream to the north.

Phil Moore in his book on Joshua gives us a helpful sense of what it would have been like. “Normally 30 metres across,” he says, “the Jordan could be up to a mile across when it was flooded. God chose the hardest time of year for this miracle to showcase his power.”

Do you know what it’s like when you’ve got something really difficult to do, and you don’t want to do it, so you keep putting it off? If Oscar Schindler had been a procrastinator, we’d have a film called Schindler’s To Do List instead of Schindler’s List. Thankfully, he was a good man with a good work ethic who got things done.

But it seems that Joshua is a bit of a procrastinator. He keeps putting things off. Perhaps understandably, given the Mission: Impossible he has been given, he seems reluctant and nervous.

In chapter 1, God says, “you will cross the river in three days.” But in chapter 2, Joshua stalls by first sending out spies who take four days to return. Then he waits three more days after that in chapter 3 verse 1, before announcing in v5, not “Right, let’s go, we’re already five days late, but, “We’re going to go tomorrow.”

Look, do it now, do it today. God has spoken, what are you waiting for? Why are you sitting on your hands when you know God has called you to get to your feet?

But, if you’re feeling a bit condemned because you’ve been putting something off, be encouraged that God is so patient. Just as Jesus “understands and empathises with our weakness because he was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin,” the Lord seems to graciously overlook Joshua’s faffing around.

He lets it go. Because in v7, after all that dilly-dallying, he says to Joshua, “Today, I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel.”

Well, I’ve got two points this morning as we take a deeper look at this chapter. And they are both imperatives that require from us a response of faith. Firstly, be holy. And secondly, take that first step.

Consecrate yourselves

Firstly then, be holy. In v5, Joshua says to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

“Amazing things!” Who isn’t up for a bit of that? We are all ears for testimonies of spectacular conversions. We want to see God do miraculous signs and wonders among us. We want to experience extraordinary healings and incredible deliverance. Joshua says, “tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you” and we can’t wait. Bring it on! But God says, “all right, but first of all, consecrate yourselves.”

Notice God doesn’t tell his people to get the Canaanites and Hivites and Perizzites to become holy. It’s not our job to lecture and berate the ungodly society around us about its ungodly music and its ungodly legislation and its ungodly celebrities and its ungodly values. Paul asks, in 1 Corinthians 5, “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?” “Consecrate yourselves,” God says.

I can think of about a dozen great Christian leaders over my lifetime who I really looked up to and learned from and have been inspired by; evangelists, conference speakers, artists, pastors, authors - outstanding people, who fell into sin or serious error and unbelief and ended their ministries discredited and in disgrace.

What humiliation for the cause of Christ! For years in some cases, they sustained a secret double life, keeping things hidden in darkness, instead of living a repentant life and bringing things into the light.

I thank God for the likes of John Stott, Billy Graham, David Pawson, Voddie Baucham and John MacArthur; Christian leaders who ran their race well, right to the end. There is no asterisk on their obituaries. All went to be with the Lord with no hint of scandal tarnishing their legacy or bringing dishonour to Christ.

When we let the values of this world get inside us and start to soak into our hearts, we’re in trouble. Boats don’t sink because of the water all around them, they sink because of the water that gets in them.

1 John 1.8-9 says, “If we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

We’ve got to deal with stuff now. We’ve got to sort things out with God. “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

In 1730, a young student studying at Pembroke College, Oxford began to yearn for God. He just longed for more of God. And the more he sought God, the more he wanted God. The more he experienced of God, the more he wanted.

Every evening after supper, he’d walk around behind the cathedral, in Christchurch Meadows. And he would kneel under a tree and ask God for more. And then he began to rise early and seek God, fasting and praying.

The more he prayed, the more he saw the holiness of God, and the more he wanted a greater experience of him. Like in Psalm 42, “like a deer panting for water, so my soul longs for you.” And then one day, in his journal, he wrote, “Oh, what a day!” He met with the Lord incredibly powerfully that day.

His name was George Whitefield and God anointed him as an effective evangelist. A holy fire was lit in him that day that never burned out. It joined the blaze of revival that God was lighting up and down this land. Tens of thousands were saved. And signs followed; God turned whole communities around and nations were touched. Thousands of new, vibrant churches were planted.

Every major revival, every fresh outpouring of the Spirit, seems to start with someone somewhere seeking God, yearning for more and saying, “enough is enough, there has to be more than this.”

“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

So, first of all, Joshua says, let’s get ourselves right with God. Let’s turn away from all compromise and seek his face.

This is not, by the way, an appeal to be sanctimonious or holier than thou, looking down with condescension on others for not measuring up to our standards. That’s what was so unappealing about the Pharisees and teachers of the law.

The reason why Jesus’ holiness was so different, so attractive, was not because he avoided contamination from sinners, but because his holiness was so contagious they were transformed by grace.

Are you right with God this morning? Be holy, as the Lord is holy. Consecrate yourself.

You might say, “I’ve tried and tried. A thousand times I’ve failed. I can’t live up to Jesus’ standards.” That’s right, you can’t. If you could, you wouldn’t need him to save you. But you do need him. We all do. That’s why we share bread and wine together once a month here and at home in our Life Groups; we’re admitting that we need grace to start again.

John Newton was a slave ship captain, whose life was dramatically and abruptly turned upside down by the gospel. He wrote the famous hymn Amazing Grace about his conversion. I was a wretch; now I’m saved. I was lost; now I’m found. I was blind; now I can see.

Late in life, looking back on his journey of faith, he said, “I am not yet what I ought to be. I am yet not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be in another world. But still I am not what I once used to be!”

Just take that first step

Second point, and more briefly; take that first step.

In v13 Joshua says to the people, “as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord – the Lord of all the earth – set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”

What if those priests are afraid to take that first step? I’m sure they are all thinking, “Can’t God just stop the floodwaters first? What if we take a step into that river, and nothing happens? We’re going to look like idiots in front of two million unimpressed onlookers.”

Do you have obstacles up ahead in your life? Are you trusting him for his leading? My experience is this; so often, God doesn’t tell you what steps 2, 3 and 4 will be until you launch out in faith and obedience and take step 1.

Take the step. Just do it.

Are you hesitating to take the big step of finally entrusting your life to Christ? Jesus promises you this; “whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” Why don’t you take that step today, just do it. You’ll never be the same again.

Are you wavering about joining the church and becoming part of the family of believers? Instead of being an uncommitted observer. The Bible says, “you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” Is the church “them” for you, or is it “us”? Take the step, just do it.

Are you undecided about baptism? You might be saying, “I don’t know, I’m not sure What would I say in front of all these people? Maybe I should wait.” No! If you’re a child of God by faith, the Lord commands it. Repent and be baptised. Take the step, just do it and watch what God does.

Are you uncertain about starting to give the first portion of your income to the Lord’s work? That’s a key step of discipleship. You might say, “I don’t know if it’s responsible on my income. What if my bank account goes into the red?”

I’ll never forget a member of this church say to me, “John, when I give the Lord the first tenth, it’s amazing how far the remaining 90% stretches. And when I don’t, I never seem to have quite enough.” That’s right. God is our provider. Take the step, just do it and watch what God does.

Are you reluctant about breaking up an inappropriate relationship? You know what God’s word says; don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” Take the step, just do it and watch what God does.

Are you nervous about beginning to serve the Lord in a new way, or forgiving someone who has hurt you, or sharing your faith with a neighbour or a colleague? Take that step, step number one, just do it, and watch what God does.

Ending

There’s an old hymn that’s based on this passage of scripture. I think Prince William and Kate had it at their wedding. Set to the tune of that well-known football song, “You’re not singing anymore,” the third verse goes like this:

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell’s destruction
Land me safe on Canaan’s side:
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven
Feed me now and ever more.

As the priests advance into the river, by faith, they little do they know that this is just about the lowest point on the earth’s surface; the point where the Jordan meets the Dead Sea is about 400 metres below sea level, it’s part of the Great Rift Valley.

And little do they know that as they take that big step into the water, they are pointing prophetically to Jesus who came to be baptised at pretty well this very spot, from the highest heavens to so lowest point on earth, to be anointed with the Holy Spirit and to save us by dying on a cross and rising again on the third day.

In obedience, those priests consecrated themselves - and God, as he had promised, did amazing things that day. We can scarcely dream of the awesome signs and wonders God might do in a consecrated and holy church.

And, in faith, as they lifted their sandals and took that first step, God made a way. Because God keeps his promises.

As he was with them at the start of their journey out of slavery, so he was with them at the end of it. And as he was with you when you first believed, know this; he will be faithful to your very last breath.

Sermon preached at King's Church Darlington, 27 September 2026

Faith When Advancing - Joshua Part I (Joshua 1.1-11)

Introduction

We’ve been thinking about faith over these last few months. And we’ve been asking ourselves: how do I live by faith when I’m suffering (like Job), when people have wronged me (like Joseph), or when I have to take the lead (like Moses)? And today, as we start to consider Joshua, the question we’re going to ask is this: how do I prevail in faith when I’m advancing?

We can see from the three characters we’ve already looked at that faith is not just believing theoretically that God could... Faith is laying hold of God’s promises, stepping out into the unknown and trusting that God will. Faith, in the Bible, is never theoretical; it’s always practical.

Let me illustrate that with this chair here. I’m sure you all believe this is an actual chair. You are probably convinced it’s real. Look, here it is, right next to me. You can see it. But faith, in the Bible, is more than believing that a chair exists.

Do I believe that the chair will support my weight when I sit down on it? Yes, I think it will, but I’m not going to risk it, because what if it doesn’t? I think it probably would, but I’m not going to sit on it, just in case. That’s not faith either. Faith doesn’t hedge its bets.

It’s only by sitting down on the chair that I show my faith. Faith, in the Bible, is the action of sitting down on the chair, fully trusting that it will not crumple and break when I do so.

I remember hearing the evangelist J. John talking about a friend who was in hospital, unresponsive, in a coma. He and his wife Killy asked permission from the medical staff to pray for her. They looked at their friend with all sorts of tubes and monitors around her and felt utterly helpless. Where do you start? What do you pray?

Killy said, “Maybe the Lord’s Prayer?” So they stood either side of her, each held a hand, and they slowly began praying, line by line… Our Father… in heaven… hallowed be your name… The moment they said, “Your kingdom come” their friend suddenly sat up and looked around. She was discharged the next day.

That’s faith. They may not have been sure of what God would do or not do, but faith is not about discussing it, it’s about going for it.

The Book of Joshua is all about stepping out in faith, advancing in faith, especially the first half of the book.

Let’s set the scene for the Book of Joshua. On numerous occasions in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, God promises his people that he will give them a land flowing with milk and honey. The appalling wickedness of the current occupants has become so excessive and so deeply ingrained that God has decided to evict them.

But nothing will change if the people of God simply stand on the banks of the Jordan talking about it. It’s not going to fall into their laps while they remain idle.

It’s going to require action. They are going to have to advance in faith, outnumbered, in the face of complex logistical challenges and seemingly impossible missions, and they’re going to have to exert great effort to take possession of what God has promised them.

Do you remember as a child seeing a present with your name on under the tree on Christmas Eve? Oh, I remember that. You look at that wrapped up gift, and you know it’s yours. But until you tear off the paper on Christmas Day, you’re not even allowed to peep; you certainly cannot take ownership of it or enjoy it.

Such is the situation for the people of Israel in Joshua 1. After passing through the Red Sea, which Phil spoke about last Sunday, they fail to trust God to give them victory and lead them into the Promised Land. And so they spend 40 years wandering around in the desert until that whole disobedient and unbelieving generation has died.

Now, in Joshua chapter 1, everyone is under 40 years old except for two men of faith: Joshua and Caleb. And now it’s time. Let’s read the opening verses of Joshua, which set the scene for the whole book.

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant: ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the River Jordan into the land I am about to give to them – to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates – all the Hittite country – to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’

So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: ‘Go through the camp and tell the people, Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.”

I’ve got three points this morning: a new season, a new challenge and a new command.

A new season

Firstly then, the Book of Joshua marks a new season. The opening five books of the Bible which precede it are dominated by Moses, a giant of faith. It’s hard to think of anyone else in the Bible, apart from Jesus, who did as many signs and wonders as he did. By faith, he brought about ten plagues in Egypt before Pharaoh. By faith, he led his nation through the Red Sea on dry land. By faith, he brought forth water from a dry rock. By faith, he prayed for food for two million people and God sent manna and quail.

But now, Moses is gone. It’s over. The Book of Joshua begins by stating the stark fact that Moses is dead and Joshua has been appointed as his successor. You can imagine how overwhelming that must be for Joshua and how out of his depth he must feel.

But you’ll notice in verses 1 and 2 that God doesn’t dwell on the past. There’s no nostalgia for the golden age of Moses. There’s no “Oh, it was so much better when he was around.” Not at all.

There is an appropriate time for grieving, and then comes the announcement of a new season. “The Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant: ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the River Jordan into the land I am about to give to them – to the Israelites.’”

They’ve been going round in circles for forty years. Decades of drifting in a dry, desert place. Now, it’s time to advance at last into the land flowing with milk and honey. It’s a new day.

So the first five books of the Bible are dominated by Moses. They are also chock-full of laws, statutes, rules and instructions. You mustn’t do this; you can’t eat that... But Moses, great man of faith though he was, never set foot in the Promised Land. He was identified with law, not grace. We even call it the Law of Moses.

Jesus said to the hard-hearted, legalistic, stiff-necked religious leaders of his day, “You look to Moses. You put your hope in him”meaning, it’s all about rules for you. But the law can never give life or bring anyone into their inheritance of freedom. We need Joshua - Joshua, or Yeshua, is actually the same Hebrew name as Jesus - to bring us into the place of grace and fruitfulness.

When we get to the Book of Joshua, having just read Deuteronomy, the atmosphere totally changes. There’s not a single law. Something new is happening. Winter is turning into spring. God’s commandments have long been established. The people have solemnly agreed to live God’s way. Now there’s an end to all that wandering around in the desert. That wretched season is over. Done. Now, it’s time for what God’s doing next.

Chapter 1 of Joshua starts with these words: “After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua...” The book opens with God speaking. Every major breakthrough in biblical history, and every spiritual advance in church history, has its origins in God taking the initiative and speaking prophetically. God says, “I’m going to do something new.”

It’s not some dusty old committee somewhere, desperately trying to get something going: “Let’s dream up some new programme, a decade of this or a network of that.” And they say, “We’d like you to get on board.” But it’s man-made and it sucks the air out of you. But when God initiates, when God speaks, when God moves, there’s an energy about it, it’s totally different.

Years ago, a group of Christians began meeting in this town, sensing that God was doing a new thing. They were excited about the baptism in the Holy Spirit and they were seeing a recovery of certain aspects of New Testament living that wasn’t really welcomed by other churches in town at that time.

Just a few people, a handful, small enough to meet in peoples’ homes. Over time, it evolved into King’s, and here we are today; there are hundreds of us.

And now, we are hearing God speak to us about sending out a team to plant another Word and Spirit church in Marske and Saltburn. There have been visions and dreams, prophetic words. As in the early days of this church, God is speaking and bringing something new to birth. It’s a new season; it’s a new era for us as well.

Are we believing God for a healthy, thriving church plant? Am I praying for that yet? What is your part in it going to be? Are you asking, “Is it me, Lord? Are you calling me to up sticks and move with the team? Am I going to be part of this new adventure?” So,firstly, (and this seems timely for us) Joshua is about a new season.

A new challenge

Secondly, our scripture today speaks of a new challenge that calls for fresh faith. God speaks to Joshua in verse 2, and nine verses later Joshua goes to his leaders and relays what God has just said to him. “Three days from now, you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.”

Joshua cannot hide behind Moses anymore. Joshua saw Moses lead the people through the Red Sea. He was there; he was one of them. But that was 40 years ago. Now Joshua is going to have to personally step up to an entirely new level of faith.

He is going to have to start with a miracle. He’s going to have to embrace the quite frightening prospect that if God doesn’t move in power, he will stand before an entire unimpressed nation looking like a total muppet. No pressure there, then. You can imagine Joshua wondering if he has the calibre to meet that challenge.

Some of you are facing a new challenge right now. You can relate. As it was for Joshua, so it is for you: our God is a supernatural God, and he wants to involve us in displaying his awesome power in the world.

Every Wednesday, in this very building, we hear testimonies of changed lives in our foodbank outreach, Taste and See:

- I was homeless and cried out to God, then everything began to change.
- I was a heroin addict for years and my children were taken off me, but God met me at my lowest ebb and now I’m clean and I have my family back.
- I was chronically ill, and the doctors said I had a couple of years to live. Here I am, still alive a decade later - healed, thanks to Jesus.
- My wife had an affair and walked out on me, but with the help of God I’ve managed to forgive her, all my anger has gone, and I’m doing okay now.
- I was abused by my dad all my childhood, but now, thanks to Jesus, I know God as my loving heavenly Father.
- I was depressed and ready to end it all, but I randomly met a Christian who told me about Jesus. That was the start of my mental health recovery.
And on it goes…

This is what Jesus is like. This is what he does. This is living by faith. Are we believing God for more?

Crossing a river in flood is faith-stretching, but not impossible, because as we’ll see next Sunday, God can do it. Planting out into Marske and Saltburn next spring is similarly going to require faith that goes beyond what we are familiar with and comfortable with.

Relocating to a new town with a handful of people to plant a new church is faith-stretching. But we believe in the power of the gospel, and we have faith that God is going to do it. People are going to get saved and filled with the Holy Spirit and added to the number of believers. And by the grace of God, a new church is going to take root and grow.

A new command

So, a new season and a new challenge. Thirdly, a new command. There are several commands from God in this chapter. “Be strong and courageous” appears four times, and it comes with a promise: “As I was with Moses, I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

During the days of communist rule in Romania, many churches cowered before the atheist authorities, compromising their faith in the process. The government systematically undermined the church in an effort to weaken and destroy it.

During those days, a Lutheran pastor called Richard Wurmbrand and others were being pressured by the communists to go soft on their primary allegiance to Christ. Some caved in.

His wife, Sabine, said, “Richard, these compromised pastors are spitting in the Lord’s face. Stand up and wipe away this disgrace from the face of Christ!”

Wurmbrand looked into the eyes of the love of his life, and said, “You need to know that if I do that, you will lose your husband.” And without hesitation she replied, “I don’t want a coward for a husband.”

Be strong and courageous. What happened next resulted in 13 years of interrogation, beatings and imprisonment, much of it in solitary confinement for that man. He later wrote about it in his book Tortured for Christ.

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” And, as we know, the footsteps of Jesus have nail marks in them. But this is not the first time we read ‘be strong and courageous’ in the Bible. It appears three times in Deuteronomy 31 alone.

In verses 7–8, God says, “Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.”

This command is so relevant for us today. Ben Stuart, speaking at the Desiring God conference in 2014, said, “I have never met a strong Christian who doesn’t meditate on God’s word every day. And I have never met a weak Christian who does.”

Read your Bible daily. Let God speak to you. Don’t change what you read in the Bible to make it agree with what you think. Change what you think until it agrees with the Bible.

“Be careful to obey God’s word.” But this is not new either. All the way through Deuteronomy, countless times, God repeats this same command.

In verse 9, God says, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” But that’s not a new command either. God said those very words to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob on many occasions in Genesis. He said them to Moses no fewer than 15 times. And look, if you fear God, you’ll never fear anything or anyone else.

Only one command in our passage is found nowhere else in Scripture up to this point. It’s in verse 2, where God says, “Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the River Jordan.” Get ready. Get ready spiritually. Get ready for change. Get ready practically. Come on - this is our time. Let’s go.

In the New Testament, and in these last days, overwhelmingly, the call to be ready comes in the context of the Lord’s future return in glory to judge the living and the dead. Jesus repeatedly warns us to be prepared, watch for the signs, don’t be caught sleeping, stay alert… get ready.

Because there comes a point when it is too late. The return of Jesus Christ will be abrupt, sudden and unexpected. Jesus himself says he will come at a time when people least expect him. It will be in royal power and unparalleled glory. Before anyone realises what is happening, it will be done. The Lord of history will appear in all his splendour and put all evil under his feet.

And when he returns, it will be too late for the mockers, the sceptics and those who always say they’ll get around to spiritual things later.

Are you ready? If not, give your life to Christ before it’s too late! Oh, how I pray that, for each person here today, the moment you take your last breath will not be the moment you realise you are spiritually lost!

Ending

So, there we are: it’s a new season. Let’s not get stuck in nostalgia for a golden age—the Reformation, the Wesleyan revival, the Great Awakening, the early charismatic renewal or the Stoneleigh years. Or whenever. Thank God for all that, but God is doing a new thing among us. Do you perceive it?

There’s a new challenge: you’re going to cross the Jordan and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you. It’ll take a miracle, and there’ll be years of battle to follow. Are you up for it in faith?

And there’s a new command. We don’t neglect the old ones: “Be strong and courageous.” “Be careful to obey God’s word; do not turn from it; keep it always on your lips; meditate on it day and night; and be careful to do everything in it.” Those are standard. God’s fresh word in this new chapter is: “Get ready.” Are you prepared to step up the moment God says, “Come on, now is the time; let’s get going”?

Can we stand to pray...



Sermon preached at King's Church Darlington, 20 September 2026

Faith When Leading - Moses Part I (Exodus 3.1-15)

 

Introduction

Today, we’re moving on from Joseph (who showed us how to be a hero of faith when we are wronged). And we’re going to spend three weeks with Moses (who shows us how to be a hero of faith when we are leading).

Many of us are leaders in some capacity or aspire to be; leaders in children’s or youth work, life group leaders, worship leaders, leaders in the workplace, in the home, in the community, practical leaders. I could go on.

But if you don't see yourself as a leader, please don’t switch off, because God wants you to know how to support and pray for your leaders. So this is relevant for everyone here.

And, who knows, God might call you to some kind of unexpected leadership role out of the blue. You might say, “no chance” but, in fact, this is exactly what happens to Moses in today’s Bible story, as we’ll see.

Let’s start by setting the context. For four centuries following the days of Joseph, the Israelites have settled as a foreign community in Egypt.

Moses is born at a time when his people are being oppressed, actually worse than that; exterminated.

Because a new pharaoh comes to power who sees the Israelite community as a threat to national security, so he subjects them to harsh labour. When, to his dismay, their population continues to grow, he introduces a programme of infanticide to bring their numbers under control. All male babies are to be killed which, you’ll remember, happened at the time Jesus was born too, with king Herod.

But the Bible describes Moses as ‘no ordinary child’ (Acts 7.20). He survives because he has God-fearing parents who risk their lives by hiding him away.

Pharaoh’s daughter finds baby Moses in a floating basket hidden in the reeds by the riverbank and her heart melts, so she adopts him. And although Moses still has contact with his biological parents, (Exodus 2 explains all that) he grows up with the education and values of Egypt’s affluent upper class. He gets a reputation for being mighty in word and deed and turns out to be a very impressive young man.

If you have godly parents, like Moses did, you may not realise how blessed you are. You have, in so many ways, the best possible start in life. But even if you grew up in a Christian home, there comes a time when you have to decide for yourself whether you personally embrace what your parents believe or not.

Jesus says, “Come, follow me.” You either reject your parents’ faith, or you accept it. Moses faces the same decision. Will I be a prince in Egypt or will I leave all that behind and identify with my parents’ despised people? When he reaches adulthood, Mosesmakes his choice. He says ‘no’ to the prestige and luxury of the royal palace.

If you want to be a hero of faith you have to learn to say no. You have to refuse every wrong pathway, every wrong idea. Job, you’ll remember, refused to curse God and die. Joseph refused to go to bed with Potiphar’s wife or even be with her. And the Bible says, “Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.” What compromise, is God challenging you to refuse? And are you going to do it?

Some people are natural leaders. Other people have to grow into it. Moses is a born leader. But God is always looking for the right sort of leader.

In 1993, our then prime minister John Major, following some moral scandals in his political party, said, “we’ve got to restore people’s faith in leadership integrity and go back-to-basics.” How did that go?

In the next four years, six of his ministers were caught having adulterous affairs, three were found to have taken bribes, and one was jailed for lying under oath. Major’s party was dumped out of office in a landslide election defeat. People will not follow leaders who don’t practice what they preach, and can you blame them?

In 1 Timothy 3, it gives a list of qualities expected of local church leaders. They should be, amongst other things, “above reproach, temperate, maritally faithful, self-controlled, not overbearing, not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient, not quick-tempered, not violent but gentle…”

But as a young adult, Moses isn’t like that at all. He’s pretty volatile and rather full of himself. When he sees an Egyptian bullying a Hebrew slave, he takes matters into his own hands and kills him. What does the Bible say again? "Not quick-tempered, not violent but gentle." 

And instead of being admired by his own people for leaping to their defence, they turn against him: “Who made you ruler over us?” they say. Moses’ overbearing, hot-headed character is a turn-off. It all gets a bit too much for Moses, so he runs away to the Sinai desert and starts a new life with a new identity as a shepherd.

God has a plan to liberate his enslaved people to reveal his glory to the ends of the earth, so that people of every tribe and nation and language might be blessed.

But if Moses is going to lead this movement as God intends, he’s going to have to change. A lot. God is going to need to shape Moses to be the right sort of leader. And this is where we pick up the story, in Exodus chapter 3.

Prayer…

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, ‘I will go over and see this strange sight – why the bush does not burn up.’ When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’
‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’ Then he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. The Lord said, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey – the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’
And God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.’ Moses said to God, ‘Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” Then what shall I tell them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “I am has sent me to you.”’
God also said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, “The Lord, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you.”
‘This is my name for ever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.

God’s school of leadership

It’s not immediately clear from this passage how long Moses has spent in the desert looking after sheep. Maybe a couple of years? But in Acts 7 it tells us. “Moses fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner...” And then this; “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush.” So there’s your answer; forty years.

Forty years ago it was 1986. That was the year of the space shuttle Challenger disaster, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant meltdown and the infamous, cheating ‘hand of God’ goal by Diego Maradonna. Three truly disastrous events in world history! It was ages ago.

That’s the span of time Moses has spent in this desert. From growing up in a palace, he’s run away in disgrace and become a shepherd, who are held in contempt by the Egyptians. He’s now an outcast, a nobody. His self-confidence has all but drained away.

Why has God let Moses waste away all this time, looking after dumb animals in the Sinai desert? Why has God waited so long?

Alec Motyer in his commentary on Exodus answers that question with these words; “This [passage of time] does not indicate any delaying or dithering on God’s part. [God] wanted a shepherd for his people, so his chosen man had to learn how to look after someone else’s sheep… He had to learn the lesson of being faithful in the ordinary humdrum routine of everyday life.”

Moses has to learn in the desert that if he’s ever going to be a somebody for God, he has firstly to accept being a nobody for as long as it takes.

If you sense a stirring for some kind of leadership role, remember the words of Jesus; “Whoever can be trusted with very little will also be entrusted with much.”

Are you prepared to learn patiently and wait for God’s timing and be devoted in all the small details; to consistently turn up on time, to keep your promises, to serve cheerfully without complaining, to never be above menial work, to be reliable, to honour your commitments, to make sure your ‘yes’ is 100% ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ is always ‘no’? This is God’s leadership school curriculum.

People tend to like leaders with charisma, with magnetic appeal. We want our Christian leaders to be anointed. There’s no question that anointing will propel you to leadership prominence, but only those with mature character are still going to be theredecades later.

Burning bush – guidance

A bush fire in a place like the Sinai desert is not a particularly unusual sight. The dry, hot summer we have experienced in the UK this year has given rise to wildfires, as we know, even in Scotland. Moses will have seen burning bushes before. What draws his attention and stirs his curiosity in v3 is that, strangely, this one doesn’t burn up.

God speaks to us in many unusual ways. In the Bible, God speaks in visions, pictures, prophecies, an inner voice, an audible voice, dreams, angels, baskets of ripe fruit, plumblines, unusual cloud formations… Hebrews 1 says that God has spoken at many times and in various ways.

Tim Matthews was a leader in a London church called Saint Paul’s and he was praying about possibly planting a new church in a redundant old building called Saint Swithun’s in Bournemouth. But it was a huge wrench to leave, so he asked God to speak and give him a sign. That day, as he turned off a motorway, his car sat-nav said to him, “Leave St. Paul’s Road and head straight south onto St. Swithun’s Road!”

It’s great when God’s guidance seems clear to us. But what about when we’re not sure whether something is from God or not? Do we disregard it or do we investigate it? Moses sees this strange sight and in faith, in openness to God, he decides to pursue it. Are you open to God speaking to you? Some of you might see a door ajar before you. Is this the moment to push the door and see what happens?

Burning bush – holiness

As Moses approaches in v4, God calls him by name and warns him. “Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.”

Listen; God wants to walk with us as a friend. Jesus said to his disciples, “I have called you friends.” And in fact, Moses is one of the few people in the Bible who is called a friend of God. Don’t let the awe-inspiring greatness of God frighten you away from friendship with him.

But don’t allow your friendship with God to belittle your sense of his awesome power and authority either. Moses, here, hides his face because he dare not behold the face of God casually.

Do you have an awareness of the greatness and the glory and the majesty of God when you worship? Do you come into the presence of God gratefully and reverently, or nonchalantly and frivolously? God graciously invites you into his royal throne room. This is not a time to check out social media notifications on your phone.

Our society rightly holds in contempt a shallow church that has no fear of the Lord. Charles Spurgeon said, “I believe that one reason why the Church of God, at this present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the church.” And that was in the 1800s!

Burning bush – calling

This burning bush is not just a display of God’s holiness. It’s about calling and commission. God says in v7-10, that the misery of his enslaved people has stirred up his compassion.

This is the very first time in the Bible that God calls this particular ethnic line, descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob “my people.” He says he plans to bring them out of captivity into a good and spacious land, flowing with milk and honey. And Moses is the man who has been chosen to lead that mission.

It’s so important for us to understand that Christian leadership is not a career option. It’s not, “I’m not really practical so I’d be no good as a plumber or a taxi driver. I’m not brilliant with computers either and I’m a rubbish organiser. I know, I’ll go into the ministry. Surely the church won’t be too picky.”

No, no. Jesus says, “You didn’t choose me. I chose you.” It’s not about your career options. God says here, “There’s a problem here, Moses. And I’ve decided that you’re going to fix it. Let’s go. I’m sending you.”

Christian leadership is not about having the right academic qualifications, though study may be useful and we don’t despise it at all. But Moses isn’t the Reverend Archbishop Moses, Doctor in Theology. He’s just Moses and that’s enough because God calls, commissions and equips.

Burning bush - excuses

But at this point, v11, Moses goes from being too headstrong to being too hesitant. He goes from being impulsive (killing an Egyptian) to being indecisive (making excuses). Both extremes lead to disaster.

Over the next chapter and a half, Moses makes five excuses about how ill-suited he is for the task. He’s right. He is ill-suited for the task! Moses’ forty years in the desert have burned away his pretensions and ego.

In Exodus 4 Moses is going to protest that he is insecure, inarticulate and inadequate. But in chapter 3, he begins his excuses by saying he is insignificant and ignorant.

Verse 11; “Who am I that I should go to pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? In other words, “I’m insignificant.”

The Bible tells us that people often give this kind of response when God calls them. Gideon said he was the least in his father’s house, and his father’s house wasn't all that either. Saul went off and hid himself behind a pile of luggage. Isaiah said his lips were unclean. Jeremiah said he was far too young. Peter said, “No, go away, I'm a sinful man.”

Moses says, “I’m just a nobody with a dead-end job in the middle of nowhere. No one’s going to listen to me.”

And God says, “Yes, but I will be with you.” In other words, on your own Moses, no one will take you seriously. Fair point. But you will have me on your side. That changes everything. Go! I am sending you.”

So Moses comes up with another excuse in v13. Ignorance. The Egyptians had many gods with many different names. If his own people, who have so far rejected him, ask him which god he represents, Moses would be lost for words. Out of his depth. Hedoesn’t even know the basics, like God’s name.

Burning bush - revelation

And so God discloses his mysterious name. I AM who I AM.
His name describes his eternal power and his unchangeable nature.
- God ever-present, ever-active, ever-living. I AM who I AM.
- Always wise, always true, always good. I AM who I AM.
- All-powerful, all-knowing, all-satisfying. I AM who I AM.
- Uncreated, unerring, unlimited. I AM who I AM.
- Father, Son and Holy Spirit; creator, redeemer and sustainer. One God in three persons. I AM who I AM.

We live in a world where morals and standards and culture and values and laws all fluctuate constantly. What are they going to come up with next? But God never changes. His light never dims. His love never fades. His word never fails.

He is who he is; the same yesterday, today and forever. It’s why Jesus, the eternal and glorious Son of God, fully God and fully man can say, “Before Abraham was born, I am.”

Ending

As we come to share communion, God calls each one of us by name, just as he did to Moses. “Moses, Moses…”

Jesus said, “this is my body, this is my blood, do this in remembrance of me.” So now, we remember his sufferings; the hatred he faced, the mockery he endured, the nails, the crown of thorns; all for us. The Lord’s table, just like that burning bush, is holy ground.

Just as that shrub was aflame, and yet didn’t burn up, so the Lord’s all-sufficient grace endures for ever. Lamentations 3.22 says, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed.”

The Bible says, before you eat and drink, examine yourselves. We’re not going to remove our shoes, but we are going to put off all resistance to his word, all defiance of his will as we let the Holy Spirit search our hearts.

But whereas God, under the old covenant said to Moses, “Do not come any closer,” under the new covenant we are invited to approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, because Jesus has made a way.


Sermon preached at King's Church Darlington, 30 August 2026

Friendship

On 6 May 2004, 52.5 million viewers set the record for the most-watched television show of the 2000s. It was the final show of one of the most popular and highest-grossing TV series of all time - Friends. (I confess that I am yet to watch a single one of its 236 episodes).

The early church was known for its friendship. The Second Century writer Tertullian famously captured the mood amongst unbelievers who observed Christianity from the outside, when he reported them saying: “See how these Christians love one another and how they are ready to die for one another.”

There are several New Testament words that can mean ‘love’ but one of the most commonly used is philia – sometimes translated into English as ‘friendship’.

At the start of the Bible, there is a running theme of friendship with God. Adam and Eve walked and talked with God in the garden but, after the Fall, their friendship with God broke down. Abraham and Moses were called God’s friends but, as the Old Testament unfolds, they stand out as rare exceptions.


When Jesus came, everything changed. He laid down his life for his friends. “I no longer call you servants… I have called you friends” he said to his disciples. The Quakers called their movement “The Religious Society of Friends” because of what Jesus said in John 15.14; “You are my friends, if you do what I command you.”
 Jesus built his ministry on friendship; people sneered and labelled him “a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Even to Judas, at the very moment of betrayal, Jesus said, “Friend, do what you came to do.”

Reading the epistles, you can't help but notice that the apostle Paul formed strong and affectionate friendships everywhere he went. He commended Timothy as one who "shows genuine concern for your welfare." He often addressed congregations in his letters as “my dear friends.” Amazingly, in Romans 16, he could warmly greet by name 29 people in a church he had not yet visited. That shows how relational (and mobile) the early church was.

Reflecting this, the mission statement of the family of churches to whom we belong, ChristCentral, begins with; Being friends enjoying God together *

Friendship is a notable feature of healthy and strong churches. Founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, Rick Warren has perceptively said, “People aren't looking for a friendly church, they're looking for a church where they can make friends.” A cheerful smile at the door and good coffee are a great start, but most people want - and need - more.

Simon Guillebaud, a missionary in Burundi, speaks of an experience where four friends of his went to a church in his home town every week while he was away at university. After a while, someone at the church said to his group of friends, "Hey, nice to have you back again!" They replied, "Actually, we've been coming here every week." Simon reflected that none of the four, as far as he knew, has any ongoing relationship with the Lord now. "There is only so much of being ignored, week by week, that anyone can put up with" he concluded.

I love it that our Sunday morning hosts often exhort us to look out for newcomers and say hello. I need that gentle nudge week by week to venture out from where I’m comfortable into the “zone of the unknown.”

In a large and growing church like King’s, it must be quite daunting for newcomers to find their way in and begin to properly feel at home. And it’s a challenge for those of us who are already settled too. It’s understandable that we gravitate to our circles of friends for support and encouragement and prayer, and these are good things. But it’s vital that we don’t allow ourselves to become cliquey. We would do well to take some inspiration from the Friends theme tune; “When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, I'll be there for you.”

“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4.11).


* ChristCentral's four distinctives are:
+ Being friends enjoying God together
+ Building grace-filled churches empowered by Word and Spirit
+ Advancing the Kingdom, transforming communities
+ Reaching nations, making disciples

First published on the King's Church Darlington blog

Sleep

When you consider that we spend about a third of our lives sleeping, it’s amazing how little thought we give to it.

When I was a child I used to hate having to go to bed and I conceived any number of ingenious excuses to creep back downstairs again and postpone the inevitable; (I’m not sleepy, I’m thirsty, I think there might be monsters under my bed, I’m too hot, I’m too cold, there’s a strange noise, my teeth itch…). My own children were even more creative than I was. But by the time they were in their late teens, if anyone asked me if I had ever witnessed a modern-day raising from the dead miracle, I would have been tempted to point to the herculean achievement of rousing any of them from their beds any time before lunch.

We all know the debilitating experience of being unable to sleep due to worry and apprehensiveness. The story is told of a letter that was sent to HMRC. It stated: "Dear Sirs: Last year, when I sent my Income Tax return, I deliberately misrepresented my income. Now I cannot sleep. Enclosed is a cheque for £150 of unpaid taxes. If I still cannot sleep, I will send you the rest!"

The apostle Paul listed sleepless nights in his catalogue of woes alongside troubles, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, riots, hard work and hunger.

So being able to lay our weary heads down on a soft pillow and doze off is a precious gift from God. Psalm 132 says that God grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 3 speaks of God sustaining us during our sleep. And Psalm 4 says, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” To wake up rested, refreshed, restored and ready to go is a blessing probably most of us take for granted.

There are many ways in which we humans reflect the image of God, but sleep is not one of them. Psalm 121.4 reminds us that, quite unlike us, God neither slumbers, nor sleeps. God doesn’t get worn down by the cares of each day. His eyelids do not get heavy. He needs no caffeine and never slows down. God is always attentive, always watchful, always alert.

Sleep is not just a few hours of inactivity. It isn’t just a pause button for the multitude of important things we need to do. The need to sleep is a daily reminder that we have to relinquish control over our lives. Our sense that we are indispensable is an illusion. We don’t keep the globe spinning on its axis. When we wake up again, the world will still be here. Falling asleep each night then is a daily reminder to entrust everything to the Lord and leave our cares with him.

Christopher Ash, in his little book Zeal Without Burnout says, “To neglect sleep, Sabbaths, friendships and inward renewal is not heroism but hubris. It is to claim that I am at a level or two above normal members of the human race. When a fellow Christian lets slip how very hard they are working, and that they haven’t had a proper day off for a while, we need to find a way of saying to them (in love!), “You are behaving like an arrogant fool!”

Our regular need for sleep points to the spiritual rest that Jesus offers us in the gospel. “Come to me all you who are burdened and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He’s talking about rest from sin, rest from straining, rest from striving and rest from earning.

And when, in the words of John Henry Newman, “the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done” then for us Christians we “fall asleep,” which seems to have been a First Century Christian code word for death, used several times in the New Testament.

They weren't in denial. For Christian believers death, like sleep, is factual but not final. For Christians, death actually is very much like falling asleep for three reasons. (1) Even if we wanted to, no one could possibly stay awake forever, we need to sleep. Likewise, no one can stay alive indefinitely, however much we might wish to. (2) Just as sleep is a restful relief after a long, tiring day, death can be a release from the indignity of frailty and ill health and old age. And (3) most significantly, after sleep, you wake up feeling newly alive the next morning. The birds are chirping, the sun is up, and it’s good to see a new day opening up before you as you pull the curtains back. It's time to sing again. For those who are in the Lord, the best is yet to come.

First published on the King's Church Darlington blog

Photo credit: Jamie Street on Unsplash

Faith When Wronged - Joseph Part IV (Genesis 42.1 - 44.34)

Introduction

In 2005, a graffiti artist called David Choe was hired by a young, unknown IT start-up business in Silicon Valley, to create murals for their office walls. He was offered sixty thousand dollars in cash for his services, or alternatively he could opt to receive payment in company shares instead. What would you do? He went for the shares.

Seven years later, that little IT firm floated on Wall Street as a public company. David Choe cashed in the stocks he earned from a few days of painting for an eyewatering $2,000 million. The company is called Facebook.

As we’ve followed the story of Joseph these past three weeks, we have witnessed, if anything, an even more remarkable trajectory. Beaten and rejected by his family, sold as a slave, pressured with constant sexual harassment, falsely accused of sexual assault, thrown in jail without trial, and forgotten; Joseph has been wronged time and time again over a period of years.

But last week we saw his fortunes turn dramatically in a single day. He successfully interprets Pharaoh’s strange dream and, as a result, Pharaoh instantly elevates him to the highest office in the land.

As David explained last Sunday, when Joseph wakes up that morning, he is a forgotten prison inmate. By sunset, he has freedom, status, huge wealth, power and the admiration of an entire nation. He gets to oversee a large and complex logistical operation to store a superabundance of cereal crops, ensuring survival in a period of severe famine.

Like Jesus, Joseph goes from terrible and undeserved suffering to being an exalted saviour of many.

Joseph’s story so far in Genesis 39 to 41 has focused on his spectacular rise, despite being the victim of a shocking injustice. But all along, Joseph’s years of affliction are testing the substance of his faith; a test he passes with dazzling success.

In the next part of his story however, chapters 42-45, the spotlight will shift to Joseph being reunited with the brothers who left him for dead.

Let’s pick up the story in chapter 42, verse 1.

When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, ‘Why do you just keep looking at each other?’ He continued, ‘I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.’ Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain, for there was famine in the land of Canaan also. Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.

[Do you remember Joseph’s dream in chapter 37, where his brothers’ sheaves of wheat bow down before Joseph’s? Here, at last, is the fulfilment, over twenty years later]

As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognised them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. ‘Where do you come from?’ he asked. ‘From the land of Canaan,’ they replied, ‘to buy food.’ Although Joseph recognised his brothers, they did not recognise him.

[You know, it’s a bit weird that Little Red Riding Hood failed to notice that a talking wolf in drag was not in fact her grandmother! But this is not like that. You have to remember that two decades or more have passed since these brothers sold Joseph into slavery. Here he is, no longer an annoying teenager, but an aristocrat in his late thirties, dressed in fine linen, clean shaven, surrounded by important officials and speaking fluent Egyptian. It’s little wonder they don’t recognise him].

Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, ‘You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected.’ ‘No, my lord,’ they answered. ‘Your servants have come to buy food. We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.’

[Now, it’s quite true they are not on an espionage mission, and Joseph knows this full well, but ‘honest men’? Really? For years, they have maintained the bare-faced lie to their father that Joseph is dead.]

‘No!’ he said to them. ‘You have come to see where our land is unprotected.’ But they replied, ‘Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one… is… no more.’ Joseph said to them, ‘It is just as I told you: you are spies! And this is how you will be tested: as surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!’ And he put them all in custody for three days.
On the third day, Joseph said to them, ‘Do this and you will live, for I fear God: if you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.’ This they proceeded to do. They said to one another, ‘Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.’
Reuben replied, ‘Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.’ They did not realise that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter. He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes. Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them, they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.

So then, ten of Joseph’s eleven brothers have travelled from their home in Canaan down the Mediterranean coast to Egypt; a roughly 200-mile journey. (Notice the youngest, Benjamin (the only other son, besides Joseph, born to Jacob’s favourite wife Rachel), is not with them. It’s a strong hint that Jacob never really believed their story about what happened to Joseph).

But this story has layers. Talking about the whole Old Testament in in Romans 15.4, Paul says, “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”

So what does this all teach us? What encouragement is there for us from this story? In Ezekiel 36, God says, “I will give you a new heart… I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” And in Hebrews 3 the following words are addressed to Christians; “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

Do you have a hard heart of stone? Or a soft heart of flesh? I’ve found that there are three things that harden the human heart: a refusal to listen, a refusal to repent and a refusal to forgive. This section of Jospeh’s story centres on those issues. Joseph needs to forgive, and I’ll come back to that. His brothers need to repent. And we all need to listen to what God is saying to us through his word.

The need to repent

Even though the brothers have travelled a long distance, their most important journey is not the physical one. It’s their journey from a hardened heart to one softened by an awareness of guilt and a conviction of sin.

Verse 21 gives us a flashback to that dreadful day when they sold their little brother Joseph as a slave: “We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen.”

Now the ten brothers are being held in custody, and at last, finally, after all these years, their conscience starts to trouble them. “Surely we are being punished because of what we did to our brother...” they say. For two decades or so their sense of right and wrong has slowly become dulled to any feeling of remorse or shame. But God is starting to soften their hearts.

And just as their guilty conscience is laid bare before Joseph here, God sees and knows everything about us. He knows what everyone truly feels about him. He knows it better than we do. He knows our truth from our lies, and he sees through every mask.

What the brothers experience here is what the final judgement will be like. There are well over 200 references to the last judgement in the New Testament. It is is one of the biggest themes in the entire Bible. Many Christians recite the Apostles’ Creed in church every Sunday saying, “I believe that the Lord will come in glory to judge the living and the dead.”

When Christ returns to judge, every wrong will be exposed and then righted. No ingenious excuses, either for ourselves or for others, will wash. Like for the brothers here, there will be no hiding place.

Jesus says in Luke 12.2, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” The Day of the Lord will bring everything to light, assess everything, and deal with everything. The evidence will be indisputable. All unrepented, persistent sin will have to face God’s perfect justice. It’s inescapable.

For all who have turned from their sin, turned to Christ as Saviour and now bow to him as Lord, the verdict will be, “Guilty. But your guilt is removed because you put your trust in the perfect, substitutionary atonement of the cross of Christ. Your name is now written in the book of life. Consequently, you are declared innocent and are free to go.”

For all who refuse to repent, and who persist in their hard-hearted rebellion against God, the Bible gives a sober warning; “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20.15).

Do you need to turn to God in repentance today? Or turn back? Have you lost your way? Some people drift so far from God that they think there’s no way back. But, as Louie Giglio once said, “If you’re thinking that you don’t deserve a second chance from God, it’s important to remember that you didn’t deserve the first one either.” There is no “deserved.” There’s just grace, and this place overflows with the grace of God this morning.

Don’t live under a cloud of shame or with buried guilt another day. Turn to Christ in repentance and faith, and live again.

Well, this encounter with Joseph is the first step back to repentance for these brothers. Their hard hearts are starting to soften.

We don’t have time to read the next two chapters, but what happens next is this; nine of the ten brothers journey home, leaving Simeon in Egypt. They then discover that their money has been returned in their sacks. Maybe they think the twenty pieces of silver they sold Joseph for have come back to haunt them. They react with fear, thinking God’s justice is catching up with them.

They report everything to their father Jacob, including Joseph’s demand to bring Benjamin with them next time they come to Egypt. But Jacob is still grieving Joseph and evidently doesn’t trust them to guarantee Benjamin’s safety.

However, the famine gets worse, so brothers eventually have to return to Egypt with Benjamin and double the money. When they arrive back in Egypt, Joseph receives them again, testing their hearts while still concealing his identity. He shows Benjamin special favour.

But as they are about to leave the second time, Joseph strangely arranges for his silver goblet to be concealed in Benjamin’s sack. He then accuses Benjamin of theft and says he must become his slave.

This is the acid test. Will the brothers abandon Benjamin to a life of slavery, just as twenty odd years ago they had done to Joseph? Will they dump him there and get out of Dodge? Will their hearts harden once again?

No. Judah, one of the brothers, pleads with Joseph. And he asks permission to suffer as a slave for life in Benjamin’s place. That spontaneous expression of sacrificial love proves that Joseph’s brothers’ have finally softened their hearts.

The need to forgive

So much for the brothers. Back to Joseph now. Why these games of cat and mouse? Why does he speak to his brothers harshly? Why accuse them of being spies? Why does he throw them into prison? Why does he secretly return their money? Why does he mess around and hide his goblet in Benjamin’s sack?

Two weeks ago, I said that God’s favour was on Joseph in Potiphar’s house because he had forgiven, and forgotten and moved on. But is that right? Now, Joseph is turning the screw and making his brothers squirm. It looks for all the world like some kind of payback.

There is, it is true, a satisfaction in refusing to forgive. Is Joseph being malicious? Is that what is going on here? I don’t think it is. Joseph is tearful and emotional when he hears his brothers talk about his distress on the day he pleaded with them for his life.

John Lennox in his excellent book on Joseph comments at this point, “This is scarcely the reaction of a cruel, vindictive man, toying with his brothers, revelling in their pain as he seeks to get the maximum revenge for what they have done to him. This is much more the attitude of a man who wanted to tell them who he was, but he couldn’t do it yet. Why not? Because Joseph knew that genuine forgiveness involves repentance.”

And yet… I can’t help but wonder if it’s a bit more complex than that. I think Joseph is conflicted here. I suspect the sight of his brothers has brought some unresolved anger back to the surface. After the trauma of rejection, after all the added injustices he endured, after all those lost years in prison, and after being forgotten by the chief cupbearer, has Joseph’s heart perhaps slowly and imperceptibly begun to harden again?

If I’m honest, I think mine would. There have been times in my life when someone wronged me, and I genuinely forgave them from my heart. And it took prayer and a lot of effort, but I managed eventually to forgive and not hold a grudge.

But later, when I bump into them again, all those old painful feelings resurface. I thought I had dealt with all that. But just seeing them again opens up old wounds, and all those old desires to settle scores are back. Has that ever happened to you? Or am I the only one?

About two years ago, a woman I know cheated on her husband, a man who is dear to me, and although he forgave her, she hardened her heart and broke up the marriage. It brought pain and heartbreak for her wronged husband and for their children too. Last year, I had to work through feelings of anger and daydreams of vengeance towards the guy she cheated with. And I thought I had managed to move on. But various things still trigger me. I am not a violent man, but I have entertained the thought, quite recently, that if I met that guy, I would absolutely deck him with a blow to the chin. Which is not what Jesus would do, is it?

I need to soften my hard heart. The New Testament tells us, as followers of Jesus, how to respond to someone who has wronged us.

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay’, says the Lord” (Romans 12.17-19).

In one of his books, Bill Bryson notes that ‘to avenge’ and ‘to take revenge’ are not quite the same thing. To avenge is “to address or correct an injustice.” Ultimately, payback is God’s business. “I will repay,” says the Lord.

But revenge, Bryson says, is not correcting an injustice, it's “retaliation for the sake of personal satisfaction.” And God says, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends.”

I don't know whether you identify more with Joseph or with his brothers. I don't know whether your greater need today is to forgive or to repent.

Ending

But as I draw to a close, I want to return to Genesis 42:28. The brothers are heading back home for the first time, and they discover some money in one of the sacks. The response is remarkable. “My silver has been returned,” one of them says. “Here it is in my sack!” Then their hearts sink, and they are filled with fear. They say to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”

When they get home, they find their money in all the sacks. They recognise that God is behind their unexpected discovery because they say, “What is this that God has done to us?”

But their response is not, “Well, praise God, this is amazing.” It isn’t, “Wow, just look at what our Facebook shares are worth now!” Not at all! They freak out. They are uncomfortable. They’re frightened. Why? They don’t know how to receive.

Yes, it was not owed to them; it was a gift. And God’s grace is a gift that must be received freely. Yes, they have done nothing to deserve having their silver returned to them - and neither do we deserve anything from the hand of God.

Everything we have comes freely from the Lord. God gives generously to his children, without measure and without requiring payment. Paul asks in 1 Corinthians 4.7; “What do you have that you did not receive?”

A few years ago, a church leader in York told me about a guy who came to speak with him after the service the previous Sunday. He said, “I've never been to this church before. I don’t know why I’m here. I was just walking past, and I heard the music, and something drew me in. And then I heard you talk about broken dreams. It was just what I needed to hear, because... I was going to take my life this evening. But I won’t now, because today I have become a child of God!”

That’s the grace of God and there’s more than enough of it in this place today for everyone, whether we need to repent or whether we need to forgive.

“Let us then approach [not the Governor of Egypt’s throne of power, but] God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”


Sermon preached at King's Church Darlington, 16 August 2026.