Oh, man. All the feelings. Hey, you guys can keep giving it up for that, because that's amazing. That's incredible.
Man, those have been so much fun to watch, and I'm like, when does season two come out? Just absolutely excellent. Hey, it's our last night together for outdoor education, 2026. How we feeling?
How we feeling? Hey, you don't have to celebrate that at the ending. You can celebrate the time that you guys have had, and after watching that game show, it's clear that you learned a thing or two while you guys are up here. And I have so enjoyed the time that I've been able to spend with so many of you just getting to know you.
Just the conversations, the questions that you're asking, the journeys that you guys are on is so encouraging to me. But before we jump into things tonight, I think if you would allow me, I want to take a moment to celebrate what happened last night, because last night I got to stand here with your faculty and leaders and volunteers, and I got to look out, and I got to see many of you looking up, acknowledging the decision that you were making, declaring I'm done pretending, I'm done running, I'm done hiding, I'm done being ruled by my guilt and by my shame, I'm ready to lay it all down at the foot of the cross, I'm ready to come home. Last night we saw a decision that was made, the most important decision that you can ever make in your life, to stop trying to be the Lord of your own life, and hand that Lordship over to Jesus, the single most important decision that you can ever make, and I don't think we can dive into the rest of the story, I don't think we can finish our week together before we take a moment to simply celebrate that. So here's what I want, and just a minute, I'm going to ask if you feel so courageous tonight, if you made that decision last night, if you were one of the many who looked up, just to acknowledge I said that prayer for the very first time, I'm going to invite you to stand up and when you do, when we see it starts with one, and then there's two, and then there's three, and then before you know it, many of you are standing together, I want us to lift the roof off this place, and I want us to take a moment to celebrate, and I know that you guys can celebrate, I know that you guys can get loud.
Could you do that with me? If you were one of the many last night who made that decision to follow Jesus for the very first time, I want you to stand to your feet, and I want us to make some noise for those of us who are making that choice, we see you, we see you, come on somebody, come on, I'm going all around, get loud, hey, get more excited, get more excited, get louder than that, get louder than that, for all of them, look at them, look at you guys, look at you guys, I'm coming, I'm coming, I'm coming, I'm sorry, I miss you, I miss you, I miss you, I already got you, hey, that's worth celebrating, because the Bible tells us that every moment, when a single soul is saved, repents from destruction and the death of their sin, and turns to Jesus, not only a better way, but the best way, it says heaven celebrates, heaven celebrates, heaven celebrates, so I thought it'd be appropriate for us just to give you a glimpse of what that must look like in heaven, when you made that decision, just a peek, just a glimpse of the celebration that can happen, and I want you to know that we are going to continue to faithfully pray for you, for this journey that you are on, because salvation is a one-time decision, but discipleship, and the process of sanctification, and following after Jesus is going to be a daily surrender, is going to be a daily choice, to lay down what you want, to pursue what he wants, to align your will with his, it is going to be a daily journey, and I want you to know you don't have to walk that path alone, you saw up here, you have leaders, you have adults, you can trust who love you, who want to come alongside you in that journey, and that's worth celebrating, so I had to take a moment to do that, who's got their battles tonight? Well then bring them out, bring them out, Genesis chapter 47, there's a story, there's a story that starts with pain, but ends in grace, there is a story that starts with betrayal, but ends in forgiveness, there is a story that starts in a pit, and ends in a palace, that is the story that we have been reading, that is the story of Joseph, but more importantly, that is the story of God's abundant grace. We talked about this morning, grace, it's when God gives you what you don't deserve, and withhold what you do deserve, and last night many of you experienced that for the first time, an outpouring of grace that you didn't earn, that you don't deserve, and a gracious God who withholds what our sin does deserve.
There is a wage of sin, and a wage of sin is death, and let's be honest, when we look at this story, we see that Joseph's brothers didn't deserve a second chance, did they? I wouldn't say so, they sold him out, they lied to their father, and then they walked away from the brother that they left in chains, and essentially left for dead, but when the story comes full circle, we're going to see that Joseph doesn't crush them, he blesses them, and that is grace on display, that is the gospel hidden in Genesis, so let's continue the story, chapter 47, verse 1. And Jacob said to Pharaoh, the years of my pilgrimage are 130, my years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers, then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence, so Joseph settled his father in Egypt and gave him property in the best part of the land, the district of Ramses as Pharaoh directed. And here as we reach the final chapters of Genesis, we see the family of Jacob, this is Joseph's father, moving down to Egypt, we see Joseph is reunited with his father after decades apart from him, and we see Pharaoh because of Joseph's faithfulness gives them the best of the land, gosh, a fertile region that's a part of Egypt, and he's thinking this is the best place where you can bring your flock, this is the best area where you will have plenty of pasture for them, and for the first time in a long time, this family thrives.
For the first time in decades, this family experiences blessing, but notice this, what looks like a happy ending here is actually the next chapter in God's greater redemption story, because God, God's not finished. This is not the end of the story, and we get to clap and say, hooray, happy ending, because God is just getting started here. The same God who used Joseph's suffering to save a nation is now setting the stage for another deliverer. He's setting the stage for one who will bring salvation, not just from famine, but from sin itself.
Every redemption story in scripture points to the Redeemer himself. Every story that we read in the Old Testament, every redemption story that we read in the New Testament is all pointing to one, to the ultimate Redeemer. Have you caught that yet? When you read about Joseph, you're reading a preview of Jesus.
Both, consider this, both were betrayed. Both were innocent, and yet both we find were raised to save the very ones who betrayed them. This isn't just the end of Genesis. It's the opening act of the gospel message.
This isn't just the end of Joseph's story. This is foreshadowing of what's to come centuries and centuries later. So continue with me, skip ahead a couple of chapters to chapter 50. Chapter 50, verse 15.
So sadly as the story goes, Joseph's father dies, and as you can imagine, it stirs up some emotions in the brothers who betrayed Joseph all those years ago. Here's what they're thinking. When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, uh-oh, what if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him? So they sent word to Joseph saying, uh, your father left these instructions before he died.
This is what you are to say to Joseph. I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father. And when their message came to him, Joseph wept.
His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him, just like in the video. We are your slaves, they said. Spare us. Anything but what we deserve.
But Joseph said to them, don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid.
I will provide for you and your children, and he reassured them and spoke kindly to your- uh, sorry, spoke kindly to them. So after Jacob dies, Joseph's brothers are in a panic because they've been convinced that up to this point, the only reason they're still alive is because Joseph doesn't want to anger his dad. So they've kind of been hiding behind the protection of dad for all this time. And I was like, surely he's not going to kill us, he's not going to put us to death with dad around, right?
Because could you imagine that's going to cause a lot of tension between their relationship? That just makes sense. So they've been hiding. But now, now that dad's gone, now that dad's dead, there's nothing protecting them.
So they come up with the story. They're like, uh, by the way, it was dad's final dying wish that you spare us, that you forgive us. And then what do they do? They say, okay, they just come and they bow, they bow down, and they grovel, and they beg, and they say please spare us.
From the punishment that we know that we deserve. And Joseph's response. Joseph's response is one of the most powerful mic drop moments in all of scripture. Genesis chapter 50 verse 20.
And the ESV it says it like this. He says, as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good to bring it about that many people should be kept alive as they are today. Boom. That is a man who has been transformed by grace.
He's not thinking about revenge, because when really believe that God is sovereign, all vulgar, he is a sovereign ruler. When you really believe that he is sovereign ruler, when you have a right idea of who God is, revenge stops making sense. We stop living for revenge. Joseph had the power to punish.
Joseph had every reason to absolutely crush them in this moment, but instead he chose to forgive. Instead, he chose mercy. Instead, he chose grace. And that is what happens when your heart has been changed by grace.
You stop trying to play God and you start reflecting him. That's what it means to be created in his image. It means that you were created with the capacity to reflect his nature. That you were created with the capacity to set aside your own nature, your own character, the pursuits and desires of your heart to instead reflect him.
That is what it looks like. But even after years of blessings, we see that Joseph's brothers are still doubting that forgiveness. They're still skeptical. They still live in a very real fear of judgment.
Why? Because they deserve it. And in a lot of ways, isn't that just like us? Because God has already forgiven us.
God has already spoken grace over us. God has already proven his love on the cross. But we still wonder from time to time, does he really mean it? Does he really mean it?
Because I read that God is gracious. I read that he is willing to forgive. But does he realize what I've done? Because he really knew what I've done.
Because if he really knew what I've done, I don't know if he'd be willing to forgive. It is sometimes in our nature to keep asking God to forgive what he already nailed to the cross. It is in our nature to come time and time again to him. To say, God, please forgive me of this.
And he says, I already have. Even this, even that action, even those words, even that thing that I did, even those people that I hurt, yes, even that. Joseph's brothers couldn't believe that grace could possibly be that good. And maybe that's where some of you are kind of stuck today, stuck between knowing God's truth and trusting God's truth.
I think there's a tension that we need to manage sometimes. I know what God's truth is, but sometimes, if I can be honest with you tonight, I have a hard time trusting it. I know God is good, but sometimes I have a hard time trusting it. Why?
Because grace, like this, doesn't make sense. Forgiveness, like this, doesn't make sense. Goodness, like this, doesn't make sense. And so Joseph reminds his brothers.
And I think Joseph reminds us. He says, what you meant for evil, God meant for good. So the question is, do you believe that? Do you believe that even when other people hurt you, God can redeem it?
Do you believe that even when life feels completely out of control, that God is still in control? Do you believe that? What the enemy meant for evil? That God can take even that.
The chaos of your life, the mess of your life, the brokenness of your life, and he can turn it for good. Do you believe that? Because when we read about this grace, the next thing that we need to understand is how then do we live in light of this grace? And this is where, if you have your Bibles, I want you to turn to 2 Corinthians 4, way in the New Testament.
And if it takes you a while to get there, that's okay, we'll put it on the screen for you. This is what Paul says to the church in Corinth in Corinth. Verse 7, Paul says, but we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed, perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed.
We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. It is written, I believe, therefore I have spoken.
Since we have that same spirit of faith we also believe in, therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanks, giving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore, we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us in eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
So we fix our eyes, not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Paul says that we hold this treasure, the gospel, in jars of clay. We are fragile, but God's grace is strong. We are ordinary, but the Holy Spirit is what makes us unstoppable.
We are cracked vessels carrying an unbreakable truth. We are imperfect vessels carrying a perfect message of love and redemption and salvation and grace that surpasses all understanding. Paul reminds us that our trials are temporary, but God's glory is eternal. Verse 17, for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us in eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Joseph lived that truth centuries before Paul even wrote about it. Joseph suffered. Joseph waited. Joseph watched God turn his pain into purpose.
And the same grace that saved you is the same grace that sustains you every single day. So when life gets hard and I promise you that it will, remember Joseph. When people fail you, and I promise you that they will, remember Joseph. And when you can't see what God is doing, because I promise you will have seasons where it doesn't make sense, remember Joseph.
Because the same God who turned a pit into a platform and a prisoner into a prince is still taking what the enemy meant for evil, and he is turning it into good. Do you believe that? As we leave this place tonight, it's important for us to remember, God's good purposes always, always include grace, where we receive what we don't deserve. And what the enemy means for evil, God means for good.
God can take even the brokenness, even the mess, even the chaos, even your sin. And in Joseph's story, in your story, in the story of the cross, in all of these stories of redemption, they're all pointing towards the ultimate redeemer, no matter how broken, no matter how sinful. God looks at the chaos and he says, watch what I do with even that. God looks at the brokenness and he says, watch what I do through even that.
God looks at the suffering as a result of our sin. And he says, watch what I can do with even that. Friends, we don't have the luxury of part-time Christianity when we have a full-time enemy who seeks to destroy. But the good news is that whatever the enemy throws at us, and whatever the enemy means for destruction, whatever the enemy means for evil, God can take even that and use it for good.
And that means that through the Holy Spirit, you are now a part of that same redemption story bringing other people to know the God of grace, the God of forgiveness. Because grace doesn't just forgive your past. The grace that we're talking about is the grace that fuels your purpose. You have been made new.
Jesus didn't come to fix you. He came to bring new life. And with that new life comes a new identity. You are a son of the most high.
You are a daughter of the most high. You have been adopted and welcomed into the family. And it's not by your works. You are not saved by your works, but you are saved for good works.
And there's work to be done. There is a role that you get to play. There is a purpose that you get to live for now. There's a redemption story.
There is a gospel message. You know what that means? It means good news. But it's only good news if it reaches people.
That's the role that you get to play now. You are now not only invited into the family to sit back and allow life to happen. You're invited into the family. You are given a new identity, a new name, a new directive, and a new purpose bringing others to know the God of grace.
Because Paul puts it this way. He says there's a race that you are running. And he encourages us to cast off anything that's holding you back to run that race well. And there is a finish line to cross.
But the point of your life is not to run that race as fast as you can so that you can cross that finish line as fast as you can. The point now, your purpose now, is to bring as many brothers and sisters along with you in that race to cross that finish line together as we possibly can. So that one day you will come face to face with your creator and you can hear those sweet words well done, good, and faithful servants. So let's live like people who have been forgiven.
Amen? Let's live. Let's live like people who have experienced grace. Let's walk in freedom and not in fear.
And let's show the world that the abundant grace of God still changes lives even today. Are you ready for that? I thought so. Let this be a generation that changes the tide.
Let yours be the generation that leaves this place that goes back down the mountain, that goes back into your homes, into your schools, into your churches, into the parks, into the public spaces, into your communities. And let's live like people who have been forgiven. Let's live like people who have experienced a grace that surpasses all understanding. Let's no longer walk in fear.
Let's walk in freedom and prove to the world that the abundant grace of God that was with Joseph and Genesis still changes lives even today. Let me pray over this group one last time. Father, I thank you for these students. I thank you for the families that are represented in this place tonight.
I thank you for bringing them here this week. Maybe they came here with questions without us with uncertainties, maybe even with a posture of hesitation. Unsure of why they're here in the first place, but God, you know. God, you have a plan.
God, you're not afraid of the questions. God, you're not afraid of the uncertainty. God, you're not afraid of the doubts. But Lord, our prayer is that those uncertainties and those questions would draw them closer to you.
That they would run to you with those questions, with those doubts, so that they can learn to trust and the one who has a plan. God, when our plans fail, when circumstances are outside of our control, you never fail. You are faithful and you are always in control. God, when we don't understand, may we seek you.
God, when things are not going well, may we seek you. In our joy and in our triumph, may we seek you. But also in our anger and our frustration and in our weakness and in our heartbreak and in our grief, may we seek you. Knowing that you're not always going to give us the answers that we want, but you will always give us more of you.
So God, it's not a question of how much we want heaven. It's a question of how much we want your presence in our lives. We thank you for the gift of salvation. But knowing that salvation is a one-time decision and now we are on a journey of sanctification, of becoming more and more like the one.
Who saved us. We thank you for a grace that surpasses all understanding. We thank you for our love that we can't truly express. We thank you for the ability that we have to reflect your nature and your character to be a light in a dark world that is desperate for you.
May we go back down this mountain with good news that is too good to keep to ourselves. And may your glory continue to be revealed in your creation, may your glory continue to be revealed in your perfect word, and may your glory continue to be revealed in each and every one of these students and leaders. It's in your name we pray tonight. Amen.
Bye! Bye!