1 24 2 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/6f3ac4624ef7903bcf74df8cc7ebda25.mp3 383eccdaf8f29ca33da240fc9e946558 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/185ea116476724e6281225ad0b24f03f.pdf 9f7bebc6c38294ed1da1505c7bcc13b1 PDF Text Text Commitment and Prayer in the Purpose of God From the sermon series: The Mystery of God’s Sovereign Grace Text: Nehemiah 1:11; Nehemiah 2:5 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan September 6, 1987 Transcription of the spoken sermon History is the arena of human decision and action. We speak of some persons as history-makers; their leadership, decisions, actions have moved the course of history along and shaped the future. Who are the candidates for such designation? Each would have a different list. Every period of history would suggest different names. But, whoever is mentioned, we know intuitively that we are speaking of persons who grasped the situation, responded with a plan and acted decisively. The persons themselves were conscious of facing options, making decisions, and acting, sometimes with tremendous struggle – yet acting and thereby determining the course of human events. For example, early in the Second World War, the British secured a machine that gave them access to the German code machine called Heydrich-Enigma. British intelligence was thus able to gain access to Hitler's plans before they were executed. In November 1940, a message was decoded which indicated that the city of Coventry in England was to be bombed. Hitler was determined to devastate non-military targets in an attempt to crush civilian resistance. Within minutes of the order issued, Churchill had it in his hands. If he evacuated the city, he would reveal his knowledge of the German code; if he did not, thousands of civilians would be killed, or suffer. He kept the knowledge to himself. On November 14, the Germans struck. The raid was so devastating that Berlin boasted that every town in England would be "Coventryized." The sacrifice of Coventry guarded the secret of access to the German intelligence, which, it is claimed not without warrant, was what turned the tide of the war in Europe. Perhaps more than what happened on the battlefield, it was the secret war of intelligence that tipped the scale of victory for the Allies. But think of the terror of decision that rested on Churchill. He had to decide; he had to act; and he did - in great anguish. © Grand Valley State University   �Commitment and Prayer in the Purpose of God Richard A. Rhem Page 2   But in this series of messages we have been pointing to another level of intention and action, a transcendent dimension - indeed, the involvement of the sovereign, gracious God. To speak of God in connection with history and human willing, deciding and acting is in no way to take away from the genuineness of the human agent. Queen Esther risked her life in pleading with the King on behalf of the Jewish people. Joseph utilized his every human gift and endowment in administering the Egyptian economy in preparation for the period of famine. Churchill's act was Churchill's act. But, human history is not one-dimensional. There is a sovereign and gracious God Who is working His purposes out in and through, in spite of us at times, and sometimes against the will and decision and action of the human agent. Esther's foster father, Mordecai, said, If you remain silent at such a time as this, relief and deliverance for the Jews will appear from another quarter. Esther 4:14 Joseph said to his fearful, pleading brothers: Do not be afraid… You planned to do me harm; but God planned to bring good out of it… Genesis 50:19-20 Such a conviction is at the heart of biblical faith. The events of history move along a dual track. The purpose of the eternal God is being effected and will finally be realized in and through the decisions and actions of human history. This series title begins with the word "Mystery." Again it must be emphasized: what we are attempting to point to is a mystery; it is not open to human observation, nor is it susceptible to human verification; it is an affirmation of faith; it reflects a fundamental trust in God, in God's sovereignty, in God's gracious purpose to redeem that will not fail. That purpose is revealed in God's election of Israel; it is revealed most fully in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; it is witnessed to in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament; it has always been at the heart of the faith of the people of God. Theologians have argued and debated the question of the will and purpose of God and the relationship of God's will to human will and action. Abstractly one can only affirm the sovereignty of God's purpose at the expense of human freedom or, conversely, affirm the genuineness of human freedom at the expense of God's sovereignty. © Grand Valley State University �Commitment and Prayer in the Purpose of God Richard A. Rhem Page 3   The Bible is not an abstract book of theology; it is the story of God's saving purposing intertwining with human willing and acting – human willing sometimes in revolt and rebellion, sometimes in obedience and commitment, but always genuinely human willing and acting. The Bible is a story - a narrative made up of many stories of happenings over wide centuries. The stories reveal what human reason and the canons of logic can never clarify - We purpose, plan and act; God purposes, plans and acts, and the latter is effected through the former. If there is this two-level development operative throughout history's course, where is the connection? Let me suggest that the connection lies in the prayer and commitment of the person who is available to God. It must be recognized that God's will and purpose meets resistance and opposition, sometimes outright rebellion. I must clarify further that everything that happens in history is not the will of God. There is so much so obviously contrary to that will. Therefore, I have said several times that God's purpose is effected through us, in spite of us, without us, against us. All that is true. Still, God's purpose marches on. He will create a new heaven and a new earth. He will redeem His people. He will save! But let us focus in this message on how God's purpose is effected through the human agent who is available to God to be the instrument of His purpose. And my contention in this message is that it is prayer that links heaven and earth; it is prayer that creates the opening for the thread of God's purpose to be woven into the tapestry of our lives. Perhaps you will respond that I have taken on a large enough task to relate the Divine and human will, the plan of God and human planning without now bringing in the mystery of prayer. One mystery is quite enough; why confuse matters further? I respond that it is not my purpose to dissolve the mystery - as if I could; rather, it is to point to the mystery. And further, to point to the mystery not by reasoned argument, but rather by using the biblical method - telling a story. The story today centers in Nehemiah. It is told in the Old Testament book that bears his name. Nehemiah was a layman. In the period after the Exile, he became the Governor of Jerusalem and with single-minded determination led the inhabitants of Jerusalem in a great effort that rebuilt the city of Jerusalem and restored good order and spiritual vitality to the people. In 587 the Babylonian Empire under the famous Nebuchadnezzar finally destroyed the city of Jerusalem, taking people into exile for a second time and this time burning the city, destroying the Temple and the walls, leaving the city in shambles. In the rise and fall of Empires, Babylon arose to dominance. The © Grand Valley State University �Commitment and Prayer in the Purpose of God Richard A. Rhem Page 4   Persian King, Cyrus, overcame Babylon in 539. This was an important development because the Persians proved a benevolent power supportive of the religions of the empire. Cyrus promulgated an edict that the Jews in exile could return to Jerusalem. The prophet, Second Isaiah, saw Cyrus as an instrument in the hand of God - even called him a shepherd of Israel. He is my shepherd and shall fulfill my purposes. (Isaiah 44:28a) And again: Thus says the Lord to his anointed (messiah), to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped… (45:1) Some Jews, fired by the vision of the dawning Kingdom portrayed by Second Isaiah, returned to Jerusalem but not all, by far, for many of the exiles had prospered well in Babylon. Cyrus issued another decree that the house of God in Jerusalem should be rebuilt and the Temple vessels returned. Between 538 and 522 B.C., when Darius came to the Persian throne, a good number of Jews returned to Jerusalem. Fired by a vision for the restoration of the former glory of Jerusalem, the returned exiles found it was no easy matter to rehabilitate the city. The population was mixed, the Samaritans to the North having filtered down and intermarried. The returnees were a threat to what had become the new order, dismal though it was. There is always resistance to disturbing the status quo, even when it is nothing to speak of. But the work began. In the second year of their return, the foundation of the second Temple was laid. But soon opposition arose. The Samaritan governor refused permission for the work to continue. Friction developed between the people who had remained whom the exiles considered impure because of their mixed marriage and unauthorized worship practices, and the returned exiles who had a great zeal to set up a new community uncompromised by the lax practices of the past. The work of rebuilding remained in abeyance from the time of its cessation until the second year of Darius - the year 520 B.C. Then the prophets Haggai and Zechariah carried on a crusade, which stirred the people to action anew. Opposition surfaced again, but a new decree from Darius set the work in motion again and he even gave royal support and financing. In 515 B.C., the second Temple was completed. But something must have happened to dampen the ardor of the returned community because not much further progress was made in rebuilding the city. The community was poor; leadership seemed to be lacking and there was not the will or vitality to move forward. Poverty of means and poverty of spirit seemed to characterize the Jerusalem community. © Grand Valley State University �Commitment and Prayer in the Purpose of God Richard A. Rhem Page 5   That brings the story up to the time of Nehemiah. Nehemiah had done well in exile. He had risen to prominence in the Persian court, being the cupbearer of the King, a position of great trust. He tasted the wine before the King to ensure that some palace plotter had not poisoned it. He was located in the empirical city of Susa and was visited by his brother, Hanani, who came from Jerusalem. Nehemiah asked his brother about the state of affairs in Jerusalem and was told about the sorry estate of the people and the city itself. He heard a report of the trouble and reproach that had fallen on the people of God, how the walls were still broken down and the gate yet in ruins. Hearing the report, Nehemiah says, I sat down and wept. Then he prayed, confessing the sin of the people, acknowledging their shortcomings and unfaithfulness and that their miserable condition was brought on by themselves. Yet he reminded God of His covenant faithfulness and then prayed, Grant me good success this day, and put it into this man’s heart (the King’s heart) to show me kindness. One day, appearing before the King, his unhappiness and distress must have been obvious and the King asked him what was wrong. He shared his grief at the terrible conditions in Jerusalem and the King responded, "What are you asking of me?" This was the moment, the opening Nehemiah had been looking for. Nehemiah says, I prayed to the God of heaven, and then I answered…send me to Judah, to the city…so that I may rebuild it. The King responds favorably. He sends not only Nehemiah, but also a royal escort and the authority to do what was on his heart. This was probably in the year 445 B.C. The story reads like a thriller. In spite of opposition, threat and peril, Nehemiah rebuilt the walls, installed gates and restored the security and dignity of the city, and in chapter 6:15 we read the task was accomplished in 52 days. That seems almost impossible. The historian Josephus says it took two years and four months. No matter. A monumental accomplishment was achieved. And he did more than build the walls. He became governor and brought renewal to the whole community life and worship. Nehemiah offered superb leadership. He had great strength of character and clarity of vision. His soul was fired by a religious passion for the wellbeing of the people of God and he threw himself into the task with vigor modeling out in his © Grand Valley State University �Commitment and Prayer in the Purpose of God Richard A. Rhem Page 6   own person, his attitude and action, his total commitment to the purpose of God, which fired his soul. Nehemiah was a person of deep religious commitment and faith. His first act upon hearing of the disgrace into which Jerusalem had fallen, was to pray. He prayed for success. He prayed before answering the King. He prayed when the opposition threatened to shut down the work (4:4-5), and in a beautiful balance of prayer and action, we read, So we prayed to our God, and posted a guard day and night against them. (4:9) Ejaculatory prayer punctuates the narrative (5:19, 6:9, 14, 13:14, 31). It is obvious that he was a truly devout person totally caught up in executing the mission he sensed was his and totally dependent for success on the power of God. One commentary summarizes this man thus: He combined in his person the qualities of firmness, love of and zeal for God, land, and people, and a fierce dedication to the proposition that his was the only way to achieve immediate ends to which he committed himself ... (Ezra-Nehemiah, Anchor Bible, p. LXXXIII) The story of Nehemiah is a thrilling tale of a person captivated by a vision, driven by a burning passion, totally committed to the purpose of God. Nehemiah was available to God to be an instrument of his purpose and totally dependent upon God to bring success to his careful planning and energetic action. Nehemiah is a model of how prayer links heaven and earth, Divine purpose and human agent in the carrying out of the sovereign, gracious purpose of God to establish His Kingdom. Reflecting on that story there are several important lessons to be learned about our theme: first, it must be obvious that the ministry of Nehemiah could only flow from a vision of the plan and purpose of God. Nehemiah was a Jew of the Exilic community long separated from Jerusalem if, in fact, he had ever been there, but he was not separated from the vision that has always characterized Israel at its best: its calling to be the concrete demonstration of God's Kingdom within history, its calling to be a light to the nations, a model of human society living under the gracious rule of its redeeming God. Nehemiah was a son of the covenant. He trusted the promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He believed that God had a special destiny for this people and that in Abraham's seed all nations would be blessed. That's the reason for his deep anguish when he heard of the despair and disgrace in which Jerusalem was lying. It was that deep sense of calling to the redeeming purpose of God that created the grief of his soul at hearing that Jerusalem - City of God - was in such a state of destitution. © Grand Valley State University �Commitment and Prayer in the Purpose of God Richard A. Rhem Page 7   The point I want to stress is that it was precisely that vision of what God was about in the world that created in Nehemiah first the anguish, but then the burning desire to do something about the tragedy of this people chosen to be the instrument of God's saving purpose. Rather than sitting on his hands, shrugging his shoulders, letting things go on from bad to worse, the vision of the Kingdom drove him to respond, to make himself available to God as an instrument for the effecting of His purpose. Nothing of significance happens apart from a vision, a dream. There are many dreams; there are many good and worthy dreams - some are purely personal, some may be essentially selfish, some may embrace loved family, some may involve a community or larger segment of society, some the nation. But there is one dream that transcends them all, that takes us out of ourselves and saves us from boredom and meaninglessness - it is the dream of God's saving reign; it is to be caught up in that great purpose of the sovereign and gracious God to bring health, healing and salvation to the whole earth for all earth's children. From whence does it come? How is one captivated by such a vision? It cannot be self-generated; we cannot whip ourselves into a froth and manufacture passion out of our own soul. But we can open our minds, our inspirations to the vision of the Kingdom and just maybe God will put it in our hearts to yield ourselves to be the instrument of His purpose. That brings me to a second observation - such a vision lodged in our hearts will drive us to prayer. That seems as natural as breathing. Who has ever caught a glimpse of the cosmic sweep of God's purpose and then set out in his own strength to bring it about? Nehemiah did not rush headlong into frantic action. He heard the report and he wept. He was overcome with deep anguish. Before he made his report to the King for permission to go to Jerusalem to rebuild it, there elapsed a period of four months. It was a time for prayer, meditation and waiting upon the Lord. If it was to be God's mission, it could only be nurtured in communion with God and God must take the initiative, create the opening. And God did! Prayer - communion with God must be the normal, intuitive response of one who senses the vision and begins to feel the calling. Only then will the situation ripen and clarity be achieved. It is God Who must open the doors for service for the one who would be available to Him. Nehemiah's deep concern was registered on his face. The King sensed something going on in the life of his servant. His question provided the opening and Nehemiah's preparation in prayer readied him to take the opportunity to make his request. That must always be the process by which we move from vision to © Grand Valley State University �Commitment and Prayer in the Purpose of God Richard A. Rhem Page 8   action. Prayer links heaven and earth and puts God's servant in the way of serving. But, thirdly, Nehemiah moved on then to exercise his best administrative gifts. He was accompanied by a royal escort, supplied with royal undergirding and he came to Jerusalem. But not with fanfare. He came and remained silent and hidden for three days while he took the situation in. He toured the ruins in the dark of night getting the feel of the situation. He planned his course wisely and carefully and only then called the citizenry together and unfolded his plan. In all of this, of course, he did not cease to pray; but he did not pray and then leave matters to happen as they might. He was praying as he planned and planning as he prayed. And finally he committed himself totally and without reservation to the effecting of the planning, poignantly aware that his was the decision to become involved, to make himself available, to be at God's disposal. He could have shrugged it off. What he was committing to was to be the instrument to effect God's plan, a plan that would finally prevail through him or without him. Did that recognition cut the nerve of his commitment? Did that knowledge sap his creative energy? No! On the contrary, God's plan became the foundation of his planning; God's sovereign purpose became the engine that drove his best efforts and galvanized his creative imagination. Finally, he could be totally committed and totally relaxed. His was the task; he chose it. But all is grace; all is of God. And if that collides in our rational faculties, it nonetheless rests easily in our depths because intuitively we know we are free and responsible – history-makers; but we "know" as well that all is of God, Whose sovereign, gracious purpose will prevail. Heaven and earth are wonderfully linked in prayer and commitment as one opens one's life to become the instrument of God's purpose. And one day the tapestry of history will include the tapestry of our personal histories, and woven through it all will be the thread of the purpose of God and that thread will spell "Grace." Amen. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost XIV Series The Mystery of God's Sovereign Grace Scripture Text Nehemiah 1:11, 2:5 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19870906 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-09-06 Title A name given to the resource Commitment and Prayer in the Purpose of God Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on September 6, 1987 entitled "Commitment and Prayer in the Purpose of God", as part of the series "The Mystery of God's Sovereign Grace", on the occasion of Pentecost XIV, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Nehemiah 1:11, 2:5. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives God's Sovereign Grace Hebrew Scriptures Mystery Prayer Salvation Vision https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b4ac5666fb2e85eba7516ad43d569866.mp3 84ff4108bf05daa48ee15f33a84418ae https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/57f63e6ac921d1c5d2637de9d7caa88a.pdf c17c5a4a42a98cece36a251222954c22 PDF Text Text The Thread of God’s Plan in the Tapestry of Our Lives From the sermon series: The Mystery of God’s Sovereign Grace Text: Genesis 50: 19-20 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan August 30, 1987 Transcription of the spoken sermon …Fear not, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good… Genesis 50: 19-20 It is the very nature of our human experience that we can live it only one day at a time. The present moment can be understood in the context of the past to the present and such an understanding lends perspective; however, the future is open and unknown. Consequently, while we are living our lives the meaning of the whole is not available to us and because the whole is not available to us, neither is the final meaning of any particular period or event. Thus, not only in regard to our lives as a whole, but even in regard to single events or limited periods, the jury is still out. That may seem unsettling; perhaps we simply don't think about it. Nonetheless, it is true. Yet we are told that critical for our human wellbeing is meaning and purpose. The crisis of Western culture, many believe, is precisely a lack of meaning in human existence. But if we are truly historical creatures and the meaning of the whole and even the parts is not available to us, from whence can we derive a sense of meaningful and purposeful existence? That is the question this series of messages is addressing. We are focusing on the mystery of God's sovereign grace and such a focus is already an affirmation of faith as well as an acknowledgement of our human situation. It is an acknowledgement of our human situation as limited and finite in the fact that we are speaking of mystery. That is, the meaning of our lives in relation to God's gracious purpose is not accessible to our human investigation. Human reason is not competent to unravel the mystery of God's sovereign grace as it embraces our lives and gives them meaning. © Grand Valley State University   �Thread of God’s Plan in the Tapestry of Our Lives Richard A. Rhem Page 2   But the very idea of a sovereign gracious purpose of God is already an idea which rests on faith; it is a statement of fundamental trust. It is a faith claim that our lives find meaning and purpose by resting in and being caught up in a plan and purpose of God Who is sovereign and gracious. The specific theme of this message is that the tapestry of our lives is determined by the thread of God's plan woven through it. We are often "spooked" by the phrase, "plan of God." Some speak of it too glibly, too easily as though they are fully informed as to the Divine design. Some speak of it defensively as though any such plan must reduce human freedom and responsibility to insignificance. Some speak of it despairingly wondering how in the world one can ever find it out and fit into it. Because of the difficulties it raises we have too often been silent about the plan of God; knowing not how to deal with it, we have simply not dealt with it. Yet what is more important to our spiritual peace and human wellbeing than a sense that our lives are meaningful as they are caught up in the plan and purpose of God? My contention in this message is that one can trust in, if not discern, the thread of God's plan in the tapestry of our lives. That contention is based on the conviction that God is working His purpose out in spite of, through and against every human effort. God does His own work and executes His own sovereign, gracious purpose at the same time that He fully honors the work of His creatures. This is a mystery and we honor the mystery; we do not attempt to dissolve it or to rationalize it. But the contention is essential if we would let God be God and at the same time reckon with our own freedom and responsibility. Neither the freedom of the creature nor the gracious sovereignty of God is canceled. They are not in conflict nor are they to be equated. God's will makes use of all human action but is domesticated or limited by no human decision or action. Recall the image of the river. Humans blast away at rock and run bulldozers through forests and hills to make a canal. God makes the river which meets resistance and flows another way, but eventually reaches the sea. The purpose of God may be delayed; it may be held in abeyance; it will not be defeated. Through every human action and effort runs a transcendent purpose according to a plan of God, which he will sovereignly effect for salvation and life. We could soon get bogged down in abstract debate were we simply to argue this point. This unfortunately has too often been the case in the history of theological discussion. The Bible does not engage in abstract speculation. Rather, it tells stories. The narrative of God's going with His people through their history is told and retold in order to keep memory alive and stimulate hope. The classic story of God's providence is the narrative of Joseph. It is a familiar story and Joseph is a favorite Bible character. © Grand Valley State University �Thread of God’s Plan in the Tapestry of Our Lives Richard A. Rhem Page 3   The story brings to a close the history of the Patriarchs, the history that brings us up to the Exodus and the creation of the nation Israel. Abraham was given the initial covenant promise. It passed to Isaac and then to Jacob. Jacob's name was changed to Israel. He had twelve sons, one of whom was Joseph. He loved Joseph above the others and showed his partiality openly, giving Joseph a long robe with sleeves, a mark of his special favor. This offended the brothers and engendered their hatred. But Jacob's special favor was not all. Joseph further alienated his brothers when he related his dreams. While binding sheaves in the field, Joseph told how his sheaf stood up and the brother's sheaves bowed down to his. It took no special insight to get the meaning. They hated him! In another dream, the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed down to him. This was too much even for Jacob. He reprimanded Joseph. One day Jacob sent Joseph to see how his brothers were doing with the flocks out in the field. The brothers saw him coming and decided to do away with him. Rather than kill him, they sold him to traveling merchants who brought him to Egypt and sold him as a slave. The brothers ripped his beautiful cloak, stained it with blood and took it to their father, claiming a wild animal had killed Joseph. Jacob grieved and would not be comforted. In Egypt Joseph prospered for the story tells us God was with him. He endured many trials, but finally was raised to the rank of Prime Minister over all Egypt because he interpreted a dream of Pharaoh. He said there would be seven years of plenty and then seven years of famine. He suggested that a plan should be put into effect to prepare for the lean years. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge and he proved a wise administrator. When the famine hit, Jacob and his sons, too, were without food. They went to Egypt to secure provisions and to whom did they appeal but to Joseph whom they did not recognize, but who recognized them. In the end, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. They were fearful that now Joseph would get his revenge, but instead he reassured them, saying: Now do not be distressed or take it amiss that you sold me into slavery here; it was God who sent me ahead of you to save men’s lives…God sent me ahead of you to ensure that you will have descendants on earth… So it was not you who sent me here, but God… Genesis 45:5-8 He then sent them back to fetch father Jacob and there was a moving reunion. Joseph settled his family in a district of Egypt where they were preserved and prospered. But then old Jacob died and again the brothers were fearful. Had Joseph only restrained his anger until his father died? Would he now wreak vengeance on his © Grand Valley State University �Thread of God’s Plan in the Tapestry of Our Lives Richard A. Rhem Page 4   brothers? So they came to him, pleading forgiveness. The text tells us they bowed down before him. (The dream was realized). But again Joseph proved gracious. In the words of our text he says, Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You meant to do me harm, but God meant to bring good out of it by preserving the lives of many people, as we see today. Do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your dependents. Thus he comforted them and set their minds at rest. The Joseph narrative could better be handled in a series of messages for the richness of teaching that lies embedded therein cannot possibly be handled in the compass of one message. But let me simply point you to some areas for reflection. To begin with, note that Joseph speaks of the contrast between the intention of the genuinely human action of the brothers and the action of God. You meant to do me harm; but God meant to bring good out of it... The word for "meant" in Hebrew is hasab. An alternative translation is "plan." You planned ... God planned... The reality of our human situation is that we make plans; we plan. It cannot be otherwise because we are by our very nature creatures open to the future. Some of us make long-range plans; some of us more or less bump along; still it is a rare individual who does not at some time think, "Someday I will...” The scriptures affirm that God plans, too. God is a purposeful Being. Here we bump into that scary idea of Predestination. Listen to St. Paul. He has made known to us his hidden purpose – such was his will and pleasure determined beforehand in Christ – to be put into effect when the time was ripe; namely, that the universe, all in heaven and on earth, might be brought into a unity in Christ. Ephesians 1:9-10 God is a God with a plan. Created in God's image, we, too, have the capacity, the inevitability of planning. It is in the conjunction of our plan and God's plan that history moves on its way. Now I could give you a whole list of citations from scripture speaking of God's plan and human plans. Let me simply say this: Human planning is a genuinely human action of free and responsible persons. Those plans are not crushed, tossed aside, treated with derision by God. They are our acts; they stand. They create their own reality. God's plan works in, through, in spite of and against our plans. © Grand Valley State University �Thread of God’s Plan in the Tapestry of Our Lives Richard A. Rhem Page 5   God's plan will finally have its way; sometimes delayed, sometimes detoured, sometimes held in abeyance; yet God will have God's way. This the Joseph narrative teaches us. We must take care holding this truth, not to claim too much. We must be careful not to picture a God in some ethereal heaven swooping down and rescuing his people when the going gets tough - a God who always intervenes to make things right. That is naive and simplistic and it may create a cozy feeling for some of the time, but it cannot stand up before the tragedy and suffering of human experience. It cannot be maintained in light of the experience of Jesus in crucifixion. God is no "quick fix" for human suffering. not to claim too little, falling into the trap of a humanism that removes God as major actor in the human drama, claiming God "has no hands but our hands." A humanism embarrassed about faith will also miss the point of the biblical teaching and the confidence and comfort that comes from trusting the working out of the sovereign, gracious purpose of God. God's rule is no vacuous sovereignty, the assertion of some absolute but irrelevant power quite removed from the arena of life and history. God has a plan. God is working out that plan; we can be certain of it; we can rely on it. God is working out that plan in and through human willing and planning and action. God's plan will ultimately have its way. The text teaches us further, that God plans for our good. God meant (planned) to bring good out of it. The series title is “The Mystery of God's Sovereign Grace.” Not raw sovereignty, not absolute power, not a coercive, crushing, all-mightiness. No, rather a gracious plan and purpose that will prevail - "for good." You recognize that word "good." God surveyed the creation He had fashioned and said, "Very good!" (Genesis 1:31) That is where this book of beginning begins. Now at its ending, once again we have the affirmation of God's purpose for good that reminds us of St. Paul's classic faith statement: God works all things together for the good of those who love him. When the curtain rings down on the whole cosmic drama, the whole human story, God will have only one word to speak: Good. © Grand Valley State University �Thread of God’s Plan in the Tapestry of Our Lives Richard A. Rhem Page 6   And we shall be wrapped in the eternal praise of God's sovereign, gracious purpose, finally brought to fruition, and we shall echo the word: Good. Alleluia! Thus in our human existence, caught between a world tending toward death and a God intending life, we live with Realism - about our human place, its fragility, its peril, its pain. There is no Pollyanna view of things. Sometimes it is very dark; sometimes it hurts so bad. Certitude - about the outcome of the whole drama because of the faithfulness of God. Realism alone leads to despair because it focuses only on the danger and peril. Certitude alone leads to romanticism, focusing only on victory and failing to reckon with battle as though one is immune to the tragedy. Biblical faith is unflinching in its realism, undoubting about the outcome. Where does that leave us? Go again to the text; hear Joseph say to his brothers' urgent pleas for mercy, Am I in the place of God? Joseph's faith enabled him to wait on the Lord, to commit his way unto the Lord, to be patient as the drama of his life unfolded. Such a confidence in the overarching purpose of God enabled him to trust in faith and love. It saved him from anger, that dissipating emotion that drains one of energy and creative living, that spoils everything, souring life. How many of us live with unresolved anger - anger at God, anger at others, anger at ourselves? It energized him for meaningful action. His administration in Egypt spared the nation and his own family. God's plan is not the end of human planning, but its foundation. His life had purpose. Joseph trusted God's plan. Joseph worked the plan. As we leave this story, so vivid in its portrayal of God's hidden gracious, sovereign purpose in and through human purposing, let me leave you with Joseph's application for our lives. His first word to his brothers was, "Fear not." That is the word Abraham heard when God called. It is the word Second Isaiah heard when in Exile in Babylon. It was the word Mary heard when encountered by Gabriel. It was the word shepherds heard at the birth of Jesus. It was the word of the resurrected Christ on Easter morning. Dear friends, hear it; it is for you. Fear not. Whatever you are facing - fear not. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost XIII Series The Mystery of God's Sovereign Grace Scripture Text Genesis 50: 19-20 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19870830 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-08-30 Title A name given to the resource The Thread of God's Plan in the Tapestry of Our Lives Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on August 30, 1987 entitled "The Thread of God's Plan in the Tapestry of Our Lives", as part of the series "The Mystery of God's Sovereign Grace", on the occasion of Pentecost XIII, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Genesis 50: 19-20. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives God's Sovereign Grace Joseph Meaning Trust