Joseph – Not the Musical (Genesis 37 – 50)
I enjoyed the musical, “Joseph and His Technicolor Dreamcoat,” which in itself is a great seed planting vehicle. I don’t know if Andrew Lloyd Webber was trying to share a bit of his faith in putting this musical together, but even so, I wonder about the number of people who may have gone back to the Old Testament to read about Joseph and his story of providence and started to grow that seed of faith. God uses all things, all people, to work His will and spread His message of love and salvation.
For now, I want to focus on part of the character of a seed planter. Sharing the message of Christ with others is a challenge to many. It doesn’t come easy. And even for those who have no problem in talking about their faith, there are times when challenges arise to test us all. Temptations to take us away. Distractions to loosen our focus. Times when the world is really against us and persecutions are strong. Through it all, we must stay firm in fulfilling our purpose - to share the message of Christ.
Joseph exemplifies the kind of strength, faith, and perseverance we need as seed planters to stay the course, not give up, and continue sharing.
Joseph was a guy who had it all. A favorite son of Jacob with a really groovy coat, or robe to be more exact. He might have been a bit cocky and a little too boastful at times, but not enough to have his brothers throw him into a pit and then sell him off as a slave. But that’s when Joseph’s true colors began to shine and his patient faith to wait on God’s time, not his, shone forth. For a while things looked good as he served in Potiphar’s house and was well taken care of. But then ol’ Potiphar’s wife made a move on Joseph and he remained a gentleman. All he got for his efforts was prison. But even in jail, God blessed him. All this time, though, I’m sure Joseph would have rather been back home with his father. He could have grumbled and complained to God asking why all this was happening to him and when would he be free? But instead, he waited on God, trusted in God, and made the best of every situation he was in. He never doubted, never gave up, never became distracted. Even after he helped out the chief cup-bearer by interpreting his dreams, the guy forgot to help him out in return for two more years! Finally, Joseph is called to interpret the Pharaoh’s dreams and then the rest is history.
But what an ordeal to get there. Years of waiting, of moving around, of good times and bad times, but hardly any time Joseph would have probably chosen on his own.
Trust in God. Wait on God. Have faith in God. Day after day after day. And when those times come when it seems impossible for you to share your faith or the situation just seems hopeless, remember Joseph and how God always turned the situation around no matter what the odds. Don’t think that you can’t share the love of Jesus in your own way. Don’t think you are too small or insignificant and don’t think that what you do doesn’t matter to God.
It does.
But skip the funky colored coats.
David – Renaissance Man (1 Samuel 16 – 1 Kings 2)
What a story. What a guy, huh? Christ was called the “Son of David.” What an honor. But what a complex, flawed, yet faithful man. God’s soldier. One of the great’s if not the greatest man in the Old Testament. Moses might give him a run for the money, but I like David because he is about as human as they get. He was brave yet he had fears. He was noble yet he lusted. He sang and danced yet he had moments of great sadness. He was...human. He sinned yet repented. God forgave him and blessed him but also let him live with the consequences of his sinful acts. Go back and read his story in the Bible and learn from this dynamite man, whom God said is “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22). Yes, a sinner like the rest of us but yet he never succumbed to sin so much that it took over his life.
The part I want to focus on here briefly is David the poet. David the dancer. David the music lover.
Let’s start with David the poet. If you don’t already know, David wrote many of the Psalms in the Bible. Words full of emotion, energy, passion, pain, and sorrow. Words from God, written through David, to touch our souls. Do you write? Have you ever shared your feelings in poetry? Have you ever thought of sharing your faith that way? Sharing the love, excitement, the overwhelming joy and gratitude you have bursting inside your heart for what Jesus has done for you? But yet your tongue is tied and as much as you want to tell people about what Jesus’ love and sacrifice means to you, something holds you back from speaking.
But not from writing. Let those fingers do the walking.
More than 70 Psalms are attributed to David and many are connected to his life – when he was running from Saul; when people tried to betray him; after being confronted about his adultery with Bathsheba – and many just overflow with David’s love and joy in the Lord. So much that he had to – he HAD TO – write about it and share it with others.
Here are a few to explore that show just a part of the range of David’s expression – all poured out to God in word: Psalm 34 (Praise the Lord at all times); Psalm 142 (God is my refuge); Psalm 54 (God is my helper); Psalm 51 (God will not despise a broken and contrite heart); Psalm 8 (God cares for his most valuable creation—us); Psalm 30 (God is always faithful); Psalm 65 (God provides us with everything); Psalm 96 (Praise God – sing about him, tell others about him, worship him, and give him the glory); Psalm 145 (God is full of love); Psalm 144 (Happy are those whose God is the Lord).
David was a true Renaissance man (so he was born a bunch of years before the actual Renaissance. He was a man ahead of his time). But being the multi-talented guy he was, he also could rock the house with music from his harp. In 2 Samuel 22, David sang a song to the Lord after the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and Saul. He created a musical program for use in the Lord’s tabernacle.
Read 1 Chronicles 25:
“David and the army commanders then appointed men from the families of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to proclaim God’s messages to the accompaniment of harps, lyres, and cymbals...All these men were under the direction of their fathers as they made music at the house of the Lord. Their responsibilities included the playing of cymbals, lyres, and harps at the house of God. ...They and their families were all trained in making music before the Lord, and each of them—288 in all—was an accomplished musician.”
Whew! Let the concert begin!
Do you play a musical instrument? Do you want to? Then do it for the Lord and let your notes soar to the heavens with praise to God. Let your message of music reach the ears of those who do not know Christ and allow the music to dwell deep within their souls where that musical seed planted will spring to life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Can someone say, “Amen!”?
One more thing to say about David. Check out 1 Chronicles 15:25-29:
“Then David and the leaders of Israel and the generals of the army went to the home of Obed-edom to bring the Ark of the Lord’s covenant up to Jerusalem with a great celebration. And because God was clearly helping the Levites as they carried the Ark of the Lord’s covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven lambs. David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were the Levites who carried the Ark, the singers, and Kenaniah the song leader. David was also wearing a priestly tunic. So all Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord’s covenant to Jerusalem with shouts of joy, the blowing of horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on harps and lyres.
“But as the Ark of the Lord’s covenant entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David dancing and leaping for joy, she was filled with contempt for him.”
David was never afraid to let the love of God that was in his heart pour forth boldly and publicly. He didn’t care if people laughed at him or scorned him. He let his love shine and he used the talents God gave him in the arts (among many other talents) to share with the world the message of God: “Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises...” (1 Chronicles 16:8-36).
Rock on, David. Rock on.
Paul – The Ultimate Seed Planter (Most of the New Testament)
I think we could make a pretty good argument that Paul is the biggest seed planter of ‘em all (of all humans, that is). Not only what he did in his day with the numerous mission trips he made, but the fact that God chose to speak through his hand and voice to record some of the most stirring words of the Bible. Well, he’s number one on my list anyway.
Finding Common Ground With Those You Witness To
When I am with the Jews, I become one of them so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with those who follow the Jewish laws, I do the same, even thought I am not subject to the law, so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with the Gentiles who do not have the Jewish law, I fit in with them as much as I can. In this way, I gain their confidence and bring them to Christ. But I do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.
When I am with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ. I do all this to spread the Good News, and in doing so I enjoy
its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:20-23
Of course, there is a ton we could write about Paul and his seed planting ways, but I want to focus on one section of Acts in chapter 17 because it illustrates Paul’s ability to use the culture around him – the beliefs, attitudes, customs, and behavior of the “world”, so to speak – as a means of planting a seed and sharing the message of Christ. He just didn’t come walking out to the crowd and start bellowing out a hell and brimstone speech. Instead, he used a piece of culture that people were familiar with, could have a conversation about, and might be interested in discussing further so as not to scare them off or turn them off immediately. This is an important story because it is at the core of what being a seed planter is all about – going under the radar and using the culture of our world to point to the story of Christ.
Let’s see what Paul did in Acts 17:16-34a:
“While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. He went to the synagogue to debate with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.
“He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, ‘This babbler has picked up some strange ideas.’ Other said, ‘He’s pushing some foreign religion.’
“Then they took him to the Council of Philosophers. ‘Come and tell us more about this new religion,’ they said. ‘You are saying some rather startling things, and we want to know what it’s all about.’ (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)
“So Paul, standing before the Council, addressed them as follows: ‘Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious, for as I was walking along I saw your many altars. And one of them has this inscription on it—To An Unknown God. You have been worshipping him without knowing who he is, and now I wish to tell you about him. {Clever guy, that Paul is} He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need there is. From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand which should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
“His purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As one of your own poets says, ‘We are his offspring.” And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone. God overlooked people’s former ignorance about these things, but now he commands everyone everywhere to turn away from idols and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.’
“When they heard Paul speak of the resurrection of a person who had been dead, some laughed, but others said, ‘We want to hear more about this later.’ That ended Paul’s discussion with them, but some joined him and became believers.”
Pretty good stuff, huh?
Now Paul could have come blasting out of the gates condemning all their idols and beliefs and, though technically right, probably wouldn’t have reached anyone that day. And he wasn’t trying to be sneaky or make it sound like he condoned their beliefs. Paul offered them respect as he spoke and didn’t sugar coat things either. He simply talked to the people of Athens on their terms, in their style of speaking and debating and he tied the message of God and the resurrection right into it. He came right out and said, “Hey, no idols, man, time to turn away from them and believe the real deal.” And he used elements of their culture to plant his message – their idol to “An Unknown God,” and the words of their own poet, “We are his offspring.” Paul planted some seeds that day. Not all the seeds sprouted – “some laughed” – but some “became believers.”
And that’s how it will be – some will tell you to take a hike, so be prepared for that. But if your approach is one where you can at least start the conversation, that is, have a point of entry, with something they already know or are comfortable talking about, then you can work in your message of Christ, too. And remember why you’re doing this, too – because you have something exciting and wonderful in your life and all you want to do is share with others – just like talking about the latest blockbuster movie you saw over the weekend and come Monday you can’t wait to tell your friends about it so they can go see for themselves. It’s that easy.
Checklist & Summary
1. Seed Planters from the Bible – they’re everywhere, check it out. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, from the smallest to the greatest – seed planters come in all shapes and sizes.
2. God has a purpose for everyone, including you. No one is insignificant in God’s eyes. Everyone can be a seed planter.
3. Like Paul, be alert to your surroundings – the people, their interests, the culture, etc. – and look for ways to introduce your message of salvation in Christ through your surroundings.
4. We’ve just read about many great people from the Bible who all planted seeds in their own way. But there are so many more to read about and learn from. Read your Bible daily. Seems obvious, right? But do you? Sorry, had to ask. And if not, “Just do it!” :-)
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