I do greet you again this evening and for a final time in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and I really am thankful, my wife and I are thankful for the opportunity to have been here with you over this weekend. Even though I have had responsibilities, it's really been a refreshing time. You have been a great blessing to us. I go home refreshed having been here. Even though it's been some work, it's been a great blessing. And so I do want to extend a thank you to those who were responsible for issuing the invitation. It was really wonderful to get, and I'm very glad we were able to come up. I want us to return back to the passage that we were in this morning. And so if you'll get your Bibles and turn back to chapter 46 of Genesis, I want to reread this passage, read one more short passage from the New Testament, and then really just make two more observations this evening. I appreciated Pastor Kingswood's prayer. acknowledging to God that we come this evening simply to give him humble, joyful worship. And I hope that that will characterize the final message this evening. Nothing profound tonight at all, really just some very basic instruction and reminder of what we're called to in this world as believers, and hopefully a note of comfort and expectant joy as we leave this evening. Again, very basic stuff of our faith tonight, just that we hopefully can rejoice in together as we conclude our time, at least the teaching time of our conference together. Let's give our careful hearing again this evening to the reading of God's holy and infallible word. Again, Genesis chapter 46, we're going to pick up the reading in verse 29. Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel, his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. Israel said to Joseph, now let me die since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive. Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, I will go up and tell Pharaoh and will say to him, my brothers and my father's household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me. And the men are shepherds for they have been keepers of livestock and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have. When Pharaoh calls you and says, what is your occupation, you shall say, Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers, in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen. For every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians." So Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, my father and my brothers with their flocks and herds and all that they possess have come from the land of Canaan. They are now in the land of Goshen. And from among his brothers, he took five men and presented them to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to his brothers, what is your occupation? And they said, we have come, they said to Pharaoh, your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were. They said to Pharaoh, we have come to sojourn in the land. for there is no pasture for your servants' flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. And now, please, let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.' Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen. And if you know any able men among them, put them in charge of my livestock." Then Joseph brought in Jacob, his father, and stood him before Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said to Jacob, How many are the days of the years of your life? And Jacob said to Pharaoh, The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from the presence of Pharaoh. Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best land, in the land of Ramses, as Pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's household with food according to the number of their dependents." And if you'll just put your finger there and turn forward from Another brief passage to the book of 1 John. 1 John, beginning the reading in verse 28 of chapter 2, and we'll read through the third verse together. And now, little children, abide in him so that when he appears, we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him. See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as he is pure. Please bow with me briefly in prayer. Our Father in heaven, we have been calling out to you this day and this evening, and we come again now as we have read your word, seeking what only you can give And that is the blessing of your spirit and his opening of our hearts and illuminating your word so that we might benefit from it, so that we might see Christ therein. And so, Father, we come to you, coming in the name of the great shepherd, Jesus, Acknowledging to you that we are your sheep. And so we ask you to feed us tonight again. Please give us the manna from heaven. For we ask it in Jesus name. Amen. Well this morning we began to look at this passage here in the book of Genesis and from it, and I know some of you weren't here this morning, but from it we have seen that in this world as believers we can expect to be viewed, and it's a contradictory way that we are viewed in this world, but we can expect because we are followers of the great Shepherd Jesus Christ, we can be Or we can expect to be viewed as honored abominations. Honored abominations. That is, at times, we can expect to be both liked, but also despised by the world, precisely because we are the people, we are the followers, again, of the great shepherd, Jesus Christ. We've also seen that the call upon us as we live in this world, and as we walk by faith, the call upon us, no matter what our circumstances might be, is to live as, and again, it's another seemingly contradictory state that we find ourselves in, but we are to live as settled sojourners. There is something that we have in this world, and yet we are just passing through. It is right and it is necessary and it is even good to be established in homes and jobs and in our society. But we will nevertheless always be, at the end of the day, because of who we are, we will always be pilgrims passing through seeking our heavenly homeland. And in the question and answer time after the morning service this morning, the group that was gathered in here, the adults, we began to discuss what that actually looks like. What does it look like to be an honored abomination or what does it look like to be a settled sojourner? And I think that we realized very quickly that it is one thing to agree that we should be honored abominations and settled sojourners, but it's quite another thing to know how to do that. To know what that looks like. We're called to live separated lives as the peculiar people of God, but what does that actually look like in the real world? How can we hold all of these things together? What might be some things that we can actually focus on? Is there anything tangible that we could grab onto and begin to walk in light of all of this in this world? Well, this evening as we close out the teaching of the theme of the conference, I want to suggest one thing, just one thing. that we see very clearly in the passage. And then conclude with one just final thought. But that one thing that we see very clearly from the passage that we can seek to begin to put into practices and I told you as time went on the blanks would get shorter and so if you're filling those in, the first thing that we see very clearly that we are called to do in this world is that we are to be a blessing. We are called to be a blessing. I spoke earlier about telling people when you meet them, like we see Joseph instructing his brothers to do here, to tell people up front in your relationship with them, truthfully, graciously, and humbly who you are. But I think we also need to realize that once you do that, once you identify as a follower of the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, you have now put yourself under a microscope. And you have essentially put a target upon your own back. And therefore, you need to realize that there is more involved in telling people that you are a Christian. There's more than just saying those words. Now, you must really show it and be that. That is, it's one thing to claim it. It's quite another to actually live it. But too often, our first reaction to a call like this is to think of and to try to get in our minds clear those things that we shouldn't do so that we can show ourselves to be different than the world rather than positively thinking of those things that we should do proactively to show ourselves different than the world. And that's what I want to zero in on briefly this evening. Namely, that you are called to be a blessing. You see, we are not primarily called to try and keep everything nice in this world. Rather, we are called as the covenant people of God to be a blessing in this world. Jacob blessed Pharaoh. A believer blessed a pagan. And as sharers in the same covenant, And as sharers in the same promises, we are to do the same. And that could very well mean that we need, we need to reassess how we are perceived and how we actually speak in our culture. I think it's becoming very common knowledge that the Christian faith in the West has become so politicized that the message of the gospel has been radically obscured. And it has been obscured by political rhetoric. That is, people see Christian faith as inseparable from the religious right political conservatism. And while that is, and please hear me, and while that is not always a bad thing, I think we have to acknowledge that it is not always a good thing either. And while this is not at all the only application of what we could be talking about here, Nor is it the only problem facing Christians today. I think we need, as a church again, to drop the political rhetoric of the right and be much more concerned with our identity in Christ. More concerned of that identity than our identity with either this or that political movement. Part of being the covenant people of God is that we are strangers and exiles and pilgrims in this world. And thus, this is not, this world is not our final destination. And because it's not, we can't live and act and function as if we are in the same boat as the rest of the world, because we are not. We have a hope that doesn't really ultimately come into its own until this world ends. And therefore, we can't take our, I'm not saying not to be involved, but we can't take our political cues, nor get our tactics from the world. Rather, we are to be bringers and we are to be bearers of the good news of the gospel. Proclaimers of a heavenly kingdom. And in proclaiming that, we are decidedly not to be nasty know-it-alls. And in accord with the covenant of grace, through you, I will bless the nations. In accord with the covenant of grace and until Christ returns, we are to be, without compromising our faith, we are to be a blessing to the world around us. And men and women and young boys and young girls, we can all I don't care what your age is, what your station in life is. We can all be a blessing in small ways that are consistent, decidedly consistent with being God's people. Much of the glorious history of the church. should be continuing to be true today is that we should be the ones giving a kind word to those around us. We should be the ones engaged in gracious acts in our culture, loving the unlovely, showing mercy to those in need, giving a cup of cold water in Jesus' name, that we should be the ones who are recognized as being trustworthy and honest people. We should be the ones through whom God's blessings and yes, even temporal blessings come into this world. And especially, we should be the ones bringing the blessed offer of salvation for sinners as we make known the glorious gospel of grace to lost and dying sinners. And you see, this is something that every one of us can do no matter where we are in life. Are you a student? Consider your attitude. Consider your actions at school. How are you with your teacher? How are you with your fellow classmates? Very small ways we can be a blessing. Are you an employee? Well, what is your work ethic? Do you work as unto the Lord? Or are you an eye-pleaser only? Or do you work knowing that ultimately you serve the Lord Christ? Do you have a neighbor? What's your reputation with your neighbor as much as you can help it? Are you there for them? Maybe I should ask, do you even know them? Are you a husband? Are you a wife? What is your marriage telling people about Christ and His church? Are you a friend? Are you a good friend? Are you dependable? In the relationship, are you merely a taker or do you give in that relationship, that friendship? Congregation, we of all people, in fact, we really are the only people who can be a blessing because Christ is being formed in us. by the work of the Holy Spirit and because we of all people are not living for just the here and now. We don't have to fight for the rights of just now because we are receiving an eternal kingdom which cannot be shaken. We are pilgrims, we are settled sojourners, we are living for and we are longing for the heavenly reality We are looking forward. Ultimately, the thing that we should long for more than anything is that beatific vision when we will fully and finally see Jesus face to face. That brings us to the second point tonight. Again, I think and obviously you're hearing just very simple things, simple reminders. This brings us to the second point, seeing face-to-face. Our passage today began with the moving account of Joseph and Jacob. You heard me read it there. They finally meet face-to-face after 22 years, during which time, all of that time, Jacob had thought that his beloved son, Joseph, was dead. And Jacob's comment upon seeing Joseph alive. Did you catch that? Now I can die. That should remind us. It does remind me of a similar acknowledgement later in redemptive history. Maybe you're thinking about it as well. I think specifically of Simeon's Comment upon seeing Jesus as a baby recorded in Luke chapter 2 Lord now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your words for my eyes have seen your salvation In other words I can die now Now it's it's it's far too much to go into this evening, but Something that if we had more time to be able to show The church, historically, universally, has always recognized that Joseph, Joseph is presented in the book of Genesis as a clear foreshadowing of the person of Jesus Christ. And it is stunning. For example, the book begins with creation and fall. And it ends with a son of Abraham. It ends with Joseph ruling over and saving the kingdoms of this world. This is after, if you read the life of Joseph, this is after he has already been noted to be the beloved son of his father. After he has been betrayed by his brothers. After he has gone down into the pit. After he has been raised up again. in glory. And throughout Genesis there are these echoes of the life of Jesus in the life of Joseph. And if you'll permit that, and maybe even grant me a little slack here, I'll go Spurgeon-esque. bit. I think that there's something that we can learn from Jacob seeing Joseph face-to-face. And that is that after and upon seeing the living Joseph face-to-face, he is ready to go. His life is complete. He's done. And brothers and sisters, seeing the living Jesus face-to-face is what Scripture constantly puts before us as the climax of our life as well, our walking by faith. You see, walking by faith, as we talked about in the very first message, that is only a temporal thing. We will not need faith in heaven because we will see then face to face. Yesterday we spoke of repentance. Repentance is only a temporal thing. It's not an activity that will continue on in heaven. Repentance, faith, they will pass away. But dwelling with Christ forever in glory is what we have promised to us in the Gospel. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13 verse 12, For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. That's the promise and goal of our faith, to fully and finally see our Savior. Right now we live in a complex, seemingly contradictory world. We seem to live contradictory lives. We are at times honored, and yet we're simultaneously abhorred. We are at times settled into stable lifestyles and situations, and yet we are still sojourning, never fully able to settle down. We have eyes that see, and yet we are called to walk by faith, a faith which is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. But it will all come to an end when we will finally be brought into that eternal inter-Trinitarian fellowship. which is where Christ came to share that joy and that love that He and the Father had enjoyed for all eternity with us. And He will finally come and He will bring us to Himself. And that is our end. That is our ultimate goal. The Apostle Peter began his first letter greeting the saints as elect exiles. And that is what we are as well. And therefore, this evening, I'm trying to keep with what I told you at the beginning. This would be a shorter message tonight. I want to conclude the messages of the conference reading to you, you who are God's elect exiles. I want you to see Peter's opening, instructive, and encouraging words. And I want this to be what you go out with. You have this in the bulletin if you have a bulletin from today, 1 Peter 1, verses 3 through 9. Let's really take these words to heart and consider them as we conclude our evening tonight. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary. You have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Congregation, do that. Walk by faith with your eyes upon Christ, seeking to obtain the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Amen. Let's pray together. our Father in heaven. We wander out and we long to see that glorious inheritance in the saints that we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, we look to you as we go back into our lives that you might enable us and strengthen us by your spirit. that you might continue to build up ourselves in our most holy faith so that we can keep before us the glory of Jesus Christ, our life in him, our inheritance in him. Father, please change our lives, make them conform to that great glorious aim that is put before us in the gospel. As was prayed earlier, the very reason that we have been predestined that we might come to full conformity to the image of Jesus Christ. Hasten that day, O God, when we see him face to face and are immediately changed forever. We long for that day. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. We do pray these things to your father in your name. Amen.