Plays On Word Radio
An in-depth look at the Word of God, the Plays On Word community, and the Plays - with original music - we perform, that are based on the Word of God. New episodes drop Fridays at 7AM EST! To find out how Plays On Word Theater can perform 'LIVE on YOUR STAGE' and to support this missionary & podcast visit: https://playsonword.org/
Plays On Word Radio
Ep 80: God's Hand in Joseph’s Life - A Journey of Faith
"Can you imagine enduring family betrayal and rising to immense power? Join Pastor Teddy on Plays on Word Radio as he guides us through Joseph's journey in Genesis. How does Joseph's story inspire your faith?"
Can you imagine enduring betrayal by your own family and rising to a position of immense power, all while maintaining unwavering faith? Join us on this week's Plays on Word Radio as Pastor Teddy, also known as Fred David Kenney Jr., guides us through the extraordinary journey of Joseph in Genesis 42 and 43. From being sold into slavery at a tender age to interpreting Pharaoh's dreams and ultimately becoming a ruler in Egypt, Joseph's story is a testament to divine foresight and trust in God's plans. Pastor Teddy sheds light on the profound contrast between our limited view and God's omniscience, offering comfort and assurance through faith. Don't miss the powerful exploration of Joseph's interactions with his brothers during a time of famine, highlighting their guilt, remorse, and the inevitable fulfillment of God's grand design.
Shift your focus to the compelling narrative of Jacob and his sons, where despair meets divine orchestration. Pastor Teddy draws poignant parallels between Jacob's struggles and Job's profound suffering, illustrating how we often overlook God's hand in our hardships. Through insights from Genesis, 1 Peter, and Matthew, we are reminded of God's unwavering care and encouraged to trust His plan, even when life seems insurmountable. As we wrap up, be inspired by a message of hope and God's extraordinary plans for our lives — a hope that reassures us of miracles beyond our imagination. Tune in for a blessing of peace and grace to carry you through the week, leaving you uplifted and steadfast in faith.
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Lord you know. Hey guys, you are now listening to Plays on Word Radio. You're welcome.
Speaker 2:The scripture gives us these views and in this story we know, we know like those of you who have read the story and have seen the play and know the story, we know the beginning from the end of this story. We get a taste of what it's like for God. He knows the beginning from the end. That's why when he says do not fear, he means it because he knows the end. When he tells you something, you can bank on it. You're the only name. You're the only name. You're the only name.
Speaker 1:Hello and welcome to Plays on Word Radio, where we discuss, analyze, work and play on the Word of God. Thank you for joining us on this excursion. Today let's join Pastor Teddy, also known as Fred David Kenny Jr, the founder of Plays on Word Theater, as he does a deep dive into the Word of God.
Speaker 2:All right, yeah, amen. Thank you Josh Taylor and Katie Kenney for that intro. Oh, let me also thank Isaac Wabamba and Aunt Bev, also because they're at the top of the intro. Welcome to all of you listening to Plays on Word Radio. My name is Fred David Kenney Jr, otherwise known as Pastor Teddy. Yeah, that's that Mike Morgan bumper music right there. Maybe you know what. Maybe one of these days I'm going to play that whole song for you guys. Put my foot through it on that one. Anyway, welcome to Plays on Word Radio.
Speaker 2:We are continuing our excursion through the Scripture. Last week we looked at Genesis 42, and this week we're going to be looking at 42 and 43. And currently Plays on Word. We are out on the road right now doing a Pete tour in the Northeast. We have some dates in the Northeast and we are going to tomorrow we're going to be performing the Pete play at a Messianic congregation in Livingston, new Jersey, and we are very excited about that, looking forward to that, seeing our friend Beverly, and yeah, it's going to be great, and James and Rabbi Irvin, and yeah, it's going to be great. We're looking forward to that. And thank you all of you. Plays on Word supporters that are part of the support team that help us make it possible that we can actually go to these places, these different locations, and bring the gospel and bring the Word of God in the church, and we also look to bring unbelievers into the family of God by presenting the good news of Jesus Christ, the gospel of Jesus, the good news, and so that is. We are on mission right now, but while we're on mission, Plays All Word Radio. Hey, still rocking steady Amen.
Speaker 2:So we are going to continue with this story of Joseph and this is we're dealing with our Genesis. Joe play is the inspiration for this study and we are working through Genesis 37 through 50. And we are currently in Genesis 42. And last week we talked about the Ten Commandments. Even we didn't dive super deep into it, but just basically pointed out that no one has kept the Ten Commandments. No one, nobody has kept the Ten Commandments. And if they try to tell you they kept the Ten Commandments, right there, they're disqualified because that's a lie. There, they're disqualified because that's a lie. Okay, so we're moving through Genesis 42, and I think we stopped around verse 18 or 19.
Speaker 2:19 says we were laughing at the fact that the brothers told Joseph when they had come to buy grain from him, that they actually said we're honest men. Joseph accused them of being spies and in verse 19, he says let one of your brothers remain here, confined where you are in custody, and let the rest of you go and carry grain for your family, grain for the famine of your households verse 20, and bring your youngest brother to me so your words will be verified and that you shall not die. And they did so. Then they said to one another In truth, we are guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the distress of his soul when he begged us and we didn't listen. That's why this distress has come upon us. Verse 22,. And Reuben answered Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood, and we pointed out last week that you know, this is 22 years.
Speaker 2:It kicked off when he. It kicked off when he in Genesis 37, he was 17 years old Okay, he was 17 years old sold into slavery into Egypt, sold to Potiphar. Potiphar's wife came on to him. Potiphar had him thrown in prison. He was in prison for years. Then the cupbearer and the baker end up getting thrown in prison. They work for Pharaoh directly and they had dreams.
Speaker 2:Joseph interpreted their dreams. Things turned out exactly the way he said and he thought the cupbearers because he gave him a good interpretation. He was going to go right back to work for Pharaoh and he was expecting to get out of prison because he was put there wrongly. He did nothing wrong and it says after two years. The guy forgot him for two years and then Pharaoh had a dream and nobody can interpret it, and that's when the cup bearer remembered. And so Pharaoh called for Joseph and Joseph interpreted the dreams and Joseph was raised to the right hand of power. Pharaoh gave him his signet, ring, gold chain, new clothes and everything and basically put him in charge. Put him in charge of the land of Egypt. This all happened when he was 30. So from 17 to 30, those are some hard years for this brother, right, but he's 30 years old Now.
Speaker 2:The dreams of Pharaoh that Joseph interpreted, he said there was going to be seven years of great abundance and then followed by seven years of famine which will ravage the land. Well, later on spoiler alert, if you don't know the story, you're about to find out something. When Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, he says two years of the famine have passed. There's still five years left, and that would make seven years of famine. So they're two years into the famine. So this is the period of time when the brothers come to Joseph. So let's do the math. Time when the brothers come to Joseph. So let's do the math. So two years into the famine plus seven years of abundance. We're going to reverse here. Seven years of abundance, that equals nine, and Joseph is 30 years old at this point. We're going to reverse. And then 30 to 17 is 13 years. So you just add that time up.
Speaker 2:You know, 13 plus 9 equals 22. So 22 years have passed since they threw that kid, joseph, into the cistern and he begged for his life and begged them not to do this. And then Reuben wasn't there when the sail went down and it doesn't say where he was, but he wasn't there and it says when he came back he looked in the cistern for Joseph. See, reuben was in hot water with his dad already, and we've covered this already, but just briefly, he was in hot water. He went up you talk about some Jerry Springer dysfunction Reuben, the oldest brother, and he went and slept with I think it was Billa, one of the maid servants. So he had Billa and Zilpah, the servants to Leah and Rachel, jacob's wives. Leah and Rachel. They were sisters and they were both married to Jacob. This is a mess and Rachel couldn't have any kids at the time, so she gave her to Jacob and Jacob she got pregnant through him.
Speaker 2:Anyway, put it this way, there were four of them total, four women total, and the oldest son went and slept with one of the concubines or one of the maids. Now, if that's not bad enough, right, that's one of his brother's moms. Do you see how crazy this is? This is beyond Jerry Springer. And for those of you that don't know that, you know, those of you, what are they called? The kids that are um, after 2000, post-millennials, or whatever you call them, generation z or I don't know what you call these kids now, but you know, I'm just assuming. Everybody knows how debaucherous Jerry Springer was. I mean, at any time of the day you turn on WPIX in New York area and it was just a disaster and a half and that can't even come close to the scripture here. This is a mess beyond messes. He went and slept with one of his brothers. You know one of his brothers, there were 12 of them, one of the moms. It was a mess and Jacob found it. It says Jacob found out about it and he was not happy. He never forgot it, even on his deathbed. He mentions it. So Reuben was in hot water and he wanted to rescue Joseph. It was his desire to. Okay, I'm going to rescue Joseph and I'll get back in good with my pops. He did not receive the birthright, the blessing of the firstborn, because of what he did, because of his sin, he did not.
Speaker 2:But the point is it's 22 years later, these guys, they still have no peace over this situation with Joseph Verse 23,. They didn't know that Joseph understood them. They were sitting there, you know, they were talking and they didn't realize that this guy, who is the Lord of the land, completely understands what language they're speaking. See, he was using an interpreter, joseph was using an interpreter. So in verse 24,. Then he turned away. This is Joseph. He turned away from them and wept. You know, he sees that they have not, they still haven't forgotten. And he sees how this is. They're putting two and two together, that they're being punished for what they did. They're being punished for what they did.
Speaker 2:And he returned to them and spoke to them and he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes, right before them. He had their brother bound Verse 25,. And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain and to replace every man's money in his sack and to give them provisions for the journey. And this was done for them. Then they loaded up their donkeys with their grain and they departed Verse 27, as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack Verse 28, and he said to his brothers, my money's been put back here. It is in the mouth of my sack. At this their hearts failed them and they turned trembling to one another, saying what is this that God has done to us? See, when you're guilty, everything seems like it's. It seems like you know there's a reckoning happening, everything what is this that god has done?
Speaker 2:to us and they probably thought that this was a setup. I mean, the man who's lord of the land already called them spies. He, or like in front of everybody, he accused them of being spies. So it's only natural for them to be like oh man, what next? I can't believe this. They probably thought it was a setup. Yep, he called us spies, and now we're in trouble. Verse 29,. And they kept going, though. They kept moving. Verse 29,.
Speaker 2:When they came to Jacob, their father in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them. Saying, the man, the Lord of the land, spoke roughly to us and he took us to be spies of the land. Verse 31,. But we said to him we are honest men, really, even there. Come on, man. These two, they're not honest men, man, anyway. Verse 31,. But we said to him we are honest men. We have never been spies. We are 12 brothers, sons of our father. One is no more and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan, verse 32. Then the man, the Lord of the land, said to us by this I shall know that you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the famine of your households and go your way. Verse 34. Bring your youngest brother before me, then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you and you shall trade in the land.
Speaker 2:I mean this must have been a shock for Jacob. I think of the old man sitting there and I mean you can see in his response. Check out his response in verse 36,. And Jacob, their father, said to them you have bereaved me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me. All this has come against me.
Speaker 2:In the NIV it says everything is against me. See, from Jacob's perspective. He can't see. He can't see a hand of God. He can't see the providence or divine movement going on in the background. He's only seeing what his eyes and ears and situation are presenting to him. And we often do that. And this man, jacob, he had promises. He had the promises of God and he saw the Lord. He wrestled with the Lord. This is somebody who has walked with the God of Abraham and knows the Lord. He's not like some pagan, but yet his circumstances look so overwhelming and so daunting to him that he believes everything is against him, everything. You look at the book of Job. You know Job. He regretted the day he was born and he just he thought the Lord was punishing him for something. In fact, his so-called friends, they attributed everything that happened to Job because of something that he did.
Speaker 2:And we had the heavenly view. We had the box seats view, if you guys know what I'm talking about. Ever go to a sporting event and you're in not even box seats, the, the, uh, what are they called? I went to this baseball game at this minor league stadium in New Jersey and, uh, yeah, we were up in the Jersey and, yeah, we were up in the not nosebleed, we were in the area. It was real expensive these rooms I forget what they were called, but it was the lawyer's office owned this room that had a whole bunch of seats and they had private catering and everything TV, everything and our view was fantastic of the field. It was great.
Speaker 2:Well, when we read the Scripture, we often get a heavenly perspective and a heavenly view of what's going on and we can see the divine hand of providence. You look at the book of Job and how it ends up and we got a chance to see things that no one could see at the time. We could see the conversation between God and Satan. God said have you considered my servant Job? There's no one like him. He's blameless. Have you considered my servant Job? There's no one like him. He's blameless. You know, the Scripture gives us these views and in this story we know, we know, like those of you who have read the story and have seen the play and know the story we know the beginning from the end of this story. We get a taste of what it's like for God. He knows the beginning from the end. That's why when he says do not fear, do not fear, he means it because he knows the end. When he tells you something, you can bank on it. Now we can't interact with Jacob here, but we still get to see the whole story, the big picture.
Speaker 2:This poor believer, this man, he's having a hard time here and he's feeling abandoned. He's feeling like everything is against him. In reality, god is moving. He is moving. It's not just Joseph. God is moving in this story and has been throughout the whole story, and it is to bring the entire family into Egypt and it is to bring the entire family into Egypt to save them, to provide for them, to create the nation of Israel, to grow in Egypt, and then they will leave 400 years later, 430 years later, with Moses in the Exodus. But this is all part of the divine plan.
Speaker 2:Here and in our lives, we often can think everything is against us, or the Lord does not see, or he can't care. That is the farthest thing from the truth. It says that in the Scripture. It says that he cares for us. Oh, you don't believe me? Well, if you have your Bible, turn to 1 Peter, 5, 7. Casting all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. He is God and you is you. Yeah, you with the ears listening right now? Yeah, or how about Matthew 6 and verse 25? Listen to this. This is Jesus speaking too.
Speaker 2:Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap, nor gather in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you, by being anxious, can add a single hour to his span of life, verse 28. And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow. They neither toil nor spin. Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown in the oven, will he not much more clothe you, oh you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious saying what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear, for the Gentiles, seek after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself, sufficient, for the day is its own trouble. I mean, if that doesn't give you some peace right there and some comfort, I don't know what will.
Speaker 2:So the main, the main point I'm trying to make is let's not be like Jacob here, although it is natural to be like that and to be upset at our circumstances. Let's not forget, the Lord is also writing the rest of the story and we, like Jacob, we don't see the beginning from the end, although we know the beginning from the end because of the scripture. We know God wins. We know we will be with him for all eternity. We know the one that invented anything that is exciting, anything that makes your blood start to pump, anything that makes you want to live. The one that invented life has something far greater for you in mind. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind can conceive of what God has planned for us. We can't even think of, we can't even imagine it. And I can imagine a lot. Let me tell you, can I get an amen? Yeah, god has the big picture going and we're going to see man.
Speaker 2:We didn't finish this chapter. We're going to see the Lord move through this man, jacob's life, and his eyes are going to see his son brought back from the dead In his eyes, things he never thought he would see. He's going to see, oh, hallelujah. And if I could tell Jacob one thing, if I could just reach through time and tell him, I would say hold on, bro, don't give up. God is good God is good man. It looks bad, but it's not. Let me tell you, and those same words apply to you right now listening to this, be encouraged. My brothers and sisters, we're going to finish this next week. Until we meet again. The Lord bless you and keep you, make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
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