Hugging the Kaktus – February 25th

Genesis records Joseph revealing himself to his brothers. The brothers are terrified because they had sold Joseph into bondage and now he has all the power of Egypt – power to execute justice against his brothers. But God had been pressing Joseph out of his vain human nature into his soul that knew how to use power to give his life for others rather than take the lives of others for himself (hmmm, spoiler alert – how does Exodus begin?) Joseph commands his brothers to tell Jacob that he is alive, to tell him about his glory, and to bring him to Joseph.

Paul confirms for us in 1 Corinthians that all people die because we are infected with the corruption of Adam – which was to pretend to be God by inventing a law for Eve to keep. Then Paul confirms the remedy, all shall be made alive by the redeeming work of Christ. We all do evil like Adam and the brothers of Joseph yet God is ever making that work for good (Rom 8.28; 2 Cor 4.17!). God the Father sold His only Son to bear the sin of the world under the prosecution of the Jewish authorities who pretended authority by inventing laws to burden the people. Then God raised Jesus from the dead, just like He restored life to Joseph and through Joseph to all people during the famine.

In Luke, Jesus teaches about love for others, like Joseph explained to his brothers. Love IS for others but depends on God’s love for us. God’s love is perfect love, love so powerful that Jesus redeems all people by living and dying as our substitute under the law and still He rises conquers sin and death by rising on the third day and ascending into Heaven to rule all things for good.