Outline 17.

Mourners. - This mystery is now manifested to you. Refuse not the hope of glory. Christ is near: in you, if you believe. You we teach the way of faith, in Scripture wisdom, in the very words of Christ. He is the true wisdom. Believers. - Grow in the knowledge and enjoying of the mystery, till you are perfected, adult Christians.

OUTLINE 17.

“And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, and they came near, and he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt,” Genesis 45:4.

INTRODUCTION. - Search the Scriptures, they testify of me in types. I. The behaviour of sinners toward Christ, the beloved Son.

1. They hated Joseph, and could not speak peaceably.

2. When he went in love, they conspired to slay him.

3. They stripped him of his clothes, cast him into the pit.

4. They sat down to eat and drink. - Stupidity after sin.

5. They sold him for twenty pieces of silver. - Judas, Esau.

6. Skill in hiding their crime, and contentedness.

7. Jacob’s grief. - I will go down to the grave mourning. II. Christ’s humiliation and exaltation.

1. Jacob said, “I will send thee to them;” and he said, “Here I am.” See if it be well with thy brethren.

2. Hated. - “He came to his own, and they received him not.” Cast into a pit. Sold. All prospers in his hand.

3. A guilty woman accused Joseph. He is condemned, imprisoned.

4. No help from the butler. Christ’s apostles forsook him and fled.

5. No friend but Jesus. Thief. Butler forgetful.

6. Joseph exalted, arrayed as the king, rides in his chariot. Bow the knee. Without thee shall no man lift up his hand, in all Egypt! Gave bread to all, bought all.

III. Christ’s heart is toward sinners, and how he manifests himself to them after many trials.

1. A famine once brought his brethren to beg of Joseph. Again, a famine brings sinners to beg of Christ.

2. Joseph saw, knew; yet, at first, made himself strange.

3. “Ye are spies; not true men. Ye shall be proved three days. Bring forth Benjamin,” fruit meet for repentance. Delilah.

4. They said, “We are guilty.” This distress comes, his blood is required, Joseph heard, turned, and wept.

5. Simeon bound, corn given freely, no money required.

6. “Except you bring Benjamin,” - Delilah, - “you will see my face no more.” He is brought.

7. They must eat bread with Joseph, they bowed, Joseph made haste; retired, wept.

8. The last pang of distress: - “How shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of his servants.”

9. Joseph refrains no longer.

All are dismissed. Joseph manifests himself, weeps: “I am Joseph, your brother,” (I AM Jesus, whom thou persecutest,) come near: God sent me to preserve life. Kissed them; fatness of Egypt, Goshen.

OUTLINE 18.

“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness,” 1 Corinthians 1:23. INTRODUCTION. - “And straightway he preached Christ,” Acts 9:20. I. What the true preaching?

Not morality; but Christ.

INSTANCES. - God in paradise, Genesis 3:15. God to Abraham, Genesis 12:3. Jacob to sons, Genesis 49:10. Moses, Deuteronomy 18:15,18; Job 19:25; David 2:1. Solomon, Proverbs 3:7; Song of Solomon 5:9; Isaiah 53; Jeremiah 23. 6; Ezekiel 34:23; Daniel 9:24; Hosea 3:5; Joel 2:28; Jonah 2:9; Micah 5:2; Zechariah 9:9; 12:10; 13:7; Malachi 4:2. In the New Testament. - Christ, Luke 4:18; 24:27. Commission, Mark 16:16. Apostles, Acts 5:42. Peter, Acts 2:22; 10:43; Jews mad, Acts 4:18. Philip, Acts 8:35. St. Paul, in the text, and in Acts 13:38; 16:31; 17:18; 1 Corinthians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Ephesians 3:8; Philippians 1:18; Colossians 1:23, 28. Conclusion, Galatians 1:8.

II. What to preach Christ?

It is to preach,

(1.) His natures.

(2.) Offices.

(3.) Relations.

1. His natures. His Divine nature; called “God” in John 1:1; 20:2; Isaiah 9:6; Zechariah 13:7; Philippians 2:6. He does the works of God, has his knowledge, and is every where. Tremble, adore, trust. His human nature, 1 Timothy 3:16; John 1:14. Lived and died, was born, grew, thirsted as a man. Adore, wonder, praise, draw near, fear not.

2. His offices.

(1.) Mediator, 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; 12:24.

(2.) Saviour, 1 Timothy 4:10; Luke 1:47; 2:11; Acts 5:31. Feel your ruin, believe, apply, be saved.

(3.) Prophet, John 6:14; Luke 24:19; Matthew 11:29. Learn, consult, be taught, follow, fear. He knows all.

(4.) Priest, Hebrews 7:3; 5:10. Priest and victim. He atones and blesses: wash, be blessed and pardoned.

(5.) King, Revelation 19:16. King of saints, Revelation 15:3; John 12:15; Matthew 27:37. Wonder at his condescension, trust his power, fear him, believe, he can give a kingdom, Revelation 1:5.

(6.) Captain, Joshua 5:15; Hebrews 2:10. Our David, enlist, be courageous, desert not, fight, conquer.

(7.) Shepherd, Zechariah 13:7; John 10:14; 1 Peter 2:25. Follow him, wander not, eat his flesh, love him.

(8.) Physician, Matthew 19:12; 4:33; John 5:4. Apply, tell him your state, trust him, follow his prescriptions.

(9.) Advocate, 1 John 2:1. Put your desperate cause into his hand, &c.