Our Sovereign yet Providential God?

28 June 2015 Sunday Morning Service

Bible
OT Genesis 41 : 37 – 57
NT John 13 : 1 – 17

Genesis
41:37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.
41:38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”
41:39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
41:40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
41:41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”
41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
41:43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
41:44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”
41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.
41:46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt.
41:47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully.
41:48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it.
41:49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.
41:50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
41:51 Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.”
41:52 The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
41:53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end,
41:54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.
41:55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”
41:56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt.
41:57 And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world.

John
13:1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
13:2 The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.
13:3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
13:4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
13:5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
13:6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
13:7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
13:8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
13:9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
13:10 Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”
13:11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
13:12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.
13:13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.
13:14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
13:15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
13:16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
13:17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

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