The Blessing in a Box of Bones

Known for his unique ability to simplify profound truth so that it can be applied to everyday life, Adrian Rogers was one of the most effective preachers, respected Bible teachers, and Christian leaders of our time. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here's Adrian Rogers. Find Hebrews chapter 11. And in a moment we're going to look in verse 22.

We're talking about champions of faith. One thing I desire for my life is faith. and along with it, wisdom. I know that your Christian life is going to be in direct proportion to your faith. For Jesus said, according to your faith, Be it unto you.

Now you may not be a champion singer or athlete. Musician. Business person. Politician. But you.

Yes, you. can be a champion of faith. That's why this 11th chapter of Hebrews has been written to encourage us. And we've been talking about champions of faith. And today we come to the life of a man named Joseph.

Joseph lived as a great man. And as proof of it, He died. A great man. He lived by faith. They died by faith.

Look, if you will, in verse 22, by faith, Joseph when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel. Let me give you the background there. The children of Israel, that's the Jewish people. We're in the land of Egypt. And they were living high, wide, and handsome.

They had it made. Joseph was the Prime Minister of Egypt. But he says, you're going to be leaving here. He made mention of the departure of the children of Israel and gave commandment. Concerning His bones.

Now for Am. Of all of the things that Joseph did, the story is magnificent. And it takes uh verse after verse after verse in the Old Testament. But here God just chooses one little segment. of the life of Joseph.

The commandment he gave concerning His bones. And what was the commandment concerning his bones? As we're going to see, Joseph said, you're going to be leaving here. And when you go... Take my bones with you.

I wouldn't be caught dead here. I want you to take me out when you go. You're going on? To Canaan. You're going to the promised land.

And I'll be dead. My body will moulder and turn to dust. My bones will remain. And when you go... Take my bones with you.

Now, what on earth? Does that mean And what does that say to us today?

Well, I want to talk to you today about the blessings in a box of bones. the blessings in a box of bones. You see, Joseph knew that he was going to die. Didn't bother him one scintilla of an iota. He's not bothered at all.

He's ready to die. Are you ready to die? The Bible tells us in the book of Hebrews. that one of Satan's ways to keep people in bondage It is through the fear of death. And the Bible tells us in that same passage that Jesus, through death, destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.

That is, if you're still afraid to die, it means two things. You're afraid of the power of death and the devil, and number two, that you don't really understand what Jesus Christ did for you. Friend, look up here and let me tell you something. You are not ready to live. Until you're no longer afraid to die.

I'm not afraid to die. Not at all. Not at all. Now, I can tell you that I may be afraid of the act of dying. But I'm not afraid to die.

I'm not afraid of the consequences of death. Neither was Joseph. But a lot of people are. Man is the only creature that knows he's going to die and he's trying desperately to forget it. If you don't believe that, look around and see.

The elderly woman with too much makeup. Look at the man way past middle age. Driving a sports car with a gold chain around his neck trying to look like a teenager. And when people die. The funeral place is festooned with flowers.

And the cemetery is made to look like a memorial park. Few people go to funerals. Few people watch people die. We don't like to think of death, and if you talk about death, they'll change the subject like switching channels on the television set. And if you continue, they'll look at you like you have smallpox.

They don't want to talk about death. But death, if you know the Lord Jesus Christ. Is not an enemy, but a friend that will usher you into the presence of Jesus Christ.

Now, here's Joseph. Joseph was wise enough to know that he's going to die. He's still alive. He's 110 years of age, and he knows that he doesn't have much time, and so he has made a commandment concerning his bones, and he said, God's going to take you out of Egypt. God's going to bring you into the land of Canaan.

And when he does, you take my bones with you. And the writer of the book of Hebrews chose that to illustrate the great magnificent faith that Joseph had.

Now what is the blessing in a box of bones? May I give you a skeleton outline? All right, now I want us to think about three major points as we think about the bones of. Joseph, number one. Faith.

remembers. the unbreakable promises of God. Faith remembers the unbreakable promises of God.

Now Joseph said what he said because he was standing on an unbreakable promise of God.

Now I'm reading Genesis chapter 50, verses 22 through 26. And Joseph dwelt in Egypt. He and his father's house, and Joseph lived 110 years. And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation, he's seeing his great-grandchildren. The children also of Macher, the son of Manasseh, were brought up upon Joseph's knees.

So there's Joseph, 110 years of age, dandling his grandkids on his knees and his great-grandchildren. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die. And God will surely visit you.

Now, if you don't mind marking your Bibles, underscore the phrase, God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land unto the land.

Now, watch this, which He swear. Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

So Joseph died, being 110 years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Well, how did Joseph know these things? Why was he so certain? Why was he so adamant about it?

Well, obviously he knew the word of God. You see, God had made a promise to Abraham. 300 years before this. You can put this down in your margin. I'll read it for you.

In Genesis chapter 15, verses 13 through 14, here's what God said to the first Hebrew. The Abrahams. And his name was Abram at this time. And he said unto Abram, Know of assurity, there's our word again, assurity, that is a certainty. that thy seed, that is Abram, your children, shall be a stranger in the land that is not theirs.

He's talking of Egypt. and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them 400 years. Think of it now, four centuries. And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge. And afterward, Shall they come out?

with great substance.

Now that's what God said. How did Joseph know, therefore, that they were going to leave? You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out. God said it, Joseph believed it.

Now that tells us something about faith. You have to have the word of God. in order to have faith. The Bible tells us in Romans 10, 17, faith cometh by hearing. and hearing by the word of God.

Now, you're not going to have faith apart from hearing God. Faith is not positive thinking. Faith is not following a hunch. Faith is not merely hoping for the best. Faith is not a feeling of optimism.

Faith is not self-confidence, wishing upon a star, crossing your fingers. Speaks. is believing what God has said and acting upon it. God will speak through His word and then God will speak in your heart and you have this faith. And so here Joseph's faith is being displayed now.

He remembers the unbreakable promises of God. Fate. is acting as if it is so. Because he said it is so, even when it does not seem so, so it can be so. You don't claim it and name it.

God names it, and then you claim it.

Now that brings up a real question. Is your faith weak or strong?

Well, I would say that your faith is probably measured by your knowledge and your love of the Word of God. Many are only dabbling in Bible study and therefore they are spiritual midgets. when they ought to be spiritual giants. Faith comes by hearing. Do you really love the Word of God?

Do you study it? It's very obvious that Joseph had marinated himself in the Word of God. that he had saturated himself with the word of God. There was a great evangelist who was a counterpart of our Billy Graham. This man's name was Dwight L.

Moody. If you read Christian history, you'll read about White L. Moody. Dwight L. Moody did not have a seminary education.

But his biographer said that he took two continents and shook them for Jesus Christ. America and Europe. An ordinary man, former shoe clerk. But God used him mightily. Moody was a man of great faith.

Let me tell you how he got his faith. He said, I knew I needed faith. I would pray and pray and pray and ask God for faith and I did not seem to have the faith that I needed. Then he said, I discover the word of God that says in Romans 10, 17, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. He said, I began then to study the Bible, to read the Bible, to feed on the Bible, to assimilate the Bible, and I found this great faith just growing in my heart and in my life.

You see, why was Joseph so certain?

Well, he had the word of God. He had the promises of God.

So, first of all, Hate. remembers The unbreakable Promises of God. The promises of God are yea and amen in Jesus Christ, and God will never, no, never, no, never, ever, ever break a promise. Do you believe that? I hope you do.

Amen. Because you're not going to have great faith if you don't believe it.

Now, number two. Faith relies on on the unshakable power of God. You see, when you have the promise, Then you need someone who has the power to fulfill the promise.

Now look again in Genesis chapter 50 and verse 24. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die. And God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land. Who's going to do it? God is going to do it.

unto the land which he swear to Abraham, Isaac, and to Jacob.

Now this was the God. who turned the Red Sea into a 48-lane superhighway. This is the God who judged the Egyptians. This is the God who did the miracles. This is God who has this unshakable power.

Power.

Now, let me tell you something about faith. Don't Let your faith be stultified and diminished. by circumstances. by appearances. When Joseph gave this prophecy, When Joseph gave this commandment, There was no reason that they should leave.

Egypt. They had it made. They were in a place of favor. They were in a place of high position. They had an inside track to the throne.

Joseph The Prime Minister. And yet he says, You're coming out.

Now Today. We may take some of the promises of God and we may look at them and we say, How on earth? Is that possible? Maybe we better re-examine the Bible. In the light of today's society.

and in the light of the circumstances around us. Don't You Do it. You, friend, remember that no matter what it seems, God's word is reliable. Joseph has the unshakable power of God in His mind.

Now, also, Don't you let your feelings Keep you from believing the Word of God. Feelings are fickle. Feelings come and feelings go and feelings are deceiving. The Bible is the Word of God. Naught else is worth believing.

Don't put your faith in your feelings. Don't say, well, I feel it's this way. Or I feel it's that way, very frankly. Your feelings do not change the word of God. The devil wants to get you over into the realm of emotions and away from trusting the Lord.

Martin Luther. who was the father of the Protestant Reformation. back in 1517. was on some stairs. in Rome.

trying to be right with God by doing penance and by doing good works. And he's climbing these stairs, the Santa Scala, the holy stairs there, praying on each stair. But he'd been studying the book of Romans. And a verse from the book of Romans began to reverberate through his soul. The just shall live by faith.

The just shall live by faith. And he saw it. He saw it. Oh God, I'm not saved by my good deeds, by my works, by my toiling, by my task. By my trying, but by trusting.

It is by faith. And he repented of his sin. Trusted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior, and was born again. There. living by faith.

Now, The devil doesn't like that. If you do that, the devil will come against you, the devil counterattack. By the way, if you've never met the devil, it's because you and the devil have been going in the same direction. The devil counterattack. And so the devil came to Martin Luther and tried to get him off into the realm, the arena of his feelings.

And Satan one time said, Martin, do you feel your sin is forgiven? He said, no, I know my sin is forgiven. Because of the word of God. I heard about a youngster, a young man, went to a revival crusade. And the preacher was preaching from John chapter 5 and verse 24.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me hath Everlasting life. and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. That's John 5, 24, the words of Jesus. That was the text for that night. The boy heard it, believed it, received it, was saved, rejoicing in the Lord.

With his Bible in his hand, was going home. When he met the same devil that came against Martin Luther. This boy later gave his testimony and said, It seemed that Satan was perched on my shoulder, whispering in my ear. He said, you're not saved? You're not good enough.

You don't understand enough. You don't feel just right. You're not saved. You'll never make it. The boy said he went home and sat on the couch.

And he said, it seemed that the devil was under the couch just whispering to him: You're not saved, you're not saved.

So he said, I'm going to read that verse again. He took the Bible and opened it, John 5, 24. That evangelist has said is your spiritual birth certificate. And he read it again: Verily, barely. That means truly, truly.

I say unto you, he said, Jesus is speaking. He that heareth my word, he said, I've heard it. and believeth on him that sent me. He said, I believed in the God that sent the Lord Jesus Christ. has everlasting life.

He said, I have everlasting life. There, devil, read it for yourself. Put it under the couch. That's not altogether foolish. The next time the devil comes to you and tries to get you to doubt, don't get in an argument with him.

He's not worth it. Point him to the Word of God. Let the argument be between him and the word of God. You step out of that argument, and guess who's going to win? God is going to win.

What I'm trying to say is this: that Joseph had faith. It was unshakable faith because it rested in the power of God, not in circumstances, not in emotion. I'll tell you something else. Delay. did not shake Joseph's faith.

Now it had been 300 years since the promise was made. Three centuries. And there was to be another one. Joseph is not speaking of his body, he's speaking of his bones. He knew it was a long time coming.

his body would moulder and decay. But he said, we're coming out of here.

Now a lot of things had to transpire. There had to arise another Pharaoh who knew not Joseph. But Joseph said, we're coming out.

Now friend. Listen to me. Time. cannot erode away the promises. God gave Habakkuk a vision.

And God said to Abakak in chapter 2, the promise is for an appointed time. Though it tarry, Wait for it. Wait for it. God may seem slow to you. But God is always on time, never ahead of time.

Never behind time. Always right on time. The Bible says that Jesus came. in the fullness of time. Peter said, In the last days, they're going to come scoffers, walking after their own lust.

By the way, every time you see a scoffer, you'll find someone walking after his own lust. You show me somebody who makes fun of the word of God, and I'll show you somebody with the devil's initials carved on their hearts. Show me a woman that makes fun of the word of God. I'll show you someone covered with the slimy fingerprints of sin. There shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lust and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?

For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. What they're saying is, all you preachers, always preaching about the second coming of Jesus Christ. Where is it? How come it's been so long? Peter says, but beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing: that one day is with the Lord is a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day.

God doesn't punch a time clock when he goes to work. He doesn't wear a wristwatch. God is not concerned with time. The fact that it had been centuries prior when God made this promise. And it would be decades yet before the promise would be fulfilled, did not stampede.

Joseph. Joseph knew that the promise was going to be fulfilled. Why? Because it rests not in circumstances, not in emotion, not in chronology. It rests in God.

There is the unbreakable promise of God. There is the unshakable power of God. That's what we've got to remember. If we want to have strong faith. That's why God took this one episode in the life of Joseph and used it as a cameo to teach us faith.

Now, here's the third thing I want us to see in this particular passage of Scripture, and that is: faith results in the unmistakable Peace of God. Why did Joseph have such peace? There's no hint of panic here. He's about to die and he's playing with his grandbabies. He's speaking with a ring of certainty and victory.

in his heart. Where does he get this piece?

Well The peace comes again from the first two things. He remembers The promises of God. He relies on the power of God. And therefore he is resting. in the unmistakable peace of God.

There's no panic here in all of this.

Now was his faith rewarded? Let me give you some scripture here. Exodus chapter 13 verses 18 and 19. Talking about the children of Israel coming out of Egypt. and going to the promised land.

And this is what it says. But God led the people about, that is in circles round and round. Through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, and the children of Israel went up, harnessed. out of the land of Egypt. That's exactly what Joseph said would happen.

They went up out of the land of Egypt, and Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. For he had straightly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry my bones away hence with you.

Now Moses said, all right. Load them up, head them out, let's go! Get Joe's bones. Hey you, pick up that coffin, you fellas. Get with you.

Let's go. Here they go. out of Egypt. Here they go through the Red Sea. Here they go to the brink of Jordan.

And what do they have with them? A box of bones. 400 years. God says, you're coming out. And they came out.

Now, Moses couldn't go all the way into the promised land, and so a man named Joshua had to bring them into the promised land. Read now in the book of Joshua. Chapter 24, verse 32, and the bones of Joseph. which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt buried they in Shechem in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamon.

Now here in the book of Joshua, Joshua takes the bones. The bones that were in Egypt, the bones that Moses carried across the burning sands of the Sinai. and the bones now that come across the river Jordan, and the bones that come to that place of Shechem, and he is buried there.

Now. It was as Joseph believed. Moses carried his bones, and Joshua carried his bones, and it's always going to be. Just as God said it would be. That brings up an interesting question.

the promise of God, we see the power of God, we see the peace of God. But why is it wrapped up in these bones? What is the blessing in a box of bones? Why did Joseph say, take my bones with you? Why couldn't he just be buried there in Egypt and leave well enough alone?

I'll tell you why. Because Joseph wanted to be a part of what God was up to. He wanted to be linked with the people of God. I want to be a part of that. You see, look.

Joseph was a mighty man in Egypt. You cannot understand The power that Joseph had. Egypt? The mightiest nation on the face of the earth. And he is the prime minister.

He's the one who's running everything for old Pharaoh.

Now back in this day, When an Egyptian would die. of great wealth, pomp, and circumstance. He would build a great monument. Have you seen the pyramids? The Great Pyramid, I've been to it.

been inside of it. It was an antiquity. In the time of Christ. Have you seen those things? All of those tombs, those monuments.

That's what the rich pharaohs and the high muckety monks of Egypt were able to do. I'm glad Joseph didn't build one for himself. You know why? It would have been plundered. All of those have been plundered.

They're looking for more to plunder. It would have been robbed, it would have been desecrated. Had they found the sarcophagus of Joseph? Had they found his mummy? He may have been in the London Museum.

If you've ever been to the London Museum, go to the section where they have the mummies. I'm glad it's not a glass case with old Joseph lying up there. I'm glad that Joseph did not try to build a monument to himself. Do you know what Joseph did? Joseph said, take my bones.

Bury them in the promised land. What Joseph built for himself? was a monument of faith. By believing God, what do you want to be remembered for? You know all of the things that we think are so important, our wealth, our prestige, our awards, all this?

Do you think that impresses heaven? It not, and probably won't impress people after you're gone. Joseph could lie down in the grave and rest because he knew that he was a part of God's plan. I'll tell you something else. Joseph knew That there's a great getting up day coming.

Do you believe that? Do you believe there's a resurrection? Daniel believed it. Listen to Daniel chapter 12, verse 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life.

and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Look up here. If you die before Jesus comes, you go down the grave, you're going to be raised.

Now, don't think that the resurrection is just for Christians. All are going to be raised. Saved and lost. You say that's Old Testament. All right, let me give you something New Testament.

Put down John chapter 5, verses 28 and 29. This time Jesus is speaking. Jesus said, Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming. in the which all that are in the grave shall hear his voice, that is the voice of Jesus, and shall come forth. They that have done good.

unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. Everybody here is going to be raised. You die. They put your bones in the ground. They may stay there for centuries.

But there's coming a time When all that are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God, just as he said, Lazarus come forth. You want to come forward? Either the resurrection of Life? Or the resurrection of damnation. Won't it be great?

to be raised and see Jesus face to face. The psalmist said, I shall be satisfied. When I rise in your likeness. Won't it be great? Will it not be fearful?

To rise. In the judgment. and face a God that you do not know. Face a Savior who died for you, who pled for you. Who invited you?

Someone that you said no to. What will you say when you see him? Are you going to face him? You're going to meet him. He is inescapable.

He is unavoidable. As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. God has given Jesus a name that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow. You're going to meet him. You can't crawl up in the grave and pull the dirt over your face and hide from God.

You are going to meet. Jesus Christ. There is coming. A resurrection. I don't know how much of this that Joseph knew.

But he's living by faith. He's probably the most Christ-like character in all of the Old Testament. He knew. That death was not the end of it all. He didn't understand all that we understand this side of.

Of Calvary? But I believe if you could listen to that box of bones If those bones could talk one to another. They might have been having a little party. Might have heard a chuckle from a knuckle. Maybe there'd be a grin from a shin.

A little glee from an E. Maybe there'd be a lot of ribbing going on. Because they knew. They knew that there's a great getting up morning coming, them bones, them bones. Going to walk around.

Jesus said, They're coming out of the grave. That's the reason Paul said our behavior, our citizenship. is in heaven from which We look for the Savior. who shall change our vile body and make it like unto his glorious body.

So you copy. Sir, you're going to be like Jesus. I'm going to be like Jesus. I submit to you either that's true or it's not true. to rise in the resurrection.

In that glorious dawn. and meet our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ. What a day. That will be.

You see, the Apostle Paul. pointed toward that day. And he said He said, there's coming a time. When The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. It's coming a time No, we die.

and lay down in the grave. Oh, Paul gets a little sarcastic. Hey hey hey. He gets a challenge. He calls death an enemy.

He says, Oh death. Where is your staying? Oh grave. Where is your victory? Aha, he says.

The Sting of death is sin. You see a sin that puts a sting into death. And the strength of sin is the law. It's the law that says that sin must be punished. But thank God to those who are saved.

We're not under the law, but under grace. And Jesus has taken the sting out of death. The pain out of parting, the gloom out of the grave, and has given us a hope that is steadfast and sure because death. That old monarch of terrors. laid his bony hands on Jesus.

and brought Jesus down to the dungeon. And Jesus lay there. bound in the iron coal chains of death. One day? Two days?

Three days. On the third day, he broke the chains of death. Rose up off that marble slab. And old death had been sitting there on the throne. clapping his bony hands.

shrieking his hoarse laugh. But he stops laughing. Jesus reaches up and pulls death. from the throne and throws him on the dungeon floor. The crown rolls from the head of death.

Jesus puts his heel on the neck of death. reaches down and pulls the sting out of death. puts the crown on his own head. And walks out of that grave a risen Savior. Glory, glory, God.

And Jesus says, Because I live. You live. If in this world only we have hope, we have all men most miserable. Thank God Joseph was not living to have a pyramid built. In Egypt.

but a palace in glory. Are you saying? You see, Paul ends this passage of Scripture saying, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Be steadfast, that's constancy. Abounding in the work of the Lord, that's fervency.

For you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord, that's expectancy. That's the way. We're to live. Not afraid to die. Not worried about our bones.

God is going to take care of that. This coming Our resurrection. What a glorious, wonderful time that would be.

Now what is the blessing in a box of bones? Can you imagine them having that box of bones the whole time they were in Egypt? And if there was a time of slavery and adversity and misery, They look at that box of bones and say, This is not forever. We're leaving here. If there was a time of prosperity and ease, They look at that box of bones and say, don't settle down.

We are leaving here. And whether it was prosperity or adversity, and we all know both, don't we? That box of bones reminded them of the brevity of life. and the length of eternity. The brevity of life.

Hold your hand up and Breathe on it. What is your life, but uh Vapor. That appears for a little while. There was no heartbeat. That's all there is.

And eternity. That's right. That's not much. You go. Here you go.

Folks Are you ready? No man is ready to live. Today's no longer afraid to die. And how can you be ready to die? Remember.

The unbreakable promises of God. Rest. In the unshakable Power of God. And just. Lean back.

on the unmistakable Peace of God. Amen. Ask a blessing in a box of bones. If you're not saved, God brought you here today to be saved. And God will save you.

He will save you. The Bible says, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord. shall be saved. Whosoever, that's you. Would you like to call upon him?

May I guide you in a decision? And help you right now to call upon Jesus. This can be the greatest moment of your life. This precious friend can be the time. That you make a decision.

that will affect your entire eternity. By giving your heart to Jesus Christ. You must know that you're a sinner. You must know that your sin deserves judgment in hell. You must believe that Jesus paid your sin debt with His blood on the cross.

and proved it by coming out of that grave. but you must individually and personally receive Jesus Christ. as your Lord and Savior. Pray this way, dear God. I am a sinner.

I'm lost. I confess my sin, I acknowledge my sin, I'm ashamed of my sin. I deserve judgment in hell. But I want mercy and salvation. Jesus?

You died to save me and you promised to save me if I would trust you. I do trust you. Would you tell him that? I do trust you this moment. I trust you as my Lord and Savior.

Right now. Come into my life. I don't look for a feeling. I don't ask for a sign. I stand on your word.

You cannot lie. Come into my life. Forgive my sin. Cleanse me. Save me.

And begin now to make me the person you want me to be. And help me, Lord Jesus, never to be ashamed of you. Give me the courage to make it public. In your name I pray. Amen.

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