The Faith of Jacob and Joseph Revealed by the Word [2][New Year Service]

This passage focuses on the different choices Jacob and Joseph made in their circumstances and the results of those choices. Jacob brought great suffering on his family and himself through human reasoning and selfishness, while Joseph trusted in God's will and in his dreams, kept away from sin, and lived faithfully. The lives of the two men show that the direction of a life can change completely depending on whether a person with free will chooses good or evil.

The sermon points out that a proud heart is the main cause that leads people to choose sin. People who keep repeating sin believe only their own thinking is right and do not listen to others' advice, but people who keep away from sin are humble, fear God, and respond sensitively to the voice of conscience. Even in the extreme situation of prison, Joseph did not complain; he waited for the time God had set and kept himself pure, and as a result he was led to the position of prime minister. This suggests that what brings about miracles is not human effort or a change of circumstances, but steadfast faith that does not harm one's relationship with God.

We must reflect deeply on how to live so that we respond keenly to the voice of our conscience and do not commit sins that bring shame on God. Under the warning that our earnest wishes may not be fulfilled if we stay in a place of sin, we are led to ask what decision we must make as God's true children.