I have the privilege of speaking to you this week about the importance of the
story of Joseph in the history of our redemption through Jesus Christ. As we
continue to use the book “The Story” to direct our journey through the history of
redemption, please review Chapter 3, Joseph: From Slave to Deputy Pharaoh.
You have probably heard the idiom, “Cannot see the forest through the trees”.
The story of Joseph is the focus of a large portion of the book of Genesis (Chapter
37 – chapter 50). It is easy to get so caught up in the twists and turns in the lives
of Jacob’s family (the trees) that we sometimes miss the main point (the forest)
that God is displaying his glorious sovereignty by preserving the human lineage of
our Savior Jesus Christ. Also consider Joseph’s statement to his brothers in
Genesis 50:20, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good,
to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (ESV).
Have you ever considered that as this story unfolded not only did God the Father
have his sovereign eye on Jacob’s family, but also on everyone who has placed
their faith in the redeeming work of His Son, Jesus Christ? As you prepare for
worship on Sunday consider how the story of Joseph directly impacts your
salvation.
I look forward to worshiping with you on Sunday as we extol the virtues of our
good and sovereign God together. Come to church ready to praise our God
through singing, prayer, and in the preaching of his word.
MOPS Childcare volunteers needed!
Signup using this link and group number B9MH
Questions? Email Susan or Valerie
Threshold's Church Center app is live! Instructions for downloading and configuring the app are here. Current capabilities include:
Self-service profile updates - keep your family's contact information up to date and select what information appears in the member directory. Simply tap your photo or initials in the upper right corner and follow the prompts.
Member Directory - get to know other Threshold church members in the new online Directory.
Church Calendar - stay informed about all church activities. Future enhancements will include event registrations in the app.
Questions? We can help. Not getting church emails? Check your spam folder and contact us if there is still a problem. See you online!
According to the website Baby Centre UK, the name Joseph comes from the Hebrew Yosef meaning "God will give"; In Chapter 3, we continue The Story as we see God give Joseph everything he needs regardlessof any situation he faced.
Not only did Joseph have the favor of his earthly father, signified by an ornate coat, he also had the favor of his Heavenly Father, demonstrated throughout God’s faithfulness to bring him to a position of power and protection against all odds.
God gave him protection: “The Lord was with Joseph” when he was taken down to Egypt and bought by Potipher, and “the blessing of the Lord was on everything.” (pg. 31)
God gave him position: “The Lord was with him” while Joseph was wrongfully imprisoned, and “he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” (pg. 32)
God gave him power to proclaim God’s power. When asked to interpret the Pharoah’s dreams, he denies his own ability and faithfully denounces his own ability and relies on God’s power and protection saying “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desired.” (pg. 33)
As a result, God gave Joseph the position, power, and the plan to “preserve a remnant on earth” and save lives “by a great deliverance.” (pg. 39)
This story reinforces God’s promise. When God spoke to Joseph’s father Jacob in a vision he reminded him of the covenant with his forefathers, “Do not be afraid….for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again.” (pg. 40)
This is the promise that we will follow page after page, story after story, and the one that God is writing daily in our own lives and on our own hearts.
Joseph’s story is a reminder that no matter what we face we can trust that God will give all we need and always be with us. We can echo the words of Joseph to the world reminding ourselves and others – “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (pg. 42)
Joseph could have tried to rewrite the script, but he faithfully trusted God’s plan for his life, knowing every detail would turn out for good because God, the author and perfecter of our faith, is GOOD.
This week’s homework:
Read Chapter 3 of The Story in preparation for Sunday’s message.
Commit to joining a group and attend first meetings. Email
Next Week: Chapter 4- Deliverance
Extra Credit: Invite someone to read The Story with you!
Join the conversation! Let’s Talk about The Story!
Women – Tuesday evenings 7pm at Threshold. Men – Alternating Wednesday evenings at 6:30 at Threshold beginning January 4. Singles (25+) – 1st and 3rd Mondays at Threshold. Co-ed fellowship – Stump the Pastors on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 in the Threshold sanctuary.
Building our PNC Prayer Wall
As we support of our PNC (Pastor Nominating Committee) through prayer, let's become a PNC (Praying Non-stop Church)!
This week’s Bible verse reminds us there are aspects of God’s will that we will always remain a mystery to us, but that there are other parts of His sovereign will and plan that have been revealed to us. We therefore have a duty and a privilege to diligently study God’s Word and pray that we might understand all that He has been revealed to us.
Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
PNC Prayer Focus for the week 1/22 – 1/28/2023
Pray that the Holy Spirit will cause the pastors who He wants to apply for the Lead Pastor position at Threshold Church to take notice of all of the church information that is now posted online. Pray that all the applications will be transmitted to us in a timely and organized manner.
Pray that we as a congregation will honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by studying the scriptures and then putting what we study into intentional action as we endeavor to love both those inside and outside our congregation well.
Pray for the Father’s abundant blessings to be poured out on Dori and Elizabeth, that they would know how much the Father loves them and how much we at Threshold church love them too.
Threshold Church is participating in the 2023 Common Heart Hunger Walk. This is a great opportunity to come together to raise awareness about hunger in our community and raise funds to support Common Heart's food pantry programs. In Union County, it's estimated over 26,500 adults and children are hungry or facing the threat of hunger. That’s 10.7% of the residents of our county. 1 in 5 children in Union County live in homes facing food insecurity. Each month, over 5,500 individuals are served through 11 pantry programs.
Please consider supporting the Hunger Walk by joining & walking with the Threshold Church team and/or giving to our page. Every dollar counts! Thank you. Be part of a small revolution of kindness.
When: Sunday, March 5, 2023
Where: Crooked Creek Park in Indian Trail @ 2:00pm
Registration: $35 for adults; $15 for children ages 12 & younger; Family (5 or more individuals participating) $125
To Register: Follow this link and enter team name: Threshold Church
Every winter through the months of December - March, we feed and house 8 homeless men at the church. It is an amazing opportunity for you to bless and be blessed! If you are interested in volunteering, please use this link to sign up. We will also be having an informational meeting on November 6th in the cafe after church for those who would like more information.
If you can't volunteer you can help by donating the following items:
Winter hats
Winter gloves/mittens
Socks (white is preferred)
Belts/Shoes
Sweatpants
Hand warmers
Toiletries
A few additional notes:
All volunteers will be required to wear masks while volunteering.
Set up will start at 4pm. Dinner will need to be delivered by 5:30pm. Breakfast needs to be delivered by 7am. Lunch needs to be delivered Saturday night.
Coordinator info: Josh Allen (919-624-1458) & Mike Russo (732-599-0808)
Financial Update: January Giving: $27,240
Care Fund: $7,760
Budget: $58,261
December Giving: $50,000
