Real Life: Nevertheless
Yes this is who you are, nevertheless this is who you will be.
Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
Rev. Tim Callow
Preached Sun. Aug. 16th, 2026
The conclusion of Joseph’s story is a tremendous account of God’s grace. Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son, and perhaps he took a little too much after him. He also chose to stick around the tents, and he also had dreams. In these dreams he saw himself exalted over his brothers, and even over his father. While he probably should have kept these dreams to himself he chose to brag about them instead, making his brothers very annoyed at him. So they conspired to have him sold off into slavery. They’d tear up the beautiful coat their father gave him, put animal blood on it, and pretend he had been eaten alive. Then they’d see what might become of his silly little dreams.
Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt and the Lord was with him. First he ended up in the house of Potiphar, Pharaoh’s captain of the guard. He did well and very soon had the run of the household. But Potiphar’s wife tried to get in bed with him. When he refused she had him thrown in prison. There it would seem all hope was lost. But the Lord remained with him. He was imprisoned along with Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and Pharaoh’s baker. Clearly pharaoh was a fickle man. Both the chief cupbearer and the baker had dreams. They asked Joseph to interpret them. Joseph interpreted that the chief cupbearer’s dream meant he would receive clemency and be elevated back to his previous position. But the baker’s dream meant that he would be executed. Both took place. But the chief cupbearer forgot about Joseph, and he remained in prison.
Still, the Lord was with him. One day Pharaoh was troubled by his own dreams and his cupbearer finally remembered Joseph. He highly recommended Joseph because Joseph had properly interpreted his own dreams. So Pharaoh summoned Joseph and explained his extremely puzzling and disturbing dreams. Joseph explained to him that they represented first seven years of plenty, and seven years of famine. And Joseph recommended that in the seven years of plenty grain should be stored for the seven years of famine. Impressed by Joseph’s wisdom Pharaoh made him his regent. Effectively, he put Joseph in charge of Egypt in order to bring about this plan.
Which brings us to today’s story. The famine Joseph had foretold struck Canaan as well. Joseph’s brothers were forced to go to Egypt to buy grain. But they didn’t recognize Joseph. He accused them of being spies and demanded to know if they had any other brothers. When they told them about Benjamin, the youngest brother who had been born while Joseph was in captivity, he ordered that the next time they arrive they bring that brother to prove their story. But when they left with the grain they discovered that Joseph had put their money back in the grain bags. He made it look like they were thieves. They were frightened. But knew they had to go back if they weren’t going to starve.
When they returned they were shocked to hear that Joseph admitted he put the money in there as a gift, and offered to dine with them. But when they left to return to Canaan Joseph sent a troupe to arrest them. In Benjamin’s bag was the cup Joseph used for divination! He was a thief! And the brothers wept, because they didn’t want to lose a second brother. Jacob, their father, might die at the news.
It is here that Joseph finally breaks down and reveals who he his. Much to the shock and astonishment of his brothers. After the way he had been toying with them now they might assume he would finally finish the job and get his revenge. But Joseph says, "now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” And, “it was not you who sent me here but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.” While Joseph’s brothers intended evil, God used their heinous deeds to bring about something good. If they hadn’t sold him off to slavery perhaps the whole family would have died. Egypt would have been no more. The world would have faced catastrophic collapse. But because they mistreated their little brother God brought about salvation. And, needless to say, the dream of Joseph was fulfilled. His brothers bowed before him.
God had declared his intent toward Joseph through dreams. And Joseph’s brothers did their best to frustrate the will of God. But by doing so they only brought it about. Such is the sovereign love of God. We see this sovereign love exhibited most powerfully, directly, clearly, in the cross. The crucifixion of Jesus is a horrific act. It is deicide. Is there a higher sin that can be committed? Is there a greater injustice? If any one of us has ever had to bite our tongue, or endure humiliation, or endure injustice, we feel quite clearly the insult and the pain of this event. But the cross doesn’t mark the end of the story. It is, instead, the climax. It is through the cross, through that moment of death and catastrophe, that God works about our salvation. God reverses what we intended for evil, and works it about for our good. When all else seemed loss, that was the moment of greatest victory.
This is how God operates.
Joseph’s account illustrates what Paul is getting at in our reading this morning from Romans. Paul has been wondering how it is that gentiles are being accepted into God’s covenant when God’s own people, the Jews, have not been so receptive to the gospel. What Paul concludes is that God has not rejected the Jewish people. How could he? He calls them his own. They’re the apple of his eye. He loves them. He makes this abundantly clear in the Law and the prophets. He is not so fickle as to reject his people. Perish the thought! Rather, he has made use of this momentary rejection to bring about the salvation of the whole world. It may be the case that the synagogues have not accepted the gospel, but this is only so that the gentiles may arrive by faith. But soon the Jews as well will recognize the coming of the messiah.
Then Paul says, “For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.” All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. All have participated in the sin of our first parents who ate the forbidden fruit. But in the grand story of redemption this fall only makes possible our greater salvation. “O happy fault which has merited so great a redeemer” the church has sung through the ages. Whatever our failings, our betrayals, our doubts, God may take that and work about salvation. Whatever our sins, God makes that the opportunity for forgiveness. In the greater story of salvation our own disobedience is used to show forth the mercy of God.
Perhaps you are worried about some nagging habit, some sin in your life that won’t go away. It is not too powerful for God. Perhaps you worry about someone in your life who has turned from the faith. God has not turned away from them. Grace is when God says, “yes this is who you are, nevertheless this is who you will be.” God’s constant striving, presence, and work within us who are disobedient, that he may show his mercy.