Life can be overwhelming especially if you put off decisions. Sermon audio link http://edthepastor.podbean.com/e/decisions-decisions-decisions-genesis-431-15/?token=4d8d2e56042e839da4ed3253362184c5

1. Decisions, Decisions,
Decisions
Genesis 43:1–15

2. Genesis 43:1–15
1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 So it came
about when they had finished eating the grain which
they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to
them, “Go back, buy us a little food.” 3 Judah spoke to
him, however, saying, “The man solemnly warned us,
‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with
you.’ 4 “If you send our brother with us, we will go
down and buy you food. 5 “But if you do not send him,
we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You will

3. not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ ” 6
Then Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly by
telling the man whether you still had another brother?”
7 But they said, “The man questioned particularly about
us and our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive?
Have you another brother?’ So we answered his
questions. Could we possibly know that he would say,
‘Bring your brother down’?” 8 Judah said to his father
Israel, “Send the lad with me and we will arise and go,
that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our
little ones. 9 “I myself will be surety for him; you may
hold me responsible for him.

4. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before
you, then let me bear the blame before you forever. 10
“For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could
have returned twice.” 11 Then their father Israel said to
them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the
best products of the land in your bags, and carry down
to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey,
aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
12 “Take double the money in your hand, and take back
in your hand the money that was returned in the
mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake. 13 “Take
your brother also, and arise, return to the man;

5. 14 and may God Almighty grant you compassion in the
sight of the man, so that he will release to you your
other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am
bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” 15 So the men
took this present, and they took double the money in
their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose and went
down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

6. Decisions, Decisions,
Decisions
Genesis 43:1–15

7. Problem Continues
Now the famine was severe in the land.
Genesis 43:1
Been a famine
Still a famine

8. Not “if” when
Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it
is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to
that man through whom the stumbling block comes!
Matthew 18:7
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter
various trials,
James 1:2

9. Troubles continue
So it came about when they had finished eating the
grain which they had brought from Egypt,
Genesis 43:2a
Natural progression
No supernatural element

10. Real Genius
their father (Jacob) said to them, “Go back, buy us a
little food.”
Genesis 43:2b

11. The elephant in the room
No Food
Simeon is still hostage
No decision has been made

12. Judah speaks up
“The man solemnly warned us, ‘You shall not see my
face unless your brother is with you.’ “If you send our
brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
“But if you do not send him, we will not go down; for
the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless
your brother is with you.’ ”

13. My how the mighty have fallen
So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with
him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you,
and purify yourselves and change your garments; and
let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar
there to God, who answered me in the day of my
distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.”
Genesis 35:2–3

14. Many troubles
Death of spouse
Children run wild
Loss of favorite son
Potential to lose youngest
(Fear)
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real

15. It’s all about me
Then Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly by
telling the man whether you still had another brother?”
Genesis 43:6

16. Judah matures
“Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we
may live and not die, we as well as you and our little
ones. I myself will be surety for him; you may hold me
responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you
and set him before you, then let me bear the blame
before you forever.”

17. Favorite verse
“For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could
have returned twice.”
Genesis 43:10
Git ‘er done!

18. Israel speaks
“If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best
products of the land in your bags, and carry down to
the man as a present, (produce, double money and
Benjamin)
IF?
What other decision can be made?

19. Fatalism
and may God Almighty grant you compassion in the
sight of the man, so that he will release to you your
other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am
bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
Genesis 43:14
Evokes El Shaddai
End sounding like Eeyore

20. The only decision
So the men took this present, and they took double the
money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose
and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
Genesis 43:15

21. Christian problem solving
1. Avoid the cause of problem
If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it
off and throw it from you; Matthew 18:8
2. Attitude is crucial
See that you do not despise one of these little ones
Matthew 18:10

22. Christian problem solving (Continued)
3. Handle directly and privately
If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in
private; Matthew 18:15a
4. Relationship is the goal
if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
Matthew 18:15b

23. Christian problem solving (Continued)
5. Get help when needed
But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more
with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES
EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. Matthew 18:16

24. Christian problem solving (Continued)
6. See it through to the end
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and
if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to
you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Matthew 18:17

25. Christian problem solving (Continued)
Spiritual Principle in Problem Solving:
Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall
have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose
on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again I say
to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything
that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My
Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have
gathered together in My name, I am there in their
midst.” Matthew 18:18–20

26. Decisions, Decisions,
Decisions
Genesis 43:1–15