WHERE DO YOU SEE JESUS?

Acts 7:11-16"Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our fathers could not find food. When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit. On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph's family. After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all. Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died. Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money."

Our experience with Jesus is a lot like this story. Something beyond our control happens ("Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan"), which brings great suffering to us. We can't solve the problem on our own, so we start to listen to other people and the solutions they have found ("Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt").

We check it out -- maybe by attending a Men's Breakfast, Easter program, or church on Sunday. Jesus then reveals who He is ("Joseph told his brothers who he was") -- and through Jesus -- God learns who we are ("Pharaoh learned about Joseph's family"). We accept Jesus and through us (our witness), our whole family is welcomed into the body of Christ ("Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all").

In the story of Joseph, Stephen has drawn a road map to Jesus, as well as painting a picture of His life and purpose on this earth. This is the point Stephen is making to the Sanhedrin and other Jewish leaders. The question remains -- are they paying attention and do they see themselves in their own history?

Sometimes suffering occurs to get us back on the path -- Jesus' path. The point of suffering is not the pain -- it's to focus us on Jesus -- maybe it's time for you to bring ALL of your focus to Him? Other times people we know are suffering and become open to solutions -- when someone you know is in trouble do you offer worldly advice, or do you offer Jesus? Is there anybody in your life who needs Jesus? What can you do to offer them Jesus?

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