The Price Of Silver - Sermon by Stephen Kennedy, Preached 10/6/2013

The price of silver

Proverbs 3:13-14 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

I)                   The price of silver to our family. (Joseph the favoured Son) Gen. 37

A)    Loved by his father. Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

1.      Our love should be focused. Romans 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

2.      Our love should be fervent. 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

3.      Our love should be flourishing. 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

B)    Loathed by his brothers. Genesis 37:4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

1.      The reasons for their hatred. (They became Jealous) Galatians 5:25-26 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

a.       The devotion Joseph enjoyed. Now Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in is old age. So one day he gave Joseph a special gift – a beautiful coat of many colours.

b.      The dreams Joseph experienced. Joseph has two dreams that symbolically portray his brothers bowing down before him.

2.      The results of their hatred. (They became Judge & Jury) Psalms 75:7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. Romans 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

1.      The treachery. The brothers, still angry over Joseph’s dreams a favoured status with their father, plan to kill Joseph. But Reuben convinces them to throw him alive into a pit.

2.      The transaction. The brothers decide to sell Joseph to a band of Ishmaelites traders for 20 pieces of silver.

3.      The trickery. The brothers deceive Jacob into believing that Joseph has been killed and eaten by a wild animal.

·          Joseph was a shepherd (37:2); Jesus is the Great Shepherd (John 10).

·          Joseph was opposed to and exposed evil (37:2); Jesus did the same.

·          Joseph was loved by the his father (37:3-4); Jesus was beloved by the Father.(Mat. 3:17; 17:5; John 10:17; Philippians 2:9)

·          Joseph was hated by his brothers (37:4); Jesus was hated by His brothers (John 1:11; Luke 19:14).

·          Joseph was hated for his words (37:8); Jesus was hated for His words of truth. (John 7:7; 3:32)

·          Joseph was promised a remarkable future (37:7-12); Jesus looked passed the cross to the joy set before Him (Isaiah 9:6, 7; Luke 1:31-33; Hebrews 12:2).

·          Joseph foretold of his future sovereignty (37:7-12); Jesus did the same. (Mat. 26:64)

·          Joseph was envied by his brothers (37:11); Jesus was envied by His. (Mat. 27:17-18)

·          Joseph was sent by his father to his brothers (37:13); Jesus was sent to the ‘lost sheep of Israel,’ by His father (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40; 12:48-50; 17:21)

·          Joseph seeks out his brothers (37:14-17); Jesus sought out His (Luke 19:10)

·          Joseph seeks the welfare of his brothers (37:14); Jesus came not to condemn but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:17)

·          Joseph seeks his brothers until he finds them; Jesus seeks us until He finds us. And this at the initiative of the f(F)ather.

·          Joseph was conspired against (37:18); Jesus was also conspired against. (Mat. 12:14)

·          Joseph’s brothers did not believe his dreams (37:19, 29); Jesus’ brethren did not believe His words. (Mat. 27:39-43; John 3:18, 36)

·          Joseph was stripped of his coat (37:23); Jesus was stripped of His coat. (Mat. 27:27, 28; John 19:23)

·          Joseph was cast into a pit (37:24); Jesus was thrown into a grave.

·          Joseph was taken out of the pit, alive in his body (37:28); Jesus was bodily-resurrected from the tomb (pit).

·          Joseph’s brothers mingled hypocrisy with their hatred (37:27); the Jews did the same with Jesus (Mat. 27:35, 36; John 18:28, 31)

·          Joseph is sold for the price of a slave (37:38); Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver (the price of a slave).

·          Judah suggested the idea of selling his brother (37:26-28); the Greek name for Judah is Judas (Mat. 1:2-3).

·          Joseph’s blood sprinkled coat (goat blood) is presented to his father (37:31); Jesus is our scapegoat and His blood was presented to the Father as a sin offering. (Leviticus 16:8-10)

II)                The price of silver in the field. (Judas the forgotten Sinner) Matthew 26:14-16 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

A)    Judas’ Money. 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1.      His love of money led to Dishonesty. John 12:4-6 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

2.      His love of money led to Deception. Matthew 26:14-15 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

3.      His love of money led to Deceive. Luke 22:47-48 And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

B)    Judas’ Mercy. John 13:21-30 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.

1.      The Sop. John 13:26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. The sop was given to the honored guest at the table.

2.      The Summons. John 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. Jesus was giving Judas a choice to make at that moment. To follow him or follow Satan.

C)    Judas’ Misery. Ecclesiastes 8:6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.

1.      His Sorrow. Matthew 27:3-4 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

2.      His Suicide. Matthew 27:5-8 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.

3.      His Sentence. Acts 1:17-19 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

III)             The price of silver of our future. (Jesus the faithful Saviour) Psalms 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

A)    It was priced in His Birth.

1.      It was a vision birth.

a.        Seen by Adam. Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

                                                                                      i.      The Messiah, the eminent seed of the woman, should bruise the head of the old serpent the devil, that is, destroy him and all his principalities and powers, break and confound all his schemes, and ruin all his works, crush his whole empire, strip him of his authority and sovereignty, and particularly of his power over death, and his tyranny over the bodies and souls of men; all which was done by Christ, when he became incarnate and suffered and died. 

b.      Seen by Abraham. Genesis 22:7-8 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

c.       Seen by Isaiah. Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

2.      It was a vital birth.

a.       To fulfil the Scriptures. Hebrews 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

b.      To provide the Saviour. Luke 2:10-11 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

c.       To bring hope to a lost Society. Luke 1:34-35 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

3.      It was a victorious birth.

a.       Victorious over Satan. Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

b.      Victorious over Sin. Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

c.       Victorious over Society. Luke 1:32-33 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

B)    It was priced in His Blood.

1.      The purity of the blood.

a.       Not the blood of Mammals.  (It wasn’t the blood of the service animals) Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

b.      Not the blood of Men. (It wasn’t the blood of the sinful saints) 1 Peter 1:18-21 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

c.       But the blood of the Master. (It was the blood of the spotless lamb and the sovereign Lord). Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

                                                                                      i.      Pure enough to Satisfy. 2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

                                                                                    ii.      Pure enough to Secure. Hebrews 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

                                                                                  iii.      Pure enough to Save. Romans 5:8-9 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.