Text: Genesis 2: 4 -10, 15-17
 
O give thanks to our God who is good:
whose love endures forever.
You sun and moon, you stars of the southern sky:
give to our God your thanks and praise.
Sunrise and sunset, night and day:
give to our God your thanks and praise.
All mountains and valleys, grassland and scree,
glacier, avalanche, mist and snow:
give to our God your thanks and praise.
You kauri and pine, rata and kowhai, mosses and ferns:
give to our God your thanks and praise.
 
God’s invitation to us in these verses, to tend and guard creation, is an invitation to enthusiastically join God’s redemptive plan.

You can watch the recorded sermon here: https://youtu.be/aO0bZwXmLBQ?si=hrDRe2eL7yL_G73e​

Genesis 42–46 tells how Joseph is reunited with the brothers who had sold him into slavery. During a severe famine, they travel to Egypt to buy food. Joseph is now governor of Egypt, but they don't recognise him: its a wonderful  account, of evil turned to good, curses to Lessing, repentance reconciliation and healing and most importantly God’s sovereignty over our lives
In Genesis 42:8 we read:
“Although Joseph recognised his brothers, they did not recognise him.”
Joseph tests his brothers to discover whether they have changed. The turning point comes when Judah offers to become a slave in Benjamin’s place, rather than return home and cause his father further grief:
In Genesis 44:33 we read:
“Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.”

Joseph now sees that his brothers are no longer the men they once were. Overcome with emotion, he reveals his identity:
In Genesis 45:7 we read:
“Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph! Is my father still living?’”
— Genesis 45:3 (NIV)
Joseph forgives them and explains that, although they intended harm, God used what happened to preserve the family during the famine:
“God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”

Jacob and his whole household then move to Egypt, where Joseph is joyfully reunited with his father after many years apart:
In Genesis 46:29 we read:
“As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time.”

Our Guest Preacher this week is Rev Edrick Corban-Banks