1
00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,940
When I read the story of Joseph in

2
00:00:04,940 --> 00:00:09,020
my Bible, I am reminded of Jesus, because

3
00:00:09,020 --> 00:00:12,940
Joseph makes me think of Jesus, because of

4
00:00:12,940 --> 00:00:14,260
the similarities.

5
00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:19,380
Joseph's fellow sufferers were like the two thieves

6
00:00:19,380 --> 00:00:23,200
that were crucified with Christ, the one saved,

7
00:00:23,580 --> 00:00:24,660
the other condemned.

8
00:00:25,140 --> 00:00:28,000
One of these, when Joseph said to him,

9
00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:31,020
Remember me, when it shall be well with

10
00:00:31,020 --> 00:00:32,700
thee, forgot him.

11
00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,320
But one of these, when he said, Remember

12
00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,340
me, when thou comest into thy kingdom, was

13
00:00:40,340 --> 00:00:41,200
not forgotten.

14
00:00:41,860 --> 00:00:45,600
Joseph was thirty years old when he rose

15
00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:47,580
to his exultation in Egypt.

16
00:00:48,100 --> 00:00:51,660
Jesus was about thirty years old at the

17
00:00:51,660 --> 00:00:54,360
fruition of his earthly ministry.

18
00:00:54,900 --> 00:00:59,980
Joseph was Christ-like in character, so Joseph

19
00:00:59,980 --> 00:01:01,780
makes me think of Jesus.

20
00:01:03,099 --> 00:01:06,600
I have known some men in my life

21
00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,280
who I can say that they made me

22
00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,760
think of Jesus, men in whom Jesus was

23
00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,680
prominent, because in their lives they gave him

24
00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:19,020
preeminence.

25
00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,280
One of these men was Adrian Rogers.

26
00:01:22,660 --> 00:01:24,580
He made me think of Jesus.

27
00:01:25,460 --> 00:01:28,900
There was consistency in Dr. Rogers' life.

28
00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:33,880
He was always witnessing for Jesus, always defending

29
00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,940
the Bible, always fighting against evil.

30
00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:40,460
But most importantly, what stands out about him

31
00:01:40,460 --> 00:01:43,740
was the stark reality that when you hung

32
00:01:43,740 --> 00:01:46,600
out with him, you felt like you were

33
00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:48,320
always in the presence of Jesus.

34
00:01:48,980 --> 00:01:51,180
He made me think of Jesus.

35
00:01:51,940 --> 00:01:54,040
Let me share a story with you, friends.

36
00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:58,360
It was a rainy night in Memphis, Tennessee,

37
00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,740
and I'd just dropped off my family at

38
00:02:01,740 --> 00:02:04,480
a local restaurant while I went to park

39
00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:05,200
the car.

40
00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:08,080
As I made my way in the dark

41
00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,140
parking lot, it was pouring down rain, and

42
00:02:11,140 --> 00:02:14,480
the wind blew hard on my umbrella.

43
00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:16,740
Once I made it to the door of

44
00:02:16,740 --> 00:02:20,280
the restaurant, I stepped inside to a well

45
00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:24,140
-lit lobby, and standing there with his arms

46
00:02:24,140 --> 00:02:26,900
outstretched was Adrian Rogers.

47
00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,780
He greeted me in his deep booming voice,

48
00:02:30,780 --> 00:02:32,020
Ernesto.

49
00:02:32,780 --> 00:02:35,140
Then he threw his big arms around me

50
00:02:35,140 --> 00:02:36,820
and hugged me hard.

51
00:02:37,460 --> 00:02:40,240
In that precise moment, I knew what it

52
00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,000
was like to leave this world for heaven

53
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,620
above, where Jesus would be there to greet

54
00:02:46,620 --> 00:02:47,120
me.

55
00:02:48,100 --> 00:02:50,540
For I felt like I was in the

56
00:02:50,540 --> 00:02:51,720
presence of Jesus.

57
00:02:52,380 --> 00:02:55,840
I always felt that way around Adrian Rogers,

58
00:02:56,330 --> 00:02:59,000
because he made me think of Jesus.

59
00:02:59,740 --> 00:03:03,880
John the Baptist said of Christ Jesus, he

60
00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,440
must increase, but I must decrease.

61
00:03:08,260 --> 00:03:10,760
I know one thing for sure, friends, about

62
00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,240
the Christian life, and that is this.

63
00:03:14,660 --> 00:03:18,600
The Christian life is lived via the cross.

64
00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:23,440
Self must go to the so Jesus can

65
00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,380
become more prominent in our life.

66
00:03:26,820 --> 00:03:28,180
How about you, friend?

67
00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:30,920
Do you know a person who makes you

68
00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:31,920
think of Jesus?

69
00:03:32,820 --> 00:03:37,260
Better yet, can someone say about you that

70
00:03:37,260 --> 00:03:42,120
you remind your spouse and family members of

71
00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,780
Jesus as you go about your daily activities

72
00:03:45,780 --> 00:03:47,180
in the home?

73
00:03:47,700 --> 00:03:50,840
Can your work colleagues say that about you,

74
00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,960
that you remind them of Jesus?

75
00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:58,700
Is Jesus prominent in your life because you've

76
00:03:58,700 --> 00:04:01,360
made him preeminent in your life?

77
00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:04,880
When you come in contact with the world,

78
00:04:05,260 --> 00:04:07,880
do people say you that you made them

79
00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:08,800
think of Jesus?

80
00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:13,780
I love the little hymn, Jesus be Jesus

81
00:04:13,780 --> 00:04:14,580
in me.

82
00:04:15,019 --> 00:04:16,540
Let us pray.