Pastor Tony's sermon, rooted in Genesis 37, powerfully conveys that God is not absent in the darkness , even in "incredibly dark stories" where He isn't explicitly mentioned. He uses the narrative of Joseph and Jacob's family to illustrate this theme. The message underscores that we contribute to the darkness ; every character in Genesis 37—Joseph with his tattling and bragging dreams, Jacob with his favoritism, and the brothers with their conspiracy and selling Joseph into slavery—plays a part in the sin. Pastor Tony warns that our darkness, particularly hatred, will boil over if left unchecked, consuming individuals and destroying relationships. However, he highlights that God uses this darkness to bring salvation . Despite the evil intentions, God orchestrates events, as Joseph's journey into slavery ultimately led to the growth of the nation of Israel in Egypt and, crucially, through the line of Judah, to the birth of Jesus Christ, who came to dispel the darkness. The sermon concludes with a call to action: to believe that "It may be dark, but God is good and he is still working" . Listeners are encouraged to shine the light in the darkness by believing in Jesus and living in continual repentance, reflecting Christ's light as "the light of the world". It's an invitation to make a bold decision to follow Jesus, stepping out of darkness and into His light.
