Genesis 45:24

See that ye fall not out by the way

Good advice to Christians

I. THE RELATIONSHIP OF CHRISTIANS. They are brethren.

II. THE COURSE OF CHRISTIANS. On their way from Egypt to Canaan, from house of bondage to Father’s house above.

III. THE DANGER OF CHRISTIANS. Falling out by the way--disagreeing, quarrelling, separating.

IV. THE DUTY OF CHRISTIANS. To watch against this danger. Why?

1. Because brethren.

2. Because travelling to a place where there is no falling out.

3. Because you can’t fall out without falling down--lowering Christian character.

4. Because you can’t fall out without disobeying your Father, who tells you to love one another.

5. Because you can’t fall out without giving your enemies occasion to triumph. Fall out with yourselves, and with Satan, but not with one another. (J. F. Smythe.)

Christians walking harmoniously on the road of life

They whom Joseph thus addressed were all--

I. MEMBERS OF THE SAME FAMILY. Brethren: the relations Christians bear to each other (1 Peter 3:6; Romans 12:10; Hebrews 13:1).

II. PARTAKERS OF THE SAME GRACE. Forgiven ourselves, we are to be forgiving.

III. ASSOCIATES IN THE SAME SERVICE. Concerted action is required of us.

IV. TRAVELLING TO THE SAME HOME. (J. F. Poulter, B. A.)

Christian agreement

Well would this text apply to that quarrelling among nations, which under the name of war has been thought honourable and often profitable, whereas it must ever be in the end most ruinous and disgraceful to the whole family of mankind. See then that in this respect “ye fall not out by the way.” See that you never be tempted, by any supposed honour or profit of war, to speak of it as desirable, or to wish for it in your hearts. Well would this text in like manner apply to natives of the same country, members of the same political community; and to the tumult, and strife, which of late years more especially have distracted the peace of society. Well does this rule apply also to those who esteem themselves members of the same household of faith. What can be more scandalous in the eyes of the scoffer, what can be more inconsistent with true piety in ourselves, than that all we, who would fain hope that we are going to the same heaven, and going by the same road of true faith in Christ, should embitter our few and evil days on earth by religious, or rather irreligious, contentions with each other. I might go on to apply the text to the variances and disputes, which arise often to mar the peace of a neighbourhood, the harmony of a parish, or the union of a charitable or friendly society. I speak to you of your brethren and sisters, of your parents or children, of your masters or servants, of your husbands or wives. And of these severally, whatever members you may each have, in the household to which you belong, of these severally I say, “See that ye fall not out by the way.”

1. Be humble. The more you are aware of your own failings, the more allowances you will make for those you live with. The less you will be disposed to fret at their selfishness and pride, the more heartily you are vexed at your own.

2. Be not selfish. Next to pride, if it be not the very same thing, stands selfishness, as the fruitful source of ill-temper. “‘Look not,” then, “every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” Philippians 2:4).

3. Set in watch over your lips. And when an angry thought arises, for a while be resolutely silent. Words are to anger, as air to kindle flame. Without them it soon dies for want of vent.

4. Avoid whatever you have found to be your usual provocations to anger.

5. Take, then, in the last place, this one direction more, “Overcome evil with good.” “A soft answer turneth away wrath.” (E. Blencowe, M. A.)

Joseph’s charge to his brethren

“Prevention is better than cure.” Better keep out of debt than let someone pay your bills; better for a family to take care that all causes of difference and disagreement should be removed, than to be constantly making up quarrels. Joseph then would say, “See that ye fall not out by the way”--

1. Because ye are brethren.

2. Because ye are passing through an enemy’s country.

3. Because ye are the bearers of precious treasure.

4. Because ye are representative men. All these thoughts will apply to the Church of Christ. (A. F. Barfield.)

See that ye fall not out by the way!--a necessary warning

How well he knew human nature! They were going home with news which would reveal to their father that they had been the cause of their brother’s disappearance, and had imposed on him with a deliberate falsehood; and for anything they knew, he might turn upon them and upbraid them with their cruelty and deceit. What so likely, therefore, as that they should begin to accuse each other--that crimination should lead to recrimination, and words to blows? Reuben might say again, “It was not my fault, for I sought to save his life, and I went back to the pit hoping to find him and restore him to our father.” Judah might respond, “But for me he would have died, and it is to my happy suggestion to sell him to the Ishmaelites that we are indebted for all the good fortune that seems now to be coming to us”; while the rest, conscious of their share in the nefarious transaction, might have sought to still the upbraidings of their consciences by uttering bitter things against each other. All that might have happened on their journey home, and so Joseph was not giving unnecessary counsel when he said, “See that ye fall not out by the way.” And they heeded his advice, for they reached home in peace; and it may be that, so far from quarrelling, they spent some of their time as they rode in conversing on the marvellous manner in which, in spite of their antagonism, and without their consciousness of anything in the least degree out of the way, the dreams of their brother had been fulfilled, and they had done obeisance at his feet. (W. M. Taylor, D. D.)

Luther’s prayer

Controversy may be sometimes needful; but the love of disputation is a serious evil. Luther, who contended earnestly for the truth, used to pray: “From a vainglorious doctor, a contentious pastor, and nice questions, the Lord deliver His Church!”

Melancthon and his mother

Philip Melancthon, being at the conferences at Spire, in 1529, made a little journey to Bretten, to see his mother. This good woman asked him what she must believe amidst so many disputes, and repeated to him her prayers, which contained nothing superstitious. “Go on, mother,” said he, “to believe and pray as you have done, and never trouble yourself about religious controversies.”

Fraternal affection

Fraternal affection approaches very nearly to self-love, for there is but a short remove from our own concerns and happiness to theirs who came from the same stock, and are partakers of the same blood. Nothing, therefore, can be more unnatural than discord and animosity among members so allied, and nothing so beautiful as harmony and love. (L. N. Stretch.)

Church contention

When Caesar solicited the consulship he found Crassus and Pompey at variance, so that he could not apply to either of them for help, lest he should make the other his enemy. He determined to reconcile them by representing that if instead of fighting against each other, and thus raising enemies that might be formidable against them both, they would act in concert, by their united counsels and interest they might subdue all opposition. The scheme was successful, and Caesar by their help attained a pinnacle of power; and though neither Crassus nor Pompey gained any particular advantage by the league, if they had but used their united power wisely they might have affected great good. He who can bind together those who are at variance may procure for the state or for the Church a marvellous blessing. Never is a foe so ready to advance as when he sees those who should be one to attack him wounding and slaying each other. The battle of the sects has not only provoked ill blood in the Church of Christ, but has weakened her for offensive movements, because when she ought to have been increasing her armaments and completing her equipments for an aggression on the enemy’s territory, she has rather been engaged in quarrelling over some trivial point of doctrine, or perhaps some piece of church furniture, to her own dishonour and the enemy’s triumph. (New Handbook of Illustration.)

Trivial dissensions

Dr. Cannon was once appealed to by a certain church where there was a great commotion in regard to the point, whether in newly painting their church edifice the colour should be white or yellow. When the committee had stated their case, and with an emphasis, not to say acrimony, which gave sad proof of the existence of a fearful feud upon the unimportant question, the doctor quietly said, “I should advise you, on the whole, to paint the house black. It is cheap, and a good colour to wear, and eminently appropriate for a body that ought to go in mourning over such a foolish quarrel among its members.” (Homiletic Encylopoedia.)