Astounding Forgiveness Series

WHEN LIFE IS THE PITS: ASTOUNDING FORGIVENESS

A. Today is the second to the last lesson of our study on the Life of Joseph that I’ve titled: “WHEN LIFE IS

THE PITS.”

1. We started this series on the first Sunday of June looking at the “DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY” of Joseph and saw how it contributed to the utter FRACTURING of this family, which led to Joseph being THROWN into a PIT by his brothers who wanted to KILL him but instead SOLD him into

SLAVERY.

a. Just think of the HURT, ANGER, and BITTERNESS that had to have been BOILING OVER in

the HEART of Joseph toward his older BROTHERS.

b. I have no doubt that he often thought about the VENGEANCE that he would TAKE OUT on his BROTHERS if he ever had the OPPORTUNITY to come face-to-face with them again.

2. And when he is finally given that OPPORTUNITY, instead of BRUTAL VENGEANCE Joseph extends ASTOUNDING FORGIVENESS.

B. If you remember the lesson a couple of weeks ago (and by the way, I listened to the sermon that Ben preached when I was gone. And when he asked, “Do you remember the lesson Fred preached last week?”, seemingly, from the recording, many of you didn’t REMEMBER. Only seven days had

passed, and I’ve been PREACHING on this THEME for weeks). I FORGIVE YOU!

1. Two weeks ago, if you recall, we saw Joseph’s FINAL TEST to determine if his brothers would willingly turn over Benjamin as a SLAVE as easily as they had SOLD him into slavery 22-years earlier.

a. But instead of GETTING RID of their Father’s other FAVORITE SON and joyfully heading back home to their families, Judah, who came up with the idea of selling Joseph into SLAVERY, pleaded

with the “Governor of Egypt” to ENSLAVE him in place of his little brother Benjamin.

b. We saw how Judah admitted that God had UNCOVERED the INIQUITY of him and his brothers

who had MISTREATED Joseph because of their HATRED of him.

COMMENT:

This FINAL TEST made it CLEAR to Joseph that his Brothers were not the same men they were 22-years ago. A deep GODLY SORROW had brought about a GENUINE REPENTANCE in these brothers that is now PROMPTING Judah to give up his own FREEDOM so that Benjamin can RETURN to his Father.

2. While we were sitting at the AIRPORT the other day waiting to FLY back home after our FLIGHT had been DELAYED not once but twice, Brenda commented “I can sit at the airport all day and just

watch people.” (DO WE HAVE OTHER PEOPLE WATCHERS HERE?)

COMMENT:

This is especially true at AIRPORTS when you see families REUNITE—especially those who,

apparently, hadn’t seen each other for a while.

The other night as people PULLED-UP in their CARS to pick up a loved one, they would JUMP OUT of their vehicles as soon as it stopped and WRAP their ARMS around their LOVED ONES and start KISSING all over them. These are EMOTIONAL REUNIONS of HUSBANDS and WIVES, PARENTS and CHILDREN, GRANDPARENTS and GRANDCHILDREN, and even SIBLINGS.

3. Today we are going to witness such an EMOTIONAL REUNION between Joseph and his Brothers—

one that could have had a completely different ENDING—a TRAGIC ONE, but instead is shrouded by ASTOUNDING FORGIVENESS.

MESSAGE:

I. JOSEPH FORGIVES HIS BROTHERS

A. I don’t know how far Joseph was planning to EXTEND the FINAL TEST he instigated on his brothers when he had his steward put a SILVER CUP in Benjamin’s grain sack and then ACCUSED him of

STEALING it, but he cannot contain his EMOTIONS any longer- Genesis 45:1-3a (READ)

1. “Joseph ORDERS all the Egyptians to leave his presence.”

a. I don’t know what the BROTHERS were thinking when that happened, but I’m sure they were a

little CONCERNED.

COMMENT:

“Wait! What’s happening here? Has this guy gone nuts? …Please don’t leave us alone with him!” They don’t know if he is ANGRY with what Judah just TOLD him, or what’s going on. For all they know he might be getting ready to KILL them.

b. But after Judah’s impassioned PLEA on behalf of Benjamin and his father, the Governor’s CHEST began to HEAVE with EMOTION. “Then Joseph burst into TEARS weeping so loudly that all the Egyptians who were now out of the room, heard him.”

COMMENT:

Now, this isn’t the first time that Joseph WEPT because of his BROTHERS, but he always HID it from them. Not this time! This time he just cannot CONTROL his TEARS, and he starts CRYING his HEART OUT.

c. After finally COMPOSING himself, he says “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”

COMMENT:

Imagine the CONFUSION and HORROR that swept over the brothers when all of a sudden this Egyptian Governor speaks perfect Hebrew, their native language, and says, “I am Joseph!”