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!”
2. Really, we don’t have to IMAGINE because it is recorded here in v. 3b- “…his brothers were not
able to answer him, because they were TERRIFIED of his presence.”
a. Although they were certainly AFRAID of standing before the Governor of Egypt, they are
“TERRIFIED” to learn that he is really JOSEPH.
b. They KNOW how they MISTREATED that helpless KID.
COMMENT:
They know how DISTRESSED he was. They heard his SCREAMS and his PLEAS, begging them not to KILL him. They saw the TERROR on his FACE when they STRIPPED him of his ROBE, THREW him into a PIT and then SOLD him as a SLAVE to traveling MERCHANTS.
They remember Joseph’s DREAMS of how one day they would “BOW DOWN to him and he would RULE over them”. And if he is ANYTHING like they used to be, they are DEAD MEN WALKING.
c. Then Joseph said to his brothers in v. 4- “…COME CLOSE TO ME.”
COMMENT:
“NOPE!” That’s what I would be thinking. In fact, I would be BACKING UP and try to
LOOK for a WAY OUT.
But they do what Joseph says and GET CLOSER to him.
3. LISTEN to what Joseph says to them- vv. 4b-13 (READ)
a. When they hear the words, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you SOLD into Egypt!”- v.4b,
their HEARTS must have SANK.
COMMENT;
Again, they KNOW what they’ve DONE, but to HEAR it from the MOUTH of the one they
DID it to, must have felt like a TON of BRICKS falling on top of them.
Those WORDS had to be difficult to HEAR, but the WORDS they HEAR next out of the MOUTH of their kid brother that they had TREATED so CRUELLY, had to ASTOUND them.
b. Joseph continued, “Do not be distressed or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because
it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you”- v. 5.
COMMENT:
These EVENTS unfolding right before these MEN, must have been OVERWHELMING.
FIRST OF ALL, it had to be a SHOCK to learn that Joseph is still ALIVE. The 17-year-old kid they knew was SOFT, having been CODDLED and PRIVILEGED by their Father. While they were spending multiple days and night in the FIELDS working and tending their FLOCKS, Joseph was allowed to enjoy the COMFORTS of HOME. There is no way that he could have SURVIVED being someone’s SLAVE.
SECONDLY, they must be absolutely ASTOUNDED that Joseph, being the Governor of Egypt, hasn’t already called the GUARDS to have them ARRESTED and then EXECUTE them for the EVIL they have COMMITTED against him.
c. But as far as they can tell, there is no ANGER or BITTERNESS in Joseph. There is no hint of
REVENGE.
COMMENT:
Instead, Joseph SPOKE KINDLY to them and EXTENDED to them FORGIVENESS, not RETRIBUTION. He even PROMISED them a HOME where they and their FAMILIES can
LIVE and PROSPER.
d. And then in vv. 14-15, “Joseph threw his arms around Benjamin and WEPT, and then he EMBRACES his Brothers and KISSES them”—the very ones who STRIPPED him of his ROBE, THREW him into a pit, and SOLD him into SLAVERY.
B. When Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s brothers, he was ELATED- vv. 16-20.
1. He told Joseph to inform his brothers that they could have the FINEST LAND in Egypt to FARM
and SETTLE their FAMILIES.
a. He provided them WAGONS and MATERIALS and PROVISIONS to go back to the Land of
Canaan to get their FAMILIES and ANIMALS and bring them to Egypt.
b. And Pharaoh stressed that they are to bring their Father to Egypt, as well.
2. So, Joseph did as Pharaoh ordered, providing everything the brothers needed for their TRIP back to
their homeland to get their families and their father Jacob and bring them back to Egypt- vv. 21-24.
a. Notice the admonishment of Joseph to his brothers as they are getting ready to leave: “Don’t
quarrel on the way”- v. 24b. Some translations say, “See that you do not become troubled along the way.”
COMMENT:
Although the Scripture doesn’t reveal everything that happened when the brothers got home, it stands to reason that in CONVINCING their Father to come to Egypt, the TRUTH will come out that they LIED about finding Joseph’s ROBE in the dessert covered in blood, leading their Dad to
believe that his FAVORITE SON was ATTACKED and KILLED by a WILD ANIMAL.
They will have to finally REVEAL the SECRET that they have kept from their Father for 22-years of the PART they PLAYED in GETTING RID of their little brother. And the CLOSER they get HOME, the more ANXIOUS and IRRITABLE they will become, and TEMPERS will FLAIR.
b. Joseph is REMINDING them not to “ARGUE with each other” or be “TROUBLED BY the task before them”, because God is in the MIDDLE of this whole thing.
3. As they ARRIVE in Canaan, they tell their father that Joseph is ALIVE- vv. 25-28 (READ)
a. After finally convincing their father that Joseph was ALIVE, v. 27 says “the spirit of their father
Jacob revived.”
COMMENT:
For 22-years Jacob had been GRIEVING the LOSS of his SON. For 22-years his HEART has been BROKEN and his SPIRIT CRUSHED. And now his PRAYER and HEART’S DESIRE will finally come to PASS.
b. He will get to SEE his SON Joseph again before he DIES.
II. OUR FORGIVENESS OF OTHERS
A. We have all been HURT by somebody (am I right?), and we have all HURT somebody.
1. And, as a RESULT, we have ALL had to FORGIVE OTHERS for doing WRONG to us and we
have ALL had to SEEK others’ FORGIVENESS for the WRONGS we committed against them.
a. By FORGIVING OTHERS and SEEKING FORGIVENESS, we hope to MEND relationships and make SITUATIONS better.
b. The TRUTH of the MATTER is, however, there are some SITUATIONS that cannot be FIXED.
COMMENT:
You cannot UNSAY a DEMEANING remark. You cannot UNDO the THRASHING that you INFLICTED on the KID that you BULLIED back in SCHOOL. You cannot TAKE BACK the ADULTEROUS RELATIONSHIP with your NEIGHBOR.
And we can say “I AM SORRY” until our face turns blue, but that still doesn’t EASE the HURT, UNDO the DEED, or REPAIR the TURMOIL that we caused.
2. This is when those of us who especially have been HURT by another, must make a DECISION.
a. We either decide to FORGIVE the person who committed the OFFENSE against us or HARBOR BITTERNESS toward the person.
b. Joseph chose the FORMER and ASTOUNDINGLY FORGAVE his BROTHERS.
COMMENT:
Now, that doesn’t mean that the HURT wasn’t still there, or that he didn’t REMEMBER the EVIL they COMMITTED against them. He simply CHOSE to FORGIVE them and NOT seek RETRIBUTION for what they had done to him.
B. Listen to what Jesus says about the NATURE of FORGIVENESS- Luke 17:3-5 (READ)
1. What FORGIVENESS is NOT
a. FORGIVENESS is not a FEELING. (The truth is, there are times when we do not FEEL like FORGIVING the person who has WRONGED us—including the person who comes to
us SEEKING our FORGIVENESS.)
ILLUSTRATION:
Sometimes we are like the little girl whose mother, in an attempt to CALM her down, said, “Now, Allison, your LITTLE brother said he was SORRY for BREAKING your DOLL so
I hope that you’ll FORGIVE him.”
“All right,” Allison says reluctantly, “but I’d FEEL more like FORGIVING him if I could
SMACK him first.”
COMMENT:
I completely understand that SENTIMENT. I FEEL the same way, sometimes? But Jesus said, “We are to forgive even if someone sinned against us seven times a day.” Now, we might forgive a SECOND time or maybe even a THIRD, but SEVEN?! Jesus is saying that we are to CONTINUALLY FORGIVE. No wonder the apostles said, “Lord, increase our faith.”
Jesus is merely revealing the way that God FORGIVES us. We SIN against Him time and time and time again. Yet, every time we go to Him in REPENTANCE and say, “God, I did it again. Will you please forgive me?” He CONTINUES to FORGIVE us.
b. FORGIVENESS is not EXCUSING. (What do we often say when someone says, “I’m sorry”?)
COMMENT:
Excusing says, “That’s okay!” and implies “What you did really wasn’t wrong.” or “You
couldn’t help it.” IT IS NEVER “OKAY” WHEN SOMEONE DOES US WRONG!!! In fact, Jesus said that we are to “REBUKE” (REPRIMAND) those who SIN against us.
FORGIVENESS is the opposite of EXCUSING. The very fact that FORGIVENESS is needed and granted indicates that what someone did was WRONG and INEXCUSABLE.
FORGIVENESS says, “We both know that what you did was wrong and without excuse. But since God has forgiven me, I forgive you.” Because FORGIVENESS deals honestly with SIN, it brings a FREEDOM that no amount of EXCUSING could ever hope to PROVIDE.
c. FORGIVENESS is not FORGETTING.
COMMENT:
How many times have you heard someone say or a minister preach, “We are to FORGIVE
and FORGET”?
There are some WRONGS committed against us that we will NEVER FORGET, and the Bible doesn’t DEMAND that we do so. God is very realistic about our FORGIVING others. He knows that there are some HURTS that have produced DEEP SCARS that will always be there.
This MISUNDERSTANDING is derived from a misuse of the passage in Hebrews 8:12 quoting from Jeremiah where God says, “For I will FORGIVE their WICKEDNESS and will REMEMBER their sins NO MORE.”
This doesn’t mean that God DOESN’T REMEMBER our sins (He KNOWS everything), but that He CHOOSES to never BRING UP our SINS again and HOLD them AGAINST us.
2. What is FORGIVENESS?
a. FORGIVENESS is a COMMAND.
-Matthew 6:14-15- “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father WILL NOT forgive your sins.”
COMMENT:
God takes FORGIVENESS seriously. Because He so freely FORGIVES us when we SIN against Him, He wants us to do the same when someone SINS against us. And if we REFUSE to FORGIVE, God WILL NOT forgive us.
That’s why Paul reminds us to, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you”- Colossians 3:13.
b. FORGIVENESS is a CHOICE. (Although we are commanded to forgive, it is still our
CHOICE to FORGIVE or NOT—keeping in mind the consequences if we don’t forgive.)
COMMENT:
Instead of Joseph CHOOSING to hold his brothers accountable for what they had done to him, he CHOSE to FORGIVE them and RECONCILE their RELATIONSHIP.
Instead of God CHOOSING to send us straight to HELL because of our SINS, which we deserve (Romans 6:23), He CHOSE to send His Son to the CROSS to DIE for our SINS so that we can be FORGIVEN and receive ETERNAL LIFE.
CONCLUSION:
A. Next week we will conclude this series on the Life of Joseph as we study God’s Sovereignty.
COMMENT:
Although God did not APPROVE of what Joseph’s BROTHERS did to Joseph, He USED it to get Joseph to Egypt to be INSTRUMENTAL in ultimately SAVING his FAMILY, not only from the SEVERE FAMINE but from the CORRUPTION of the Canaanite people, in order to PRESERVE Abraham’s ANCESTRAL-LINE (Abraham is Joseph’s great-grandfather) through which God’s Son Jesus Christ will be BORN (from the tribe of Judah) to SAVE the WORLD.
IS THERE SOMONE IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU
HAVE YET TO FORGIVE?
