1 Genesis 45: Preaching/Teaching-

Forgiven people, forgive!

Intro:

Share with someone your favorite part of what we have been learning from this series on God dreams.

Napkin illustration

Jesus traded his pure napkin for our red one.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB95)

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Last week we talked about being people who embrace the forgiveness of God on a regular basis.

Today we are going to talk about being a people who extend the very forgiveness that they have recieved.

What is the church known for today?

Scene from Jesus revolution-

Judgment...

But even though this is not always a reality the church has shown great times of great love and forgiveness.

John 13:34–35 ““A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””

Would it not be awesome if this church was known for what the very heart of God is known for .

Last week we talked about receiving the love and forgiveness of God.

This week we are going to talk about extending the love and forgiveness of God?

Is extending forgiveness easy or hard for you?

Today we are going to see that forgiven people forgive.

What obstacles do you have to extending the love and forgiveness of God?

Today I want to give us three reasons why we must extend forgiveness:

1. The first reasons we must freely forgive others is because God is in control (Sovereign) (1-8).

Setting

Look at all the pain that Joseph went through he did not sugar coat. There are 3 full chapters where Joseph (who does trust God wants to take matters into his own hands, he wants to bring the justice of God.)

The Emotion of Forgiveness (1-3)

Genesis 45:1–2 (NASB95)

Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it.

He literally could not control himself, this was the most powerful man in Egypt and this had to be dealt with.

If you are here today and have not dealt with an area of forgiveness today may today is your day.

Joseph was dealing with years of hurt, and right now he was with those who wanted him dead. Even though the sent everyone outside, they could still hear him.

Genesis 45:3 (NASB95)

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.

He missed his dad! He missed his family. What happened to Joseph was not the way things were supposed to be.

The whole reason we are taking about forgiveness is because things are not the way they are supposed to be.

But notice their is also emotion from his brothers.

THEY WERE DISMAYED!

Think about the shame the brothers had.

God is the Author of Forgiveness (4-8)

Genesis 45:4 NASB95

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.

What would you be thinking if you were the brothers.

I AINT GOING CLOSER TO THAT MAN, HE GOING TO KILL ME.

Joseph is not meaning this bad but he is putting the reality of what they did out there.

But Joseph is about to make it crystal clear that God is the one who is in control of his life.

3x’s Joseph makes it clear that God sent him

Genesis 45:5–8 ““Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. “For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. “Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

Notice 3 times Joseph affirms that God was the author of his story. That sounds really nice especially since Joseph was now the second most powerful man in the world. But I am sure it was not as nice when he was a slave, I am sure it was not as nice as he was in prison.

Isn’t this of great comfort that even in our darkest of times that God is the author of our story.

Their are a lot of famous authors, but who could be a greater author than God when it comes to being the one who writes our story.

This should bring us great comfort because even when we are going through the hardest test or most difficult time we can be confident that God is right their next to us, and he is in control.

This is why Joseph can do what James commands us to do:

James 1:2 (NASB95)

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

Joseph believes, it was his conviction that God’s will not the will of human beings is the controlling factor in his life.

Do you believe God is the ultimate one controlling the events of your life?

I think with Joseph their were some dark nights of the soul but remember what we have seen with Joseph, God has been with him every step of the way. And when he was going through those dark nights God was right there with him.

Genesis 45:7 (NASB95)

“God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.

Creation and Blessing: A Guide to the Study and Exposition of Genesis B. Forgiveness is the Means of Reconciliation (4–8)

Joseph’s whole purpose was to ensure that the remnant of God’s people would be saved in this crisis.

God was preparing Joseph in the darkest of moments to prepare him to save an entire nations

God has a purpose even for your darkest moments.

Do you know what God’s purpose for you is already?

Tyler’s story!

Creation and Blessing: A Guide to the Study and Exposition of Genesis (B. Forgiveness is the Means of Reconciliation (4–8))

God from heaven overruled their counsels and attempts and, in short, did by their hands what he had himself decreed

At the cross God reminds us once and for all that he is in control

Acts 2:23–24 NASB95

this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. “But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

The very premise of forgiveness was seen in Jesus.

God practiced what he preached-

Even the greatest of sinners who sanctioned Jesus death could not stop God’s great plan that would offer salvation to the world.

Application-

Even the worst thing you have ever went through can not stop Gods’ plan in your life.

I hope you leave here knowing God is sovereign.

Are you resting in the fact that God is in control?

2. The next reason we must freely forgive others is because it is the path to reconciliation (9-15).

I know way too many stories of families who will not talk to each other, who will not mention each other, who will not see each other. All because they will not forgive each other.

How many families do we know who would not reconcile and then one of them died and it was too late. And then all of the sudden their is pain and regret.

Side note

Now I want to preface this talk by saying when we talk about forgiveness, I know that there are real hurts that have occured and that this is a very emotional topic.

-If someone has really hurt you and can abuse you- you can forgive that person, but you do not have to be around that person. Forgiving someone does not mean we subjugate ourselves to harm.

The hard part of forgiveness

Genesis 45:9 (NASB95)

“Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay.

I love that it says hurry and go to my father. This verse reminds me of the story of the prodigal Son. The prodigal finally realizes he needs to come home and as bad as he wanted to get home, the Father wanted it even more and comes running after him.

isn’t this people’s greatest need to be reconciled to their creator.

But this news was not so good for the brothers. Why they were going to have to tell their father what really happened.

Isn’t this the same with the good news of the gospel-

It is great news, but in order to receive the greatest gift of all time we have to come clean with the reality of our SIN.

As I shared briefly last week I had to realize the seriousness of my sin before I could understand the greatness of the gospel.

A beautiful picture of Grace

Do you know what Grace is

It is when we not only don’t get what we deserve but when we get something great in return

If I punched this person he would punch me back what if I punched him and he gave me 100 dollars

that is grace.

Grace is what separates Christianity from any other religion in the world

Genesis 45:10–11 (NASB95)

“You shall live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have.

“There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished.” ’

Not only were they not going to starve to death , they were going to get all their stuff and live by the food source for the entire world.

Isn’t it amazing that Jesus does not offer us forgiveness but he allows us to experience forgiveness.

Being with the Father

Genesis 45:12–15 ““Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. “Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.”

Notice what he wanted, he wanted to be back with his father, he wanted.. He wanted his father to be proud of him.

Nate last night they played a team and they are in a tournament with the best teams in houston both private and public and they made it to the top 16, they are actually going to play. They won last night and Nate and Aiden played well. And after the game I told him I love watching you play, he goes I thought you were mad at me because I did not score more points.

I had to remind my senior son that my love for him is not based on his performance.

Joseph just wanted that love from the father.

Ultimately that love can only be found in our heavenly father.

Well done son.

Application:

What relationship do you have right now that needs reconciliation?

Who do you need to forgive?

What would happen in your family if you were willing to forgive?

Church are we going to be a church that forgives?

Just like we talk about from the movie Jesus revolution.

3. The last reason we must freely forgive others is because forgiveness is the hope of the world (16-18).

The very thing that they were experiencing is the very thing that the world needs. This family was not just talking about forgiveness it was happening.

Genesis 45:16–18 NASB95

Now when the news was heard in Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go to the land of Canaan, and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.’

John 13:34–35 ““A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””

Story about friend who girl had a baby out of wedlock-Ill buy the ..

Application:

Former South African president and leader of anti segregation Nelson Mandela served 27 years in prison and at his release said "I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison."

Do you need to receive the forgiveness of God. Remember forgiven people forgive. Maybe the real reason you can’t forgive is because you have never been forgiven.

Luke 7:47–49 ““For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?””

Who do you need to forgive? Maybe this is the very thing that is keeping you from going deeper with God.