Dropping the Baggage.

Back in the days of tall ships, the captain hired the town’s strong man, Iron Arms Briggs (not unlike our Pastor Mac), to unload anvils from the cargo. Flexing his might, he grabbed one in each hand. Confidently grinning, he grinned at the crowd on the dock. He began his stride down the gangway. Though he had the strength of a bear, the narrow gang plank didn’t.

The combined weight of the anvils and his burly frame proved too much for the plank. With a loud creak followed by a snap, the plank gave way, and KERPLUNK, Briggs plunged into the water below, anvils and all.

What a spectacle! There he was, thrashing in the water with sheer determination, anvils still clutched in his hands. The onlookers rushed to the edge of the pier, their faces a mix of concern and disbelief.

"Are you okay?" someone shouted.

"For now," he replied, spitting out of water, "but if someone doesn't grab these anvils from me, I'm bound to drown!"

The crowd roared with laughter at the absurdity of him trying to save the anvils. Here was this giant of a man, who could lift anvils without breaking a sweat, now barely managing to stay afloat because of his stubborn determination to not let go of the 2 anvils.

"Let go of the anvils!" a voice called out.

He responded, "Good idea, but it won’t make as good of a story!" as he let go.

And with that, the crowd burst into laughter. As he too realized the ridiculousness of his predicament. Relieved of the anvils, it still took a few people to haul him up onto the pier.

People gathered to see if he was OK. Besides being soaked and shivering, he was back to his old self. As he looked around at the relieved and once again amused faces, he said, "Next time, I think I'll just carry one anvil at a time."

Roaring laughter again!

And thus, our strong man learned that sometimes, even the strongest among us need a little help—and a good laugh doesn't hurt either!

We all carry baggage. We carry it into church, marriage, children, family and friends. I’m not here to say that you have to be perfect. Some of you carrying a couple of trunks and kitchen sink. Do you really want to carry them? Can we give it to God? The Father says, roll your baggage onto Him because He cares for you (1peter5:7).

I want to invite you today to prepare your heart to let go of the bags and let Christ take them from you. You don’t have to be a victim of your past. You don’t have to cope. You have the power of God through the Holy Spirit living in you. But, you must die to self. Let the past die and trust God’s wisdom and use of you to give you victory over the past and live life to His fullest in the present.

Genesis 50:17–20 “17 ‘Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brothers’ transgression and their sin—the suffering they caused you.’ Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when their message came to him. 18 His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.”

1. Relational baggage keeps you from your potential

When you focus on being a victim and your hurts, you remain a victim. You allow the past to rule your heart and your future. You will miss opportunities. You will live under a cloud no matter what happens. You will miss out on the joy of the Spirit and the fullest life Jesus offers in John 10:10

John 10:10 CSB

10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Don’t let your past, the circumstances, other people or the Devil steal God’s gift from you. But you have to let go of the things that hold you down and grab hold of Christ’s promise!

Psalm 73:21–22 NLT21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. 22 I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.

2. Relational baggage pollutes the rest of your relationships

Hebrews 12:15 The Living Bible15 Look after each other so that not one of you will fail to find God’s best blessings. Watch out that no bitterness takes root among you, for as it springs up it causes deep trouble, hurting many in their spiritual lives.

What sort of character did Joseph choose? What did his captors see in him that made him stand out in so many ways. He refused to live in PITY CITY. He didn’t want to keep the company of that neighborhood. When we hold onto relational baggage…

2a. It makes us defensive

2b. It makes us distant

2c. It makes us demanding

MEET my needs! You become all take and no give.

In considering Joseph and how he fared so well despite abuse, how did he rise above the negativity, abuse, harm, imprisonment and slavery? He did the opposite of what our selfish nature tells us. He served, he befriended, he refused to compromise his character.

Perhaps similar to Ernest Gordon:

### The Power of Friendship: Ernest Gordon's Story

During World War II, Scottish soldier Ernest Gordon was captured by Japanese forces and sent to the brutal Thai-Burma Railway POW camp, known as the "Death Railway." Conditions were horrendous, with prisoners facing constant abuse, malnutrition, and disease. Yet, it was the power of faith and friendship that helped Ernest and many others survive.

Despite the brutal treatment and harsh conditions of Being Japenese a Prisoner of War, Earnest chose a Godly path.

1. Ernest and his fellow prisoners held secret meetings to share faith, hopes, and fears. These gatherings provided vital emotional and spiritual nourishment.

2. The prisoners adopted a communal approach, sharing food, medicine, and resources. Those who were stronger physically helped the weaker ones, fostering a spirit of mutual care.

3 They refused to act like their captors. They encouraged each other to stay principled, and resisted the dehumanizing effects of captivity.

These friendships and community efforts had a profound impact on their survival. Ernest, on the brink of death multiple times due to severe illness, was saved by the care and support of his fellow prisoners. The Spiritual depth and psychological resilience these relationships fostered was crucial. Remember the Devil’s main avenue of attack is on your mind and using lies. They believed there was more to life than just surviving.

Ernest Gordon's story is a powerful testament to the strength found in character, faith, friendship and community. Their focus on what was important, enabled them to survive the environment designed to break them.

When we consider these stories and our text today, what sort of character did Joseph choose? What did his captors see in him that made him stand out in so many ways? What would have happened if Joseph focused on revenge, bitterness, and resisting his captors? He focused on God, trusted God, and he served. So God lifted him from CHAINS to a CROWN! No longer shackled by his past, Joseph became the freest man in all the world as Pharaoh’s right hand man. Wow.

3. Relational baggage destroys our relationship with God

In Christ, the Father releases any anger, displeasure, or grudge against you. Totally wipes it out! He can freely relate to you. He’s not walking around looking to take a pound of flesh out of you. He’s looking to BREATH NEW LIFE into you! But when we don’t live in Him or His freedom, we keep ourselves chained down in the darkness of our own bitterness, pain, and disappointment.

Mark 11:25 NLT25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” Matthew 6:12 NLT12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. Matthew 6:14 NLT14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

4 Put Down the Bags

Let’s clarify something. God will bring justice. There are people who experience great grief and abuse. Joseph suffered greatly as a slave. He had legal claims against his brothers. But, let’s also be clear, God wants all people to find peace and life. For those who have been hurt, He offers a path of healing and hope. For those who have caused harm, he offers forgiveness through repentance and confession.

The Bible offers hope and redemption for the abuser and the victim. And while the Bible recognizes people’s suffering, believe this, God does not leave people as victims. He offers victory to all through repentance, the cross, resurrection and the presence of the Holy Spirit breathing new life into you.

In the text, Joseph and His brother experience the power of God at work.

The brothers asked for forgiveness for the harm and suffering they caused Joseph.

Now before we go father, let’s examine the reality. In this world, there will some hurts that can’t be reconciled with the person (not because God is unwilling. But not all people will truly submit or give their heart and life to God). And, “ABUSE” also has become an abused term in our culture.

Lets distinguish what abuse is and is not.

Severity and Intent: Abuse, in its historic sense, involves severe actions intended to harm or control another person, it is a regular and systematic behavior and process intended to manipulate, control, or cause regular pain to another or a group of people. Disagreements or lack of special attention do not carry the same intent or impact. Not getting your way or having people affirm you, are not abuse. Playing a victim is actually a way of manipulating others and can lead to abusive behavior as well. That’s the Devil’s work as well and it has infected the Western culture today.

So to sum up: Abuse often involves a pattern of behavior that occurs consistently over time. Occasional disagreements or critical comments, while potentially hurtful, do not form a pattern of abuse unless they are part of a systematic effort to degrade or control.

When we misuse the word abuse or allow others to confuse the term, we diminish the experiences of those who have truly suffered. This is not to shame anyone, but to highlight the importance of reserving the term for serious, genuine cases, so we can provide the appropriate support and attention to those in need.

When we deal appropriately with our hurts through the Father, we discover

Psalm 147:3 NLT3 He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 NLT3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

HOW DO WE DO THAT? 4a. Reveal the hurt. Tell God what’s on your mind. He will grant you a proper perspective. He will offer you appropriate counsel and help. Just like Briggs, let go of the baggage rather than groan or thrash around.

Psalm 32:3 NIV843 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 39:2 NLT2 But as I stood there in silence— not even speaking of good things— the turmoil within me grew worse. 4b. Release the people involved. This does not always mean you will be restored. Again, not everyone, in fact most people will not surrender to Christ, they will live in blindness and sinful selfishness. Restoration takes all parties coming under Christ. But, forgiveness can come to you and through you no matter what anyone else does:

Christ taught Matthew 18:21–22 NLT21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” 22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! Christ’s example 1 Peter 2:23 NLT23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. 4c. Refocus on God’s plan for my life. Genesis 50:19–20 NLT19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

God does not take away the sinfulness of the world at this present time. However, He has sent the Holy Spirit so that you may overcome the world.

“Greater is He Who is in you that He who is in the world. 1john4:4

1 John 4:4 NLT

4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

What does not become transformed through Christ, gets transmitted to others around you.

### Conclusion

Joseph’s example teaches lesson about Jesus' love and His power to restore. Just like Joseph or Earnst, our lives can sometimes feel broken and incomplete. But Jesus is always there, helping us to put the pieces back together with His love and guidance.

Romans 8:28 RSV

28 We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.

Job 11:13–16 CSB

13 As for you, if you redirect your heart and spread out your hands to him in prayer— 14 if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it, and don’t allow injustice to dwell in your tents— 15 then you will hold your head high, free from fault. You will be firmly established and unafraid. 16 For you will forget your suffering, recalling it only as water that has flowed by.

Conclusion

Joseph’s story is a testament to the power of character in overcoming adversity and achieving greatness. His faith, resilience, forgiveness, perspective on suffering, humility, focus on service, and empathy enabled him to rise above his circumstances and fulfill God’s purpose for his life. By emulating Joseph’s character traits, we can learn to navigate our own challenges with grace and strength, love even those who hurt us, and reach our full potential in alignment with God’s will.

If you have baggage, the humble Jesus will hold you, strengthen you and direct you. If you’ve caused hurt, Jesus will forgive you, renew your heart and mind. He will show you a path that can free you and others or future hurt. All of us need to let go of baggage. Some have large crates, some small suitcases. But we all need to cast our cares upon Him daily.