Sermon: From the Pit to the Pardon – Joseph’s Journey and God’s Redemptive Grace (Genesis 37–50)

Introduction

Life is full of series of pits. Moments of betrayal, hardship, or loss that leave us questioning God’s plan.

Joseph’s story in 37-50 shows us how God can weave even our darkest moments into his gracious purposes.

Joseph is a Christ type figure that makes me reflect on God’s grace and how much of Joseph’s story foreshadows the salvation and redemption that would come through Jesus thousands of years later.

This section is dense with theology, but I want to focus today on his brothers path from guilt and regret, to grace, and see how it points to the forgiveness we can all find in Christ.

1. Seeds of Betrayal: Human Sin and Its Consequences (Genesis 37:3–36)

It says in Genesis 37:3–4 “Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because Joseph was a son born to him in his old age, and he made a robe of many colors for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him.”

Talk about how Judah was actually the chosen child by God to advance his covenant, but neither him nor Jacob were faithful to their end of the agreement up to this point by Jacob setting Joseph apart as special and not Judah and by Judah not advancing his family how God intended.

Mention the dream about how Joseph was telling them his dream indicated they would bow down to him

Read Genesis 37:8 ““Are you really going to reign over us?” his brothers asked him. “Are you really going to rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said.”

Mention the next dream and how even the Sun, Moon, and stars were bowing down to him in another and how that sounds very braggy.

His father’s favoritism and him boasting about his dreams led his brothers to have deeply rooted jealousy of him.

Their envy and jealousy festered and grew into a plot to kill him and ultimately ends with Judah selling him into slavery for 20 pieces of silver.

This betrayal with silver, is very similar to Jesus being betrayed by Judas for 20 pieces of silver.

Sin is destructive. It was wrong for Joseph’s brothers to betray him the way they did, but they gave into their human desire of envy, jealousy, and hatred and took matters into their own hands. They took actions out of hatred that would ultimately lead to harm not only to Joseph, but to their entire family. When I reflect on this section, I can’t help but think we are not that different than Joseph’s brothers. We are all prone to selfish desires, envy, and actions that harm others. Yet as we’ll see through the rest of Joseph's story, God’s plan is to turn our human failure into his own story of redemption and how that redemption ultimately comes through the sacrifice of his chosen and favored son, Jesus.

2. God’s Presence in the Pit: Joseph’s Rise and God’s Faithfulness (Genesis 39:1–23, 41:41–43)

Despite being sold into slavery, Genesis 39:2 says “The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.”

Throughout chapters 39-41, Josephs is falsely accused and imprisoned. His faith and God-given ability to interpret dreams elevated him to Pharaoh’s right had, overseeing Egypt’s prosperity and preparing Egypt for the famine that was to come from one of his dreams.

Again, we see that God’s spirit was with Joseph, even the Pharaoh recognized it in Genesis 41:38 “Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find anyone like this, a man who has God’s spirit in him?””

Quick recap, I know we’re covering a lot here, I just want to reiterate the importance of this. Joseph goes from almost death at the hands of his brother, to being sold into the Egpytian slave ring, all the way to now ruling over Egpyt with Pharaoh. That’s a big But God right there.

Even in our darkest, lowest times, when we feel like God is furthest away from us, God is with us, just as he was with Joseph the entire time. Our trials and struggles that leave us feeling defeated are not the end, but are part of God’s plan to shape us for His ultimate glory.

3. The Weight of Guilt: The Brothers’ Turmoil (Genesis 42:1–8, 21–22)

Now bring it back to Joseph’s brothers. How through all the suffering and success Joseph has now and in spite of their betrayal, they were still on the suffering end of things. Years after their betrayal, the famine foretold by Joseph has arrived forcing Jacob to send his sons to Egypt for food, unaware of Joseph, being the ruler they would encounter.

Not knowing who the ruler was they were standing before, we learn how they had carried the guilt of what they had done to their brother for all these years.

In Genesis 42:21–22 we see how their guilt has been festering all these years. “Then they said to each other, “Obviously, we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us.” But Reuben replied: “Didn’t I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn’t listen. Now we must account for his blood!””

Joseph shows compassion for his brothers. In 42:24, it says he turned away from them and wept. He longed to be reconciled with his brothers.

This moment is powerful. It mirrors our own encounters with guilt. Like the brothers, we carry the weight of past sins—harsh words, selfish choices, or moments of betrayal. Psalm 32:3–4 describes this burden: “When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat. Selah” Unaddressed guilt festers, but God uses it to awaken our conscience, nudging us toward repentance. This moment for the brothers unknowingly before Joseph, shows how God orchestrates circumstances to confront us with our sin, not to condemn us, but to prepare us for His grace. Jesus reminds us of this in John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

4. Testing and Transformation: The Path to Repentance (Genesis 42:9–43:34)

He tests his brothers to discern if their hearts have changed. He accuses them of being spies, imprisons Simeon, and demands they bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, to Egypt.

Joseph gives orders to load his brothers up with grain and to return each man’s silver.

On their journey home, Genesis 42:27–28 “At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his money there at the top of the bag. He said to his brothers, “My money has been returned! It’s here in my bag.” Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What is this that God has done to us?””

I love this part so I wanted to talk about it by itself. I know at this moment the brothers must be very concerned because it appears they have stolen the grain. But I can’t help but think about God’s goodness to me when I read this verse. Just like Joseph gave his brothers more than what they deserved even after they had been so terrible to him, God, through his son Jesus gives me even more than that. Jesus continually offers me so much more than I deserve. Even when I have done so much wrong, when I come crawling back to him like Joseph’s brothers did to him, I find my soul full. I come empty and battered and destroyed by the world with really nothing to offer and Jesus makes me new.

Once they get back to Caanan, Jacob is operating out of fear and doesn’t want to send his newly chosen son away. Judah, who once callously sold Joseph, now steps forward with courage, pledging to protect Benjamin Genesis 43:8–9 “Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me. We will be on our way so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children. I will be responsible for him. You can hold me personally accountable! If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, I will be guilty before you forever.”

This transformation is profound. The brothers, once driven by envy, now act with loyalty and sacrifice, risking their lives for their family. Their journey reflects how God uses trials to refine us. The brothers’ growth shows that repentance is not just remorse but a change in heart and action. God is working in their story, just as He works in ours, using challenges to prepare us for His grace and to align our lives with His purposes.

5. Repentance and Revelation: The Power of Forgiveness (Genesis 44:1–45:15)

The brothers return to Egypt with Benjamin and Joseph tests them one final time, framing Benjamin for theft to see if they will abandon another brother.

Judah’s response to this test is the turning point in this story. Read Genesis 44:33 “Now please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave, in place of the boy. Let him go back with his brothers.”

This act of selflessness instead of selfish self preservation by Judah proves they have been transformed by their grief and guilt about what they had done to Joseph all those chapters ago.

All this time, they still do not know the leader they are encountering is their brother, Joseph. Moved to tears, Joseph can no longer conceal his identity. Weeping and asking about his father, Joseph continues to say in Genesis 45:4–8 “Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please, come near me,” and they came near. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt. And now don’t be worried or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

Joseph’s forgiveness is amazing to me. Instead of vengeance, he offers provision, inviting his brothers to live in Egypt’s abundance. This moment echoes the grace of Christ, who, despite our sins, offers us reconciliation and the opportunity to live in his abundance. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The brothers’ repentance—marked by honest confession and changed behavior—opens the door to restoration. It can also open the doors to your restoration. Joseph’s tears and embrace reflect God’s heart for us, longing to restore rather than condemn, even when we’ve fallen far short.

6. God’s Redemptive Plan: A Foreshadowing of Christ (Genesis 45:16–50:21)

The brothers settle in Egypt under Joseph’s care, and Jacob is joyfully reunited with his son before his death.

After Jacob’s passing, the brothers fear Joseph’s forgiveness was temporary.

In Genesis 50:15, they plead, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.”

Genesis 50:19–21 “But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people. Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”

Just like Joseph, Jesus forgiveness isn’t temporary. It isn’t fleeting and it doesn’t end. Romans 5:8 “But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” Joseph’s rise to a position of power in Egypt after his brothers betrayal to then ultimately provide for not only his own survival, but his brothers and families as well, mirrors Christ’s resurrection, turning betrayal into victory. Their evil act, meant to destroy, became the means by which God saved many, just as our sins, through Christ’s cross, lead to eternal life. Joseph’s provision for his undeserving brothers reflects Jesus’ grace, offering us a place in His family despite our failures.

Conclusion: The Grace of Christ

The story of Joseph reveals God’s power to redeem our darkest moments. His brothers’ betrayal, driven by jealousy, led to their guilt, but through repentance, they received forgiveness and provision. And you can too. Today. The bible teaches us that today is the day of salvation. If you’re carrying around guilt with you similar to Joseph’s brother, I ask you today to not leave this place until you make it right with God. Ask God to forgive you and decide today to follow Jesus and just as Joseph was steadfast in his forgiveness for his brothers, Jesus will be steadfast in his forgiveness for you.

Joseph’s grace reflects Christ’s greater sacrifice—his death on the cross for our sins, offering us redemption we could never earn. Like Joseph, Jesus welcomes us into his family, not because of our worthiness, but because of his boundless love.

Final Takeaways

God Is Present in Our Pits: No matter how deep your pit of despair, God is with you, working His redemptive plan, just as He was with Joseph.

Guilt Leads to Repentance: Like the brothers, let your guilt draw you to confess and repent, opening the door to God’s grace.

Forgiveness Transforms: Joseph’s forgiveness restored his family; Christ’s forgiveness restores us to God. Embrace it and extend it to others.

Redemption Is God’s Plan: Our sins, like the brothers’ betrayal, are woven into God’s purpose to bring life and salvation through Jesus.

Close by reading Psalm 103 then pray.