Untitled Sermon (7)

Going back to Go Forward...

We look back to see why we do what we do today...

Looking at Family of Orgin...

We look

Five basic needs when we are born into a family:

1. The need to be wanted.

2. The need to be nurtured.

3. The need to be supported.

4. The need to be protected.

5. The need for limits.

When we come into the family of God we bring with us certain unprocessed material from our family of origin.

The growth of a Christian life is putting off that which was the old blueprint in you, which is deeply lodged within you.

And might say, Hey this isn’t really impacting me… And I say ask the people around you! See what they say!

They see something leak out, the stubbornness, anger, fear, fear of intimacy, ...

Joseph came from an unhealthy family, if you go back to his Great grand parents - Abraham and Sarah - and if you read about them in Genesis you will see lying - very deceptive, sibling rivalry, favoritism given by the parents, see an unhealthy marriage… You will see those 4 things.

And you go to the next generation and you go to his grandparents (Issac and Rebecca) you will see those same things again!

And then you get to Jacob, Joseph’s dad… and you see the same things...

None of come into a blank slate...

Let’s talk about Jacob, Joseph’s dad. He makes Joseph a multi-colored.

And one thing led to the next and Jacob experienced 3 traumas...

Joseph goes through three traumas.

1. Joseph was rejected by his brothers and thrown into a pit. “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. “Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams” ().

Genesis 37:19 NIV

“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other.

Maybe you have been rejected or left out

2. Joseph lost his family, his culture, his freedom . . . everything he knew. “Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard” ().

his family, his culture, his freedom . . . everything. “Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard” ().

3. He was thrown into prison where he experienced hopelessness. Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined (,).

And he has experienced this all because of other people.

But what did he do?

He went forward without going backward…

He tried to bury the past and forget about it...

And what do we do? We say that it is too painful. Why should I go there? Some have suppressed the memories.

You say that you are over it....

But it might be all over you...

And you might have to engage in the past or examine the past...

How do we know that Joseph wanted forward without going back...

Because of how he named his children...

Gen 41:

Genesis 41:51–52 NIV

Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”

When you picked a name for your child, it said something about you or the child...

Manassah - Forgetting - God is helping me forget my past.

And every time Manassah walks by he thinks - forget about it. forget about it

Ephriah - Fruitful - Get on with it

So he is saying “Forget about it and get on with it.”

And don’t we do the same thing - something happens and we say I’m going to prove them wrong. I will amount to something and show them what I can despite what happen to me...

You leak what is buried

But what ends happening is that we end up leaking what is buried...

Why do I have that fear?

Why am I frustrated?

Why do I have this pride?

Why do I not have confidence in myself?

Why do I have to be in control of EVERYTHING?

Why do I second guess EVERYTHING?

The Past Walked Back into His Life

Genesis 42:7–8 NIV

As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.” Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

Gen 42:

Genesis 42:21–24 NIV

They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.” Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter. He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.

Gen 43:

Genesis 43:29–31 NIV

As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there. After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, “Serve the food.”

You can never heal from your past except in the context of safe relationships.

Joseph tries to manage the situation to the best of his ability… By controlling others…

What is this called? Abuse of POWER… Power trip… And this stems other “stuff” that is inside!!!

And this impacts teams, relationships, organizations, individuals....

Genesis 45:1–3 NIV

Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

Joseph came to a new place in his heart and life:

1. He was able to release bitterness and forgive those who hurt him: Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you” (45:4,5).

2. He was able to rebuild broken relationships: Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him” (44:14,15).

3. He was able to be a blessing to his family: So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father's household with food, according to the number of their children (47:11,12).

4. He was able to find the of God in the pain of his past: ““It was not you who sent me here, but God” (45:8). You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (50:20).

Gen 50:

Genesis 50:15–17 NIV

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.