When Fear Meets Forgivenes 08/30/2020
beautiful day in it very pretty felt a little better out this morning when When I walked out the door not quite as human so. We're all glad for that.
Well, it's good to be here this morning and we have a lot a lot of folks on our prayer list. We want to continue to remember them and let's not forget our country as well. Not only because of the pandemic but the political situation in the uprising in the fighting and destroying a property and things like that. So we need to get a handle on that and we need to do something about that if we can. So we can pray about it. And that's the best thing we can do. Sometimes that's the last thing we do when we pray about it. So we try to do it ourselves and you know, but the best thing we can do is pray about it. So but we do want to continue to remember that situation. Well this morning I'm going to preach a message and I've been titled it when fear meets forgiveness. When fear meets forgiveness now, we're going to cover a lot of versus today. I'm not going to read every single one of them, but we going to cover a lot that the central figure what we're going to talk about first. As far as fear is Jacob and his 10 Sons. And then at the end of the message, I'm going to talk a little bit about forgiveness and we going to look at Joseph because he is a mirror of Christ and I hope as we look at this lesson today. I hope that you can see your own self in this because you know, there's many people in our nation today who are fearful. They're fearful of this pandemic. They're fearful maybe because they've lost their job. Maybe lost someone they're fearful about all the upheaval that's going on in our country today. They're fearful for the election coming up. I mean many people many people are fearful today it let me say something about fear. Fear is not always a bad thing. You know, if you find yourself out in the wilderness and a bear is chasing you is probably the right thing to do to be a little scared and Afraid or if someone is holding a gun on you threaten to shoot you is probably okay to be paralyzed with fear fear can be a bad thing, but it can also be a good thing physically as we just talked about but Also spiritually sometimes fear will keep us from doing things that we ought not to do when we start thinking about it. Do I really want to do this do I really think I can get away with this sometimes being afraid of the consequences of something it can turn out to be a good thing. But most of time fear in our life is not good most time what we have is sinful fear. And that is when we look around like it look around at our nation and and even this pandemic and we think that God has lost control. And we don't trust him anymore and we try to figure out things on their own and we don't go to his word and we don't pray to the Holy Spirit ask him to give us instruction and guidance and leadership in life that is sinful fear. And when we have sinful fear in our life, it causes a lot of stress and anxiety cause we study this sin in Genesis 42 and 43. Remember this whole life of Joseph. We seen a bunch of contrasts between Joseph and his brothers between
Tamar and Potiphar's wife. There's just a lot of contrast will today we're going to say another one in that is fear and forgiveness and let me say this a lot of times when we fear. We we turn that into self-pity. And we feel sorry for ourselves. And this is what we're going to see here in the life of Joseph. He he has a life of Jacob. He has a lot of self-pity we going to see in chapter 42 and some in chapter 43 and really the root cause of all self-pity and we've all been there. We've all felt sorry for ourselves. We've all made its uses for things and the reasons the root cause of self-pity is fear. But God's grace and mercy and his forgiveness melts fear in our life if we'll just turn to him. Well, this is what United Joe Jacob in the rest of his sons and it was fear. So let's look in Genesis 42 and what I'm going to do is I'm going to read verses 25 to 38. And then when we come to 43, we'll just look at the versus as we come to I'm not going to read the whole chapter because it's so long. So let's look in Genesis 42 beginning in verse 25. Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain to restore Every Man's money to his sight and to give them Provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them. So remember his brothers had come to Egypt to get food and Joseph accused him of being spies and I said no no, no, we're not spies and and all when they tried to explain it away and he said well, I'll give you the food. He said but you got to leave one of the one of your brother's here. And so Simeon was left there. So he kind of kept sending as a guarantee and he says you go home and he said you carry the food home and he made them pay for the food but he stuck it back in their sacks when they didn't know it. He said you go home and you make sure you bring your younger brother back. And if you do I'll release your other brother what he wanted to see his younger brother. He wanted to see Benjamin you see Benjamin was the son of Rachel just like Joseph was and he wanted to see him. Well, he filled their said he gave the money back to him and look at verse 26, so they loaded their donkeys with the grain in the party from there. But as one of them open his sack to give his donkey feed in the encampment. He saw his money and there it was in the mouth of his sack. So he said to his brother's my money has been restored and there it is in my sack. Look what it says then their heart. Failed them and they were afraid if there's one theme in chapter 42 and 43 is Jacob and his sons are just so fearful. They are afraid in saying to one another. What is this that God has done to us. They thought they had paid for the grain. They didn't they didn't know that Joseph had put the money back. You see already what Joseph is doing with his brothers. He's showing them a forgiveness and a kindness and generosity, but they never showed him. He made him pay for it, but he put the money back right then look at it in verse 29. Then they went to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them saying the man who is Lord of the land speaking of Joseph, even though they didn't know it was Joseph spoke roughly to us and took us for spies in the country. But we said to him we are honest men. We are not spies. We are 12 Brothers sons of our father one is no more speaking of Jay Joseph and the youngest is with our father this day in the land of Canaan speaking of Benjamin. Then the man the lord of the country said to us by this I will know that you are honest men leave one of your brother's here with me take food for the Famine of your household and be gone. So they're just explained in the story to their dad. And bring your youngest brother to me, so I shall know that you are not spies. But that you are honest men. I will grant your brother to you and you may trade in the land then it happened is they empty their sacks a surprisingly each man's bundle of money was in a sack and when they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were white. They were afraid and Jacob their father said to him you have read me what he said. The boys are just killing me. You can't even go to Egypt and get food and get it. Right. What is this? You're taking money? Why didn't you pay for it? I mean, he's just all beside himself. Is it? Look what? He says you have a read me a novel or you just killed me. Joseph is no more send me an is no more and you won't eat Benjamin. All these things are getting me is I've done lost one son, and you couldn't keep up with him now. I've lost another son. And now you're trying to take my youngest son back to Egypt. Weldon verse 37 then Rubin spoke to his father saying kill my two sons. If I do not bring him back to you put him in my hands and I will bring him back to you, but he said my son shall not go down with you for his brother is dead speaking of Joseph and he is left alone. If any Calamity should befall him along the way in which you go then you would bring down my grey hair and sorrow to the Grave. He said he was going to send me to the Grave if you don't straighten up and I'm not giving you Benjamin and he's not going to go to Egypt. and that's the end of that story. So we think but Benjamin does go to Egypt. And Jacob does change his mind what we see here that Jacob is afraid we see here that his sons are afraid. And what I want to do is I want to give you and I think it's six or seven things that fear will do to us. So the first point today is the Folly of fear, and this is what fear will do to us and we see it. I'm going to pull every one of these right out of the story that I just read. So the first thing that fear does is fear blames others when we're fearful we start blaming other people and I look at it in verse 36 the first part of verse 36 and Jacob their father said to them after you heard your story. You have a reef me. He said you boys are just killing me. You see the reason Jacob said that I believe it's cuz he was upset with himself because in one sense, he was the cause of all this trouble. Their father was the cause of all of this. Jacob had not hidden the fact that Joseph was his favorite son. Don't remember that in chapter 37. He gave him a coat of many colors and that caused all that trouble cause all about jealousy between those Brothers. And now the old man here Jacob was having to pay for being partial. He was afraid so he put the blame on them. He said you boys just killed me. He said Joe is dead. Now. I've lost another son samean and he just goes on and on he was blaming them read it never does any good when we blame another person because what we're doing is but we are condemning our own sales by trying to blame someone else but that's what fear will do when we become fearful will start looking for other people to blame. But this is the reason this is happening. This is it and he didn't even realize or didn't think that it was his own fault. He was the one that hit was this dysfunctional family and he was ahead of his family and it was his own fault. So the first thing that feared than our life beer blames others, let me tell you something else in the house letter b fear assumes the worst now look at it in the second part of verse 36 what he says you believe me. So he's blaming them then he says this Joseph is no more. Simeon is no more. And you want to take Benjamin? You see what fear does it assumes the worst team ever been afraid you ever been to the doctor? I've known people before they go to the doctor and they might find a little lump or something on them for little spot on their skin and they call the doctor and the doctor said, okay. I'll see you in about three weeks. And then for those 3 weeks, they are just tore all the pieces. They just convince themselves that they have cancer that they got two or three months to live. And that's what that's exact. They assume the worst. That's what fear will do to us. We will assume the worst. So Jacob is trying to protect himself here by fearing the worst. He he kind of read more into the situation than what it really is and he said he'd already decided Well, Joseph is dead. Although he wouldn't but he didn't know that and now he says he has no more. He just considered see me and Dad to he said he's no more. He said you won't take Benjamin because you take him he'll be no more. So it just assumes the worst it kind of Place season 2 A syndrome of pessimism and it feeds itself on this function that more bad news is going to come my way never ever seen anybody in their life and they just so negative about your life. I've done this too many bad things that happened to me. I'm Gene. I'm cursed nothing ever good will happen to me. I mean, it's just like they are so negative. It's almost like they want Bad news, they don't want to be contradicted. They'll tell you something bad is going to happen. Now, they'll say well somebody else to come in your life that well. Let's just look at let's not think it let's not think of it like that. Or maybe it'll be more like this or someone say it may not be that bad or what the first. Oh, yes. It is. Always the worst thing you just wait and see it. See if it don't have and then they're just filled with fear and self-pity and then when the same does happen that they say, what are they going to say to you? See I told you so see I told you my life is just ruined I told you everything bad happens to me. That's what fear does it assumes the worst. It assumes the worse it blames others and it assumes the worst letter c.
And I tell you something else it does Fear desires sympathy. Fear desire Simplot we want everyone to feel sorry for us when we're fearful. Now look at it here at the end of verse 36. He says you boys kill me. Joseph is gone same he's gone. Now you want to take me and you know what? He says all these things are against me. He says every one of these things are against me. So Jacob wanted sympathy and other words. Nothing is going right for me. Everything has gone wrong. No one likes me. No one will come visit me. No one will call me. Jacob want 70. He said y'all done all this he blame them. I've lost my son's he said everything in life is against me never felt that way. I have I felt that way before that. Everything was against me. I felt that way that every person was against me before sure I've done that. But you ever met someone who no matter how bad you have it they have it worse. I used to I used to work with a guy and I remember one night. I don't know why I was at Nortel. I was working third shift and I was having a pain in my right side. I don't know what it was. I think I'm out to play basketball at night and run, you know how sometimes you get a pain in your side and I went to work that night and I told him I said I have had this pain in my side ever since I played basketball this afternoon. He said all he said I know what you mean. He said I had a pain in my side. He said I've been hurting for 3 days he would just he was just hurting a little longer little longer than me or you know, somebody might come in. So but you know, I can the last two nights. I just I just hadn't slept. Well, he did say I haven't slept a wink in 2 weeks. I mean, he was always just a little worse if you had an upset stomach, you say well, I just haven't been able to hold food down today or he say I had a damn mouth on three or four days just always he has was worse than anyone else. It didn't matter what trouble anyone had he had it to yet. It was worth or worse. So that's a person who's just constantly looking for sympathy and friends with our life is dominated by self pity and fear. Fear desire sympathy and we'll go tell people are sad story and we want them. We want them to agree with us. We want them to say you're right. You are jinxed. You're right. Your life will never amount to anything. That's what they want to hear. We we we come to the point where we want to hear that and so that solidifies what we're thinking about ourselves. It can come almost borderline paranoia. I mean it really can we withdraw from everyone sometimes people start having delusions and they won't trust anybody and friends if you were Christian the devil will play Without Pity and that self-pity and not fear in your life and you will become suspicious of everybody. You will think everybody is out to get you that's what the devil he will take that so no matter what anybody does you begin to suspect their motives, so Fear blames others fear Slims the worst fear desires sympathy. Well, there's something else that fear will do in your life and that is letter d fear breeds in sensitivity That look at it in the first part of our first 38.
This is what Jacob says he says my son shall not go down with you for his brother is dead and he is left alone. Now what you think of this what he say? He said you will not take Benjamin. Because his only brother is dead and then he will be left alone. What's the problem with that? Willie had nine other brothers.
He's not the only brother that he had Joseph was not his only Brothers you see it. How do you suppose that made Reuben feel? Ruben was Jacob's first born son. And don't you know that that Reuben probably say it but wait a minute. I'm a son. What about Judah? What about Asher? What about Levi? We're all your son. We're all his brother. What do you mean that he's you're not going to send him because he's already lost his only brother. You see how dysfunctional this family is and it's because of Jacob cuz he's making all these insensitive remarks, but that's what self-pity and fear will do we become absorbed with ourselves and our own feelings, and we don't even realize that we're hurting people. And that's what happens. Self-pity and fears of sort of thing. That kind of makes us feel right at the time we get hurt. We start thinking about the hurt and then we think about, you know someway where I ought to feel this way and then we become angry Jacob didn't even understand that he's repeating his very first mistake. He gave Joseph the coat of many colors and he favored him above all his other brothers and his brothers became jealous. And now what is he doing? He's favorite Benjamin just like Benjamin's only son that he has and I'm not going to lose him because then I'll be without Sons. He's he's doing the exact same thing. He didn't chapter 37 And he cannot see the error of his way. Well fear breeds insensate it we become selfish. We only think about ourselves and what we want fear breeds in sensitivity to other people. letter e
No, I'm not going to start recording right now. Okay, let her eat. Fear ascribed guilt to others fear of scribes guilt to others not look at it in the last part of Earth 38. What he says well, my son shall not go down because his brother is dead and he's left alone. Like you don't have any I don't know what he said if any Calamity should befall him along the way in which you go. Then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the Grave. What is he saying? If you take Benjamin and something happens to you. I want you to know you're the cause of all of this and you get all the blame. And so what does Fear do? Fear looks to punish people. When I'm afraid I want to punish people and what out in the way I'll do that. I'll say okay when you go ahead and do that, but if you do it, don't turn out right. You're the blame your the fault. So I want you to know what you're doing to me it so what we want to do is we want to make people feel more guilty and fear and self-pity always tries to make another person feel guilty for not coming to see me for not calling me for not doing this for not doing that. You don't treat me right some people just get pleasure out of trying to make other people feel guilty. They just need to take pleasure out of that and it's a way of trying to punish other people and that's what they are doing. Now letter f
and this is a big one. fear makes false conclusions when fear looks at something. They don't see reality. And fear will make false conclusions. You see the brothers of Joseph they were afraid. God was at work. But it wasn't his fault that they come to faulty conclusions. And I want you to look at this and let's read it beginning in chapter 43. So at the end to take up here Alliance and he says, all right. Just whatever take him with you and you better not let anything happen to him. You take him. We need food look at it in verse 1 and 2 of chapter 43. Now the famine was severe in the land. It came to pass when he had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt that the father said to them go back and buy a little food. So they run out of food you see God sometimes we'll use the hard things in life to get us to change our minds. He will get us to where we dropped our knees at. Okay, I'm going to do this. He didn't want to send Benjamin you already seen that in chapter 42. He didn't trust these boys. He just knew something was going to happen to him. But the Phantom was severe he's all right just taken but you better not let anything happen to it, but fear makes false conclusions, and I look at it in verses 11 through 13 to chapter 43. so and their father Israel type speaking of Jacob said to them if it must be so then do this. And then he says take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man little bomb little honey spices of pistachio nuts and almonds then he says take double money in your hand and take back in your hand. The money that was returned in the mouth your sack perhaps it was an oversight. Alright, here's the fault conclusion. What did Joseph say that he wanted from these brothers? He wanted them to bring who back to him Benjamin. He wanted to see Benjamin. He didn't want their money. He didn't hold their pistachio nuts and all of that. Look what Jacob Jacob is doing. He's saying here just take all this and not only take the money take double money. You just take everything makes false conclusion. See that's what fear does when fear grabs us and grits us. We try to do all these little thing to get on the good side of someone we try to do all these little things to get on the good side of God. I'll pray more I'll give a little more money. I'll go to church. I'll be kinder. I'll be nice we want to do these things to please God to get on his good side. And say we don't have to do these things fear makes false conclusions. now we make false conclusions because we like to go further than what God expects a guilty conscience rather than the fear of God can be the cause. Up some bad actions on our part just because we feel guilty. Well, we can put on ourselves more than God himself is requiring of us and friends. That's what many people to do today. They miss the Simplicity of the Gospel believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. You don't have to work yourself to death to get the guy you don't have to earn your salvation. You don't have to go and do all these little things. Jesus said one thing repent of yourself pain of your sins cry out to him and grace and mercy and he will save us that's all that we have to do and friend if you think you can get on the good side of God by giving more money by praying more by going to church more you can't do it you might as well be out here trying to plow water and shovel smoke you have just as much opportunity and just as much success doing that. Well, that's just what people think you see the truth is Joseph wanted one thing. He wanted Benjamin. He just wanted to see him is all so could be that God's dealing with you and you might have a guilty conscience and you've begun to turn over a new Leaf in life. And you might think friend that that's going to count for something. You might have given more money to the church. You say I'm going to start supporting this charity, whatever it may be some people go on a pilgrimage some people go to a shrine and some people even kiss a statue of the Virgin Mary to think that they going to get on the good side of God. And then other people think that God is trying to get even with them you ever felt that way ever done something and you can fast you're saying he just thank the God he he's getting ready to zap me. He's getting ready to bring the hammer down on me. I just know he is. I know I said something I shouldn't have and I cuss and I did this and I drank and I did this and now he just up and having he's got his iPad out. He's writing everything down. He's going to remember he's going to judge me for that. He's going to get me. Now people laugh at that but there's actual people who feel that way matter fact, I would say most of us in here have felt that way before that God just out to get me friend. That's not who God is listen. We can't thank the God is out to get us and then we try to do particular things to avoid his punishment. That's not the way it works. Do you really think that God would be satisfied if he punishes you Let me tell you what satisfied God's justice. One thing the death of his son. It's all satisfied once Jesus died on the cross. And then when he walked out of that tune. Verify God satisfaction, we don't have to do anything to please him or to satisfy him. He's already been satisfied his Justice was satisfied and it is really a Vain and presumptuous thing for us to thank the God is trying to get us back. That's not who God is God is good. God is love it when we seeing. Yes. He hurts. He don't want to punish us but he hurts and he wants us to turn from our way. Well, that's what figure does.
Seven of them here or six six of them here. Fear blames others assumes the worst desire sympathy breeds insensitivity. Yes, it does. It describes guilt to others. Yes, and then we make a false conclusion. We just think that we got to do all the stuff that that's what fear in self-pity dumbo. Well, let's go 2.2 and I'll be quick with this and what I want to talk about here is the fruit of forgiveness. We seen the Folly of fear, but now I want you to see the fruit of forgiveness. So now we're going to turn from Jacob and his sons to Joseph and see what true forgiveness is really like, so these men are in Egypt. And they have managed to sweep under the carpet if you will all that. They had done to their brother Joseph. What God is doing here? Is he still trying to change the hearts of these boys and he's putting them in Calamity after Calamity and he wants them to turn to him and he's using Joseph to do this and he's giving them all these all these tests and all and soul all these events that has forced them and all of a sudden they start pondering their life and what they have done and then they start saying, you know, God is out to get us he knows what we did to Joseph. This is God's work here. Well, it is God's work, but he wasn't out to get them. It was a forgiving God who was seeking them to draw him by draw them back into reconciliation with him. That's what I was trying to do. He wasn't trying to get them back and have you ever experienced events and circumstances? The kind of shaped you and all of a sudden you started thinking by old now. I see why this is happening. Now. I remember this or that that I did and all the sudden the explanation can be traced to this one fact and it is a forgiving God that was seeking you trying to bring you back into fellowship with him. Yeah. He might have caused climate in your life. He put you through trials and tribulation, but the reason he was doing that he was trying to draw you too and yourself because we had gone away from him. He's trying to get your attention. And he's doing it in such a way that you'll call on his name. And then when it's over and you do call on his name you look back and you'll see exactly what it was that made you do that and many times we asked why did God have so much patience with me? Why did he stay with me so long? It's because that he loves you so much and he's not going to take no from one of his children. He's not going to do it. He's going to get a yes out of us and we see this in the life of these boys here. Well, let's look at what forgiveness does letter A Forgiveness is kind not what you look at this and verse 16 of chapter 43. Alright, here's these brothers. They're guilty. They're scared to death that go to Egypt the brain Benjamin. They just know that this man which is Joseph that he's getting ready to drop the hammer on them and they know it and they're scared to death. Look what verse 16 says when Joseph saw Benjamin William He said to the steward of his house take these men to my home. And Slaughter not them to slaughter an animal and make ready for these men. Will dine with me at noon. I think about that. Those were the same men brothers that sold him into slavery that had forgotten about him that mistreated him in the most terrible way and here they were just shaking standing there and he tells his Steward you go and you prepare a meal for these men because they're going to eat with me. You see that's what forgiveness. Forgiveness is kind it forgets the bad that someone has done to you. You see Joseph is a mirror of Christ. And while we were yet sinners Christ did what died for us while we were bad. He did US good. This is what Joe forgiveness is kind letter b forgiveness is generous and I'll look at it in verses 33 and 34 chapter 43. and I sat before him the firstborn speaking of Benjamin according to his Birthright world of a reuben and according to his Birthright and the youngest Benjamin according to his you And the men looked at a store management at one another and let me tell you what they're thinking. We're Hebrew The Jetsons hate us. We have sold this boy into slavery. Although they didn't know that's who they were talkin to. They're out to get us we're going to suffer for what we've done and we ought to we deserve it and here we are sitting in a mansion of the second man in control of Egypt and he is feeding us a meal. It says they were astonished. Does your salvation astonish you? Are you astonished that Christ would die for you? Because we know what our hearts are really like it should have Spanish us that God would accept us into his kingdom it all too. Well these boy they were stocks not looking for 34. Did he took servings to them from before him but Benjamin serving was 5 times as much as any of theirs now. Watch what it says. So they drink and we're Mary. What's the one word? That was the theme of chapter 42 and 43 fever afraid. How does it in? They were Mary? That's what God knows where I was sitting it. We're fearful. We are afraid we don't want to come to him. We want to try to hide our sin and he comes down to us. He comes in this earth lives a perfect life dies on Calvary cross and accepts us into his kingdom friend. We ought to be married just like these men right here, but that's what forgiveness forgiveness is kind forgiveness is generous. It gives us more than what we deserve. Matter fact that's my definition of grace and mercy God's grace is God giving us something we do not deserve God's Mercy is God not giving us what we deserve these boys didn't deserve me alone deserve anything. That's exactly what they got. You say Joseph is a mirror of Christ Christ was kind. He was generous. letter c forgiveness is love. Look at it in verse 23 and 24. Not only did they feed them to watch this. but he said peace be with you. Be not or do not be afraid your God and the god of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I had your money then he brought Simeon out to them. He did exactly what he said. You'll bring that younger brother. I'll give you your brother, but he brought Simeon out to them and I watch this verse 24, so the man brought the men and the Joseph out and gave them water. Wash their feet and gave their donkeys feed. The friends think about that. What was the answer that they received to all the bad that they had done? Here's an answer. Peace be unto you. Peace be unto you friend. That's God's word to ever troubled soul this morning. I give you peace. Come to me all ye that are heavy. Laden. I'll give you peace. Jesus went into the room. Remember where his disciples was after his resurrection. They thought he was dead. They were in the upper room. They lock the door. They say what in the world we going to do Master our leader. He's dead. He's been crucified. He's in that tomb what in the world we going to do all of a sudden Jesus beer. What's the first thing he said to him peace be unto you that's exactly what he said. Are you trouble this morning? Sorry, you feel awful inside you been rehearsing what you would say to God if he he he would come to you or you met him face-to-face. I can tell you what his response will be peace be unto you the one of his children confess your sins. He is faithful and just to forgive them cleanse you from all unrighteousness. That's exactly what he does forgiveness is love John said something in his first epistle. He said perfect love cast out fear. Do you know that it's not courage that cast out fear? It's not boldness that cast out fear. Its perfect love and Jesus loved us with a perfect love and It cast all fear away and then lastly and we can say this. That forgiveness is complete these boys begin to realize that they were being treated with unusual dignity. They brought them in the Joseph house here. These Hebrews are in there. They couldn't get over this kind of treatment. They gave them water. They wash their feet. They did that they gave even their donkeys up food. Now imagine these 10 boys sitting there and these Egyptians are washing their feet and they were looking at each other saying what in the world is going on. How can we be treated like this? What was happening? Why were they being treated like that is because they were forgiven men. Joseph had forgiven them. Joseph had completely and totally forgiven them. And that is exactly what Christ has done for us and you don't have to fear this morning. You don't have to think that God is out to get you. All he wants to do is to draw you back to him self. He treated them with the greatest dignity and that's what the Lord has done for us. So in closing, let me say this. This is the god that we serve. And this is what happens when fear meets forgiveness when your fear leads to forgiveness of God, your fear will melt like butter. It will melt in the face of God's forgiveness. And what does he do? He gives us joy unspeakable and he says peace be unto you what let's pray. We do. Thank you and praise you in love you today for for your word Lord. We thank you for this story here today. Or we think that we see in the story Lord even some of our own fears. They may be some people here today that they're fearful. It may be biblical fear. Most likely is unbiblical fear. Because we've reached the point in her life where we no longer trust you as we should we no longer think that you will provide for us. We don't think that you will protect us. We don't think that you'll give us the power that we need to get through whatever it is that we're going through Lord help us all who have unbiblical fear this morning and help us to understand that we've been forgiven that we are children of God that you have shown his kindness and generosity that you love us with an unconditional love and friend that forgiveness and that love is totally adequate and complete Lord. I pray this morning for someone that is going through something. That is so fearful in their life. That they've just turned away from you that they're starting to blame others. They someone may be here this morning assuming the worst is going to happen to them. We may fall have fallen into self-pity. We can only think about our own selves and no one else we even try to make other people feel guilty and we're coming to false conclusions because Lord of our fear Lord help us this morning show us that you love us that all we need to do is trust you and you will be with us. You'll never leave us nor forsake us. You'll be a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. You're our Rock You are shield you are Hightower and we thank you for that in Christ's name. I pray amen.