The Power of Forgivness

This week I recieved the Voice of the Martyrs Magazine… encouraging prayer for those persecuted, wrongfully imprisoned, going through difficult hard times. Their stories bring tears and bring one to their knees in prayer.

How many of us would have had Joseph’s name on our prayer line, prayer cards tucked in our Bibles, or brought him before our services in need of our prayers?

A man who was abandoned by family, in slavery, lied about, in prison unjustified, discouraged, and struggling.

I wonder what list he made when life changed? Power, riches, fame are now his… who would be praying for him?

How do we pray for those who on the outside seem to be doing well, who have positions of power or authority, who seem to have greater wealth than you may have?

It can be harder to pray for those who seem to have a great life going on… HOWEVER, I have discovered that believers have even harder time praying for those who have hurt them… I know as I come to the topic of forgiveness today that there are those here and listening that have:

suffered abuse (physical, sexual, or verbal)

been hurt by a spouse, cheated on, neglected

suffered rejection, hurt or abandonment by a parent or loved one

had a friend stab you in the back, or not have your back in a crucial moment

felt the sting of piercing words of lies, slander, or gossip that that cut down your character

drifted in loneliness brought on by rejection

many have probably been the recipient of wrongdoing that has NEVER been rectified

justice has yet to see its day in your life or heart

It is with these backgrounds, hurts, wounds that we come together today and look at forgiveness. As your pastor I have felt many if not all of these, some to a great extent. I do not come to this message immune from needing to hear it myself.

Peter would come to Jesus and ask Jesus about this concept of forgiveness… Matthew 18:21-22 records their conversation…

Three times was the religious requirement of the day

Peter offered up double plus one!!!

70x7=490 !!!! In other words don’t keep track!

AND forgiveness will be ongoing

I feel it is crucial that we look at what it is we are speaking of when it comes to forgiveness…

Forgive

:to remove the guilt resulting from wrongdoing.

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains (40.8 ἀφίημι; ἄφεσις, εως; ἀπολύω)

It is extremely important to note that the focus in the meanings … is upon the guilt of the wrongdoer and not upon the wrongdoing itself. The event of wrongdoing is not undone, but the guilt resulting from such an event is pardoned. To forgive, therefore, means essentially to remove the guilt resulting from wrongdoing.

The event, hurt, wrongdoing is not undone

The results and consequences can sometimes still remain in this life

Forgiveness does not equate full trust

Forgiveness does NOT mean that we forget

… BUT ultimately we will be looking at forgiveness in the purest and richest sense of Jesus Christ!

For now though let’s go to Joseph… what is it we see in Genesis 41-44 that would demonstrate that Joseph has forgiven???

His Service to Others

Unforgiveness is self focused… we hold a bitterness. We hold to our right to be upset, angry… we focus inwardly! But look at Joseph… Genesis 41:46 we see Joseph not focused on revenge but get to work. God had a plan and Joseph was going to get it done!

Genesis 41:53-57 we see Joseph looking to the needs of others and caring for those needs of those who once enslaved him!

In Genesis 42:6 we see Joseph reaching out even beyond Egypt… and his brothers now come on the scene!!!

Before we look further into his response with his brothers I want us to get a glimps into his heart. Scripture does this for us as we look at Genesis 41:50-52…

In Naming His Sons

Joseph reveals what God has done… each son each time we read “God has made...” The work of forgiveness in our hearts is the work of a God who forgives!

Manasseh = God had removed the sting, He has helped Joseph get past the pain of the past… NOT the memory, we will see as he deals with his brothers he has not forgot.

Joseph had given the past hurts to God, choosing not to hold onto them himself. The burden of holding onto past hurt and wrong doing is too heavy for you and I to hold onto.

Charles Swindoll states this… “There is a warning here for all of us. It is very tempting to try to get revenge on the Reubens and the Judahs and the Dans and the Mrs. Potiphars from our past lives. To get back at those who have stung us and stripped us and gnawed on us with evil deeds and ugly words. Instead, we must give birth to a Manasseh.” Swindoll, C. R. (1998). Joseph: a man of integrity and forgiveness. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Ephraim = twice fruitful !!! Two sons given and multiple blessing in his affliction… How are you allowing God to bless you in the afflictions you go through?

Paul in his letter to the Romans would declare “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more”!!! Romans 5:20

Eugene Peterson reworded it this way… “But sin . . . doesn’t have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down.”

Grace wins ABUNDANTLY!!!!

Joseph Exhibits Peace

… contrasted with the guilt & turmoil of his brothers. Look at Genesis 42:21-24

Joseph had given it all to God… he had peace.

He sees his brothers he weeps for joy, rather than revenge & hate.

His brothers in contrast all these years are feeling the guilt and turmoil that comes with sin not dealt with.

Holding onto bitterness, not forgiving only poisons the soul…

REMEMBER Genesis 37:6-8 and Genesis 37:19-20

These men had never dealt with their unforgiving hearts which led them to sin… the guilt, sin, and bitterness has been building all these years. Genesis 42:8-9 lets us know that Joseph has REMEMBERED, we see he has FORGIVEN, but we will also see that we are not required to TRUST just because we

We will see how he test them and how God has been working more next week, BUT FOR NOW… How does the events of Joseph and his forgiveness impact you and I? For those of us hurting or who have been hurt…

How Do We Approach Forgiveness?

Each one of here have been the recipient of wrong doing and hurt… we have also been the offender.

Leviticus 19:18 we see God’s clear command…

In Romans 12:18-21 we are given even further instructions…

How? Why? The hurt keeps coming over and over… 7 times 70…

I know about having to give it to God over and over

Who am I to hold onto something that is not mine to carry

Romans 5:8 states a mind blowing statement…

I started with mentioning the voice of the Martyrs. I read a story once of a man who was being beaten every day he would pray. They took and destroyed his church, they took his wife from him, they took everything they could. In frustration and bewilderment his abuser asked him as he was beating him… “What do you have left to pray for?” in a soft voice he responded back to his abuser… “I am praying for you!”

We all need a Savior for our own sin. Who are we to think our sin is any less that nailed Jesus to the cross! May you and I pray for those who hurt us, understanding the POWER of the FORGIVENESS of Jesus Christ!