Where Do I Find Help This Coming Year? – A Look At The Man Who Was Able To Forgive

INTRO: We are going to continue on for our theme…Where Do I Find Help This Coming Year?

Six weeks ago I talked about friendship and how it can help our lives. Honestly, which person among us does not want and covet true friendship? I spent time looking at Moses and how the Lord had friendships all through his life to help him along the way.

Five weeks ago I looked at Daniel. Yes, the same Daniel that spent the night in a den of lions--and lived to tell about it. Daniel could be listed as having several godly traits. Of all his traits I spent time on his faithfulness.

Four weeks ago I looked at teamwork and Joshua. Joshua was the Children of Israel’s leader after they lost a great leader named Moses. He was a great military leader, but he was also a team player.

Three weeks ago I spent time looking at David and our pursuing God. God’s Word teaches us that David was a man after God’s heart. We need to have a burning desire in our hearts to know more about God and be godly in our daily lives. We do this by pursuing God and godly ways.

Two weeks ago I spent time looking at obedience. Each week I have been looking at least one character from God’s Word and apply that person to our theme. Today I want o look at two men, father and son, Abram or Abraham and Isaac.

Last week I looked at Jacob’s life and how love changed him. He cheated his brother out of his birthright through a ruse that almost cost him his life. One might think that that was what changed him or turned him around, but I think it was when he learned to love that made a difference.

Today I want to spend some time mostly looking at Joseph and how forgiveness saved him. I remember back in the 70’s there was a movie called Love Story. It was during this movie that a saying was popularized, “Love means never having to say I am sorry.” Many used this thought-line as an excuse to never accept or acknowledge any guilt or wrongdoing in their lives. Las week we looked at how love changed Jacob’s life. Today we take a step forward ad see how love can develop into forgiveness when we are wronged or when we wrong someone.

We need to understand the…

Gift of forgiveness

By God

Our forgiveness for others

Others’ forgiveness towards us

Here is some scripture that deals with forgiveness:

Matthew 18:21-35 KJV ²¹Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
²²Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
²³Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
²⁴And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
²⁵But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
²⁶The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
²⁷Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
²⁸But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
²⁹And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
³⁰And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
³¹So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
³²Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
³³Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
³⁴And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
³⁵So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

It can soothe, rescue, lift up and liberate us.

We need to also understand the…

Rewards of forgiveness

When we look at Luke 18 understand, Forgiveness is not just for the one forgiven. We have Esau and Jacob as examples.

There is…

Peace

Happiness

Contentment

Joy

Comfort

Assistance

(Even our own) forgiveness

Mark 11:25-26 KJV ²⁵And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
²⁶But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Safety

Matthew 6:10-15 KJV ¹⁰Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
¹¹Give us this day our daily bread.
¹²And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
¹³And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
¹⁴For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
¹⁵But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Let us understand as well, there is a…

Loss when forgiveness flees

Jacob and Esau examples as well as Joseph and his brothers

Stress grows

Separation develops

Stripped of love and its blessings

Saddled with guilt

Ephesians 4:31-32 KJV ³¹Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
³²And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

And I want to look at…

Life without forgiveness

“One strike and you’re out” – no second chance

Hope sinks – the despair of Joseph

Happiness fades – the anguish of Jacob/Israel

Bitterness rules or reigns in our lives – the misery of Joseph’s brothers

Let’s talk a bit about Joseph.

Joseph was the son of Jacob and his beloved wife Rachel.

His father showed him a great deal of favoritism over his half-brothers.

His father gave him a special coat of many colors.

His brothers resented him.

Joseph kind of had a little brother’s big mouth and he used it.

His brothers sold him into slavery and told their dad he was dead.

Are there some that are “dead” to us?

Joseph ended up being blessed by God even though he was wrongfully treated.

Look on the bright side of your problems.

Joseph eventually became a great ruler in Egypt.

His brothers carried guilt around for many years.

His dad hurt and ached because of lack of forgiveness.

Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt to get food.

They stood before Joseph who had their lives in his hands.

Joseph forgave them.

This brings us to…

Steps of forgiveness

Not all on the one forgiving (either)

Judah told Joseph his guilt

Genesis 44:18 KJV ¹⁸Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.

Genesis 44:33-34 KJV ³³Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.
³⁴For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.

Let love work

Genesis 45:1 KJV ¹Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.

Let the hurt go

Genesis 45:3 KJV ³And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.

Turn from the past

Genesis 45:5 KJV ⁵Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

Demonstrate forgiveness  - for all to see

Genesis 45:12 KJV ¹²And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.

Bury it deep

Genesis 50:15-21 KJV ¹⁵And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
¹⁶And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
¹⁷So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
¹⁸And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
¹⁹And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
²⁰But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
²¹Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

Let go of vengeance

Colossians 3:12-13 KJV ¹²Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
¹³Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Enjoy the benefits

I want to read another scripture and then give you some observations of mine.

Luke 17:1-5 KJV ¹Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
²It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
³Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
⁴And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
⁵And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

Forgiveness is not always about worthiness.

Forgiveness is not always about your ego.

Forgiveness is not always about your winning.

Forgiveness is not always about losing.

Forgiveness is not always about others.

Forgiveness is not always about you.

Forgiveness is about what is right.

Forgiveness is about the Lord

Forgiveness is about happiness, contentment and joy.

I remember a saying…”Forgive and forget.”

Gary Marcum – New Beginnings Church – 021509am