Our Sermons

Bible Passage: Genesis 50:15-21
Pastor: Pastor John Boggs
Sermon Date:  September 17, 2023

We pray so often in life, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”  We sing hymns like “Forgive us, Lord”, and include the topic in studies for young & old. We utter “I forgive you” to those who have wronged us and as parents tell our kids “Forgive your sibling” for what just transpired. “Forgiveness” is one of those BIG words & actions in the life of blood-bought souls.  It’s also the focus of our time in God’s Word today.  And that’s a good thing because as we learn A LESSON IN FORGIVENESS, we understand we are complete failures on every level, both receiving & offering forgiveness by grace alone.

The OT patriarch Jacob of “Abraham, Isaac & Jacob” fame had experienced quite a ride during his journey in life. While dad to the 12 tribes of Israel, there were struggles along the way. Jacob’s parents played favorites which caused the family’s demise for decades. Many years had been spent with a cheating father in law & wives filled with jealousy. Jacob himself had favored his son Joseph, which led angry brothers to rid themselves of “daddy’s boy” by selling him into Egyptian slavery. Mourning over a son he thought was dead lasted two decades until events brought his family to Egypt to find the lost son in charge of all Egypt. And now, after all that, Jacob was dead. His death presented some challenges for those sons who had not forgotten what all had transpired, “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?” (15)

Put yourself in the brothers’ sandals. They were mortified by what they had done many years ago, but also feared the fallout that might come since dad was now dead. The brother they had wronged was not ordinary. He had power to impose on them any retaliation. What the brothers feared was that Joseph’s true feelings toward them might have been suppressed out of love for their father. And now that source of suppression was no longer in the way. So what do we read, “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.’” (vs. 16-17) Before we dive into forgiveness, what a reminder this is about the essence of confession.  Their father’s encouragement compelled the message sent to the one the brothers had wronged… It was a no-excuses confession of sin & a desperate plea for forgiveness. The ones who had callously mistreated their brother had been convicted by God’s law of their sin. They knew the Lord’s forgiveness & now sought the same from the one they had so grievously failed.

What a lesson we learn here. Notice the brothers’ approach to Joseph: not only asking for forgiveness but also seeking to make amends. In fact, I’d submit to you that repentance which shows no willingness to make restitution is really no repentance at all. We approach our God with no excuses, no rationalized reasons for failure & simply cry out “Have mercy on me, Lord; heal me, for I have sinned against you.” (Ps. 41:4) Where have you failed this week?! Who have you treated badly?! Where have you left good things undone or spent too much time around that we should be fleeing?! These are not easy questions to ask nor fond answers to give. They do, though, help us learn a lesson about forgiveness, understanding how completely we have failed our God, each other, & many others at every turn.

It’s that truth alone which allows us to marvel at what happens next.  The brothers who sent a messenger with this plea for forgiveness now appear before Joseph & throw themselves at his feet. The scene is overwhelming for their brother who then reminds his siblings that forgiveness is nothing if not by grace alone, “But Joseph said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.’” (20-21) There are no strings attached by the one standing before those bowed low. He had been sold in slavery, accused of assault, thrown in prison & forgotten. He had endured hardships for 20 some years & yet Joseph got it… learning and now teaching a lesson on forgiveness- that it doesn’t rely on the worthiness of the ones who have wronged us, but rather on the goodness & mercy of our God.  What a lesson to learn as we move forward in life, looking ahead to an eternity with our God in heaven. No strings attached. Nothing we could do or say to deserve it.  And why?! Because it’s all already been done for us. Paul writes, “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13,14) What a gift. What an eternity- changing truth.  Joseph’s words to his brothers is my encouragement to you, “Don’t be afraid… “ Everything God does & allows & brings into our lives is “to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.’” That’s why Joseph could forgive his brothers after so much sorrow had been heaped on him.  That’s why we can’t only know we’re forgiven, but also why we can forgive those who have wronged us. It’s all because of Jesus- driven by his sacrifice for us who could never do anything to deserve this love.

The end of our text is one that often gets overlooked in light of what is said before, “‘So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.’” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.” (vs. 21) Joseph’s reaction to his brothers’ plea for forgiveness is much different than the unmerciful servant in Matt. 18, “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.” (28-30) The unmerciful servant took for granted the unpayable debt his master had erased & demanded a pound of flesh from one who had wronged him. Instead, we gather today marveling at what has been erased & forgotten, never to be spoken again by a God who has every reason to hold it all against us.  Notice Joseph doesn’t hold on to bitterness. Instead he is everything the unmerciful servant was not, “And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.” What a lesson in forgiveness. It’s by grace alone. It never attaches any strings & always does more than expected.

In a moment we’ll gather to pray “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” We continue to sing hymns about this forgiveness & teach & learn lessons about it when wronged or having wronged others. This lesson on forgiveness is one to learn well, beginning & ending with Jesus. So does everything else. To his name, then, be all praise @ glory.