Participants:
Series Code: PME
Program Code: PME240210S
|
00:02 ♪
00:14 >> I invite you to stand for our 00:15 praise. 00:17 [ "Agnus Dei/ 00:19 How Great Is Our God" begins ] 00:22 ♪ 05:20 >> Our next song will be 05:22 "How Great Thou Art." 05:24 ♪ 08:46 >> Our next song is going to be 08:48 a medley of "Lord, I Lift Your 08:49 Name On High" 08:50 and "Great Are You, Lord." 08:52 And you can clap. 08:54 ♪ 08:57 [ Rhythmic clapping ] 11:01 >> I have this fondest memory of 11:03 being in church and hear 11:04 singing. 11:06 And everyone was singing. 11:07 It was so powerful. 11:08 And I hear you guys singing, 11:09 I hear you guys clapping, but I 11:11 think there could be more. 11:13 So I want you guys, with these 11:15 next couple of lines, sing it 11:17 with all of your heart and let 11:18 it resound in your voice. 11:20 Ready? 11:51 >> One more time. 13:41 >> Thank you. You may be seated. 13:43 ♪ 13:50 >> It is good 13:51 to be back with you. 13:51 It has been a few weeks. 13:53 I had to go to Australia. 13:55 [ Congregation murmuring ] 13:57 Thank you, thank you. 13:58 Yes. Yeah. 14:00 So, two days, I think it was, 14:03 before I left, with the wind 14:04 chill, it was minus-20 here. 14:06 And it hit 84, 82, something 14:08 like, that while 14:10 I was down there in Australia. 14:11 So, I mean, somebody 14:12 has to do that. 14:13 Somebody has to -- 14:14 Somebody has to make the 14:15 sacrifice and go. 14:17 The reason for me going was 14:19 actually very blessed. 14:20 I went to speak for AYC, which 14:22 is essentially Australia's 14:23 version of GYC 14:24 down there in Melbourne. 14:26 Excuse me, 14:27 [Australian accent] Melbourne. 14:29 And it was a great experience. 14:31 The Lord blessed. 14:32 It was interesting preaching 14:33 at 4:00 AM body time, you know, 14:36 because it's on the other side 14:37 of the world. 14:37 That was an interesting 14:38 experience. 14:39 But the Lord blessed some very, 14:41 very good people down there. 14:42 The Lord's work is alive 14:44 and well in Australia, so... 14:48 Welcome to part three 14:50 of our series entitled God 14:51 Has Great Plans for Your Past. 14:54 And if you missed parts one 14:56 and two, I am sorry, I do not 14:57 have the time this morning 14:58 to give you a review, 14:59 but if you go to PMchurch.org, 15:00 you will find some links 15:01 to our archive and you can catch 15:04 up on parts one and two. 15:07 We have spent a lot of time 15:08 talking about what to do 15:11 when the shadow of your past, 15:13 the things that you have done 15:13 wrong in the past 15:16 is casting onto your present. 15:18 We've talked quite a bit 15:19 about that, but what do you do 15:22 when the past is casting 15:24 a shadow on your present, 15:26 not because of something 15:27 that you did to someone else, 15:30 but because of what someone else 15:32 has done to you? 15:35 Someone else has harmed you. 15:41 You know, in my experience, 15:43 the response of human beings 15:45 when they are experiencing harm 15:48 or about to experience harm, 15:50 and particularly if they have no 15:51 control over it, 15:52 the gut instinct is to run. 15:56 And this is not all a bad thing. 15:57 If there's a guy that's seven 15:59 feet tall and 400 pounds 16:01 and he's swinging his fist 16:01 at your jaw, 16:03 you should probably run. 16:04 Okay, that's a good thing. 16:06 If you're in 16:07 an abusive relationship, 16:08 you should get out. 16:09 Make your plan. 16:10 Make your escape. Run. 16:11 Get away. 16:13 And...and... 16:17 Sometimes that instinct to run 16:20 actually becomes a way of life. 16:24 Running away from the past 16:25 becomes a way of life 16:27 to the extent 16:28 that we are still running, 16:29 even though the actual threat 16:31 of harm has long since passed. 16:34 Now, this running 16:35 takes various forms. 16:37 Some people will move thousands 16:38 of miles away to get away 16:39 from the harm of the past. 16:41 I remember reading one story 16:42 of somebody who actually 16:43 got plastic surgery. 16:45 They got an entirely 16:46 new identity in a new place 16:47 and a new -- running away 16:49 from the harms of the past. 16:51 Most people 16:52 don't go to that extreme, 16:53 but even if we stay 16:55 put physically, 16:57 there's lots and lots of running 16:58 from the shadow of the harms 17:00 of the past. 17:01 Physically, socially, mentally. 17:05 Sometimes we run 17:06 by overcompensating. 17:08 We try to appear like 17:10 we are stronger 17:11 or faster or smarter 17:13 than we actually are. 17:15 Trying to prove to other people 17:17 around us 17:17 that the past never happened 17:19 and maybe actually were also 17:21 trying to convince ourselves 17:23 that it never happened. 17:26 And as you're listening 17:27 to my voice, 17:28 there are some of you here 17:29 that know that you are running. 17:30 There's some of you 17:31 that don't know. 17:32 Maybe the people around you may 17:33 know it, maybe closest to you, 17:33 maybe they know, maybe not. 17:35 But you are running and some 17:37 of you have run long enough 17:39 that you realize 17:40 this is not a race 17:42 that you can win by running. 17:45 And you would like 17:47 nothing better than to stop. 17:52 To rest. 17:54 And to no longer have the shadow 17:56 of harms past 17:58 intruding onto your present. 18:02 Well, if you find yourself 18:03 in that situation this morning, 18:05 or if you know somebody that's 18:06 in that situation, praise the 18:08 Lord, there is good news. 18:10 You can. 18:13 You can stop running. 18:18 Because, again, God has 18:20 great plans for your past. 18:24 Now, quickly, before we dive 18:26 into this, there are two things 18:27 that I need to share. 18:28 Brief but important. 18:30 Number one, the journey that I'm 18:31 going to talk about today, for 18:33 some of you, should only be 18:34 undertaken with the help of 18:36 caring Christian friends around 18:37 you who know what's going on. 18:38 And for some of you, 18:39 you also need the help of 18:41 an ongoing relationship with 18:42 a qualified Christian counselor. 18:46 Now, some people are really 18:47 reluctant to go see a Christian 18:48 counselor. 18:48 I just want to tell you, 18:49 don't be, don't be. 18:50 Whatever difficulty you think 18:52 you might encounter by going to 18:53 a qualified professional 18:54 Christian counselor, 18:55 the benefits will outweigh 18:57 the pain. Okay? 18:59 And sometimes the difficulty 19:00 of what happened in the past, 19:01 the harms that happened to you, 19:02 requires somebody 19:04 that's had experience, 19:05 that knows what they're doing. 19:06 So don't be afraid to find help 19:07 when you need it. 19:09 And secondly, the journey that 19:11 I'm going to talk about today 19:12 is one that I have taken. 19:13 And given 19:14 the uncertainty of life, 19:15 maybe I'll have to take it 19:16 again sometime. 19:18 And I can tell you for sure 19:20 that what I'm going to talk 19:21 about today from Scripture, 19:22 if you decide to do it, 19:24 some of the blessings involved 19:26 will come just like that, 19:27 almost instantaneously. 19:30 And some of the blessings 19:31 will take years. 19:34 So don't be discouraged. 19:36 If you take what we're going to 19:38 talk about here today and you 19:39 begin to apply it to your 19:40 life -- "Oh, man. How come 19:41 I'm not making the progress?" -- 19:42 Hang in there. 19:43 Put your hand in Christ's. 19:45 He loves you. He cares for you. 19:46 He died for you. 19:46 He lives for you. 19:48 He will take you through 19:49 no matter how long it takes. 19:53 And with that in mind, 19:55 let's get to it. 19:57 As it turns out, 19:59 when there have been harms 20:01 to us in the past that are 20:02 overshadowing the present. 20:04 As it turns out, 20:05 biblically speaking, 20:06 there actually is not one 20:07 single path 20:09 that God has used in the lives 20:10 of various Bible characters 20:11 to make that happen. 20:13 However, it seems clear to me, 20:15 and I trust you'll agree 20:17 by the time we're done here, 20:18 that there are two 20:20 basic tasks that 20:22 God asks us to undertake 20:25 if we are to leave 20:26 behind the shadows of harms 20:27 done against us in the past 20:28 and move into the light 20:29 of His present and future. 20:31 Two basic tasks. 20:34 And those two basic tasks 20:38 can be found here. 20:40 Genesis chapter 37, please. 20:42 Genesis 37:17, page 27 20:45 on the red Bible that's in most 20:46 of your pews there. 20:48 Page 27, Genesis 37, 20:50 beginning with verse 17. 20:52 And, actually, let's start 20:53 in the middle of verse 17. 20:55 We're going to talk 20:55 about a story here 20:56 of a guy by the name of Joseph. 20:58 Now, the story of Joseph 20:59 is so rich and deep, 21:00 we could spend weeks on it 21:01 and you would not 21:02 exhaust the topic. 21:03 We're just going to pull some 21:04 particular things out here. 21:05 Joseph was the son of Jacob. 21:08 Jacob had many sons, actually. 21:10 In fact, so many sons, 21:11 these were the sons 21:12 that eventually became the heads 21:13 of the tribes of Israel, 21:14 the 12 tribes of Israel. 21:16 This is very early, therefore, 21:18 in Jewish history. 21:19 And Joseph is 21:21 a little bit spoiled by his dad. 21:24 He's one of two sons from 21:25 Jacob's wife, Rachel. 21:28 And he's the favorite. 21:29 And they're spoiled. 21:30 Joseph has a dream. 21:32 God gives him this dream. 21:34 And in the dream, it essentially 21:35 says that, at some point, 21:37 Joseph will rule 21:38 over his brothers. 21:40 The younger will rule 21:41 over the older. 21:42 Now, that will get you 21:43 in trouble a little bit today. 21:45 But in those days, 21:46 I mean, this this was heresy. 21:48 I mean, it was it was a very 21:49 age-stratified, 21:51 age-respecting culture, and so 21:53 for the younger to proclaim, 21:53 "Hey, you're all going 21:54 to bow down to me someday," 21:56 ah, those were fighting words. 21:57 They were angry. 21:58 And then, God gives 21:59 a second dream and basically 22:01 it says the same thing. 22:02 And Joseph naively runs out, 22:04 tells his brothers again, 22:05 and they are furious about it. 22:09 Jacob one day calls Joseph 22:11 and said, "I want you to deliver 22:12 some things to your brothers 22:13 out in the fields." 22:14 And, so, Joseph goes to find 22:14 them. 22:15 It takes him a little bit. 22:17 And that's where we join 22:18 the story. 22:18 Verse 17 of Genesis 37. 22:22 Middle of that verse says, 22:23 "So Joseph went 22:24 after his brothers 22:25 and found them near Dothan, 22:27 but they saw him 22:28 in the distance, 22:29 and before he reached them, 22:30 they plotted to kill him. 22:33 'Here comes that dreamer,' 22:34 they said to each other. 22:35 'Come now, let's kill him 22:37 and throw him into one of these 22:38 cisterns and say that a 22:39 ferocious animal devoured him. 22:41 Then we'll see what comes 22:42 of his dreams.' 22:45 When Reuben heard this, he tried 22:46 to rescue him from their hands. 22:48 'Let's not take his life,' 22:49 he said. 'Don't shed any blood. 22:51 Throw him into this cistern here 22:52 in the desert, 22:53 but don't lay a hand on him.' 22:56 Reuben said this to rescue him 22:57 from them 22:57 and take him back to his father. 23:00 So when Joseph 23:01 came to his brothers, 23:02 they stripped him of his robe, 23:03 the richly ornamented robe 23:04 he was wearing, 23:05 which his father Jacob 23:06 had given to him, 23:07 and they took him and threw him 23:08 into the cistern. 23:10 Now, the cistern was empty. 23:11 There was no water in it. 23:12 As they sat down to eat 23:14 their meal, they looked up 23:15 and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites 23:17 coming from Gilead. 23:19 Their camels were loaded 23:20 with spices, balm, and myrrh, 23:21 and they were on their way 23:22 to take them down to Egypt. 23:24 Judah said to his brothers, 23:25 'What will we gain 23:26 if we kill our brother 23:28 and cover up his blood? 23:29 Come, let's sell him 23:30 to the Ishmaelites 23:31 and not lay our hands on him. 23:34 After all, he is our brother, 23:35 our own flesh and blood.' 23:36 His brothers agreed." 23:38 Now, pause for just a moment. 23:40 In what culture, in what type of 23:42 sanity is this an equal trade? 23:45 "Okay, we don't want to kill 23:46 him, he's our brother. 23:47 Let's let someone else do it." 23:48 Okay? 23:50 This gives you a picture of kind 23:51 of the barbarity of the culture 23:53 of that time. 23:54 Verse 28. 23:56 "So when the Midianite merchants 23:57 came by, his brothers pulled 23:58 Joseph up out of the cistern 24:00 and sold him for 20 shekels 24:01 of silver to the Ishmaelites, 24:03 who took him to Egypt." 24:05 Skip down to verse 36, please. 24:07 "Meanwhile, the Midianites 24:08 sold Joseph 24:10 in Egypt to Potiphar, 24:12 one of Pharaoh's officials, 24:13 the captain of the guard." 24:18 Now, does this qualify as harm? 24:24 Can we just be agreed 24:25 about that? 24:27 Yes? Yes? Okay. All right. 24:28 Some of you were slow. 24:29 It's not a trick question, okay. 24:30 Yeah. This qualifies. 24:32 I grew up with lots of siblings 24:33 here and there, half, steps, 24:34 biological, et cetera, 24:36 and we had lots of fights, 24:37 but no one ever sold me into 24:38 slavery and no one ever threw 24:39 me into an old well. 24:40 Okay? 24:42 This is genuine harm 24:44 that Joseph is experiencing. 24:45 I mean, can you imagine? 24:46 He's probably still a little bit 24:47 smaller, at least, than 24:49 his older brothers. 24:50 He's certainly outnumbered. 24:52 And they attack him here. 24:53 For all he knows, 24:54 he's going to be killed. 24:56 And then, he's sold to slavers. 25:00 How easy it must have been 25:04 for Joseph to be tempted 25:06 to turn inward, 25:07 to become bitter, 25:08 certainly against his brothers, 25:09 and quite possibly 25:11 even with God himself. 25:12 Right? Because after 25:14 all, the dreams that 25:16 the brothers were upset about, 25:17 where'd the dreams come from? 25:19 It's from God, right? 25:20 This is from God. 25:21 And, so, Joseph here, I mean, 25:22 he's just delivering the good 25:23 news that God has given to him, 25:24 and this is his reward. 25:27 I mean, how easy 25:28 it would have been for Joseph 25:30 to slip into skepticism, 25:32 to start running. 25:34 To run from his past, 25:36 to run from his brothers, 25:37 and, yes, to run from God. 25:42 But notice carefully. 25:45 Genesis chapter 39, please. 25:47 Verse 1. 25:49 Genesis 39, beginning 25:52 with verse 1 -- page 28. 25:53 Just another page over there. 25:56 Genesis 39, 25:57 beginning with verse 1. 25:59 "Now, Joseph had been taken down 26:00 to Egypt. 26:02 Potiphar, an Egyptian who was 26:03 one of Pharaoh's officials, 26:04 the captain of the guard, 26:06 bought him from the Ishmaelites 26:07 who had taken him there. 26:09 The Lord was with Joseph, 26:10 and he prospered, 26:11 and he lived in the house 26:12 of his Egyptian master. 26:14 When his master saw 26:15 that the Lord is with him, 26:16 and that the Lord gave him 26:17 success in everything he did, 26:19 Joseph found favor in his eyes 26:21 and became his attendant. 26:22 Potiphar put him in charge 26:23 of his household, 26:24 and he entrusted to his care 26:26 everything he owned. 26:27 From the time he put him 26:28 in charge of his household 26:29 and of all that he owned, 26:30 the Lord blessed the household 26:31 of the Egyptian because of 26:33 Joseph. 26:34 The blessing of the Lord 26:35 was on everything Potiphar had, 26:36 both in the house 26:37 and in the field. 26:38 So he left in Joseph's care 26:40 everything he had. 26:42 With Joseph in charge, he did 26:43 not concern himself with 26:45 anything except the food 26:46 he ate." 26:47 So everything's going peachy 26:48 keen, this looks really, 26:49 really good until... 26:53 "Now, Joseph was well built 26:54 and handsome, and after a while, 26:57 his master's wife took notice of 26:59 Joseph and said, 'Come to bed 27:00 with me.' 27:02 But he refused. 27:05 'With me in charge,' 27:06 he told her, 'my master 27:07 does not concern himself 27:08 with anything in the house. 27:09 Everything he owns, 27:10 he has entrusted to my care. 27:12 No one is greater in this house 27:13 than I am. 27:15 My master has withheld nothing 27:16 from me except you 27:17 because you are his wife.'" 27:18 And then notice this. 27:20 "'How then could I do 27:21 such a wicked thing 27:23 and sin against'"... 27:26 Potiphar? 27:30 Potiphar's wife? 27:33 His family's legacy? 27:36 No. 27:38 "'How could I do this wicked 27:39 thing and sin against God?'" 27:46 What is happening here? 27:48 So often, I mean, again, 27:49 the story is rich, I understand. 27:51 People are drawing all kinds of 27:52 different lessons from it when 27:53 they preach or teach through 27:54 this thing, but do we forget 27:56 where Joseph just came from? 27:57 I mean, it's not like this 27:59 doesn't have a context here. 28:01 How has Joseph, 28:04 how could he possibly go from 28:06 from being completely justified, 28:08 filled with terror by 28:09 being imprisoned by his brothers 28:10 and then being sold as a slave, 28:12 how could he go from 28:13 the temptations to run away 28:14 from his brothers and God 28:15 and all of it to this? 28:20 Where he staunchly 28:22 and passionately stands for God. 28:26 Let's play this out 28:27 a little bit here. 28:28 So many people, when they 28:30 run away, when they run away 28:31 from the harms of the past, 28:32 they run to drugs, 28:34 alcohol, and sex. 28:36 It's kind of standard operating 28:37 procedure for humanity. 28:40 But Joseph, even though this, 28:41 quote, "golden opportunity" has 28:42 presented itself -- I mean, 28:43 think of what could have gone 28:44 through his mind. 28:45 "Ah, I deserve this 28:46 after all the terrible pain 28:47 that I've been through. 28:48 You know, this is my comfort 28:50 here, and no one will ever know. 28:51 I am the head of the household. 28:52 I can cover all of this up." 28:56 In spite of this, quote, 28:57 "golden opportunity," 28:59 Joseph does not do it, 29:01 even after the harm 29:03 he experienced in the past. 29:05 How come? Why doesn't he do it? 29:12 The only explanation 29:13 for Joseph's now adamant 29:15 and passionate loyalty to God 29:17 that makes any sense 29:19 is that Joseph, at some point, 29:22 between being sold as a slave 29:24 by his brothers and being 29:25 in Potiphar's household, 29:27 Joseph has made some decisions. 29:31 And in fact, we find that Joseph 29:33 had begun, with God's help, 29:35 the first task in disarming 29:37 the shadow of past harms. 29:41 The first task in stopping 29:44 running from the past, 29:46 the first task in disarming 29:48 the harm of the past 29:50 is this -- to forgive. 29:54 To forgive. 29:59 And I can guess what some of you 30:00 are thinking. 30:02 "Uh, first task? 30:04 I mean, aren't there some other 30:05 things that are supposed to come 30:06 first? 30:07 I mean, maybe down the line 30:08 somewhere. 30:09 I mean, the first task in 30:09 there?" 30:12 So let me quickly clarify. 30:15 This command is not 30:16 an isolated one. 30:18 God here does say 30:19 that we need to forgive. 30:21 Let me just put one example here 30:21 up on the screen. 30:22 Colossians 3:13. 30:27 It's a command. 30:28 "Forgive as the Lord forgave 30:29 you." 30:29 This sounds very similar to 30:31 the Lord's Prayer, does it not? 30:32 You know, "Lord, 30:33 forgive us our debts, 30:34 as we forgive our debtors. 30:35 Forgive us our trespasses 30:36 as we forgive those 30:37 that trespass against us here." 30:39 This is not an unusual thing. 30:40 God is asking this, 30:42 that we forgive 30:44 even those who have harmed us. 30:45 And I understand immediately 30:47 people get nervous because 30:49 they think this is too quick. 30:49 So understand 30:51 what biblical forgiveness is. 30:56 Biblically speaking, 30:58 to forgive someone 30:59 who harmed us means that, 31:01 by God's grace and our decision, 31:02 we come to the place where we 31:04 can honestly say three things. 31:20 Biblical forgiveness 31:22 does not mean, 31:24 "Oh, what you did to me? 31:25 Oh, that was nothing. 31:26 Don't worry about it." 31:28 Biblical forgiveness 31:29 does not mean that it's okay 31:30 what happened to you, 31:31 the harm in the past. 31:32 Biblical forgiveness 31:33 does not mean 31:34 that the person who harmed you 31:35 is free to do it all over again. 31:37 No. 31:39 Biblical forgiveness instead 31:42 means that, by God's grace, 31:44 we come to the place 31:45 where we can honestly say 31:46 it happened and it mattered, 31:50 and I release you. 31:52 You know, we can see 31:54 the first two parts of this -- 31:55 it happened and it mattered -- 31:56 clearly here in the story 31:57 of Joseph. 31:58 "Patriarchs and Prophets," 31:59 page 213. 31:59 Let me just put 32:00 this up here for you. 32:02 She says, "Meanwhile, 32:03 Joseph with his captors, 32:04 was on the way to Egypt." 32:05 So this is a little bit earlier 32:06 in the story. 32:07 "As the caravan journeyed 32:09 southward toward the borders 32:09 of Canaan, 32:10 the boy could discern 32:12 in the distance the hills among 32:14 which lay his father's tents." 32:15 Can you imagine? 32:16 I mean, he can see all of it. 32:17 He is leaving home. 32:21 "Bitterly he wept at the thought 32:22 of that loving father in 32:23 his loneliness and affliction. 32:24 Again the scene at Dothan 32:26 came up before him. 32:27 He saw his angry brothers 32:28 and felt their fierce glances 32:29 bent upon him. 32:30 The stinging, insulting words 32:32 that had met 32:32 his agonized entreaties 32:34 were ringing in his ears. 32:35 With a trembling heart, 32:36 he looked to the future. 32:38 What a change in situation -- 32:39 from the tenderly cherished son 32:41 to the despised and helpless 32:42 slave! 32:42 Alone and friendless. 32:44 what would be his lot 32:45 in the strange land 32:46 to which he was going?" 32:47 And notice this. 32:49 "For a time, Joseph gave himself 32:51 up to uncontrolled grief 32:52 and terror." 32:57 In other words, Joseph is saying 33:00 it happened and it mattered. 33:04 It was wrong. 33:06 It shouldn't have been that way. 33:10 Joseph, by far, is not the only 33:12 one that does this in the Bible. 33:14 The psalmist, David. 33:15 Have you ever wondered why 33:16 certain Psalms were in 33:17 the Bible? 33:18 You know, sometimes they're 33:20 called the Imprecatory Psalms. 33:21 Okay, there's -- I mean, 33:22 it's pretty hardcore stuff 33:24 that David is railing 33:25 against this evil in his life. 33:27 Let me just give you one 33:28 example here. 33:29 Psalm 22:1, 2, 12-17. 33:32 Famous words here. 34:20 Now, we don't know exactly 34:21 what the harm was 34:22 that had been done to David, 34:23 but he is most definitely 34:25 pointing out it happened 34:26 and it mattered. 34:29 And those of you with 34:30 long experience in Scripture, 34:31 you know that these are not just 34:33 the words of David. 34:35 These are also the words 34:36 of Jesus Christ on the cross. 34:38 In fact, there are many scholars 34:40 that believe that Jesus, 34:41 while on the cross, 34:42 actually recited, both verbally 34:44 and sometimes inwardly, 34:46 the entire chapter of Psalm 22. 34:49 And why does he do it? 34:52 Well, I think the lesson 34:53 is crystal clear. 34:54 Even God Himself acknowledges 34:57 the past. 34:58 Even God Himself, Jesus Christ, 35:00 acknowledges that what happened, 35:02 it mattered, it was wrong, 35:03 it should not have been 35:04 that way. 35:06 And all of this is being said 35:09 and done while firmly 35:10 on the road to forgiving. 35:16 And why is this? 35:19 Why must the process 35:21 of forgiveness include 35:22 acknowledging the past harm 35:24 in its full extent? 35:27 You know, the answer 35:28 is actually simple. 35:32 It's because forgiveness 35:33 means nothing unless it matches 35:36 the magnitude of the sin. 35:40 Forgiveness means nothing 35:42 unless it matches 35:43 the magnitude of the sin. 35:46 There is no half-price sale 35:47 on forgiveness. 35:50 Just as we talked about 35:51 in part two, any amends 35:53 that we must make, it 35:54 must fit the sin that we have 35:55 committed against somebody else. 35:57 So forgiveness of someone 35:58 who harmed us can only fit 36:01 the sin that was actually done. 36:04 And consequently, when it comes 36:06 to we human beings, 36:08 those who, for instance, 36:09 immediately, upon being deeply 36:10 harmed, proclaim forgiveness 36:12 for their enemy, 36:13 almost certainly have given 36:14 a forgiveness that means little 36:16 and will not last, 36:17 for it does not acknowledge 36:19 the true cost of that 36:20 which was broken in their lives. 36:24 So when it comes to the task 36:26 of forgiving true harms, 36:29 there nearly always must be time 36:32 for mourning, for wailing, 36:33 for weeping, for anger. 36:36 For only then can we know 36:38 what forgiveness is even for. 36:41 Only then can our forgiveness 36:43 of a perpetrator of real 36:44 harm actually have meaning. 36:50 I think this is why, 36:51 at least in my experience, 36:53 some of the most troubled 36:54 Christians are those who do not 36:56 take seriously the first steps 36:57 of the task of forgiveness. 36:59 They don't acknowledge 37:00 that it happened. 37:01 They don't acknowledge 37:02 that it mattered. 37:02 Instead, 37:03 they stuffed their feelings. 37:04 They pretend it never happened. 37:05 They don't talk about it. 37:06 They don't cry about it. 37:07 They don't acknowledge it, 37:07 hoping that maybe if they 37:09 ignore it, it will just go away. 37:12 But you cannot run away 37:14 from who you are. 37:17 And for many of us, part of who 37:19 we are is that harmful event, 37:22 that painful memory. 37:26 And part of finding God's 37:27 freedom is to acknowledge 37:29 that it happened and that, yes, 37:32 it mattered an awful lot. 37:35 Only then can forgiveness 37:38 do fully what God intends 37:39 for it to do. 37:44 Speaking of, 37:46 let's check back in with Joseph. 37:48 The next part of 37:50 Joseph's life is difficult. 37:51 The whole kerfuffle with 37:53 Potiphar's wife 37:54 lands him in jail. 37:55 But God blesses him, 37:56 and Joseph essentially becomes 37:58 in charge of the jail. 37:59 And while 38:00 he's in charge of the jail, 38:01 there are some dreams that two 38:02 of the courtiers 38:03 from Pharaoh's court have. 38:05 The interpretation is 38:07 given to Joseph. 38:08 He tells them about it. 38:09 They are -- Well, one of them, 38:10 at least, is thrilled. 38:12 Reputation travels. 38:13 Pharaoh himself 38:14 is given a dream, 38:16 and it predicted that there 38:17 would be seven years 38:18 of fullness in the crops, 38:21 et cetera, followed by 38:22 seven years of famine. 38:24 He doesn't understand the dream, 38:24 though. 38:25 Joseph's reputation 38:26 comes to the court, 38:27 Joseph comes to the court. 38:29 By the grace of God, he rightly 38:30 interprets this dream, 38:33 and Joseph is elevated to be 38:34 second in command of all Egypt. 38:37 The seven years of plenty come. 38:39 Two years into the seven years 38:40 of famine, guess who shows up in 38:42 Egypt to try to find some food. 38:44 It's Joseph's brothers, 38:47 the very perpetrators 38:49 of the harm against him. 38:51 There's a series of meetings 38:52 that takes place. 38:53 Again, it's fertile ground 38:54 for all kinds of study there. 38:56 But would you take a look, 38:57 please, at Genesis 45, 38:59 beginning with verse 4. 39:01 Page 33, Genesis 45, 39:05 beginning with verse 4. 39:07 On what would be the final 39:08 visit with his brothers, 39:11 at least while Joseph was still, 39:13 you know, not recognized 39:14 by his brothers, 39:16 Joseph now feels that the time 39:17 has come. 39:18 He is going to reveal himself, 39:20 and notice what he says. 39:22 It tells us that somewhere 39:25 prior to this point, 39:27 Joseph had taken 39:28 that final step of forgiveness. 39:32 He had not only recognized 39:33 that it happened 39:34 and that it mattered, 39:35 but now he had released 39:37 his brothers, as well. 39:40 Let's read carefully here. 39:40 Begriming in verse 4. 39:42 "Then Joseph said to his 39:43 brothers, 'Come close to me.' 39:47 When they had done so, he said, 39:49 'I am your brother, Joseph, 39:52 the one you sold into Egypt. 39:55 And now do not be distressed, 39:59 and do not be angry with 40:01 yourselves for selling me here, 40:03 because it was to save lives 40:04 that God sent me ahead of you. 40:06 For two years now, there 40:07 has been famine in the land, 40:08 and for the next five years 40:09 there will not be plowing 40:10 and reaping. 40:11 But God sent me ahead of you 40:12 to preserve for you 40:13 a remnant on Earth, 40:15 and to save your lives 40:16 by a great deliverance.'" 40:17 Verse 5 again. 40:19 "'And now do not be distressed, 40:22 and do not be angry 40:24 with yourselves.'" 40:27 [ Chuckles ] 40:28 Ladies and gentlemen, 40:30 these are not the words 40:31 of someone who is still hanging 40:32 on to past harms. 40:34 This is the language of release. 40:38 Joseph has emotionally 40:39 and spiritually 40:40 released his brothers. 40:41 In other words, 40:42 he had forgiven them. 40:47 There's all kinds of good 40:48 reasons for why 40:49 Joseph would have done so, 40:51 but perhaps one of the most 40:52 basic is that he realized 40:54 a fundamental fact 40:55 of human existence. 40:58 After we have sufficiently 40:59 grieved the loss 41:01 that the harm caused us, 41:03 the only one who is harmed by us 41:05 continuing to hang on 41:07 to this thing is us. 41:09 We are the ones who suffer 41:11 when we hang on 41:12 to the harms of the past. 41:14 It's our blood pressure 41:15 that's being raised, not that of 41:16 those that harmed us. 41:18 It's our stress levels 41:19 that are elevated, not theirs. 41:21 If we do not release 41:23 those who have harmed us, 41:24 they are still living rent 41:25 free in our minds, 41:27 controlling our thoughts, 41:28 shaping our destinies. 41:29 And get this, 41:30 they can even be dead. 41:34 For decades. 41:36 The harm they committed long ago 41:38 while they were still alive. 41:39 Now they're dead. 41:40 They've lain in the grave. 41:40 But if we do not release, 41:44 they will still be exercising 41:46 an influence in our lives 41:48 for bad and not for good. 41:52 But when we release them, 41:56 their control over us is over. 42:00 When we release them, 42:02 their power over us is broken 42:05 and we do not have to be slaves 42:06 to that memory and pain 42:07 any longer. 42:10 Surely this is why 42:11 Jesus commands us to forgive. 42:12 It's not a suggestion. 42:13 It's not like a gentle tip 42:14 for how to live life better. 42:15 Jesus commands us to forgive, 42:17 because when we forgive, 42:18 not only are others released, 42:19 but so are we. 42:22 Oh, the freedom we find 42:24 when we forgive. 42:27 It's the first task 42:29 that is necessary to enable us 42:31 to stop running from our past, 42:33 and it is this first task that 42:36 makes us ready for the second. 42:39 Genesis chapter 50, please. 42:41 5-0, Genesis 50:15, page 37 42:44 in your red Bible. 42:47 Genesis chapter 50. 42:49 Begin with verse 15. 42:52 Joseph has revealed himself 42:54 to his brothers. 42:56 His father, Jacob, comes back 42:57 to Egypt, all of their families 42:58 and herds, et cetera, comes. 42:59 They settle in Egypt. 43:01 Jacob was already well along 43:04 in years when he comes to Egypt, 43:05 and it wasn't too long after 43:06 that that he does pass away. 43:09 And when he dies, 43:10 Joseph's brothers begin to doubt 43:14 that Joseph had actually 43:15 forgiven them. 43:17 It's where we join the story 43:18 here, verse 15. 43:19 "When Joseph's brothers 43:20 saw that their father was dead, 43:21 they said, 43:23 'What if Joseph holds a grudge 43:25 against us and pays us back 43:26 for all the wrongs 43:27 we did to him?' 43:28 So they sent word to Joseph, 43:30 saying, 'Your father left these 43:31 instructions before you died.' 43:33 Quote, 'This is what 43:34 you are to say to Joseph. 43:35 I ask you to forgive 43:36 your brothers the sins 43:37 and the wrongs they committed 43:38 in treating you so badly. 43:39 Now please forgive the sins 43:41 of the servants of the God 43:42 of your father.' 43:46 When their message came to him, 43:47 Joseph wept. 43:51 His brothers then came and threw 43:52 themselves down before him. 43:54 'We are your slaves,' they said. 43:57 But Joseph said to them, 43:58 'Don't be afraid. 44:00 Am I in the place of God? 44:02 You intended to harm me, 44:04 but God intended it 44:05 for good to accomplish 44:06 what is now being done, 44:07 the saving of many lives. 44:09 So, then, don't be afraid. 44:13 I will provide for you 44:16 and your children.' 44:18 And he reassured them 44:20 and spoke kindly to them." 44:24 The first task, as we said, 44:28 in stopping running 44:29 from the past and disarming 44:31 the shadow of past harms 44:33 was to forgive. 44:35 The second task is to love. 44:43 This is not my idea. 44:46 The first time that I heard 44:47 about this, I was opposed. 44:51 You want me to love them? 44:54 It's bad enough that you're 44:55 asking me to forgive them. 44:56 Now you want me to love them, 44:56 as well? 44:59 So you should know 45:00 this is not my idea. 45:01 And it wasn't your idea either. 45:02 I'll just speak for you 45:03 on this regard, okay? 45:04 This is God's idea. 45:06 This is what Jesus says. 45:08 In fact, just to make sure 45:09 that we're all singing off the 45:10 same page here, Jesus said this. 45:11 Matthew 5:43-47. 45:13 "You have heard that it was 45:14 said, 'Love your neighbor' 45:15 and 'Hate your enemy.'" 45:18 And all the world says, "Amen," 45:18 right? 45:19 This is how we roll, right? 45:20 Love your neighbor, 45:21 hate your enemy. 45:22 "But I tell you, 45:23 love your enemies and pray 45:26 for those who persecute you, 45:28 that you may be sons 45:29 of your Father in heaven." 45:31 Wow. 45:34 You know, Ellen White, speaking 45:35 specifically of Genesis 50, 45:37 what we just read there, this is 45:38 "Patriarchs and Prophets," 45:39 page 239. 45:41 She says, "Joseph's love 45:42 for his brothers" -- 45:43 There's that word. 45:44 "Joseph's love for his brothers 45:45 was deep and unselfish, 45:47 and he was pained at the thought 45:49 that they could regard him 45:50 as cherishing a spirit 45:51 of revenge toward them." 45:52 In other words, he was pained 45:53 because he had forgiven them. 45:55 He really had. 45:57 "'Fear not,' he said; 45:59 'for am I in the place of God? 46:00 But as for you, 46:01 ye thought evil against me, 46:03 but God meant it unto good 46:04 to bring it to pass, 46:05 as it is this day, 46:06 to save much people alive. 46:08 Now therefore fear ye not; 46:10 I will nourish you 46:11 and your little ones.'" 46:14 Joseph had not only 46:16 forgiven them, he had 46:17 actually come to love them. 46:21 Now, please notice carefully. 46:24 To love those 46:27 who have harmed us does not mean 46:29 that we have to like them. 46:33 Jesus loved the Pharisees, but 46:35 he didn't go golfing with them. 46:37 Okay? To love those 46:39 who harmed us does not mean that 46:41 we trust those who harmed us. 46:44 Now, if a harmed relationship 46:45 repairs by the grace of God 46:47 to that point and to 46:48 the right healthy circumstances, 46:49 praise the Lord. 46:49 But it is by 46:50 no means a requirement. 46:51 Again, Jesus did not trust 46:53 the Pharisees. [ Chuckles ] 46:56 And as with forgiveness, 46:58 to love our enemies 46:59 does not mean in any way that 47:00 we condone what they did to us, 47:02 any more than Jesus condoned 47:04 the sins of those that He loved, 47:05 but who sinned greatly 47:06 against Him. 47:09 But to love those who have 47:11 harmed us does mean 47:13 that we come to the place 47:15 that we, as Jesus clearly says, 47:17 pray for them, 47:20 that we come to the place that 47:21 we want what is best for them, 47:24 that we come to the place 47:25 that we no longer wish them ill, 47:26 but instead pray 47:28 that they, too, will repent 47:29 and be in the kingdom of God. 47:31 To love those who harm -- 47:32 who have harmed us, 47:33 as the Bible describes, 47:35 means that we come to the place 47:36 where we treat them, 47:36 either in person, 47:37 if that's appropriate -- 47:38 sometimes it's not -- 47:39 or at least just in our minds, 47:41 our attitudes toward them. 47:42 We come to the place 47:43 where we treat them as Jesus 47:44 treated his captors 47:46 on that crucifixion weekend. 47:49 And as for Joseph? 47:52 Well, Joseph, in coming to love 47:53 his brothers, 47:54 not only were his brothers 47:56 blessed by that, 47:58 but Joseph undoubtedly 47:59 came to see better how much 48:01 his heavenly Father loved him. 48:05 Behold the unfathomable 48:06 character of God 48:08 that he should lavish 48:09 forgiveness and love 48:11 on such undeserving creatures 48:12 as we. 48:18 And having been on this 48:20 journey myself, 48:22 I know what at least some of you 48:23 are thinking. 48:25 "You're crazy." 48:27 [ Laughter ] 48:28 "No way." 48:31 "Do you know what happened 48:32 back then, Pastor Shane?" 48:33 Well, I don't know specifically, 48:34 but I'll bet I can guess. Okay? 48:36 I've been around for a while. 48:37 Okay? 48:38 "You don't know what happened. 48:39 How could I possibly -- 48:40 This is impossible. 48:41 Nobody can forgive 48:42 and love their enemies, 48:43 those that harm them." 48:45 To which I would say, 48:46 "You are absolutely right. 48:49 You can't do it. I can't do it. 48:51 So Jesus does it for us 48:54 if we are willing to ask for 48:56 and accept the gift." 49:00 A story. 49:03 Some of you are familiar 49:04 with a woman 49:07 by the name of Corrie ten Boom. 49:10 Corrie ten Boom, she is -- 49:11 she's passed away. 49:12 She and her sister, Betsie, 49:14 were placed in concentration -- 49:16 one of the concentration camps 49:17 in Nazi Germany 49:18 during World War II. 49:20 They were at Ravensbruck, 49:21 and Corrie's sister, Betsie, 49:24 died there in Ravensbruck. 49:27 Corrie wrote a couple of books 49:28 about her life experience, 49:29 including one called 49:31 "Tramp for the Lord," 49:32 where she basically 49:33 tramped around Europe 49:34 telling her story and 49:36 talking about God's forgiveness, 49:37 and on one occasion, 49:39 she had a speaking appointment 49:40 in Germany. 49:43 And I'm going to read to you 49:45 here a couple of pages 49:47 from Corrie ten Boom's story. 49:50 She says, "It was 1947." 49:52 So two years 49:53 after the end of the war, 49:54 a year and a half, two years. 49:55 "And I'd come from Holland" -- 49:57 that's where she lived -- 49:58 "to defeated Germany with 49:59 the message that God forgives. 50:01 It was the truth 50:03 that they needed most to hear 50:04 in that bitter, bombed-out land. 50:06 And I gave them my favorite 50:07 mental picture. 50:09 Maybe because the sea is never 50:10 far from a Hollander's mind, 50:12 I like to think that that's 50:13 where forgiven sins were thrown. 50:15 'When we confess our sins,' 50:17 I said, 'God casts them into 50:19 the deepest ocean, gone forever. 50:21 And even though I cannot 50:22 find a Scripture for it, 50:24 I believe God then places a sign 50:26 out there that says, 50:27 "No fishing allowed."'" 50:31 So she says this to 50:32 this group in Germany. 50:35 "The solemn faces stared back 50:36 at me, 50:37 not quite daring to believe. 50:41 And that's when I saw him 50:44 working his way 50:45 forward against the others." 50:46 So the meeting is finished now 50:48 and this man is making his way 50:49 forward. 50:50 "One moment, I saw his overcoat 50:52 and a brown hat. 50:53 The next, a blue uniform 50:56 and a cap with skull 50:57 and crossbones. 50:59 It came back 51:00 to my memory with a rush. 51:01 The huge room with its harsh 51:02 overhead lights, 51:04 the pathetic pile of dresses and 51:05 shoes in the center of the room, 51:07 the shame of walking naked 51:08 past this man. 51:09 I could see my sister's frail 51:11 form ahead of me, ribs sharp 51:13 beneath the parchment skin. 51:15 Betsie, how thin you were. 51:18 That place was Ravensbruck, 51:22 and the man who was making his 51:23 way forward had been a guard, 51:26 one of the most cruel guards. 51:29 Now he was in front of me, 51:32 hand thrust out. 51:34 'A fine message, fraulein. 51:36 How good it is to know that, 51:37 as you say, all our sins 51:39 are at the bottom of the sea.' 51:42 And I, who had spoken 51:44 so glibly of forgiveness, 51:45 fumbled in my pocketbook 51:47 rather than take that hand. 51:49 He would not remember me, 51:50 of course. 51:50 How could 51:51 he remember one prisoner 51:52 among those thousands of women? 51:54 But I remembered him. 51:57 I was face to face 51:58 with one of my captors, 52:00 and my blood seemed to freeze. 52:05 'You mentioned Ravensbruck 52:06 in your talk,' he was saying. 52:07 'I was a guard there.' 52:10 No, he did not remember me. 52:12 'But since that time,' he went 52:14 on, 'I have become a Christian.' 52:17 I know that God has forgiven me 52:19 for the cruel things 52:19 I did there, 52:21 but I would like to hear it 52:22 from your lips, as well. 52:26 Fraulein,' again the hand 52:28 came out. 52:29 'Will you forgive me?' 52:35 And I stood there, 52:38 I, whose sins had again 52:39 and again been forgiven, 52:41 and I could not forgive. 52:45 Betsie had died in that place. 52:47 Could he erase her slow, 52:48 terrible death simply 52:49 for the asking? 52:51 It could have been many seconds 52:52 that he stood there, 52:53 hand held out, but to me, 52:55 it seemed hours as I wrestled 52:56 with the most difficult thing 52:58 I had ever had to do. 53:01 For I had to do it. 53:02 I knew that. 53:04 The message that God forgives 53:05 has a prior condition, 53:07 that we forgive those 53:08 who have injured us. 53:10 'If you do not forgive men 53:11 their trespasses,' Jesus says, 53:13 'neither will your father in 53:14 heaven forgive your trespasses.' 53:16 And I stood there 53:18 still with the coldness 53:20 clutching my heart. 53:23 But forgiveness 53:25 is not an emotion. 53:28 I knew that, too. 53:30 Forgiveness is an act 53:32 of the will, 53:34 and the will can function 53:35 regardless of the temperature 53:37 of the heart. 53:39 Jesus, help me, 53:40 I prayed silently. 53:42 I can lift my hand. 53:43 I can do that much. 53:45 You supply the feeling. 53:48 And, so, woodenly, mechanically, 53:53 I thrust out my hand into 53:56 the one stretched out to me, 53:59 and as I did, 54:00 an incredible thing took place. 54:03 The current started in my 54:04 shoulder, raced down my arm, 54:06 sprang into our joined hands, 54:09 and then this healing warmth 54:11 seemed to flood my whole being, 54:13 bringing tears to my eyes. 54:16 'I forgive you, brother,' 54:18 I cried, 'with all my heart.' 54:22 For a long moment, we grasped 54:25 each other's hands, 54:26 the former guard 54:28 and the former prisoner. 54:30 I had never known God's love 54:31 so intensely as I did then. 54:34 But even then, I realized 54:36 it was not my love. 54:38 I had tried, 54:40 and I did not have the power. 54:42 It was the power 54:44 of the Holy Spirit." 54:50 To forgive those who harmed us 54:55 is ultimately a decision, 54:58 a decision to let Jesus do in 55:01 and through us what we cannot 55:02 possibly do for ourselves. 55:05 And in the same way, 55:06 to love those who have harmed us 55:09 is ultimately a decision, 55:11 a decision to let Jesus do in 55:13 and through us what we cannot 55:15 possibly do for ourselves. 55:18 So I must ask you, 55:20 how is it with you today? 55:24 Have you forgiven those 55:25 who have harmed you in the past? 55:27 How are you doing with that 55:29 process of working through 55:30 those indispensable stages, 55:32 by Christ's power, to becoming 55:33 honestly able to say that 55:34 it happened and it mattered, 55:36 and I release you. 55:39 And how are you doing with 55:41 the decision to love those that 55:42 have harmed you in the past, 55:44 to forgive and to love? 55:48 You really can stop running 55:52 from your past. 55:55 And that stopping can start 55:57 right now. 55:59 For the promise of Jesus 56:01 still rings true. 56:03 Jesus said... 56:23 You really can stop running 56:26 because God really does have 56:28 great plans for your past. 56:31 [ Applause ] 56:39 >> Before you go, let me take 56:41 just a moment to share with you 56:42 an opportunity to get into 56:43 the Bible in a fresh, new way. 56:46 All across the world, 56:47 more and more people are hearing 56:48 the call to examine 56:49 the Scriptures for themselves. 56:52 If you've felt drawn to learn 56:53 more about God's Word, 56:54 but you don't know 56:54 where to start 56:56 or you're just looking for 56:57 a more in-depth examination 56:58 of Bible truths, 57:00 then I have something right here 57:01 that I believe 57:02 you're going to enjoy. 57:04 I would like to send you 57:05 a series of Bible-study guides. 57:07 Each of these study guides asks 57:08 and answers very important 57:10 questions, such as these 57:11 examples right here. 57:13 Why does God allow suffering? 57:15 Can God be trusted? 57:17 Each of the initial five guides 57:19 begins with a story 57:20 to introduce the subject. 57:22 Then, through a series 57:23 of focused questions, 57:25 you'll soon be learning portions 57:26 of the Bible 57:27 you may never have known before. 57:29 And when you're through, 57:30 you'll be able to share 57:31 with others these inspiring 57:32 truths from God's words. 57:35 Just call our toll-free number. 57:36 It's on your screen now. 57:38 877, the two words HIS-WILL. 57:41 Friendly operators are standing 57:43 by to send you these guides. 57:45 Once again, that's 877-HIS-WILL. 57:47 Call that number. 57:48 And don't forget to join me 57:50 next week right here 57:52 at this same time. 57:59 ♪ |
Revised 2024-02-19