How Understanding the Sovereignty How Understanding the Sovereignty of God Helps us Forgiveof God Helps us Forgive

Genesis 45Genesis 45

““You Sold Me, but You Sold Me, but God Sent Me”God Sent Me”

But what does it take But what does it take for for youyou to forgive someone to forgive someone that has grievously hurt that has grievously hurt

you? you?

John 20:23John 20:23 “ “If you forgive the sins of any, If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of them; if you retain the sins of

any, they have been retained.” any, they have been retained.”

Joseph shows us how understanding Joseph shows us how understanding the Sovereignty of God helps us the Sovereignty of God helps us

forgive.forgive.

““You Sold Me, but You Sold Me, but God Sent Me”God Sent Me”

Genesis 45:1Genesis 45:111 Then Joseph could no longer Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his he made himself known to his brothers. brothers.

Genesis 45:2Genesis 45:2

2 And he wept so loudly that the 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about Pharaoh’s household heard about it. it.

Genesis 45:3Genesis 45:3

3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am 3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. terrified at his presence.

What enabled Joseph to What enabled Joseph to reconcile? reconcile?

CompassionCompassion

What was missing in Simon What was missing in Simon Wiesenthal’s response to the dying Wiesenthal’s response to the dying

German Soldier?German Soldier?

Lack of Lack of CompassionCompassion

Is there anything, really, that his Is there anything, really, that his brothers can do to make up for what brothers can do to make up for what

they did to Joseph? they did to Joseph?

NoNo

Is there anything really that the dying Is there anything really that the dying German soldier can do to make up for German soldier can do to make up for

the war crimes he committed?the war crimes he committed?

NoNo

Is there anything that the person you Is there anything that the person you refuse to reconcile with can do to refuse to reconcile with can do to make up for the damage they have make up for the damage they have

done to you?done to you?

NoNo

Our mission as Christian people is to interject compassion into a world whose only solution is get

even.

Micah 6:8Micah 6:8

He has showed you, O man, He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does what is good. And what does

the Lord require of you? To act the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to justly and to love mercy and to

walk humbly with your God. walk humbly with your God.

Compassion is the motivation for reconciliation.

Joseph had compassion that motivated him to

reconcile, do you?

.

Genesis 45:5 (NIV84) Genesis 45:5 (NIV84)

5 And now, do not be distressed 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. God sent me ahead of you.

Genesis 45:6 (NIV84) Genesis 45:6 (NIV84)

6 For two years now there has been 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing five years there will not be plowing and reaping. and reaping.

Genesis 45:7–8 (NIV84) Genesis 45:7–8 (NIV84)

7 But God sent me ahead of you to 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 “So then, it great deliverance. 8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. household and ruler of all Egypt.

What enabled Joseph to forgive?

What enabled Joseph to forgive?

It was a clear belief in the sovereignty of God.

““You Sold Me, but You Sold Me, but God Sent Me”God Sent Me”

Romans 8:28 (NASB95) Romans 8:28 (NASB95)

And we know that God causes all And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who those who love God, to those who are called according to His are called according to His purpose. purpose.

Could it be if you are having trouble reconciling, if you find

yourself unable to forgive, that you do not have a proper

understanding of the sovereignty of God?

You see reconciliation is truly in your hands,

as extending forgiveness is in your

hands.