Are We Strong Enough to Forgive Anything?

            This weekend (January 25th & 26th), I continue my sermon series on “Becoming Strong” by examining the story of Joseph, who was one of Jacob’s 12 sons.  The life of Joseph was fascinating.  Most of us know that, when Joseph was still a youth, his father gave him a very extravagant coat of many colors.  This special attention which Joseph received from his father made his brothers very jealous.  And, their jealousy was exacerbated by Joseph’s dreams, which consistently depicted them bowing down before him in submission.

            Eventually, an opportunity presented a great temptation for the brothers to put Joseph in his place and get rid of him.  The brothers were out in the field for several weeks, pasturing the family's flock of sheep.  Jacob sent Joseph out to check on his brothers, to make sure they were doing alright.  When the brothers saw Joseph approaching on the horizon, they concocted a plan to overpower him and throw him in a pit.  Later, they sold him into slavery, and he was taken to Egypt.

            As a result of miraculous interventions, as well as his own talents and tenacity, Joseph was able to eventually rise to a high government position as the second most powerful person in Egypt, after the Pharaoh.  Joseph was able to do this because he interpreted the Pharaoh’s dreams, in which God was warning the Egyptian leader of a coming famine.  Joseph explained to the Pharaoh that Egypt would experience seven years of super abundant harvests, followed by seven years of famine.  As a result, the Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of building up Egypt’s storehouses with surplus grain during the first seven years, so that there would be enough food for the seven years of famine.

            The famine was widespread, impacting countries throughout the region, including the area where Joseph’s family was living.  Eventually, Jacob was forced to send his remaining sons to Egypt, in order to purchase food from the storehouses managed by Joseph.  Ultimately, when Joseph saw his brothers, waiting in line to purchase grain, he invited them to his palace for lunch.  At the meal, Joseph revealed who he was to his brothers and then he forgave them for their terrible act of selling him into slavery years before.

            We live in a modern culture which praises and promotes vengeance, when someone has been wronged.  Acts of violent vengeance are frequently celebrated in films, television shows, and other forms of popular culture.  Yet, Jesus encourages us to reject acts of vengeance and, instead, to forgive:  “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6: 14).  And, when asked how many times we should forgive another person, he responds “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18: 21-22).  In other words, we should forgive another person as often as is necessary.

            It actually takes a lot more strength to forgive someone, rather than taking vengeance.  And, forgiveness offers a type of liberation to both the perpetrator and the victim of a wrong.  In my message this weekend, I will show that the capacity to forgive is an integral component for becoming a strong person.

 

I encourage you to attend our weekend services at Meriden UMC this week, as we explore the story of how Joseph forgave his brothers, as well as contemporary stories of heroic forgiveness.  Our church is located at the corner of Main and Dawson Streets in Meriden, Kansas.  We have two worship services each weekend:

Ø  Our contemporary service starts at 6 pm on Saturday evenings.

Ø  Our classic service starts on at 10 am on Sunday mornings.

Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.