A Lesson of Forgiveness

With the title of our sermon, A Lesson in Forgiveness. A Lesson in Forgiveness. I invite you to open your Bibles with me, and let's turn to Genesis 45. Genesis 45, as we'll begin our study here in the life of Joseph. And we come to this, really this most important matter of forgiveness. And forgiveness in the life of Joseph is one of the most dramatic elements which unfolds here for us in the 45th chapter of Genesis. So let's read this together. We're going to kind of break into a very impactful moment. The brothers are now here face to face with Joseph, the brothers that betrayed him. So let's read this. So Genesis 45, let's read verses 1 through 15. Genesis 45 verses 1 through 15.

So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians of the house of Pharaoh heard it. Then Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph. Does my father still live? But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. And Joseph said to his brothers, please come near to me. So they came near, and he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.

But now do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here. For God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years of famine has been in the land. There is still five years which there will still be neither plowing or harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here but God.

And he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all the house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Hurry, and go up to my father, and say to him, thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord over all Egypt. Come down to me, do not tarry. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children, and your children's children, your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.

There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come into poverty, for there is still five years of famine. And behold, your eyes, in the eyes of my brother Benjamin, see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. So you shall tell my father of all the glory in Egypt, and all that you have seen, and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.

Verse 14, Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. Moreover, he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him. Let's stop there. It's quite remarkable, really. You know, this young man, Joseph, that we can approximate was about 17 years old, when at about age of 17 he was taken off, sold by his brothers, to live in a foreign country for some 22 years, separated from all that he had known in his life, separated from his father. And with that, then, that he should respond in the way that he did to his deplorable brothers. It's quite incredible.

We want to think through this today, this afternoon, on this whole matter of forgiveness and unforgiveness. It could be said that the unhappiness of countless men and women in our society, much of the unhappiness, can be traced back to a singular root, and it's the issue of forgiveness. And then it could be assessed that those individuals are unhappy individuals, because they've never experienced true forgiveness from others, or, in turn, they remain unwilling to extend forgiveness to others. So whether it's in our inability to receive it, or our inability to grant it, men and women's lives are trapped in unhappiness because of this.

Forgiveness, it's said, here's a phrase for you, forgiveness is as indispensable to life and health of the soul as food is for the body. That's forgiveness. And that makes sense, because when we open Scripture, we realize that when you begin to read that forgiveness is not just some little extra in the Christian's life. It's not just some small dimension of our walk. Rather, it's at the very heart of following Jesus Christ.

Very heart of it. Why? Why is it at the very heart? Well, it's because, as it relates to our spiritual lives, this matter of forgiveness can be some of the most difficult matters. And it can actually be some of the most damaging to our spiritual lives. One way to test this, if I were to ask each of us on our note cards or on our spirals to write down two phrases.

Let's write down two phrases of three words each. If we were to do this exercise, two phrases of three words each of what you think are some of the hardest expressions to give. What would they be? I think we'd get a variety of responses, but out of all of them, if we were to engage in that honestly, I think there would be two reoccurring phrases that would end up on our papers. Namely, the expressions, I am sorry and I forgive you. Three and three of the hardest phrases to get out of our mouths and to truly mean it.

Why is that? Well, it's because an honest man or an honest woman today, myself included, will acknowledge that our pride can be so severe sometimes that we're reluctant, first of all, to admit that we're wrong, to say I'm sorry. And at the same time, and perhaps even sadder, we're slow to grant forgiveness to those who've offended us, choosing rather to hold on to some mechanism, some leverage, to constantly be returning that individual to the unforgiven indebtedness which remains.

Parents do it to children. Siblings do it to each other. You see, in all aspects of life, we do it amongst spiritual brothers and sisters. And no matter what's verbalized, you know, it's through the action and the attitude that you feel that this issue of unforgiveness is apparent. And we deal with each other in these unforgiving ways. So this is what we want to deal with today. We want to deal with this today. I have another phrase for you. We need to be living at a higher level of righteousness we know.

Here's a phrase. To return evil for good is devilish, it's been said. To return good for good is human. To return good for evil, well, that's divine. So, to return evil for good is devilish. Good for good, that's human. Good for evil, well, that's divine. And what we find here in the 45th chapter of Genesis, this is a divine expression. This is an expression of divinity, if you will. Joseph, he stands at the forefront and he gives us this divine example of forgiveness to his brothers. I'd like to trace a line through this, this incredible act of forgiveness today.

Let's set the context, though, so we know where we are now in this moment of Genesis 45. And to set the context, let's go back a few chapters. Let's go to Genesis 37, if you will. Genesis 37, to discover the jealousy that these brothers had unleashed on their teenage sibling here.

Genesis 37, let me set the context. You have a 17-year-old boy. He's dreaming some pretty impressive dreams. He is wearing a pretty jazzy coat. It's a coat that his father only gave to him and not his brothers. He's also engaged in reporting back to his father whenever his brothers would be up to dirty tricks.

So all these things, combined with others, created in the brothers such a spirit of jealousy and resentment and hatred, that upon the first opportunity, they were going to deal with him. And one such opportunity comes when Joseph is sent by his father to the brothers. He was to report back to his father of their well-being. And here we're going to pick up here in Genesis 37. Look at the second half of verse 17. So Joseph went after his brothers, found them near Dothan.

But, verse 18, Now when they saw him coming from afar off, even before he came near, they conspired against him to kill him. So let that sink in for a moment. They plotted to kill him. Now, you may not have had a good family background, and you may have had some animosity between your siblings, which I have too.

But I don't know if any of us would ever reach the depravity of this, to conspire with a sibling, to do away with another sibling. But this is what's happening. Here comes the dreamer. We're going to put an end to his dreams.

Dead men don't dream. We're going to throw him into one of the cisterns, they say, and we'll say that an animal came and devoured him. But essentially, we'll just let him stay there and die. However, the plan is altered when a group of Midianite traders come. That's verse 28. Then Midianite traders pass by, so the brothers pulled Joseph up, lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for 20 shekels of silver, and they took Joseph to Egypt. So they dug him up.

20 shekels of silver. It's not a particularly large amount. Sold him to the Ishmaelites, who then in turn took him to Egypt. As a result, he finds himself on the slave block. He sold him to slavery. As previously mentioned, he lives the next 22-some-odd years of his life. All of it can be traced from the human perspective, jealousy amongst his brothers. Now, whenever you read a story like this, it's important to put yourself in these shoes here.

Now, if you think of this and all that transpired, what do you think you would have done after so many years of then seeing these brothers that did that to you now come into your presence? Let's turn back to chapter 45, if you will. That's what makes this so striking here, the events that are before us here. Chapter 45, the second half of the chapter here, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers.

I want us just to notice the contrast here. The contrast in how the brothers treated him and how he treats the brothers. In verse 22 of chapter 45, Joseph, verse 22, he gave to all of them to each man changes of garment, but Benjamin, he gave 300 pieces of silver and five changes of garments.

So his brothers, in contrast, ripped his clothes off. He gives them clothes. His brothers sold him for money. He gives them money. Verse 23, it goes on here, and he sent to his father these things. Ten donkeys loaded with good things from Egypt. Ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and food for his father and for the journey. So the brothers took everything from him. In contrast, he gives them carts full of good things. Donkeys loaded down here. Food for their journey and for their father. So he gives them provisions, clothes, cash. He even gives them counsel. Look at this, verse 24. So he sent his brothers away, and they departed, and he said to them, See that you do not become troubled along the way.

So he doesn't want them to beat themselves up about it. I don't want you to be troubled. I don't want these events to disturb you. Amazing. So what's happening here? What's happening here? This is an illustration of a forgiving heart. Admittedly, a dramatic illustration of a forgiving heart. So dramatic. Because we can conceive what we would have done if we would have found ourselves here again. Think about this.

Your brothers show up after all that they've done to you. What do you think you would have been tempted to say? Listen. You stuck it to me for 22 years, you know? I haven't been able to see my dad. I didn't have a normal teenage life. You know, I wasn't even able to date the girl I liked. Think of all that he missed out on. At such a young age. You took all that from me, he could have said.

Would we have been tempted to say that? You took my dad from me. My life totally changed. And so now you're going to pay. Your life's going to change. In fact, you're going to know what it is to be in prison. Some of you might even know what it is to die in prison. And I haven't quite made up my mind yet. Some of you might even know what dying before prison is, you know? As the anger builds up, you know, as you start to think about all that was taken from you.

But here we have none of that. None of it. In fact, if you allow your eyes to go up to verse 4 here, verse 4, you have this dramatic phrase that reoccurs throughout this passage. Verse 4, he says to his brothers, please come near to me. Please come near to me.

Can you imagine? You think they would have stepped up? No. I'd have been pushing Reuben, you know, up or something. You know, because you weren't sure. Are you getting close enough to him so he could, you know, clock you?

Worse yet, would you be the first person on the chopping block, you know, as he enacts his revenge? You weren't sure what was going to happen. They could have never anticipated what Joseph would say here. Look at verse 4 and 5 again. Verse 4 and 5. And Joseph said to his brothers, please come near to me.

So they came near. And then he said, I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. Can you imagine? He who was reviled by them, he wants those to come close to him. He says, come up here. I want you to get close. Don't be grieved with yourself. Don't be angry with yourself. And they're looking at one another.

You know, first they're mystified that this is even their brother. I can imagine the scene he was wearing Egyptian ornate clothing, perhaps. Perhaps he had a hood on or something. As he reveals himself, he lays it down. And they're astonished. It's their brother after all those years. So that's mystifying. And even more mystifying that he would then talk with such tenderness to them. Tenderness. And then he embraces them.

Look at verse 15 again. Verse 15. He kisses all his brothers. What a scene. He wept. Wept over them. This is dramatic. This is dramatic. And so he revolutionizes their lives with his forgiveness.

And in that, we see the example of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, who has revolutionized our lives with his forgiveness. Why? Why has Jesus Christ revolutionized our lives with forgiveness? This is what we want to bring forth today. Jesus Christ revolutionizes our lives with his forgiveness in order that forgiven lives might be revolutionary in their impact. Jesus Christ revolutionizes our lives with his forgiveness in order that we might be revolutionary in our impact.

It's been an absolute privilege, unspeakable privilege to be pastor over the last few years. And I have seen in that time, none here, but I have seen some real family feuds. And they're even in my own family. And I've listened to tales of the most dire circumstances and situations. She said that he did this. She took that money, you know. He didn't pay back that, whatever it might be. And you're dealing with some of the most understandably embittered, sad, lonely people you've ever met in your life. And they're hanging on to circumstances, and they find themselves refusing or even unable to forgive. And they are chained. They're enslaved. And if you find yourself, today, in an unforgiving position, I want to tell you, lovingly, that you're chained and enslaved. You're in a pit. Not Joseph. In fact, Joseph, we won't turn there, but all these years before, Joseph is actually living out the words of Jesus Christ. We won't turn there, but it's found in Romans 12. Jesus Christ's words, you know this scripture. If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. And then in Romans 12 verse 21, you have this phrase. Romans 12 verse 21. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. So you ask yourself, how do I overcome evil? There you have it. Overcome evil with good. Isn't that what we're seeing here with Joseph? I think it is. This is a revolution. It is a major revolution. This is the revolution that Jesus Christ brought. It's the Jesus Christ revolution. It's the Joseph revolution. It's to be our revolution.

So you want to have a revolution.

And I think it goes on to say, we all want to change the world, you know.

That's John Lennon. Some of you younger people won't know John Lennon. But he sung about it. He didn't know how to get it inside. He didn't know how to put it all together. But really, what he was singing was the voice of humanity, which is longing to be freed from a grip that they have in them. And I propose to you today that much of that grip comes from this matter of forgiveness and unforgiveness. And we're longing for peace in this area. Such an impactful matter in our lives. Jesus Christ, again, came to bring this kind of revolution. Why? Very important. Why?

He revolutionizes lives with his forgiveness in order that the forgiven lives might be revolutionary in their impact. This is the great impact of the church. This is the impact we're supposed to make into the world. We're to be the forgiving gang. That's exactly what's happening here in Genesis 45. The brothers see the carts, they see the clothes, they see the silver. They hear the tender counsel from their brother.

And they're just mystified by it all.

He, who they offended so greatly, that they should be on the receiving end of such a dramatic, tangible illustration of genuine forgiveness. This is the illustration. This is the kind of forgiveness that God's people are called to. God's people are called to this level throughout all of Scripture, this higher level of forgiveness. And one such call is directly given to us in Matthew 18. Let's turn there, if you will. Matthew 18. It is a wonderful explanation here in Matthew 18. It speaks to the nature of the higher level of forgiveness that we are to achieve in receiving and bestowing forgiveness here.

So the question is posed here in Matthew 18. And beginning in verse 21, Peter asked this question regarding forgiveness. Look at this. Matthew 18 verse 21. And Peter came to him. He's speaking to Jesus Christ. Peter comes up. Lord, he asks, how often shall my brother sin against me? And I forgive him. Up to seven times? Stop there. So I imagine Peter thought this was a good question. It is a good question. But we'll see. The context is wrong. You know, I think he was wanting a little bit of a pat on the back.

If you know a little bit about Peter, he sometimes looked for that. You know, he's letting Jesus know, okay, Jesus, I know we're supposed to forgive people, you know. And I even know we're supposed to forgive them multiple times. So, is seven good? You know? To where we could write the individual's name on the top of the paper. You know, you get to five, six, seven, and then upon eight, you know, you're ready to let them have it.

You're ready to write them off, or you're ready to respond harshly. Would seven be okay? Verse 22. Jesus said to him, verse 22, I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. So, in other words, Peter, it's not a matter of calculation. It's a matter of the heart. Are you and I to forgive our husband and wife, our children, on the basis of a calculation that we give out every day? No. We basis on love. This is a heart thing.

So, it's not, okay, I have seven nerves, and you're on my last one. One more, get ready. We don't do that. It's not a matter of calculation. It's a matter of heart in our approach. And so, Jesus says, not seven times, but seventy times seven. Ah, someone says, that's good, because that's 490. And I've got a few people that are in the high 300s, and they're going to be there by the end of the week.

I just know it. And then I can let them have it. It's not that. It's not 490. It's not even 1000. Pick a number. Jesus takes the perfect number seven, then a perfect biblical number, and then he takes ten, another perfect number, multiplies them together, gives you seventy, takes seventy, and then multiplies it even by seven. So it's this indication of unforgiveness on an unlimited level. So we say to Peter, if you even understood forgiveness, you wouldn't even be asking that question. You know, this seven okay. And then Jesus goes into this wonderful parable here at the second half of Matthew 18. You know, he says there, verse 23, the kingdom of heaven, it's like a king who wanted to settle accounts.

So we have this parable for us, this story. We're going to just take a... it's not my purpose to work through this parable. We're just going to take a 30,000 foot flyover here, a summary. The summary is this. A servant who owes an insurmountable debt throws himself in the mercy of his master, the one to whom he owes the debt. So verse 26, you'll see, the servant therefore fell down before him, saying, Master, have patience with me.

I will pay you all. However, moved with compassion, the master releases him of the debt completely. Insurmountable, unpayable debt releases him. So that's verse 27. Verse 27, the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, forgave him the debt. However, then the forgiven servant, the one that was just forgiven, he goes out and finds a fellow servant who owes him money.

So the forgiven servant, in verse 28, that servant, verse 28, went out, found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, laid hands on him, took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what you owe. The guy says, I can't pay you. So the servant that had just been forgiven, who's choking the other guy, figures he won't get any money if he ends up killing him.

So he puts him in jail, throws him in jail. Maybe he'll get his money at some point. So in summary, despite the fact that he was forgiven an insurmountable, unpayable debt, he still goes and chokes someone for a few bucks they owe him. Can you imagine? Well, let's forget money for a moment.

In Christ, we have been forgiven an insurmountable, unpayable debt. Right? So the question, are you then going to choke your brother or your sister for a few offenses?

As we consider that, look at verses 32 and 33 here. Verse 32 and 33.

Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, so this is the one originally that had forgiven, You wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you? That's the lesson here. Matthew 18. It's the illustration in Genesis 45. It's this. Let me give it to you in just a few words. Here's the lesson. The forgiven sinner, prompted by gratitude, must always, and in every case, do everything in their power to forgive the one who's offended against them. So again, the forgiven sinner, prompted by gratitude, must do everything in their power to forgive the one who's offended against them. Another way to put it. We must do everything in our power to bring about complete reconciliation, just as Jesus Christ has brought us reconciliation. We must do everything in our power to bring about complete reconciliation, just as Jesus Christ has brought us reconciliation. I think that's the totality of it all.

In seeking to really unpack this principle, I want to give us five understandings to glean from Scripture today on this whole matter of forgiveness. Five understandings, absolutely crucial. Understanding the nature of forgiveness. We'll never know what it is to either be forgiven or to forgive without these five truths. I'm going to give them to you without major exposition because dinner's going to be calling upon us soon. We're going to go through these kind of quickly. We'll see each one builds on the other. First, first understanding. Five understandings regarding forgiveness. First one, we are all debtors to God. We are all debtors to God. And number one point, the Scripture for this is Romans 3, verse 23. Let's turn there, if you will. Romans 3, verse 23. We're familiar with this verse.

This verse goes with point 1.

So, we're all debtors to God. Romans 3, verse 23. So that's true of everyone sitting here today. We've all sinned. We've all fallen short of the glory of God. We're all debtors to God. We've all fallen short of God's glory. We don't deserve to have access to God's glory. We have failed the passing mark. We've missed the mark of His righteousness. We have stepped outside of His law. If you doubt that, go to the Ten Commandments. You don't have to read very long. If you're like me, you can't even get past the first one.

And you know, I've stepped outside of this. I've missed the mark, and the wages of missing the mark is death. So, the debt, we have this debt of death. That's the first thing. We're debtors to God. Number two point. Number two point is this. None of us is able to pay our own debt. We are unable to pay our own debt. The verse for this is just a few verses up in verse 20. So, Romans 3 verse 20. We find this truth. It says, Romans 3 verse 20. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight.

For by the law is the knowledge of sin. We'll stop there. So, in other words, no one is declared righteous in God's sight just by what we can do by our deeds. Again, verse 20. By the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. Therefore, by the law we have the knowledge of sin. So, the law gives us knowledge of sin. It tells us how to walk. It tells those how to walk. You and I how to walk properly. We can turn away from sin because we have this knowledge.

We can turn to his way. However, observing the law is not the ultimate means by which we're justified in God's sight. Keeping the deeds of the law, it's a good indication that you've been justified. It's a good indication, but the law is not the justifier. Keeping the law, it's a good indication you've been justified, but the law is not the justifier. Okay, so that's number two. We can't pay our own debt. So, number three comes on the heels of number two. And that is, we are freely justified by God's grace. That's number three. We're freely justified by God's grace. So, none of us could pay our own debt.

Number three, we're freely justified by God's grace. So, we kind of have bad news first, and then the good news. Number one, we're all debt in debt to God. Number two, we can't pay the debt. However, number three, the good news. God the Father has sent someone, His Son, to pay the debt on our behalf. To make it possible for radical transformation to occur. So, the sending of His Son to pay our debt, that makes possible for the radical transformation to occur in our circumstances. The reference for number three, for the number three, is verses 24-26 here in Romans 3.

So, Romans 3, verse 24-26. It says, Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance, God passed over the sins that were previously committed. He passed over our offenses. Verse 26, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be the just and the justifier of the One who has faith in Jesus Christ. He is the justifier of the One who has faith in Christ.

Okay? So, we're justified freely by His grace through the redemption that comes through Jesus Christ. And if we think about this third point, this is an important thing to think about. When we bring our thoughts to what actually occurred when Jesus Christ was upon that stake, when He was being crucified, we've got to think about what actually occurred there. Over the past days, Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread, as we've recounted the events, we've wept. Many of us have wept, which is right and good to feel that sorrow.

But we can't solely weep because we feel sorry for Jesus Christ. We can't solely weep for that. The message of Jesus Christ and what He was doing upon that stake, we can't just solely get to the point where we just feel sorry for what happened, or sorrow. We must truly understand what was happening on that stake. This is what was happening. He was bearing my debt. He was bearing your debt. When we get that, that's when the lights go on, I think. I'm a debt to God.

I can't pay the debt. Jesus Christ actually paid this debt for me. That understanding will fundamentally change a man or a woman. Fundamentally change them. What does that fundamental change look like with the matter that we're speaking about today? What does that fundamental change look like? It looks like this. The forgiven will forgive. That's the fundamental change. The forgiven will forgive. It's that simple. It's profound, but it's simple. That brings us to number four. Number four. In knowing our debts are canceled, we ourselves must cancel the debts of those who owe us.

In knowing our debts have been canceled. Think back to that Matthew 18 example. We then must, in turn, forgive those who are in debt to us. In other words, if we have experienced the assurance of forgiveness, we are to be eager to forgive others who've committed offenses against us. Eager to pass on the forgiveness that we've received.

It's in the model prayer. Let's turn there, if you will. Matthew 6, verse 12. This is the verse that brings out our number four understanding here. Matthew 6, verse 12. A model prayer, very familiar verse, powerful verse, as we think about this fourth understanding. Matthew 6, verse 12 simply says, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Powerful. Read by that a million times. It still hits me every time. Forgive us our debts. Think about what we're asking God as we forgive our debtors. So, I don't think it's solely that we forgive others than God will forgive us. It is that. And we're going to read about that here in just a few verses. It is true. As we forgive others, God will forgive us. But I think it's deeper. And the deeper aspect is this. It is in our forgiveness of other people's offenses that we reveal the fact that we've been forgiven. We have to give evidence that we've been forgiven. What's the evidence? How do we reveal the fact that we've been forgiven? We forgive others. It is in our forgiveness of other people's offenses that we reveal the fact that we truly understand that we've been forgiven. It's in the forgiveness of other people's offenses that we reveal, we understand, what the blood of Jesus Christ has done for us. Conversely, if you are unforgiving, if you are unforgiving, if you're in an unforgiving position, you call into question whether you truly understand or whether you've truly accepted the blood of Jesus Christ. If you remain in an unforgiving position, you call into question, do you really understand what Jesus Christ has done for you in His forgiveness?

We have to get it. We have to understand what He's done for us. When you get it, you realize it becomes easier and easier to forgive because you realize what we owe God is infinitely more than what men owe us. What we owe God infinitely more than what men or women could ever owe us. It's the fundamental principle. I understand myself to be bankrupt. Therefore, I am able to let go of those debts. I'm able to let go of those grudges. I know myself to be a wretched sinner. It puts me in the proper position to forgive others. That's crucial because of number five. We'll get to the final understanding. Number five, directly related, it's this. The unforgiving person will never come into their destiny of everlasting life with God. The unforgiving person will never enter into their destiny of everlasting life with God. That's the fifth point today. This is brought out if you allow your eyes just to go down a few verses, staying here in Matthew 6. Look at verse 14 and 15. Verse 14, For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Let's think through this. The truly forgiving person is the one who gives evidence that they've been forgiven. They give evidence by forgiving. Only the forgiven will enter into eternity with God. So, if I'm unforgiving, in a sense, I'm revealing myself to be unforgiven. If I'm unforgiving, I'm revealing myself to be unforgiven.

The unforgiven will not make it into eternity in God's family.

You see the seriousness of this.

Well, just one or two more words of application here. Here's the question we need to ask today. The actions we need to prepare for and to do to get ourselves in a position to meet this high challenge. First, we must respond to God's invitation to come close to me. When you begin to read the Joseph story, you begin to see all the parallels of our Father. Our Father says what Joseph said in many ways. Come close to me. So, we have to first respond to the invitation. Come close. We then have to acknowledge the enormity of our offense. The brothers would have to get to that point to acknowledge the enormity. So, you've heard the call, come close to me. You've come. And you've said, God, I'm bankrupt before you. And I have to acknowledge the fact I'm totally in your debt and I can't get out. The brothers could not pay back 22 years of Joseph's life. That was an insurmountable debt. So, they had to call upon his forgiveness. And we call upon the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and we say, forgive my debt. I can't pay it. Forgive me, my debt. That's the action we need to come to first. Because once we've come, once we've acknowledged our debt, it's an unpayable debt. Once we acknowledge Jesus Christ paid it for us, then and only then will we make serious progress toward the challenge of this instruction. Then and only then will we be in the right posture for this kind of revolution. Then and only then will we truly be able to say, I am sorry. Or, I forgive you.

Again, we're the revolutionary party. We're not supposed to be known by the way we dress. We're not supposed to be known by the structure of our services. We're not supposed to be even known by our words. We're supposed to be known by this. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. Love one another. It does not say, by this, all men will know that you are my disciples because you love those who have not offended against you. It doesn't say, by this, all men will know that you are my disciples because you love those who have turned from their offenses. They were sorry, and they asked for forgiveness, and they promised to change. It doesn't say that. In fact, the revolutionary impact may only come after the forgiveness is given. Not before. Because when you forgive, you're giving the individual this beautiful picture of Jesus Christ, and you're opening up the opportunity for revolutionary change to occur. Jesus Christ forgave us while we were still sinners. And that opened up the opportunity for us to respond to such love.

The challenge is this. Forgive your brother or sister. Love them. He or she who's made an offense against you. Truly love them. Come out of the pit. Come out of the shackles. Come out of the slavery. Come out of the unhappiness. Come out of the embitterness. And forgive them. Today. Today. Therein is our challenge. It's a genuine soul-searching, gut-wrenching, true forgiveness that doesn't keep dragging up the old wrongs. If God drug up old records of our sins, who of us would be standing today? Higher level of righteousness. If you want it, God will grant it to you. Well, I want to conclude today with a part of a song written by Rosamond Herclatz. This is in the 1960s. She wrote a song titled, Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive. I think it captures what we've studied today. With this we'll conclude. Father, forgive our sins as we forgive. You've taught us, Lord, to pray. But you alone can grant us grace to live the words we say. How can your pardon reach and bless the unforgiving heart that broods on wrongs and will not let old bitterness depart? In blazing light your cross reveals the truth we dimly knew. How small men's debts are to us. How great our debt is to you. Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls and bid resentment cease. Then reconcile to God and man our lives will spread your peace.