Cross City Church
July 26, 2020 | A Chapter of Restoration
This series focuses on Joseph, a young man who became an incredible leader through a very difficult journey of life. It’s clear in Scripture that God is intensely interested in growing each of us as individuals. In a time of sheltering-in and greater solitude, have you noticed that God is teaching you and growing you in unique ways?The life of Joseph is a story of how God worked on one man to prepare him for the greatest impact in the world at that time. It’s a story of thrilling dreams, devastating disappointment, exhilarating temptation and solitary suffering. It’s a story of the agony of defeat, but also the thrill of victory. It’s the story of all of us to some degree. Joseph is a man that was willing to weather this rigorous process – and he saw the fruit of God’s work in the end. This study will be a challenge for each of us – because we will see how God works in a solitary, individual life to prepare them for the future.
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Euless Campus
1000 Airport Fwy, Euless, TX 76039, USA
Sunday 8:30 AM
Sunday 11:00 AM
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https://pushpay.com/g/crosscity?src=hppGenesis 45:1-8
Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
We view “forgiveness” in lower case. It’s kind of small, and it’s between two people or groups. It’s about hurts, pain and feelings. It’s very real. However, “Forgiveness” is bigger than that. It’s got a capital letter in front of it, because it has a vertical element to it. It’s not just between people, it’s also between people and God. But it’s even bigger than that. “FORGIVENESS” is all caps because this is a redemptive story where God extends FORGIVENESS to the entire human race.
Forgiveness opens the door to restored love.
v. 1-4
v. 1-4
“He wept so loudly the Egyptians heard it…” v. 2
“I am your brother Joseph. ” v. 4
Have you forgiven your worst enemy? Your closest friend? Your family member? Have you opened the door to restoration? It’s deep and it’s important.
Forgiveness enables us to see God’s Divine Purpose.
v. 5-8
v. 5-8
“…for God sent me before you to preserve life.” v. 5
“Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God.” v. 8
Have you been able to see how God took a time when you were personally hurt or betrayed, and caused it to work for good?
Forgiveness allows grace to be extended.
Genesis 45:9-15
Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished.”’ Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.
Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished.”’ Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.
Genesis 45:9-13
“Come down to me…and you shall be near me…There I will also provide for you…Bring my father down to me…”
“Come down to me…and you shall be near me…There I will also provide for you…Bring my father down to me…”
Have you extended grace to someone who has hurt you in the past? If so, remember what that restoration looked like. If not, why would you hold it back?
Forgiveness gets the attention of a watching world.
Genesis 45:16
Now when the news was heard in Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.
Now when the news was heard in Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.
What is the testimony of your family to the watching world? Can they see reconciliation in your lives? What do you need to do to bring that testimony into existence?
Forgiveness revives both promise and provision.
Genesis 45:25-28
Then they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. They told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” But he was stunned, for he did not believe them.When they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. Then Israel said, “It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
Then they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. They told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” But he was stunned, for he did not believe them.When they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. Then Israel said, “It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
“the spirit of their father Jacob revived.”
God loves a reunion party!
“It is enough; my son Joseph is alive.” v. 28
We view “forgiveness” in lower case. It’s kind of small, and it’s between two people or groups. It’s about hurts, pain and feelings. It’s very real. However, “Forgiveness” is bigger than that. It’s got a capital letter in front of it, because it has a vertical element to it. It’s not just between people, it’s also between people and God. But it’s even bigger than that. “FORGIVENESS” is all caps because this is a redemptive story where God extends FORGIVENESS to the entire human race.
Colossians 2:9
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.
Matthew 9:2
And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.”
And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.”
Luke 7:47–48
“For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”
“For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”
Matthew 6:12
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Matthew 6:14–15
“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”
“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”
Matthew 18:21–22
“Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”
“Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”
Luke 23:34
But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace…
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace…
1 Timothy 1:15
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
Ephesians 4:31–32
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
2 Corinthians 5:18–19
Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Discussion Questions:
Have you forgiven your worst enemy? Your closest friend? Your family member? Have you opened the door to restoration? It’s deep and it’s important.
Have you been able to see how God took a time when you were personally hurt or betrayed, and caused it to work for good?
Have you extended grace to someone who has hurt you in the past? If so, remember what that restoration looked like. If not, why would you hold it back?
What is the testimony of your family to the watching world? Can they see reconciliation in your lives? What do you need to do to bring that testimony into existence?
Have you forgiven your worst enemy? Your closest friend? Your family member? Have you opened the door to restoration? It’s deep and it’s important.
Have you been able to see how God took a time when you were personally hurt or betrayed, and caused it to work for good?
Have you extended grace to someone who has hurt you in the past? If so, remember what that restoration looked like. If not, why would you hold it back?
What is the testimony of your family to the watching world? Can they see reconciliation in your lives? What do you need to do to bring that testimony into existence?