New Beginnings
Overcome Bitterness
Overcome: Living beyond your circumstances
Locations & Times
New Beginnings
1475 Concrete Rd, Carlisle, KY 40311, USA
Thursday 5:00 PM
Wednesday 5:00 PM
Our Scripture text today: Genesis 45: 3-11
The Point: “Relationships can only move forward with forgiveness.”
The Bible Meets Life:
- The action of others-like betrayal and bad decisions-can leave us very bitter by how their choices turned our lives around.
- We can let bitterness continue to eat at us or we can let it go…and forgive.
- Forgiveness is very difficult because the memory of the hurt continues to pull us back into bitterness.
- We can move beyond such a destructive attitude, and the Bible gives us an example in the life of Joseph.
The Setting:
- The famine was widespread.
- Joseph’s father heard Egypt had food and sent his sons to purchase some.
- Joseph recognized his brothers when they came, though they did not recognize him.
- After a series of tests, Joseph eventually revealed his identity to them, stressed God had placed him there to keep them alive, and urged them to move the whole clan to Egypt so he could better provide for them during the remainder of the famine.
The Point: “Relationships can only move forward with forgiveness.”
The Bible Meets Life:
- The action of others-like betrayal and bad decisions-can leave us very bitter by how their choices turned our lives around.
- We can let bitterness continue to eat at us or we can let it go…and forgive.
- Forgiveness is very difficult because the memory of the hurt continues to pull us back into bitterness.
- We can move beyond such a destructive attitude, and the Bible gives us an example in the life of Joseph.
The Setting:
- The famine was widespread.
- Joseph’s father heard Egypt had food and sent his sons to purchase some.
- Joseph recognized his brothers when they came, though they did not recognize him.
- After a series of tests, Joseph eventually revealed his identity to them, stressed God had placed him there to keep them alive, and urged them to move the whole clan to Egypt so he could better provide for them during the remainder of the famine.
Question #1:
“How would you describe the taste of bitterness?”
- Forgiveness can be very difficult at times.
- Joseph was a man who had every reason to be bitter, yet he chose to forgive.
“How would you describe the taste of bitterness?”
- Forgiveness can be very difficult at times.
- Joseph was a man who had every reason to be bitter, yet he chose to forgive.
At this time in his life, Joseph was chief administrator and supervised the sale of grain during a time of famine.
- His brothers journeyed from Canaan to Egypt to buy grain.
- Joseph recognized them but kept his identity hidden from them.
- He treated them sternly, accusing them of being foreign spies.
- They denied the charge, whereupon he set a test for them.
- He would keep Simeon in custody while the other nine brothers returned to Canaan with provisions for their families.
- They were to return to Joseph with Benjamin, their youngest brother and Joseph’s only full brother.
- Only then would Joseph be convinced of their honesty (or so he had them believe).
- When he saw Benjamin, he would free Simeon.
- When the brothers told their father what had transpired in Egypt and what the harsh master of Egypt had proposed, Jacob was dismayed.
- He refused to allow Benjamin to go to Egypt (Gen. 42: 1-38).
As Jacob and his family ran out of food in Canaan-
- Jacob suggested his sons return to buy more food (43: 1-10).
- Judah reminded him that Egypt’s leader had said they would receive no more food until he saw Benjamin.
- Judah interceded to his father, saying he would assume charge of Benjamin.
- If anything happened to Benjamin, he would bear the blame before Jacob forever.
Jacob wrestled with his decision and finally yielded to his sons’ arguments (v11-14).
- The brothers headed for Egypt with Benjamin.
- Joseph treated the men quite differently this time (v15-25).
- He brought Simeon to them and prepared a meal to have with them.
- Joseph questioned them further regarding the family situation and their welfare (v26-34).
- Little did the brothers realize Joseph was asking about his own family!
As the brothers prepared to leave Egypt with their food, Joseph prepared the final test.
- He ordered servants to fill the men’s sacks with food and to put each man’s money back in the sack as before.
- Joseph also instructed the servant to put Joseph’s special silver cup in Benjamin’s sack (44: 1-5).
- After the brothers had gone, Joseph ordered his steward to pursue the men and accuse them of stealing the cup he had put in Benjamin’s sack.
- Imagine their horror when Benjamin’s open sack revealed Joseph’s special cup (v6-13).
Back at the palace, Joseph confronted his brothers and spoke harshly to them.
- Judah suggested they all stay as Joseph’s servants.
- But Joseph brushed aside the suggestion.
- Only Benjamin needed to stay, for he was the guilty party (v14-17).
- Judah stepped forward and interceded with Joseph.
- Joseph no doubt felt the emotion in Judah’s voice as he spoke.
- Judah asked Joseph to keep him as a slave so Benjamin could rejoin his father (v-18-34).
- Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers.
- They had assumed Joseph was dead.
- Yet the person they had been dealing with all this time was their brother!
Struck by the awful reality of the situation-
- The brothers found themselves unable to speak.
- They were “terrified in his presence” indicates the emotional upheaval they experienced, the emotional upheaval that probably included feelings of guilt, shame, and terror (v3).
In a gesture of friendship, Joseph tenderly invited them to move closer to him.
- Joseph’s actions communicated his forgiveness and love toward them.
- Again he identified himself, but this time he added the words, “your brother…the one you sold into Egypt” v4.
Here we see three realities about forgiveness as it relates to injustice.
- First, Joseph had been treated unjustly when his brothers had sold him into slavery so many years earlier.
- Second, he obviously had not forgotten the injustice he had suffered.
- Third, he chose to forgive despite his memory of the injustice.
- If we are to overcome bitterness, we can only restore relationships and move forward when we forgive whatever offense has led to the bitterness.
- Forgetting might not ever occur, but forgiving must.
- His brothers journeyed from Canaan to Egypt to buy grain.
- Joseph recognized them but kept his identity hidden from them.
- He treated them sternly, accusing them of being foreign spies.
- They denied the charge, whereupon he set a test for them.
- He would keep Simeon in custody while the other nine brothers returned to Canaan with provisions for their families.
- They were to return to Joseph with Benjamin, their youngest brother and Joseph’s only full brother.
- Only then would Joseph be convinced of their honesty (or so he had them believe).
- When he saw Benjamin, he would free Simeon.
- When the brothers told their father what had transpired in Egypt and what the harsh master of Egypt had proposed, Jacob was dismayed.
- He refused to allow Benjamin to go to Egypt (Gen. 42: 1-38).
As Jacob and his family ran out of food in Canaan-
- Jacob suggested his sons return to buy more food (43: 1-10).
- Judah reminded him that Egypt’s leader had said they would receive no more food until he saw Benjamin.
- Judah interceded to his father, saying he would assume charge of Benjamin.
- If anything happened to Benjamin, he would bear the blame before Jacob forever.
Jacob wrestled with his decision and finally yielded to his sons’ arguments (v11-14).
- The brothers headed for Egypt with Benjamin.
- Joseph treated the men quite differently this time (v15-25).
- He brought Simeon to them and prepared a meal to have with them.
- Joseph questioned them further regarding the family situation and their welfare (v26-34).
- Little did the brothers realize Joseph was asking about his own family!
As the brothers prepared to leave Egypt with their food, Joseph prepared the final test.
- He ordered servants to fill the men’s sacks with food and to put each man’s money back in the sack as before.
- Joseph also instructed the servant to put Joseph’s special silver cup in Benjamin’s sack (44: 1-5).
- After the brothers had gone, Joseph ordered his steward to pursue the men and accuse them of stealing the cup he had put in Benjamin’s sack.
- Imagine their horror when Benjamin’s open sack revealed Joseph’s special cup (v6-13).
Back at the palace, Joseph confronted his brothers and spoke harshly to them.
- Judah suggested they all stay as Joseph’s servants.
- But Joseph brushed aside the suggestion.
- Only Benjamin needed to stay, for he was the guilty party (v14-17).
- Judah stepped forward and interceded with Joseph.
- Joseph no doubt felt the emotion in Judah’s voice as he spoke.
- Judah asked Joseph to keep him as a slave so Benjamin could rejoin his father (v-18-34).
- Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers.
- They had assumed Joseph was dead.
- Yet the person they had been dealing with all this time was their brother!
Struck by the awful reality of the situation-
- The brothers found themselves unable to speak.
- They were “terrified in his presence” indicates the emotional upheaval they experienced, the emotional upheaval that probably included feelings of guilt, shame, and terror (v3).
In a gesture of friendship, Joseph tenderly invited them to move closer to him.
- Joseph’s actions communicated his forgiveness and love toward them.
- Again he identified himself, but this time he added the words, “your brother…the one you sold into Egypt” v4.
Here we see three realities about forgiveness as it relates to injustice.
- First, Joseph had been treated unjustly when his brothers had sold him into slavery so many years earlier.
- Second, he obviously had not forgotten the injustice he had suffered.
- Third, he chose to forgive despite his memory of the injustice.
- If we are to overcome bitterness, we can only restore relationships and move forward when we forgive whatever offense has led to the bitterness.
- Forgetting might not ever occur, but forgiving must.
Question #2:
“How can we let go of the past without forgetting it?”
- Joseph didn’t condone, minimize, or forget what his brothers had done to him.
- But in forgiving them, he canceled any debt they owed to him.
- He let it go.
- With God’s help, we can do the same.
“How can we let go of the past without forgetting it?”
- Joseph didn’t condone, minimize, or forget what his brothers had done to him.
- But in forgiving them, he canceled any debt they owed to him.
- He let it go.
- With God’s help, we can do the same.
Joseph then explained to his brothers why they should not be upset with themselves “God sent me ahead of you".
- This concept appears in verses 5,7, and 8 of this focal passage.
- Joseph declared that God worked through even the brothers’ hate-filled act of selling him to accomplish a good purpose.
When did Joseph conclude that the evil that happened to him was something God would use for good?
- Most likely Joseph did not embrace this lofty thought as he traveled to Egypt as a youth.
- More likely he came to understand God’s providence over the course of time.
- At any rate, Joseph was able to offer forgiveness to his brothers because his focus centered on the future of what God was doing and would do rather than on the wrongs of the past.
God is always at work to accomplish His purpose.
- In this instance He sent Joseph to Egypt “to preserve life” v5.
- God’s purpose involved salvation or preservation.
God was at work keeping Joseph’s family alive “by a great deliverance".
- Joseph also declared God would preserve “a remnant within the land” v7.
- The Hebrew word underlying “remnant” identifies surviving descendants or ones remaining.
- In fulfilling God’s promise of numerous descendants to Abraham, God used Joseph to preserve Jacob’s family, even blessing them numerically while they were in Egypt.
- This concept appears in verses 5,7, and 8 of this focal passage.
- Joseph declared that God worked through even the brothers’ hate-filled act of selling him to accomplish a good purpose.
When did Joseph conclude that the evil that happened to him was something God would use for good?
- Most likely Joseph did not embrace this lofty thought as he traveled to Egypt as a youth.
- More likely he came to understand God’s providence over the course of time.
- At any rate, Joseph was able to offer forgiveness to his brothers because his focus centered on the future of what God was doing and would do rather than on the wrongs of the past.
God is always at work to accomplish His purpose.
- In this instance He sent Joseph to Egypt “to preserve life” v5.
- God’s purpose involved salvation or preservation.
God was at work keeping Joseph’s family alive “by a great deliverance".
- Joseph also declared God would preserve “a remnant within the land” v7.
- The Hebrew word underlying “remnant” identifies surviving descendants or ones remaining.
- In fulfilling God’s promise of numerous descendants to Abraham, God used Joseph to preserve Jacob’s family, even blessing them numerically while they were in Egypt.
Question #3:
“When have you been willing to forgive?”
- God may use difficult situation-and difficult people-to bring us into a better place and a closer walk with Him.
- We should not hold those circumstances against the other people involved.
- God will work through our heart-felt, honest words to speak freedom and forgiveness.
“When have you been willing to forgive?”
- God may use difficult situation-and difficult people-to bring us into a better place and a closer walk with Him.
- We should not hold those circumstances against the other people involved.
- God will work through our heart-felt, honest words to speak freedom and forgiveness.
Joseph would enjoy the wonderful reunion with his brothers (v14-15).
- But he also anticipated the time when he would be reunited with his father.
- So even before he exchanged customary greetings with them, Joseph commanded his brothers, “Return quickly to my father” v9.
- Joseph’s words had a tone of urgency.
- He knew that the sooner they returned to Canaan and shared the news with Jacob, the sooner his father would come to Egypt.
Joseph began the message that he wanted his brothers to convey to his father with the word “God".
- You may recall that Joseph wanted Pharaoh to understand that God gave him the ability to interpret dreams (41:16).
- Now, Joseph again testified to his faith in God’s providence.
- Joseph wanted Jacob to know that God had done a marvelous work with regard to Joseph’s circumstance.
- “Lord of all Egypt” summarized Joseph’s authoritative position in Egypt.
Joseph acted with authority and confidence as he commanded his brothers to tell Jacob, “Come down to me without delay".
- Joseph was not showing disrespect in giving this command to his father.
- Rather, Joseph not only was anxious to see his father; he also knew that the conditions of the famine would only become worse.
Joseph promised to settle his family “in the land of Goshen".
- The land of Goshen is located in the eastern delta region of the Nile River.
- The area was favorable for herdsmen.
- Joseph wanted to settle his family in this region so they would be near him.
Joseph had the financial means and the political power to make the commitments to his family recorded in verses 10-11.
- He promised to provide everything needed for his extended family’s resettlement in Egypt.
- Joseph promised to meet his family’s needs.
- In his gracious and generous offer, we see another aspect of forgiveness.
- Forgiveness not only does not mean that we forget the past but focus on the future despite the past.
- It also means we seek good for the one forgiven.
- Joseph had overcome any bitterness he might have been tempted to cultivate, had forgiven the brothers who had wronged him, then went out of his way to see to their survival, even to their prosperity.
- Joseph’s pledge to provide for his family members reminds us that seeking or maintaining harmonious relationships may require intense personal involvement as well as personal sacrifice.
- But he also anticipated the time when he would be reunited with his father.
- So even before he exchanged customary greetings with them, Joseph commanded his brothers, “Return quickly to my father” v9.
- Joseph’s words had a tone of urgency.
- He knew that the sooner they returned to Canaan and shared the news with Jacob, the sooner his father would come to Egypt.
Joseph began the message that he wanted his brothers to convey to his father with the word “God".
- You may recall that Joseph wanted Pharaoh to understand that God gave him the ability to interpret dreams (41:16).
- Now, Joseph again testified to his faith in God’s providence.
- Joseph wanted Jacob to know that God had done a marvelous work with regard to Joseph’s circumstance.
- “Lord of all Egypt” summarized Joseph’s authoritative position in Egypt.
Joseph acted with authority and confidence as he commanded his brothers to tell Jacob, “Come down to me without delay".
- Joseph was not showing disrespect in giving this command to his father.
- Rather, Joseph not only was anxious to see his father; he also knew that the conditions of the famine would only become worse.
Joseph promised to settle his family “in the land of Goshen".
- The land of Goshen is located in the eastern delta region of the Nile River.
- The area was favorable for herdsmen.
- Joseph wanted to settle his family in this region so they would be near him.
Joseph had the financial means and the political power to make the commitments to his family recorded in verses 10-11.
- He promised to provide everything needed for his extended family’s resettlement in Egypt.
- Joseph promised to meet his family’s needs.
- In his gracious and generous offer, we see another aspect of forgiveness.
- Forgiveness not only does not mean that we forget the past but focus on the future despite the past.
- It also means we seek good for the one forgiven.
- Joseph had overcome any bitterness he might have been tempted to cultivate, had forgiven the brothers who had wronged him, then went out of his way to see to their survival, even to their prosperity.
- Joseph’s pledge to provide for his family members reminds us that seeking or maintaining harmonious relationships may require intense personal involvement as well as personal sacrifice.
Question #4:
“How did Joseph’s actions in this story mirror God’s actions toward us?”
- Note Joseph no only forgave; he also promised to provide for his family, reminding us that seeking or maintaining relationships might require intense personal involvement as well as personal sacrifice.
“How did Joseph’s actions in this story mirror God’s actions toward us?”
- Note Joseph no only forgave; he also promised to provide for his family, reminding us that seeking or maintaining relationships might require intense personal involvement as well as personal sacrifice.
Question #5:
“What actions on our part lead to reconciliation?”
- Don’t feed bitterness.
- Choose to forgive.
- Ask for forgiveness.
“What actions on our part lead to reconciliation?”
- Don’t feed bitterness.
- Choose to forgive.
- Ask for forgiveness.