Genesis Week 51 • Looking Back & Moving Forward

Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons podcast.

We're so glad you chose to listen today.

This week's message reflects on Joseph's journey in Genesis 50,

where he faces loss, forgiveness, and the fulfillment of God's promises.

As Joseph mourns his father and reassures his fearful brothers,

we see how God transforms what was meant for evil into good.

His legacy of faith, integrity, and trust in God's plan

challenges us to consider our own reputation and purpose.

Join us as we look back on God's faithfulness

and move forward with confidence in his promises.

Thanks for listening.

Well, good morning.

If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join us in Genesis chapter 50.

Genesis 50 · chapter mention

This is where we're going to be this morning as we are wrapping up our series in Genesis.

Next week, we're going to begin a new study of a different book of the Bible.

We're going to be looking at Titus, a short letter, three chapters.

I think we're doing it in five or six weeks.

But it's a good, good word from the Lord.

Excited as Pastor Dave and I are going to kind of rotate and doing some teaching through Titus.

So you want to be there as we read Apostle Paul.

He's sending this letter to Titus.

Titus is pastoring the church at Crete.

Crete is a wild and crazy place.

And it's the reminder, the importance, the urgency for Titus to stay on track,

be reminded of the faithfulness of God, and to be faithful to him.

Well, it is cough, cold, flu, RSV season.

As Dave was praying earlier, I heard all of your amens in forms of coughs.

And so I'm there with you in my cough this morning.

So if you could pray for me as we're preaching through this this morning for my throat.

And if all of a sudden I'm muting and unmuting my microphone,

just trying to avoid the booming cough that could ring through as I do not cough or sneeze quietly.

It's a violent thing that happens with me.

So just give me grace within there.

As we get started, I do want to read from our last chapter here in Genesis before we get to the whole chapter.

Just two verses that are going to be key and important and monumental for us this morning.

And it's found in Genesis 50, 19 through 20.

It says this,

Would you join me in prayer?

God, I thank you for the wonderful opportunity and privilege it is to study your word.

God, I thank you as we wrap up this season of time that we've been studying your word, working through Genesis.

I thank you for the powerful truths as you've taught us and reminded us of who you are.

As you've taught us and reminded us of the powerfulness and the goodness of your hand.

Your grace and your grace and your mercy and your love for us, even in our rebellion.

God, as we study your word this morning, would you speak clearly to our hearts?

God, for those of us who know you and who are known by you and who love you,

God, may you create in us a greater depth of love and willingness of obedience on our part.

God, for those of us here who may not know Christ as their Lord and Savior,

that I pray today through the teaching of your word,

God, that they would come to know Christ.

And today would be their day of salvation.

And let's call these things in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

A quick little recap of Genesis.

Some things that God's been teaching me as we've rolled through this long but wonderful book

of what God has for us.

We've seen from the very beginning of what we opened up with in Genesis chapter 1 of the hand of God at work.

Genesis 1 · chapter mention

Very specifically, the word of God at work as God spoke and creation came into being.

But we've seen God at work.

We've seen God working.

We've seen him work in creative works.

We've seen God calling and choosing works.

We've seen God working in the lives of individuals.

We've seen God working in the lives of families.

And now we see the future of what God is doing as he is working in the life of what he will create for himself a nation.

And this over time and time again, while we pause, while we break, while we have to consider

that we see the working, moving hand of God continually at play in our life.

And it just reminds me, it encourages me, it strengthens me in my faith and in my hope when I look out into this world.

And sometimes our tendency can be to wonder, God, where are you?

And the answer to that of what we've seen throughout Genesis is God saying, I'm here, man.

I'm here and I'm working.

And I'm working.

Even when you don't see it, even when you don't know it.

As we've studied through and as we've looked at Genesis, we were reminded time and time again,

from Genesis 3 in the fall to the brokenness of man.

We've seen our propensity to wonder, to choose the lesser, even in spite of knowing and living it and experiencing the goodness of God.

That you and I and those like us, known and loved by him, can still find within ourselves the choosing of the less instead of choosing the greater of who he is and his desire for us.

But we see within the brokenness of man, God's desire to pursue us.

That we are his and that he is ours.

And while there is the brokenness in this world, that when we are found in him on the hope of Jesus Christ,

there is the wholeness of us being held in his hand and God's desire to pursue us.

We see within him the power of God, the creator, not only the giver and bringer of life, but the sustainer of your life.

And for me, as we've been working through within the patriarchs and seeing within there that the reminder that God and his work is greater than your work and my sin.

That we see of God continuing to work and to move, that in spite of every failure, every fault, every issue that man tries to bring to the table,

we see that God is greater than that.

His plan is greater than that.

His grace is greater than that.

His love is greater than that.

And so when we look through and we read Genesis, it can be...

I'm hoping that was the last, like, big one that I needed to get out, right?

But we see that in spite of that, God is greater.

God is greater.

And his plans are going to be seen through.

That when we see failure and failure and failure and we realize we can't, we see that even though we fail, that God can.

And that God does.

And that God fulfills all that he says that he's going to do.

And so as we read through this book that points out so many failures and the sinfulness of man,

we learn so much about our holy God.

His righteousness, his justice, his goodness, his love, his grace, and his kindness.

And it's this beautiful, beautiful picture of a holy, powerful, creative God creating for himself a people who desire to choose everything else but him.

But he continues to call, he continues to pursue, and he continues to save.

And praise God that that's the reality, not just of Genesis, but it's the reality of today.

And so this morning, we're going to wrap up.

We're going to look at chapter 50.

And we're going to see this story that comes to an end before it comes to a beginning in Exodus.

So I want you to join me in Genesis 50, verse 1.

Genesis 50:1

So if you're here with us last week, but if not, Jacob dies.

The father dies.

And then Joseph, who a lot of this story has been based around, fell on his father's face and wept over him and kissed him.

And Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father.

So the physicians embalmed Israel, also Jacob.

Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming.

And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.

And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying,

If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

My father made me swear, saying, I'm about to die in my tomb that I have hid out for myself in the land of Canaan.

There you shall bury me.

Now, therefore, let me please go up and bury my father.

Then I will turn in Pharaoh to answer, go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.

So Joseph went up to bury his father.

With him he went up, all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,

as well as the household of Joseph and his brothers and his father's household.

Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen.

And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen.

It was a great company.

When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan,

they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation.

And he made a mourning for his father seven days.

When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad,

they said, This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.

Therefore, the place was named Abel-Mezerim.

It is beyond the Jordan.

Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them.

For his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave at the fill of Mechpelah,

to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place.

After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers

and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

I'm going to talk to you this morning in this first part of Scripture

as we look to the past about a word called reputation.

What we see here is the reputation of a man

who in his passing people respond with.

Jacob was mourned, the Scripture tells us,

for 70 days among the entire nation of Egypt.

Now, that would be considerable because of Joseph and Joseph's relationship with his dad

and Joseph and being one of the leaders of Egypt,

but it is significant to see that this nation who looks at an outsider,

this nation who looks at an outsider's family

because of the character and pieces of what they've seen,

decide within them that we're going to mourn.

Now, it's significant to know that a typical time period for mourning a royal official in Egypt was 72 days.

72.

But what we see here for Jacob was 70.

Respect.

We see in his reputation, Joseph goes to Pharaoh

and says that his father has made him swear that he would appeal,

that Jacob would be buried to appeal before Pharaoh,

that he could be buried in Canaan.

And out of respect of reputation,

Pharaoh agrees, and this is what we see.

The beautiful imagery of what God begins to paint for us

as we begin to understand the beautiful imagery of what God does with his church

as he plants a group of people that he's chosen for himself

in amongst a pagan group of people,

and what we find in here is that their reputation is commendable.

While we know, oftentimes,

the dysfunction that even exists amongst them,

but we see that the reputation amongst them was commendable.

And actually this morning, as you look at your own life

and the reputation and the evidence of what your life leaves behind,

as you interact with those that God has placed in your path

that you and I have been called to live boldly for the gospel of Jesus Christ,

what does your reputation reflect?

What does your reputation show?

What story does your reputation tell?

What is your reputation amongst lost people?

What's your reputation amongst your family?

What's your reputation amongst the church?

You see, it wasn't just that those who knew of him mourned.

It wasn't just that those who just knew him closely mourned.

It's that we see within all of this,

surrounding in the country and in the family,

there was the mourning of this man.

Even though oftentimes his sons opposed and disappointed him

with the many things in their life,

they came to honor him and serve him as well.

Sometimes I think we can feel as Christians

that we should rise above the way the world looks at us

and the way that those around us look at us and perceive us to be.

And I'll say, in some instances, sure,

as we stand on the truth of God's word,

say whatever it is that you want to say about me

because I'm going to stand on what God has me to stand on.

But the question that I have for you today

is your reputation amongst the outsiders

because of the truth that we stand on in God's word,

or is your reputation from the outside

because of those when we step off of God's word for ourselves,

of what we have for us.

The Apostle Paul continually, in his letters

that he writes to the churches of what he addresses,

he continually says both,

here is what I have heard.

Here is what your reputation appears to be.

And in some of those, it's affirmations of the positive,

of the impact that they have in their community

and amongst one another for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

But sometimes it's in rebuking

because of the reputation that they have

as they carry for others for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul says that it's of great importance

of what our reputation is

and what our reputation is founded on.

Is our reputation on Christ?

Jesus, in his own words, in Revelation 2 and 3,

says to the churches of Revelation,

here's the deal,

I know who you are.

So it's not just our reputation in the world,

but it's our accurate reputation

of who we are before him.

Does your life and my life

exhibit the biblical grace and truth

of who Jesus Christ is

and the impact that he's played in our lives

and the work that he's doing in our hearts

and in our lives

to carry the name of God

into this world?

That you and I,

the Bible tells us,

a word that we're described to be

as we carry the gospel

is we're ambassadors.

A neat thing about this word, ambassador,

when this word is used in Scripture,

the ambassador is the person

who goes out

and carries the authority

and the message

as if the king himself

were declaring it.

I find that oftentimes

that we want our reputations

to be based in the words

that we say

of I'll pray for you,

I love you,

I care for you,

but then sometimes

our actions

display things

that are different.

So what should our reputation

reflect in this world

that God has called us to?

What should our reputation

be marked with

and be reflective of

as we're called to carry

not just what we know

but who we are

into a world

that is lost

and broken

and dying?

God's grace

and the power of his truth.

Grace being God's

mercy on you

that God

does not give you

and I

what we deserve

but instead

he gives to us

based off of

what we do not deserve.

And so we begin

to understand

when we live

in the reality

of God's grace

it's not just

that I've been forgiven

but I'm called to forgive.

It's not just

that I've been loved

but I'm called to love.

It's not just

that I'm called

to have hope

but I'm to be a person

of hope.

It's not just

that I'm a person

who lives

in the peace

of my relationship

with God

but I'm to go

and to be a person

of peace

into the world

in which I live.

To understand

grace in our lives

causes for you

and I

to say

it's not about

my rights

here on this

earth

but it's about

the right

and the truth

of God's word.

So we live

and promote

share

God's grace

while not

backing down

from God's truth.

From God's truth.

The truth

of his word

of God's standard

of God's purpose

of what God's

trying to do.

We can never

break apart

or remove

grace and truth

because when grace

is removed from truth

it ceases to be grace

and when truth

is removed from grace

it ceases to be truth.

And so we unapologetically

stand

for the truth

of what God

has called us to.

The truth

of who Christ is.

The truth

of God's love.

The truth

of God's forgiveness.

The truth

of God's word

while living

as evidence

of grace

in this world.

Church

I'm not asking you

do your co-workers

do your neighbors

do the other parents

on your sports teams

or students

the other participants

on your sports teams

or the band

or whatever

that you have

know that you're

at church today.

I'm not asking you that.

It's easy

to click a share

to click a like

to mention in conversation

about being at church

on Sunday.

Here's what I'm going

to ask you

is when they interact

with you

is there the evidence

of the fruit

in your life

not that you've been

to church

but is there the evidence

and the fruit

of your life

of a relationship

with Jesus Christ?

Is it their part

that they can taste

and see

that the Lord

is good?

Is there a part

within you

of what they gather

around

when they're like

you know what

I don't believe

everything that you believe

but there's a goodness

of being around you

and I want to know

more about that.

Is it evident?

Is it clear?

I think sometimes

we say

I just want to be

the hands and feet

of Jesus

well then

go be like Jesus.

What's your reputation?

And is it found

and centered in Christ?

Well if you've been

studying this with us

you know that

there's some conflict

with this family

specifically with

Joseph and his brothers

and kind of the part

that holds the family

together is dad.

Right?

Joseph was dad's favorite.

You wouldn't want

to disappoint dad.

So with all of these

and so there's this

tension that's there

Jacob or Israel

is kind of holding

it all together

like you probably

know who that person

is in your family

right?

Like when things

get tense

you look to grandma

when things get tense

you look to dad

when things get tense

you look to that person

that's within there

and they're kind of

the linchpin

well now

within this

Jacob dies

and these brothers

that done horrific

things to their brother

because of their

jealousy toward him

because he's dad's

favorite

kind of have a panic

moment.

Let's see verse 15

when Joseph's brothers

saw that their father

was dead

they said

it may be

that Joseph

will hate us

and pay us back

for all the evil

we did to him.

So they sent a message

to Joseph

saying

your father

gave this command

before he died

say to Joseph

please forgive

the transgression

of your brothers

and their sin

because they did

evil to you

and now

please forgive

the transgression

of the servants

of the God

of your father

and Joseph

wept

when they spoke

to him

his brothers

also came

and fell down

before him

and said

behold

we are your servants

but Joseph

said to them

do not fear

for am I

in the place

of God

as for you

you meant evil

against me

but God

meant it for good

to bring it about

that many people

should be kept alive

as they are today

so do not fear

I will provide

for you

and your little ones

thus he comforted

them

and spoke

kindly to them

so Joseph

remained in Egypt

he and his

father's house

Joseph lived

110 years

and Joseph

saw

Ephraim's children

in the third

generation

the children

the children

also

of Micah

the son

of Manasseh

were counted

as Joseph

and Joseph

said to his

brothers

I'm about

to die

but God

will visit

you

and bring

you up

out of this

land

to the land

that he

swore to

Abraham

to Isaac

and to

Jacob

then Joseph

made the

sons of

Israel

swear

saying

God

will

surely

visit

you

and you

shall

carry

up

my

bones

from

here

so

Joseph

died

being

110

years

old

they

embalmed

him

and he

was put

in a

coffin

in

Egypt

right

so

dad

dies

and here's

what happens

you know

we've been

seeing

in

Joseph's

brothers

steps

of what

God's

doing

in their

heart

but

sometimes

old

habits

are

hard

to

break

and

lying

is

one

of

those

and

they're

afraid

now

that

dad

has

died

that

Joseph

who

they

had

turned

on

would

turn

on

them

seems

like

fair

play

they

acknowledged

through

their

words

that

they

did

evil

to

Joseph

and

now

what

we've

seen

since

they've

been

back

interacting

with

Joseph

Joseph

has

not

done

evil

to

them

even

though

time

and

time

again

they

feel

like

this

is

what

could

happen

but

he

has

not

and

they

feel

like

now

that

dad's

gone

man

he's

probably

just

been

holding

out

he's

probably

been

waiting

for

this

moment

so

they

make up

a story

and

instead

of

just

coming

over

and

saying

listen

man

let's

just

make

sure

everything's

good

they

come

and

they

come

hey

one

of

dad's

last

request

is

like

please

give

us

mercy

we

did

evil

the

truth

they

communicate

about

themselves

is

accurate

the

way

in

which

they

communicate

it

is

sinful

there's

some

pieces

that we

need to

see

within

that

be a

people

of

truth

do

not

be a

people

of

deception

don't

do

what

Satan

did

and

try

to

take

truths

and

twist

them

truths

and

manipulate

them

truths

and

leave

sections

out

for

own

personal

agendas

and self

gratification

this is

what they

do

and

the

Bible

says

that

Joseph

weeps

here's

what I

think

is

happening

Joseph

has

been

sinned

against

and

Joseph

has

been

enslaved

imprisoned

forgotten

about

and

through

it all

what we

see

is this

man

on his

own

journey

with the

Lord

and God's

working and

moving in

his heart

and God's

eliminating

the bitterness

and giving

him mercy

God's

eliminating

the anger

and giving

him joy

God's

doing the

work

he's

cutting out

the cancer

of sin

and he's

implanting

the righteousness

of God

and Joseph

and Joseph

has walked

through this

reconciliation

with his

brothers

this reconciliation

with his

family

they've had

this moment

he's brought

them here

he's provided

he feels

like you know

what we're

heading down

this journey

of growth

we're heading

down this

journey

of healthy

relationships

dad dies

we're going

to continue

on with this

and these

brothers

they come

and they

lie again

in a

passive aggressive

way

to say

what we did

is wrong

forgive us

and the Bible

says he

weeps

here's what I

think is

happening

Joseph

has moved

past

what's

happened

but it's

evident to him

that his

brothers

do not

they

don't

they don't

understand

grace

they don't

understand

mercy

they don't

understand

trusting in

the hand

of God

they don't

understand

there's still

this brokenness

that's there

in all of

the newness

of these

moments

I feel like

in Joseph

he begins

to wrestle

with what's

going on

and he's

grieving

he's

grieving

because he

has seen

the hand

of God

work

and they

haven't

and they

haven't

and they

miss it

and they

miss it

sometimes

in our

life

God

takes us

through

very

very

difficult

painful

seasons

of suffering

and loss

and then

in the midst

of that

God

while bitterness

and anger

and hatred

should take

root

in our

hearts

that God

in his

loving

and kindness

does not

allow

sin

to take

hold

but instead

allows

grace

and mercy

and forgiveness

and love

to not only

be present

but to grow

deep

and if you've

walked through

that season

of life

where the world

feels like you

should be bitter

but God

has made you

better

and people

don't get it

and people

don't trust

the work

that God

has done

in your

life

you understand

the weeping

of Joseph

he wants

them

to know

he wants

them

to have

the depth

he wants

them

to have

the relationship

and they

just miss

it

and so

Joseph

says

two things

to them

two things

in verse

19

and 20

to teach

them

what God

has done

for these

years

of his

life

of why

Joseph

can respond

the way

that he

has

and as I

stand here

today

before you

having gone

through my

own unique

times

of seasons

of difficulty

of seasons

of suffering

of seasons

of pain

and of sorrow

and I know

that so many

of you

have as well

and when we

ask the question

God

what are

you doing

why would

you allow

this to

happen

God

why could

things not

have been

different

well it's

maybe because

God

wants to

teach you

and me

what God

taught

Joseph

the first

thing that God

taught Joseph

that we see

in his

response

is Joseph's

position

Joseph's

position

look back

at verse 19

this is after

their appeal

to him

but Joseph

said to

them

do not

fear

for am

I

in the

place

of God

pause here

for a minute

if you

were to

look at

this

through a

sinful

worldly

perspective

okay

not through

a Christian

narrative

through a

Christian

worldview

through

biblical

truth

if you

were to

look at

this

through the

lens of

the world

there is

no greater

story

of a

self

made

person

than

Joseph

hated

by his

family

check

sold

into

slavery

check

false

allegations

of

assault

check

imprisoned

for those

allegations

check

forgotten

about

check

then

figures out

a way

to earn

his way

out of

this

situation

and now

finds

himself

as second

in charge

in the

world's

largest

empire

at the

time

the world

looks at

Joseph

and says

that's the

definition

of

self

made

if

Hollywood

were

writing

this

story

here's

how

Hollywood

would

put

verse

19

but

Joseph

said

to

them

I

am

God

I

am

God

but

that's

not

the

truth

of

this

story

that's

not

what

Joseph

says

because

through

it

all

what

God

is

teaching

what

God

is

revealing

what

God

is

showing

Joseph

is

hey

Joseph

here's

who

you

are

here's

who

you

are

that

through

your

slavery

your

false

allegations

your

imprisonment

and now

where you

are

you

haven't

grown

bitter

you

haven't

grown

angry

but you

haven't

grown

arrogant

you

haven't

grown

apathetic

you

haven't

grown

in

rebellion

you

haven't

grown

in

revenge

what

does

Joseph

do

he

grows

in

humility

he

grows

in

humility

the

men

who

sold

him

into

slavery

don't

get

the

hand

of

God

and what

does

Joseph

do

he

weeps

for

them

he

weeps

for

them

God

uses

the

situations

of our

life

to not

simply

just

strengthen

our

spirit

but also

to humble

our

flesh

do you

remember

Joseph

when he

was young

a little

bit

arrogant

a little

bit

cocky

a little

bit

look

what

I

got

and

now

we

found

the

second

most

powerful

person

in the

world

and he

says

am I

God

no

it's

not

only

Joseph's

positioning

as a

brother

but it's

Joseph's

positioning

for the

Lord

I'm

just a

servant

being

used

do I

want to

go through

the

suffering

do I

want to

go through

the pain

do I

want to

go through

the struggle

absolutely

not

but through

it all

God's

working

and God's

doing

and God's

creating

me

so church

when you

walk through

and Genesis

is filled

with suffering

and pain

and God's

word

reminds us

of suffering

and pain

and God's

word

promise us

in Christ

that we'll

walk through

seasons and

times of

suffering

and pain

and persecution

and it's

not God's

punishment

it's God

positioning us

in humility

before him

in humility

before others

to give him

the praise

and the glory

but the

second thing

not only

is it

Joseph's

position

he takes

a step

back

and he

says

but it's

people's

salvation

it's

people's

salvation

look at

verse 20

as for

you

you meant

evil

against me

but God

meant it

for good

if there

was a

period

this

verse

would be

more

difficult

but it

doesn't

the sentence

doesn't end

the conversation

continues

to bring

it about

that many

people

should be

kept alive

as they

are

today

Joseph

does not

dismiss

the evil

intent

of his

brothers

he doesn't

but what

does he

see

the working

hand

of God

extending

life

to people

for Joseph

God had a

plan to

save people

from famine

and in

order for

this to

happen

Joseph

would need

to walk

through

this

process

what

Joseph

chose

to focus

on

was not

the pain

of his

suffering

but the

hope

of the

people

people

will

in this

world

hurt

you

God's

word

tells

you

and I

that

God's

word

is clear

that you

and I

when we

live for

Christ

that we

will face

seasons

trials

and persecution

and suffering

and you

and I

have one

of two

options

within this

do we

as we

go through

this

as we

walk

through

this

as we

face

this

will we

focus on

the pain

and grow

in the

bitterness

will we

wait for

our moment

where we

can seize

power

and seize

control

will we

be those

whose hearts

become so

hardened

that they

become just

as sinful

and angry

and wrathful

as those

who are doing

these things

to us

or

or

will we

focus

on the

promises

of God

and grow

in faithfulness

will we

begin to

see

that every

moment of

pain

is opportunity

for God

to grow

you

and God

to add

a chapter

to your

story

that can

be used

to minister

to others

and that

can be used

to give you

and I

an opportunity

to share

the gospel

of Jesus

Christ

to not

just be

the hands

and feet

of Jesus

but to be

the very

words

as we

share the

gospel

of Jesus

Christ

you see

because

in this

what we

see

was the

work of

God

to save

lives

but what

we're called

to

through it

all

is the

work of

God

to save

souls

Joseph

was sent

to a

people

to save

them from

their famine

and Jesus

was sent

to save

the people

from their

sin

then you

and I

are entrusted

are empowered

are called

to be the

ambassadors

of Christ

to share

that very

message

may we

weep

over the

lostness of

this world

and may

our response

to it

be

our

humility

before

God

in the

beauty

of the

gospel

for all

who call

upon the

name of

the Lord

shall be

saved

you pray

with me

God we

thank you

for the

truth

of your

word

God

thank you

for the

work

or that

you did

in the

life of

Joseph

that through

the slavery

through the

imprisonment

through the

neglect

through the

suffering

that his

heart

didn't

grow bitter

that his

heart

was made

soft

for the

work that

you wanted

to do

in him

God I

thank you

that as

he

stared

in the

face

of the

brokenness

of his

brothers

God where

he could

have

called for

the armies

of Pharaoh

and struck

them all

down

God he

would have

been right

in the

standing

of the

world

to do

as he

did

instead

he

chose your

will

and your

way

to

not

just

extend

life

through

food

to save

from the

famine

but to

extend

life

through the

hand of

forgiveness

God I

thank you

that every

single one

of us

in here

who know

Jesus Christ

as our

Lord and

Savior

have

experienced

the sweet

and the

goodness

hand

of the

forgiveness

of God

that we

were dirty

and filthy

and dead

in our

trespasses

and sins

but Jesus

through his

work on the

cross

forgave us

and through

the power

of the

resurrection

gives us

life

so that we

would walk

in a reflection

of who

he is

and what

he's done

and what

he will

do

God as we

go from

here today

may our

reputation

may what

is known

of us

reflect

sinners

saved by

the grace

of God

and now

saints

as we

walk with

you

God it's

my prayer

for all

of us

if there's

anyone here

or who

does not

know Christ

the concept

of forgiveness

is something

that's earned

may they

understand

that the

concept of

grace

the biblical

truth of

your forgiveness

cannot be

earned by

us

but was

paid for

by Christ

and given

to all

who put

their faith

their hope