Total Forgiveness : Sorry?

New Hope Baptist Church Podcast

Genesis 45:1-8 NIV

1) Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2) And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.

3) Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

4) Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5) And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6) For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7) But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

8) “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

TAKEAWAYS

1. We know we’ve totally forgiven, when we don’t tell anybody about it (v 1-2)

2. We know that we have forgiven someone when we want them to know they are forgiven (v 4-8)

3. When I’ve totally forgiven, I don’t change my mind.