Totally Forgiven

Today’s Bible readings are Genesis 50:1-Exodus 2:10, Matthew 16:17:9, Psalm 21:1-13, & Proverbs 5:1-6

Genesis 50:14-21

¹⁴ After burying Jacob, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to his father’s burial. ¹⁵ But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said.

¹⁶ So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us ¹⁷ to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. ¹⁸ Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said.

¹⁹ But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. ²¹ No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

The sadness that Joseph felt when his brothers doubted his true forgiveness was enough that it brought him to bitter weeping. His brothers didn’t believe that he could have forgiven them for such a brutal act. Yet, forgiveness is exactly what Joseph extended.

I really think that this is such a perfect picture of what happens in our lives with God. We have made such great mistake that we really struggle with the notion that He could truly forgive us. I have seen people punish themselves for things that God has forgiven them for. I have seen people who never really develop an intimate relationship with Jesus because they don’t think He would desire to have one with a person like them. I want you to know that these are both gross lies from the pit of hell.

There is no person beyond His ability to totally forgive. If the enemy can deceive us into thinking that we are still guilty for past sins, it keeps us in a state of weak faith. In our minds, we think that God doesn’t want to help us because we don’t deserve His help. We lose are right standing. This keeps more people from receiving from God than any other single thing, in my estimation.

Many times, we become like the brothers, we are afraid of God because we think that we deserve to be punished. I want to share a great revelation with you—God punished Jesus instead of you! There was punishment that was owed but the Father chose to punish His Son in your place. The punishment has already been given & accepted. There is no need to punish anybody else.

Isaiah 53:4-6

⁴ Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we   thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! ⁵ BUT he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. ⁶ All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

As they looked at Jesus that day they though He was a man being punished for His many sins. How wrong they were. He was a man being punished for OUR many sins. There is only need for 1 individual to pay the price for the breaking of the law, so long as the judge accepts the payment. God accepted the payment & Jesus was willing to make the deposit. Glory to His name!!!

I want to share with you today that you are forgiven.

1.      Sexual sins

2.      Abortion

3.      Adultery

4.      Stealing

5.      Loss of family

6.      Injury caused to others

7.      Integrity failure

There is nothing, I mean nothing, that is beyond His precious blood to cover. He shed His blood once & for all that the payment of sins would be fully met in Him. Praise His Holy name. Do me a favor –SHOUT “I’M FORGIVEN”.  You are & you need to know it.

Don’t spend any more time wasting away thinking that God is out to punish you the first chance He get. He has no such plan. Get that ugly past under the blood of Calvary’s cross & move on my friend. His blood will never lose it’s power to redeem sinners.

I can only imagine the sorrow that God feelings when his children think the thoughts of Him that Joseph’s brother’s thought of Joseph. Don’t fall into that dangerous ditch. You are a new creature in Christ. You are God’s beloved. There is no charge that any can bring against you because YOU ARE FORGIVEN!!!

Pastor Richard Schlotter