Grace

Introduction

A. It was awkward. No other word that can really describe it. Uncomfortable. Shameful. Awkward. Tony and I were good friends. I have no idea where Tony is today. It was 7th grade. We were in the same home room together. We played cards during home room. Rook, Spades, Rummy. Didn’t matter. Four of us got together every morning and started to play. Quick games. Didn’t really keep score. Tony and I had classes together. I remembered the last class of the day — Math with Mr. Crutchfield. Mr. Crutchfield was an interesting man. Knew math; didn’t know how to control a class. It was chaotic at times. He allowed students to talk about math and to help each other out. I was helping a fellow student — Donna. Tony started by kicking my chair. Don’t know why he started that. Just horsing around. I told him to stop. He kept at it. I told him to stop. He kept at it. And in my anger I told him to stop or else. He did took the “or else” approach. As I was leaning on the edge of chair helping Donna, Tony reached out and grabbed my chair from under me leaving me to fall on the floor. He along with everyone else thought this was hilarious. I found it less so. 13 year olds don’t like being embarrassed. I’m not sure what I said next. What I do remember is that by the time we got to our lockers to leave campus, Tony and I got into a fight. It was the next day that the word “awkward” applies. How do you sit down to play cards with your card buddy the next day?

B. Maybe a childhood experience seems insignificant. Maybe an event from 40 years ago means little now. After all, Tony and I no longer know anything about each other. But here is the point. Relationships can be difficult. Things can suddenly change. A word; an action; a misunderstanding — a relationship can be harmed. And even though reconciliation takes place, it is the after effect that is best described as awkward. Sometimes it takes time for a relationship to return to the comfort level it was previously. Sometimes it never recovers fully. And sometimes it gets better. But there is that awkward stage when reconciliation and normalcy are trying to be regained.

C. That which we experience in earthly relationships can also be experienced in our relationship with God. There can be times in which we sin and we think “God will not forgive me.” It isn’t that God cannot; it is that God will not. We hear the words that God can and will forgive anything but we wonder if that applies to everything. We are so guilt ridden by our sin that the word awkward doesn’t come close to adequately describing how we experience our relationship with God. Open your heart today to hear God’s message about forgiveness again. Open your heart to Joseph’s story and hear again the message of grace.

Family

1. According to Genesis 47:9, Jacob is 130 years old when he arrives in Egypt. According to 47:28, Jacob died at age 147. Joseph is approaching 60 when he buries his father. For 17 years, Joseph has had time to renew his relationship with his father. It must have been a sweet reunion and a blessing to have those years together after over 20 years of separation. Joseph’s family lives in the best area of Egypt. For 17 years, Joseph takes care of his family. They are allowed to shepherd their flocks. They are given Pharaoh’s flocks to shepherd as well. They are given the best that Egypt has to offer. Nothing is held back.

   A. Jacob dies. And with his death, the family experiences one of those awkward moments. The brothers are convinced that Joseph will now get his revenge. The brothers are certain that Joseph has been waiting for “daddy” to die so that he can finally even the score. Before we go any further, let’s admit one thing. Joseph could have gotten his revenge long before now. Here is where some of us are. We think bad thoughts as soon as something bad happens. Daddy dies. The funeral is over. It is the brothers guilt which prompts them to assume that Joseph hasn’t forgiven them.

   B. They swing into action. They send a message which is probably a lie saying here are daddy’s dying words — Tell Joseph to treat you boys right. Joseph is a busy man but not so busy that he hasn’t spent time with his father. Don’t you think Jacob would have told Joseph that? The man who crossed his hands to give the greater blessing to Ephraim the younger son over Manasseh the older son whose last words to Joseph was a promise of being returned to the promised land; the man who gave Joseph one last piece of land to honor him; are we to assume that the dying Jacob wouldn’t have talked to Joseph about his treatment of his brothers? I think not.

   C. The note is enough to make Joseph cry. Then to add to the awkwardness, the brothers appear throwing themselves down in front of Joseph and declaring that they are his slaves for life. They are begging for their lives. What is the message? The brothers are convinced that Joseph is like them. If they were in Joseph’s position they would seek revenge. They ignore the evidence. In 45:5, among Joseph’s first words were words of comfort and attempting to allay their fears. The past is past. He has already forgiven them. And in chapter 50 to make his point, Joseph reminds his brothers that he isn’t God; he isn’t the judge; and he isn’t going to be executioner.

Application

A. This story is a story of grace. It is the story of one who could get his revenge and chose not to. Joseph extended to his brothers that which was undeserving. Joseph gave forgiveness. But he also gave blessing. He gave assurances of love and no desire for revenge. This is our story. God gave forgiveness and then he gives more than reconciliation. He gives favor; all kinds of spiritual blessings.

B. But this text also demonstrates how we do not accept grace. That we live in fear. That we live awkwardly. They we live as a prisoner of our negative thoughts and assumptions. For seventeen years the brothers have been waiting for Joseph to punish them. For seventeen years they have feared their brother. They didn’t live in grateful; they lived under the curse of trying to prove themselves to their brother. And some of us actually believe that was good for them. Help me understand how it is good to live in fear. How is it good to live as a prisoner of your mind?

C. This story reminds us of our relationship with God. God reveals himself to us. We find it too hard to believe. Like the brothers in chapter 45, we are scared speechless. Nothing to say. Too good to be true. But we weep and throw ourselves on God’s mercy and then 17 years later something happens and the first thing we think is “God is punishing me for what I did 50 years ago.” We have been living in fear not freedom for most of our lives. We haven’t been living in grace; we have been living trying to prove ourselves to God. And every little thing that goes wrong, we are convinced that God wants to punish us.

D. The last thing I want to do is beat up on any of us for living in fear. I don’t want to add to your fear. So let’s illustrate it this way. What if I did or said something that hurt you. I came later and apologized. I came and told you I was sorry and asked you to forgive me and you said that you did. I cried; you hugged me. Two days later I knock on your door and tell you how sorry I am for hurting you. What would you say? What if a week later, I apologized again. What if I apologized six months later, a year later; 5 years later? You would begin to think that I didn’t trust you. Do we do that with God?

E. Here is grace. We are sinners. Not one of us is good. We come to God and beg him to forgive us. We say we are sorry (repent). We open the gift of grace through our baptism. Are we forgiven? Of course. God treats us as if our sin never happened. But we remember and with those memories we plunge into a life in which we have to “prove” to God that we are worthy of his love. And we live trapped; in fear; looking over our shoulder; wondering if we have done enough. No freedom; no joy; no gratefulness; no love. We live awkwardly.

F. Tony and I played cards together the next day. In fact, our friendship grew. The awkwardness left eventually. I still remember the event but I do not live in fear that Tony will find me one day to settle the score. Awkwardness with God says more about us than it does about God. Just as Joseph’s brothers response to Joseph said more about them than it did Joseph. God forgives. We may not live in grace with freedom because we are uncertain about God. God forgives. His character isn’t in question; our faith is.

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