11/20/22 - The Big Reveal - Genesis 44-45 - Pastor Jason Fritz

Trauma can be devastating. Everything within us wants to avoid the pain of going back to those hurtful memories and experiences. In our text this Sunday, Joseph is confronted with the reminder of abuse at the hands of his own brothers. Time has passed but deep wounds don't easily heal. Twenty years later these wounds quickly summon strong emotions that haven’t changed. However, Joseph's knowledge of God has dramatically changed. He knows that every event is naturally brought about by a supernatural God to fulfill His larger purposes - not the least of which is the reconciliation of his family. Two things brought healing… 1. The brother’s confession and sorrow over their wrongdoing and 2. Joseph’s ability to forgive, which was enabled by his knowledge of God’s providential care. 

In a painful conversation and for the first time Joseph hears how his brothers explained his absence to their father. They lied. "Wild animals tore him apart dad!" At the same time he sees a change of heart. Judah is now willingly volunteering his own life in deference to his father’s favoritism for the sons born to him by another woman. Judah will not leave Benjamin. Instead, Judah offers himself as replacement in order to spare his father the grief of another loss. Judah’s heartfelt expression melts the heart of Joseph.

Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. -Genesis 45:1-2

Some wounds heal only because of the grace that comes directly from God. Even with the brother’s repentance, it still required Joseph to forgive. Without forgiveness there can be no reconciliation. On this side of the cross we can be reconciled to others because God reconciled us to himself through Jesus. 

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. -2 Corinthians 5:18-21

Could there be any greater ministry for our world today? To my fellow ambassadors…let us share the ministry of God’s reconciliation through Jesus Christ. Let us represent the foundation of our kingdom home as we forgive others.