THE PICTURE OF FORGIVE, FORGET AND BE FRUITFUL

Matthew 6:14-15

Introduction: I preached this message about three years ago. But recently a co-worker wanted some advice how to pray for some that hurt them and their children. My mind went to this message. I dusted it off and put some new thoughts in it. But as I was working on it, I realized the “how” was not there. So I am going to preach next week the Lord willing a compassion on the practical side of forgiving, forgetting and being fruitful.

One of the hardest tasks you will do in life is forgiving someone and forgetting their offenses to you. It is a mandate of the Scriptures to do so. It simply believes God’s Word and let Him take care of the situation.

Our brains can be pictured like a giant office. This office has only file cabinets in it. Let’s open one. In the file cabinet, we find lots of file folders. Each folder is labeled with an event, deed, picture and every part of your life. Here is one that is labeled cursed your mate. Here is one of being a hypocrite. The files go on so on and so forth. You get the picture. The Bible says “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Let say that some of these folders are past life before you got saved. The blood of Christ cleansed those transgressions from you. In the mind of God, it is like it never occurred. Even you have confessed the sins that you committed since you have been saved. “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

The problem is this: those folders are still locked away in your brain. God does not delete them from your brain like I can delete files in my computer. Every once in a while the devil goes through the files and will bring them to your attention. You feel wicked and dirty. You feel useless. As long as you dwell on those thoughts, you are useless. It is wise to remember “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” When the devil goes digging, just tell him to go home.

I have said all this to bring us to an important area of our life as believers. It is the area of forgiving and forgetting. But I will take it one step further. If you will forgive and forget, you can be fruitful. We will be taking a journey back into the Old Testament to the life of a man who is a type of Christ. His name is Joseph.

Let me give you a few thoughts about forgiving. Jesus told us if we want forgiveness, we must forgive others. This is hard in the natural but believers don’t live in the realm of the natural alone but in the reality of Christ living in us. No matter what happens to us thus far, no one has scourged us within inches of human life. No one has ever plaited a crown of thorns and beat them with a rod upon our heads. No one has ever stripped us of our clothes and nailed us to a cross where we will spend the longest hours of our lives until we die. Not one of us has suffered that type of treatment. Yet our Lord took all that pain, humiliation, and abuse and utter these words: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”.

Many times we are offended by slights, words or actions which are mild and tame compared to our Lord’s pain and suffering.

I have heard people say for years, “Preacher, I can forgive but I will not forget.” In a sense, this is true. You filed the event away in the file cabinet of your brain. But you say “I are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.” I like what Amy Carmichael said on this subject: “IF I say, “Yes, I forgive, but I cannot forget,” as though the God who twice a day washes all the sands on all the shores of all the world, could not wash such memories from my mind, then I know nothing of Calvary love.”

This week I got this illustration that think perfectly illustrates this of not forgiving.

“One day a visitor leaned on the old fence around a farm, while he watched an old farmer plowing with a mule.

After a while, the visitor said, "I don't like to tell you how to run your business, but you would not have to work so hard if you would just say, "gee" and "haw" to that mule instead of just tugging on those lines.

The old farmer stopped and pulled a big handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face. Then he said, "Reckon you're right, but this animal kicked me five years ago and I ain't spoke to him since."

Some of us hold a grudge for a long, long time. We can remember distinctly the words that were spoken to us or the way we were mistreated and "we'll never forgive". Unfortunately, grudges don't hurt others nearly as much as they hurt us. But no matter how hard it may be, we'll tug on those reins until the day we die, rather than seek reconciliation. Ephesians 4:31-32

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

Let look at the life of Joseph with the theme of our message: Forgive, Forget and be Fruitful.

I. CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE LIFE OF JOSEPH

A. Delivered unto slavery by his brothers

Genesis 37:13-22

“And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.”

Genesis 37:27-28

“Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.”

Jacob made a grave mistake in the lives of his children. He preferred one to the rest. His pick was Joseph. Why he did this? One can only guess. In looking back at this, you can see the hand of God.

The variables can be looked at this way: Suppose Joseph had not had favorite son status. Suppose Joseph had been a rebel and did not obey what his father told him to do. Suppose his brothers had killed him instead of selling him to the traders. Lots of variables can be found in this story.

Joseph's brothers hated Joseph. They hated the favor that Joseph enjoyed of their father. I do not know for certain but I am sure Joseph wore that coat a lot. It was in itself a source of irritation to the brothers. One person said that if you look at the life of Joseph you would find almost completely perfect type of Christ. You find no sin mentioned in the Bible with this man. He may have worn the coat some times just to rub in the face of his brothers. That is what most brothers would have done. I have seen in brothers’ relationship. I was a brother and did such things.

Satan always puts murder in the hearts of people. He was the father of the first murder in the Bible when Cain murdered his brother Abel. These brothers were envious and jealous of Joseph. So they decide to murder him. But common sense overcomes one of the brothers convince the others to put him in a pit instead.

I wonder went through the mind of Joseph as he was in a pit and the only direction there was light was up. (A short postscript here: When you are surrounded by problems, just look up. Our Heavenly Father will give light and help.)

After the hot heads cooled down, common sense prevailed at last. They decided not to kill their brother but they really assigned him to a fate that could worse than death: sold into slavery. This was not a cushy 9-5 job. It was a life of servitude unto death.

What was Joseph's crime? Doing what his father told him to do: check on his brothers. Daniel puts a good prospective on this: "There is a God in heaven". The Lord has not forgot Joseph.

B. Defilement desired by his boss' wife.

Genesis 39:3-19

“And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured. And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.”

Joseph was probably a good-looking fellow. His boss' wife had lust in her heart toward this young man. She wanted him to commit adultery with her. Look at the character of this young man.

Genesis 39:9

“There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

She was not to be deterred from her wicked desires. Young people, there is people who would love to ruin your testimony. He or she wants you because you are trying to keep yourself pure. That is the way you should be: pure.

1st Timothy 5:22

"keep thyself pure."

Be determined by the help of God do just that. Daniel kept himself pure. Daniel 1:8

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank”

Joseph knew some of the principles of life before they were recorded in the Word of God.

1st Corinthians 6:18

“Flee fornication.”

2nd Timothy 2:22

“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

This woman was cunning. She waited until they were alone one day and she puts the moves on him. He did right thing: He fled. He did not sin against her, his boss or the Lord. But he left his coat. Isn't funny the problems coats caused Joseph. Two different coats with the same problems attached.

C. Dungeon time Genesis 39:20-23

“And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.”

What was Joseph's crime? Doing the right thing? Some people would say that is the problem. But according to James 4:17 which says “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” It is a sin to do less than your best.

Joseph is not in prison for 90 days. It is more than two years. He interpreted two dreams for two men. Without going into much detail for time's sake, one man lived and promised to help get Joseph out of prison. Well, he is so happy to live and be set free that he forgot Joseph until Pharaoh had a dream.

These are the circumstances that we find in the life of Joseph. Knowing most of you folks, your and my life is kind of mild compared to that type.

II. CONSTANTS IN THE LIFE OF JOSEPH

A. God was with Joseph. Genesis 39:2-3

“And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.”

Genesis 39:21

“But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”

The Lord never forgot Joseph. He lived his life in a way that pleased God. I realize that I hit this note many times but we are forgetful people and need to be reminded on a regular basis that the Lord is with us. We have it better than Joseph. Not only God is with us but also He lives within us.

Let's look at a few of these promises:

Isaiah 41:10

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Isaiah 41:13

“For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”

Hebrews 13:5-6

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

B. He trusted God. Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Not one time do we find any complaints from Joseph. That is much better than most of us. We complain with temporal problems like colds or such. The contrary is true in the life of Joseph. Look at what some call the Romans 8:28 of the Old Testament. Genesis 50:20

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

You can trust God at all times for He is trustworthy. No one can ever point to one time in which God has failed him or her. Usually one of two problems arises. Let's deal with the easy one first. You violated God's command and sin is in your life. He does not have to help you at all.

The second is a little more complex. It deals with God's will for your life. It may be God's will for you to go through problems. One of the classic examples of this truth is found in the life of Corrie Ten Boom. Miss Boom and her family hid Jews during World War II. They were eventually arrested for the same and sent to the infamous concentration camps. For you folks who may not know who Corrie Ten Boom is, there is an important fact that you need to know today. This lady was in her sixties when the German soldiers imprisoned her. Her father, and sister died during this time.

She was released by mistake or so some think. The week after she was released, the Germans put to death all the women her age. This was God's plan for her life. After the war, she was able to help with the healing of the Dutch people and also the German people. God used her more after this period of time than any other time in her life.

God has never failed us; not one time or will He start now. This is part of His nature of never changing.

C. He worked diligently Genesis 39:4-6

“And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.”

Genesis 39:21-23

“But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.”

God blesses a diligent believer. He delights when we do our jobs to the best of our ability. Several verses that comes to mind in reference to this subject. Colossians 3:22-23

“Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men”

Believers ought to be the best workers on their jobs. I have heard supervisors who have said of some of their employees that when they see this person's name on the duty rooster, they know that person will be there and that the work will get done. Remember that you are working for the Lord and not merely man. Dr. Bob Jones said that for the believer that there is no difference between the sacred and secular for all their work is sacred. One day we will give an account of our work since we got saved. 2nd Corinthians 5:10

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

III. CHANGES IN THE LIFE OF JOSEPH

Two great changes came into his life. These changes will set the course for the rest of his life.

A. He became second in command in Egypt.

Genesis 41

This whole chapter tells of his elevation to power. It is the Lord that does it.

1st Peter 5:6

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time”

It was because of the ability that God gave this man that an entire nation was saved. But his plans did not only save Egypt it also rescued his own family in Canaan.

B. He became a father. Genesis 41:50-52

“And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him. And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

It is in the births of these two sons that we see the depth of his life. These boys show that Joseph was a man of substance not empty words.

Before preceding any further, let look at what Joseph did not do. He did not ride down to Potiphar's house and seek revenge. He could have done so. Genesis 41:40-43

“Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

A postscript is due here. Look at this coat: fine linen. In due time God will take care. I read this in a book called Fresh Faith and it fits right here. "Many times in life, God waits while a situation goes from bad to worse. He appears to let it slip over the edge, so that you and I say, "There's no way now for this ever to work out." But that is the point when the omnipotent God intervenes in our hopelessness and says, "oh, really? Watch this...!"

Neither did he gather an army and go to the land of Canaan to exact revenge. Even though revenge seems to be sweet, God tells us plainly in Romans 12:19 “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

God took care of Joseph's situation and He can and will yours. I do not find him fussing out the butler for waiting so long to make good his promise. Jesus is never in a hurry but He is never late. Here we see that this man was true to his word. We find it in the names of his children.

1. Manasseh. His name means God has made me forget all my toil. Isn't that a strange name for a child? But every time he saw his son, he was reminded that God had made him forget those who had wronged him.

2. Ephraim. His name means God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. I wonder at times if Joseph did not had a spell about every time this child was around.

What was there to murmur and complain when God is in control? We can quote Romans 8:28 which says “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” in the good times and seem to draw a blank in the times of crisis and trials.

Conclusion: Let me see if I draw all this together. Forgiveness is required for the child of God to others. But the forgetting is the hard part if you look from the human point of view. But God can help you for get through this part. When you do your part and of course, He has done His part, God will make you fruitful. Maybe not at your time, but it will be in His time.
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