Getting Even God's Way

Yesterday, I preached one more message on our "Getting Connected" theme before I return to exposition. It was basically a sermon on forgiveness from the story of Joseph and his brothers. Here is the sermon skeleton:

Title: “Getting Even God’s Way”

Text: Genesis 50:15-21

Theme: Confidence in God that enables forgiveness of others

Point: Your faith in God is authenticated by your complete forgiveness of others.

Transitional Sentence: Joseph’s response to his brothers' appeal for forgiveness teaches us three ways to get even God’s way.

Outline:

I. Don’t play God (50:19).

II. View life through the lens of God’s good providence (50:20).

A. Come to grips with the reality of evil (v. 20a).

B. Trust in the overruling providence of God (v. 20b).

III. Treat those you have forgiven as if they have truly been forgiven (50:21).

A. Do not give them any reason to be afraid of you.

B. Give them assurance that you have truly forgiven them.

C. Express your forgiveness by doing what you can to help them.

D. Remember that God has completely forgiven you because of the Lord Jesus Christ.