Let it Go | Pastor Greg Ford Sermon | One Church Columbus
Let it Go | Pastor Greg Ford Sermon | One Church Columbus
ICEBREAKER:
What is your favorite Christmas Carol?
MESSAGE NOTES:
Sermon: Let it Go
The difference between letting go & pushing down. Burying it…subterranean…volcanic
How do I let go?
3 Different Kinds of Pain
I did - Failure
They did - Betrayal
Just Happened - Tragedy Rachel dies in Genesis 35
Context Matters…trying to move to a place where you can let go of something that is difficult you need to be able to develop better understanding.
[Genesis 37:18-27]
When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him.
[Genesis 29:16]
Now Laban had two daughters. The older daughter was named Leah, and the younger one was Rachel. 17 There was no sparkle in Leah’s eyes, but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face. 18 Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.”
[Genesis 29:32]
So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.”
[Genesis 29:33-35]
She soon became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She named him Simeon, for she said, “The Lord heard that I was unloved and has given me another son.” Then she became pregnant a third time and gave birth to another son. He was named Levi, for she said, “Surely this time my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!” Once again Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I will praise the Lord!” And then she stopped having children.
THEY DID…you have to let go and give it to God
God’s blessing in your life is much bigger than whatever Jacob and Rachel are up to. When you are in the middle of the situation it can often be easy to become immersed in these matters
[Genesis 30:13]
And Leah named him Asher, for she said, “What joy is mine! Now the other women will celebrate with me.”
[Genesis 30:19-20]
Then Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob. 20 She named him Zebulun, for she said, “God has given me a good reward. Now my husband will treat me with respect, for I have given him six sons.”
[Genesis 37:18-27]
When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. 19 “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. 20 “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”
21 But when Reuben heard of their scheme, he came to Joseph’s rescue. “Let’s not kill him,” he said. 22 “Why should we shed any blood? Let’s just throw him into this empty cistern here in the wilderness. Then he’ll die without our laying a hand on him.” Reuben was secretly planning to rescue Joseph and return him to his father.
23 So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. 24 Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead down to Egypt.
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime. 27 Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders.
[Genesis 42:21-22]
Speaking among themselves, they said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.” 22 “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!”
[Genesis 44:16]
we have all returned to be your slaves—all of us
[Genesis 44:33-34]
…let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34 For how can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see the anguish this would cause my father!”
[Genesis 45:4-8]
“I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. 5 But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6 This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. 8 So it was God who sent me here, not you!
Benjamin represents a new opportunity
You have know the back story.
The more backstory you know the more you are able to humanize the person.
Do you even want to know the backstory or do just want to hold onto something that the current story gives you. Are you feeding off of the story.
If I walked a mile in your shoes I would probably have the same blisters.
Everybody you’ve ever met is a human being. Human beings need grace. Grace seems to become a bit easier the more I understand the context.
[Genesis 42:8]
Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn’t recognize him.
QUESTIONS:
QUESTION 1:
Can you recognize something you have pushed down instead of letting go?
QUESTION 2:
Have you had success in letting go in the past?
QUESTION 3:
What is your favorite part of the story about Joseph?
GUIDED PRAYER:
God thank you for your faithfulness and grace. God we pray that you help us see through your eyes. God search us and help us bring to light what we may need to let go. Lord we give it to you. Lord God we pray to help us humanize others and ourselves in or pain. God we pray that we would be able to heal and let go. Thank you God. We love you, praise you, and worship you. In Jesus name - amen.