02.07. Someone Broke my Compass
Someone Broke My Compass- Letting Go of the Hurt
You know Jeff Nave, you know, he’s the boy when I was in the 5th grade who hit me under the chin and shattered my lower teeth.
I’m sure you know Kimmy Stout who pulled my ears when they were infected, on the school bus.
Well obviously you will know the one who stuck out her tongue at me while I was preaching. Or her aunt who conspired to bring about me getting only 72 dollars one month for a salary.
Surly you remember when my brother wrote me a check for some money he owed me and put on the line TO: Big Dummy. I know you remember him refusing to write another check and telling me, "They’ll cash it at the store. They know you are the big dummy."
Well perhaps you will remember, well maybe not...you had to be there, you had to be me.
One man said to his friend: "Say, you look depressed. What are you thinking about?"
"My future," was the quick answer.
"What makes it look so hopeless?"
"My past."
Christian Medical Society Journal, Winter, 1978, p. 2 What’s the point? All of us have broken compasses. All of us have hurts. So many Christians are like the old oak tree that said in the fall of the year, "I am perfectly satisfied with my this year’s leaves, therefore I will not allow them to fall to the earth; I will hold on to them." As a result the north wind blew and the leaves faded, but the old oak clung to its last summer’s leaves. In that unsightly condition it passed the whole winter through, the wind rustling through its dry dead leaves.
Thus it is with a great many Christians, instead of allowing their past experiences to fall, they cling to them and do not prepare for a new and better experience as it may come daily. It is only by the tree shedding its leaves that it can hope to put on the beautiful foliage in the springtime. -- W. R. F. By J. Wilbur Chapan, "Present Day Parables."
I- The Compass of Joseph: Our text today is only one verse, 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."
This is only the last word of the story. The last great words of a man who had suffered a whole lot of things in the past that should have made him bitter, cynical, crasty, hard, angry, vindictive, and a thousand other words that we can use. Lets look at the story of Joseph and see how to get over the hurts of the past.
How could Joseph go on I ask. His compass was not only broken but crushed and destroyed. Our story begins in Genesis 37. Genesis 37:1-4 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. 4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
Lets stop just a second and notice that Joseph’s brothers compass was broken. How do you say? Joseph was the favorite son of the favorite wife. His brothers hated him for this. Many times resentment and hurt comes from bad family relationships.
Joseph next dreams a dream in which his brothers and parents bow down before him. Genesis 37:8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
Genesis 37:11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
Now notice what happens next. Joseph is sent by his father to his brothers who were tending the sheep. They conspire to kill him when the see him approaching. Genesis 37:19-20 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. 20 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.
The next verse brings us to an important thought. Genesis 37:21-22 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. 22 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.
Reuben, Joseph’s brother, attempts to stop the killing in hopes of taking him back to their father. How many people today live with regrets or blame someone for not doing enough or themselves with not doing enough in some situation to the point that it breaks their compass. Many have self inflected wounds that they cannot get over.
The story continues with while they eat lunch with Joseph in a pit they see a camel train coming along. They sell Joseph to the camel train as a slave. 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. 28 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.
Sold out for money. Cared more about the money than they did Joseph. All they wanted was the money. Sound familiar. Many hurts are centered around inheritances and money.
Joseph arrives in Egypt. Surely he cannot go on. He is sold to a man named Potiphar. Genesis 39:1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
Joseph is now a slave. He just had his compass broke again.
God blessed him there and he was soon over all of Potiphar’s house. His wife tried to seduce him and to avoid this Joseph had to streak from the house. He ends up in prison. Genesis 39:20 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. A couple of years pass after Joseph interpreted dreams for the baker and the butler of Pharaoh. Pharaoh dreams and Joseph is called to speak to him. It was a dream of fat and skinny cows. Joseph tells Pharaoh that it means 7 good years and 7 lean and preparation must be made.
Genesis 41:33-36 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Guess who gets the job? Joseph. Genesis 41:40-41 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. 41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
During the next years the crops were conserved and then famine hit the land. Egypt had grain, the rest of the world around them did not.
Genesis 41:57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
II- Back at Home:
As they say in the movies, "Meanwhile back at the ranch." Joseph’s brothers return and tell Jacob his son has been killed by wild animals. They show him the coat of many colors torn and bloody. Who knows if or how often he was even thought of over the next several years. Who knows if there was guilt or remorse for Joseph.
Famine hits the land of Joseph’s family in Canaan. Jacob sends his sons to buy grain. Genesis 42:6-8 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. 7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. 8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
Well, well what do you know. The tide has been turned. Joseph knows them, speaks their language but does not reveal himself to them. Here we come to the point of this whole sermon.
III- Choosing to Let Go:
After several events in which Joseph managed to get his younger brother Benjamin brought to Egypt Joseph brings them in to have dinner with him. Notice the heart of Joseph in Genesis 43:29-30 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son 30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
Joseph puts all their money back in Benjamin’s sack. They discover it on the way. Notice Genesis 45:1-5 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Joseph certainly had his share of hurts. More than his share of hurts. God knew all about them. God used the hurts of Joseph to preserve the nation of Israel and to ultimately bring about good. Remember our text, 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."
The test here was would Joseph do what was right and forgive after he had been wronged. What would you do if you held total sway over someone who has hurt you. Harboring bitterness does not usually hurt anyone but the one who hold hate in their heart.
IV- Getting Over the Hurt:
Let me give us just a couple of things to add to the story.
1- All of us have hurts.
2- Some are worse than others.
3- God can take the hurts and make use of them. Romans 8:28 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.
4- Church hurts destroy fellowship; harbored anger divides and impedes the moving of the Holy Spirit.
Do you need to allow God to heal and take away the hurt? Ultimately we must make the decision to let the hurt go.