Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:9-15
OPEN (Thomas Edison): On the night of December 9, 1914, Edison Industries was virtually destroyed by fire. Edison lost two million dollars that night and much of his life’s work went up in flames. He was insured for only $238,000, because the buildings had been made of concrete, at that time thought to be fireproof.
(Edison’s son) Charles was 24; Thomas was 67. The young man ran about frantically, trying to find his father. Finally he came upon him, standing near the fire, his face ruddy in the glow, his white hair blown by the December winds.
“My heart ached for him,” Charles Edison said. “he was 67 – no longer a young man – and everything was going up in flames.”
He spotted me. ’Charles,’ he shouted, ’where’s your mother?’
1 don’t know, Dad,’ I said.
’Find her. Bring her here. She will never see anything like this again as long as she lives.’”
The next morning, walking about the charred embers of all his hopes and dreams, Edison said,
“There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew
Three weeks after the fire, his firm delivered the first phonograph.
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/butterworth-on-disappointment/
https://www.business2community.com/strategy/the-great-value-of-disaster-0160198
WELCOME: DETOURS – Welcome to week four of Detours with Joseph: If you’re new with us, joseph is a big deal in the bible first book genesis (he get’s more scripture time than any Genesis hero) and we’re looking at his life because joseph he took a lot of detours in life. Some of you are on a detour right now; it could be financial or relational or just in your spiritual journey. The problem with detours is sometimes you just feel stuck and joseph’s life gives us a model of how to come out the other side of the detour better than when we went in. So if you’re new to us welcome to Central, i hope you have a great Biblical experience. If you’re new watching online, We hope you have a spiritual experience connecting with God’s Word and we hope to see you soon here at the building for worship together. We’re going to be in genesis chapter 45. Now last three weeks we were in genesis chapter 37, 39, & 41 and I shared from Joseph’s life a few big truths,
- Detours can be caused by a) our bad choices, b) other people’s sin, c) God’s divine hand
- God uses detours for our development
- God often uses detours to take us to somewhere better.
- That Meekness & Humility are window tint that help us see detours for what God intends them to be.
- Open to Genesis 45, but before we get there, let’s get back to Edison’s concept that is better than the light bulb.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23
Poem by: Louisa Fletcher
“I wish there were some wonderful place
Called the Land of Beginning Again
Where all our mistakes, and all our heartaches
And all our selfish griefs
Could be cast like a shabby old coat at the door
And never be put on again”
https://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php%3Fdate=2013%252F05%252F10.html
“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?’” Genesis 50:15
Genesis 45:5-8 “… do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.”
“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?’” Genesis 50:15
He drafted a letter explaining his decision and its biblical basis and sent 17 debt-canceling letters by certified mail.
SIXTEEN of the 17 letters were returned, unsigned and undelivered.
Why? Because the clients refused to sign for them and open the envelopes. They were afraid that the attorney was suing them for their debts. So – in their fear – they ended up running away from his forgiveness. (Rick McCarley, https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon-illustrations/7400/forgive-us-our-debts-by-rick-mccarley, Preacher at Crosspoint Church in Osawatomie, south of Kansis city. )
………………………………………………. % forgive………….. % not forgive
Told lies about them ……………………… 73 ……………………….24
Stole money from them ………………….67………………………..31
Slapped or punched them…………………64………………………..32
Held them up with a gun…………………..42………………………..54
Murdered someone in community……..33…………………………59
Raped them……………………………………22………………………..73
Raped a family member……………………19………………………..77
(Time 4/5/99 p. 58 Yankelovich Partners Inc. Survey)
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,22227,00.html
“Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.” Proverbs 10:12
“For God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever would believe in Him might not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
“… love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” – Ephesians 4:32-5:2
Romans 8:28 “…we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
“… do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.” – Genesis 45:5-8
Genesis 50:20 – As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. Genesis 50:20
CLOSE: There’s a book, “An Invitation to Healing” by Lynda Elliott and in that book Lynda writes this:
“I had a choice to make. If I choose to behold Jesus, to focus on Him, I could be transformed into His image (to become like our teacher). Likewise, if I continued to behold the image of my neighbor, I could be transformed into her image.”