Sunday School Lesson February 20, 2022
Subject: The Pitfall of Bitterness
The Point: Relationships can only move forward with forgiveness.
The Passages: Genesis 45:1-5,9-11
Study The Bible: Genesis 45:1-3
1). Embrace your pain so you can move forward.
- Joseph could no longer keep his composure in front of all his attendants, so he called out, “Send everyone away from me!” No one was with him when he revealed his identity to his brothers.
- But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and also Pharaoh’s household heard it.
- Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But they could not answer him because they were terrified in his presence.
Lasting truths from: Genesis 45:1-3
* We need to confront our bitterness, though doing so may prove emotionally difficult.
* Identifying the cause of our bitterness can help us move forward in forgiveness.
* We should attempt to overcome our bitterness even if we do not know how others will respond.
2). Forgive those who have wronged you.
Genesis 45:4-5
- Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please, come near me,” and they came near. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt.
- And now don’t be grieved or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.
Lasting truth from: Genesis 45:4-5
* Forgiveness involves identifying the reason we are forgiving others or the sin they have done.
* Forgiveness includes looking out for the other person’s attitude and well-being.
* Forgiveness is possible when we trust God’s higher purpose in all that comes our way.
3). Restore broken relationships by seeking their best.
Genesis 45:9-11
- “Return quickly to my father and say to him, “This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay.
- You can settle in the land of Goshen and be near me—you, your children, and your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and all you have.
- There I will sustain you, for there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you, your household, and everything you have will become destitute.
Lasting truth from: Genesis 45:9-11
* We should take steps to restore broken relationships as quickly as possible.
* Adding kind actions to words of forgiveness helps confirm the forgiveness and strengthens the relationship.
* We should use the influence God has given us to sustain and strengthen others.
Live It Out
As you reflect on this session, respond to the following questions:
- Are you or someone you know in pain emotionally because of past hurt? Read Matthew 5:23-24 and Matthew 18:15 and note how reconciliation always begins with us. What peacemaking step can you take or help another person to take?
- Forgiving those who have wrong us (Gen. 45:4-5) may include discussing the sinful or hurtful action in question. How can we do that in a way that highlights our desire for reconciliation rather than simply “bringing up the post”?
- Read Genesis 45:9-11 slowly and reflectively. Consider how Joseph extended his best to his family once he had forgiven them. How do you think doing so helped his troubled family heal? How might taking similar action in your context advance God’s kingdom and restore relationships?
Closing Prayer:
“Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died on the cross to forgive me of my sins and rose from the dead to give me new life. I’m sorry for all the wrong I’ve done and ask You to forgive me. I now accept Your gift of eternal life. Thank You for Your love, forgiveness, and a new life in Jesus Christ. From this day forward, I choose to follow You. In Jesus’ name Amen.”