Genesis 45:3-11, 15
The Golden Rule: words to live by. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!” It is simple, clear and fair. Maybe that is why so many cultures and religions have some form of the Golden Rule. Some state it in the positive, like we just heard. Others say it in the negative, “Do not do to others what you know has hurt yourself” (Hinduism). Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucius and Islam all have a form of the Golden Rule. Of course, we trace ours back to Moses, when God said, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18). For us, the Golden Rule is attributed to Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s gospel. “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and prophets” (7:12). Jesus was high on a mountain, teaching his disciples. Now we will hear from Luke much of the same teaching. But this time Jesus is down on the plains, with all the people. Jesus wants every man, woman and child to know the Golden Rule and other teachings surrounding it as he levels the playing field and meets them where they are.
“Fred Craddock, a good teacher of New Testament and preaching, was teaching an undergraduate course in Oklahoma on the Gospels of Jesus. He was taking the simple writings of Jesus and putting them plainly in front of his students. There was a girl sitting in the back of the class, and as he came to the part about loving your enemies, she stood up and started slamming her books all around. She started mumbling, ‘Jesus and the losers. I hate Jesus and the losers. I can’t stand this.’ She stuffed her bag and went out still mumbling, ‘Jesus and a bunch of losers, forgiving their enemies.’” (R. Wing, Sermons.com).
Politically incorrect, but emotionally right on!
We do not want to forgive our enemies, much less love them! We like righteous indignation and maybe playing the victim a little, so we tell our saga and get support. But we certainly do not want to do all the things Jesus is asking us to do.
We like the good news of the gospel that God loves us so much that we are forgiven and loved even when we do something wrong. God’s grace and mercy grants us wholeness, not because of what we do but be because of what Jesus did on the cross. As our lesson attests, we are also asked to love, do good, bless and pray for our enemies. Our enemies, those “losers.”
That is a harder task. We would rather not have to live up to that standard. But we do not get the benefit of the good news, the gospel of Jesus and then leave out the hard part. Yes, God’s redemption and love is good news, but we were never told it would be easy.
It is not easy to live the golden rule, turn the other cheek and to forgive and not judge. Each one of these could be its own sermon series! But I want to look at the story of Joseph and see how he lived these truths. You remember Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son which made his older brothers jealous. So jealous they thought about killing him but decided to sell him into slavery. Years passed he found favor with the Pharaoh by interpreting dreams and ultimately, he was put in charge of the Pharaoh’s house. But success does not wipe away the hurt and betrayal he must have felt. Joseph clears the court, wailing and crying when he finally reveals himself to his brothers. He could have been angry, judging his brothers for their malice and spite. Instead, he turns the other cheek and shares all that he has—asking them to return with their father and live near him! He meets their need with his abundance.
He is kind to his ungrateful and wicked brothers.
Joseph does not judge, he forgives them. He somehow lets go of the years of pain, years of hurt to be merciful just as the Lord is merciful! He is able to look at their famine and offer what he would like to receive; food. Not just food for now-come live with me and you will have food for the next five years of famine. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!
Woven into this story is the providence of God. That God worked through the hurtful actions of Joseph’s brothers to save not only his family but also the people of Egypt. The truth is we do not know what will come from our kindness toward others, or the times we are hurt and have the opportunity to forgive. God is working in and through our lives.
Living by the Golden Rule and offering forgiveness is not easy. But it is beneficial. Remember Jesus is speaking on the plain, in the flat area where all are able to receive. He is the great equalizer. Do unto others works as well in the board room as it does on the playground, in the halls of justice and within our politics. When we are feeling like we cannot forgive, cannot see the other through the lense of the Golden Rule, we need to get back to the truth of the gospel. Jesus died so that we could live, and we do not get to be high and mighty about anything. Think how much better life would be if we do to others, as we would have them do within our family, even when our spouse or kids are getting on our nerves. In our friendships when words were spoken out of turn and feelings were hurt. When we did something wrong and we are hoping and praying to be on the receiving end of the golden rule.
This is not easy. But it is possible with God’s help. When we walk a mile in another person’s shoes and say, “but there by the grace of God go I,” compassion is possible. When we give freely to those in need, remembering the abundance of God’s grace and blessing. When we give our hurts to God, laying them at Christ’s feet, forgiveness is possible.
Tim Carpenter tells the story of Corrie Tin Boon. “She survived the Holocaust, but her family did not. They were Dutch Christians caught by the Nazis for hiding Jews in their home. She watched the horrors of the genocide from Auschwitz, and barely survived.
Following the war, she became famous for her book “The Hiding Place,” which shared the story of her family. The popularity of the book gave her the opportunity to share her faith with thousands of people on speaking tours.
One such evening, after she had spoken about the forgiveness of Christ, a man approached her whom she recognized as one of the guards from Auschwitz. She immediately felt all of the horror, pain and hatred from those years of persecution.
He told her that he had listened to her talk and informed her that he had been a guard at the death camp. She told him that she recognized him.
Crying, he asked if he might receive the forgiveness of Christ of which she had spoken.
She thought to herself that she could not, but she remembered the command of Christ to love your enemy and to forgive seventy times seven the person who has wronged you.
She prayed that Jesus might give her the strength to forgive the man, and as she prayed, she felt a sensation begin in her heart and flow through her hand as it touched his. Then she heard herself saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I forgive you.”
The man collapsed to her feet and wept a prayer of thanks. She later discovered that he had become a minister of the gospel, and that many people had come to Christ through his ministry.
We never know how far God can spread the love that we give. Indeed, we have perhaps received love from someone that was born from such an act of loving forgiveness in someone else. We love our enemies because we know that the power of love is stronger than any depth to which we can fall. We love our enemies because we recognize that Christ died for them, too.” (Christian Globe Network)
The gospel of Jesus Christ is Good News, but it is not easy! Let’s go and live it! Amen!
