A Goofy Movie
The scene where Max chooses the wrong destination
Max chose to change the directions while Goofy wasn’t looking
After this scene, Max is at ease, but Goofy knows he has been lied to
Reminds me of our relationship with God
Try to change the direction of our life without him knowing it
Pretend like everything is ok
God desperately wants us to make the right decision
Last week of our series, SURRENDER 2024
21 Days of Fasting ending today
Week 1:
Surrender is Faith in Action
Week 2:
God can’t have our hearts if we don’t surrender to him our resources
Today might be the most challenging surrender yet…
Up till now…
Been about surrendering parts of your life you CAN control
Your actions
Your Direction
Your thoughts/habits
Your finances
But what about those times in life when YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG, but life goes wrong anyway
Times when:
Sickness comes out of nowhere
Those who were supposed to be for you, HURT YOU
You were betrayed
Lied to
Stolen from
Cheated on
Passed over
Forgotten about
Time when:
You were used
Stepped on
Treated far worse than anyone deserves
How do you surrender, then?
Should you surrender?
What is there to surrender
Today is about:
SURRENDERING YOUR PAIN AND TRAUMA
Let’s be honest, We’ve all been on the receiving end of something DEEPLY NOT FAIR
Often by those who should have had our backs
something we did not EXPECT to knock us down
TWO DESTINATIONS
Like MAX and GOOFY, we have to choose the right one
The one God has for us
Destination 1:
Victime Village
In Victim Village, there are the worst kinds of neighbors
Because in Victim Village, everything is always someone else’s fault
Everyone has been wronged
And No wrong is EVER forgotten
And it’s always raining…
Victim Village is:
Overpopulated
Easy to get to, but hard to leave
The slogan of Victim Village is:
I WILL NEVER…
Trust again
Try again
Believe again
There is NO RULER in Victim Village…
Because NO ONE trusts ANYONE and EVERYONE rules THEMSELVES
Destination 2:
VICTORIOUS LIFE CITY
The Sun ALWAYS shines
Full of the best neighbors who truly care
In Victorious Life City:
Everyone has been hurt, but no one carries it with them
It’s full of:
Peace
Understanding
Forgiveness
Purpose
Promise
The population is smaller, but there is ABUNDANT LIFE there
My goal today is to help you decide where you want to travel too…
Joseph’s Story
Let’s frame this talk with a story…
Abraham -> Issac -> Jacob -> Joseph
Joseph was:
Jacobs second to youngest son
First son to his favorite wife
His father’s favorite son
Caused Family Drama
Genesis 37
18 They saw him in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Oh, look, here comes that dream expert! 20 So now, come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal ate him. Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”
They didn’t kill him, sold him instead
Lied to their father that he had died
Taken to Egypt
Sold as a slave
Became head of household
And Fancy by his master’s wife
Refused her advances, lied about being thrown into prison
Sat in prison for a while
Interpreted the dreams of 2 of Pharoah’s servants
Forgotten about again
Then brought before Pharaoh
Made ruler of the land
What do you think a person who has been through that king of TRAMA does when they suddenly have ALL THE POWER?
What would you do?
Let’s Sum up how HORRIBLE everyone in Joseph’s life had been to him
Broken family because of his father
Brothers thought about killing him
Changed their minds.. Just sold him as a slave
Taken to another country
Seduced by his master’s wife
Lied on because he said no to her
He was thrown in jail because of his honesty
Made friends by interpreting their dreams
Asked them to remember him.. They DIDN’T
Finally, get positive recognition and make a ruler in Egypt
Joseph had a VIP ticket to VICTIM Village
He had every right to be angry
To get even
Road to VICTIM Village
Begins with:
HURT/DISAPPOINTMENT
Initial trauma
We all HAVE and WILL experience this in our lives
This is the thing that surprises us
How we handle this matters because the next step is…
FEAR/ANGER
Realizing things were not SECURE anymore
We are NOT in control like we thought
Sounds Like:
I don’t know if it can trust you
I thought you cared about me
Where were you when I needed you?
Why is this happening to me?
Why doesn’t God change this
I feel like I’m alone in this
At this stage, you are still responding
Having lots of questions
Not sure of anything
Ends with:
BITTERNESS/HATE
A bitter soul is a poisoned soil
Hard to come back from this place
Sounds like:
I WILL NEVER…
Trust again
Give again
Hope again
Try Again
Love again
Acts 8:23
23 For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness.
How do we change directions?
Choose the right way
To Victorious Life City
By responding like Joseph
When he had all the power
All the capacity to return their evil for evil
Genesis 50
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, “If Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the suffering we caused him.”
16 So they sent this message to Joseph, “Before he died your father gave a command: 17 ‘Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brothers’ transgression and their sin—the suffering they caused you.’ Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when their message came to him. 18 His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people. 21 Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
The point of Joseph’s story is NOT to be Joseph
Jesus is the GREATER Joseph
Who truly saved his family and people from death/sin
We can learn how both Joseph and Jesus responded
Hurt/Disappointment
This happens to all of us
Joseph wrongfully sent to Egypt
Jesus wrongfully sent to the Cross
Judas
Trust/Hope
Instead of fear/anger — Place hope in God
God’s ways are good, and I can trust Him
Sometimes, broken things happen in the broken world
I am a part of this brokenness and not excluded from it
Our only way out of the brokenness is through Jesus
John 10
9 I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.
Surrender/Faith
Living, NOT AS A VICTIM, but as VICTORS IN CHRIST JESUS
Free from SIN
Free from hurt
Victors in Christ can:
Forgive after being hurt
Use their pain to help others
Trust Again
Love and Care Deeply
Keep no records of wrong
Not live in fear of tomorrow
Romans 8:31-39
35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Which way are you headed?
Victim Village
Victorious Life City
To get to either, you are surrendering to something…
But only one is the place of life