WHEN REPENTANCE IS REAL (2 OF 3)
Scripture: Genesis 43, Genesis 44
This content is part of a series.
When Repentance is Real (2 of 3)
Series: Life of Joseph
Michael White
Genesis 43-44
Now I realize that exhaustively dissecting 2 chapters- 68 verses in a 35 minute sermon in any real detail is an exercise in futility.
Nevertheless sometimes it’s helpful to get a broader view of the passage as we see the climax of the Joseph story. So Let’s ask for God’s grace as we study his word.
PRAY.
If you are a parent or a young girl or below the age of 12- you have undoubtedly seen Disney’s 2013 hit film Frozen… How many of you have seen frozen more than 10 times?
Now there is a song about half way through the film called “fixer upper” performed by a group of trolls whom Kristof describes as “love experts.”
Where they try to convince Anna to marry Kristof-despite the fact that he is a bit of a “fixer upper.”
It’s a sweet song but there is one line in the lyrics that has always sparked my curiosity:
“We aren’t saying you can change him ‘cause people don’t really change.”
it makes you think. Is it true the people don’t really change?
Of course, you have examples like Ebenezer Scrooge- who goes from a surly selfish miser to a generous joyful philanthropist overnight- but that’s just fiction.
In real life do people in general experience lasting substantial change?
A recent study out of UC Riverside found that the traits of first graders are accurate predictors of what they will be like as adults and concluded that personalities do not change through one’s life time.
Basically, if you’re a bully on the playground you’re going to be a bully in the office.
A 2010 study also found that 7 out of 10 inmates return to crime within a few years of being released from prison.
So according to these two studies, science seems to say We are just the way we are. Que Sera, Sera Whatever will be, will be. We can’t change. And this seems true to common experience.
How many of us have seen a heroine addict become totally free and live a mea ...
Series: Life of Joseph
Michael White
Genesis 43-44
Now I realize that exhaustively dissecting 2 chapters- 68 verses in a 35 minute sermon in any real detail is an exercise in futility.
Nevertheless sometimes it’s helpful to get a broader view of the passage as we see the climax of the Joseph story. So Let’s ask for God’s grace as we study his word.
PRAY.
If you are a parent or a young girl or below the age of 12- you have undoubtedly seen Disney’s 2013 hit film Frozen… How many of you have seen frozen more than 10 times?
Now there is a song about half way through the film called “fixer upper” performed by a group of trolls whom Kristof describes as “love experts.”
Where they try to convince Anna to marry Kristof-despite the fact that he is a bit of a “fixer upper.”
It’s a sweet song but there is one line in the lyrics that has always sparked my curiosity:
“We aren’t saying you can change him ‘cause people don’t really change.”
it makes you think. Is it true the people don’t really change?
Of course, you have examples like Ebenezer Scrooge- who goes from a surly selfish miser to a generous joyful philanthropist overnight- but that’s just fiction.
In real life do people in general experience lasting substantial change?
A recent study out of UC Riverside found that the traits of first graders are accurate predictors of what they will be like as adults and concluded that personalities do not change through one’s life time.
Basically, if you’re a bully on the playground you’re going to be a bully in the office.
A 2010 study also found that 7 out of 10 inmates return to crime within a few years of being released from prison.
So according to these two studies, science seems to say We are just the way we are. Que Sera, Sera Whatever will be, will be. We can’t change. And this seems true to common experience.
How many of us have seen a heroine addict become totally free and live a mea ...
There are 52283 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 2000 character sample of the full content.
Price: $5.99 or 1 credit
