Sermon Tone Analysis

In preparing for this sermon I went in search of stories of reconciliation and apologies on the internet.

I found some heart-warming stories of people forgiving others who had deeply wronged them or their families.

I read articles on the science behind forgiveness, the art of apologizing.

I saw articles about the many time politicians have had to apologize and critics on if they were done well or not.......

And then I came across lists of the worst apology letters, and I mean I found some hilarious ones.

Many of them from children to their parents, classmates or siblings, and there are tons of them online.

And after losing about 15 hours of sermon prep browsing through them I have to share with you a few of my favorites.

Now these are all real life apologiges

So in one story a man found his stolen bike returned sitting outside of his home with this letter attached:

““On Saturday April 20th I graduated from University and got” very inebriated”.

After the bar it was too late to catch a bus, and I am too broke to afford A cab, So I borrowed your bike without asking, it was a lusciously smooth ride from what I remember,

Anyways I am very sorry I did not ask to borrow your bike, So I have returned it with a coupon for a free lava cake at Domino’s as an apology.

Cheers, Bike Thief.”

In a local newspaper someone actually spent their time and money to have this posted in the classifieds.

“DRIVER WHO BEEPED, at me for going out of turn at a 4way stop, 13th, and Belmont, 6pm Thursday the 20th, I was wrong.

You were right, sorry.”

And these last two come from teachers who took pictures of the notes written by the young students.

“Dear Olen, I’m sorry for Karate chopping you in the privates.

Doing that was wrong.

Your friend, Eli”

And finally my favorite and one that has become famous.

“ Dear Brody, Miss p made me write you this note.

All I want to say sorry for is not being sorry .

cause I tried to feel sorry but I don’t.

Liam”

While each of these are funny for their own reasons we can learn from these examples of what to do, and not to do when apologzing.

But the intent from any apology is to reconcile with those that you have wronged.

And we all have wronged someone, probably more recently than we care to admit.

Today we’re going to look at how we should respond when we have wronged someone.

Which will be found in .

And in this story we will learn moral lesson about how to respond when we’ve done wrong to someone from a unlikely biblical character in Jacob.

Who spent much of his life deceiveing others.

We can look at Jacob in a judemental way from lying and decieveing but you have wronged somone too.

And this message is one that both you and I need.

I’m guessing that you never stole a birthright.

Maybe you got frustrated a snapped at your friend, spouse, or even your child.

Maybe you failed to be there for a friend when you said that you would.

Maybe you didn’t give someone the love or respect that they deserved.

Whatever is was that you did you have wronged someone in the past, and you will again in the future.

In today’s text we are going to see that we should seek the forgiveness of everyone that we’ve wronged, and the three ways to do so.

So

And we will find this again in , starting at verse number one.

As you all know, Jacob stole the birthright from Essua by deceiving Isaac.

Jacob had to fleed from the area because Essua was plotting to kill him He worked for Laban and was married to Rachel and Leah.

This story is the first time they’ve seen each other after many years apart.

That’s where we are when we read

Genesis 33:1-

So the first thing that we will see from the text is that you are to do what you can to foster reconciliation.

To understand how we got here go back one chapter with me to

Genesis 32:16-

In this passage we can see that before these two have met face to face.

Jacob sent his servants ahead of him to Esua, look at the message that was sent he uses the phrase “ your servant Jacob”.

In this passage we can see that before these two have met face to face.

Jacob sent his servants ahead of him to Esua to give him gifts.

This is Jacob’s way of acknowledging that he has wronged Esau.

Which is the first thing that you can do to foster reconciliation, apologize.

An apology lets the person know that what you’ve done to them you are acknowledging that it was wrong.

If that’s your friend that you said a mean comment to in anger, or your spouse that you snapped at.

let them know that you recognize you shouldn’t have treated them in that way, by giving a sincere apology.

Now please turn back to chapter 33 and look at verse 3

Now please turn back to chapter 33 and look at verse 3

Jacob who had the birthright was in reality the master of Esua.

Though he deceived Issac, we remember hearing last week that Esua sold away his birthright, with the birthright comes the postion as the leader of the family.

Jacob is rightfully the master over Esua, and the greater of the two.

Yet jacob bows down before Esua seven times.

What is he doing here?

He is humbling himself before Esua.

Look at the physical

His attempt to find forgiveness with Esau would have been less likely to have been recieved if he came to him, big and puffed up manner.

Lording over him his position as the leader of the family.

When we are apologizing to someone take position of humilty even if you have a position of authority over them.

Husbands don’t take any arrogant stance that since “I’m the leader of this family i don’t have to apologize for that”.

Or for those moving into ministry roles, and senoir pastorships don’t think that your position of authority should keep you from admitting that you’re wrong and apologizing in a sincere and humble way.

And even parents don’t be too proud to admit when you have wronged your children.

Unless you’re having to apologize everyday, which is another issue to be addressed you only gain the respect of people when you can show humility in doing what you can to foster reconciliation.

Lastly let’s look at

Since Jacob had stolen the blessing from Esua all of the wealth that he had accumulated was a result of that blessing.

Knowing that he was wrong for what he did Jacob shares with Esua some of what he had been blessed with.

He cannot go back and undo what he’d done to Esau.

But he presents him with a gift as sort of a restitution for his wrong doing.

Whenever it’s possible perform a tangible act of kindness for the person that you’ve wronged.

Offer to take your friend out to lunch, take your wife out on a date to place that you put time into thinking that she would really like, take your child to see that movie that they wanted to see, or maybe just write that person a letter letting them know how much you appreciate them.

Please don’t confuse this for a bribe, you’re not looking to buy anyone's forgiveness.

But it takes your contrition to another level when it is backed by a tangible act of kindness.

Esua had already shown Jacob forgiveness, yet he gave him the gift showing just how deeply sorry he was.

Some of you have seen the phenomenal movie Hotel Rwanda that came out about 10 years ago.

If you did you saw a depiction of the real life story of the horrific genocides that happened in the african country of Rwanda back in 1994.

Where more than 2 million people from the Tutsi tribe were killed in a genocide by the Hutu’s.

There in Rhwanda is a non-profit organization there that is counseling people from the two tribes to seek reconciliation between the two groups.

Recently feattured in the New York Times magazine is the stories and portraits of some of people from the two tribes.

where the perpertators of some hianous acts seeks forgiveness from people who have been the victims of some horrible atrocities.

These are quotes from two of the people profiled and photographed sitting side by side.

“ : “Because of the genocide perpetrated in 1994, I participated in the killing of the son of this woman.

We are now members of the same group of unity and reconciliation.

We share in everything; if she needs some water to drink, I fetch some for her.

There is no suspicion between us, whether under sunlight or during the night.

I used to have nightmares recalling the sad events I have been through, but now I can sleep peacefully.

And when we are together, we are like brother and sister, no suspicion between us.”

Now if someone that has committed an act as bad as murder can seek reconciliation by apologizing, showing humilty, and performing a tangile act of kindness.

Surely you can also apologize, show humilty, and doing a tangible act for the person you’ve wronged too.