Jealousy: Killer of fellowship

Genesis 37:12–36 NKJV

Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” So he said to him, “Here I am.” Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?” So he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.” And the man said, “They have departed from here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan. Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!” But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, “Let us not kill him.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father. So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened. Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. And he returned to his brothers and said, “The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?” So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood. Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son’s tunic or not?” And he recognized it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces.” Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

The core of this passage is distension.

they were jealous of his relationship with their common father…

(NKJV)

11 For there is no partiality with God.

(NKJV)

Humility Cures Worldliness

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

lots of people struggle with Jealousy or bitterness for many reasons and none of them are Good!

be fore you get offended by my previous statement. realize, the end of resentment, jealousy, un-forgiveness is bitterness.

Galatians 5:19–21 NKJV

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

hatred

contentions

Jealousies

outbursts of wrath,

selfish ambitions

dissensions

.......and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

these fruits of the flesh are common place in our world; in families, on the job, in friendships, even in the church.

these feelings of resentment are what caused Joseph’s brothers to sell him into slavery.

as we look at this i need to take a break and remind you how we got here

Genesis 37:2–4 NKJV

This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.

Joseph gave a bad report of his brothers to his father.

not only was this a daddy’s boy, mister coat of many colors, but on top of that he’s a tattle tail.

lets look at this from both sides:

First of all lets look at this from the brothers side:

nobody wants to be exposed. this week in celebrate recovery we talked about the fact that we all have character flaws

1 John 1:8–10 NKJV

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Matthew 18:15 NKJV

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

Genesis 9:18–29 NKJV

Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated. And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. Then he said: “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren.” And he said: “Blessed be the Lord, The God of Shem, And may Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, And may he dwell in the tents of Shem; And may Canaan be his servant.” And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.

Matthew 18:15 NKJV

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

scripture will not condone humiliation.

that’s why you don’t hear peoples personal struggle from this pulpit.

did Joseph not value his brothers because he had the “blessing of His father” ?

1 John 3:15 NKJV

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

there is no permission for the coping mechanisms of the flesh in the kingdom of God, or of the people of God.

as we have seen the anger of Josephs brothers nearly led to his murder.

ware does anger, bitterness and unresolved emotions lead to in our lives? no ware good.

(NKJV) 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

Bishop Marvin L. Winans says, “ anytime someone is gifted, they are gifted for your benefit”

the implantation is jealousy kills the giftedness for your journey.

so does annoyance.

now lets look at this from Josephs side.

did his brothers loose heart and just kind of phone it in?

sometimes when things don’t go our way we loose are drive.

(NKJV) 6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Did Josephs father love him the way he did because Joseph had his heart?

6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

did these other son’s commit the sin of cain and try to phone it in?

there maybe people who despise effort toward excellence.

i’m sure there are people who have had me for Sunday dinner because the saw my efforts toward becoming better at my craft as “trying to be something i’m not.

this Jealousy will rob you of your gifts and not put you in the place of the person you are jealous of.

closing thoughts on bitterness

there are people in the world who have been victims of horrific things. those things were not their fault, yet many times they in turn create victims in the wake of their pain if they don’t do what it takes to heal.

I’m not saying healing is going to be easy. infact I I promise you that it wont be easy, it will be worth it.

the victory is yours, God will take the things that where your worse days and make it his greatest hits.

to heal you have to engage in the process.

counseling

openness

personal responsibility (not allowing your wounds to wound others)