09.27.2020 SER "Run from temptation"
Joseph - Making it trough tough times • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 14:48
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So you get lifted out of the hole your in, sold on the auction block, to become a servant in the house of the captain of the guard, which is a better situation than it could have been. You’re life starts turning around for the better, and for good reason,
The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.
Things are starting to look up not only for Joseph, but also for the Potiphar, who realizes that ever since Jospeh arrived, prosperity has come to his house.
His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.
Joseph gets a promotion to become the manager of all Potiphar’s house and possessions all because the Lord was with him and giving him success.
It’s great when the troubles of our lives finally turn around. Going from the pit to the palace was a huge turn around for Joseph. Have you noticed that temptations often come when were living in the “blessed place”?
When you finally get out of debt, you take a deep breath. With cash in your hands again, you’re tempted to spend yourself back into debt.
You finish your last chemo and you are tempted to think, “It’s smooth sailing now.” When your gratitude passes, so does your devotional life.
You get the job that lifts your spirits along with your finances. You’re think to yourself, “I’ve made it.” You tempted to set aside your prayer-life, thinking, you don’t need it now that your troubles are over.
Just when Joseph thought life was heading his way temptations came.
Here is what God’s Word says about Temptations.
1 Corinthians 10:13
“...when you are tempted...”
Temptations are sure to come. Which explains Jesus taught His disciples to pray...
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
BECAUSE...It is not a question of “IF” you will be tempted, it is only a matter of WHEN you are tempted.
Temptations are not limited to age or cultures. Temptations are universal to everyone. No one is exempt. Even the toddler is tempted to think he is being left out and unloved. The senior feels the same temptation as the toddler, when at the end of their lives, their grown children are too busy to make regular connections. They are tempted to think they are unimportant that they don’t matter, and pushed to extremes, they may wonder why they are still alive. That’s an easy fix, call, Facetime, Facebook with them, or better yet, drop by. It’s better to spend a brief moment than no moments at all.
Temptations come at us from all kinds of places, circumstances and situations. Physical temptations of every kind. Emotional temptations. Relational temptations. Spiritual temptations. They happen at work, at home, and pop up at play. Every conversation is a chance for the evil one to place doubt in our minds and raise questions in our hearts about our standing before God and one another, leading us to feel as though we’re not getting what we neither want nor deserve.
Temptations are constant in our let me offer one example. On your way home from work, your spouses texts you, asking you to stop by the store for something needed for dinner. So you turn into the parking lot, where you saw an open spot near the entrance, but it gets snatched before you can fill the space. Your first temptation? You’re tempted to feel as though life is not fair. So you have to park farther away knowing it will take you longer. So you hurry in, but you forget your mask. So you return to your car. What’s your next temptation? “To forget it and just go home.” But you know the reason you stopped was to fill a need, and going home empty handed will only multiply the issues for you and your spouse. So you mentally toss a coin. You return to your car, you put on your mask as you enter the store. NOW, you’re really in a hurry, but the person in your aisle isn’t. What’s your next temptation? You’re tempted to think bad about the person who isn’t in a hurry. When you finally get your one item you run to the self-check out to find the line looks like black Friday.
For those times, Jesus commands,
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Watch and pray, the marching orders for Christ followers when tempted. Watch out, keep your eyes open for temptations. But watching by itself isn’t enough. Peter warns
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Sobriety is helpful as you watch out. Did you notice what Peter called the devil, a lion. Sometimes he’s loud and frightening, at other times he prowling, sneaking around.
When temptations come, Remember prayer. Vigilance in prayer is an essential weapon in the arsenal of every disciple to ward off the evil one’s temptations.
No one is exempt from temptation. Not even Joseph. When Potiphar went off to work and the house emptied, Mrs. Potiphar she throws herself at Joseph. But Joseph resists. He refuses to cross the line. He knows right from wrong. He reminds her of his faith in God, his place as God’s child, and his loyalty to his master.
Sometimes temptations come roaring like a lion, like this one did for Joseph. But fear not. Trust these words of Paul when you face temptation.
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Joseph held to God’s faithfulness and chose to resist and refuse to give in. AND when resisting wasn’t enough, the way out for Joesph was to flee, to run from temptation.
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Joseph did the right thing. He chose right over wrong. He refused to sin against God.
He chose faithfulness to God instead of temporary sinful, selfish pleasure. Let’s make sure we understand that every sin we commit in our lives, All sin in our lives is always against God.
David confessed in Psalm 51,
The New International Version Psalm 51
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
While our sins may affect and hurt ourselves and others, the greater debt of our sin is always against our GOD who made us, and our SaviorJesus who died for us.
So, when you face temptation the writer of Hebrews directs us:
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hold fast to your confession and faith in God. Hold on to your faith that Christ faced the tempter for you, and won. He never sinned. Jesus never gave in to the tempter’s power, but was faithful to the death of the cross, so that He could give you the crown of life. Hold on to your confession and faith in Christ as you face temptation.
Draw near to the throne of grace. Jesus Christ, risen from the dead ascended into heaven is sitting on His throne of grace. In your baptism...
Colossians 3:1–4 (NIV) — 1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Christ sits on His throne of grace. When you come to Him expect to receive mercy for all the times you failed and gave in to your temptations. Run to Him where you’ll find His arms open to receive you, and to give you the grace you need to help in your time of need. Thank God, James writes,
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Come to Jesus with a humble heart,
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
But let’s be honest. Doing the right thing didn’t prevent Joseph from ended up in jail. Sometimes doing the right thing leads us into the pit again, to suffer.
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
But remember in the hands of our God, we can rejoice
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
You know, perhaps the greatest temptation we face is trying to bypass the sufferings of this life at all costs. But if we believe that God has greater plans for us, then, when we face temptations and suffering, we can declare by faith,
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
know that God has greater plans for you and me, just as he did for Joseph and we know that His promises still stand, Great is His faithfulness and can trust that God will ultimately see you through your tough times in Jesus’ name.