|
|
|
Sermon Outline Prepared by Joseph P. Metoyer, Jr., Ph.D., Pastor/Teacher February 18, 2001 Text: Genesis 39:2-23 Series: “From
The Pit To The Palace” (Lessons
from the life of Joseph) Message 2: “When
you live in the pit, life doesn’t have to be the pits” Introduction: For
most of us, someone at some point in our lives has done something to us that we
feel has been unfair and unjust. It
may have involved a family member, a teacher, a friend, or an employer. It may have happened at home, at Church, in school, or on the
job. It may have taken place many
years ago when we were children, or it may have been yesterday.
It may have happened once or many times.
It may have involved harsh words, rejection, a rumor, physical abuse,
false accusations, or unjust criticism. Or
it may have been as simple as being taken for granted or being used for a
selfish purpose. And it may have been malicious or inadvertent.
In some instances, it may have been our own perception.
But whatever the experience, it was painful. What
can we learn from Joseph’s example and how he handled injustice?[1]
I.
We must not allow bitterness to capture our souls. Humanly speaking, Joseph had
every reason to develop a bitter spirit. His
dysfunctional family had rejected him through jealousy.
His brothers planned to kill him and threw him in a pit.
Being persuaded by the older brother they sold Joseph into slavery.
Now Potiphar, his master, condemned him to prison unjustly.
Joseph had every reason to be bitter.
So Joseph gets out of one “pit” only to be put into another
“pit”. But here is the key to
Joseph’s success; The God factor was highly visible. A. When Joseph was put in a pit by his brothers, and sold into Egyptian slavery, God did not forsake him. When he was sent to prison, the Lord stayed by his side. God never forgot Joseph and God did not leave him. Notice the following similarities in Joseph’s life while he was in Potiphar’s house and in prison:
God’s Presence
Joseph in Potiphar’s
house
Joseph in Prison The Lord was with Joseph (39:2). But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him (39:20-21).
Trustworthy
Joseph found favor in his eyes and became
The Lord …granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden (39:21).
his attendant (39:4)
Responsibility
Potiphar put him in charge of his household,
the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in prison, and he
And he entrusted to his care everything he
was made responsible for all that was done (39:22).
Owned (39:4). Delegation
With Joseph in charge he did not concern
the warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s
Himself with anything except to food he ate (39:6).
Care (39:23). Success
Potiphar trusted Joseph because he saw that
the warden trusted Joseph because he, too, saw that the Lord The Lord gave him everything he did (39:3).
…Gave him success in whatever he did (39:23). II.
We must not allow ourselves to turn against God; rather
we must turn to God even more.
Joseph did not turn against, nor did he
blame God for his troubles of injustice, but he grew in his relationship with
God. He trusted the Lord to be with
him and to help him endure these crises. Joseph
was living out what the Apostle Peter wrote for us:
(I Peter 2:18-21) Submit yourselves to
your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate,
but also to those who are harsh. For
it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he
is conscious of God.
But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and
endure it? But if you suffer for
doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an
example, that you should follow in his steps.
Regardless of how bad your situation gets,
no matter how deep your pit, “Life does not have to be the pits”.
Never turn your back on God because He will never turn His back on you.
God’s love is unconditional. When
we turn our back on God we must remember that we have turned our back on our
Divine source of strength and help.
III.
In some situations, particularly those beyond our control, we
must patiently wait for God to vindicate us and to honor both our faith and our
positive attitude. Joseph had been in Egypt for eleven years and all of that time in slavery with most of that time in prison. All of this was an injustice but Joseph waited patiently on the Lord to set the record straight. The greatest temptation we all face when someone mistreats us is to seek revenge. The Apostle Paul says, “Beloved do not avenge
yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is
Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore
if your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so
doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”
(Romans 12:19-21). Application:
God told Isaiah to “cry out” [ in other words let
the people know that help is on the way]and the Prophet asked, “What shall I
cry out?” The Lord said, “All
flesh is grass”…Behold the Lord God shall come with a strong hand”…
“He will feed His flock like a shepherd.”…”Have you not known?
Have you not heard? The
everlasting God, The Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints
nor is weary. His understanding is
unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He
increases strength. Even the youths
shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail, But
those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with
wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not
faint” (Isaiah
40: 10, 11, 26-31).
Sermon Outline Prepared by Joseph P. Metoyer, Jr., Ph.D., Pastor/Teacher February 18, 2001 Text: Genesis 39:2-23 Series: “From
The Pit To The Palace” (Lessons
from the life of Joseph) Message 2: “When
you live in the pit, life doesn’t have to be the pits” Introduction: For
most of us, someone at some point in our lives has done something to us that we
feel has been unfair and unjust. It
may have involved a family member, a teacher, a friend, or an employer. It may have happened at home, at Church, in school, or on the
job. It may have taken place many
years ago when we were children, or it may have been yesterday.
It may have happened once or many times.
It may have involved harsh words, rejection, a rumor, physical abuse,
false accusations, or unjust criticism. Or
it may have been as simple as being taken for granted or being used for a
selfish purpose. And it may have been malicious or inadvertent.
In some instances, it may have been our own perception.
But whatever the experience, it was painful. What
can we learn from Joseph’s example and how he handled injustice?[1]
I.
We must not allow bitterness to capture our souls. Humanly speaking, Joseph had
every reason to develop a bitter spirit. His
dysfunctional family had rejected him through jealousy.
His brothers planned to kill him and threw him in a pit.
Being persuaded by the older brother they sold Joseph into slavery.
Now Potiphar, his master, condemned him to prison unjustly.
Joseph had every reason to be bitter.
So Joseph gets out of one “pit” only to be put into another
“pit”. But here is the key to
Joseph’s success; The God factor was highly visible. A. When Joseph was put in a pit by his brothers, and sold into Egyptian slavery, God did not forsake him. When he was sent to prison, the Lord stayed by his side. God never forgot Joseph and God did not leave him. Notice the following similarities in Joseph’s life while he was in Potiphar’s house and in prison:
God’s Presence
Joseph in Potiphar’s
house
Joseph in Prison The Lord was with Joseph (39:2). But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him (39:20-21).
Trustworthy
Joseph found favor in his eyes and became
The Lord …granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden (39:21).
his attendant (39:4)
Responsibility
Potiphar put him in charge of his household,
the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in prison, and he
And he entrusted to his care everything he
was made responsible for all that was done (39:22).
Owned (39:4). Delegation
With Joseph in charge he did not concern
the warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s
Himself with anything except to food he ate (39:6).
Care (39:23). Success
Potiphar trusted Joseph because he saw that
the warden trusted Joseph because he, too, saw that the Lord The Lord gave him everything he did (39:3).
…Gave him success in whatever he did (39:23). II.
We must not allow ourselves to turn against God; rather
we must turn to God even more.
Joseph did not turn against, nor did he
blame God for his troubles of injustice, but he grew in his relationship with
God. He trusted the Lord to be with
him and to help him endure these crises. Joseph
was living out what the Apostle Peter wrote for us:
(I Peter 2:18-21) Submit yourselves to
your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate,
but also to those who are harsh. For
it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he
is conscious of God.
But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and
endure it? But if you suffer for
doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an
example, that you should follow in his steps.
Regardless of how bad your situation gets,
no matter how deep your pit, “Life does not have to be the pits”.
Never turn your back on God because He will never turn His back on you.
God’s love is unconditional. When
we turn our back on God we must remember that we have turned our back on our
Divine source of strength and help.
III.
In some situations, particularly those beyond our control, we
must patiently wait for God to vindicate us and to honor both our faith and our
positive attitude. Joseph had been in Egypt for eleven years and all of that time in slavery with most of that time in prison. All of this was an injustice but Joseph waited patiently on the Lord to set the record straight. The greatest temptation we all face when someone mistreats us is to seek revenge. The Apostle Paul says, “Beloved do not avenge
yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is
Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore
if your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so
doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”
(Romans 12:19-21). Application:
God told Isaiah to “cry out” [ in other words let
the people know that help is on the way]and the Prophet asked, “What shall I
cry out?” The Lord said, “All
flesh is grass”…Behold the Lord God shall come with a strong hand”…
“He will feed His flock like a shepherd.”…”Have you not known?
Have you not heard? The
everlasting God, The Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints
nor is weary. His understanding is
unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He
increases strength. Even the youths
shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail, But
those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with
wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not
faint” (Isaiah
40: 10, 11, 26-31).
|
|
|
Welcome
to Acts