THE TEMPTATION TO ESCAPE

(INTRO) GOD GET ME OUT OF HERE! (Me/We)

[1]WELCOME: Good morning! If you’re new with us either on campus or online, my name is Nic Cook. Thanks for choosing to worship with us today. We’re in a teaching… SERIES: called PEAKS AND VALLEYS based on the life of Joseph as it’s told in the book of Genesis. So far, we’ve seen Joseph go from being the favorite son of a large wealthy family, to being beaten, stripped naked, left for dead, and then sold into slavery. We left off in Josephs story as he is making the 240ish mile walk to Egypt. Now I personally can’t relate to being sold into slavery, or having my family try to kill me, but this particular section of scripture that we’re going to look at today, has been really practical and meaningful for me at various times in life. There have been times when I looked around at my life and it was…[2]

· NOT WHERE I WANT TO BE, BUT WHERE GOD HAS PLACED ME: I remember a time when I was 25 years old, sitting in a Starbucks with my bible and a journal. I remember pouring out my heart to God as I wrote my prayer. God, I don’t want to be here. Please, get me out of this place in life. A year and a half before this, I was on a full tuition scholarship to an expensive prestigious school in Dallas getting my master’s degree. I was adjunct faculty at a college, and I was working at a large church of over 1,000 people with an amazing band. I was engaged and about to get married. Everything was headed in the right direction. But there I sat, separated from my wife with no real likelihood of ever getting back together. I had been “let go” from the big church. I had a master’s degree in music but couldn’t get hired at best buy. I was working three part time jobs, one of which was in a music store. Instead of living in a high-end condo, I was sleeping on a futon in a buddy’s unfurnished spare room. I was eating tuna, ramen, and chef Boyardee. All I could think was, God please get me out of here. I long to be serving you full-time in a church. I remember reading this passage of scripture that we’re going to look at today and thinking, hmmm… this is a pretty good picture of how I feel. Hmm… what if I were to follow the example of Joseph. I wonder what God might do. Do I trust and honor God, or do I doubt him and look for ways to live the kind of life I feel like he’s denying me.

· I don’t know all of your stories, but I can guess that there is a strong possibility that either in your past or sometime in the future, you may feel stuck in a place in life that you hate. Everything inside you will scream, God get me out of this. And we will face the same temptation: do we trust and seek to be faithful where we are, or do we look for ways to escape our situation. [3]So, let’s open our bibles to [Gen. 39:1-23] and see what God has to say about his will for us in those places in life.

(TEACH/APP) POWER, PLEASURE, DESPAIR (God)

[4]THE JOURNEY TO EGYPT: Often what I find interesting in the telling of the lives of God’s people in the bible, is how we often see locations and simply skip over them. Yea, Joseph was in Canaan, now he’s in Egypt. But there is a journey of 240-280 miles of walking, resting, and sleeping in chains. That’s a lot of time to think about your situation. When you look at the way Joseph is described in chapter 37 and then you look at the kind of character that Joseph displays in chapter 39, this seems like a different Joseph. Before Joseph ever gets elevated to a position of authority, it appears that he has learned some lessons about humility. Even when he gets to Egypt, we actually don’t know how long it took for Joseph to get his master’s attention or to be given more and more responsibility. In my own experience, there is often a journey we go on that changes us. Going from where we wanted to be to a place we couldn’t imagine, that God uses to shape and mold our character. There are periods of time where we are stripped of the things that used to define us and gave us a sense of identity and purpose that cause us to reevaluate ourselves and our priorities. It could have been months, it could have been years before we see this part of Joseph’s story where things appear to get better. So here we find Joseph, not where he wants to be, but where God has placed him. And he’s faced with the decision, do I serve God and trust him where I’m at, or do I take matters into my own hands and make my life what I want it to be. And while it’s not immediately noticeable, the first temptation is…[5]

· THE TEMPTATION TO USE POWER TO CONTROL THE SITUATION: I mentioned last week that Joseph ended up managing the household of Potiphar who is described as the “captain of the guard.” This isn’t like the local police force, or even a small army. It’s the same language that’s used to describe the leader of the Babylonian army that later destroys Jerusalem. This is the primary leader of the entire armies of one of the superpowers of the day. This was a powerful man who would have also been quite wealthy. And Joseph finds himself placed in charge of this man’s home, his finances, his servants, his day-to-day operations. He has access to power, money, and influence. Joseph could have used all of these things to begin crafting the life he wanted for himself. So how exactly does this apply to us today? Chance are, that when I talk about the temptation to use and abuse power to make our lives better, we think about people with a certain kind of power, like politicians, bosses, corporations, certain groups of people. Our entire culture is obsessed with power dynamics. However…

o WE ALL HAVE THINGS WE USE TO GAIN POWER: Ultimately, power is about having control. We all want control over things and people. One of the most powerful resources we all have is our words. Like Potiphar’s wife, we use our words to try to control people and situations. In the NLT, it says “come to bed with me.” But in the original Hebrew it’s short like a command. “come. Sex.” She’s used to getting her way and telling people what she wants. When she can’t control Joseph, she ultimately used her words to destroy Joseph. Even if we don’t have money or powerful positions and titles, we all have influence with groups of people. And in our culture, when someone does something we don’t like, or they don’t see the world the way we think they should, we use our words to try to take control. This happens all the time. We get hurt by someone, or they won’t do things our way, and the next time that person comes up in conversation, we use it as an opportunity to tell people why they were wrong, what they did to us, and why they can’t be trusted. We build alliances and create us against them situations. We use the power of our words to gain power over people and situations. However, instead of giving into the temptation to use power for himself, Joseph…[6-8]

o USED HIS POWER TO BLESS OTHERS: [39:5] 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.” He worked competently, efficiently, and hard and was loyal. In everything he did, he sought to honor God and be a blessing. And because of it, God blessed Potiphar. He used his power, influence, abilities to serve rather than to be served. This is where we see God honoring his covenant promise earlier in Genesis that said “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;

and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” [Gen. 12:5] God’s intention is to use us to bring his blessings to others, even if they don’t love and follow God. [9]What does this look like for each of us? Unfortunately, I think that we in the church have given the impression that if you really want to serve God, you must do it within these four walls. If you’re a musician, the best way to do ministry is play in church. If you’re a teacher/communicator, the best way to do ministry is to teach and preach in the church. Don’t get me wrong, it is an important and beautiful thing to serve the family of God. However, the ministry that God gave Joseph was to be a businessman, a manager, and eventually to work in the government. He got called to do ministry in politics. God’s desire is for his people to do ministry right where they are planted. As teachers, and auction house owners, and medical professionals, and administrative assistants, and baseball coaches. To serve God and allow him to bless others through us in the ordinary, everyday people and places he puts us in. Now, the second temptation Joseph is faced with is…[10]

· THE TEMPTATON TO USE SEX TO ESCAPE THE SITUATION: It says that Joseph was a handsome, competent young man. And Potiphar’s wife took notice of him and she did everything she could to seduce him. Even after he didn’t give in, she kept at it day after day. Joseph could have looked at his situation and said, well, why shouldn’t I be able to enjoy myself. This is the last place I wanted to be. After the way I’ve been treated, it’s really nice that someone wants me. He could have been incredibly lonely as the only Hebrew in an Egyptian culture. He might have thought to himself, I may never get to be married. He could have tried to escape loneliness, to feel wanted and loved. He could have tried to escape a sense of frustration and disappointment with how his life was going with a little sexual excitement. I feel like a slave, but I could feel powerful for a while. Instead, he says, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” [Gen. 39:9] He says that for a man to have sex with a woman he is not married to is a wicked thing and is a sin against God. Everything in our culture presses against this idea that God’s way of honoring sexuality and marriage is true and for our own good. However, what seems like restrictive and oppressive is a call for us to…[11]

· USE OUR SEXUALITY TO HONOR OTHERS & PLEASE GOD: Later in the New Testament, an advanced apprentice of Jesus named Paul references this story in an extremely subtle way. [12]He says, “Flee from sexual immorality.” [1 Cor. 6:18] Run away, get out as fast as you can, just like Joseph. But right before that he says, “16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.” Both Jesus and Paul, quote God’s words in the the second chapter of our bibles, that God’s intention is that sex is meant to be between a man and a woman who have entered into a permanent promise of life-long marriage to one another. That two will become one. [13]Here is what the world tells us. You don’t have to become one. You stay your own, you own yourself. You get to take from someone else what they give you, but you don’t have to belong to them. If it doesn’t work out, there’s a way out. We can move in together, we can share our stuff, we can share our bodies, but if you don’t meet my needs and expectations, then we can split up. And God says, sex is the way he intends a man and a woman to give the rest of themselves away physically, emotionally, and spiritually after they have already committed their lives to one-another for life. Within the safety of a committed permanent mutually serving relationship. No more way out, you don’t belong to yourself anymore. God’s desire was for people to honor one-another by creating a permanent environment of trust where sex cold be the joy and gift it was meant to be. It simply doesn’t work outside of those boundaries and causes pain and heartache. Not only that, but Paul says, Jesus gave up his own body as a sacrifice to make it possible to live within us. That we don’t belong to ourselves but belong to God. When we say yes to Jesus, we say no to breaking his heart and his commands.

o Please hear me when I say this, my intention is not to guilt anyone. Our God is amazing, and both forgives and redeems sexual sin and brokenness. But both I and God want to spare you from carrying around the scars and consequences of trying to build your life the way you want it through sex outside of marriage. There is one more temptation we see here in this section of scripture and it’s…[14]

· THE TEMPTATION TO BLAME GOD FOR PUTTING YOU IN THE SITUATION: We can go back and see that even though Joseph didn’t warrant his brothers trying to kill him, he probably brought some of his pain and sorrow on himself. But what about when we do everything the way God calls us to, and we still suffer? Joseph overcame all of the temptations to escape his situation, and still ends up getting accused and tossed in prison. The temptation would be to say, you know what God?! I tried it your way, and it didn’t work out the way it should have. I shouldn’t be here! I quit! I don’t believe anymore. And honestly, maybe he did say that in his prayers. He spent 13 years in Egypt as a slave then a prisoner before he was rescued so he probably had a lot of different things he said in prayer over that time. But he didn’t. It says that Joseph keeps doing what he had been doing. Serving well. Being a blessing. How? How do you end up in prison and still serve and be a blessing? We see that it was because…[15]

(JC) GOD WAS WITH HIM RIGHT WHERE HE WAS (JC)

Over and over again we see this phrase “The Lord was with Joseph.” [Gen 39:2,3,21] When Joseph was succeeding, God was with him. When it looked like Joseph was failing, God was with him. God was with Joseph in the penthouse suite and God was with him in the prison system. The place was not important, the God with him in the place was! We must resist the false belief that God’s with me when it’s good, and God has abandoned me in the bad. God’s happy with me when I’m succeeding, and God’s angry and punishing me when things are bad. The God who loves you is with you is there through it all, every peak and every valley. [16]And this morning, I want to challenge you to LIVE THE LIFE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN, NOT CHASING THE LIFE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DESERVE. KNOW THAT GOD IS WITH YOU.

THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS: What’s interesting is that Jesus had the same opportunity to escape the life he was in and pursue a different kind of life. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, Satan took him to a place and showed him the kingdoms of the world. He said, “All this I will give you, if you bow down and worship me.” [Mt. 4:9] Satan is trying to get Jesus to reach for power, influence, comfort. All he has to do is bypass the shame, rejection, pain and hard work. You can have a crown, there’s no need for a cross. And Jesus chose to walk the road before him and not try to take any shortcuts. He chose to serve others and help them experience God’s blessing. He chose to live a holy life and even to the point of being celibate. He trusted the Father. He did everything right and it still included suffering. Yet, He also promised that the temptations of this world pale in comparison to the joy He has for us. He promises to live in us and help us persevere. After Jesus, the follower of Jesus named…

PAUL FOUND HIMSELF IN PRISON: He had done nothing wrong. In fact, he’d done everything right and still, like Joseph was in prison. [17]During that time, he wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” [Phil. 4:12-13] Regardless of where I end up here on earth, my Savior is with me, inside me, and what lies before me is infinitely better than anything this world can offer. (MAYBE CUT IF SHORT ON TIME)

And I’ll tell you what will happen when we live this way! I remember decided that day in Starbucks that I would honor Jesus right where I was and work well and with enthusiasm in my three part time jobs. And I remember one day about a couple weeks later, working in the back warehouse doing some of the jobs that nobody else loved doing. And my boss came in and said, Hey Nic! What’s gotten into you? Somethings changed. You’re taking initiative, you’re exceeding expectations, you just landed us a major sale, what happened! And I said, I decided God had me right where he wanted me so I’m doing my best to work for him and you guys. And what’s funny is that the experiences I got in that environment, I still use to this day. That job built some foundations for what I do. It wasn’t where I wanted to be, but it was where God placed me. When we embrace the life we’re given and life with hope, the world notices and will ask. Let’s pray!