Amen so in Genesis 39 of course we're continuing on with the story of Joseph, which started a couple weeks ago in Genesis 37
where he's sold into
Egypt by his brethren he's betrayed and then sold into
Slavery essentially down here, and he ends up in Potiphar's house, and if you remember Genesis 38
There's that little bit of an interlude we have the story of Judah and Tamar and that whole thing that we covered last week
So we're picking it back up here with Joseph
Where he's actually been brought down into Egypt and Potiphar it says there in verse 1 the officer of the Pharaoh
Captain of the guard and Egyptian brought him to the hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down hither
And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man, and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian
So if you remember the Lord has been blessing
Joseph for all the way through this and we're gonna see his blessing continue throughout his life and
There's a couple things I want us to kind of understand tonight about
you know basically flattery and false accusations flattery and false accusations and
One of the main things I want to take away is that just because somebody is accused of something
Doesn't mean that it's true just because somebody is punished
Because of being accused of something does not mean that it's true. This is a perfect illustration of that tonight, and it says there
Again in verse 3 the master saw that the Lord was with him the Lord made him and the Lord made all that he did
To prosper in his hand and again as I mentioned a couple weeks ago with Joseph
He's such a great character study in the Bible
because of the fact that he's a great example to us of what it means to be a hard worker what it means to be
blessed of God and
He's a great example especially to you know younger men
Those starting out in life because in the story Joseph's a teenager and he started out with Joseph. He's 17 years old
He's just a young man
Just starting out in life
And he's already facing all these trials and temptations and yet he overcomes them and not only that he prospers
Through all these things because of the fact that the Lord is with him
And you know this really isn't part of my notes
But I want to point it out as we read along here in verse 3 it says that the master saw that the Lord was with
him you know if you walk with God if you have a
relationship with God if you keep God's commandments if you live your life according to the Bible other people are going to notice and it's
Actually going to prosper you
I think a lot of times Christians get this idea that you know if they're too open with their Christianity if they're just too
You know obvious with it that they're actually just gonna be persecuted for their faith
But you know your walk talks louder than your talk talks as they say
You know it's one thing to tell people you're Christians another thing to live like a Christian in front of them
And the Bible says that we ought to be obedient to our own masters that we ought to serve our masters now with eye service
Not as men pleasers, but as unto the Lord knowing that of the Lord
We shall receive a reward that we should obey even the forward and the good
Masters that we have whether they're good or bad that we should be obedient to them
And we should do their will you know and if you have that kind of an attitude at work
You're gonna be well pleasing your boss
You know people are gonna notice that and you're gonna be given more responsibility
And you're they're gonna be the one that gets you know the the pay increase the promotion so on and so forth
That's what's kind of happening here in the story the master saw that the Lord was with him now
How do you think he saw that did you think?
That Joseph walked around with a halo around his head, then he just had this glow about him or something
No, he saw that he was with him because everything that he was doing was prospering because everything that he touched turned to gold so
To speak because he was a hard worker. He was diligent he had character God
Blessed him as a result and the master Potiphar of that house was able to perceive that and say hey God is with this young
Okay, you know serve God be faithful other people will notice
And by the way although notice the other way, too
You know if we if we let people know we're Christian if we claim that you know
We're you know born-again saved Christians, and then we're like everybody else. You know we're lazy on the job
We do you know poor work, whatever you know that's also gonna make an impression, okay?
But that's really not the thrust of the sermon tonight
It says there in verse 4 Joseph found grace in his sight and served him and he made him overseer of his house
So he gets the promotion all that he had
He put into his hand and it came to pass from the time that he had made him
Overseer in his house and over all that he had that the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Joseph's sake
And this is kind of the same thing that we saw with
Israel or Jacob right when he was in Laban's house
He was blessed of God and Laban was blessed as a result. They were enjoying the residual benefits of
of Joseph's blessing right of the man of God that was there
And again make yourself an asset at work. Okay. This is just some practical
You know it's a Wednesday night Bible study
You know it makes a practical application you want to succeed at work make yourself an asset
You want to be the guy that keeps his job be valuable right that way when times get lean when things get tight at work
And they start you know cutting people loose you're gonna be the last to go right because they're saying well
Let's hang on to this guy because we're blessed when he's here. You know we profit from him being here
He's profitable to us, and that's kind of what's going on here. You know the Potiphar here is
Noticing that Joseph is you know blessed of God?
And he's also being blessed as a result
The Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Joseph's sake and the blessing of the Lord
Was upon all that he had in the house in the field and he left all that he had in Joseph's hand for he knew
Not what he had saved the bread which he did eat. I mean he's just giving him
Complete oversight over everything in his house this young man
Who's just you know it was literally brought in by slave traders?
I mean just bought through human trafficking
Essentially just a nobody that was just brought into Potiphar's house and now because of his diligence and because of God's blessing
It's overseeing everything in the house and
Potiphar's just trusting him wholeheartedly with everything he just sits down and says what the only thing he knows that he has is what's set
Before him to eat. He just knows what's for dinner
Joseph it says there at the latter half of six was a goodly person and well favored meaning. He was good-looking. He was handsome, okay?
And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph
And she said lie with me now of course. That's the Bible putting it very delicately. She wants him to
Commit adultery essentially because she's a married woman
But he refused and said unto his master's wife behold my master wadeth not what is with me in the house
And he hath committed all that he hath to my hand
There is none greater in his house than I neither hath he kept back anything from me
But thee because thou were his wife. How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?
It's interesting that Joseph was pointing out the fact that he could get away with this
It's kind of what it seems like he's saying to me. He's saying like look. I'm the greatest in his house
You know he doesn't even know what's with me in the house
He's committed all things there's none greater in the house than I he hasn't kept back anything else from me
It almost sounds like Joseph probably could have maybe you know a humanly speaking gotten away with it right at least not got caught right away
But notice again, and as I started a couple weeks ago
Talk when we began to talk about Joe's Joseph we would notice different character traits about him
We saw his obedience in Genesis chapter 37 now we see also here his integrity before God
That even though perhaps he could have gotten away with this because he is the greatest. There's no one supervising him
You know she doesn't want to get caught either so obviously there's some collusion there. They're gonna make this thing work
But he has an understanding that this sin is great wickedness
That's what he says how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God
He's saying I'm not it's not that I'm worried about getting caught by
Potiphar it's not worried that I'm about getting caught by my boss by your husband who I'm really afraid of getting caught by is God
That's who he's afraid of and look if we would keep the fear of the Lord before eyes that would keep us out of a lot
of trouble wouldn't it if
We would just understand that hey there's things that God hates
There's some things in this world that God considers great wickedness if we would understand that understand that the eyes of the Lord go with
Throughout the whole earth be holding the evil and the good that there is no getting away with it with God
You know we'd probably be more careful about the things that we do
We'd probably say I'm not gonna do that sin even though I could get away with it
Even though you're in on it with me even though the people around us might not know about it
I know that God will know and
Therefore I'm not gonna sin against God. It's God that he's concerned about
Offending here in this in this situation not necessarily Potiphar
It says there and it came to pass as she spake to Joseph day by day that he hearkened not unto her
To lie by her or to be with her so she's not giving up. She's pressing upon him
Okay, now again this speaks to Joseph's
Character I mean he's a young man. He's in his teenage years
He's probably like all teenagers. You know they have all these hormones. Just coursing through their body
he's got like a leaner of testosterone just pumping through his body at that age and
This is something that is actually a very strong temptation of course. It's a temptation for us. You know throughout
most of our lives
But it's especially strong. You know in these early teenage years
When
People's bodies have matured and these hormones are in their system
And this is the kind of thing that they're thinking about they're curious about this
They want to know more about it, and that's the stage that Joseph is in his life and along comes Potiphar's wife
Hey, we can get away with it. How about today? How about today? How about today? How about today?
How about today? She's pressing upon him sore and
Yet he has the integrity even as a young man with all this temptation
And all this natural desire to fulfill the lust of the flesh to say I won't do it because I'm not going to commit wickedness
before God
I'm not going to commit this wicked sin of adultery and let me just park it there for a second and remind us all that
Adultery is a wicked sin and it's important to keep in mind in the day and age that we're living of course
It's always wicked. You know we're living in a day and age where adultery is called an affliction
Adultery is called an affair, right?
Where it's just it's just spoken of so lightly. It's not that big of a deal. You know a lot everybody's doing it
You know they have websites where you can go hook up with other married couples and commit adultery I?
Mean it's promoted. It's in the media
Every story every movie every book it seems like that that's out there. There's some adulterous relationship
That's just treated as as you know no big deal
Look joseph in the bible says hey adultery is a great wickedness before God
you know there's there's not all sins are equal believe it or not and
You know not every sin in the bible is punishable with death when you get into when the levitical law is given to moses
one of the one of the
Crimes that are punished with capital punishment death is adultery
It used to be that if you got caught in adultery in old testament israel you were to be killed and
Whose law was that was that man's law did man come up with that was that his idea? No that was God that said that
God was the one that said the adulterer shall surely be put to death that was him and
Joseph here even before that's even on the books so to speak that law already understands. This is a wicked thing to do
You know people people know
That when they're committing sin
The bible says that the gentiles which have not the law
When they do the things which are contained in law or a law unto themselves because they have the law of God written in their
hearts
Everyone you know I didn't know it was a sin. Yes, you did no one has to be told murders wrong stealing's wrong lying's long
Adultery is wrong you have to be told that those things are right you have to be brainwashed think oh adultery is not a big deal
Fornication is not a big deal stealing is not a big deal lying is not a big deal
False accusations not a big deal
Murder you know it's not a big deal as long as it's before they're born
Pedophilia is not a big deal. That's the world we're living in but Joseph
Is a godly young man who walks with the Lord has blessed of God and understands something about God that before God
These things are wicked and adultery is a as it says they're great wickedness and a sin against God
but you know this doesn't stop her from
You know pressing upon him as it says there. She spake to him day by day, and he hearkened not unto her
You know some temptation some sins aren't just gonna go away the first time the Bible says resist the devil and he will flee from you
But that's not always gonna be a one-off
Well, I resisted that one time never have to deal with that sin again
No, it's gonna be there tomorrow
If it's not tomorrow be there the next day if it's not the next day
It'll be next week if it's not next week
It'll be back next month if you could go several months without that temptation. It'll be there next year
Maybe it'll show up in several years, but you know what we're always going to have to resist the flesh
Always got to resist the devil
Some sins are just gonna be every day got to get up and die got to get up and die
Got to mortify the deeds of the flesh got to bring my body into subjection like Paul said
And some sins you know they're gonna come back around every so often
You resist the devil he'll flee, but he'll come back
Maybe he'll try you know another lure
You know and how about this you go through one trial or persecution in a church?
You know you get through that one don't think the battles over
There's another one coming
To me it seems like one shows up about every four years
Been keeping track
So as soon as this net the one we're in you know temp he's in right now
I got a cop saying we cuz we're not we're not them anymore
We're us right well, amen
But you know once this one next one this one's over just start the clock again because there's another one coming you
Resisted some sin today praise God
But you know what sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof
You know boast not thyself for tomorrow, you don't know what a day will bring for it
Tomorrow could be the same sin, or it could be a whole nother sin altogether
But notice here her tactics, right?
She's pressing upon him, and you know you have to imagine. She's she's using her words right she spake to Joseph day by day
It's the things that she's saying I don't know if that there was anything. Maybe she was doing some things
Maybe she was dressing a certain way
But the Bible tells us for certain that she spake to Joseph day by day
Lie with me lie with me lie with me. I want you
You're so good-looking. I have to imagine
That in her trying to get her way with Joseph. There was some flattery
Okay, and the Bible talks about the the woman who flatters, okay, you would go to Proverbs chapter number six
Proverbs chapter number six the Bible says in Proverbs chapter 7 talking about
The the man the young man who was assert without understanding right who was observed observed among the simple ones
talks about the the woman who came to him with the attire of an harlot and
Seduced him right and it says in verse 21 of Proverbs 7 with her much fair speech. She caused him to yield
With the flattering of her lips. She forced him
He was resisting. I don't want to do this. It's not what I came here for
But you know what through the fair speech the fatter flattering of the lips
She forced him
Bible says he goeth after her straightway as an ox goeth to the slaughter. I
Mean, that's that's basically a big dumb animal that's going to be executed right or as a fool to the correction of the stocks
That's what happens
To people who allow themselves to be flattered and taken into the sin of adultery the sin of fornication
Look at Proverbs chapter 6 verse 20 my son keep thy father's commandment and forsake not the law of thy mother
Bind them continually upon thine heart tie them about thy neck
When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee when thou wakest it shall talk with thee
For the commandment is a lamp and the laws of light and reproofs of instruction are the way of life
Let me say that again the reproofs of instruction are the way of life. Well, I don't like what the Bible says about that
Well, the Bible says a reproof
Is the instruction that a reproof is the way of life
And if you don't like what the Bible says about some sin
Well, you know what tough that's what the Bible says
and
It's actually gonna keep you as it says here from the evil woman verse 24 to keep thee from the evil woman
From the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman and it doesn't mean strange like she's a little odd, right?
Strange as meaning she's foreign to you
She's not your wife
It says in verse 25 lust not after her beauty in thine heart neither. Let her take thee with her eyelids
So obviously, you know, the strange woman is going to use her physical attractiveness. But again, she also uses her words
Look at verse 26 for by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread and the
Adulterous will hunt for the precious life. I mean isn't a perfect picture of
Joseph
Joseph is a precious life. He's a rare kind of young man
The Lord is with him. He has integrity. He's obedient. He's a hard worker
He wants to do those things which are pleasing unto him. You know what that makes him a target to the adulterous woman
She wants to get him to fall
You
Know because a lot of times these women they could go out and get any old any man they want
There's plenty of men that would line up and commit that sin that would be more than happy to do it
But the one that they really want is the one that is precious the one that is
Has integrity the one that has to be forced
It's like a trophy to them
And the Bible is telling us that there's consequences look at verse 27
Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be
burned
So is he that goeth into his neighbor's wife whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent
Men do not despise a thief if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry
But if he be found he shall restore sevenfold
He shall give all the substance of his house
But whoso committeth adultery with the woman lacketh understanding and he that doeth it destroyeth his own
Soul you cannot take fire into your bosom and not be burned
You cannot walk upon coals and not be burned if you go into an your neighbor's wife
if you commit adultery, you will get burned the Bible says you'll destroy your own soul a
Wound and dishonor shall he get his reproach shall not be wiped away
And even in this wicked and adulterous and perverse generation that we live in you could still have a bad reputation
as an adulterer
You could still be known as that guy that cheated on his wife
There's still people out there in this world that it does matter to
Don't let Hollywood completely snow you on that
This isn't France after all
Where in France they like I heard some statistic the other day. I
Think was in a sermon. Someone said it was like 70% of people think that there's nothing wrong with adultery in France
Right the city of love
the city of sin
Paris you know, I know France is a country, okay
But it says a wound and dishonor shall I get his reproach shall not be wiped away for jealousy is the rage of a man
Mean it might you might destroy your own soul in the sense that you could die
Right because sometimes soul just means a person a body, right?
If you kill out commit adultery the husband might find out, you know, and and he might just kill you straight up
It's called a crime of passion
You know, it'd be just chalked up as manslaughter, you know
Third degree murder he'd do some time and everyone would go. Well, you know, he was sleeping with the guy's wife
I mean, let's give him ten years and let him out
People would understand
Jealousy is the rage of the man. Therefore. He will not spare in the day of vengeance
He will not regard any ransom neither. Will he rest content?
Though thou givest many gifts you try to pacify him you try to make up for it
How are you gonna make up for something like that?
You can't
You're not gonna pacify the person and it could go the other way around
You know, it could be the wife that finds out that you someone's been sleeping with somebody's husband and she could say well
I'm gonna I'm gonna get some vengeance
So, you know, that's that's a real practical application here that's a warning to all of us
That
Adultery is a wicked sin with serious consequences. But again, how is she trying to get him to commit this sin through flattery?
Pressing upon him trying to get him to commit the sin and you know
I want to kind of break away from the this cotton the the sin of adultery and just speak more generally about how wicked people
use flattery
To get what they want out of you or to bring you harm
And if you would go over to Psalm chapter number five Psalm chapter number five
And look this is something that people don't
Aren't
Aren't very
They don't really
They're not really familiar with this. They have to see it happen
They have to see this hat take place either to themselves or somebody else
where someone comes along and flatter somebody and then stabs them in the back and
If you you stick around, you know, you'll see it
I've seen it several times. It's never it hasn't happened to me. I
Don't know maybe you guys are setting me up it's a nice shirt just kidding
I'm just playing
Right, but I have seen it happen to other to happen to other people
They flatter him and then they stab in the back. I mean, I've seen this happen to Pastor Anderson. I don't know how many times
In fact, it just happened
But I want to point out some things in Psalm chapter 5 look at verse 8
It says lead me O Lord in thy righteousness because of mine enemies
Make thy way straight before my face
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth
Their inward part is there is very wickedness their throat is an open sepulcher. They flatter with their tongue
See, this is the thing about the flatter. It's all the wickedness is within you can't see it
The throat is an open sepulcher. I mean, it's just it's that's how you know, the wickedness comes out of it, right?
Their inward part is wickedness they flatter with their tongue. They don't walk up and say I want to stab you in the back
I'm gonna betray you. I'm gonna do evil unto you. They don't walk up and say that they walk up and flatter you
You know, the adulterous woman doesn't walk up and say hey my husband's gonna kill you when he when he finds out
No, he says you're so good-looking. No one will know. I want you so bad, you know, whatever they say
I've never been flattered like that
If they ever flattered me like that I'd know what was going on
You
Know you're so good-looking like I own a mirror
You know, I mean my own reflections put in for a divorce. Like I I know what's going on here. All right
My shadow can't even stand me
But you know, that's how they work they they're inwardly they're wicked but what comes out of their mouth
It's not doesn't sound wicked at all. It sounds nice. It sounds good
Mm-hmm. They're gonna walk up and say oh you're such a great pastor. You're the greatest preacher that's ever lived
You changed my life. I
owe everything to you
This is the kind of stuff that takes place when someone starts telling you something that you know is too good to be true
it's because it is and
They've got an agenda
And now look I'm not saying that every time somebody does something nice for you, okay buys you a nice shirt and tie
Or sometimes, you know that they if they give you a genuine sincere compliment that you have to be like, are you flattering me?
You know, what are you really up to? Is there a wickedness in your inward parts? Is your throat an open sepulcher?
No, they're being sincere and look once you really don't you really can't
Call it out until after the fact
once you even after you kind of get wise to this and you see it happen and you see the person flattering and
You know just bigging somebody up and then they turn on it's like well it makes sense
I
Go to Proverbs if you I should I keep something there. Oh, no, I'm sorry go to Psalm 78
So it's an inward thing flattery comes from within
The Bible says in Psalm 12 help
Oh Lord for the godly man seeth it for the faithful fail from among the children of men
They speak vanity everyone to his neighbor with flattering lips and with a double heart. Do they speak?
They're saying one thing but their heart me is is saying something else
Look at Psalm 78 verse 6 verse 36, excuse me
Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied unto him with their tongues
For their heart was not right with him neither were they steadfast in his covenant
So the flatterer again everything that's coming out of their mouth sounds nice
But their heart is not right
The Bible says in Proverbs 26 a lying tongue
Hadeth those that are afflicted by it and a flattering mouth worketh ruin
Says again in Proverbs 29 a man that flattereth his neighbor
Spreadeth a net for his feet and a net it's not a safety net
Okay, it's a trap like a bird or an animal. That's that's what he's doing
People that are flattering you they're setting a trap
Now
In Joseph's instance here the she tries flattery when she doesn't get her way she then moves on to a false accusation
Okay
Look at the Genesis chapter 39 verse 11
And it came to pass about this time that Joseph went into the house to do his business
And there was none of the men of the house
There within now the Bible is telling us some real specific details, right?
It's just him and Potiphar's wife in the house behind closed doors and nobody else
Okay. Now I I'm not gonna say that this is a sin because it's not
it look it's not a sin to be alone with
Somebody else in a closed room behind closed doors. It's not a sin. It's just a really bad idea
It's just a really bad idea to be alone with somebody else's wife
Even if you think well, I'm not gonna try anything. I'm not gonna do anything. How do you know?
She's not just gonna say you did
You know, that's that's a really important concept to keep in mind you're gonna be alone with somebody of the opposite gender
And I say opposite because there's only two of them
You're gonna be alone with somebody of the opposite gender in another room and close the door, you know, maybe nothing will happen
But I mean look what happened to Joseph
It's just a good, you know, just avoid that the Bible said says avoid the mere appearance of evil
Even if nothing happens and neither of you say anything
What's it gonna look like when you both come out of the room when you both come out of the apartment you both come out?
Of the house when you both come out of the hotel room what's going on in there?
It looks bad
Now Joseph it got really bad because she goes from flattering him and he's resisting her good for him
Then he puts himself in this compromising situation
What I he didn't maybe he just didn't know maybe it was once he got in there. It was too late
He didn't realize that he was the only one there. I don't know
But what happens next is he gets falsely accused she starts with flattery that doesn't work
She's just like well, I'm just gonna fall asleep use him now
And she came it says there and she came in verse 12 and she caught him by the his garment saying lie with me
And he left his garment in her hand and fled and got him out. So maybe he realized I'm the only one in here
And he leaves and it says that he left his garment meaning and she's like pulling on it
You know and the jacket comes off and now she's got you know his garment in her in her hand
And it came to pass when she saw that he had that he had left his garment in her hand and
Was fled forth that she called on the men of her house and spanking on them saying see he hath brought in in Hebrew to mock
Us she's not getting her way. I mean, this is how wicked she is again the flatterer
They say all the things you want to hear they'll tell you nice things but inwardly their heart is wicked. I
Mean what why is she doing this because she's not getting your way because she's a wicked woman
I mean she's wicked for wanting to commit adultery to begin with
So it's not really surprising that you know, she'd be this vindictive
against an innocent man
You know and it shouldn't surprise us when we see people who are vindictive and malicious
Against people and falsely accused them who have done nothing wrong
It happens all the time folks
You
Say oh, why would anyone lie and make up a story because they're evil because they're wicked. Oh
Why would anyone make up a story and falsely accuse their parents?
Because they're wicked because they're evil because they're rebellious
Why would any woman make up a story about some man and and ruin his good name because she's wicked
People need to wake up to the fact that there's just wicked evil people in this world
That just get pleasure out of harming other people. It's it's as plain and simple as that
So she calls the men into her house and she says see he hath brought in Hebrew unto us to mock us
He came in unto me to lie with me and I cried aloud with the with a loud voice
And it came to pass when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried that he left his garment with me and fled
it got him out and she laid up his garment by her until his Lord came home Potiphar and
She spake unto him according to these words saying the Hebrew servant which thou brought has brought unto us came in unto me to mock
Me and it came to pass as I lifted up my voice and cried that he left his garment with me and fled out
She's just lying
Just makes up a story
And it came to pass when his master heard the words of his wife
Which is which she spake unto him saying after this man who did thy servant to me
That his wrath was kindled just like the Bible says he's he's not he's honestly thinking this is what happened
This guy's trying to commit adultery with my wife
And as we read in Proverbs, he will not spare in the day of vengeance
It says in Joseph master took him and put him into the prison
Which maybe was you know a fate worse than death. I don't know why he didn't have him killed. Maybe God was protecting him
I'm not sure what Egyptian civil law was back then
But that's what happened
He shoves him into a prison a place where the king's prisoners were bound and he was there in the prison
but the Lord is with Joseph and showed him mercy and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison and
The keeper of the prison committed to Joseph all the prisoners that were in the prison
Now the next thing out the thing I want to point out here is that you can be imprisoned and be completely innocent
and
It's just so funny me because so many people as soon as they see somebody
Imprisoned or taken captive and held against their will they just think oh well that person must must deserve to be there
Or could it be or just maybe could it be that there was a lying flattering Judas?
That filed a false report and had somebody taken away against their will and held against their will
Oh is that possible?
Well you know it's a story that happens over and over and over and over and over again in the Bible
Don't just assume because somebody's sitting in prison that they're a wicked person
Don't just assume because somebody ends up in a mental health clinic that they're insane
You know we had I keep saying we you gotta get over it
You know the church in Tempe they just had to deal with this they had that Judas that's up there
I I don't I've never met the guy, but apparently he's been over there there for over two years
Something like that. I don't know
And he's been there, and you know he files a false report against his own pastor
files with the mental health whoever
The mental health court and has his own pastor hauled off and held against his will and to be evaluated by a team of
You know clinicians or whatever. I don't know the whole story pastor Anderson
I'm sure will will tell give give you all the juicy details at some point
But you know it's just interesting to me that we land on this chapter tonight after that just happens
You know and that same guy after getting busted and called out
Just proceeds to just continue to flatter him
I'm watching I'm looking at messages for this guy just calling in the greatest pastor. It's the greatest church ever
Just using all these flattering words
Messaging me telling me how great I you know I could you know I know right
It's like oh, I owe you you helping me get some kid saved or something like I don't know you I
Don't even know who you are I?
Just know you go to church up there, and I know that you betrayed your own pastor because you're a Judas
You know one of the scariest things I should probably just preach a whole sermon on
Judas is the scariest thing about being a Judas is you could be one and not even know it I
Believe that Judas Iscariot came to after he sold Christ for 30 pieces of silver into the hands of the Jews
Goes back to the Jews and said I've betrayed innocent blood
You know Satan enters into him at the Last Supper
Jesus says what thou do is do quickly he goes out and covenants with them betrays him in the all you know in the in the
in the garden and
Then comes to his senses later and says I've done wrong and tries to give the money back
And they say we don't want it and they and they they cast out they it falls on the floor
You know he doesn't take it
He goes and hangs himself and his guts burst asunder right and they bought the field the potters field
And they buried him there with that same silver, but the point is this is that I believe that Judas
Didn't even know it
Didn't even know that he was a wicked evil reprobate. That's what makes these people so dangerous
Is that they could not does that mean every Judas doesn't know I don't know but to me I I thought about this
For several years does a Judas know that he is one
Some of you might be saying am I Judas
Is it I Lord?
But isn't that what he said at the Last Supper is it I Lord thou sayest
Judas is saying is it me and Jesus basically said yeah, it's you
You know that's the scary thing about Judas's and that's why I believe anybody I
Don't care how good intentioned or how well-meaning they were anybody that would call mental health services on their own pastor
is a Judas
Through and through a Judas and
It's not to ever be allowed back in any church
And you know the sad thing is that guy is gonna that guy is gonna go on with his life
And if God doesn't judge him harshly, which I pray that he does
Years from now that guy will be in another church and no one will ever know what he did
No one will ever know
And he could just do the same thing again unless God steps in
And God very likely will in my opinion
And he's just so crazy
You know and honestly. I'm just burnt out on this whole
Controversy that's been going on, but to me
It's just like if the people out there especially these pastors who are siding against pastor Anderson
Don't have enough discernment to see that everything that's taken place is a coordinated attack of Satan
After this I don't know what to tell them
They need to go back and read the qualifications again to pay attention to this word called vigilant sober I
Mean how I mean how else do you explain what's taking place?
Because it you know it wasn't these wicked sons that did this to him. You know they're saying we had nothing to it
I actually believe them I
Believe all this was going on and then
Satan had his little Judas just waiting there and said now's the time Judas what thou do is do quickly
And he picked up his little phone and made his little phone call
And you know the story and a man of God has to sit and
You know basically in a psych ward
with a bunch of just you know
seriously to serve people
And
Then you have other pastors that are out there that are just gleefully rejoicing over this
There there's people that are happy to see this and then you have these idiots and these morons that are out there say well
He must actually have mental health problems because after all he ended up in a mental health clinic
But hey idiot you can go to prison and not be guilty
That's what happened to Joseph
Joseph ended up because somebody filed a false report with the authority
Joseph ends up falsely accused and imprisoned innocently
Because of some whore wife he didn't get her way
and
she goes running and crying to the captain Potiphar and
You know what they came and they hauled him off
And I've just got I mean and I haven't even scratched the surface of all the instances where good men of God
prophets of God preachers
Apostles were imprisoned
Wrongfully by people who just hated them
Marvel not my brethren at the world hate it hate you
Jesus said if the world hate you know that it hated me before it hated you
Should it really surprise us
That
People are going to attack men of God
Should is it is it really a far-fetched thing? I mean we if we believe the Bible right we believe there's a devil is
it may be just maybe within the realm of possibility that
Satan would attack a
Pastor that Satan would attack a church. That's doing great works for God
And look and I understand that you know, I'm a pastor now and this is our church
but this you know the people here that attend this church and
To anybody else, you know, take that as take it as a word of warning. I
Mean they might come for me next I might be hauled off in some paddy wagon next
You know, we might have to change the name of the church to straight-jacket Baptist Church
You know
Come back like this
Now if I went you'd probably go that do him some good, you know
Hopefully he finds the help he needs
Right, but I'm just saying look if it could happen there it could happen here
And in fact
I promise you that if we continue on the path that we're on if we keep winning souls and preaching the Word of God and
Changing lives. It's only a matter of time until it happens or
Something of that nature and God can protect and God has God allows things to happen to different people for different reasons
I understand that and I don't know it's gonna show up exactly like that
But I promise you as this church grows there will be Judas's there will be attacks
There will be persecution the Bible says all day that live godly in Christ. Jesus shall suffer persecution
It will happen
It's only a matter of time. So just accept that fact
You know and and here's the thing you've been warned so when it happens don't freak out
Don't jump ship
Don't flake out
And I promise you that I won't do the same
You know, I'll take it on the chin I'll bear the brunt of it
You know just like pastor Anderson up there is and has many times over
What he really needs is people to just stand alongside him stand behind him
Support him I
Mean there's just so many passages and so many characters Samson
Was taken by the Philistines and had his eyes put out and was made to work the mill like an like a like an ox like
a beast of burden and
I get it that he had committed sin and perhaps I was a punishment of God
But his real job is to
But his real crime was, you know, the fact that he was beaten up on all the Philistines and they didn't like him
And they were plotting against him and they used a woman Delilah to get to him
Just like Joseph
What about Micaiah right with Ahab and Jehoshaphat if you remember that story
And they you know, they got all those other prophets and Jehoshaphat wants a hundred and fifty percent
And Jehoshaphat wants another prophet of the lord
And he comes before him and he preaches and says, you know preaches basically against them saying you're not going to come back
The battle's not going to go well
Preaches against the king just says what the bible says
And the king says put this fellow in prison
And feed in the bread of affliction with water affliction until I come in peace
And I love Micaiah and I had to put this in there because I love Micaiah's response
He said if thou return it all in peace, then the lord hath not spoken by me
That's such a powerful response
Right. The king says haul this guy off. I don't like what he has to say
He he doesn't prophesy good to me, but evil so get him out of here
And freed him with bread and water of affliction cast him in the prison
Now what did Micaiah do that was so wrong? Nothing. Nothing
He just preached the bible
And got cast into prison for it
How about Hanani the seer who came to king Asa of Judah and said unto him because thou was relied on the king of
Syria not rely on the lord thy god
Therefore is the most is the host of the king of Assyria escaped out of thine hand
And then Asa was wroth with the seer and put him in a prison house
For he was in a rage with him because of this thing
What did what did the seer Hanani do?
Nothing he just preached the bible. He just said thus saith the lord
And that's what people understand when you have a man of god that's willing to get up and say thus saith the lord
Don't be surprised if he gets cast into prison quite literally
It happened to joseph, what did he do maintained his integrity didn't give in to temptation
Refused to commit adultery great wickedness before god
And let's you know, jeremiah you can study out jeremiah jeremiah went from prison to prison to prison to basically a slime pit
He was cast into the prison which is in the king of judah's house
He was cast in the prison that was in the house of jonathan the scribe
And it says in chapter 38 verse 6 then they took jeremiah cast him into the dungeon of malchiah
That means in three different prisons one prophet
They're just moving him around taking him out. He's preaching he keeps saying doesn't say it the lord well put him back
You know, he goes before the parole board or whatever have you changed no
Babylon you're going to be destroyed the babylonians are going to destroy this place put him back in prison until he learns his lesson
What's he done wrong? Nothing
How about john the baptist
John the baptist all he did is he went to harrod and said hey, it's not lawful for you to have to have your
your brother's wife
You're committing adultery
Kind of reminds me of joseph again, doesn't it?
That's a that's a sore topic
And we all know how that story went he gets cast into prison and eventually gets beheaded
For doing what what did he do wrong preach the bible say thus saith the lord
How about the apostles I mean
We it take it take a long time to go through all the different instances and acts
where the apostles and paul and others are just cast into prison and released and cast into prison and divinely, you know, uh,
Brought out by angels and then cast back in beaten scourged whipped stone stone to death
Death
Just over and over and over again and yet it's so stupid today that you have people go
Oh, well, if that pastor was in prison and taken against his will then he must have deserved it
Or it just might be
That when you preach the word of god
Satan is going to work against you and satan will plant a judas in your midst
I absolutely believe it
It's what the bible teaches
I mean if jesus had and people go. Oh, well, how can you just have these allow these judices to be in your ministry?
I don't know. Why don't you go level you that criticism at christ?
Because the bible says that jesus knew from the beginning who was the devil
Jesus who's god and knows all things chose judas it said you got you know, he's fulfilling prophecy
He's fulfilling prophecy
I understand all that but I mean would you level that criticism at jesus who actually knew from the beginning?
Well, that was pretty stupid. Don't you think jesus to bring a judas into your midst?
That's wicked
And yet people will level that same criticism. Oh, you're too dumb to know there's a judas around
Look, we don't want to go on a witch hunt. I'm not going to stop you at the door. Say are you a judas?
You know, we're not going to set up a sweat lamp back here in a lie detector
You know
I'm not going to start, you know torturing you back there and be like admit it. You're a judas
And get a forced confession
As much fun as I might have doing that's
Right
And here's the thing if you won't even know a judas until he shows his fangs
Until that little tail pops out from you know, that big wolf's tail comes out from underneath that sheep that sheep's clothing
until it's all peeled back
And it's revealed and it's their actions because they say all the right things
They flatter with their mouth, but inwardly they're ravening wolves
What about all the people in hebrews 11
Just you know in hebrews 11 chapter 36
Where you know, he's he's going through the hall of faith. He's talking about
moses
He's talking about this great saint and that great saint and this patriarch and that patriarch and the things that they endured
And then he just gets to verse 36 and he's like and others
Had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings yay moreover of bonds and imprisonments
And he goes on said of whom the world is not worthy
Look if it can happen to joseph if a man like joseph who has integrity
Who is obedient who is blessed of god can find himself in prison. Don't be surprised if it if it happens to someone we know
It means nothing
Obviously, there's people that are in prison that you know
Well, I I don't even think you can make the case for prison. Honestly, it's not a biblical
punishment
But according to this world's standards and their laws. Yeah, there's people that deserve to be in prison because they've broken
certain
Certain laws I get it
But just because somebody goes there does not automatically mean that they're wicked
Let's just wrap up here in genesis right just as an encouragement right what if we find ourselves in a position like this
What if someday, you know, we're on some mission trip somewhere or
you know, we're what you know, we're just out knocking doors in some apartment and some
You know manager gets upset and calls the cops and get hauled off. I mean it's happened
I know people it's happened to
Your pastor gets you know locked up taken away
You know, is is it all over
You know, it's it's God we know the story of Joseph God meant all these things for good
And all things work together for good to them that love God to them that are called according to his purposes. We can't always
Understand it
We can't only see it at first but we just walk by faith and we know that that's the case
Look at verse 23 the keeper of the prison looked out to anything that was under his hand
Because the Lord was with him and where was the Lord?
He was with Joseph and where was Joseph in prison the Lord didn't abandon him the Lord didn't quit on him. The Lord was there with him
The Lord didn't go well it serves you right
So, you know some great lessons from Joseph and we'll see many more Joseph again is just such a great character
And what we see tonight is that you know, he is concerned about his walk with God about having integrity with God
He has real character because character is what you do when you can get away with it
It's how you act when no one is watching
That's what character is it's not putting on a show in front of other people making people think you're a certain way
It's what you're doing when no one sees you
It's how you behave when you could have gotten away with it and who knows if he actually could have or what would have transpired?
But you know, thankfully we don't have to really even wonder about it because Joseph
And as I said in the beginning with his life two weeks ago when we were in chapter 37
He's given that vision at the very beginning of his story
Of the 12 stars and the sun and moon bowing down before him of the 12 sheaves rising up and bowing
He's already has a hope he already has an understanding that ultimately this is going to lead to something
And he's given that vision at the very beginning of his story
He already has an understanding that ultimately this is going to lead to something great
Obviously he can't see how it's going to come to pass
But he's a great example of somebody I believe just walk by faith
And if we're going to make our way through these highs and lows through our lives and through our ministries
We also have to have a have a vision like he did
a vision from God
We have to understand that one day
You know all things will be made right that we one day as the bible says rule and reign with christ
He knew he was going to rule and reign one day
You know the same promise is given to us as god's children. So be faithful have integrity be like joseph
Let's go ahead close in a word of prayer dear lord again. Thank you