The Church of Eleven22 - S01 E81 - Character

Episode Date: September 11, 2020

Hey, church family, if you've got your Bibles, I hope you do for this special edition of DeVos. We're going to continue in this conversation of how do you know what God's call in your life is? And today I want to talk to you about character. You see, because character is just doing what's right according to God's word, no matter the cost, no matter the circumstances. That's what character is. Character is often related to what you'll hear the words character and integrity together. just means living one life. It comes through in the word integer. So as we've been studying the Shema, the love, the Lord your God with all, heart, soul, mind, and strength, that means that we don't

have these divided lives where we live one way in one environment and a different way in a different environment. And the reason the character matters a bunch is because if you don't have character to sustain you, then you'll never be able to walk in God's call for you. And oftentimes, in our life happens in one place and we don't actually get to fulfill it for a really long time and it will be our character that sustains us from today until that day. Now, we're going to try to study 13 chapters of the Bible. So this is the first time I've used notes and it's just I just, I've got to look over different chunks of the scriptures because what I want to do is I want to look at the story of Joseph, the Old Testament, Genesis Joseph. So we're going to pick it up in Genesis

chapter 37. And I'm going to try in 15 minutes or so, give you an overview of his entire life and just let you see how his character came through. And again, character doesn't mean you're awesome. Character, the way I want us to think about it is this. Character is doing what anyone would do that knew that God was with them no matter what. That's what character is. Character is doing what anybody would do that knows that God is who he says he is and he always keeps his promises. So, Genesis chapter 37, verse 5,

now Joseph had a dream and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. And he said to them, here is the dream that I have dreamed. Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright, and behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf. And his brother said to him,

are you indeed to reign over us or are you indeed to rule over us? And so they hated him even more for his dreams and his words. And then he dreamed another dream and he told it to his brothers and he said, behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold the sun and the moon and even the stars will be bowing down to me. You see, God had a vision for his life, a calling in his life. Now, I don't know if, you know, if he should have shared it the way he shared it,

but this is what he decided to do. And so he is less concerned about the approval of man than he is the approval of God. And he says, this is God's call in my life. That God is going to, you know, he's got a plan for me to be lifted up and that you guys are going to bow down to me. Well, what also didn't help too much is that he was his dad's favorite and his dad made him like number one son jacket, even though he wasn't the firstborn son. So his brothers already had a reason to despise him. Now they despise him even more.

and one day his brothers are all out in the field doing their thing, and his dad sends him and says, go check on the brothers. And when he goes and checks on him, the brothers turn on him. In verse 23, it says, So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe and the robe of many colors that he wore. That's the one his dad gave him to prove to everybody that he was his dad's favorite.

And they took him and they threw him into a pit, and the pit was empty, and there was no water in it. So it doesn't start out too good, doesn't it? just because God has a call in your life does not mean it is going to be cotton candy and rainbows. Just because God has a call in your life, it doesn't mean everybody's going to believe you. Now, you should pay attention if the right people don't believe you, but just because God gives you a dream or a vision or promises that he will never leave or forsake you does not mean everything is going to be smooth.

So they beat him up, they throw him in a sister, and they're going to kill him. But one of his brothers named Rubin says, let's don't kill him. What good would that do? Let's just sell him, and at least we can make a little money off of it. So that's what they do. And they take his coat of many colors, and they, like, put some blood on it, and they go home in the light of their dad. And they say, hey, your favorite son, the dreamer, a lion or something ate him,

and we found his bloody clothes. Well, meanwhile, a group of people, I think it's the Ishmaelites, they come by and they buy him. and they take Joseph, and again, at this point he's done nothing wrong, and he's a victim of human trafficking. And so they take him and they put him on the auction block, and somebody buys him. If you pick it up in Chapter 39, this is the story of Joseph being purchased as a slave or a servant.

It says, now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt and Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. Look at verse two. And the Lord was with Joseph. All right. I think we could look at that and go, no, he wasn't. No, no, no, no.

The Lord abandoned Joseph when he got beaten up, betrayed by his brothers, and sold into human trafficking. How are you going to say the Lord was with Joseph? but you see Joseph knew and believed that the Lord was with him. Oftentimes we think that bad circumstances equal God's absence. It is most often the other way around. That the worst circumstances are, man, the presence of God is more palatable. But the Bible said the Lord was with Joseph,

and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of the Egyptian master. And his master saw that the Lord was. with him, and the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. And so Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house, and he put him in charge of all that he had, from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake. Now, nowhere in the text will I ever see that Joseph complains about it, but I don't know about you. If I'm Joseph, I think I'm thinking, God, why don't you bless me for my sake, instead of my slave master

for my sake? But yet, he doesn't do this. He stays focused on God's promises for his life, no matter the circumstances, no matter the cost. He continues to be a man of integrity, a man of character. So he says, that God, the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Joseph's sake. The blessing of the Lord was on all that. he had in the house and in the field, and so he left all that he had in Joseph's charge.

And because of him, he had no concern about anything but the food that he ate. So he elevates Joseph, and he makes him, he puts him in charge of his estate. And at this point, Joseph is probably thinking, well, that wasn't so awesome that I got here, but this ain't so bad. But that's not what Joseph does. Joseph never gives up on God's call in his life. He says, now Joseph was handsome and form and appearance. And after a time, his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, lie with me, but he refused. And he said to his master's wife, behold, because of me, my master has no concern about anything in his house. And he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me,

this is important, except you, because you are his wife. This is a woman. This is what he is saying. Now, how many people have you read about, heard about in the church and outside of the church that God has an incredible plan for them and sexual immorality derails it? Not Joseph. Look at what he says next. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? Like, whoa, Joe, don't you mean sin against your boss? He's like, no, not ultimately. How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he wouldn't listen to her, to lie beside her, or to be with her. But one day, he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was there in the house.

Now, this could have been the opportunity if he's not a man in character. He goes, well, who knows? And I'm a slave anyway. But he's not worried about the applause of man. He just wants to do what's right in the sight of God no matter what. well she caught him by his garment saying lie with me but he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house well when the master gets home she's got his coat so his coat's gotten him in trouble twice so far and she comes up with these trumped-up charges and she said hey you know the guy that you put in charge of everything he tried to come on to me but i fought him off and here's his coat and so false charges against joseph Well, surely God's going to come in and vindicate everything, right? Well, you would think so, but in verse 20, it says,

and Joseph's master took him and put him in the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. Now look at the next verse, verse 21. But the Lord was with Joseph. Now, if I'm Joseph, I think I might say, Lord, why don't you go be with somebody else for a little while? Because every time the Bible says you're with me,

bad things are happening. But again, Joseph, never gives up on God's call in his life. And he knows, he knows that what is going to drive his conduct is knowing that God is who he says he is and he always keeps his promise. And character for Joseph is going to be, I would do what anybody would do that knows that God is with me and that he's got a purpose and a plan for me. But the Lord was with Joseph and Joseph showed him steadfast love and gave him favor and the side of the keeper of the prison. Again, if I'm Joseph, I'm like, Lord, why don't you get me out of the prison?

Like, I don't, if I never have favor with a prison guard, that would be okay with me. I would just, I would like for your favor to be, I wouldn't be in prison. And it says, and the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. And whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. And the keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge because the Lord was with him. Once again.

And whatever he did, the Lord was the Lord. Lord made it succeed. Now, what happens is Joseph bumps into two guys, a cup bearer and the baker for the king. And apparently when the king would get mad, or the Pharaoh would get mad, he would just send people to prison. And they had these crazy dreams and they need an interpreter. And Jesus is, I mean, excuse me, Joseph is like, well, I can interpret dreams. And so he goes to them and he interprets their dream. And one guy, he says, good news, you're going to be back at work in a minute. The other guy, not good news, you're going to be dead in a minute. Both of those things were true. And then he says to the one that

was going to be back at work directly with Pharaoh, he says, listen, whatever you do, whatever you do, when you go see Pharaoh, can you put in a word for me and let him know that I am here unjustly? I did not try to make any advances on Potipers' wife, and would he have favor on me? Pick it up in chapter 41. Now, after two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing. by the Nile. That means that the guy that he said, the guy that he interpreted his dream

is going to go work for Pharaoh, and he said, will you please remember me? The guy didn't want to bring it up. And for two whole years, Joseph is just waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting on God. Now Pharaoh has a dream,

and he has this dream that he's standing by the Nile, and there's a bunch of fat cows eating, and then these seven skinny cows, eat the fat cows. And nobody can interpret the dream. and then finally the cup bear remembers. Oh, yeah, Pharaoh.

I know a guy that might have a dream, be able to interpret your dreams, and so they go get Joseph, and they give him a shower, and they cut his hair, and they bring him before Pharaoh. And in this moment, in this moment, Joseph could have thought, now's my chance.

And he could have thought, well, listen, man, God hasn't helped me at all through all these years. I mean, all I've ever done is try to speak the truth, and I've been beaten up. up, I've been accused, I've been abandoned, I've been left for dead in prison. So maybe I have to fight for me. But because he is a man of character, and he believes that God is who he says he is and always keeps his promise, that's not what he does. In chapter 41 verse 14, it says, Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he

shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have had a dream and there was no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it. Joseph could have thought, now is my chance to make much of me. Joseph answered Pharaoh, it is not me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer. Now, if you're an advisor to Joseph right here, it's when you pull Joseph aside and be like, hey man, that ain't going to work.

Pharaoh thinks he's God. So what you just said is that your God is bigger than him who thinks he's a God. And typically when people do this, Pharaoh kills him. Well, he interprets the dream. He goes, Pharaoh, let me tell you how this thing's going down. This is what your dream means, okay? Those seven fat cows mean you're going to have seven years of plenty. Those seven skinny cows that'd eat the fat cows, that means you've got seven years of famine.

And so I got a plan. Here's what you ought to do. what you ought to do is in the seven years of plenty, you ought to store away as much grain as you can, because in the seven years of famine, you would be the only one that has grain. It'll make him the most powerful person in the region, maybe even the world.

In Pharaoh, verse 39, and when Pharaoh says to Joseph, since God has shown you all of this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people, shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards to throne will I be greater than you. and Pharaoh said to Joseph, see, I have set you over all the land of Egypt. You see, by character and integrity, Joseph trusted God to elevate him, and he did not bow down to Pharaoh.

So now he's in charge of the whole world, basically. Seven years of plenty, they store up grain, they got plenty, seven years of famine hit, and then, funny enough, his brothers and his dad run out of food. So where do they go for food? they have to go to Joseph. And when they come to see Joseph, he kind of messes around with him a little bit. At first, he doesn't let him know who he is. It's been almost 20 years later. I mean, there's a lot going on here. And then eventually he says, why don't you go get dad? Why don't you come here? And I will give you all the food that you need. And you see, he did not get to realize his calling

until much later, but it was his character that sustained him between the time he was called and the time that he stepped into this vision that God had given them. And then you would think, you would think that he would have resentment and hatred towards his brothers. But you know what he did when he had his brothers in front of him. Again, his brothers that beat him, that abandoned him, that sold him into slavery, with one word he could have had their heads taken. But he didn't. He gathers his whole family together, and in Genesis chapter 50, 19, and 20, he says this,

but Joseph said to them, do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good to bring it about that many people should be kept alive as they are today. And you know what was hanging in the balance when it came down to the character of Joseph? he had no idea. The God didn't just use all of those ups and downs, mostly downs, in Joseph's life so that he could save his brothers and his dad. But his brothers and his dad would end up being the 12 tribes of Israel,

and God was growing a nation in Egypt. Then he's going to send Moses to set his people free to take them to the promised land to create this temple sacrificial system, out of which one day in Israel would be born the Savior, and not for just this people group, but the Savior for all the people of the world. You see, character matters. Please, please, please. When God has a call on your life and he's got a call on all his children's life, whether it's to lead a family, lead a corporation, or lead a mission to an unreached people group, please, please, please, do not derail God's call in your life with a of character. Now, this isn't sin management. This is trusting and believing that by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that Jesus living in me can sustain me to walk in faith with character and

integrity the path that he has called out for. How do you do that? You don't do it by your own power. You do it by believing that God is with you, that He would never leave you, who would never forsake you, and that God is for you. And how do you know that? Because he died on the cross for us. And that the spirit of God is in us, producing in us, obedience to God's call in our life. That's what character is. Let's pray.

God, I thank you so much that the good news of the gospel is not achieved. It's received. God, I thank you that our identity precedes our activity. but God, the activity of the faithful believers should be defined as faithful. Lord, we stumble and we fall, but would you, by the power of your spirit, would you continuously produce fruit in us, fruit in us that is in accordance with the call that you have in our lives? We pray it in Jesus' name.

Amen.