Resolve to love God so much that you hate sexual sin.
Genesis 39:7-12
I. Expect Temptation’s Targeted Attacks (v.7)
II. Enumerate the Reasons Why Sin is Very Stupid (vv.8-9)
III. Draw the Battle Lines Far From Temptation—Not on the Edge (vv.10-12)
Application Questions
Last time we came together, we looked at Daniel in Babylon, and I
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:still want to carry that analogy forward.
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:You live in a world that could
call, could be called baby.
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:Now we don't live in the ancient
city of Babylon, but even scripture
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:carries over the idea that the city
of Babylon will return in a new form.
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:Babylon as descriptor and scr in
scripture is meant to show the world
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:actively opposing God, Babylon.
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:That's what we're working with.
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:While we're looking at a new kind of
Babylon and we're looking at a new, a new
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:way of living that actively opposes God.
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:And what's so challenging about it is
that we're immersed in this culture.
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:The culture that we live in actively
opposes God in one major area.
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:There's actually several that you
can think of, I'm sure, but this is
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:one area where I know you feel it.
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:Let's talk a little bit
about our sex saturated world
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:and what that means for us.
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:Uh, let's take a quick
look at this graphic here.
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:If you see this, it says, reported
porn use among Christian men and women.
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:This is for people who
claim to be Christian.
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:This was done in, you can't see this.
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:This is October, 2023.
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:Uh, this is a study by Barna.
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:Barnard does these kinds of
surveys on a regular basis.
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:And so you'll see here that
75% of Christian men, at least
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:professing Christian men, 40% of
Christian women report viewing
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:pornography at least occasionally.
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:Now, that means, uh, I think the
way that they defined occasionally
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:was once a month, once every
other month, something like that.
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:So, uh, there's daily use, there's weekly
use, there's, there's things like that.
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:But the occasional use is the one that
would be, I think, most helpful for us
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:because this means that the majority
of men and getting close to, uh.
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:A majority of women, at least
a, a, a sizable portion are, are
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:viewing this with some regularity.
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:Um, well, let's look more at this.
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:Uh, this, this is also barna,
these, these colorful graphics.
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:Here you see 20, the 20
through the third,:
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:Uh, practicing Christians tend
to see porn as bad for society.
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:That's a good sign that's promising.
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:Overall, do you think that it's
good or a bad thing for our society?
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:Practicing Christians will
say 45% would say very bad.
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:22% would say somewhat bad.
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:22%, neither bad nor good.
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:And then the others we, we
don't need to pay attention to.
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:But look at that.
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:45, 22, 22.
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:Majority of Christian men will
say it's bad, but some are saying,
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:well, it's just somewhat bad.
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:It's not the end of the world.
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:It's not terrible for you.
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:And others will say, well,
it's neither bad nor good.
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:It's hard to know.
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:Depends on the context perhaps.
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:And then of course others will say
what they will say, but I'm interested
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:in that first line practicing.
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:Christians will look at
pornography as maybe something
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:that's not so bad after all.
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:Uh, further here, Christians comfort with
their porn use versus their conviction.
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:This is where it gets
even more interesting.
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:Um, for practicing Christians,
they answered 49% of them answer.
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:I am comfortable with how
much pornography I use.
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:49% of practicing Christians
said I'm comfortable with it,
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:which means, you know, I'm not
looking to change it necessarily.
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:It is what it is.
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:I'm gonna let it be what it is.
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:That second column here, I wish I didn't
use it as much as I do, but some is okay.
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:A number should be zero
for practicing Christians.
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:But you'll see here that at least
one out of five men will say,
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:well, um, some, some is fine.
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:It's tolerable.
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:A third column here, I wish I
didn't use pornography at all.
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:21%.
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:Um, again, if you're a Christian,
that should be the number that we say,
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:yes, I wish I didn't use it at all.
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:I'm, I'm repenting of it.
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:I'm living a life above reproach and
I'm seeking to be removed from that.
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:One of the reasons why it pervades
and continues to be pervasive is
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:it's probably this right here.
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:Most porn users lack accountability.
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:You have anyone in your life who's
helping you avoid pornography.
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:The survey asks, 14% said yes.
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:The vast majority said no.
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:Now, here's what you have to
know on this particular question.
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:This is US adults.
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:This is not necessarily practicing
Christians, you see, but it still shows
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:us that for most people, accountability
in this department is considered.
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:Challenging, at minimum, maybe
socially awkward, something that
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:we don't wanna talk about because
it's so pervasive and so destructive
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:and perhaps shameful, rightly so.
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:This category here tells us that what men
need most right now is a lot of other men
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:who say, look, we're, we're gonna pursue
holiness and God fearing living together.
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:And that means that we're going to,
we're gonna be open about these things.
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:This sermon is not about pornography.
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:But it is about sexual integrity.
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:And as I thought about what the sermon
means for all of us, I had to say,
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:okay, what is the typical usage of
something that destroys men's integrity?
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:And this is gonna be this category here.
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:Uh, usually a man doesn't become a
serial adultery without taking mitigating
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:steps leading up to the larger sin.
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:I don't want you guys to sin by blowing
your marriages or giving yourselves away
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:in inappropriate ways and sexual ways.
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:I don't want you to go into massage
parlors and asking for happy endings.
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:I want you to be men who
are above reproach this.
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:These stats tell me where
we are as a culture.
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:It doesn't tell me about where we
are as a church, but it gives me an
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:idea and, and I've been counseling
men long enough to know that this
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:is one of the most difficult and
pernicious sins that men struggle with.
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:I don't know where you're at
with this, but I do know that.
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:You're, if you have red blood
running through your veins, you
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:likely have a sex drive and perhaps
have struggled with this before.
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:I remember being a young man struggling
with this and saying, Lord, I'd
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:rather not have this if this is the
way that my mind works and my, I'd
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:rather just not have a sex drive.
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:If it means I'm going to do
things that dishonor you.
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:If you know what that feels like,
um, then you're in good company.
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:Here's how scripture tells us
to wrestle with these things.
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:Uh, of course we're gonna talk about
accountability and openness, but I
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:wanna look at the story of Joseph.
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:Joseph's gonna give us a really
good picture of what it looks like
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:to resist sexual temptation and to
run in the polar opposite direction.
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:And sure, there are techniques that I can
give you and I'm gonna give you today.
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:I think things that
will be helpful for you.
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:But what we really have to wrestle with
is the heart behind Joseph's denial.
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:It's one thing for me to
say, Hey, don't do this.
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:Don't go to these places late at night.
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:Make sure that your computer has this kind
of software on it, and that's helpful.
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:Sure.
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:But that's not gonna be ultimately.
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:It's not gonna ultimately
deliver you from this.
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:There has to be something massive that
takes shape in your heart, such that you
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:want to say, no more sexual sin, no more
idolatry, no more sexual immorality.
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:And that's gonna be the
heart of the sermon.
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:So while there's gonna be practices
and techniques, I want to give
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:you the heart of the issue.
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:But before we get there, let's open
up the story of Genesis chapter 39.
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:We're gonna pick up in the
middle of Joseph's story.
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:You might know at this point,
Joseph has been sold into slavery.
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:He has now been, uh, moved from,
from walking with nomads to now he's,
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:he's living in Potiphar's house.
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:Potiphar's, a high
ranking Egyptian official.
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:Not exactly sure what rank he is or
what, what, why he is what he is.
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:But he's a high ranking person.
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:He has, uh, he has
authority, he has power.
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:He has a kind of prestige that
a lot of people would look for.
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:Oh, well one of the things that
God blesses Potter for with is
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:Joseph, take a look at chapter 39.
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:We're gonna at least get the
gist of what's happening here.
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:So I can focus in on verse
seven through 12, but follow
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:with me Chapter 39 verse one.
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:Now, Joseph had been brought down
to Egypt and Potiphar, an officer
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:of Pharaoh, the captain of the
Guard in Egyptian, had brought,
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:not bought him from the Ishmaelites
who had brought him down there.
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:So he sold, he's handed
off to Potiphar, verse two.
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:The Lord was with Joseph and he
became a successful man and he
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:was in the house of his Egyptian.
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:So he's not just a field slave,
he's a high ranking slave.
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:Joseph is shown to be valuable to
pot defer, and so he's not gonna be
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:out in the fields doing other things.
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:He's in the house, which is the
honorable place to serve as a slave.
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:This is where Joseph is Verse three, his
master saw that the Lord was with Joseph.
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:Now, the Lord caused all that
he did to succeed in his hands.
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:So Joseph found favor in
his site and attended him.
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:He made him overseer of his house and
put him in charge of all that he had.
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:So now he's not just a house
slave, he's not just honored as
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:being a slave within the house.
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:He is slave who's in charge of over,
over all the house, and this charge is,
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:is put, it puts Poter in a good place
because he says Joseph is trustworthy.
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:Look at verse five.
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:From that time, he made him overseer
in his house and over all that he had.
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:The Lord blessed the Egyptian's
house for Joseph sake.
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:A blessing of the Lord was on all
that he had in the house and field.
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:Everything that Joseph
touches is being blessed.
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:He's got, he's got the
Midas touch here, verse six.
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:So Potiphar left all that
he had in Joseph's charge.
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:And because of Joseph, he had no concern
about anything but the food he ate.
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:So in verse six here, the, the concern
about only food is interesting because
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:it's kind of odd that it stands out.
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:Why does he give Joseph charge
of everything but not the food?
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:And there's two ways to
approach this, either a.
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:There's a ceremonial thing that
the Egyptians prefer not to have.
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:The, the, the foreigners touch their food.
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:And we see a sense of this later on.
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:When Joseph, remember his brothers come
to him, they're bowing down to him.
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:They have a meal.
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:Joseph eats at the other table because
the Egyptians don't eat with the Hebrews.
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:That could be it.
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:Or the context leans or suggests
that maybe that what he means
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:by this is actually his wife.
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:And I'll point out, I'll
point out the proof to you.
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:For that in a second.
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:Carrying on this, this
next paragraph here.
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:Now, Joseph was handsome in form
and appearance and after a time
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:his master's wife cast her eyes
on Joseph and said, lie with me.
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:But he refused and said to his
master's wife, behold, because of
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:me, my master has no concern about
anything in the house and he has put
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:everything that he has in my charge.
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:He is not greater in this house
than I am, nor has he kept back.
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:Kept back anything from me except
you because you are his wife.
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:There you go.
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:Everything he's in charge of except you.
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:His food perhaps.
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:So maybe the food is a
reference to his wife.
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:He's kept everything back.
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:He's kept nothing back except for you.
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:How then can I do this Great
wickedness and sin against God.
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:And as she spoke to Joseph and, and
as she spoke to Joseph Day after
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:day, Joseph would not listen to her
to lie beside her or to be with her.
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:But one day.
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:When he went into the house to do his
work and none of the men of the house
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:was there in the house, she caught him
by his garment and said, lie with me.
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:But he left his garment in her hand and
he fled and got out of the house, and
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:as soon as she saw that he had left his
garment in her hand and had fled out of
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:the house, she called to the men of her
household and said to them, see, he has
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:brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us.
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:He came into me to lie with me,
and I cried out with a loud voice,
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:and as soon as he heard that, I
lifted up my voice and cried out.
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:He left his garment beside me and
fled and got out of the house.
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:Then she laid up his garment by
her until his master came home.
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:That's her husband, and she told her
husband the same story saying, this Hebrew
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:servant whom you have brought among us
came in, came into me to laugh at me.
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:Mocking playing with her.
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:As you know, of course it's
sexual innuendo, but she's saying
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:the this young servant that you
brought in, he's mocking us.
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:He's laughing at us, he's
making sport of me, verse 18.
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:But as soon as I lifted up my voice
and cried, he left his garment
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:beside me and fled out of the house.
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:As soon as his master heard the words
that his wife spoke to him, this
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:is the way your servant treated me.
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:His anger was kindled and Joseph's
master took him and put him into prison.
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:The place where the king's prisoners
were confined and he was there in
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:prison, but the Lord was with Joseph
and showed him steadfast love and gave
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:him favor in the side of the keeper
of the prison, and the keeper of the
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:prison put Joseph in charge of all
the prisoners who were in the prison.
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:Whatever was done there,
he was the one who did it.
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:Keeper of the prison, paid no attention
to anything that was in Joseph's charge
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:because the Lord was with him and whatever
he did, the Lord made it succeed in this.
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:Introductory.
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:Well, this is not the intro
in, in this story about Joseph.
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:We see a few things.
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:We see Joseph's commitment to the Lord.
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:We see his resistance against sin, and we
also see Potiphar's wife going after him.
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:She cares, she, she not,
doesn't care about him.
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:She lusts after him.
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:And we see this operative here.
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:I wanna focus your attention
starting on verse seven.
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:In fact, the second half of verse six.
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:But I wanna focus your attention
on a few key details as we start
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:to open up verses seven through 12.
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:Look at verse six B where
it says now, Joseph.
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:Now, Joseph was handsome
in form and appearance.
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:This same exact phrase is used
for Rachel in contrast to Leah.
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:Now, Rachel was beautiful
in form and appearance.
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:It is exactly the same phrase.
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:The word yaffe for beautiful
or handsome just means someone
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:that's really attractive.
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:He is really attractive and not
just attractive in appearance.
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:He's not just good to look
at, but he's well built.
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:Some might say he's chiseled.
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:He is a gifted man.
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:God has given him the gift of.
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:Just, you know, one of those
people that's like, wow, that
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:dude's handsome and he's stacked.
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:He's got great muscles and whatever else.
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:He's a, he's a standout kind of guy
of the beauty and likeness to Rachel.
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:He's a standout guy.
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:Now, this gift actually is a, a two edged
sword because in verse seven, notice here,
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:after a time, that is after a long period
of time, his master's wife cast her eyes
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:on Joseph and said to him, lie with me.
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:Now, here's what you have
to know about Joseph.
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:He was sold into slavery
about 17 years old.
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:At least that's what we find
out in Genesis 37, verse two.
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:He's 30 years old when he
begins to serve Pharaoh.
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:So we now know that Joseph was sold
at 17 and he was serving Pharaoh
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:at 30, which means that time inter
in between is when he's with Poter.
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:Can we narrow it down a little further?
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:Well, we find out that he's 28 years
old when he's imprisoned by pot.
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:Her.
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:So somewhere between 17 and
28 is where Joseph is now.
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:For most of us, we're gonna
acknowledge this is the pri,
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:this is the prime of our lives.
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:This is when your body is as
strong as it's ever gonna be.
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:This is when you're, you know, you're
gonna be as young and attractive
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:as you probably will ever be.
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:Hope I'm not offending any of us.
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:This is just the reality.
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:This is the prime of his life
when she casts her eyes upon him.
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:So let's make some observations
then, if this is a high ranking
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:official in Pharaoh's house.
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:These guys got the best
pick of the land, right?
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:And when it came to the ladies, there
was not a shortage of beautiful,
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:attractive females for them to choose.
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:And so it makes sense that
Potiphar would choose a very
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:attractive woman to be his bride.
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:We agree with that.
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:There's nothing in the
text that says that.
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:Just making an observation,
that's likely the case.
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:She was probably not a bad
looking woman, is my, is my point.
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:Joseph is in the prime of his life.
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:She's not a bad looking woman.
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:She comes to him and remember,
she is his master's wife.
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:His master's wife.
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:Which also suggests that she's
got authority over him as well.
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:So this woman now looks at Joseph,
and I want you to pay attention here
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:to how this actually comes about.
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:And verse seven says, after a time
that is over the matriculation of
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:time, there's a, there's a growing of
her lust in her heart toward this man.
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:And then notice here, after a
time, his master's wife, it's not
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:Joseph's wife, it's his master's
wife, she cast her eyes on Joseph.
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:Think about the phrasing of that word.
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:Cast her eyes.
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:That's a decision.
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:It's one thing to notice that someone is
attractive, yaffe, beautiful or handsome.
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:It's one thing to say, oh, that's
a really attractive person.
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:But there's a difference between
saying, oh, I noticed that, versus,
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:I'm gonna look at that and I'm
gonna feast upon that with my mind.
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:That's what she's doing.
316
:Potiphar's wife casts her eyes on him.
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:There's a decision to say, I'm going to
feed now what feels attracted to you.
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:I'm going to enjoy that.
319
:I'm gonna feast them and maybe I'm maybe
gonna visualize what all that means.
320
:We see in Potiphar's wife, the
beginning and budding stages of lust.
321
:Finally, her feasts, uh, the feast
of her eyes can't be satisfied.
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:She now has to consume it with her body.
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:And so she comes to him
and says, lie with me.
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:Come and in, and forsake,
forsake the Lord and lie with me.
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:Joseph could have said, well, A, she's
attractive, and B well, she is my master.
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:She is my master.
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:I should, I should do this.
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:This is my master.
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:And think about the timing of Genesis 39.
330
:When do you get the 10 Commandments?
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:This is not meant to embarrass you, is it?
332
:Is it in Genesis?
333
:Do you get the 10 Commandments?
334
:In Genesis, you do not.
335
:10 Commandments doesn't appear
for several hundred years.
336
:We are in Genesis 39.
337
:So Joseph doesn't have anything to
point to and say, well, the Bible
338
:says, you know, he doesn't have that.
339
:There's no there.
340
:There is no law of Moses yet.
341
:Moses isn't even on the scene
until after Joseph is dead.
342
:So you have Joseph potentially
saying, well, she is my master.
343
:There's no law that says I can't.
344
:It's at least nothing from that I've
heard from Yahweh that says, I can't.
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:She is attractive.
346
:Well, maybe this is a gift of
God for all the wrongs that have
347
:been done to be to this point.
348
:Joseph doesn't do that.
349
:He denies it.
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:Joseph rejects this, of course,
but I wanna point your attention to
351
:something that should be obvious to us.
352
:But sometimes we just forget.
353
:I want you to see how this.
354
:The devil uses everything that
could be positive against Joseph.
355
:The devil was quick to take him and misuse
him and and deliver him to temptation.
356
:And I want you to do the same.
357
:I want you to expect that when you are
in a good season of life or whatever
358
:God is taking you to, actually,
Joseph was not in a good season.
359
:You should expect temptations
targeted attacks to your life.
360
:Remember, Joseph is
young, he's attractive.
361
:Joseph has a sex drive like any
other guy, she comes to him.
362
:I could, I can imagine that
he would struggle with that.
363
:Again, he could use all these kinds
of justifications to say, well,
364
:maybe this is the gift of God.
365
:Maybe this is the right thing.
366
:Maybe this is what God wants me to do.
367
:And yet Joseph recognizes,
no, this is not of the Lord.
368
:I need you to expect temptations,
targeted attacks, expect that
369
:temptation is gonna come after you.
370
:And I don't mean temptation
as a per a persona.
371
:Uh, the world, the flesh and the
devil are all working against you.
372
:You expect that.
373
:Your enemy has time to observe you, to
find your weaknesses and to exploit them.
374
:In fact, have you guys ever had
this suspicion that your, the ads,
375
:uh, on, on your phone or the ads
on your Facebook are coming from
376
:somewhere that aren't exactly good?
377
:You think maybe your, my
phone is listening to me.
378
:It was a Washington Post article that
ran a few years ago, uh, trying to dispel
379
:the myth that your phone is listening to
you and so they have conclusive evidence.
380
:Your phone is likely not eavesdropping.
381
:Maybe that's comforting to you, but it
should not be because they actually say
382
:they have so much more information on you
that that's the least of your concerns.
383
:Here's the things that they said.
384
:They're getting such a deep picture
of us as individuals, more so than
385
:listening to your conversations.
386
:In other words, the, the ad data
available for you online is so vast
387
:that they don't need to listen to you.
388
:All they need to do is
have your wifi network.
389
:All they need to do is, is have your,
you know, the cookies that track you on
390
:the different websites, and so they say
in the hypothetical dinner conversation
391
:that you think they're overhearing.
392
:Maybe you didn't search the web for
ice skates after your chat, but your
393
:spouse did over your shared wifi
network and perhaps your home apps, your
394
:phone apps rather have logged the time
you've spent in or near a skating rink.
395
:Advertisers could also have bought
information about the age of
396
:the children in your household.
397
:All that data could be collated
to, to building a really powerful
398
:picture of who you are in order
to target you with advertisements.
399
:And so when it seems like your
phone, or your Facebook or whatever
400
:else is listening to your phone
conversations, it's not that they're
401
:actually listening to your soul.
402
:They're inva invading your privacy
by learning a whole lot of things
403
:about you, and that information
is sold to the highest bidder.
404
:What's interesting about that
is that they're really good at
405
:targeting attacks because they're
observing things about you.
406
:They observe that you know the
car that you drive, you know the
407
:apps that you have on your phone.
408
:They can collate all that data.
409
:Who do you think has been
doing that the longest though?
410
:It's not advertisers.
411
:It is our enemy.
412
:He's had a lot more time to observe you
than anything your phone has ever done.
413
:In fact, advertisers are
just late to the game.
414
:The devil's been doing this
for all time in eternity.
415
:Well, it's not exactly true.
416
:Not eternity.
417
:He's not, he's not an eternal
being, but you get my point.
418
:He's had a long time to watch you.
419
:There are, I'm sure demons assigned
to our church that are said, just
420
:go watch them, see what they're
doing, see what their weaknesses
421
:are, listen to their conversations.
422
:Find ways to exploit them.
423
:If you ever read screw tape letters,
uh, screw tapes, letters from CS
424
:Lewis, that's well worth your time.
425
:It's hard to read 'cause you
have to kind of do the reverse
426
:and say, okay, this is not God.
427
:This is the opposite of God.
428
:Read that and I think you, you, you
get a clear picture of how, how the
429
:spiritual word world tends to work.
430
:There are three areas that
I want you to be aware of.
431
:Three targeted areas of, of
the phone, not the phone.
432
:The devil attacking you.
433
:These are huge.
434
:Um, I got the ideas for these three
areas from Costen Berger, but I need
435
:to give you my own spin on them.
436
:He, he offers them in the
context of his book on marriage.
437
:Lemme give you a couple of these though.
438
:Number one, of course, sexual temptation.
439
:There's never a time in your
life I think that you can
440
:never let your guard down here.
441
:Sexual temptation is gonna be one of
those areas that you should expect
442
:the devil to use things against you
because you're a visual creature.
443
:You're designed by God
to have a sex drive.
444
:It's his good gift to you.
445
:And you should expect that This is
always going to present a challenge
446
:for you unless God makes you a eunuch.
447
:And you know, when I was a young man, I
used to pray, God, please take this away.
448
:I used to pray this.
449
:God, please, I'd rather not have this.
450
:Um, I realize now that's
a foolish thing to ask.
451
:I don't want that.
452
:I want the good gift, man.
453
:I'd rather not sin, but
I want the good gift.
454
:I wanna enjoy the good
gift that God has given me.
455
:And I'm sure you do too.
456
:You need to be aware that one of
the areas a devil will attack you
457
:is in the area of your sex life.
458
:Um, let me just open the kimono with
you and talk a little bit about some of
459
:the counseling sessions that I've had.
460
:Obviously no names here.
461
:Um, you probably haven't talked
to a man who's married, who
462
:struggles to perform for his wife,
463
:doesn't know why he's perfectly healthy.
464
:But if you dig below the
surface, you might uncover that.
465
:He spent a lot of time with pornography,
spent a lot of time with pornography,
466
:and so his mind struggles now to be
attracted to his not so attractive wife.
467
:I mean, she's not, she's not gonna
be someone on a cover of a magazine.
468
:You know, you're not gonna
see her on an advertisement.
469
:She's just ordinary, and he now
struggles to feel the strong attraction
470
:that is necessary for that performance
471
:when he does.
472
:He struggles to take it
all the way he could.
473
:He could get the car started, as
it were, but struggle to get to the
474
:destination and the car loses gas.
475
:We're tracking with what I'm saying here.
476
:One of the worst satanic attacks
that we are facing today is this
477
:ongoing feeding of our sexual
proclivities with pornography.
478
:Our young men are facing it.
479
:We're facing it.
480
:We know what this is like.
481
:You just have to know this is
something that the devil is
482
:using against your marriages.
483
:Your kids' marriages.
484
:This is an area that you
have to guard and protect.
485
:You are the one that God has
called to protect your home.
486
:That means protecting your own heart.
487
:That means making sure that you are not
giving yourself to these things, and
488
:then telling your sons and your daughters
and your grandkids, Hey, don't do this.
489
:Do as I say, don't, don't do as I do.
490
:You know, speaking of a, a husband and
wife engaging in physical intimacy, I
491
:want you to write down one Corinthians
seven, five, right this down.
492
:You're gonna, I'll have you look at
it later, but here's what it says.
493
:First Corinthians seven, five.
494
:Do not deprive one another except
perhaps by agreement for a limited
495
:time that you may devote yourselves
to prayer, but then come together
496
:again so that Satan may not tempt you
because of your lack of self-control.
497
:First Corinthians seven, five tells
you married men, that you are to
498
:give your wife her conjugal rights.
499
:You are to give them to her.
500
:You're to perform in this area.
501
:This is, this is your obligation.
502
:In fact, scripture, this is one of
the only places, and this is the only
503
:place Scripture says You have rights.
504
:You have rights.
505
:Your right is to receive your
conjugal rights from your wife.
506
:Her right is to receive her
conjugal rights from you.
507
:You are commanded to give
your wife what's hers?
508
:This is, this is something
I can't overstate.
509
:Uh, I've, I've canceled couples
and we've talked to other
510
:pastors who counsel couples who.
511
:It just doesn't happen.
512
:It doesn't happen for a lot of reasons.
513
:You know, there's busyness and there's,
there's seasons of life where there we
514
:can't find time and all, you know, things.
515
:One month turns into two, turns into
six, and then suddenly it's like,
516
:well, we don't really need to, I
don't feel the attraction anymore.
517
:Like, we've got our, our got
our plans working, you know,
518
:we're getting our jobs done.
519
:This is an area you have to protect.
520
:You have to protect this,
and you have to pursue this.
521
:This has to be an ongoing
practice of your life.
522
:If you're married, this is
something you have to do.
523
:It's can imagine a single guy hearing
this saying you have to pursue your wife.
524
:Yeah.
525
:When you're young, you don't
even think that this is an,
526
:this is gonna be an issue.
527
:Um, but as you know, as you get older,
things change, plumbing changes.
528
:Uh, you have to, you have
to do the work though.
529
:This is something God calls us to.
530
:This is a right and
good thing for us to do.
531
:You have to pursue this.
532
:God gives you the opportunity.
533
:You have to do it.
534
:At some point, things change.
535
:You're not able to anymore.
536
:I get that.
537
:This is one area you need to be aware of.
538
:Relational, uh, sexual temptations.
539
:Relational temptations.
540
:Can I tell you one of the,
the tools of the enemy?
541
:Um, and obviously we're talking about
sexual morality here, but one of the
542
:tools of the enemy is to isolate you.
543
:And so one way to isolate you and get you
bored and figuring like, what do I do now?
544
:And I have friends I hang out with.
545
:I'm just gonna go look at porn,
um, or I'm gonna pursue this
546
:relationship on this, you know, this.
547
:Nefarious website.
548
:One of the ways that the devil does
that is by isolating you from other men.
549
:And so I'm glad you're here.
550
:I'm preaching to the choir.
551
:This is good.
552
:I'm glad you guys are here.
553
:But if the devil can get you by
yourself, left to your own devices,
554
:this then frees you to do things
with a slightly less loud conscience.
555
:'cause I don't have you
to tell me this is wrong.
556
:I don't have you confronting me.
557
:I don't have anyone asking
me, Hey, how's your pro?
558
:How's your browsing going?
559
:How's your marriage going?
560
:How's your intimacy going?
561
:I mean, that's not the question
we ask each other, but maybe
562
:it's a question we should start.
563
:We should start investing time to ask.
564
:You can't ask this to everybody.
565
:I know that you can't ask anybody in the
room, Hey, how's your sex life going?
566
:But you could say, I care
about you and not say How.
567
:How's your heart?
568
:How's your walk with Christ?
569
:What does it look like?
570
:Uh, you're single.
571
:You're single right now.
572
:How?
573
:How is, how is your sexual
purity in your singleness?
574
:Um.
575
:This is the area where we have to
care for for each other enough to say,
576
:look, I'm gonna risk offending you
and potentially hurting your feelings
577
:when I talk about these things.
578
:Relational temptations are
those that the church is
579
:a uniquely susceptible to because our job
is to be in each other's kitchen, and when
580
:that happens, the risk that I possess here
is that you, you get mad at me for that.
581
:Even as your pastor,
my job is to call you.
582
:If I send something's up,
my job is to call you.
583
:You should expect if things are
going wrong in your life, one of
584
:your pastors is gonna find out
about it and they're gonna call you.
585
:You know how much trepidation
I feel about that?
586
:'cause like he's, I'm gonna get him
mad, he's gonna be upset, he's gonna
587
:leave our church because he's not gonna
appreciate the fact that he's being
588
:called to the, the mad about something.
589
:The relational temptations that
are part of this whole equation are
590
:legion, and all I'm saying here is
that you should expect this targeted
591
:attack because of where you are.
592
:The devil doesn't want you
to be part of a church.
593
:Devil doesn't want you to have godly
friends who call you to the mat.
594
:The devil doesn't want you to pray
with other Godly men so that you
595
:can guard your marriage and love
your wife and lead your kids.
596
:Of course, he doesn't want that, so he's
gonna bring you by herself, put you in
597
:isolation so that you'll focus on other
things, fleshly temptations or just
598
:disassociating from the church altogether.
599
:The targeted attack for you may
not look the same as Joseph.
600
:You may not be a strapping young
man with bulging muscles, but
601
:you're a husband, you're a father.
602
:Those are areas that God.
603
:Will want you to expect that the, the
enemy will attack you in if you're single,
604
:you should expect the enemy to attack
you in your singleness and to lure you
605
:and say, well, you're not married yet.
606
:It's fine.
607
:It's fine.
608
:There are some images
that you'll never forget.
609
:Relationships for those in the
room who are married, marriage
610
:temptations, there's a lot of them.
611
:I thought about this given the fact that
there's a lot of singles in the room,
612
:but I, I think marriage is so important.
613
:Hebrews chapter 13 tells us that
marriage should be held in honor
614
:among all, not just the marriage.
615
:Marriage should be held in
honor among our congregation.
616
:There are unique temptations that come
with marriage and it's a good thing.
617
:So we should expect the targeted
attacks of the enemy to try
618
:to break our marriages apart.
619
:Um, marriage temptations for you
would be anger, unforgiveness,
620
:bitterness, a wife that will not
submit, a husband that will not lead.
621
:These are areas where you need to
recognize that God is going to hold
622
:us accountable for these areas.
623
:In fact, verse Peter, chapter three,
we're gonna get to it in a couple
624
:months, I believe, where Peter says,
your relationship with God can be
625
:disrupted because you're not showing
honor to the woman as the weaker vessel.
626
:You're not caring for her the way
that God calls for, and therefore,
627
:he's not gonna listen to your prayers.
628
:You need to expect targeted attacks
from temptation, from your enemy,
629
:the world, the flesh, and the devil.
630
:That's what happened to Joseph.
631
:That's what's gonna happen to you.
632
:It's part of the story here.
633
:Let's continue on the
next few verses here.
634
:Let's take a look at how Joseph
responds to this, and this, of course,
635
:is one of the reasons why we're
studying this in the first place.
636
:Take a look at verse
eight, Genesis chapter 39.
637
:If you have your Bibles, look,
look along with me, please.
638
:I love this, but he refused.
639
:Let's just take a moment to honor that.
640
:This attractive woman's coming
up on him, but he refused.
641
:And I want you to pay special
attention to what he says.
642
:Take.
643
:Take a look at here.
644
:He said to his master's wife,
again acknowledging that
645
:she doesn't belong to him.
646
:She belongs to Potiphar.
647
:It's says Master's wife.
648
:Behold, because of me, my master has
no concern about anything in the house.
649
:And he has put in, he's put
everything that he has in my charge.
650
:He is not greater in this house than I
am, nor has he kept back anything from
651
:me except you, because you are his wife.
652
:As though she needed the
rationale to understand, and
653
:I guess that is a point here.
654
:Lust does make you stupid.
655
:Lust and sin is not sanity.
656
:It's not sensical.
657
:This is why we, we go after each other
because we know we're just, and sin.
658
:We're not sane.
659
:He hasn't kept back anything from me
except you, because you are his wife.
660
:Now, I want you to pay attention
to this last sentence because it's
661
:the opposite of what you'd expect.
662
:It's an ironic twist.
663
:You expect something, but
you're gonna get another thing.
664
:And that's what emphasizes
this verse among the rest.
665
:Okay?
666
:Pay attention, I'll read it the way
that we expect it, and then you'll
667
:read it the way that it's there.
668
:Here's the way that we're gonna
expect, let, let me back up just so
669
:I can give you the sense of this.
670
:Um, because of me, my master
has no concern about anything.
671
:He's not greater in this house than I am.
672
:He's not kept back anything
except, uh, from you, except
673
:kept back anything from me.
674
:Except you because you're his wife.
675
:How then can I do this great
wickedness and sin against my master?
676
:Do you see it?
677
:Where you would expect
him to say, my master.
678
:He says, my master.
679
:So this whole time Joseph is
giving her a litany of reasons.
680
:My master's authority, my master's
trust, my man, my master's care,
681
:everything my master's given me.
682
:I, man, how could I, how
could I dishonor my master?
683
:And yet he doesn't say that.
684
:He says, how can I do this great
wickedness and sin against God?
685
:This, this verse is in neon blinking
flashing lights in the Bible.
686
:Because it goes in a completely different
direction than what you're expecting.
687
:It's like going on a rollercoaster.
688
:You expect it to go right, and it twists.
689
:You left and you're like,
whoa, I wasn't expecting that.
690
:You got whiplash.
691
:That's what's happening here.
692
:Moses, who we believe to have written
the Pentateuch is writing to highlight
693
:off the page what drove Joseph.
694
:What drove Joseph to say no
to this great wickedness.
695
:While it was his high view of God,
his honor for God, everything leading
696
:up to that one sentence is my master.
697
:My master, my master.
698
:But then he reveals his true master.
699
:And he says, I could.
700
:I could never do this against
God, my sin against God.
701
:So temptation will come.
702
:The question is, will you be ready?
703
:And I want you to do at least a little
bit of what Joseph does, and I want you to
704
:list the reasons why sin is very stupid.
705
:List the reasons why sin is very stupid.
706
:Actually, I put enumerate
'cause I wanna be fancy.
707
:Number a system.
708
:Number two, enumerate the
reasons why sin is very stupid.
709
:I dunno about you, but in my house,
stupid is not a word that we encourage.
710
:It's close to a cuss word.
711
:In my family, we only allow our kids
to use it when it's appropriate.
712
:So I hope you understand.
713
:I'm not trying to be, I'm not
trying to, uh, insult you.
714
:Uh, I'm just trying to help you understand
here, I'm not using this word casually.
715
:I, I don't think stupid is a helpful word.
716
:Most of the time we, we don't
tell our kids to use it, but I
717
:wanna use it with you guys and
I think all of us would agree.
718
:Sin is very stupid.
719
:But rarely do we take the time
to do what Joseph does here.
720
:He's got a list of, I can find elements,
things that he says to Potiphar's
721
:wife to diffuse the situation.
722
:At least in his mind, I don't even
know if she's talking to her as
723
:much as he is talking to himself.
724
:He's saying, look, my master.
725
:Has no concern.
726
:I've got my master's trust,
I've got my master's charge.
727
:I've got my master's
position and authority.
728
:I've got my master's generosity, and
I really care about King Jesus Honor.
729
:I mean, obviously it's an anachronism
here, but you get the idea.
730
:He has a list at the ready to pull out
whenever temptation comes along, do you,
731
:do you have a list ready to pull out?
732
:When temptation comes along, you need to
have something in your heart and mind.
733
:You need to have a list of reasons why
sin is very stupid, at least one practice.
734
:You spend time doing this, you're
journaling you and the Lord.
735
:What would happen to
my life if I did this?
736
:What's the fallout of my sin
against my wife, my kids, my church?
737
:This began a fallout.
738
:Um, we recently passed the 80 year mark
where the, the first atomic bombs are drop
739
:dropped on, uh, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
740
:So time, uh, time Magazine
produced an article.
741
:From, from survivors of the fallout.
742
:This is gnarly.
743
:I mean, they have little stories
from people, uh, little anecdotes
744
:about what it was like to experience
the fallout of an atomic bomb.
745
:Here's Yasujiro Tanaka.
746
:Let me just read to you
briefly what he says.
747
:I was three years old at
the time of the bombing.
748
:I don't remember much, but I do
recall that my surroundings turned
749
:blindingly white, like a million
camera flashes going off at once Then.
750
:Pitch darkness.
751
:I was buried alive under the house.
752
:I've been told.
753
:When my uncle finally found me and
pulled my tiny 3-year-old body out from
754
:under the debris, I was unconscious.
755
:My face was misshapen.
756
:He was certain that I was dead.
757
:Thankfully, I survived.
758
:But since that day, mysterious scabs began
to form all over my body, I lost hearing
759
:in my left ear, probably due to the blast.
760
:More than a decade after the bombing,
my mother began to notice glass shards
761
:growing out of her skin debris from
the day of the bombing, presumably.
762
:My younger sister suffers from
chronic muscle cramps to this day
763
:on top of her kidney issues that has
her on dialysis three times a week.
764
:That's what that says, I'm told.
765
:So that's a translation for you.
766
:You know, I suspect that if we were able
to see the fallout from sexual sin as
767
:easily as the fallout of an atomic bomb,
we would probably more eagerly fight it.
768
:You can see the fallout of an atomic bomb.
769
:Its physical effects
are, are, are terrifying.
770
:The disfigurement of the bodies and you
can even today still see black and white
771
:images of people's bodies that were
charred, charred to a, I mean, to a crisp.
772
:You could see this, you could see the
fallout, and yet with sexual sin, I would
773
:argue the fallout is actually worse.
774
:Spiritually speaking, it's not a physical
fallout, but the spiritual effects
775
:of sexual sin are so pernicious, so
evil, and so far reaching that we'd
776
:be crazy not to give it attention.
777
:So here's what I wanna do for you.
778
:Um, as you think about this, I'm
going to ask you to, to do a, a little
779
:bit of a, a practice with me here.
780
:I want you to envision something and got
this idea from a book that I recently
781
:read on the subject of sexual purity.
782
:And I thought, oh, this is so good,
it's so helpful, I wanna give it to you.
783
:Okay?
784
:So I want you in your mind's
eye to envision what this
785
:might look like for you.
786
:You have just committed some kind
of sin against your, your wife,
787
:your kids, your family, your
grandkids, something like this.
788
:Sorry about that.
789
:Okay, let me take you
through this scenario.
790
:Envision yourself calling together,
your elders, your pastors, and sitting
791
:in their midst and telling them
how you have betrayed their trust.
792
:See their sunken faces and
feel their broken hearts.
793
:Listen to them.
794
:Consider how they'll tell your
community group and the church, and
795
:then imagine your brothers and sisters'
confusion and how it will affect
796
:those with whom you've done life with.
797
:Imagine how the name of Christ will be
mocked in your community and beyond.
798
:Then picture walking out
to your car and getting in.
799
:Drive down the road near your house and
circle your neighborhood a few times.
800
:Picture the place where you walked
your dog, where you walked with
801
:your wife, and where you played
with your children in the evenings.
802
:Now pull into your driveway or your garage
and walk up to the door of your house.
803
:Hear the scampering feet of your
children running up to you and putting
804
:their arms around your legs saying,
daddy's home in your mind's eye.
805
:See the way they love and they trust you.
806
:Drink that in deeply.
807
:Now, tell your kids to go play
outside because you have to
808
:talk to mommy about something.
809
:And as you walk to the kitchen where
she's faithfully going about her day,
810
:serving you dinner, preparing the
meals, look at the smiling pictures
811
:on the wall, and remember the happy
days that you shared together.
812
:Lead her by the hand to your
bedroom where you used to make love.
813
:Ask her to have a seat and feel your heart
scamper and the lump form on your throat.
814
:See her eyes asking what's wrong.
815
:And then watch her weep as you tell
her that you've been unfaithful.
816
:Hear her whale.
817
:See her sob.
818
:Feel her hip your chest and watch her
knees fall to the floor in despair.
819
:Imagine the phone call to
her parents and to yours.
820
:Hear the silence on the phone as
they take in what you've told them.
821
:Imagine the day you gather your
children and sit them down to explain
822
:why mommy and daddy are going to spend
some time apart and why you have to
823
:sell the house that they love so much.
824
:See yourself taking down those
smiling pictures from the wall,
825
:taping up the moving boxes, unsure
if you'll ever open them again.
826
:Do you see that?
827
:I hope this helpful visualizing
activity gives you a sense of the
828
:gravity of sexual sin and its effects
on the lives of those around you.
829
:I know for some of you, this
is not the same season of life.
830
:I get that.
831
:What then is our solution?
832
:How do we, how do we deal with this?
833
:I, I would love for you to
think about all the things.
834
:If that could happen, if you give yourself
to sin like this, I mean, all you gotta,
835
:all you gotta do guys, is look at the
Dallas News and you'll see pastor after
836
:pastor after I am grieved by this pastor
after pastor, men who are disgraced,
837
:walking away from their congregations
because they gave themselves a sexual sin.
838
:I hate that.
839
:I hate it.
840
:Psalm 1 0 3 says that word to bless the
Lord and forget not all of his benefits.
841
:This is partly where this comes
from, or blessing the Lord and
842
:saying, well, I don't wanna forget
the things that you've given me.
843
:I don't wanna forget the way
that you've designed my life.
844
:I have a great life.
845
:I have a great wife and kids.
846
:They're not perfect.
847
:Sure, but thank you, God for
giving me all these things.
848
:Thank you for giving me all these gifts.
849
:Joseph ends where I need you to to begin.
850
:He says, how can I do this great
wickedness in sin against God?
851
:This is the secret to our sexual purity.
852
:This is the heart of our ability to
stand against the schemes of the enemy.
853
:And it is simply this, that we love
God so much that we hate our sin.
854
:We hate sin.
855
:I love God so much that this, the
idea of sinning against God is so
856
:pernicious, so repulsive, so repugnant
that I can't even fathom the idea.
857
:I love God so much.
858
:I just hate my sin.
859
:That's where we gotta be.
860
:That's where we have to be, gentlemen.
861
:This is what, this is what's
gonna cause us to live faithfully.
862
:This is what's gonna cause us
to, to love our church, to love
863
:Christ, and to continue doing the
things that we're called to do.
864
:Otherwise, what man among us could
withstand that kind of temptation.
865
:I dare say not many, but here God shows us
the thing that drives Joseph is not just
866
:that he has his masters responsibility,
trust, and all, all his generous gifts.
867
:He's saying, but I could never
do this wickedness against God
868
:who gave me all these good gifts.
869
:God is the one that our hearts
have to circle to circle around.
870
:Okay.
871
:Time is of the essence here.
872
:Let's continue on verses 10 through 12.
873
:I, I want you to see then how the,
how the response is helpful to us.
874
:Verse 10, and as she spoke to Joseph
Day after day notice, she wasn't,
875
:she, she was very persistent.
876
:She didn't give up after
the first rejection.
877
:He, she spoke to him day after day.
878
:He would not listen to.
879
:To lie beside her or to be with her.
880
:But one day when she went into the
house to do his work, when he went
881
:into the house to do his work and
none of the men in the house was
882
:there in the house, she caught him
by his garment saying Lie with me.
883
:But he left his garment in her hand
and fled and got out of the house.
884
:So many good things here.
885
:First of all, notice that Joseph
withstands her temptations day after day.
886
:This is what got Samson in trouble.
887
:Delilah, day after day said, tell
me the secret of your strength.
888
:And eventually his soul was
vexed to death is what it says.
889
:It's fine.
890
:I'll tell you.
891
:He gives in, and then of
course, his life is lost.
892
:As a result of that, Joseph consequently
could have given in and we, we may not
893
:even hold that against him, of course,
who could withstand that, and yet he would
894
:withstand her advances day after day.
895
:But one day, verse 11 says, one day.
896
:He finds himself at the wrong
place at the wrong time.
897
:She catches him.
898
:And it's interesting here, the word
for caught, the one that she says here,
899
:caught him by his garment is the same
word that's used in Deuteronomy 22 that
900
:describes the violation of a virgin.
901
:If you catch my drift.
902
:It's a word that's used
for something else.
903
:She catches him in order
to consume him physically.
904
:He escapes and he leaves
his cloak behind, of course.
905
:Then she tells her her husband,
look at what he's done.
906
:This is the second time in
Joseph's life where his clothes
907
:are used to lie about him.
908
:Interesting.
909
:But here's the thing I
think we see in Joseph.
910
:One of the things that we can take
away from this experience that he
911
:has is that he does everything he can
to put temptation far away from him.
912
:Now he only has so much control
because he's a slave in the house.
913
:But I wanna take that lesson
for us and we'll put everything
914
:else here underneath that point.
915
:Number three, I want you to
draw the battle lines far from
916
:temptation, not on the edge.
917
:Draw the battle lines far.
918
:Not on the edge.
919
:There's freedom here.
920
:There's wisdom involved.
921
:You can make a lot of choices for
yourself about where you go, how you
922
:spend your money, what kind of, you
know, what kind of place you go to
923
:get a massage if that's your thing.
924
:You get to make decisions.
925
:But my encourag encouragement from you,
from Joseph's life is, Hey man, don't
926
:put, don't put the battle lines so close
that you could almost trip and fall over.
927
:As I thought about that, it reminded
me, uh, one of the most dangerous things
928
:that I've done, which is I took little
ones to the West Rim of the Grand Canyon.
929
:My kids were small at this point, and we
went to this place called the Horseshoe.
930
:I colloquially named the horseshoe.
931
:But you'll notice here it's
a grass, uh, not grass.
932
:It's glass grass would be more scary.
933
:It's a glass, horseshoe shaped,
uh, window that you're walking
934
:on where you look down like six,
6,000 feet or something like that.
935
:I forget how tall it is, but you
go here, you, you, you walk on this
936
:thing, you see how far up you are.
937
:Terrifying.
938
:In fact, after going on
this horseshoe thing.
939
:I felt more concerned about keeping
my kids nearby 'cause now I could
940
:see how far the thing goes down.
941
:So when we passed our way through this, on
the other side of this, uh, I don't know
942
:what, on this side there's a lot of empty
space where there are no fences or gates.
943
:It's just the Grand Canyon.
944
:So I kept my kids really close
and I said, Hey, stay with me.
945
:Don't go near the edge.
946
:Stay with me.
947
:Stop running away, Tabitha, stay with me.
948
:I kept on keep, I kept him close.
949
:I knew the dangers were severe,
so I kept him really close.
950
:There are dangers that are severe
dangers that we need to be aware of
951
:that will keep us close from sin and
not, and not dancing on the edge of it.
952
:Thomas Brooks, he wrote a book called
Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices.
953
:I highly commend that to you.
954
:He said he who will be so bold.
955
:In fact, here I have it
for you on the screen.
956
:I forgot.
957
:He who will be so bold as to attempt to
dance upon the brink of the pit may find.
958
:Woeful experience that it is a
righteous thing with God that
959
:he should fall into the pit.
960
:In other words, if you're tempting God
by dancing on the edge of the cliff,
961
:don't be surprised if God lets you fall
over, is what Thomas Brooks is saying.
962
:And I wanna commend that to you
as a, as a really helpful thought.
963
:Let us not play with fire and
pretend we won't get burned.
964
:That's another way to put.
965
:I need you to draw the
battle lines far from sin.
966
:First of all, let's not take a day off.
967
:Joseph couldn't take a day off.
968
:Her persistence was day after day.
969
:She came after him without relent.
970
:She was going for him after.
971
:I mean, and she's seducing him.
972
:So she's not just being
passive about this.
973
:She's going after the guy
in a multitude of ways.
974
:I'm sure day after day temptation doesn't
take a day off, and neither should we.
975
:I need you to feel the sense that
temptation is always watching after you.
976
:In fact, one of the things
that Jesus asked you to pray.
977
:This lead us not into temptation.
978
:How often does he want you to pray?
979
:That?
980
:Always when the disciples ask him, Jesus,
how should we, you know, how do we pray?
981
:He says, okay, our Father, and
he goes through the prayer at
982
:the end, he says, and pray this.
983
:Lead us not into a temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
984
:This is how Jesus wants you to pray, and
until you're fully delivered from this
985
:bondage of sin and death in your body,
you're always gonna be susceptible.
986
:Okay.
987
:More to say about that.
988
:But let's just go on here.
989
:Don't, don't take a day
off close gateways to sin.
990
:Uh, Joseph did everything
he could, uh, to avoid her.
991
:In fact, in in verse 10, the second half
of verse 10, it says, uh, as she spoke to
992
:him day after day, he would not listen to
her to lie beside her or even be with her.
993
:He wouldn't even be with the woman.
994
:I don't wanna be anywhere near you.
995
:I'm not gonna lie beside you.
996
:I'm not gonna be near you.
997
:I'm just gonna, I'm
gonna be somewhere else.
998
:I'm gonna be on the
other side of the house.
999
:If I can avoid you, I will.
:
00:45:42,875 --> 00:45:45,875
He does everything he can to avoid
being around this woman, and I would
:
00:45:45,875 --> 00:45:49,234
love for you to do the same, close off
the gateways that lead you into sin.
:
00:45:49,444 --> 00:45:50,525
This is not what Jesus said.
:
00:45:50,734 --> 00:45:52,685
If your right eye cause you
to sin, what did you say?
:
00:45:53,555 --> 00:45:54,725
Cut it off, Guse it out.
:
00:45:54,725 --> 00:45:56,495
Do anything you can to avoid the sin.
:
00:45:57,095 --> 00:45:58,535
Run far away from that.
:
00:45:58,685 --> 00:46:03,185
Never allow yourself to be near where sin
can spark and, and take over your heart.
:
00:46:05,915 --> 00:46:10,865
Third, don't tolerate little
sins, don't tolerate little sins.
:
00:46:12,875 --> 00:46:15,365
She says to to Joseph, lie with me.
:
00:46:15,395 --> 00:46:16,145
He says, no.
:
00:46:16,475 --> 00:46:19,265
She says, in that case,
how about just be with me?
:
00:46:20,404 --> 00:46:21,725
It's a mitigating step, right?
:
00:46:21,875 --> 00:46:23,615
She tries to attempt him by compromising.
:
00:46:23,615 --> 00:46:25,234
Well, if you weren't, if you're not
gonna lie with me, if you're not gonna
:
00:46:25,444 --> 00:46:28,115
have a relation with me, how about
just, just lay with me right here.
:
00:46:28,805 --> 00:46:30,845
Be with me and we'll talk about things.
:
00:46:31,549 --> 00:46:33,589
She knows what she's doing
and he knows what she's doing.
:
00:46:34,459 --> 00:46:37,700
He won't even tolerate a little
sin, A little compromise, and let
:
00:46:37,700 --> 00:46:38,839
me encourage you to do the same.
:
00:46:39,349 --> 00:46:41,089
You know your heart well
enough, or at least you should.
:
00:46:41,660 --> 00:46:45,019
When your sin is trying to find
a reason to justify some kind
:
00:46:45,019 --> 00:46:49,399
of illicit activity like Joseph,
don't tolerate even a little sin.
:
00:46:50,329 --> 00:46:53,180
In fact, one Puritan said this way,
indeed there is no little sin because
:
00:46:53,180 --> 00:46:55,729
there is no little God to sin against.
:
00:46:56,390 --> 00:46:59,539
Every sin against God is a high
handed sin against the Lord.
:
00:47:01,265 --> 00:47:05,195
Recall David's descent, second
Samuel 11, David's descent began
:
00:47:05,585 --> 00:47:06,665
with, I'm just not gonna go to war.
:
00:47:07,385 --> 00:47:08,285
I'm just gonna sit back here.
:
00:47:08,285 --> 00:47:09,155
You guys got this.
:
00:47:09,185 --> 00:47:12,125
And then a decision to
say, I'm not going to war.
:
00:47:12,215 --> 00:47:16,115
Turned into a decision just to
look, to look at the woman and that
:
00:47:16,115 --> 00:47:22,835
look fostered lust, leading him to
take her and beyond that to murder.
:
00:47:22,835 --> 00:47:23,705
Uriah, her husband.
:
00:47:26,945 --> 00:47:28,025
Here's where this is hard, gentlemen.
:
00:47:28,685 --> 00:47:31,565
We live in a day where
sexual sin is rampant.
:
00:47:31,565 --> 00:47:32,165
It's pervasive.
:
00:47:32,165 --> 00:47:36,634
You guys might have seen that Netflix is
promoting sexual sin to kids, um, trying
:
00:47:36,634 --> 00:47:41,225
to, trying to win their affection to the
cause of, uh, same sex attraction and
:
00:47:41,225 --> 00:47:42,785
transgendered ideology, things like that.
:
00:47:42,995 --> 00:47:45,125
What we're experiencing is
what's called the Overton Window.
:
00:47:45,785 --> 00:47:46,745
You know what the Overton Window is?
:
00:47:47,194 --> 00:47:50,524
Overton Window is designed by a guy
named Joseph Overton who said that within
:
00:47:50,524 --> 00:47:55,504
the realm of political discourse, there
is an accepted area of conversation.
:
00:47:55,504 --> 00:47:56,435
That's the Overton window.
:
00:47:57,095 --> 00:48:02,104
That window can shift left or right
depending on who's pushing the window.
:
00:48:02,944 --> 00:48:08,794
In other words, what's acceptable and
popular and is able to be public policy.
:
00:48:09,694 --> 00:48:10,954
This is the Overton window.
:
00:48:11,345 --> 00:48:13,504
But someone can say, well, let
me, let me add something that's
:
00:48:13,504 --> 00:48:15,124
sensible but not necessarily popular.
:
00:48:15,124 --> 00:48:17,704
Now I can shift the window, right,
or it can shift the window left.
:
00:48:17,914 --> 00:48:21,664
Just think about 20 years ago, same
sex attraction and, and homosexual
:
00:48:21,664 --> 00:48:23,285
behavior was not what it is today.
:
00:48:23,285 --> 00:48:25,924
It is now accepted,
embraced, and celebrated.
:
00:48:27,515 --> 00:48:30,035
My, my grandparents would
be mortified at this.
:
00:48:30,605 --> 00:48:31,475
I mean, I'm mortified.
:
00:48:31,475 --> 00:48:32,705
I can't believe how quickly
things have changed.
:
00:48:32,705 --> 00:48:35,495
That's because the Overton window, things
that are acceptable, have been shifted.
:
00:48:37,055 --> 00:48:38,540
We cannot allow this to
take place in our hearts.
:
00:48:39,245 --> 00:48:41,975
What's what we're talking about
politically here happens spiritually.
:
00:48:42,004 --> 00:48:44,584
We become desensitized to sin
such that we no longer see it.
:
00:48:44,765 --> 00:48:47,075
We're no longer bothered when we see
sin on the, on the screen or when
:
00:48:47,075 --> 00:48:48,904
we see sin out in the in the wild.
:
00:48:49,205 --> 00:48:51,725
Our job then is to say, I need to
be aware of these things and make
:
00:48:51,725 --> 00:48:55,055
sure that my opinion of something
is not being shifted by popular
:
00:48:55,055 --> 00:48:56,825
opinion, but by, but by scripture.
:
00:48:57,095 --> 00:48:59,975
I need scripture to guide me and
tell me what is popular, what
:
00:48:59,975 --> 00:49:01,504
is acceptable, what is right.
:
00:49:01,910 --> 00:49:03,890
Don't let the Overton
window work against you.
:
00:49:04,160 --> 00:49:07,789
So we can't tolerate little sins,
and as we see in Joseph's example,
:
00:49:07,789 --> 00:49:09,289
we need to flee sexual immorality.
:
00:49:09,529 --> 00:49:11,240
There are some things that
God tells us to run from.
:
00:49:11,269 --> 00:49:12,289
One of them is idolatry.
:
00:49:12,289 --> 00:49:15,140
The other one is this
flee sexual immorality.
:
00:49:15,289 --> 00:49:17,240
There are some things God doesn't
want you to stand and fight.
:
00:49:17,479 --> 00:49:19,519
He doesn't want you just to sit
around and say, well, let me just
:
00:49:19,519 --> 00:49:22,009
see if I can knock this thing out
by, by standing up against it.
:
00:49:22,249 --> 00:49:22,999
Maybe.
:
00:49:23,269 --> 00:49:25,939
I'm sure there's a couple Christians in
the world who have done this successfully,
:
00:49:26,120 --> 00:49:29,089
but scripture says, one Corinthians
six 18, flee from sexual immorality.
:
00:49:29,315 --> 00:49:30,065
Flee from it.
:
00:49:30,305 --> 00:49:33,305
Every other sin a person commits is
outside the body, but the sexually
:
00:49:33,305 --> 00:49:35,105
immoral person sins against his own body.
:
00:49:35,765 --> 00:49:37,715
This is an especially pernicious sin.
:
00:49:38,615 --> 00:49:41,795
All sins send you to hell,
but some sins are heavier and
:
00:49:41,795 --> 00:49:44,225
weightier and far more destructive,
and this is one of those sins.
:
00:49:46,205 --> 00:49:48,665
As I close here, I just wanna remind
you what people have said before.
:
00:49:49,565 --> 00:49:51,380
Alexander McLaren said
The best advertisement of
:
00:49:51,380 --> 00:49:52,685
Christianity is a good life.
:
00:49:53,585 --> 00:49:57,005
People read us a great deal more than
they read the Bible, and that's true.
:
00:49:57,695 --> 00:49:59,825
But I have to ask where where
does a good life come from?
:
00:50:00,335 --> 00:50:01,235
Where does a good life come from?
:
00:50:01,235 --> 00:50:04,145
A good life comes from a good
heart, a good heart, and a good
:
00:50:04,145 --> 00:50:09,305
heart has a good love mobilizing
it, a good love that drives it.
:
00:50:09,425 --> 00:50:12,515
And the kind of love that God warns
us against is the love of the world.
:
00:50:13,055 --> 00:50:14,345
Do not love the world.
:
00:50:14,645 --> 00:50:18,455
If anyone loves the world, love of
the Father's, not in him, the way that
:
00:50:18,455 --> 00:50:23,045
we love God, or lack love for God is
going to either win us or lose us.
:
00:50:23,045 --> 00:50:25,685
The battle against sexual
temptation, Thomas Chalmers.
:
00:50:25,745 --> 00:50:28,714
Um, who wrote, this is a sermon
I commend this book to you.
:
00:50:28,714 --> 00:50:29,435
It's a short book.
:
00:50:29,765 --> 00:50:32,944
Um, it's probably a 45 minute read, maybe
an hour 'cause it was from a sermon.
:
00:50:33,605 --> 00:50:34,895
His short book said this.
:
00:50:34,955 --> 00:50:38,734
This is basically the sum summarization
of his book, of his sermon called The
:
00:50:38,734 --> 00:50:40,205
Explosive Power of a New Affection.
:
00:50:40,775 --> 00:50:43,625
The best way of casting out an
impure affection is to admit a pure
:
00:50:43,625 --> 00:50:47,855
one and by the love of what is good
to expel the love of what is evil.
:
00:50:48,785 --> 00:50:49,805
That's exactly what I'm trying to say.
:
00:50:50,255 --> 00:50:51,005
It says it better than I do.
:
00:50:51,785 --> 00:50:54,815
Your Love for God will allow
you to expel a love for sin.
:
00:50:55,399 --> 00:50:57,799
What will protect you against
sexual sin is not the practices,
:
00:50:57,799 --> 00:50:58,879
the practices come afterward.
:
00:50:59,329 --> 00:51:03,529
It's a development of love for God
that looks like faithfulness, day
:
00:51:03,529 --> 00:51:07,099
in and day out, fostering care,
commitment, concern for his, his
:
00:51:07,099 --> 00:51:09,410
affairs, and in fact, what does he say?
:
00:51:09,410 --> 00:51:10,430
He's a seek first.
:
00:51:10,430 --> 00:51:12,379
The kingdom of God and his
righteousness and all these other
:
00:51:12,379 --> 00:51:15,229
things that you con concern yourselves
about could be taken care of.
:
00:51:16,700 --> 00:51:21,470
You gotta resolve to love God so much that
you hate sin, particularly sexual sin.
:
00:51:21,950 --> 00:51:23,479
The consequences are
devastating and deadly.
:
00:51:24,424 --> 00:51:26,615
Please men resolve to be
faithful to Christ in this
:
00:51:26,615 --> 00:51:27,545
particular era of your life.
:
00:51:27,665 --> 00:51:29,495
Let's pray that help us.
:
00:51:29,585 --> 00:51:31,475
Um, I, I know there are many
of us probably within this room
:
00:51:31,475 --> 00:51:34,025
who have struggled with sexual
sin, maybe even still today.
:
00:51:34,565 --> 00:51:36,694
Uh, be naive not to think otherwise.
:
00:51:37,295 --> 00:51:39,605
Please help us, Lord, to be
honest about these areas and
:
00:51:39,605 --> 00:51:40,955
to fight for purity in them.
:
00:51:41,465 --> 00:51:45,275
Help us to be open and willing to
confess areas of, of weakness and,
:
00:51:45,275 --> 00:51:49,475
and lapse or not to coddle one
another, but to help each other be
:
00:51:49,475 --> 00:51:51,545
accountable and faithful to our wives.
:
00:51:51,950 --> 00:51:56,450
Our kids, our grandkids, our churches,
ultimately to be faithful to you Lord
:
00:51:57,289 --> 00:52:01,309
far be it from us, that we shame the
name of Christ by allowing sexual sin
:
00:52:02,359 --> 00:52:03,649
to steal affection from our heart.
:
00:52:04,549 --> 00:52:08,299
Help us Lord, to experience the
explosive power of a new affection by
:
00:52:08,299 --> 00:52:10,430
loving you so much that we hate sin.
:
00:52:11,269 --> 00:52:12,799
Give us grace to discuss
these things in our groups.
:
00:52:12,799 --> 00:52:14,569
Now, we ask this in Jesus name.
:
00:52:14,870 --> 00:52:15,229
Amen.