Sermon--"Why Do Right?"
Posted by: jnthrower <jnthrower@...>
WHY DO RIGHT?
GENESIS 39:1-23
Introduction
Have you ever done what you thought was right and then it seemed to blow up in your face?
That is what we have in our text here. Joseph did what he knew to be the right thing to do and then he got falsely accused because of a lie.
The world would say, "Yea, you tried to do right and where did it get you?"
I believe it was Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., who said repeatedly during his ministry,
"Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do."
Doing the right thing is not always the easiest or most convenient thing to do.
The easiest or most convenient thing to do is to "go with the flow."
Doing the right thing is not always the thing that our flesh may want to do.
This flesh we live in is wicked. It likes the things that bring it pleasure.
Doing the right thing is not always the path that the world thinks makes sense to do.
This world we live in is wicked. We all face pressure from the world to "fit in."
Doing the right thing can bring about some difficult circumstances sometimes.
It may bring about misunderstanding–(by those who misjudge our motives.)
It may bring about loneliness–(by being forsaken by our family or friends.)
It may bring about slander–(by those who try to bring us down in the eyes of the world)
It may bring about trouble–(persecution, imprisonment, or even death)
It may bring about perplexity–("God I did what was right, now look what happened!)
But, doing the right thing is the right thing to do!
I. WE MUST DO RIGHT TO PROCLAIM OUR CAPTAIN. (Genesis 39:3; 41:16, 25, 38)
I'm talking about the testimony of the lives we live.
What do our lives as Christians say to others about ourselves and our God.
Does your life reveal who is LORD as Captain of your life?
Have you ever heard the saying, "What you are doing is speaking so loud that I can't hear what you are saying."
Many people learn the truth about this statement in their children.
We may say, "Don't do as I do, do as I say do!" But, eventually what we do speaks louder to them than what we say for them to do."
What We Do Says A Lot About Who We Serve. Luke 6:43-46
A. Those Who Live For This World Do The Things That Please This World.
1 John 4:5–"They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them."
John 15:18-19–"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. "
B. Those Who Serve The Flesh Do The Things That Please The Flesh.
Romans 8:5–"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."
C. Those Who Serve Satan Do The Things That Please Satan.
John 8:44--"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
D. Those Who Serve God Do The Things That Please God.
John 8:29–"And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him."
Galatians 5:16-25
WE MUST DO RIGHT TO PROCLAIM OUR CAPTAIN.
II. WE MUST DO RIGHT TO PLEASE OUR CREATOR. (Genesis 39:9, 21-23)
Joseph knew that to commit fornication was a great sin and that the consequences of sin would far outweigh the consequences of obedience."
A. Oftentimes We Don't View Sin With The Proper Attitude.
1. Our Sin Is Primarily Against God.
Psalm 51:4–"Against thee, thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in thy Sight.
2. Our Sin Is Wicked.
We look at other peoples sins as being wicked, but often excuse our own sin.
"Oh, it was just a little mistake." No, it was wicked.
"Oh, this is just the way God made me." No, it is sin that made us that way, don't blame your wickedness on God!
Don't take sin lightly in your life or you will deal with it lightly.
3. Our Sin Is Committed In The Sight Of God.
Proverbs 5:21–"For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings."
Proverbs 15:3–"The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."
Hebrews 4:13–"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."
4. Sin Needs To Be Avoided.
Thank God that our sins can be forgiven, but we would be much better off if we avoided sin in the first place.
Proverbs 1:10–"My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."
Romans 12:9–". . .Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good."
B. Oftentimes We Don't View The Consequences Of Sin As We Should.
1. Sin's Pleasures Usually Overshadow Its Consequences.
(i.e. Sins pleasures are more easily seen than sin's consequences.)
This is because sin's pleasures are evident (instant gratification of the flesh), but sin's consequences have to be reasoned (what is this going to cost me?) unless we are determined to just do right.
2. Sin's Pleasures Never Outweigh Its Ultimate Consequences.
(Exp--David lived with the consequences of his sin for the rest of his life.)
WE MUST DO RIGHT TO PROCLAIM OUR CAPTAIN.
WE MUST DO RIGHT TO PLEASE OUR CREATOR.
III. WE MUST DO RIGHT TO PREVENT OUR CORRUPTION. (Genesis 39:9)
A. Sin Can Corrupt Us Physically.
1 Corinthians 6:18–"Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body"
Sin sometimes brings STD's, unwanted pregnancies, damage to vital organs. . .the list could go on.
B. Sin Can Corrupt Us Emotionally.
Psalm 32:3–"When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long."
Sin sometimes brings feelings of regret, feelings of worthlessness, contemplation of suicide, depression, anxiety. . .the list could go on.
C. Sin Can Corrupt Us Spiritually.
If we don't deal with sin immediately by confessing and forsaking it, it will harm our spiritual walk with God.
Proverbs 28:13–"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."
Sin brings chastisement, unanswered prayers, doubts about our salvation. . .the list could go on.
WE MUST DO RIGHT TO PROCLAIM OUR CAPTAIN.
WE MUST DO RIGHT TO PLEASE OUR CREATOR.
WE MUST DO RIGHT TO PREVENT OUR CORRUPTION.
IV. WE MUST DO RIGHT TO PROTECT OUR CONSCIENCE. (Genesis 39:9)
A. Joseph's Brothers Did Wrong And It Stayed On Their Conscience.
(Over 13 years later Genesis 42:21-22, 28; 45:3; Another 17 years later--50:15)
B. Joseph Did Right And Was Not Disturbed By His Conscience.
Acts 24:16–"And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men."
1 Timothy 1:5–"Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned;"
V. WE MUST DO RIGHT TO PERFECT OUR CHARACTER.
Joseph did the right thing and matured into a man of such character that even a heathen king had the greatest respect for him.
Our character is who God knows us to be.
Joseph did right and God caused his life to prosper, even though it may have been in difficult circumstances for a season.
VI. WE MUST DO RIGHT TO PRESERVE OUR CALLING.
(Genesis 39:2-3, 21-23; 41:38-40; 45:7-8; 50:20)
God had a will for Joseph's life and revealed part of it to him early in his life in two dreams.
Joseph may have not fully understood what those dreams were all about, but he never forgot those dreams.
I believe that Joseph knew God had a special calling on his life and he didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that calling.
CONCLUSION
Do you struggle with doing the right thing? Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.
Don't worry about the consequences of doing right.
I guarantee you they will be better than the consequences of doing wrong.
We have God's Word on it!
Do right! If all the world determines to do wrong–do right! Where do you begin?–Salvation!