I'd like to address one more sermon on the fruit of the spirit of faith or faithfulness. And then, God willing, we'll be moving on in the coming days to the next fruit of the spirit, which is meekness. And so, once again, from Galatians 5.22, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. And from Genesis chapter 39, verses 7-9, And it came to pass, after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, And she said, lie with me. But he refused and said unto his master's wife, behold, my master wanteth not what is with me in this house. And he hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee. because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? Perhaps you have heard or even said it yourselves about a Christian tradesman or a Christian businessman He may profess to be a Christian, but his practice in business is hardly Christian. In fact, I would rather take my business to the unbeliever down the road who will treat me fairly than to take my business to this professing Christian who has a reputation of dealing unfairly with people. What a travesty to the name of Jesus Christ when we Christians are dishonest, lack integrity, and are unfaithful to the Lord and to those we serve in business or at work. When it comes to money, profit margins, and sales, the testimony of a Christian will either shine forth with that glorious fruit of faithfulness to the glory of Jesus Christ or it will reveal an unfaithfulness in his or her love of money or his or her love of power. It's not that money or power are sinful in themselves. Or that success in business is evil in itself. I mean, if we go to the scriptures, we find saints of old that were successful, that were wealthy, that had power and authority like Job, like Abraham, like David, like Solomon and others. But dear ones, it is the case that a love for these, that is a first love poured out upon money and upon power will lead a Christian away from the Lord Jesus Christ and bring him into perilous temptations and will ensnare him and cause him to compromise his testimony for Jesus Christ and will cause him to compromise God's truth. The Lord has warned us through his apostles and through his prophets and scripture about these very temptations in the world. For example, the love for money in 1st Timothy chapter 6 verses 9 through 10. There we read from the Apostle Paul, But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. or a love for power. The Lord Jesus warned his own disciples, perhaps in a different context, not business necessarily, but by way of their ministry within the church. But I believe the application of these principles can be applied outside of the church and into the realm of the workplace as well, business and commerce. The Lord Jesus said, in Mark 10, verses 42-45. But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you But whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister, and whosoever of you will be the chiefest shall be servant of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. Beloved, work is a divine calling upon all of our lives. Work. Whether it be work that is outside the home, or whether it be work that is within the home, or whether it be work that is within the classroom, God gives us all work to perform. Because laziness and laying around and doing nothing with our lives is a sinful waste of our lives and the gifts and the abilities that God has given to us as stewards to be responsible for and to offer back to him by way of growth in ministry and serving God and serving others. Even work. When we are unable to find a full-time position, we can still and ought to be working and being diligent, not just lying around, not just being lazy. The Lord, from the very beginning in Genesis chapter two, gave Adam, even before the fall, gave Adam work within the garden to keep it, to cultivate it, to bring forth produce, of man. We find in Proverbs 18, verse 9, likewise what the Lord says with regard to this whole matter of laziness. He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. One who is lazy, who is slothful in his work, is not diligent in his work, is wasteful, a great waster. Whatever the work God has given to us to do at this particular point in our lives, whether in the home, outside the home, or in the classroom, regardless of what he's given to us. We are to work for God's glory and not for our own glory because he is the one. He is the one who gives us the power and ability and the wisdom to work and to be successful in our work. In Deuteronomy chapter 18, verses 17 through 18, the Lord reminded Israel that it was not due to their wisdom, it was not due to their gifts, it was not due to their abilities that they would profit and become prosperous, but it was due to Him, the Lord God, when He says, And thou shalt say in thine heart, My power and the might of My hand hath gotten me this wealth. but thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth." It's God that gives power to get wealth. Likewise, we're reminded of who we are to serve in whatever calling, whatever work we do, whether the most menial type of work to the most exalted, as it were, type of work, it doesn't matter. Who is our master in all of this? It is God Himself. Colossians 3.23-24, And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men. knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ. If there is any particular attribute that summarizes what should characterize the Christian in his or her work, I submit to you it is the fruit. of faithfulness. Now we could talk and work about all types of things that make one a successful leader. Many attributes or models of leadership or whatever, but I want to focus upon this particular attribute, this grace, this fruit of the Holy Spirit, faithfulness, and apply it in our work. for this final sermon on the fruit of faithfulness. This fruit of faithfulness which involves integrity, which involves honesty, which involves love and loyalty to Jesus Christ above all, and which involves service to one's fellow man. This fruit of faithfulness in the workplace I submit to you was particularly exemplified by Joseph, the son of Jacob, one of the 12 sons of Jacob, in the text that is before us today. The main points of the sermon are these. Number one, The faithfulness of Joseph in the workplace, Genesis 39 verses 1 through 6. Second, the faithfulness of Joseph when faced with temptation to compromise, Genesis 39 verses 7 through 12. And number three, the consequences of Joseph's faithfulness, in Genesis 39, 13 through 23. So first main point, the faithfulness of Joseph in the workplace. Look with me at Genesis 39, verses 1-6. And Joseph was brought down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him. And he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptians' house for Joseph's sake. And the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person and well favored. As Genesis 39 begins, We find that Joseph has been sold into slavery by his brothers for 20 pieces of silver in Genesis 37. His brothers hated and despised him because he was so honored by Jacob their father and because he spoke the truth. So rather than receiving their brother into their company, they devised a plan to be rid of him forever. First they contemplated killing him, leaving him in a pit, but then they found that there were these tradesmen, these merchants. Ishmaelites traveling to Egypt with their wares to sell in Egypt. And so they devised a plan to give Joseph, to sell Joseph to these Ishmaelites and to thereby be rid of him forever. They not only did so, but they took an animal, slew the animal and dipped this coat of Joseph into the blood and lied to and deceived their own father, telling their father that a wild animal had slain their brother. And Jacob wept and mourned and mourned over the loss of his dear son. Joseph was not likely older than 17 years when this happened, according to Genesis 37.2. What an ordeal for a teenage boy, not much older than some of you children, or not much younger than some of you young adults. Here he was, an honored son of Jacob, a wealthy man in that part of the world, stripped of his freedom, stripped of his dignity, and stripped of his father, and home and sold into slavery in a foreign country. He cried out to them in anguish. During this time, we're told in Genesis 42, verse 21, as one of the brothers recounts later on in Genesis, standing before Joseph, not knowing that it was Joseph who was now ruler in Egypt, speaking in their own language, not knowing that Joseph could understand what they were saying. And this brother recounts to the other brothers, because of the sternness of this man, the harshness of this man, that this has come upon them because of the way they treated their brother. Sold him into slavery, even, it says, when he was crying out with anguish. Anguish! And they said one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us that we would not hear. Therefore is this distress come upon us. Joseph's world was turned upside down. All that he was familiar with was taken away, was gone, and yet God did not abandon Joseph. In the midst of such suffering and anguish, the Lord, we read in Genesis 39, the Lord was with Joseph. God had a plan. God was in control. Not his brothers, not the Ishmaelites, the slave traders, Not Potiphar, and not even the Pharaoh of Egypt himself. God was in control. Even though Joseph had no control himself over these events in his life, God overruled the evil of man and man's intentions to do evil, to accomplish his own eternal purpose, and ultimately, ultimately not only preserving Joseph's life, not only preserving Jacob and his family, but preserving the nation of Israel through whom the Lord Jesus Christ came. You see, our lives are a part of a great plan. We may not see it any more than perhaps Joseph could see it at that time. That, dear ones, is our only hope. When we face hardships, when we face persecution, afflictions and trials in our lives, We cannot give up. We must be faithful unto death, for God is up to something good. He's in control. As we read these opening verses in Genesis chapter 39, we are amazed to see the hand of the Lord in all of these events. As Joseph is sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard. As captain of Pharaoh's guard, Potiphar was a trusted government official there in the government of Egypt. He was likely the head of the palace guard watching over and protecting Pharaoh. He was like the guard for the security force or the secret service that protected Pharaoh at that time. We read that in spite of all that Joseph suffered, we read the Lord was with Joseph, in spite of his suffering. The Lord did not abandon him, the Lord was with Joseph, and even prospered him in his work. A most amazing phrase we find in Genesis 39, verse two, when it says of Joseph, here he's in servitude. He's in slavery. And yet, what does it say? He was a prosperous man. He was a prosperous man. Even to the point that Potiphar made Joseph the chief steward of all, and of his entire estate, we find in verses four through six. There was having the Lord with us. When we read that God was with Joseph, having the Lord with us. is the epitome of and a summary of the inheritance of the saints. That God is with us. God is with us to save us. God is with us to preserve us. God is with us to lead us, to guide us. God is with us to bless us. God is with us to convict us of our sin. God is with us so that we need fear no man. God is with us. In fact, when the Apostle Paul would bless God's people at the conclusion of some of his inspired letters, what does he promise to us? He promises to us God's presence to be with us. As we find in 2 Corinthians 13, Verse 14, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Be with you all. When the Lord Jesus would bless His people, and given to them and unto us that greatest blessing and comfort to leave with them before ascending into heaven. What does He promise? He promises us His presence. In Matthew chapter 28 verse 20, And lo, I am with you all the way, even unto the end of the world. And Potiphar saw with his own eyes. He saw that the Lord was with Joseph. How did he see it? How did he see that the Lord was with him? He saw it by way of Joseph's faithfulness, by way of Joseph's diligence in his work, his honesty, his respect, his integrity, his humility, and by the fact that God was blessing Joseph's work to the benefit of Potiphar. And dear ones, your bosses and your fellow workers should likewise see the difference, the difference Jesus Christ makes in your life by your faithfulness to the Lord. and by your faithfulness and diligence in the work that you do in serving others. You know, it would have been easy for Joseph to simply write this job off as a waste of time, as a job that was going nowhere, and to wallow in his self-pity, hating every moment of the work that he did. After all, what was he? He was a slave. He was a slave. He was in bondage. But Joseph trusted the Lord that there was a purpose in his work. And God could bless him right where he was. He wasn't waiting for a better position. He wasn't waiting for a more comfortable position, a better paying position to present itself so that he might be faithful in that position. He was faithful in the work that God gave him to do right where he was. And he did so even after this job. He did so in prison as well. and went up through the ranks in prison. Neither one of them really jobs that any of us would choose to have. And yet he progressed up through the ranks because he was faithful. Dear ones, are you spending your time wishing that you had a different job and hating your present work? Or are you rather being faithful? That may not be where God has you forever or even for a short period of time. There may be something better that God has for you. And praise be to his name if that is the case. But are you hating what you're doing or are you rather being faithful right where you are and prospering right where God has you because the Lord Jesus Christ is with you? The Lord Jesus Christ is with you even as God was with Joseph. He is there to use you and he's there with you to bless you in the work you do. As I said earlier, it's to the natural mind almost humorous that Joseph in servitude was successful that Joseph was prosperous. But it means that he was prosperous first and foremost in the eyes of God, in the eyes of God within his workplace. And the Lord graciously made him successful in the eyes of his master as well. This success did not likely happen immediately overnight. He was in servitude from the time that he was 17 to the time he was 30 and he stood before Pharaoh, there's 13 years between which he was either in servitude to Potiphar or in prison. This growing up within the ranks, this success that he had was over a period of time, over years. It required years of faithful and diligent work in learning the language of the Egyptians, in learning the customs of the Egyptians, and in demonstrating to Potiphar over that extended period of time that because he, Joseph, was faithful in little, he, Joseph, would be faithful in much. Joseph was a young man, a young man of faithfulness in serving his master, not under favorable circumstances, but under the worst kind of circumstances. And the Lord blessed his faithful work and promoted him to the highest place of service in his workplace, overseer, steward of all that his master had. It reminds us again of what the psalmist says concerning promotion. Where does promotion come from? It doesn't come ultimately from your employer. It comes from God. The psalmist says in Psalm 75 verses 5-7, Lift not up your horn on high. In other words, don't glorify yourself. Don't glorify your power, your abilities. Lift not up your horn on high. Speak not with a stiff neck. Don't be stubborn. Be humble. Don't be proud. Be humble. For our promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south, but God is the judge. He put it down one and set it up another. That's where promotion comes from. Look to the Lord your God. As we move to the second main point, we consider the faithfulness of Joseph when faced with the temptation to compromise. Look with me, Genesis 39, verses 7 through 12. And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph. And she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, My master wanteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I, neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time that Joseph went in to the house to do his business, and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me. And he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. Sometime after Joseph had ascended to that place of highest honor in the workplace of Potiphar's estate, there arose the temptation to compromise his faithfulness on the altar of lustful gratification. His master's wife sought to seduce Joseph. Not once or twice, but Genesis 39.10 says day by day. Can you imagine the ongoing grief and sorrow by way of this temptation daily that this presented to Joseph? Perhaps the greatest temptations, dear ones, to compromise in and around work that we are presently called to do to the glory of Christ are the following types of temptations in regard to work. The temptation, first of all, number one, the temptation to love money, to love wealth. which we have already seen in 1 Timothy 6.10, the love of money is the root of all evil, all kinds of evil in other words. A second temptation that presents itself unto us so often, the temptation to love power, prestige, fame, And again, we see the Lord Jesus addressing this, though, as I said, what Christ says in Mark chapter 10, 42 through 45, speaks to the disciples with regard to the heart that they are to have as ministers within the church of Jesus Christ. But I submit to you, it is the same servant's heart that we are all called to have in the work that we do for the glory of God. Third temptation that is often presented in the workplace is the temptation of lust and sexual gratification. Whether it's in the workplace and it's an actual person, or whether it's at home and your office is in the home, and it's virtual sexual gratification through the computer, through the television. We find in 2 Timothy 2, verse 22, the Apostle Paul says, flee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace. With them they call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Likewise, we read in 1 Corinthians 6, 18, flee fornication. Flee fornication. There's also in the workplace the temptation to be discontent, to be unhappy. Others are promoted, you're not. To be unhappy with your wages, to be unhappy with various things and it to have such an effect upon you that you grumble and you complain against God's providence, where you are right now, rather than being a blessing to God and to others, you become a one who shares heartache, who shares discontent and spreads it if one shares it with others within the workplace or within one's family. And yet in Hebrews 13, Verse 5, we read, let your conversation be without covetousness. You see, that's the real root of our discontentment, is that we covet. Let your conversation be without covetousness. And if our conversation is to be without it, guess what? Our heart is to be without it. Recognize, see where this discontentment in our hearts leads. to our not being able to bless others, or to be a blessing before others to God. Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have. For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. If we have the Lord Jesus Christ, we can be content in whatever circumstance God places us in. If it's an unjust and fair work situation, God is with us. We can learn to be content. Certainly we can go through all the channels to try to rectify an unjust situation. There's nothing wrong with looking for other positions, other work that may be available to us. But we need to learn to be content where God has us now. Because Jesus has promised, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. He's our greatest gift. He's our greatest possession, the Lord Jesus Christ. And if we have him, we can be content. Even if we are in servitude or in prison. The fifth temptation, and there are probably others, but I'll just leave these five with you. The fifth temptation in the workplace is the temptation to fear what man can do unto you by way of his threats, your employer, his threats, that if you do not conform to his ethical standards, If you do not work on the Sabbath day, if you do not accept the position and sign on the dotted line with regard to some kind of non-discrimination, they may call it a non-discrimination agreement or something of this nature, with regard to same-sex so-called marriages, Again, I think that we're in for persecution. I don't think that it's far, too far away. By way of having to stand for the truth in certain of our workplace situations, even with me as a minister of Jesus Christ, I can foresee the time, if things continue the way they are, those who refuse to bow the knee to bail, refuse to bow the knee to the homosexual agenda that's being set, the godlessness, the immorality, the false religion, the toleration of every form of immorality, that unless we are willing to play their game, we're going to be kicked out of our jobs or not allowed to perform our work. I believe it's coming. I mean, we can see certain things already happening on the news with regard to bakers who refuse to bake, Christian bakers who refuse to bake cakes for a same-sex marriage, with regard to other types of incidents that are arising. We must, dear ones, be ever so vigilant and watchful, for the enemy of our soul has ensnared and entrapped many in the workplace by unfaithfulness to Jesus Christ, unfaithfulness to one's family, unfaithfulness to one's boss by way of stealing from the boss, unfaithfulness to one's co-workers by way of these temptations to compromise. Joseph was careful to never be alone with his master's wife, we read in Genesis 39.10. He took all precautions that he could. Certainly then it was his master's wife that set the trap when she knew no one would be in the house. And this is why ministers ought not to be alone when counseling women. many a minister has fallen into grievous sins when they do not guard their lives in this way. It is why you should not engage in casual meals after work with those of the opposite gender, unless it is a public business meeting or unless in such a case you even try to invite someone else to join you. And certainly, you shouldn't be traveling around by yourselves in the same vehicle, sitting side by side in those kinds of situations, because we all need to protect ourselves from false accusations as we're brought against Joseph. false accusations of impropriety on our part, even if we did not do anything wrong, even if we are innocent as was Joseph, we need to try to protect ourselves, as well as protect ourselves against our own weaknesses, sinful weaknesses of the flesh. None of us are beyond being tempted in these areas. None of us. And when we think we are, beware when you think you stand lest you fall. Don't tempt the Lord your God by placing yourself in compromising situations. Joseph called such a compromise at the workplace what it really was. He called it sin. Sin. He referred to this temptation set before him as a great wickedness and sin, first and foremost against God. You know, so often it seems people want to call sin by other names. For example, anger is simply a guy with a short fuse. Or she's just having a bad day. Rudeness may be excused as, well, that person's simply showing, expressing himself or herself. Pride is called self-esteem. Covetousness is called trying to get ahead or trying to make a name for yourself. Sodomy is an alternative lifestyle. Adultery is a cry for help and and a sad and a bad marriage. David reflects the same heart in his prayer of repentance for his sin with Bathsheba when he cries out to the Lord in Psalm 51, against thee, thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight. Of course, David had also sinned against Uriah, Bathsheba's husband. He had sinned against Bathsheba. He sinned against their child. He sinned against his family. He sinned against his people as king. But those were of far less consequence than his sin against God. True repentance, dear ones, must have that perspective at its very core. Against thee, the only, have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight. Perhaps many might have hardly blamed Joseph had he fallen into this temptation. Likely many would have blamed the sin solely upon the temptress. and excuse Joseph for his immaturity and weakness of youth. However, Joseph saw so clearly that such a compromise within the workplace, where he worked there, in the estate of Potiphar, such a compromise would be a grave and serious sin against God, who had been with him From the time that he was sold into slavery, well, even before, in his father's family, being honored, sold into slavery, in Potiphar's house, God had been with him. How could he sin so against God, who had been with him in so clear, demonstrable ways? Charles Spurgeon has rightly noted how a true Christian views his or her own sin when he says, from his Sermon on Repentance and Conversion, when I regarded God as a tyrant, I thought sin a trifle. But when I knew Him to be my Father, then I mourned that I could ever have kicked against him. When I thought that God was hard, I found it easy to sin. But when I found God so kind, so overflowing with compassion, I smote upon my breast to think that I could ever have rebelled against one who loved me so and sought my good. Joseph did what in faithfulness to the Lord and to his master he was bound to do. He fled. He ran as quickly as he could. He was in such a hurry to get away that he left his outer garment in her hands again. 2 Timothy 2.22, flee youthful lusts. 1 Corinthians 6.18, flee fornication. You see, dear ones, if we are not actually running away from the temptation to sin and to compromise our Christian testimony and our work, we will sooner or later fall into that sinful compromise. Many seem to think that they can flirt and they can play with temptation and not be hurt by it. But as many of us can testify to those who are much younger, when you play with fire, you will get burned. You may not be running deliberately as fast as you can to the temptation, but lingering around the temptation, lingering in the presence of the temptation, will eventually ensnare you just the same. Flee temptation. That's what we ought to do in the workplace. Flee temptation. Flee. youthful lust, flee fornication. The third main point, the consequences of Joseph's faithfulness. Genesis 39 verses 13 through 23, and it came to pass when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and was fled forth that she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us. He came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice. And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. And she laid up his garment by her until his Lord came home. And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant which thou hast brought unto us came in unto me to mock me. And it came to pass as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me and fled out. And it came to pass when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound. And he was there in the prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. and the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison and whatsoever they did there he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand because the Lord was with him and that which he did the Lord made it to prosper." The first consequence Joseph's faithfulness was that Potiphar's wife falsely accused Joseph before Potiphar. Joseph no doubt knew that his fleeing from this temptation would cost him, especially having left his own garment in the hands of Potiphar's wife, but he considered, listen, he considered being faithful unto God and unto his master in the workplace to be more important than the consequences that he would suffer. The second consequence was that Joseph was sent to prison for being faithful to the Lord and faithful to his master. You know, the world would respond that this was a rotten deal that Joseph received from the Lord for his faithfulness, for his integrity, for his honesty in the workplace. However, the world sees only with its natural eyes. The Christian sees with the eyes of faith. This was all a part of God's plan, dear ones, to place Joseph in prison so that he might hear and interpret the dreams of Pharaoh's baker and Pharaoh's butler. and eventually be called to interpret Pharaoh's dream with his exultation to second in command in all of Egypt in order to preserve his family, in order therefore to preserve the growing nation of Israel, and in order to bring forth the Messiah. That's why Joseph could testify at the end, after his father Jacob had died and his brothers wondered whether now that Jacob was dead, that Joseph would requite punishment, vengeance upon them for how they had treated him. And Joseph says in Genesis 50 verse 20, but as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. God meant it for good. Joseph was likely given a life sentence in prison, which is interesting. We would consider that because he was innocent to be an unjust penalty, but But, you know, to be accused of attempted rape of one of the higher government officials certainly, certainly would have brought upon such a one death, immediate death. So why is he in prison? Well, in God's providence, obviously the Lord preserved his life for the great events to come, but I would also submit that perhaps Perhaps Potiphar's wrath that was initially raised was subdued by way of his suspicions that were raised to such an extent. He knew Joseph, no doubt for years, the kind of person that Joseph was. And that he most likely had no actual role in this alleged crime. and that to put him to death would be to put an innocent man to death. But nevertheless, to save face, kind of like Pilate, to save face, it gives Joseph some lesser degree of punishment, life in prison. Dear ones, certain consequences will likewise confront us, as I indicated earlier. for not yielding to temptations to compromise, to compromise the gospel, which is exclusive. People don't like the exclusivity of the gospel, that one must trust alone in Jesus Christ alone. There is no other way to the Father but through Jesus Christ. It offends people, that message. And people become resentful and bitter and pour out in various ways the wrath upon us, even in the workplace. Certain consequences will likewise confront us for not yielding to temptations to compromise the commandments of God in various respects. We mentioned earlier homosexuality, so-called same-sex marriages, Sabbath-keeping, idolatry, false religion, birth control, abortion, whatever it may be. There are consequences to being faithful, faithful unto Jesus Christ. Yes, even in the workplace, there are consequences. However, Joseph, once again, prospers, even in prison, according to Genesis 39, 21 through 23. You see, you just simply cannot keep a good man down or a good woman down. Why? Because the Lord is with him. The Lord is with her to give them hope, to give them courage to persevere, to give them protection, to give them diligence, to give them favor, to give them faithfulness unto Him, unto those whom they serve. And through it all, through it all. The one who is faithful does not take the glory to himself or herself. The one who is faithful gives all glory to God. It is God who has accomplished this. It is God who has brought this forth because God has been with us. This did not exactly look like a promotion. for Joseph. It looked like he was going the wrong direction, if anything. From the honorable place he held in the home of his family, to slavery, to being falsely accused of a crime he did not commit, to being sentenced for life in an awful, awful prison. Prisons of the ancient world. Awful places. And why? Why? Because Joseph was faithful to his God and to his Master. In the eyes of man, Joseph was being demoted, not promoted. However, in the eyes and the plan of God, Joseph was being promoted. Joseph was prospering. Joseph was successful because he was faithful. He was faithful. Joseph was proving himself through all of these various circumstances. to be faithful to God and to the work that God gave to him wherever he was, whatever he was doing. And because Joseph was faithful in his calling to the Lord and to those he served, the Lord was preparing Joseph for his exaltation. You see, it is a principle and a general pattern in the life of a Christian, first humiliation, then exaltation. That's the way of Christ. Humiliation. He suffered humiliation in all that he suffered, in being scorned and ridiculed, abused, mocked, being whipped, falsely accused, And then, after his death, he was exalted by way of his resurrection, ascending into heaven, being seated at the right hand of God. After having been humbled from age 17, when he was sold into slavery, to age 30, when he appeared before Pharaoh, after having served a 13-year apprenticeship to sorrow, to ups and downs, to humiliation, he came to stand before Pharaoh, and was exalted by the Lord, for God was with him through it all. God was with him. You see, the Lord measures success and prosperity not by earthly standards of wealth, power, and fame, but by, rather, faithfulness to him in trusting Christ, in loving Christ as your first love and in obeying Christ. Even when you fall, you rise again with renewed faith, hope, and obedience. Seven times the righteous man falls, but rises again. Dear ones, though the Lord was with Joseph, That reality did not screen Joseph from temptation of the worst kind. It did not quash his brother's hatred for him or keep them from selling him into slavery. The fact that the Lord was with Joseph did not prevent his mistress from casting her wicked eyes upon him and falsely accusing him. It did not shelter Joseph from suffering in prison for a crime he did not commit. Perhaps some of us would have said something like, if the Lord is with me, how can these evil circumstances, these evil consequences be happening to me if the Lord is with me? Dear ones, everything may seem to go against you. and yet God will yet be with you. Be with you who trust him, who love him, who serve him in faithfulness. The Lord may not give you earthly prosperity for your faithfulness in the workplace, but he will give you true prosperity. in the fruit of the Spirit, in gracious affections, in the forgiveness of sins, in reckoning unto you the righteousness of Jesus Christ, in bearing you up upon eagles' wings when you feel so low and distraught, and in receiving you into his heavenly kingdom with great joy and everlasting life. Dear ones, I invite you to look in faith, not to that earthly Joseph, who was rejected by his brethren, who was sold into slavery, who was falsely accused of crimes he did not commit, but rather to look in faith to that greater Joseph, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was falsely accused, who was sold for 30 pieces of silver, who was rejected by his fellow brethren, fellow Jews, who suffered the condemnation of God for the sins of those chosen in Jesus Christ from before the foundation of the world. He was humiliated far more than was Joseph, but he was also exalted far more than Joseph. He is seated at God's right hand and is Lord over all and blessed even his brothers who hated him and despised him and disbelieved him and enslaved him. and imprisoned him by way of granting to those who hated him faith to lay hold of himself. Dear ones, if you come to this greater Joseph today, beating your chest and crying out to him, Lord Jesus, be merciful to me, a sinner. You will be received into the company, into the family of the Lord Jesus Christ. You will be forgiven. You will be accounted righteous in his sight through his own glorious righteousness, and you will receive everlasting life. Come to this greater Joseph, the Lord Jesus Christ, today. Fall at His feet today and receive Him as your Lord and as your Savior. Let us stand. Our Heavenly Father, we come before Thee greatly humbled, our pouring contempt upon our pride, O Lord. for how we have exalted ourselves, how we have boasted about ourselves, how we, O Lord, our God, have not glorified Thee in the work Thou hast given to us to do. O Lord, we call upon Thee, our God, that we, as Thy people, would realize whatever our work circumstances, whether in the home, outside the home, in the classroom, whatever that calling that Thou has given to us, Thou does call us, Lord, to know that as Thy people, Thou art with us, and therefore we are to glorify Thee, we are to look for Thy blessing, we are not to hate and despise the calling that we presently have, but oh God, to prosper in it, to be successful in it, wherever we may be. We pray, our Father, that Thou would hear our prayers for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. Stillwater's Revival Books is now located at PuritanDownloads.com. It's your worldwide online Reformation home for the very best in free and discounted classic and contemporary Puritan and Reformed books, MP3s, and videos. 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