The Struggle Is Real

Romans 7:15–25 (NLT): 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. 

Our Inherited Human Condition

  • Physical death = separation of human spirit from the body.
  • Spiritual death = separation of the Holy Spirit from the body.

Our New Condition in Christ

 Romans 8:1–2 (ESV): 1There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV): 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 Ephesians 1:7 (ESV): 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV): 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Our Lived Experience on Earth

 Galatians 5:1 (ESV): 1For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

  • There’s a heavenly reality, and there’s an earthly experience.

Galatians 5:13 (ESV): 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

  • In other words, we should not give opportunity to the flesh.
  • The flesh is that part of us that still produces sin even after Jesus has made us new. 
  • It’s a rebellious force within us .
  • The lingering effect of our fore parents’ crimes .
  • A genetic predisposition to defy God’s law.
  • A network of thoughts, beliefs and actions “that opposes God and seeks sinful gratification” [Article titled “What is the Flesh?” from the website, gotquestions.org: https://www.gotquestions.org/the-flesh.html] 

Galatians 5:16 (ESV): 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 

  • The struggle should not diminish the reality of the victory, nor should the victory diminish the seriousness of the struggle.

Galatians 5:17 (ESV): 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 

Galatians 5:19-21 (ESV): 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident:

Galatians 5:19 (NLT): 19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear….

Galatians 5:19-21 (ESV): 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

“Sex sins are not harder for God to forgive, but they are more damaging at a personal and social dimension than other sins”—Jack Hayford

All sin, whether we think it’s flagrant or respectable—should be taken seriously. 

  • To read more on this subject, read:
  • Fatal Attractions: Why Sex Sins Are Worse Than Others by Jack Hayford
  • The Anatomy of Seduction: Defending Your Heart for God by Jack Hayford
  • Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
  • Our Favorite Sins: The Sins We Commit & How You Can Quit by Todd H. Hunter

Matthew 9:36 (ESV): 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

  • Defenseless against Satan’s attacks.
  • Dependent on the grace of pastoral care AND
  • Disempowered from a fulfilled spiritual life.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV): 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Matthew 26:41 (ESV): 41 . . . .The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

  1. Have faith in God.

 Ephesians 2:8 (ESV): 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

  1. Remember that we have the victory already (Jesus already secured the “W”).
  2. Execute the game plan.
  3. Discover, join, and contribute to your social support system.
  4. Submit to pastoral care, instruction, and guidance.
  5. Repent.
  • Repentance is an act of faith in which we simultaneously turn from sin and to Christ.
  • “Sanctification ([which means] becoming more like Christ) . . .is a process that requires ongoing repentance.”
  • Repentance involves contrition.
  • Hence, true repentance can involve godly shame and grieving.

1 Corinthians 15:34 (ESV): 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

2 Corinthians 7:9–10 (ESV): 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 

David’s example of contrition.

Psalm 51:1–4 (ESV): 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

“For more on repentance, see The Way of Repentance: Embracing God’s Gift For a Transformed Life by Chirs Bruans”

  1. Confess Sin to God and Each Other.
  • Biblical confession of sin presumes a repentant heart.

1 John 1:8–9 (ESV): 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

  1. Learn the fear of the Lord.

 Psalm 34:11 (ESV): 11 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

 Proverbs 9:10 (ESV): 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

  1. Learn God’s ways.

Psalm 51:12–13 (ESV): 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.

 Psalm 103:7 (ESV): 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.

  1. Access the neglected benefit.

 Book List 

 Fatal Attractions: Why Sex Sins Are Worse Than Others by Jack Hayford 

 The Anatomy of Seduction: Defending Your Heart for God by Jack Hayford 

 Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges 

 Our Favorite Sins: The Sins We Commit & How You Can Quit by Todd. H. Hunter 

 The Way of Repentance: Embracing God’s Gift for a Transformed Life by Chris Brauns. 

Saul’s Conversion Experience 

 Acts 9:1–2 (ESV): 

1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.  

Acts 9:3 (ESV): 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.  

Acts 26:14–15 (ESV): 

14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 

 

Acts 26:16 (ESV):

 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’  

Acts 9:26 (ESV): 

26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 

Acts 9:27 (ESV): 

27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 

The Mercy Factor

1 Timothy 1:15–16 (NLT): 

15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 

 Shift the focus from the greatness of our sin to the greatness of God’s mercy.  

Rediscovering the Kindness of the God of the Old Testament 

Ephesians 2:4 (ESV): 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 

God can afford to restore us. 

Exodus 34:5–7 (ESV): 5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 

 

Psalm 103:7 (ESV):

 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 

A Brief History of Bougie

 

Morally Bougie

 

God’s Kindness is Too Extravagant to Miss

Psalm 103:8-13 (ESV): 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.  

Our Fragility Stirs God’s Compassion

Psalm 103:14 (ESV): 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV):

 8 . . . .Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 

  • Defenseless against Satan’s attacks 
  • Dependent on the grace of pastoral care AND 
  • Disempowered from a fulfilled spiritual life 

Matthew 9:36-38 (ESV): 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  

Romans 7:15–25 (NLT): 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So, you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

 

Rethinking What a Pastor Is

Pastoral work is not just for pastors.

Ephesians 4:11–12 (ESV): 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

All five ministry streams should be represented in our lives.

Addressing the Pastor Shortage

Matthew 9:36-38 (ESV): 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

The Overlooked Sin Struggle

The Social Solution for Sin

Healing from sin is as much a social experience as it is a spiritual one.

James 5:16 (ESV): 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. . .

Developing Compassion for People Who Struggle with Sin

Our default response to people in sin should be compassion, not condemnation.

Compassion is motivation, but repentance is the objective.

Romans 2:4 (ESV): 4 . . .. God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance

Galatians 6:1–2 (ESV): 1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. . .. 

James 1:19–20 (ESV): 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Nine Filters

Filter #1: The Word

Are we judging by Scripture or by tradition?

Mark 7:13 (ESV): 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.

Are we judging by the letter of the law or the Spirit of the law?

2 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV): 6. . .. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Filter #2: Category

Is this a matter of doctrine, a matter of witness, or a matter of conscience?

Factor #3: Escalation

  • Where is the person in the sequence of progressive intervention?
  • To look at an example of how this works in Scripture, read Matthew 18: 15-17.

Filter #4: Contextual Details 

  • Do you have the big picture? (view)
  • Do you have the small picture? (details)
  • How many layers of depth have you explored? (roots)
  • Contextual details have to do with circumstantial information that reveals the true nature of what happened.
  • You want to judge the true nature of things, and not the mere appearance of things.

Factor #5: Heart Posture 

  • Is the person contrite, remorseful, or humble?

Filter #6: One’s Own Sins and Temptations

Galatians 6:1(ESV): 1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 

  • Consider what you’ve struggled with in the past
  • Consider what you struggle with now
  • How would you want to be judged under the same circumstances as the person you are judging?
  • Would you still want to be eligible for mercy?

Filter #7: Relationship 

Galatians 6:2 (ESV): 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Factor #8: Holy Spirit Guidance

Filter #9: Divine Providence

 

Matthew 9:35 (ESV): 35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.

Matthew 9:36 (ESV): 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Two Ministry Realities

These two passages communicate two different outlooks on the same ministry

  • Sheep is an ancient metaphor that characterizes how people follow leaders.

Characteristics of Sheep

First of all, sheep are. . .

  • Defenseless
  • “Sheep are defenseless animals. Without a shepherd they are vulnerable to any attack. Even without predators they are in trouble if they have no shepherd, for they are not good foragers.”–Leon Morris [John Frederick, “Mercy and Compassion,” in Lexham Theological Wordbook, ed. Douglas

Mangum et al., Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).]

  • They cannot stop an attack or protect themselves from natural threats

Sheep are also. . .

  • Dependent
  • “Goats manage very well by themselves, but sheep do not.” — Leon Morris [John Frederick, “Mercy and Compassion,” in Lexham

Theological Wordbook, ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).]

Sheep rely on humans (help that comes from outside their world)

  • Disempowered
  • Sheep without a shepherd points to people who are in great danger and without the resources to escape from it.”–Leon Morris [John Frederick, “Mercy and Compassion,” in Lexham Theological Wordbook, ed. Douglas

Mangum et al., Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).]

Sheep are without the means to address their greatest threats

  • Sheep are
  • Defenseless
  • Dependent
  • Disempowered

What Sheep Teach Us About People

  • In calling the people sheep who need a shepherd, Jesus is tapping into a metaphor that also applies to us.
  • John 10:14 (ESV): 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me.

The Need for Laborers

Matthew 9:37–38 (ESV): 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

  • The ministry of the shepherd hinges on other human beings who give expression to His pastoral work.

The Call to be Sheep and Shepherds

  • What are the pastoral priorities of Jesus?
  • They’re two-fold:
  • Jesus wants people to receive pastoral ministry AND
  • Jesus wants people to participate in pastoral work

Ephesians 4:11–12 (ESV): 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Hebrews 5:12 (ESV): 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food.

  • There’s more than one way to teach
  • We teach through word
  • We teach through deed
  • We teach through example
  • We teach through proximity

That people assigned to his care are

  • Defenseless
  • Dependent
  • Disempowered

The Issue That Receives the Least Pastoral Support

The Social Factor

We have a social anxiety about sin that prohibits us from the help that God administers through other human beings.

Not only is the effect of sin social, but the healing of sin is social.  

The Power of the Listener

James 5:16 (ESV): 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

▪ We put all the emphasis on the person confessing and no emphasis on the person listening. 

The sin in our lives makes us 

  • Defenseless against Satan’s attacks
  • Dependent on the grace of pastoral care AND
  • Disempowered from a fulfilled spiritual life

“Under Construction”

1st Peter chapter 2 verse 5:

You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Trusting God when life doesn’t make sense?

Joseph grew up in a Dysfunctional Family.

God Gives Joseph Dreams of Future Leadership

Chapter 37 vs 5-8

5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”

8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

Favor With God Does Not Exempt Us from Suffering

Genesis 7 Verse 18-20

18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— 24, and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

 

Sometimes Obedience Makes Life Harder, Not Easier

Joseph obeyed.

Joseph fled.

Joseph was falsely accused.

Joseph went to prison.

Doing right did not produce easier circumstances.

Genesis 39 vs 2-4:  

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 

Genesis 39: 6 – 9:

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”

8 But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”

That was the recap; now let’s hear the rest of this amazing story.

Genesis 39: 21-23:

21 The Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

Our Testimony

Trusting God When Times Are Tough

Genesis Chapter 40

Genesis Chapter 40, verse 23:

23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot about him.

God Is Working While We Wait

Joseph served faithfully in prison.

He interpreted dreams.

He helped others.

The cupbearer forgot him.

Genesis 41: 14-16:

14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.

15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it.”

16 “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.

Genesis 41:37-38:

37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”

Verse 41-43:

41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command,[b] and people shouted before him, “Make way[c]!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

God Can Change Our Lives In One Day

Pharaoh has a dream.

Joseph is remembered.

Joseph interprets.

Joseph goes from Prisoner to Prime Minister.

 Genesis 42: 6 and 8:

So when Joseph’s brothers arrived and stood before him, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 

8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 

God Redeems What Others Meant for Evil

Joseph reveals himself.

Instead of revenge—

He forgives.

He recognizes God’s hand.

Joseph sees purpose where others saw tragedy.

Genesis 50 vs 18,19:

18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

The Greatest Statement of God’s Sovereignty  

“You intended evil against me, but God intended it for good.”

People intended evil.

Yet God overruled it.

God was working on Josep

Today, we’ll look at the life of Joseph.  Joseph’s life was filled with one setback after another. Yet Joseph was a young man who trusted God even when life didn’t make sense. And at the end of Joseph’s life, we see everything that happened led to the fulfillment of the purpose and plan God had placed in his heart as a young man.

Genesis 37: verse 1-11

God Can Work In a Dysfunctional Family

  • Favoritism
  • Jealousy
  • Broken relationships
  • Competition

Verses 1-4 says this:

Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.

2 This is the account of Jacob’s family line.

Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

God Gives Dreams Before He Reveals the Journey

  • Dreams of future leadership
  • God revealed the destination—not the process

Chapter 37 vs 5-8

5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”

8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

RIGHT Dream WRONG Audience.

Favor With God Does Not Exempt Us from Suffering

Joseph experiences:

  • Betrayal
  • Rejection
  • Hatred
  • Slavery
  • Separation

 Let’s look at verse 17-20

So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— 24, and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

 

 28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

 

Sometimes Obedience Makes Life Harder, Not Easier

Joseph obeyed.

Joseph fled.

Joseph was falsely accused.

Joseph went to prison.

Verse 2 of Genesis 39

2 The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”

8 But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his robe and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his robe in her hand and ran out of the house.

Grow Where You Are Planted

21 The Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

Romans 8:28

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

For every Believer, the Christian life should be a journey of progression and not stagnation

What will keep us progressing on our journey?

  1. Putting the Needs of Others Above our Needs
  2. Being Equipped with God’s Word

Having a Grateful Heart

  1. Putting the Needs of Others Above our Needs – A Burden for the Lost
  1. It is through the transformative and empowering work of the Holy Spirit that believers can become effective witnesses by drawing others to Christ
    1. According to Acts 1:8 – But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.

According to Matthew 28:18-20 – And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age, Amen.

  1. Being Equipped with God’s Word

Ephesians 4:11-12(NKJV)

  • 11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
  • 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

     2 Timothy 3:15-17 NKJV

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

    • God’s word completes the believer, equipping us for every good work by teaching, convicting, and instructing us

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Apostle Paul tells believers:

    • What to do – study
    • Why do it – to be approved unto God; not an ashamed workman
    • How to do it – by rightly dividing the Word of truth

Amos 8:11-12

  • “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and from, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it.”
  • Let us daily feast upon God’s Word and so avoid a similar famine in our souls.

Having a Grateful Heart

Romans 12:12 NKJV

  • Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.
  1. Rejoicing in Hope – An earnest expectation – Christ is our Hope
  • Philippians 4:4-8
  • Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!
  • Likewise, we should praise God no matter our circumstances because we know the Lord will redeem our situation for our good and His glory if we trust Him.

   

Psalm 100

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and 2not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations

  1. Patient in Tribulation

The word “patient” in this passage is the Greek word hypomania, which means to remain, not recede or flee, to persevere under misfortunes and trials; to hold fast to one’s faith in Christ; to endure…

John 16:33 (NKJV)

  • “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. (Isaiah 26:3). In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
  • As Jesus stood ready to face the Cross and defeat the last foe, death, He encouraged the disciples to always have confidence in His ability to lead them through to triumph, which was proven at the Resurrection.

Psalms 34:19

  • Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Romans 5:1-5

Trials, difficulties, and adversities are often God’s way of developing a Christ like character in us. No one likes trials, but the Lord can use them for our good and His Glory, if we will trust Him.

  1. Continuing Steadfastly in Prayer
    • Romans 12:12
      • Continuing steadfastly in prayer
    • 1 Thessalonians 5:17
      • Pray without ceasing,
    • Colossians 4:2
      • Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving
    • Luke 18:1
      • Then He spoke a parable to them that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.
    • Ephesians 6:18
      • Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
  • Why Pray?
    • Obedience – God Commands Believers to Pray
    • Intimacy with the Father
    • Because of the Sovereign God has established prayer as the vehicle by which we receive what He has promised and help fulfill what he has ordained

As Believers, we should keep our hearts in a posture of prayer before God.

For every Believer, the Christian life should be a journey of progression and not stagnation

  • Putting the Needs of Others Above our Needs
  • Being Equipped with God’s Word
  • Having a Grateful Heart by rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, and continuing steadfastly in prayer

Stay on the Journey

 

Our Theme for this Year: “Under Construction”

 1 Peter 2:5 – You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ.

For every Believer, the Christian life should be a journey of progression and not stagnation

What will keep us progressing on our journey?

  1. Putting the Needs of Others Above our Needs
  2. Being Equipped with God’s Word
  • Having a Grateful Heart
  1. Putting the Needs of Others Above our Needs – A Burden for the Lost
  • God’s Perfect Son came and died for all mankind.
  1. It is through the transformative and empowering work of the Holy Spirit that believers can become an effective witnesses by drawing others to Christ
  2. Acts 1:8
    1. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.
      1. By the work of the Holy Spirit, we get to be part of the greatest story ever told. “The Great Commission:
    2. Matthew 28:18-20
      1. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age, Amen.

  1. Equipped with God’s Word

     2 Timothy 3:15-17 NKJV

  • All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 4:12

  • For the world of God is living and powerful, and sharper that any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit, and o joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”

Amos 8:11-12

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.  They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it.”

  • A Grateful Heart of Thanksgiving

1 Thessalonians: 5:16-18

Romans 12:12

  • Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.

Rejoicing in Hope

Psalm 100

  • Make a joyful shout to the Lord, 1all you land! Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the Lord, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and 2not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

 

Introduction and Review 

  • A character study focuses on a single biblical character and draws attention to qualities in that person’s life that model things we should emulate or avoid.  
  • Romans 4:19–22 (ESV): 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 
  • We can be on a faith journey and be flawed 

Jesus’ Views on Social Interactions with Sinners 

  • Matthew 9:10–13 (ESV): 10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” 
  • Mark 7:8 (ESV): 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” 

Takeaways from How Jesus Related to Sinners 

Sinners did not make Jesus panic 

  • Romans 14:15–16 (ESV): 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV 1900): 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. 
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (ESV): 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 
  • It’s referring to kinds of evil, not literally appearances  
  • 1 Timothy 4:12 (ESV): 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 

 

  • 1 Corinthians 5:11 (ESV): 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 

 

  • 1 Corinthians 5:9–10 (ESV): 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.  

 

  • “Here, he instructed that at times we are to withdraw Fellowship. This case means to administer strict discipline when church members openly persist in sin and do not heed corrective counsel.”–Jack Hayford (Spirit-Filled Study Bible: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word, Third edition, Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2018, p. 1650) 
  • “This doesn’t mean you can’t speak to the person, or that you are to treat him cruelly. Instead, it means you are not to treat him like a fellow Christian when he is showing contempt for God, and for his people by ignoring the divinely prescribed process of church discipline.”–Tony Evans (The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda, Nashville: Holman, 2019, p. 1156) 
  • Galatians 6:1–2 (ESV): 1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 
  • We can’t take the measures we apply to extreme cases of sin and apply them to common cases of sin. 
  • 1 Corinthians 15:33 (ESV): 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 
  • Romans 12:2 (ESV): 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 
  • Matthew 5:13–14 (ESV): 13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 
  • People who followed Jesus did not immediately mature 
  • Jesus allowed people to serve in ministry while they were still growing spiritually 
  • Jesus pointed to people with a sinful history as examples for us to follow  
  • Luke 7:44–50 (ESV): 44 Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” 

 

  • Matthew 26:13 (ESV): 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” 

 

  • The reality of the Christian life includes a battle with sin that we fight from a place of victory. 

The Checkered Journey of Abraham 

Genesis 17 (ESV): 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”  

9 And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, 13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”  

15 And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” 19 God said, “No, but Sarah, your wife, shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”  

22 When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. 23 Then Abraham took Ishmael, his son, and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 That very day, Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. 27 And all the men of his house, those born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.  

Righteousness By Faith 

Genesis 15:5–6 (ESV): 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. 

Abraham Believed the Gospel 

Galatians 3:8–9 (ESV): 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 

Introduction and Review 

  • A character study focuses on a single biblical character and draws attention to qualities in that person’s life that model things we should emulate or avoid.  
  • Romans 4:19–22 (ESV): 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 

God Uses People with Flaws 

Leaving Space for People to Grow 

 

  • 1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV): 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 

 

  • Acts 13:21–23 (ESV): 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ 23 Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. 

 

  • Acts 13:36 (ESV): 36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, 

 

  • Psalm 51:1–19 (ESV): 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar. 

 

Consider the People that Received the Most Praise from Jesus 

  • Luke 18:9–14 (ESV): 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

 

  • Luke 7:36–50 (ESV): 36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus, answering, said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he canceled the debt of both. Now, which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he canceled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” 

Consider the Focus of Jesus’ Ministry 

Matthew 9:9–13 (ESV): 9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. 10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11, And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” 

Luke 14:16–24 (ESV): 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ” 

Christianity is Restoration-Focused, Not Criticism-Focused  

Galatians 6:1–3 (ESV): 1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 

Despite His Flaws, Abraham Did Not Sever His Relationship with God (and God did not sever His relationship with Abraham) 

Genesis 12:4 (ESV): 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 

Genesis 15:1 (ESV): 1 After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 

Genesis 17:1–2 (ESV): 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” 

Genesis 18 (ESV): 1 And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.  

Genesis 18:17–19 (ESV): 17 The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” 

James 2:23 (ESV): 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 

  • Sometimes you must win a friend before you win a soul.