This years Lenten Midweek Sermons are adapted from sermons prepared by Pastor Brent Kuhlman, of Murdoch, NE. We are working our way through the Ten Commandments.
Sixth Commandment:
You Shall Not Commit Adultery What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we lead a
sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love
and honor each other.
Joseph. Coat of many colors Joseph. Favored by his father Jacob. Who had dreams about the future with his
brothers bowing down to him Joseph. Who,
without regard for the consequences, naively shared the dreams’ content with
his family Joseph. Envied and despised
by his brothers Joseph. Hated him so
much they wanted to kill him Joseph.
Instead, they serendipitously sell him to Ishmaelite traders. Eventually, insufferable Joseph ends up in
Egypt sold into slavery. Slavery! Bought by captain of the guard Potiphar. Can you imagine? The heartache? The pain?
The despair? Forcibly
betrayed! Devastatingly separated from
father Jacob and from the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!
And yet through all that happened
to Joseph the words repeat: “The
LORD was with Joseph.” Not just in Canaan. The LORD crosses the border! Joseph is not alone. The LORD is with him even in this foreign
land of pagans and idol worshipers! Even
in his darkest hours.
The LORD’s gracious presence
garners results. “The LORD gave him [Joseph] success
in everything he did.” Joseph’s
master notices this. Consequently,
Potiphar gives Joseph control of his entire estate! “Joseph you’re in charge of everything! It’s all in your hands! I trust you!
You’re like a son to me!”
Potiphar has nothing to worry
about with Joseph in charge.
Then Moses adds quite a line in
this history. One that might surprise
you. One that you might have missed. “Now Joseph was well built and handsome.” In other words, he was an ancient Brad Pitt. And
the hottie Joseph hasn’t escaped Potiphar’s wife’s eyes! She’s taken notice. Pronto!
She’s scoped him out!
But hear it again, Joseph hasn’t
escaped Potiphar’s wife’s eyes. Joseph will soon learn the meaning of the
phrase: Real Housewives of the Egyptian Nile! She’s a cougar on the prowl! In America Mrs. Potiphar could have her own prime
time reality TV show on TV Land! Do a couple of one-night stand cameos on How I Met Your Mother and Three and A Half Men! Get a gig on Dancing with the Stars! Go
on the interview circuit with Matt Lauer, Bill O’Reilly, and Barbara
Walters! Make millions writing steamy tell-all
books! And then receive a number of
one-on-one party invitations from Ashton Kutcher and Charlie Scheen! Why?
Because she loves to sleep around!
Especially with hot, Brad Pitt or Matthew McConaughey types!
“And after a while his master’s
wife took notice of Joseph and said, ‘Come to bed with me!’”
“Come to bed with me. I’ll show you a good time!”
The more things change the more they stay the same. Did I mention that Mrs. Potiphar’s married? Oh, yes, I did, didn’t I? She is wife to
Potiphar!
Fear, love, and trust in God
above all things? Not even on her radar
screen! Remain faithful to her husband? Totally irrelevant! Leading a sexually pure and decent life? Downright laughable! Honor and love only her husband? How incredibly Victorian! So prudish!
So 1950s-ish! That’s so Leave It To Beaver! Even in ancient Egypt!
The woman has needs. And she wants to fulfill them. Not with her husband! But with the new young hunk, Joseph!
Joseph could pull a one-night
stand or an extended relationship. And
who would even care? Everyone does it! Everyone hooks up! What one does in the privacy of one’s own
bedroom is nobody else’s business anyway!
It would be his and Mrs. Potiphar’s secret! So what if Potiphar finds out? He’ll get over it!
So she applies her sultry Egyptian
Mary Kay makeup. Straps on her crocodile high heels. Slips into her sexiest see through Nile
Cotton nightgowns. Saddles right up to
Joseph in her most seductive Walk Like An Egyptian moves. Puts on her bedroom
eyes. Twirls her fingers through his curly
hair. Blows into his ear and whispers: “Come
to bed with me.” What an
enticing temptation! What a thrill! What an amazingly opportunity for a young male
slave!
And what does well built and
handsome slave boy Joseph do? Are you
ready for this? You won’t believe
it! The text says: “BUT HE REFUSED!” REFUSED HER I TELL YOU! No adultery for Joseph! Ever!
He will not adulterate holy marriage in any way! “Here’s the deal Mrs. Potiphar! I’ve got a secret for you! With me in charge,” he says, “my
master does not have to worry about a thing.
He trusts me. I suppose I could
do anything I wanted. I suppose I could
have you. But I won’t. You’re a married woman! I will not commit adultery with you!”
Cougars usually don’t take No for
an answer. Mrs. Potiphar tries to wear
Joseph down. Men are weak! They’re all matrixed a certain way. There’s always one thing on their mind. So day after day she offers herself to him!
And day after day Joseph
refused. He even looked for ways to
avoid her. After all, to commit adultery
– to have sexual relations with a woman you’re not married to – is a “wicked
thing and [a] sin against God.”
Joseph has learned from God’s
Word that a sexual relationship is a gift from God. However, he also knew and believed that
sexual activities in the bedroom are to be used properly – in the way that God
intends it.
Now I hope you’re not rolling
your eyes and turning the preacher off right now. Why?
Well, because Joseph offers you and I a wonderful God-pleasing example
to follow. To fear, love and trust in
God even in our sexuality. A man and a
woman are supposed to have a sexual relationship. That’s God’s intent. A one-flesh union. To be fruitful and multiply. To even enjoy it! But only after they are married.
Marriage first. Then the honeymoon! The way it was from the beginning. In Genesis when God brought Eve to Adam and
married them. Adam and Eve were both
naked together and they were not ashamed.
Why? Because they were
married! Because they were husband and
wife!
Here we all have loads to repent
of! And it’s time we had a serious
talk.
But I fear that some of us,
including myself, do not want to talk.
Don’t want to hear God’s Word on this matter. We would rather ignore the Sixth Commandment
and God’s will for our life on this matter.
We would rather sin against God and continue live wicked lives on
purpose! After all, everyone else does
it. And it’s legal! I’m afraid we talk like this: “Joseph
did what he did. That was his choice. That’s fine for him! But don’t expect me to be like Joseph! It’s my life and no one can tell me how to
live it.”
But God has! And it is clear. The Sixth Commandment. Addressed specifically to each one of
us: “YOU shall not commit
adultery.”
Now you can shift the blame or
spin it this way: “Pastor mind your own business.”
Or “Mom and Dad don’t approve but
they’ve gotten used to it.” Or, “I’ve been married before! It was such a disaster – so painful -- that I
promised myself that I’d never marry again!” But the facts are the facts. Sin against God is sin against God. Instead
of holy living, I fear that we entrench ourselves in the most wicked of all
living.
To disregard God’s Word here on
this is very dangerous. Eternal life or
death dangerous! When any sin is held
outside of forgiveness, then there isn’t any forgiveness for any other
sins. Forgiveness comes entire or not at
all! No fractions! Would you purposely hold on to your sin? Would you dare to take back your sin from
Jesus and say: “I’ll keep them thank
you! I’ll deal with them!” If that’s the way you want it, then sadly,
you will! Impenitence will end
hellaciously!
So tonight it is time to
repent. Time to hear God’s Word and to
confess our sin that adulterates marriage in any way. Time to repent of how we have failed in
whatever way to lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and
do.
Why? Because Jesus has come for sinners. All sinners.
He was always going after Sixth Commandment sinners. In order to … forgive them! In order to
purify and cleanse Sixth Commandment sinners with His holy word of
absolution!
Jesus is the friend of sinners! He does not avoid you. He wants to be seen with you as His forgiven
brother or sister. He willing and
completely obeys the Sixth Commandment for the entire world – for you – and
every sinner! His perfect obedience
annuls our disobedience. Jesus flawlessly
does what God expects in the Sixth Commandment.
And He does it for you! What He
did counts for you!
At the same time, Jesus does not
shrink from taking all your sin and dying for it on the cross! He eagerly and
categorically announces: “I’ve
got your sin! It’s mine. I died with it all soaked up in My body! I buried it in the black hole of my tomb! I forgive you! Entirely and completely!”
The Lord’s forgiveness for all
your sin is the forgiveness that counts.
So that you can begin to fear, love and trust in Him above all
things. So that you begin to fear and
love in Him in order to lead a sexually pure and decent life in what you say
and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other.
Faith in Jesus the Sin-Bearer,
the Sin-Forgiver. Love for those in your
life.
In the name of Jesus.
