How To Say "No"

HOW TO SAY “NO”

Genesis 39:1-23

S: Temptation

C: Purity in the face of temptation

Pr: WE CAN SAY “NO.”

Type: Narrative

PA: How is the change to be observed?

• Don’t blame others (including the devil).

• Make the choice to say “no.”

• Don’t play around with sin.

Version: ESV

RMBC 20 November 05 AM

INTRODUCTION:

Bring the children up (and dismiss to Primary and Jr. Church afterwards).

ILL Temptation: Cookies in Frog and Toad Together

Toad baked some cookies. “These cookies smell very good,” said Toad. He ate one. “And they taste even better,” he said. Toad ran to Frog’s house. “Frog, Frog,” cried Toad, “taste these cookies that I have made.” Frog ate one of the cookies, “These are the best cookies I have ever eaten!” said Frog. Frog and Toad ate many cookies, one after another. “You know, Toad,” said Frog, with his mouth full, “I think we should stop eating. We will soon be sick.” “You are right,” said Toad. “Let us eat one last cookie, and then we will stop.” Frog and Toad ate one last cookie. There were many cookies left in the bowl. “Frog,” said Toad, “let us eat one very last cookie, and then we will stop.” Frog and Toad ate one very last cookie. “We must stop eating!” cried Toad as he ate another. “Yes,” said Frog, reaching for a cookie, “we need willpower.” “What is willpower?” asked Toad. “Willpower is trying hard not to do something you really want to do,” said Frog. “You mean like trying hard not to eat all these cookies?” asked Toad. “Right,” said Frog. Frog put the cookies in a box. “There,” he said. “Now we will not eat any more cookies.” “But we can open the box,” said Toad. “That is true,” said Frog. Frog tied some string around the box. “There,” he said. “Now we will not eat any more cookies.” “But we can cut the string and open the box.” said Toad. “That is true,” said Frog. Frog got a ladder. He put the box up on a high shelf. “There,” said Frog. “Now we will not eat any more cookies.” “But we can climb the ladder and take the box down from the shelf and cut the string and open the box,” said Toad. “That is true,” said Frog. Frog climbed the ladder and took the box down from the shelf. He cut the string and opened the box. Frog took the box outside. He shouted in a loud voice. “Hey, birds, here are cookies!” Birds came from everywhere. They picked up all the cookies in their beaks and flew away. “Now we have no more cookies to eat,” said Toad sadly. “Not even one.” “Yes,” said Frog, “but we have lots and lots of willpower.” “You may keep it all, Frog,” said Toad. “I am going home now to bake a cake.”

What do you think of that story?

Who had better willpower – Frog or Toad?

What problem does Toad have?

Are you ever tempted to do something you know you shouldn’t do?

We do know that God can help us and we know that God has given us the ability to say “no” to things that should not be done.

Are you good at beating temptation?

One of my favorite quotes about temptation comes from Oscar Wilde, when he said, “I can resist everything except temptation.”

NARRATIVE:

Our story today comes from Genesis 39 (which you will find printed out after the outline if you need it), but for the time being I would like you to hear the story told.

It is about a man that faced temptation.

He was a man that was…

1. Trapped, sold and stuck.

Joseph had been known as a dreamer.

He had wonderful dreams that showed God was doing something great in his life.

The dreams showed that he would be a man of power, that even his brothers would recognize and bow to.

The problem is that when you have these kind of dreams, they can make you kind of arrogant.

And when you tell all your older brothers (there were 10 of them), the news does not go over big!

In fact, his arrogant message made them so angry that they decided to get rid of the dreamer.

They trapped him in a cistern, sold him to some slave traders, and concocted a story to tell their dad.

This, of course had been every humbling for Joseph.

Rejected by your brothers and becoming a common slave can really affect your outlook on life.

Trapped, sold and stuck…

Joseph was sold again to someone called Potiphar.

Potiphar was probably not his real name, but rather a title like Pharaoh or Pastor or Doctor.

Potiphar would have been a very high officer or minister in the ranks of Pharaoh.