This is a series of messages on the coat of many colors – Free Power point is available through E-Mail retssi@bellsouth.net
Several Illustrations, points, and the main idea for this series of sermons dealing with the coat of many colors was from James May’s sermon, “A Coat Of Many Colors.” Also Several Illustrations and points came from Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible. Many other sources were used to help compile this series!
A Coat of Many Colors #7 White
Genesis 37:1-3 (KJV) 1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
What, have we learned so far about this coat of many colors?
The First was the color of Amber which represented God’s Presence and Glory in the life of Joseph.The Second color Black which could have represented two ideas. days of darkness & future of the Famine.
Dark Blue which signified Worship!
Sky Blue or Light Blue = Heaven. .
Green = Spiritual Growth.
Crimson or Red = Blood or Sin
Today we will be looking at the color White!
White could have stood for so many things that Jacob wanted to teach Joseph.
White is the color of purity, holiness and righteousness.
Last week we learned Jacob would have wanted Joseph to first of all to have put on righteousness!
Think about all those years that Jacob taught Joseph about the THE CLEANSING POWER OF THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.
The Psalmist said. Psalm 51:7 (KJV) 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
A good point about white is there is a big difference between whitewashing, (you know just covering the dirt,) and washing something white which goes deep!.
Isaiah 1:18 (KJV) 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
I also believe Jacob wanted Joseph to live a holy life and keep himself pure before God, therefore he put white in the coat..
It was a lesson that Joseph would not soon forget, even when Potiphar’s wife would try to seduce him, Joseph would not grieve the Lord.
He learned to flee from temptation and trust in the Lord for what was best for his life.
Turn to Genesis 39
One of the most intense situations of temptation in the Old Testament is given here in Genesis chapter thirty-nine.
The result of this test was one of the greatest demonstrations of self-control in the Scriptures. The preceding chapter records the failure of a man in sexual temptation. This chapter records his brother's victory over sexual sin.
Young people today demand their freedom to do as they wish with no boundaries or restrictions. People need to realize, however, that the price of freedom is responsibility and experiencing the consequences of our choices.
Wrong choices lead to punishment and judgment. Righteous choices lead to the blessing of the Lord in our life. We are going to be held accountable for the choices we make.
It's ironic that the real slave in this story was not Joseph, but Potiphar's wife. She was a slave to her lust and desires.
Joseph made the right decisions, but what was his secret of resistance? Why was he victorious over sexual temptations?
Mattoon Shares Principles For Overcoming Sexual Temptation
• Authenticity in Character—Joseph made the right decision because he was right with God in his heart. He had the right behavior because he had the right beliefs.
• Analysis was Correct—Joseph realized yielding to her would be sin.
• Accurate in Assessment—Joseph called sin a sin. Today the world calls adultery a fling or alternate lifestyle. We need to call it what it really is... sin.
• Appreciation for His Master—Joseph was loyal and grateful to his master and would not think of betraying him.
• Adoration for the Lord—Joseph could not bear to break God's heart.
• Awareness for the Lord—The presence of God was real in Joseph's life.
• Answered Correctly—Joseph knew how to say "Yes" to God, and "NO" to sin.
• Avoided Temptation—He avoided this temptation as much as he could. We fall into sin many times because we position ourselves in the path of temptation.
• Absorbed Himself in his work—Joseph kept busy and kept his mind occupied. Joseph knew that our pondering leads to performing; our dwelling upon a thought leads to disobedience; our fantasizing leads to fraternizing with sin. Someone once said, "Sow a thought, reap and act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny."
• Adamant about doing right—Joseph's mind was made up about doing right. He had already made the decision to stay pure before temptation came.
• Abandoned the temptation—He ran away from the situation. Joseph got himself out when no one else could. Don't stare or study the temptation, for you will be mesmerized by its lure.
This section was from Mattoon's Treasures - Treasures from Genesis.
Turn to Matthew 5:8 (KJV) 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
As Americans we are increasingly concerned with environmental purity. We want to drink pure water. We want to breath pure air. We want to make sure that the foods we eat are pure – that they don’t contain things that are harmful to us. Last year alone, Americans spent over half a billion dollars on water purifiers.
But there is an area of our lives that is more important than the water we drink. It is more important than the air we breath. It is more important than the food we eat.
It is an area that we often overlook - God says - "Happy are the pure in heart." We all have a heart condition that we should be concerned about.
Now here is a beatitude which demands that we should stop and examine ourselves.
The Greek word for “pure” has a number of interesting facets.
It was used for dirty clothes that had been washed clean.
It was used to describe grain and flour that had been carefully sifted – cleansed of all impurities.
It was used when describing milk or wine that had not been mixed with any other liquid. It is not diluted or watered down. It was pure.
So this beatitude could be translated, “Happy is the one who is genuine in heart, who is authentic, who is not a phony, because such a person will see God.” What we are talking about is being “Holy”.
God has said in His word: 1 Peter 1:16 (KJV) 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
God wants us to be like Him. God is holy – God is pure – and God wants us to holy and pure also. Today let’s look at three steps to having a pure heart.
THREE STEPS TO HAVING A PURE HEART
The first step to having a pure heart is:
1. Remember that God sees EVERYTHING.
Look at what it says in Proverbs chapter five: Proverbs 5:21 (KJV) 21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
Nothing is secret from God. Nothing is a surprise to Him.
Does it bother you that you have no secrets from God?
God says He knows everything about you. A lot of people think that they are fooling God.
That somehow He doesn’t see everything that they have done – but He has. He sees right through everything.
But here is the scary part – look at our next verse: Mark 4:22 (KJV) 22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
Everything that we think is hidden will be revealed – everything that we think is secret will be exposed. Wow! Shouldn’t that change our behavior? Shouldn’t that change the way I act?
If God already knows everything – and everything is going to be revealed – I might as well strive to have a pure heart.
I shouldn’t try to fake it anymore. I may fool some people – some of the time – but I can never fool God. But here is the amazing thing – God knows everything that I have done – and He loves me anyway.
A pure in heart person is conscious that God knows them inside and out.
A pure in heart person is aware that God sees their every move.
A pure in heart person knows that God knows them – and that God loves them anyway.
That is a mark of maturity. The more mature you are the more conscious you are that God is with you all the time.
An immature person acts like God isn’t even there at all. A mature person focuses in on pleasing God.
The desire of very Christian should be to bring pleasure to God. That’s what it means to have a pure heart.
You can’t please everyone – but you can strive to please God – and believe me – God knows every move you make. He loves you and He wants you to be successful.
The second step to having a pure heart is:
2. Review my MOTIVES.
We need to do an honest evaluation of why we do what we do. We should check our motives.
In Proverbs chapter sixteen we find this written: Proverbs 16:2 (KJV) 2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
We should constantly keep check on our motives. In fact second Corinthians chapter thirteen tells us that we are examine ourselves:
2 Corinthians 13:5 (KJV) 5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Let me suggest three areas to test yourself.
A. GIVING
When you give something what is the motive behind your giving? Are you giving in order to get something in return? Are you giving to be noticed by other people? Look at what it says in Matthew chapter six:
Matthew 6:2 (KJV) 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
We need to carefully check the motives of our giving.
We also need to check the motives in our:
B. PRAYING
Ask yourself – am I talking to God or am I talking so that others can hear me?
Is my prayer addressed to my Father – or do I pray so that others will pay attention?
Am I trying to impress others or am I talking to God?
Jesus gives this warning in Matthew chapter six:Matthew 6:5 (KJV) 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Are your prayers so that others can pay attention to them or are they to God? What is the motive behind your prayers?
We also need to check why we do what we do in:
C. SERVING
Notice what the Bible says in Psalm one hundred: Psalm 100:2 (KJV) 2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
We are to serve the LORD and we are to serve Him with GLADNESS. Are you striving to please people or are you striving to please God. Remember you can’t serve two masters. You have to set priories.
We should serve God in a manner that "the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing." Our service to God becomes automatic. What is motive behind what you do?
Do You Remember: Proverbs 16:2 (KJV) 2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
The third step to having a pure heart is:
3. Realign my PRIORITIES.
Do you remember what the first of the Ten Commandments is? Exodus 20:3 (KJV) 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
What God is saying – “I want top place. I don’t want to be second or third place in your life. Whether it’s your career, your husband, your wife, anything – I want to be first.” How do you know if you are making Him first in your life? Let me give you three tests:
PRIORITY TEST
A. Look at my ACTIVITIES.
Ask – where do I invest my time and money? Wherever you put your time and money is what you feel is a priority in your life. Regardless of what you say is your priority – if you look at where you invest your time and money determines what the priorities are in your life. If you want to have a pure heart you need to determine where your heart is.
Look at what Jesus says in Matthew chapter six: Matthew 6:21 (KJV) 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Where you spend your money and your time shows where your heart is.
B. Look at my ANXIETIES.
What do I worry about most? You can tell a lot about a person by what they worry about. Do you worry about, finances, food, fitness, fashion, or the future?
If you’re worrying about any of these things, it means that God is not number one in your life. Look at what Jesus says in Matthew chapter six: Matthew 6:25 (KJV) 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Jesus tells us to put our trust in the Father. He says, "Look at the birds in the sky – God takes care of them – they don’t worry - and you are worth much more than them."
C. Look at my AMBITIONS.
What are the goals in my life? My goals reveal the direction of my heart.
What is the number one ambition of your life?
What do I think is the most important thing to achieve?
The problem with many Christians is that have the same ambitions – the same goals – as their non-Christian friends. There is no difference.
The result is they have the same tensions. They have the same stresses. They have the same headaches. They have the same problems.
But God says, “Set your heart first and foremost on pleasing Me – then you will see Me – and you will be happy.” “Happy are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.”
You see happiness comes from walking in the presence of God. He sees your every move. He knows your motives. He knows if you have made Him the top priority of your life. Jesus said it this way:
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
Make God the top priority of your heart. Check your heart. We all need a spiritual heart checkup. What’s the condition of your heart? Some of you have a broken heart. Jesus can mend it! Some of you have a hard heart. Jesus can soften it! Some of you have a cold heart. Jesus can warm it! But you must give your heart to Him. Put your heart in His care – put your heart in His hands – and let Him work a miracle in your life - today.
