What Does It Take To Be A Godly Man

10-11-04

What Does it Take to Be a Godly Man?

I want to speak about godly men today, because we live in an age, when it is difficult to identify what a godly man should be like.

So much of what we are told by the media, about “good” men, doesn’t line up with the Word of God.

So, today, let’s go to the Bible, and using Joseph as our example, see if we can find out what it takes to be “a godly man.”

Joseph is one of the most interesting characters in the Bible.

He was born with natural abilities that we admire.

He was smart, good-looking, educated and well-mannered; and he began life with a great future ahead of him, but his world began to unravel.

His life, which at one time was so very promising, changed suddenly, and became plagued with danger; and there were harsh conditions that stir up our sympathy.

However, despite the circumstances of his life, he displayed godly qualities that demand our imitation.

He was certainly a man who had great faith in God, and he lived like a godly man, despite the many difficulties he encountered.

His story begins in the land of Canaan.

Joseph was his father’s favorite son.

And his father showed his favoritism in many ways.

He let Joseph stay at home and run things while his brothers worked like farm hands.

He gave him a beautiful multi-colored coat that set him apart from his brothers.

In some ways old Jacob was responsible for Joseph’s brothers becoming jealous of his privileges and for their plan to kill him.

But instead of killing him, they decided to make a profit and they sold him to some Ishmaelite merchants and he soon became a slave in Egypt.

His story continues in a mixture of sorrow and happiness and concludes with a great reunion with his family.

I want to read some of his story from Genesis 45:1-15.

At this time in his life, he is second in command in Egypt.

Only Pharaoh, himself has more power.

Joseph is at home in Egypt, and his eleven brothers have been brought to him.

He knows who they are, but they haven’t recognized him, as of yet.

Remember, his brothers had plotted to kill him, and wound up selling him into slavery.

Now, let’s see what happens, when Joseph confronts his brothers.

1 Joseph could no longer control himself in the presence of all his attendants, so he cried out, “Have everyone withdraw from me!” Thus no one else was about when he made himself known to his brothers.

2 But his sobs were so loud that the Egyptians heard him, and so the news reached Pharaoh’s palace.

3 “I am Joseph,” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still in good health?” But his brothers could give him no answer, so dumbfounded were they at him.

4 “Come closer to me,” he told his brothers. When they had done so, he said: “I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt.

5 But now do not be distressed, and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here. It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you.

6 For two years now the famine has been in the land, and for five more years tillage will yield no harvest.

7 God, therefore, sent me on ahead of you to ensure for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives in an extraordinary deliverance.

Let me stop for a moment, because we need to understand that there was a world wide famine at this time.

Only Egypt was blessed by God with bountiful harvests.

The nations were forced to come to Egypt for food, and they paid a high price for it.

Old Jacob had sent his sons to Egypt to buy food for their families, because Canaan was hit hard by the famine, and they were all going to starve, unless they could get what they needed in Egypt.

In verse eight, we read…

8 So it was not really you but God who had me come here; and he has made of me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his household, and ruler over the whole land of Egypt.

Now, this is very important.

Joseph’s faith can be seen, as he tells his brothers that God used their evil act for His purpose.

This is how He brought him to Egypt.

Then God continued to guide his life as he went from a servant in the house of Potiphar, to a long stay in prison; until finally he becomes a ruler in Egypt.

In that high position of authority he was able to help his family.

All seventy souls, who made up his Fathers family, would go into Egypt.