Check Your Attitude

GENESIS 50

Pastor Rick Jackson

There are bad attitudes and good attitudes. There are heathen devilish, worldly, carnal attitudes and there are Christian attitudes. A Christian can be just that, a Christian, and yet have the wrong attitudes. Lot, Balaam, King Saul, Diotrephes and others are examples of Christians with bad attitudes. And then there is Joseph... only one time in the Genesis account do we see even the hint of a bad attitude with Joseph. He may have had one at other times, but the Scripture does not record them. In this final chapter of Genesis, we see attitudes to emulate illustrated in the life of Joseph.

I. THE RIGHT ATTITUDE CONCERNING LOSS [v. 1-13]

1. A Recognition of Earthly Loss [v. 1-4a]

2. A Recognition of Earthly Authority [v. 4-6]

3. A Recognition of Earthly Promises [v. 7-13]

Why didn't Jacob want to be buried with Rachel? Could he have known the truth expounded in Matthew 22:29-32 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

II. THE RIGHT ATTITUDE CONCERNING FORGIVENESS [v. 14-21]

1. A Recognition of Human Frailty [v. 14-17]

2. A Recognition of Divine Responsibility [v. 18-19, Romans 12:19]

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

3. A Recognition of Human Responsibility [v. 20-21, Romans 12:20-21]

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

III. THE RIGHT ATTITUDE CONCERNING LIFE & DEATH [v. 21-26]

1. A Recognition of Familial Responsibility [v. 21-23]

2. A Recognition of Faith's Realities [v. 24-25, Hebrews 11:22]

By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

3. A Recognition of Final Rest [v. 25-26, James 4:10-17]

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Speak not evil one of another,

brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one

lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that

appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall

live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.