Genesis 39:6-12, 16-23

“How Could I Do Such I Wicked Thing?”

            He was a young kid with a lot of promise. He was intelligent. He was handsome. He was a man of faith. He had everything going for him. He had goals and plans – big dreams – about his future. His father loved him; his father was proud of him. His brothers . . . not so much. You see, he talked big; his mouth got him into trouble. And so, not quite according to his plans, not quite the way that he had in mind, he left home at the young age of 17. He left town. He got a low level job in the company of a highly respected and very wealthy man – a government official. He worked very hard for this man. He worked his way up. He earned the trust and the respect of his boss. His boss put him in charge of nearly everything. Things couldn’t have been better. Then the scandal. Enter the boss’ wife. The seduction. The lure. The proposed affair. Repeated invitations. Daily pressure.

Each time, however, this man of integrity, this man who respected his boss too much, this man who had everything going for him, this upright man, this man of faith, this man who loved his God said “no.” He resisted. He did not give in. He did not succumb. His response to her advances? “How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” This young man, this successful man, this man of faith is none other than Joseph. For Joseph “how could I?” was a call to resist temptation. How could I do that to Potiphar? How could I do that to myself? How could I do that to God? How could I do that – period? A call to resist temptation. How many times for us, though, isn’t that a cry of regret. How could I? How could I do that? How could I do such a wicked thing? How could I sin against God?

Please don’t tell me that I’m the only one who’s been there. Tell me, please, that you’ve also said to yourself, after committing some specific, “I am never going to do that again,” only to do . . . that . . . again . . . the very next day. “How could I do that? How could I do such a wicked thing? How could I do that again? How could I sin against God?” A cry of regret. Who’s your “Potiphar’s wife”?  What temptations does she place before you? How does she seduce you? What are the different pick-up lines that she uses on you? What are her different come-ons? What are her repeated advances?

Are they sixth commandment related like they were for Joseph? Do those temptations come through movies or magazines? Do they pop up on your computer screen? Do they come at the end of a date? Are they presented in a weekend get-away together? Are the words not “come to bed with me” but “move in with me”? Whatever the temptation, however we’re seduced – even going to those places or doing those things where we know we will be tempted – how many times haven’t we ended the date or the evening or the movie with that cry of regret – “How could I do such a wicked thing – again!”?

Maybe your temptress isn’t “Potiphar wife.” Maybe the one tempting you is Potiphar’s brother of discontent – he dangles lures of materialism in front of us; we become dissatisfied and ungrateful with what we have and envious and jealous of what other people have. Maybe the one tempting you is Potiphar’s extended family – they are constantly looking for the dish and the inside scoop – give us the gossip, they urge; make something up if you have to. We take delight in laughing at someone else’s misfortune or mannerisms or appearance. We find delight in destroying other people’s reputations. We search for information – less than flattering information – that we can share with others who will be just as delighted, just as amused and just as quick to pass it on. Maybe they will even have some news for us.

Maybe the one tempting you is Potiphar’s former employee – he is encouraging you to hold that grudge against the person who wronged you; he is advising you not to talk to that person who gave you the cold shoulder; he is the one reminding you to be angry with your former best friend; he is the one helping you plot your revenge. Who’s your Potiphar’s wife? Isn’t it you? Isn’t it your own Old Adam? I know that’s true for me. And too often I have listened to him. And too often he has left me crying out, “How could I? How could I – again! How could I do such a wicked thing? How could I sin against God?”

I pray that is you . . . because those cries of regret are the initial cries of repentance. Those cries of regret reveal that, in spite of our repeated sins, we still see and acknowledge that what we did was wrong. Those cries of regret reveal a sorrow over sin. Those cries of regret confess an admission of guilt. Those cries of regret beg God for his mercy and forgiveness. And forgive us he does! Because, thankfully, God doesn’t respond to our repeated sins and our repeated confessions and our repeated cries of regret with the words, “Yeah, how could you do that again? How could you do such a wicked thing? How could you sin against me? Didn’t I just forgive you for that? Sorry, you’ve reached your quota for the month. Sorry, you’ve maxed out my patience and my love and my forgiveness.”

Not the words of our gracious God. Never the words of our gracious God. Our God is patient with us, slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiveness. He does not treat us as our sins deserve. The question really becomes not “how could I do that” but rather “how could he do that”. How could he be so merciful? How could he be so patient? How could he be so loving? How could he be so forgiving? The answer to that is, quite simply, that’s who he is. That’s who God is. God is love – our failure to love doesn’t change that about him. God is faithful – our unfaithfulness doesn’t change that about him. God is patient – our impatience doesn’t change that about him. God is kind – our mean spirit doesn’t change that about him. God is slow to anger – our quick temper doesn’t change that about him. God keeps no record of wrongs – our propensity for revenge doesn’t change that. God being God enables him to forgive us time and time again . . . for every sin, for every failure, and for every repeated, regret-filled offense.

But still, how could he do that? Because, not only is God a God love – God is love – but he is also just; he also demands payment for sin. So how could God forgive us? How could he do that? Because he already did punish us. He punished us on the cross – though we never felt a thing. When Christ suffered it was as though we suffered. When Christ died it was as though we died. Our punishment was his punishment; his death was our death. All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus, Paul says, were baptized into his death. More than that, Baptism also connects us to his resurrection – and to things like victory, forgiveness, absolution, righteousness, pardon and peace – all ours through the death and resurrection of Jesus. That’s how God the Father can forgive us – in Christ and because of Christ. That’s why God is able to be patient with us – in Christ and because of Christ.

A cry of regret – how could I that – becomes, as it did for Joseph, a call to resist – how could I do such a wicked thing! We do well to note how Joseph dealt with the temptations and schemes and seductions that Potiphar’s wife put before him. He understood his circumstances – this was not his wife, this was the wife of another man, this was the wife of his boss, this would betray the confidence and trust that Potiphar had placed in him, this would misuse and abuse the responsible position that Potiphar had placed him in. More than that, Joseph understood God’s will – this was wrong, this was wicked, this was immoral, this was adultery, this was theft, this was sin. In addition to that he understood his own limitations and weaknesses – so he not only flat out refused her first advance but he also he clearly told her why so she wouldn’t do it again; when she persisted, he refused to even be in her presence; he avoided her in an attempt to avoid the temptation; finally, he simply had to turn and run – he fled temptation.

When we pray in the Lord’s Prayer “and lead us not into temptation” many times God uses us to be the answer to our own prayer. We too need to understand our circumstances, we too need to remember God’s will, we too need to know our limitations and weaknesses. Is it wise for me to log onto this computer right now? Is it wise for me to pour this drink when I’m all alone? Is it wise for us, the two of us, to be in my parent’s house all alone? Is it wise for me to talk to this person in this place who obviously has one thing on her mind? Is this a wise conversation for me to have about that other person? So many times we give-in to temptations because we place ourselves in situations where we know we will be tempted.

So many times we could avoid being tempted if we made it a point not to knowingly place ourselves in positions or situations or among people where we know we will be tempted. God is faithful, as we’ll hear in Bible class this morning, he will not give us more than we are able to handle; he will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear; but when we are tempted, he will always provide a way out so that we can stand up under it. Dear Christian, look for those ways out – they are there whenever we are being tempted. Like Joseph, may God empower you to make frequent and regular use of those ways out, to resist temptation and to even flee as you say in faith, “How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God!” Amen.

   

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