Making Godly Differences in the World
An all-creatures Bible Message

Making Godly Differences in the World
 
A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church
 
17 August 2014
 
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor

Scripture References

Genesis 45:1–15
Psalm 133:1-3
Matthew 15:10–28
John 14:12

Making Godly differences in the world is a direct result of seeking good and avoiding evil, for we are to build upon the goodness of God and the goodness we see in the world.
 
Anyone can easily go along with peer pressure and the evil ways of this world, and we won’t rock any boats, but that wouldn’t be in the heavenly will of God.
 
We are to separate ourselves from these things by making Godly differences in the world.
 
Last week as we were seeking good and avoiding evil we saw how Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, and now in Genesis 45:1-15 we are going to look at what happens when Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt and see him again.

1. Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, "Have everyone go out from me." So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
 
2. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it.

These are tears of joy and not of sadness, for Joseph came to the understanding about how God had used the evil done to him for good, particularly when it came to his brothers.

3. Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.
 
4. Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come closer to me." And they came closer. And he said, "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.
 
5. And now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

This is showing us how we can turn many of the evil things that happen in this world around so that we will be making Godly differences in the world around us.

6. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
 
7. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.
 
8. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
 
9. Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph," God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay.
 
10. And you shall live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have.

By saying this, Joseph is also going along with the worldly ways of treating animals as possessions, and not as the companions that God created them to be.

11. There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, lest you and your household and all that you have be impoverished." '

This is making Godly differences in the world, for Joseph has also made provisions to provide for all the Egyptians.

12. "And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you.
 
13. Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here."
 
14. Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept; and Benjamin wept on his neck.
 
15. And he kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.
NASB

Joseph has totally forgiven his brothers for what they did to him, without any reservations, for forgiveness is a basic requirement in making Godly differences in the world.
 
In Psalm 133:1-3, we see a message of living in peace, which is a way of making Godly differences in the world around us.

1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
 
2. It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Coming down upon the beard,
Even Aaron's beard,
Coming down upon the edge of his robes.
 
3. It is like the dew of Hermon,
Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing — life forever.
NASB

Praising God is something we naturally do when we are living in His heavenly will.
 
In Matthew 15:10-28, we can see how Jesus extends His love unconditionally, and at the same time separates Himself from the evil ways of the world…

10. And after He called the multitude to Him, He said to them, "Hear, and understand. 
 
11. "Not what enters into the mouth defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." 
 
12. Then the disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?"

The reason the Pharisees were offended is because they recognized the fact that they were not making Godly differences in the world, but only trying to protect their own position in the ways of the world and the corrupted religious hierarchy.

13. But He [Jesus] answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up. 
 
14. "Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

This is what happens in the world every day when people follow the corrupt ways of this world and ignore God’s heavenly will.

15. And Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain the parable to us."
 
16. And He said, "Are you still lacking in understanding also?

Are we like Peter, or do we understand the parable?

17. "Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?
 
18. "But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.
 
19. "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.
 
20. "These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man." 

Thus, we are to turn away from everything that defiles us, and begin making Godly differences in the world, which really are easy to do.
 
All we have to do is follow the teachings of Jesus and pass them on to others by encouraging them to be a part of freeing creation from its present corruption.

21. And Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon.
 
22. And behold, a Canaanite woman came out from that region, and began to cry out, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed."

Notice the faith of this non-Jewish woman; not only does she know who Jesus is, which is a lot more than many, if not most, of the Jewish population, and she believes that Jesus is capable of making Godly differences in the world, particularly for her daughter.
 
At the same time she is seeking good and desiring to eliminate the evil that has befallen her daughter.

23. But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came to Him and kept asking Him, saying, "Send her away, for she is shouting out after us."

Jesus did this to test their faith, but the disciples don’t seem to understand.

24. But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

Again another statement to test their faith.

25. But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"
 
26. And He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." 
 
27. But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
 
28. Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, your faith is great; be it done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once.
NASB

This is the message that Jesus wants the whole world to understand; God’s grace and mercy is for everyone in the world and not just a select few.
 
When we truly believe and have the faith to act on our belief, we will find that we are making Godly differences in the world around us.
 
We need to remember what we are told in John 14:12…

12. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
NIV

If all of us would just take a stand and speak against the evil in this world, we could prevent it from getting any worse, and in the process find that we are making Godly differences in the world by helping to free creation from its present corruption.
 
We can seek what is good and peaceful and build upon it.
 
We can protect what is good and peaceful, and protect it from evil.
 
We can do all of these things, if we are willing.
 
Accept this challenge.
 
We can and should be making Godly differences in the world.
 
Amen.

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