Joseph Saw God in the Room!
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the importance of recognizing God's omnipresence as a deterrent against sin and a call to live righteously.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the omnipresence of God, illustrating that sin committed in His sight is a profound affront to His holiness. He draws parallels between the actions of Ahasuerus and the awareness of God's ever-watchful eye, urging believers to recognize that no sin can be hidden from Him. Brooks highlights the example of Joseph, who refrained from sin because he saw God in the room, contrasting this with the temptation faced by Potiphar's wife. The sermon calls for a deep awareness of God's presence to deter wicked intentions and encourages believers to live in a manner that honors His omniscience. Ultimately, Brooks urges the congregation to keep their focus on God, who sees all things at all times.
Text
"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding
the evil and the good." Proverbs 15:9
The harboring of any known sin, either in heart or life,
is a high contempt of the all-seeing eye of God--of
the omnipresence of God.
It is well known what Ahasuerus, that great monarch,
said concerning Haman, when he found him cast upon
the queen's couch on which she sat: "What!" says he,
"Will he even assault the queen right here in the palace,
before my very eyes!" What! will he dare to commit
such a villainy--as I stand and look on?
O sirs! to do wickedly in the sight of God, is a thing which
He looks upon as the greatest affront and indignity that
can possibly be done unto Him. "What!" says He, "Will
you be drunk before Me, and swear and blaspheme before
Me, and be wanton and immoral before Me, and break My
laws before My eyes!"
This, then, is the killing aggravation of all sin--that
is done before the face of God--in the presence of God!
The consideration of God's omnipresence--that He stands
and looks on, should be as a bar, to stop the proceedings
of all wicked intentions; and a great dissuasive from sin.
It was an excellent saying of Ambrose, "If you cannot
hide yourself from the sun, which is God's minister of
light--how impossible will it be to hide yourself from Him
whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the sun!"
There is no drawing of a curtain between God and you.
When you are in secret--consider that God is present.
God is all eye. He sees . . .
all things,
in all places,
at all times.
The godly are dissuaded from wickedness, upon the
consideration of God's eye and omniscience. Joseph
saw God in the room--and therefore dared not yield
to lust. But Potiphar's wife saw none but Joseph--and
so was impudently alluring and tempting him to sin.
I have read of two godly men, who took contrary
courses with two harlots--whom they desired to
reclaim from their wicked course of life.
One of the men told one of the women, that he was
desirous to enjoy her company in secret. After she
had brought him into a private room, and locked the
door, he told her, "All your bars and bolts cannot
keep God out!"
The other godly man asked the other harlot to be
unchaste with him openly in the streets--which she
rejected as an insane request. He then told her, "It
was better to do it before the eyes of a crowd--than
before the eyes of the all-seeing God!"
Oh, why shall not the presence of that God who hates
sin, and who is resolved to punish it with hell-flames,
make us ashamed or afraid to sin, and dare Him to
His face! Let your eye be ever on Him--whose
eye is always on you!
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Understanding God's Omnipresence - The significance of God's all-seeing eye - The impact of God's presence on sin
- II points: - The example of Ahasuerus and Haman - The affront of sinning in God's sight - The gravity of sin before God
- III points: - The role of God's omniscience in resisting temptation - Joseph's example of seeing God in the room - The contrast with Potiphar's wife's perspective
- IV points: - Stories of godly men confronting sin - The importance of awareness of God's presence - Encouragement to live righteously
Key Quotes
“O sirs! to do wickedly in the sight of God, is a thing which He looks upon as the greatest affront and indignity that can possibly be done unto Him.” — Thomas Brooks
“If you cannot hide yourself from the sun, which is God's minister of light--how impossible will it be to hide yourself from Him whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the sun!” — Thomas Brooks
“Let your eye be ever on Him--whose eye is always on you!” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Always remember that God is present in every situation, which should influence your decisions.
- Use the awareness of God's omniscience to resist temptation and choose righteousness.
- Reflect on the examples of biblical figures like Joseph to strengthen your resolve against sin.