Title: "The Real You Comes Out" or "True Character Reveals Itself"
Text: Exodus 1
Theme: Character
The definition of the word Character is "the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual."
Your character reveals the kind of person you are. It shows your true personality, underlying beliefs, top priorities, and deepest desires. Character reveals itself over time, mainly in moments of adversity, failure, or triumph.
Some practical examples include doing the right thing when no one is watching, having the power or position to get away with something but refusing to do so, or choosing to take the moral high ground in a situation where you were wronged and can exact revenge.
There are Biblical examples of True Character:
David's true Character revealed itself in many different scenarios. As a young shepherd boy, he protected his flock by killing a lion and a bear. He defended the name of God and Israel by slaying the Giant Goliath. In all of this, he remained humble and gave God the Glory. As the future King of Israel, he had the opportunity to kill King Saul after being wrongfully hunted because of jealousy. David was not only anointed by God, but he was loyal to the King and country and a valiant warrior. Saul was so jealous of David that he tried to kill him, but his life was spared twice by David, in the cave of Adullam and the wilderness of Ziph. When he was King, David committed a great sin by having Uriah the Hittite put in the heat of the battle because he desired Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, and committed adultery with her. David's Character comes to light when he acknowledged his sin and repented in Psalm 51.
Joseph showed his true Character after being betrayed by his brothers and wrongfully accused by Potiphar's wife, but then eventually rose to power and had an opportunity to get even.
On earth, the Lord Jesus was challenged, interrupted, opposed, and mistreated; yet, in every situation and scenario, He demonstrated love, humility, patience, kindness, and compassion.
True Character reveals itself in Exodus chapter 1. Exodus chapter 1 is a continuation of the last chapter of Genesis. Joseph has passed away, but the Israelites are still in Egypt and have multiplied. There is a new King of Egypt, a different Pharaoh than the one Joseph had, and he sees the children of Israel as threats and chooses to be cruel by enslaving them and giving them taskmasters. They are obedient and built "treasured cities" for Pharaoh and even continued to multiply. Pharaoh sees them as a threat and tells his midwives to kill the Hebrew babies when they are born if they are male. The midwives refused to do this because they feared God, which in turn brought them blessings from God. The chapter concludes with Pharaoh commanding Egypt to murder the Hebrew babies that were born male by throwing them into the River.
How is true Character revealed in Exodus chapter 1?
(Maybe combine these? Remove them and then combine?)
God
- God keeps His Promises.
- God is Merciful
- God reveals Himself and is Gracious
Pharaoh
- He saw them (Israel) as a threat and a foe (Herod and Jesus' example). Why are your enemies your enemies?
- He conspired against them using harsh methods and unspeakable acts of violence against innocent babies.
The Midwives
- Feared God
- Chose to disobey Pharaoh. They refused to kill innocent children even after their own King told them to.
The Children of Israel
- Obeyed Pharaoh despite being oppressed.
- Gave the Word of God to the midwives.
As an application...
Read Title: "The Real You Comes Out" or "True Character Reveals Itself"
Q: WHO ARE YOU?
The Real you will be revealed...
A. Time
Time is a wonderful truth teller.
First impressions, cultural norms, performances, can all be masks of a person's Character.
Over time, how a person spends their time and how much time is spent with someone will reveal who they are.
(Work illustration)
- Best Resume and impressive clothes
- But over time, you will reveal if you were a good hire through (being on time, taking ownership, handling conflict, interruptible, etc.)
- You can "fake it til you make it" all day long, but what happens once you make it? (If you have the skillset for that job, and you just did what was needed to help get the job, you'll be fine...but if not, your in trouble)
You can use this for other areas of life (Finding a mate... impressing a person but then a marriage falls apart; reaching a goal... losing weight but gain in all back because no lifestyle change )
B. Trials
"Listen to what people say when they are mad, that's when the truth comes out."
Ziad K. Abdelnour (Zee-ad K. Ab-del-NOOR)
“You find out who your real friends are when you’re involved in a scandal.” — Elizabeth Taylor
One of the best ways to show a persons true colors is who they are during trials.
- During and after conflicts/scandals/etc.
C. Tribe
If you truly want to get to know me, ask my Wife and Children who I am. Look to my friends and close family to figure out who I really am.
Family of some of the most renowned people have later came out and revealed who they really were. Who you are at work and Church is one thing. Who you are at home is another.
RECAP:
The Real You comes out...
The Lord Jesus said "...for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" - Matthew 12:34b
Exodus 1 tells us what we need to expect out of the rest of the Book ( A Merciful, Faithful, and Gracious God)
Outline:
True Character Reveals itself through:
I. Our Identity
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
- Our old nature of: Shame, Lying; blame shifting; anger; hate; etc. is no longer our nature. We now want love, peace; joy; forgiveness
- Giving into sin is not who we want to be (Romans 7 tongue twister)
- Going against the Mob illustration
II. Our Intentions
Mark 16:15 "15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."
Phil 1:21 "21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
There is an old saying that who you are when no one else is around is who you really are. This is very true. These are some very deep questions to ask ourselves.
III. Our Influence
Jim Rohn once famously stated, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with“.
Later on, we see examples of how Egypt and Israel will act and behave with a Mob Mentality.
Proverbs 13:20 "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed,"
Conclusion:
- Who are you?
- The people who see the real you, what do they see?
- What do you want the people who know you best to say about you as a recap of who you really are?
A special thank you to my Friend Michael Barnette for the song "All things new" and to my friend Dave Compton for the opening remarks.
