WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.279 All right, well take the Word of God with me if you would and turn to Genesis chapter 39. 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:17.240 Genesis chapter 39. While you are turning there, I've got some good news for you. Last Sunday we 00:00:17.240 --> 00:00:25.140 collected over $3,000 in hurricane relief for that special offering that came in. So I am grateful 00:00:25.140 --> 00:00:32.579 for your participation in that and was glad to hear of your generosity toward those who are going 00:00:32.579 --> 00:00:39.939 through some very difficult times out in the Carolinas and the Florida. And so we will split 00:00:39.939 --> 00:00:47.460 that offering evenly between Texas Baptist, Texans on Mission is their disaster relief arm, 00:00:47.820 --> 00:00:53.659 and Samaritan's Purse. And you can actually still give this Sunday. That line item is still open 00:00:53.659 --> 00:00:58.119 online. So if you'd like to give through our church app, you can do that by going online and 00:00:58.119 --> 00:01:06.120 giving through the app. Take your Bibles and turn to Genesis 39. We are continuing on in our series 00:01:06.120 --> 00:01:15.719 on Joseph meant for good principles from the life of Joseph. Our series text is found in Genesis 50. 00:01:15.719 --> 00:01:23.920 You meant evil against me, but God meant for good to save many people. That's kind of the theme 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:32.239 of how God used Joseph as a type of Christ, a picture of he who would come many, many years later 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:40.239 to save many people from their sins. And last Sunday in week one, we looked at Joseph, the favored but 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:48.799 fallen son. And our takeaway was that pride and envy are warning signs. But the start of Joseph's story 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:57.239 points us to Jesus. Joseph perhaps being the most effective type of Christ that we find in the Old 00:01:57.239 --> 00:02:03.640 Testament. And what is a type of Christ? It is simply someone we find in the Old Testament that points us 00:02:03.640 --> 00:02:12.159 to Jesus. Someone who is an example of who we would see later coming, which is the Son of God, 00:02:12.460 --> 00:02:19.300 Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. We saw in week one that Joseph was betrayed by his own people. 00:02:19.780 --> 00:02:27.139 He was the favored son. And those are two ways that points us straight to Jesus. So let's get into it 00:02:27.139 --> 00:02:37.079 for today. Week two, we're looking at Joseph tempted and tried. Tempted and tried. Let's look at Genesis 39 00:02:37.079 --> 00:02:45.919 beginning in verse 1. Genesis 39 beginning in verse 1. Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. 00:02:47.799 --> 00:02:56.099 An Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, and the captain of the guards bought him from the 00:02:56.099 --> 00:03:03.079 Ishmaelites who had brought him there. The Lord was with Joseph and he became a successful man, 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:10.579 serving in the household of his Egyptian master, Pharaoh. When his master saw that the Lord was with him 00:03:10.579 --> 00:03:19.159 and the Lord made everything he did successful, then Joseph found favor with his master and became his 00:03:19.159 --> 00:03:29.340 personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his 00:03:29.340 --> 00:03:37.280 authority. From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:46.379 blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph. The Lord's blessing was on all that he owned in his house 00:03:46.379 --> 00:03:55.259 and in his fields. He left all that he owned under Joseph's authority. He did not concern himself with 00:03:55.259 --> 00:04:06.419 anything except the food that he ate. My, how Joseph's fortunes have turned. My, how the turntables 00:04:06.419 --> 00:04:22.060 have turned. It's a reference to it. Never mind. Anyway, all right. Possibly in the very first year, 00:04:22.060 --> 00:04:33.139 it would seem, of Joseph's service to his master Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's royal guard, and by the way, 00:04:33.139 --> 00:04:42.659 chief executioner, we don't need to get any more graphic than that, right? This was a tough, scary guy 00:04:42.659 --> 00:04:53.139 that Joseph was sold as slave to serve under. Joseph rises through the ranks of the slave from probably 00:04:53.139 --> 00:05:00.879 working outside in the most undesirable of conditions to then getting to come inside the house, 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:10.899 was probably a lot less hot over there in Egypt, until all of a sudden he gets promoted to Pharaoh's 00:05:10.899 --> 00:05:21.000 personal assistant. I'm sorry, Potiphar's personal assistant. Wrong guy. Potiphar's personal assistant. 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:29.120 Now I would imagine he's kept pretty busy running around doing all the errands that Potiphar needs done. 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:37.160 You jump. I say jump. You say how high? I snap my fingers. You're there. You do whatever I need. 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:45.480 But he does so well in this job that eventually he gets placed in charge of the whole household. 00:05:45.660 --> 00:05:53.180 You couldn't really get any higher for a slave. He has reached his pinnacle as a slave, 00:05:53.180 --> 00:06:03.379 seemingly within his first year of service to Potiphar. What a meteoric rise. I mean, the guy is just 00:06:03.379 --> 00:06:14.540 flying through the slave ranks. And I'm sure other slaves are looking at him like, man, you just got here. 00:06:14.540 --> 00:06:24.740 How in the world did you get promoted so fast? Well, we know how he got promoted so fast because verse 2 tells us, 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:32.220 what does it say? Somebody tell me verse 2. Y'all can do better than that. Come on. 00:06:32.220 --> 00:06:39.300 The Lord was with Joseph. I'm pretty sure all our translations say it the same way, don't they? 00:06:39.540 --> 00:06:50.300 The Lord was with Joseph. That is the secret to his success. So there are two questions here. 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:58.320 How did Joseph rise so quickly? How was he so successful? Because God was with him. 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:05.819 And our reminder, friends, is God is with us too. God is with us too. No matter how dreary or small 00:07:05.819 --> 00:07:16.240 the task you're facing may seem, God is with you. No matter if you're cleaning up you-know-what at home, 00:07:16.420 --> 00:07:23.480 all right, because your baby had an accident. No matter if you're doing home health and you're 00:07:23.480 --> 00:07:31.980 struggling through difficult conditions. No matter if you are going through financial problems and you 00:07:31.980 --> 00:07:39.860 are struggling through a difficult stage of life. No matter what your condition is. No matter if you 00:07:39.860 --> 00:07:48.840 are struggling through personal sickness or personal pain or physical conditions. No matter what stage of 00:07:48.839 --> 00:07:57.439 life you're in. God is with you. No matter if you're under personal attack. No matter if life seems 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:07.039 menial or dreary or small or meaningless or you're stuck at a dead-end job. God is with you. 00:08:08.339 --> 00:08:12.839 Now he might cause your star to rise fast like he did with Joseph. 00:08:12.839 --> 00:08:23.079 Or you might be on the slow track. We certainly see those in other situations in Scripture. 00:08:24.739 --> 00:08:35.079 And I'm sure when the brothers had kidnapped Joseph, threw him in a well, didn't feel like his star was 00:08:35.079 --> 00:08:42.559 shining that brightly. I'm sure when he was on the back of a camel having been sold to slave traders, 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:49.059 it didn't feel like his star was shining that brightly. When he was first sold as a slave and he was out 00:08:49.059 --> 00:08:53.859 working in the hot Egyptian sun, it didn't feel like his star was shining that brightly. There were 00:08:53.859 --> 00:09:02.319 probably days after days after days when his flesh would wonder if God Almighty, Jehovah God, had forgotten 00:09:02.319 --> 00:09:10.399 about him. But the Lord was always with him. Always with him. And God is with us too. 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:19.860 So, how did it happen? God was with him. Why was God with Joseph? The Abrahamic covenant. 00:09:21.799 --> 00:09:29.959 The Abrahamic covenant. The Lord was with Joseph. We read it there in Genesis 39, 21. So no matter how 00:09:29.959 --> 00:09:37.199 small the task, God was with him. No matter what stage of life he was in, God was with him. Why? Because 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:43.280 God promised he would be with him. And God never goes back on his promises. How do we know that God 00:09:43.280 --> 00:09:49.680 promised to be with him? Well, we'll get into it in just a moment. You see, Joseph was the favored 00:09:49.680 --> 00:09:58.840 servant. Joseph was the favored servant. And really, this is another type of Christ. Because Jesus himself 00:09:58.840 --> 00:10:06.639 was a servant. The Bible even says that Jesus took upon him the form of a servant. And took on the 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:13.040 likeness of men. Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, 00:10:13.320 --> 00:10:20.100 even the death of a cross. So Jesus was, like Joseph, a servant. And he was, of course, favored of God. 00:10:20.100 --> 00:10:27.940 But you see, Joseph was under the Abrahamic covenant. What do we mean when we say the Abrahamic covenant? 00:10:28.540 --> 00:10:35.540 Let's look at Genesis chapter 12. If you don't want to turn there all the way back to the, 00:10:35.820 --> 00:10:39.159 toward the beginning of the book, I've got it on the screen for you here. We're just going to look 00:10:39.159 --> 00:10:44.820 at verse 3. Really, it contains more than that. But let's look at this part of it here. I will bless 00:10:44.820 --> 00:10:52.760 those who bless you, and I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt. All the peoples on earth 00:10:52.760 --> 00:10:59.840 will be blessed through you. This was the specific part of the Abrahamic covenant that would keep 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:09.100 Joseph safe. So the Abrahamic covenant was a promise or a covenant, a guarantee that God made with 00:11:09.100 --> 00:11:22.899 Joseph's ancestor Abraham. Abraham was God's chosen man from whom God's seed would come. God's chosen seed 00:11:22.899 --> 00:11:30.159 would come through Abraham. The line of Abraham would come generations after Jesus Christ. 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:43.579 And so because Joseph came in the line of Abraham as Jacob's son, then Joseph was under the protection, 00:11:43.799 --> 00:11:51.360 so to speak, of the Abrahamic covenant. So he was under God's promise, God's guarantee, 00:11:52.019 --> 00:11:59.240 that God would bless those who blessed Joseph. And God would curse anyone who treated Joseph with 00:11:59.240 --> 00:12:07.399 contempt. And all the peoples on earth would be blessed through Joseph. So what does that have to do 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:11.200 with the people at First Baptist Church, Henrietta, Texas? 00:12:14.379 --> 00:12:21.340 Are we under the Abrahamic covenant? We're under something called the New Covenant. 00:12:21.340 --> 00:12:35.680 You see, there was a new covenant established when the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, laid down his life as the 00:12:35.680 --> 00:12:42.940 final sacrifice for all of our sins. And so all those Old Testament sacrifices that Abraham and all his 00:12:42.940 --> 00:12:54.960 children had to make to pay for the sins of the people, all that had to stop. Because finally, the one and forever Lamb, 00:12:55.340 --> 00:13:03.100 Jesus, laid down his life and said, I will be the sacrifice for all those who came before, and all those now 00:13:03.100 --> 00:13:11.740 alive, and all of us who would come after. And he said, I will be the atonement, the payment for all of their sins. 00:13:11.740 --> 00:13:16.740 And my blood is sufficient. My blood is enough to cover for all of it. 00:13:19.100 --> 00:13:28.139 So we can all have relationship with God. We can all have restoration of the relationship with God 00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:35.879 because of Jesus. So we can all now be in a covenant relationship with God. We can all have this promise, 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:44.039 this special relationship, this father-son, this family of God relationship because of Jesus Christ. 00:13:44.740 --> 00:13:49.620 So now we can claim these promises of God that we read in the Old Testament. We're like, man, 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:55.220 he was given these promises to these Old Testament people. Does that mean anything for us? Yes, because God 00:13:55.220 --> 00:14:04.960 broke down the bridge. He built the bridge. He broke down the wall. Now he established one family, 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:13.240 one people, his people for all of us because of his death on the cross and his resurrection. 00:14:14.200 --> 00:14:21.519 And so he said, now you're all under this covenant, this new covenant for me. So now we can claim 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:31.379 these promises for ourselves. And so Joseph could claim this promise of God and say, I know God is 00:14:31.379 --> 00:14:39.659 with me. And I know even though times are tough and things look bad and I'm a slave. Now I pray that 00:14:39.659 --> 00:14:47.139 no one in here, because I know that human slavery still exists in the world today, in the dark corners 00:14:47.139 --> 00:14:52.939 of this world and kidnapping and the sex trade and terrible things still happen in the world today. 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:56.399 I pray that no one in this room has been a victim of that kind of thing. 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:05.299 But I know we all go through tough times, but here's Joseph staring a real tragedy in the face, 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:13.019 real trouble. The guy's a slave. He could end up dead. It happened all the time. 00:15:13.019 --> 00:15:22.639 The lives of slaves were not valued highly, especially in those days. So he's in deep water 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:32.980 and he didn't have a life jacket, except he had God and he had God's covenant and the Lord was with him. 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:41.939 And church, the Lord is with you. Not just Joseph, the Lord is with you too. 00:15:41.940 --> 00:15:49.840 So whatever you find yourself in, all the way up to human slavery and beyond, the Lord will not 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:58.520 abandon you. All the peoples of the earth would be blessed through Joseph. We see it unfold later 00:15:58.520 --> 00:16:03.980 in the story. So my question to you is, are those around you blessed because of your faithfulness 00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:10.140 to God? Are those around you blessed because of your faithfulness to God? God's promise to his 00:16:10.139 --> 00:16:17.039 people would be. If you are faithful to me and walk with me, then the people of around you will be 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:25.480 faithful, will be blessed because of you. And we see that happen through Joseph's life. Genesis 39, 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:32.919 back to our text, verses 6b through 9. Now, can I jump in here real quick for a second? 00:16:32.919 --> 00:16:37.759 Before we jump back into Genesis 39, can I share something with you? 00:16:41.059 --> 00:16:48.079 Second Timothy chapter 3 teaches us something that the very words of the Bible are inspired by God. 00:16:48.659 --> 00:16:54.439 How many of y'all believe that the words that we read in the Bible come from God himself? 00:16:54.919 --> 00:16:58.480 I would hope we can all agree on that. I believe that, absolutely. 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:05.500 The Bible tells us that every word of God that we read in the Bible is inspired by God. However, 00:17:06.519 --> 00:17:11.160 the chapter and verse divisions that are in the Bible are not inspired by God, okay? 00:17:12.019 --> 00:17:18.400 And we've got a really annoying chapter and verse division right here in Genesis 39. 00:17:19.059 --> 00:17:22.079 Now, you might be looking at me like, what are you talking about, man? 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:30.220 Um, they are helpful, no doubt. It would be really hard to read and find things in the Bible if we 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:34.859 didn't have the chapter and verse divisions. Uh, they actually didn't show up fully in the Bible 00:17:34.859 --> 00:17:41.039 until the Geneva Bible in 1560. Uh, there was a Jewish rabbi named Nathan who broke up the Old Testament 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:46.819 into verses back in the 1400s. And I'm very grateful to Nathan. That must have been a really hard thing to do. 00:17:46.819 --> 00:17:54.339 It probably took him a lot of time, but I cannot for the life of me figure out why he split up 00:17:54.339 --> 00:17:59.179 verse six here. Look at Genesis 39 and verse six. 00:18:01.379 --> 00:18:06.960 He left all that he owned under Joseph's authority. He did not concern himself with anything except the 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:13.480 food he ate. That should have been the end of verse six right here. But he put the part about 00:18:13.480 --> 00:18:20.660 Joseph being handsome at the end of verse six. It should have been verse seven. That's my opinion. 00:18:22.120 --> 00:18:25.960 Doesn't have to be yours. You can choose to be wrong if you'd like. All right, 00:18:26.500 --> 00:18:31.579 we can move on now. Here we go. That got that off my chest. 00:18:33.460 --> 00:18:38.380 Now, I wanted to share that with you just to let you know, some of you may not have been aware, 00:18:38.380 --> 00:18:43.299 the chapter and verse divisions did not come from the biblical writers. Those were added later. 00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:50.259 by people, scholars who helpfully came through and added those so we can find things in the word of 00:18:50.259 --> 00:19:00.099 God, which is very helpful. Verse seven. Well, verse six B. Okay, six B. Here we go. We read six A. 00:19:00.740 --> 00:19:07.660 Now, Joseph was well built and handsome. Okay, guys, we all aspire to be like that, right? 00:19:07.660 --> 00:19:14.660 We all want to be like Joseph. Verse seven. It gives context to verse seven. After some time, 00:19:14.800 --> 00:19:21.980 his master's wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, parents, cover your kids' ears if you need to. 00:19:24.380 --> 00:19:31.080 Sleep with me. But he refused. Look, he said to his master's wife. 00:19:31.079 --> 00:19:37.960 With me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house. 00:19:39.159 --> 00:19:45.439 He's put all that he owns under my authority. No one in this house is greater than I am. 00:19:46.139 --> 00:19:51.819 He's withheld nothing from me except you because you're his wife. How could I do this immense evil 00:19:51.819 --> 00:20:04.480 and how could I sin against God? So, Joseph reminded Potiphar's wife of his position in her husband's 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:11.039 house. And I believe he was very wise in the way he did this. He appealed to her respect, 00:20:11.399 --> 00:20:20.179 not for her husband. Clearly, she didn't respect her husband. He appealed to her respect for her place 00:20:20.180 --> 00:20:30.240 in Egyptian society as the wife of an important member of Pharaoh's court. You see, Egyptians did not 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:40.640 take adultery lightly. Adultery was a serious crime, punishable by up to the sentence of death, actually. 00:20:41.860 --> 00:20:49.560 At least divorce. And usually divorce would be followed by the woman then entering the world's 00:20:49.559 --> 00:20:56.700 oldest profession, if you know what I mean. So, her life would very much fall apart. 00:20:58.419 --> 00:21:06.899 And so, Joseph seems to be appealing to her reality check, so to speak. Like, hey, do you really 00:21:06.899 --> 00:21:14.179 want to do this? I know I don't. Like, come on now. I can't do this and really neither can you. 00:21:14.180 --> 00:21:24.240 But Joseph ultimately professed his respect for God as the reason for denying her. 00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:40.000 So, here's the question. Do your principles come from your respect of God or man? Do your principles 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:48.620 come from your respect of God or man? Because if it hasn't come already, you will be tested. 00:21:48.619 --> 00:21:56.319 And if it has come already, you'll be tested again. All of us do. All of us are tested in some way or 00:21:56.319 --> 00:22:02.779 another. Might be your boss's wife like Joseph, or it might be something completely different in 00:22:02.779 --> 00:22:09.259 another stratosphere. But listen, the day will come when you are tested and your principles are tested, 00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:18.299 and your principles will be shown and revealed to be whether they come out of respect of God or man. 00:22:18.819 --> 00:22:26.660 We see it time and time again. When famous Christian leaders are revealed that perhaps somewhere along 00:22:26.660 --> 00:22:32.920 the way, whether it was from the beginning or whether it was somewhere along the way, their principles may 00:22:32.920 --> 00:22:45.600 be shifted. And I just pray to God that he would keep me focused with my principles, grounded on him and his word, 00:22:46.140 --> 00:22:54.620 and not the fear of man. Because at some point, you're going to stop caring what other people think. 00:22:54.619 --> 00:23:06.539 At some point, it might seem worth it to you. At some point, you just might get in the emotional spot, 00:23:06.979 --> 00:23:19.359 the emotional state, that your fear of everything else except God will fail. So if your principles come 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:29.359 from anything except your fear of God, it will fail. Psalm 75 puts this so well. Exaltation does not come 00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:35.740 from the east. It does not come from the west or the desert. God is the judge. He brings down one and 00:23:35.740 --> 00:23:43.399 exalts another. Joseph knew that. Joseph had his head screwed on right. He had his perspective right. He said, 00:23:43.400 --> 00:23:50.940 look, look, I didn't get this. I didn't earn this on my own. I was in deep water. I was in trouble. And God 00:23:50.940 --> 00:23:59.040 lifted me up. God saved me. God put me on the track to get in this good situation. God brought me out of 00:23:59.040 --> 00:24:05.759 the pit and set my feet on solid ground. Why in the world am I going to turn around and slap God in the 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:15.359 face? I'm not going to do that. And that's what he was saying to this man's wife. Now let's look at 00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:25.940 verse 10. Genesis 39 and verse 10. Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed 00:24:25.940 --> 00:24:38.440 with her. He refused it. Day after day, how strong are you? How strong am I? Are we strong enough to turn 00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:46.440 it down day after day after day? When I was studying this out, my mind went back to the sermon I preached 00:24:46.440 --> 00:24:53.920 just a few weeks ago when Jesus said, I think that's why he told his disciples to do this, daily take up 00:24:53.920 --> 00:25:01.580 your cross and follow me. We got to put ourselves to death daily. And so many years before Jesus told 00:25:01.580 --> 00:25:09.820 his disciples to do this, Joseph learned the lesson of daily putting himself to death every day and 00:25:09.820 --> 00:25:18.240 saying, it's not my will, but yours be done. Man, every day he was in a position where he probably could 00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:24.880 have gotten away with it. The master was gone. Nobody else in the house, just him and the wife. He probably 00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:37.039 could have pulled it off. But God, he had too much respect for God. He said, no, day after day after day. 00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:39.700 He couldn't get away. He was a slave. 00:25:39.700 --> 00:25:43.880 He couldn't get away. He couldn't get away. He couldn't get away. He couldn't get away. He couldn't 00:25:43.880 --> 00:25:57.559 just quit his job. They owned him. He had to keep showing up and fighting temptation day after day after day 00:25:57.559 --> 00:26:07.420 and saying, no. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial. For when he has stood the test, 00:26:07.420 --> 00:26:12.779 he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:24.380 God knew that with his strength, with God's strength, Joseph could stand this trial. 00:26:25.900 --> 00:26:33.759 God would never allow it to get to the place that Joseph could not bear it with God's strength. 00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:43.039 God is sufficient. Joseph was not sufficient. Men, you and I are not sufficient. Women, you're not 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:52.720 sufficient either. But with the Lord of God, with God himself, with the Lord God, Jehovah, creator of 00:26:52.720 --> 00:27:02.000 the universe, we can have the victory just like Joseph did. So let's look at it. Chapter 39, verses 11 00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:07.920 through 13. And we're nearly done. You know we're nearly done because you know how the story ends. Here we go. 00:27:07.980 --> 00:27:10.859 Ready? Verse 11. What does it say? 00:27:12.259 --> 00:27:15.019 Something hath no fury like a woman scorned. Here we go. 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:20.920 Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there. 00:27:21.180 --> 00:27:23.940 She grabbed him by his garment and said, 00:27:23.940 --> 00:27:30.700 Sleep with me. I mean, she was insistent. She was going to have her way. She was used to getting her 00:27:30.700 --> 00:27:37.279 way. She was not used to being told no. She was going to force him to do this. But leaving his garment 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:44.900 in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. There came the point when he said, I don't care if it means 00:27:44.900 --> 00:27:53.100 they throw me in prison or they kill me. The more likely scenario here is he gets put to death. 00:27:53.360 --> 00:27:57.920 He's a slave, but he's willing to die for his convictions. 00:28:00.620 --> 00:28:08.840 When she's asking him, he tells her no. When she puts her hands on him and tries to force him, 00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:20.839 he runs. He says, I will not. I will not. And he runs. Verse 13. When she saw that he had left his 00:28:20.839 --> 00:28:26.199 garment with her and had run outside, she went into damage control mode. She called her household 00:28:26.199 --> 00:28:32.199 servants. Look, she said to them, my husband brought a Hebrew man in to make fools of us. He came to me so 00:28:32.199 --> 00:28:37.099 he could sleep with me, and I screamed as loud as I could. He heard me screaming for help, and he left his 00:28:37.099 --> 00:28:42.279 garment beside me and ran outside. She put Joseph's garment beside her until his master came home. 00:28:42.459 --> 00:28:46.839 Then she told him the same story. Hebrew slave he brought to us came to make a fool of me. I screamed 00:28:46.839 --> 00:28:51.939 for help. He left his garment beside me and ran outside, and his master heard the story. His wife told 00:28:51.939 --> 00:28:59.839 him, these are the things your slave did to me. He was furious and had him thrown into prison. So 00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:09.240 before we get into the master's reaction, let's take a moment and just remind ourselves of the warning 00:29:09.240 --> 00:29:18.839 about this kind of woman. Proverbs chapter 23 verses 27 and 8. Bad women. Now we use some different 00:29:18.839 --> 00:29:23.899 versions up here sometimes, and I know there's a lot of different versions of the Bible that are used in 00:29:23.899 --> 00:29:28.899 this crowd. This is the contemporary English version, which I don't frequently use, but I love how it 00:29:28.900 --> 00:29:36.280 phrased these verses, okay? Can we look at this together? Bad women and unfaithful wives are like a deep pit. 00:29:37.060 --> 00:29:46.280 They are waiting to attack you like a gang of robbers with victim after victim. I just thought that tied in 00:29:46.280 --> 00:29:53.620 with this story, I mean that woman, Potiphar's wife, embodied this verse. 00:29:53.619 --> 00:30:07.179 She was like a deep pit trying to entice Joseph to fall into it. And when he did it, she tried to attack him 00:30:07.179 --> 00:30:17.019 like a gang of robbers. But she couldn't get to him. She couldn't get to him. He was protected 00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:28.379 by Jehovah God. So what happened? We see another type of Christ here in Joseph. He was unjustly accused. 00:30:28.980 --> 00:30:36.440 You think of somebody else who was unjustly accused? Jesus Christ himself, yeah. Jesus was unjustly accused. 00:30:36.440 --> 00:30:42.019 They tried to level all kinds of accusations against Jesus. 00:30:43.799 --> 00:30:51.160 Tried to accuse him of breaking the law. Every time they tried to accuse him, he put it into perspective 00:30:51.160 --> 00:30:56.880 and came back and showed them how they were twisting the law to use it for their own advantage. 00:30:58.320 --> 00:31:05.200 Every time they tried to accuse him of sin, he came back and showed them how they were wrong. 00:31:06.440 --> 00:31:13.940 He was unjustly accused, even to the point of suffering to death. But that was all part of the plan. 00:31:15.019 --> 00:31:22.200 Matthew chapter 5 and verse 11. God blesses you when you mock, when people mock you and persecute you 00:31:22.200 --> 00:31:27.259 and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 00:31:27.259 --> 00:31:34.100 Be happy about it for a great reward awaits you in heaven. Man, it's being just like Jesus 00:31:34.099 --> 00:31:39.939 when people unjustly accuse you of something. So don't get all bent out of shape. Don't get all high 00:31:39.939 --> 00:31:44.779 and mighty and sit on your high horse. I can't believe people would say things about me. Why? Jesus 00:31:44.779 --> 00:31:50.079 said they would. You just get to be a little bit more like Jesus when people come at you with false 00:31:50.079 --> 00:31:57.240 accusations. I understand it hurts. I understand there's moments when it's disappointing when people 00:31:57.240 --> 00:32:02.640 would do that. I understand that. But then take a moment and turn to God and say, God, thank you. 00:32:03.460 --> 00:32:10.099 Thank you that I get to suffer a little bit for your name. I get to be a little bit, taste a little bit 00:32:10.099 --> 00:32:18.519 of what you tasted so much. Do we respond in anger or do we respond in joy when we are unjustly 00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:23.339 accused? That's a convicting question, isn't it? Our flesh wants to respond in anger, 00:32:23.339 --> 00:32:29.659 but that Holy Spirit that walks with us and guides us and goes everywhere with us and is always 00:32:29.659 --> 00:32:35.619 influencing us and leading us and comfort us, that comfort is supposed to respond to us in joy and say, 00:32:35.699 --> 00:32:41.059 hey, this is an opportunity for growth. This is an opportunity to say, hey, we get to be like Jesus here. 00:32:42.179 --> 00:32:48.579 First Peter chapter three, if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry 00:32:48.579 --> 00:32:53.079 or be afraid of their threats. Y'all, nobody can threaten you when you're a child of God. You know that? 00:32:53.339 --> 00:32:59.019 You ever think about that? Nobody can threaten you when you're a child of God. What are they going 00:32:59.019 --> 00:33:07.259 to threaten you with? Losing your job? Think God can't handle that? Killing you so you get to wake 00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:15.740 up in heaven with Jesus? See all those who have gone before? Hurting you? Think God can't handle pain? 00:33:15.740 --> 00:33:27.180 causing sorrow? God can't heal? There is nothing anyone can do to you that God can't handle 00:33:27.180 --> 00:33:33.980 and that God doesn't allow or not allow. 00:33:33.980 --> 00:33:46.220 So don't worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks you about that hope, 00:33:46.460 --> 00:33:53.920 as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way and keep your conscience clear in that way. 00:33:53.920 --> 00:34:00.640 If people speak against you, then they'll be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:04.740 Not just a good life because you're a wonderful person. Look at me. 00:34:05.420 --> 00:34:07.660 No, it's a good life because you belong to Christ. 00:34:08.059 --> 00:34:14.559 Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good if that is what God wants than to suffer for doing wrong. 00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:22.719 That is the theme of chapter 39 of Joseph of Genesis here. The story of Joseph in chapter 39. 00:34:23.019 --> 00:34:27.460 This segment, we find it right here at the end of 1 Peter 3 verse 17. 00:34:27.799 --> 00:34:32.219 It is better to suffer for doing good than to suffer for doing wrong. 00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:39.679 And God gave Joseph that wisdom so many years before we read this in 1 Peter. 00:34:39.679 --> 00:34:44.639 Joseph knew. He cracked that code by the power of God. 00:34:45.440 --> 00:34:50.299 It's better to suffer for doing right than to suffer for doing wrong. 00:34:50.759 --> 00:34:53.699 Suffering would have come for doing wrong. 00:34:54.460 --> 00:34:58.219 But instead, he knew he had to do what was right. 00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:00.599 Did he suffer for it? Oh, absolutely. 00:35:01.079 --> 00:35:02.299 Let's look at verse 20 now. 00:35:03.419 --> 00:35:04.480 Look at verse 20. 00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:15.679 The master was furious and he had him thrown into prison where the king's prisoners were confined. 00:35:16.240 --> 00:35:19.300 So Joseph was there in prison. 00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:26.019 Now, interesting thing is, God was testing Joseph's character. 00:35:26.539 --> 00:35:30.280 Every step of the way, he had been testing Joseph's character. 00:35:30.280 --> 00:35:39.080 And Psalm 105 19 tells us that the Lord was testing Joseph's character and he passed every test day after day. 00:35:39.900 --> 00:35:41.760 We don't always pass every test, do we? 00:35:41.980 --> 00:35:44.260 But thankfully, God is in the forgiving business. 00:35:44.700 --> 00:35:49.660 1 John 119 tells us if we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us our sins. 00:35:49.980 --> 00:35:53.360 But Joseph had been passing these tests time and time again. 00:35:53.620 --> 00:35:55.600 His master had seen that. 00:35:56.040 --> 00:35:57.660 That Joseph was thriving. 00:35:58.019 --> 00:35:59.280 He was doing so well. 00:35:59.280 --> 00:36:04.580 So we don't see specifically that the master was angry with Joseph. 00:36:04.760 --> 00:36:05.760 Now, he may have been. 00:36:07.160 --> 00:36:09.640 We see that the master was furious. 00:36:10.460 --> 00:36:14.320 But he may have had his doubts about his wife's story. 00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:31.100 Because it was fully expected and typical that if a slave and the master's wife were caught in this situation in which Joseph was accused of forcing himself on the master's wife, 00:36:31.800 --> 00:36:34.360 he would instantly be put to death. 00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:39.840 But he wasn't. 00:36:39.840 --> 00:36:41.260 He was thrown into prison. 00:36:41.760 --> 00:36:42.940 His life was spared. 00:36:43.740 --> 00:36:46.360 So it seems like the master had his doubts. 00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:54.640 Could have maybe been the first, not maybe the first time that he had his doubts about his wife's faithfulness. 00:36:54.639 --> 00:37:02.619 So, he was angry at the situation. 00:37:03.119 --> 00:37:04.179 He was furious. 00:37:04.519 --> 00:37:05.779 Maybe he didn't know who to believe. 00:37:07.059 --> 00:37:10.000 Though we don't have any record of Joseph defending himself. 00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:17.599 But against all odds, God protected Joseph yet again. 00:37:18.539 --> 00:37:21.860 Verse 21, through the end of the chapter, we're done. 00:37:22.699 --> 00:37:25.800 The Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. 00:37:26.400 --> 00:37:28.860 Back at the beginning of the chapter, we read those words. 00:37:29.159 --> 00:37:30.940 The Lord was with Joseph. 00:37:30.940 --> 00:37:40.800 And here again, unjustly accused, thrown into prison, the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. 00:37:41.039 --> 00:37:43.099 He granted him favor with the prison warden. 00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:48.000 The warden put all the prisoners who were in the prison under Joseph's authority. 00:37:48.599 --> 00:37:49.519 Here we go again. 00:37:49.659 --> 00:37:50.639 Joseph's in charge. 00:37:51.920 --> 00:37:53.840 The guy just has the golden touch. 00:37:54.579 --> 00:37:57.659 And he was responsible for everything that was done there. 00:37:57.659 --> 00:38:03.059 The warden did not bother with anything under Joseph's authority because the Lord was with him. 00:38:03.339 --> 00:38:06.719 And the Lord made everything that he did successful. 00:38:06.920 --> 00:38:13.899 The administrative skills that Joseph had learned in Potiphar's house now served him so well in this prison. 00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:15.960 In Pharaoh's prison. 00:38:16.879 --> 00:38:19.000 So, this was now Pharaoh's prison. 00:38:19.159 --> 00:38:21.739 The Egyptian leader, supreme leader. 00:38:22.559 --> 00:38:24.799 The king, basically, of Egypt. 00:38:25.399 --> 00:38:27.139 He's in Pharaoh's prison. 00:38:27.659 --> 00:38:31.440 And now, God has elevated him yet again. 00:38:33.559 --> 00:38:37.859 God was prospering him in the face of seeming defeat. 00:38:39.739 --> 00:38:41.739 This brings us to a lesson. 00:38:43.059 --> 00:38:45.779 And I saw this, and I wanted to share this with you. 00:38:46.399 --> 00:38:48.500 I read this online, and I wanted to share this with you. 00:38:48.500 --> 00:38:57.300 Joseph went from privilege in his father's house to the pit his brothers threw him into. 00:38:57.300 --> 00:39:00.460 To being property in the slave market. 00:39:00.900 --> 00:39:03.840 To the privilege of managing Potiphar's house. 00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:07.360 To his principled stand against temptation. 00:39:07.880 --> 00:39:10.559 To the perjury of false accusation. 00:39:11.079 --> 00:39:13.099 To the prison of Pharaoh. 00:39:13.099 --> 00:39:28.900 Joseph's testimony could only be one thing. 00:39:28.900 --> 00:39:31.440 When my brothers left me to die. 00:39:31.880 --> 00:39:33.780 God was the only one with me. 00:39:34.240 --> 00:39:35.980 When they sold me to slavery. 00:39:36.220 --> 00:39:38.440 God was the only one with me. 00:39:38.519 --> 00:39:40.579 When my master's wife betrayed me. 00:39:40.900 --> 00:39:42.720 God was the only one with me. 00:39:42.840 --> 00:39:44.320 When I was thrown into prison. 00:39:44.519 --> 00:39:46.380 God was the only one with me. 00:39:46.740 --> 00:39:49.300 God was the one who never left me. 00:39:49.420 --> 00:39:50.039 Never once. 00:39:50.099 --> 00:39:51.800 And that is our testimony too. 00:39:52.460 --> 00:39:53.519 That's your testimony. 00:39:53.860 --> 00:39:54.680 And it's mine. 00:39:54.679 --> 00:39:56.799 And that's what these trials do. 00:39:57.699 --> 00:40:00.179 They make us depend on God. 00:40:00.319 --> 00:40:02.259 They recenter us on God. 00:40:02.419 --> 00:40:05.960 They make us refocus on the one who never leaves. 00:40:07.279 --> 00:40:09.079 So, our takeaway today. 00:40:10.239 --> 00:40:11.500 Before we get to the takeaway. 00:40:11.960 --> 00:40:12.960 I want to share this with you. 00:40:13.259 --> 00:40:16.679 God's delays are not God's denials. 00:40:18.919 --> 00:40:22.440 God's delays are not God's denials. 00:40:22.559 --> 00:40:23.359 You ever thought about that? 00:40:23.360 --> 00:40:25.780 How many of you times. 00:40:26.140 --> 00:40:27.940 If you're not ashamed to raise your hand. 00:40:28.300 --> 00:40:30.000 How many times have you prayed for something. 00:40:30.400 --> 00:40:31.700 And you didn't get it right away. 00:40:32.099 --> 00:40:32.400 Anybody? 00:40:33.780 --> 00:40:36.240 I suspected there would be a lot of hands up. 00:40:36.840 --> 00:40:37.579 It's true. 00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:41.440 We pray for things. 00:40:41.620 --> 00:40:42.760 And we don't always get them. 00:40:43.700 --> 00:40:47.960 But God's delays are not always God's denials. 00:40:49.780 --> 00:40:51.360 Sometimes we pray for things. 00:40:51.420 --> 00:40:52.480 And they're not good for us. 00:40:52.480 --> 00:40:53.980 And we're never going to get them. 00:40:54.039 --> 00:40:54.719 Because we shouldn't. 00:40:55.659 --> 00:40:58.480 But sometimes just because God doesn't say yes right away. 00:40:58.559 --> 00:41:00.480 Doesn't mean that it's never going to come. 00:41:00.719 --> 00:41:03.500 I'm sure that Joseph prayed for deliverance. 00:41:03.679 --> 00:41:05.019 But it didn't come right away. 00:41:05.440 --> 00:41:09.179 I'm sure he prayed for God to take that woman away. 00:41:09.300 --> 00:41:13.019 Or at least have her stop asking him to sin. 00:41:13.019 --> 00:41:16.139 But she never did. 00:41:16.139 --> 00:41:18.239 And it got worse. 00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:19.940 Far worse. 00:41:20.719 --> 00:41:21.960 Before it got any better. 00:41:23.579 --> 00:41:26.159 God had a weird way of delivering him from that, didn't he? 00:41:26.960 --> 00:41:28.820 Had him arrested and thrown into prison. 00:41:30.239 --> 00:41:31.259 It's like, thanks God. 00:41:31.639 --> 00:41:33.039 That's how you delivered me from that? 00:41:33.039 --> 00:41:34.960 God had a plan. 00:41:35.039 --> 00:41:35.059 Oh, God had a plan. 00:41:35.960 --> 00:41:44.400 So our takeaway today is the trials that God allows are always designed to draw us into closer relationship with him. 00:41:44.400 --> 00:41:46.720 James 1, 2 through 4 says, 00:41:47.639 --> 00:41:53.920 Let endurance have its full effect so you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. 00:41:54.000 --> 00:41:54.700 That's what we mean. 00:41:55.039 --> 00:41:59.000 When God allows trials to happen in our lives or Joseph's life, 00:41:59.119 --> 00:42:02.800 it's always designed to draw us into closer relationship with him. 00:42:02.880 --> 00:42:10.039 He wants to get us to that place where we are in perfect, complete, full relationship with him. 00:42:10.780 --> 00:42:11.880 Would you bow your heads with me? 00:42:11.880 --> 00:42:16.700 God, every one of us is going through something right now. 00:42:16.760 --> 00:42:18.800 I don't think anybody's life in here is perfect. 00:42:20.619 --> 00:42:22.320 Joseph is an extreme example. 00:42:22.460 --> 00:42:29.680 And I love that because no matter what anybody here is going through or has gone through, 00:42:32.079 --> 00:42:40.440 Joseph trials probably match or eclipse what we have endured. 00:42:41.880 --> 00:42:55.599 Complete separation and loss of family, everyone that we know and love. 00:42:59.599 --> 00:43:07.740 Betrayal, imprisonment, false accusations, unjust suffering. 00:43:07.739 --> 00:43:10.899 Time and time again. 00:43:12.419 --> 00:43:13.299 Feeling abandoned. 00:43:17.399 --> 00:43:19.519 Storms just getting worse before they get better. 00:43:21.359 --> 00:43:22.919 Feeling like it's piling on. 00:43:27.659 --> 00:43:29.119 God, why do you do these things? 00:43:30.479 --> 00:43:34.139 Boy, it's easy for us to look back centuries later and say, 00:43:34.139 --> 00:43:35.519 Joseph, just hang in there, buddy. 00:43:35.599 --> 00:43:37.179 It's all going to get a whole lot better for you. 00:43:38.599 --> 00:43:44.859 But it's hard for us in the middle of it to say that to our souls. 00:43:47.259 --> 00:43:48.759 To say that to our spouses. 00:43:50.679 --> 00:43:51.859 Say that to ourselves. 00:43:54.460 --> 00:43:55.400 Just hang in there. 00:43:55.400 --> 00:43:58.760 We have the same God that Joseph had. 00:44:00.019 --> 00:44:06.260 The same God that delivered Joseph will deliver us. 00:44:07.039 --> 00:44:09.360 Why does he allow us to endure these things? 00:44:09.700 --> 00:44:12.160 Because it draws us into closer relationship. 00:44:12.599 --> 00:44:14.500 Because it reveals who he is. 00:44:14.500 --> 00:44:20.539 God, whoever is going through something right now, 00:44:21.900 --> 00:44:27.699 would you reveal to them yourself, 00:44:27.960 --> 00:44:31.360 that it's your purpose, it's your strength made known 00:44:31.360 --> 00:44:35.679 in their suffering, 00:44:36.219 --> 00:44:38.420 that you are enough, God. 00:44:38.420 --> 00:44:41.360 Make that truth so real, 00:44:42.360 --> 00:44:43.860 so vibrant to them, 00:44:43.920 --> 00:44:44.920 that you are enough. 00:44:45.700 --> 00:44:48.700 So loud to drown out the lies, 00:44:48.800 --> 00:44:50.800 to drown out the voices of Satan, 00:44:51.440 --> 00:44:53.079 that you are enough. 00:44:54.420 --> 00:44:55.980 That you will not leave. 00:44:56.240 --> 00:44:58.460 Your covenant will not go away. 00:44:58.579 --> 00:45:00.200 Your promise will not go away. 00:45:00.539 --> 00:45:01.480 You are their child. 00:45:03.000 --> 00:45:04.539 I'm sorry, they are your children 00:45:04.539 --> 00:45:05.659 and you are their father. 00:45:05.659 --> 00:45:09.460 Church, with our heads bowed, 00:45:10.879 --> 00:45:11.819 how many of you would say, 00:45:11.940 --> 00:45:12.859 I'm not a child of God, 00:45:12.899 --> 00:45:13.699 but I want to be today? 00:45:15.719 --> 00:45:17.019 I heard the gospel message 00:45:17.019 --> 00:45:19.079 about Jesus dying on the cross for my sin 00:45:19.079 --> 00:45:20.819 and I want to put my faith in him 00:45:20.819 --> 00:45:22.659 to forgive my sins and make me his child. 00:45:22.719 --> 00:45:23.579 Would you slip your hand up? 00:45:24.199 --> 00:45:26.139 I don't want to close this service 00:45:26.139 --> 00:45:27.799 without giving somebody a chance to do that. 00:45:30.099 --> 00:45:30.639 Thank you. 00:45:31.139 --> 00:45:31.559 Thank you. 00:45:31.599 --> 00:45:32.239 You can put your hand down. 00:45:32.739 --> 00:45:33.179 Thank you. 00:45:33.179 --> 00:45:37.139 We've asked a follow-up question. 00:45:37.399 --> 00:45:37.940 How many of you say, 00:45:38.019 --> 00:45:39.399 I'm going through something right now? 00:45:40.239 --> 00:45:42.399 Maybe it's not as bad as what Joseph was going through, 00:45:42.480 --> 00:45:43.839 but I'm going through my own storm 00:45:43.839 --> 00:45:47.219 and I just need prayer right now. 00:45:47.379 --> 00:45:48.199 Would you pray for me 00:45:48.199 --> 00:45:49.919 in the storm I'm going through in my life? 00:45:49.980 --> 00:45:50.859 Would you slip your hand up 00:45:50.859 --> 00:45:51.480 and I'll pray for you? 00:45:51.559 --> 00:45:51.960 Thank you. 00:45:52.599 --> 00:45:53.059 Thank you. 00:45:53.339 --> 00:45:53.719 Thank you. 00:45:54.399 --> 00:45:54.919 Thank you. 00:45:55.919 --> 00:45:56.399 Thank you. 00:45:57.460 --> 00:45:57.960 Thank you. 00:45:57.960 --> 00:46:01.639 God, hands all over this auditorium 00:46:01.639 --> 00:46:03.179 and you know what every situation is 00:46:03.179 --> 00:46:05.000 as well as those who just couldn't lift their hand, 00:46:05.260 --> 00:46:06.659 but they need your strength right now. 00:46:07.740 --> 00:46:08.920 I pray for them, God. 00:46:10.220 --> 00:46:11.380 Intervene on their behalf. 00:46:12.760 --> 00:46:13.940 Wrap them up in your arms. 00:46:14.940 --> 00:46:15.659 Be their father. 00:46:17.179 --> 00:46:18.199 Be their safety. 00:46:19.019 --> 00:46:20.059 Be their strength. 00:46:20.840 --> 00:46:22.139 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:46:22.820 --> 00:46:23.079 Amen. 00:46:23.079 --> 00:46:24.099 Church, would you join me? 00:46:24.099 --> 00:46:24.319 Amen.