D - Joseph Pt. 3 (Genesis 39: 1-6)
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24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
You guys remember mountain camp? Why don’t we look at some pictures of Mountain Camp together. Now you guys know me, so some of these pictures.
If you guys remember we’ve spent some time talking about Joseph right? And we learned last week that Joseph was sold into slavery by his own family. Isn’t that awful? It is awful, and I’, not gonna lie to you guys, the story is going to get worse. But before it does, there will be a moment in Joseph’s life, where everything seems like it’s going to be okay. Let’s read:
36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.
So Joseph get’s sold into slavery to this guys name Potiphar. Right? Who is he? the verse says he is: the captain of the Pharoah’s guard. Pharoah is king. So Potiphar is the captain of the king’s guard.
And this is what happens while Joseph is in slavery:
1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
2 The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,
4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.
5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.
6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,
Honestly guys, there isn’t much to say about this right? Joseph is in an awful situation, he is completely powerless, he doesn’t even own his own actions. Everything he get’s to do is dictated by someone else.
We started talking about Daniel on Sunday and we learned how the same things happen to Daniel and his 3 friends. They didn’t own anything, they even got their name taken away. It was awful.
But I want us to notice something about Joseph:
2 The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,
4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.
God was with Joseph. Even when Joseph felt powerless, alone or afraid. God was with Joseph all of the time. So in our lives, it is exactly the same. In our worst moments, God is with us too. God is experiencing the pain and hurt we feel.
God is with us through all of it, so you are never alone. But verse 3 is what really blows my mind. This verse is a good reminder that when God is with you, other people will notice. Potiphar noticed God was with Joseph. This cause Potiphar to show Joseph some favor.
See, I know that being a Christian isn’t going to make you anymore popular, but it will definitely give you an opportunity to share with others what it means that God is in your life. Some people feel the same way you do sometimes. have you feel angry, alone, afraid, frustrated, or any other negative emotion?
Well, everyone else on earth feels those things too. Other people may not go through what you’re going through, but everyone has their own baggage they carry. Some people have to do it alone because they don’t have God with them.
Joseph was not the only slave. There was other their too, but Joseph had God with him. And because God was with him, Joseph could tell others what it means to have God in their side.
Walking with God means you don’t have to be by yourself ever, but it also makes you responsible to share God with others.
Discussion Questions:
What do you think it looks like for God to be with you regardless of your circumstances?
Notice that God doesn’t remove Joseph from his difficult situation; why would God allow people to go through difficult times?
Read: Genesis 39: 5. What does this verse teach us about how our faithfulness can impact others who don’t believe in God?
Pray in your group: That God would never feel far way in our difficulties.
24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.