From Bad to Worse

Introduction

No matter where you are- on top of the world, mourning the loss of life in Minneapolis, Charlie Kirk, the shooting in Evergreen or anything else, or if you’re stuck in an Egyptian prison, let me give you three things you need to hear and we need to remember these as we look at today’s passage:

Jesus loves you

Jesus redeemed you

Jesus is preparing a place for YOU (personally!) in heaven RIGHT NOW!

John 14:1–3 CSB

1 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.

Main Point: Obedience to God isn’t about Convenience.

Body

Joseph’s New Life

As we jump into chapter 39, our focus is back on Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers in Genesis 37.

If you remember, Joseph had a pair of dreams about his brothers (and his father and Leah in the second dream) bowing down to him as though he was a king!

The brothers are incensed. Even before the dreams, Joseph is given a long-sleeved robe that was a garment that only kings or the extremely wealthy, like Jacob could afford.

But the expectation would have been that Jacob would give that cloak to Reuben, his first-born.

He doesn’t. Instead, he gives this robe to his 11th born son, Joseph, the 17 year old.

His brothers DESPISE HIM and one thing leads to another, he has these dreams, goes on his father’s instruction to check on his brothers as they work and they decide to kill him before later deciding to just sell him into slavery in Egypt.

In Genesis 39 we pick back up as Joseph has arrived in Egypt. Verse 1 is actually parallel to Genesis 37:36.

This isn’t surprising. This makes chapter 38 an extended inclusio, which was a literary form used by Hebrew writers to draw attention to a central point; in this case that God has released us from shame and that GOD HAS A BIGGER PLAN!

Look at Genesis 39:1-6 with me as we continue seeing Joseph’s situation.

Genesis 39:1–6 CSB

1 Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guards, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful, 4 Joseph found favor with his master and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority. 5 From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph. The Lord’s blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields. 6 He left all that he owned under Joseph’s authority; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome.

When Joseph arrived in Egypt he was bought by a man named Potiphar who was the captain of Pharaoh’s guard. Potiphar was essentially the head of the Secret Service. This is an extremely important man in Egyptian culture.

As influential as he was, everything begins to change when Joseph enters his house because THE LORD, YAHWEH- that’s a very purposeful distinction there- was with Joseph!

It’s important to note the usage of the name YAHWEH here- in English if you see “LORD” all caps in your Bible that’s the name used in Hebrew- BECAUSE WHAT IS GOING ON IS NOT CAUSED BY AN IDOL!

No Egyptian god is behind Joseph’s success; only YAHWEH!

And as time goes on, EVERYTHING THAT JOSPEH DOES SUCCEEDS!

Potiphar becomes more and more wealthy because of Joseph and JOSEPH SUCCEEDS BECAUSE OF GOD!

If I’m honest, it can be easy for us to think that Joseph was all alone when he went to Egypt, but he wasn’t. GOD WAS STILL WITH HIM!

God was WORKING TO MAKE JOSEPH SUCCESSFUL- because GOD HAS A MUCH LARGER PLAN IN PLACE THAN WHAT WE SEE ON THE SURFACE!

And as Potiphar sees that everything Joseph does succeeds, Potiphar puts Joseph over EVERYTHING!

He trusts him with EVERYTHING THAT HE HAS! He trusts him with his wealth, his reputation, his influence, and as we’ll see, even his family!

In all of this, God blesses Joseph who blesses Potiphar!

And as we see in verse 6, Potiphar has NO WORRIES except what he eats.

To be clear, this isn’t talking about food insecurity, this is saying, “All Potiphar has to worry about is chicken or fish, steak or lamb.”

Potiphar is CARE FREE BECAUSE OF JOSEPH!

Listen, I do want to make an application here. Joseph isn’t just blessed by God, JOSEPH WORKS HARD.

Let’s be clear on that- Joseph works hard. We saw in Genesis 37 that he is a man of integrity and that continues in Egypt. HE WORKS HARD AND GOD BLESSES THAT HARD WORK.

And here’s the application part- we can quote 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Colossians 3:23 over and over and say, “I’m going to do everything to glorify God,” but do we really mean it?

Do we really mean that we will work at WHATEVER WE ARE DOING WITH ALL OUR HEARTS TO GLORIFY THE LORD?

Understand, JOSEPH IS A SLAVE! JOSEPH WHEN HE WAS BOUGHT WOULD HAVE GOTTEN TO DO THE WORST JOBS (ALSO BECAUSE HE DIDN’T EVEN SPEAK EGYPTIAN!) AND YET HE STILL WORKED HARD AND POTIPHAR WAS BLESSED BY HIS HARD WORK!

JOSEPH GLORIFIED GOD WITH HIS WORK!

Whether it was managing financials for Potiphar, or if it was taking care of livestock, Joseph GLORIFIED GOD WITH HIS WORK!

And listen, we need to understand that if GOD IS WITH US ALWAYS THEN GOD IS WITH US WHEN WE ARE WORKING ALSO!

Remember that- God is with Joseph even in the really hard season and He is going to USE this hard season in Joseph’s life for something so much greater!

Consider- we saw this last week with Tamar- God is with us ALWAYS but that DOES NOT MEAN THAT EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS EASY!

The Temptation Begins- v. 6-10

As we move into the last part of verse 6 through verse 10, we see that Joseph has MATURED!

Genesis 39:6–10 CSB

6 He left all that he owned under Joseph’s authority; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome. 7 After some time his master’s wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.” 8 But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority. 9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this immense evil, and how could I sin against God?” 10 Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her.

Joseph is described as “well-built” or STRONG, and handsome!

And Potiphar’s wife decides that she wants to start an affair with him. Let’s be blunt- she wants to take advantage of Joseph.

But look at his response! he says NO!

He doesn’t say, “You’re right! I have built all this wealth for Potiphar, I deserve this.”

Instead, he says, “HOW COULD I SIN AGAINST GOD?”

Again we see that JOSEPH IS A MAN OF CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY! HE CHOOSES TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN CHASING WHAT MIGHT BE NICE IN THE SHORT-TERM!

But I’d actually go one step further. Last week we saw how Judah made decisions that positioned him to walk AWAY FROM GOD!

Judah left God and his family and decided to do things his own way (I didn’t make a big deal out of this last week, but Judah slept with what he thought was a shrine prostitute- that means that he was doing it as an ACT OF WORSHIP to an idol!)

Judah made decisions that directly led him away from God.

Joseph? Joseph is different! He was DRAGGED AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY, AWAY FROM HIS SUPPORT SYSTEM! BUT JOSEPH HELD GOD CLOSE AND CONTINUED TO OBEY GOD!

His life was different then the people around him (how he was successful), his work was different (he worked hard) and we see that the way that Joseph responds to sin is different!

And understand, this isn’t just a one-time thing.

This temptation comes day after day. Potiphar’s wife wants this to happen.

Day after day she tries to wear Joseph down.

And if we’re honest, it can be easy for us to avoid sin that first time that we’re tempted.

AND LET ME BE CLEAR- BEING TEMPTED ISN’T A SIN. IT’S PART OF LIVING IN A SINFUL, FALLEN WORLD! GIVING INTO TEMPTATION IS WHERE WE SIN!

But what about the second? What about the third?

This is where we have to do two things:

We have to RELY ON THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE US AND PROTECT US

We have to GROW CLOSER TO GOD!

Sanctification (OUR GRADUAL GROWING RIGHTEOUSNESS/ Justification= Our declared righteousness before God, it’s instantaneous)

And day after day this temptation comes, but day after day Joseph refuses. But even as he says no, she doesn’t quit.

Look at verse 11 with me.

Potiphar’s Wife Turns up the Heat- v. 11-15

Genesis 39:11–15 CSB

11 Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there. 12 She grabbed him by his garment and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. 13 When she saw that he had left his garment with her and had run outside, 14 she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “my husband brought a Hebrew man to make fools of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, and I screamed as loud as I could. 15 When he heard me screaming for help, he left his garment beside me and ran outside.”

Potiphar’s wife doesn’t give up quickly or easily. Instead, she concocts a plan.

She’s going to get Joseph by himself and she is going to FORCE JOSEPH TO DO WHAT SHE WANTS!

So one day, she sees the perfect opportunity. Only Joseph and her are in the house. And she grabs him and tells him to sleep with her, thinking that FINALLY THIS WILL WORK!

Let me be clear- this is a HUGE GAMBLE! If Joseph says no and tells Potiphar and Potiphar believes him, then she will be executed.

She talks to Joseph and he ESCAPED AND RAN OUTSIDE WITHOUT HIS CLOAK!

Friends, this is how Joseph handles sin! HE SPRINTS OUT OF THE HOUSE! HE DOES EVERYTHING THAT HE CAN TO AVOID HER!

Joseph has done the right thing.

That’s how we need to respond to sin. WE NEED TO RUN FROM SIN! Listen to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:18

1 Corinthians 6:18 CSB

18 Flee sexual immorality! Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body.

So let me just bluntly ask you- if you were confronted with sin that vividly (and I’m not just talking about sexual sin), would you run from it?

Let’s be honest; that’s not typically our response, but it needs to be!

I remember being in an accountability group in College made up of our campus ministry’s guy leaders and we were talking about ways to avoid sexual sin and temptation.

I vividly remember the term, “Go nuclear” coming up. What the leader meant was, “Don’t be cute with sin. If your phone causes you issues, get rid of your phone or put it in a different room! If you use your laptop to sin, then don’t use your laptop in private!” And listen, that’s what Joseph does! HE GOES NUCLEAR!

HE SEES SIN, HE SEES THE TRAP AND HE RUNS FROM IT!

And as he goes nuclear, Potiphar’s wife creates a new plan.

She is holding onto his outer cloak; something that HE WOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN OFF UNLESS HE WAS TRYING TO SLEEP WITH HER and she decides she’s going to lie!

She calls her household servants in to explain that Joseph tried to sleep with her and that she yelled and he ran away!

Now, let’s be clear. This isn’t the case. This is a lie. Joseph didn’t try to RAPE Potiphar’s wife (and that’s what she’s describing). This is someone else sinning against Joseph.

It’s happening AGAIN! He’s already stuck in Egypt because of his brother’s sin and now Potiphar’s wife is lying about him and JOSEPH IS AGAIN GOING TO BE HURT BY OTHER PEOPLE’S LIES!

The Lie Continues- v. 16-20

Genesis 39:16–20 CSB

16 She put Joseph’s garment beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought to us came to make a fool of me, 18 but when I screamed for help, he left his garment beside me and ran outside.” 19 When his master heard the story his wife told him—“These are the things your slave did to me”—he was furious 20 and had him thrown into prison, where the king’s prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in prison.

Potiphar’s wife sets the scene and the lie up. She puts Joseph’s cloak next to her until her husband comes home and then she lies.

Potiphar is furious! Notice the tone that she takes in her lie; she takes a very accusatory tone and then tells this huge lie!

Potiphar in his ANGER acts and doesn’t stop to ask questions or to think.

Rather than saying, “Hey, is this all true,” he has Joseph thrown in prison with the rest of Pharaoh’s prisoners.

Now, let’s be clear. It’s understandable that Potiphar is angry! BUT, that doesn’t EXCUSE what Potiphar does! You can be mad in life, but that doesn’t give you a FREE PASS to take your anger out on everyone else.

Anger is not sinful, but what we do with our anger CAN BE! And here JOSEPH IS AGAIN SINNED AGAINST!

Joseph finds himself in prison now. He’s gone from the favorite son of a wealthy father to a slave to now being stuck in an Egyptian prison which was more of a pit in the ground where he is bound in chains.

Psalm 105:18 tells us about Joseph’s time in prison. It says:

Psalm 105:18 CSB

18 They hurt his feet with shackles; his neck was put in an iron collar.

This prison stay was MISERABLE!

This was an awful situation! Yet again he is suffering because of someone else’s sin!

So how does Joseph respond? Look at verse 21 with me!

Joseph in Prison- v. 21-23

Genesis 39:21–23 CSB

21 But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor with the prison warden. 22 The warden put all the prisoners who were in the prison under Joseph’s authority, and he was responsible for everything that was done there. 23 The warden did not bother with anything under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him, and the Lord made everything that he did successful.

Joseph responds by again working hard and AGAIN we see that GOD PROTECTS HIM AND PROVIDES FOR HIM!

I know that it sounds weird to say that when Joseph is stuck in prison, but GOD IS PROVIDING FOR HIM!

Joseph rises up in position and ends up being entrusted with the responsibility of RUNNING THE PRISON!

Friends, what a testimony to the way that Joseph lived and how his life glorified God!

God is WITH HIM AND JOSEPH LIVES DIFFERENTLY!

And I want to make sure that we hear that this morning- Joseph’s life doesn’t call us to PASSIVE FAITH, it calls us to ACTIVELY LIVE OUT OUR FAITH IN JESUS!

IT CALLS US TO LIVE DIFFERENTLY!

At the same time, let me make this point- God’s provision doesn’t mean that everything is COMFORTABLE ALL THE TIME!

God’s provision means that we are PROVIDED FOR THOUGH!

Joseph is provided for EVEN THOUGH HIS LIFE ISN’T COMFORTABLE!

God’s PROVISION IN THE END WILL BE BETTER THAN JOSEPH EVER COULD HAVE ANTICIPATED!

Application

Run from Sin!

1st Part- GOSPEL

Remember those three things I mentioned to start our service:

Jesus loves you

Jesus redeemed you

Jesus is preparing a place for YOU (personally!) in heaven RIGHT NOW!

Ephesians 1:7 CSB

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

Emphasize the REDEMPTION THAT JESUS GAVE US!

PLACE YOUR FAITH IN JESUS TODAY!

2nd Part- RUN AWAY FROM TEMPTATION! BE LIKE JOSEPH AND RUN! DON’T MESS AROUND! DON’T TOLERATE IT, JUST RUN!

SO HOW DO WE DO THAT?

Run with the Spirit

Galatians 5:19–25 CSB

19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Notice the contrast between the way that the FLESH tempts us to LIVE and the way that the SPIRIT leads us to live!

LIVE BY THE SPIRIT LIKE WHAT PAUL SAYS HERE- RELY ON GOD! Joseph doesn’t fight temptation alone, he relies on God!

2. You don’t run alone!

Don’t ISOLATE YOURSELF FORM CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY!

WE DON’T NEED TO MAKE OUR FAITH HARDER THAN IT IS!

It’s hard to follow God because we are the MINORITY OF PEOPLE! This isn’t legalism, this is reality. So, RUN TOGETHER! DON’T RUN BY YOURSELF!

Don’t isolate yourself!

Hebrews 12:1 CSB

1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,

3. Run for the new Mission!

We have a new mission! Listen to what PAUL SAYS ABOUT HIS LIFE!

Acts 20:24 CSB

24 But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.

RUN FOR THE NEW MISSION!

FIGHT SIN BECAUSE YOU WANT TO FOLLOW GOD!

Don’t do it be better, or because your pastor said to.

LIVE DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE YOU ARE CALLED TO BY JESUS AND IN TURN, RUN FOR THE NEW MISSION!

We don’t run for OUR GLORY, we run for GOD’S GLORY! AND THAT INCLUDES THE WAY THAT WE BATTLE SIN AND FLEE FROM SIN!

Practically, this is where SCRIPTURE MEMORY CAN BE SO HELPFUL!

Scripture memory has really been on my mind this week. It matters that we memorize scripture. That isn’t just a thing kids do in something like AWana. We MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE BECAUSE IT LETS US ALWAYS HAVE GOD’S WORD WITH US!

WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH TEMPTATION, WE CAN REMEMBER THE NEW MISSION THAT WE RUN FOR BY REMEMBERING SCRIPTURE!

We could for instance MEMORIZE THE FOUR VERSES THAT GO WITH THESE FOUR STEPS SO THAT WHEN TEMPTATION FEELS IRRESISTIBLE WE CAN RUN!

4. Run the race with your eyes on the prize!

2 Timothy 4:7–8 CSB

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.

We have a new mission and we have a NEW END GOAL!

WE WANT TO TESTIFY TO THE GOSPEL OF GOD’S GRACE AND WE ALSO WANT TO RUN WITH OUR EYES ON THE PRIZE!

And what is the prize? The prize is simple- the prize is the CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS; the prize is ETERNITY WITH GOD!

Run to True Comfort

IN ALL SITUATIONS YOUR TRUE COMFORT IS FOUND IN JESUS AND ONLY JESUS!

Psalm 34:15 CSB

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry for help.

KEEP GOD’S WORD CLOSE TO HEART! (THE PSALMS- like this psalm and Psalm 42 are great for this!

Four steps for comfort:

Focus on God!

Psalm 42:1 CSB

1 As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God.

Acknowledge that you’re not ok!

Psalm 42:2–4 CSB

2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while all day long people say to me, “Where is your God?” 4 I remember this as I pour out my heart: how I walked with many, leading the festive procession to the house of God, with joyful and thankful shouts.

SPEAK TRUTH TO YOURSELF! (GO BACK TO GOD’S PROMISES! REMEMBER GOD’S EXAMPLES LIKE WHAT HAPPENS IN JOSEPH’S LIFE!)

“I say that we must talk to ourselves instead of allowing “ourselves” to talk to us!”- Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Psalm 42:5–8 CSB

5 Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him, my Savior and my God. 6 I am deeply depressed; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your billows have swept over me. 8 The Lord will send his faithful love by day; his song will be with me in the night— a prayer to the God of my life.

IV. RESPOND TO DISCOMFORT! (You’ve spoken truth, REMIND YOUR HEART AGAIN AND AGAIN ABOUT WHAT GOD IS GOING TO DO!)

Psalm 42:9–11 CSB

9 I will say to God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?” 10 My adversaries taunt me, as if crushing my bones, while all day long they say to me, “Where is your God?” 11 Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him, my Savior and my God.

Friends, I promise you that JOSEPH HAD TO DO THESE THINGS! HE HAD TO FOCUS ON GOD WHILE HE WAS HURTING, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE WASN’T OK, SPEAK TRUTH TO HIMSELF, AND RESPOND TO HIS DISCOMFORT!

Let’s pray