God Redeems Adversity

Intro:

Bring up a student and play Zero Chance - Give them four spins, and talk it up after each spin

"What an unlucky break…you had all these options on the table, and surely one of them would turn out for your good…but nope, it always just seemed out of reach”

And you know what, sometimes life for us is just like this. We’ve been dealt a bad hand, things have been rough, and we see a little bit of hope, a little bit of things starting to look up, and then “poof”....it disappears. Anyone been there? I know I have!!

And when that happens, what we often are tempted to do is to compromise on what we believe or on what we hope, thinking that we have to get what we can on our own

There is an old story that goes like this: “A hunter raised his rifle and took careful aim at a large bear. When about to pull the trigger, the bear spoke in a soft, soothing voice, “Isn’t it better to talk than to shoot? What do you want? Let us negotiate the matter.”

“Good,” said the bear, “that is a negotiable question. I only want a full stomach, so let us negotiate a compromise.”

They sat down to negotiate, and after a time the bear walked away alone. The negotiations had been successful. The bear had a full stomach, and the hunter had his fur coat.

Lowering his rifle, the hunter replied, “I want a fur coat.”

Compromises rarely satisfy both sides in equal measure.

“Good,” said the bear, “that is a negotiable question. I only want a full stomach, so let us negotiate a compromise.”

They sat down to negotiate, and after a time the bear walked away alone.....because the negotiations had been successful. The bear had a full stomach, and the hunter had his fur coat.

See.....Compromises rarely satisfy both sides in equal measure.

As we look at Joseph’s life tonight…we’re going to see the temptation to compromise on his beliefs, to compromise on what he knew to be true, and to compromise on everything he stood for…because life is going to get pretty rough for ol’ Joe, as if it hasn’t already been

And we’re gonna see these glimpses of hope he has that get (schwoop) ripped away

And I want you to learn from Joey’s life

Read verse 1

Now remember, Joseph was only 17 years old when his life took an unimaginable turn and he was sold into slavery by his brothers.

And not only that, he was shackled and led all the way to Egypt, far away from everything he knew

Can you imagine? How many of you are 17? And how many of you have ever been on your own? Joseph had so many things to be upset about

So if you are Joseph at this point....how you think he’s feeling?

I think he was upset, I think we sometimes try to de-humanize these people in Bible stories

Well Joseph just had the biggest smile on his face as he was transported as a slave walking behind a camels butt. And oh man, when he was bought by Potiphar, it was like he just won America’s Got Talent! He was thrilled to be selected by the bald-headed judge!

Come on now…Joseph had to have been scared, upset, questioning

And even at this point, Joseph had reason to compromise on what he believed to be true, that God was with him, right?

He was aware of God’s promises.....and that the family promise would continue through him or one of his 11 brothers.

You know, like when we go through really hard times, and I know you guys do. I know some of you guys are going through hard times....we have, in our minds, legitimate reason to question God, and maybe we do, and sure, maybe we even compromise

But Joseph didn’

Read verses 2-6

But don’t miss this, God reminded Joseph he was still with him.

Little Joseph became the head over all of Potiphar’s household, because Potiphar was no idiot and realized that from the moment he bought Joseph, his fortunes increased!

So, he puts Joseph in charge of everything and boom....he reaps the benefits…smart businessman!

And if you’re Joseph, that glimmer of hope is right there ya know? Sure you’re still in Egypt, and you’re still technically a slave…but God’s blessed you, you’ve been given the freedom to run the entire house, you’re in charge, you are treated well because your master is benefitting from you....you know this isn’t so bad

And then WHAM!, you suffer another blow

continues on that Potiphar’s wife found Joseph to be extremely handsome, and so she made advances towards him

And Joseph, refusing to compromise on his beliefs in God and what he knew to be right and wrong…refused her

Which led to Potiphar’s wife accusing him of making advances towards her, and by the end of the day.....Joseph is in a “pit” again…this time in the shape of a prison

Now, Joseph could have compromised, after all, he could have said, “you know what God, you brought me down here, I didn’t choose to, I’m going to compromise and do what I want to do”

But he didn’t, and it led to what? More trouble for Joseph

And again, if you’re Joseph and you’re sitting in prison, life’s gotten really dark again…how do you respond? You’ve not only been made a slave, but now you’ve been falsely accused of something you didn’t do!

You’ve not only been made a slave, but now you’ve been falsely accused of something you didn’t do!

How do you respond?

Here’s how I’d be tempted to respond.... “you know what, I’m going to do whatever I need to do to get out of here. Forget God, I didn’t do anything wrong and he’s forgotten me time and time again”

And I’m going to compromise on all that I believe in because a loving God wouldn’t subject His servant to these injustices!”

So Joe’s in prison…but again, it doesn’t take long for God to remind Joseph that He was still there

And you know, sometimes we miss God reminding us He’s with us because we’re too busy trying to fix it on our own, or we’re too wrapped up in compromising what we believe that we miss it

But Joseph still trusted God....and God reminded Him that he wasn’t forgotten

Because Joseph was put in charge of all the prisoners who were in prison

Crazy right? So the guard kicks back and Joseph is given the keys and everything

As the story continues, at some point…both the chief cupbearer and the baker angered Pharaoh, so he threw them in prison.....

Who knows, maybe they didn’t squeeze the grape juice correctly or the bread was burnt…but regardless....here they were

And while in prison, they both had a dream on the same night, and they both woke up totally distressed by the dreams they had

So Ol’ Joe is making his rounds one morning, and they share their dreams with him with hopes that he or someone he knew could interpret them

Joseph, again showing us he still believed in God, responds that only God can interpret dreams, and God gives Joseph the understanding of what

Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Compromise

The following is a Russian parable. A hunter raised his rifle and took careful aim at a large bear. When about to pull the trigger, the bear spoke in a soft, soothing voice, “Isn’t it better to talk than to shoot? What do you want? Let us negotiate the matter.”

Lowering his rifle, the hunter replied, “I want a fur coat.”

“Good,” said the bear, “that is a negotiable question. I only want a full stomach, so let us negotiate a compromise.”

They sat down to negotiate, and after a time the bear walked away alone. The negotiations had been successful. The bear had a full stomach, and the hunter had his fur coat.

Compromises rarely satisfy both sides in equal measure.