Genesis 39:7-23 // Light of the World (part 2)
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Trouble Finds Joseph
Trouble Finds Joseph
And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.”
Potiphar’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph. Why? Because he was handsome, and she was evil.
Joseph did not do anything to bring this trouble on himself.
He was handsome
She was. interested
Unlike his childhood where he foolishly stirred up trouble with his brothers with his words.
Joseph’s Perfect Response
Joseph tries to reason with her
He explains from her perspective why this cannot happen.
He anchors everything on God
“How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
Expectation vs Reality
After Joseph’s righteous response to temptation, one might expect the issue to be settled.
The opposite is true
It actually gets worse.
Potiphar’s wife is an example of the type of person Paul talked about.
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
“For although they knew God…” His creation is His testimony
They did not honor Him as God
And their foolish hearts were darkened.
We live in a world that doesn’t not honor God and whos foolish hearts are becoming increasingly darkened.
At the very least, this should cause us to focus on reality.
Ultimately it is foolish for us to expect the world to respect our cultural standards or our spiritual beliefs.
John warned as much
Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.
His message was to endure trails and show the world of our faith through the love we show each other.
While we live out this amazing God honoring life
He give us this reality check
“Don’t be surprised when the world hates you…”
And where did John get this knowledge? From Jesus
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Look at the reason Jesus gave.
The world will hate you BECAUSE of Jesus.
We are correct in calling out the hypocrisy the world shows against Christianity.
But we should not be surprised that it is like this.
We should probably even check our expectations.
But the Lord was with Joseph
But the Lord was with Joseph
But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
In the following verses, the author gives justification for this claim.
Joseph rose to authority
Was trusted with responsibility.
But the elephant in the room is that God was ALREADY with Joseph.
Strikingly similar to verse 2.
Not only was God with Joseph
God “…showed him steadfast love…”
“Steadfast”
Also called a “Loyal Love” used to describe the unfailing nature of God’s love as it relates to the faithfulness of it.
I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music.
The challenge this morning is when we consider the argument
Some argue how a good God can let bad things happen to good people.
I want to take is a step further and ask:
“How can a good God let bad things happen to HIS people?”
· We know the rest of the story about what God was doing through Joseph.
· But couldn’t God do that without all the injustices against His faithful servants?
o (to understand how to respond) Lets go back to Jesus’ instruction to His disciples (John 15)
· “I am the vine you are the branches”
o Jesus is the source.
o We are dependent on Him from growth and success.
· Abide in me
o Remain as my faithful servant
o I will care for you and keep you
· “If the world hates you, know that it hated me first”
o You will be no more accepted as I was.
Ok but why does it have to be that way? (That’s the question)
“A servant is not greater than his master.”
“If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”
The reason here is implied. We live in a fallen world.
“When the Helper comes…”
We are part of something bigger.
Jesus said the Helper (Holy Spirit) will He will bear witness (of Jesus)
You also will bear witness…Because the same Spirit is with you and in you.
You don’t have to be a Christian to understand that trials are a part of life. But as Christians, we should understand that because of Christ, our trials have both hope and meaning.