Blessed to Bless

Dead or Alive

Last week we started reading the historical record in Genesis about the life of Joseph and his 11 other brothers. His father Jacob favored Joseph above all his other brothers and he was the 11th of 12 sons. His brothers hated him (except Benjamin his youngest brother who barely knew him) even to the point they conspired to kill him. He is thrown into a pit. His brothers create a conspiracy and trick Jacob their father into thinking Joseph is dead.

But…there is Rueben… but I honestly do not think he knows that Joseph is alive either. What we see is in Genesis 37:29 is that Rueben was not with them when they sold him, and he had just asked them to avoid killing Joseph. He wanted to come and get him out of the pit and bring him back to his father Jacob. Let’s take a look at how Rueben reacts in this verse so let’s read it together:

[Genesis 37:29-30 NLT] 29 Some time later, Reuben returned to get Joseph out of the cistern. When he discovered that Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in grief. 30 Then he went back to his brothers and lamented, "The boy is gone! What will I do now?"

Rueben did not think Joseph was alive any longer. Even in his dislike of Joseph being the older brother I feel he felt responsible for his younger brothers’ actions. But before you go getting to impressed with Rueben… let’s take another look at his reaction to the situation; “The boy is gone! What will I do now?"

See what he did here… He didn’t ask what happened to Joseph. He reveals a selfish side of his character and says “what will I do now?”. He is in charge and his heart is revealed showing he is worried about himself… what shall I do???

Joseph is sold twice… once from his brothers to the Ishmaelites, and then the second time to the house of Potiphar a powerful man in Egypt on Pharaoh’s court.

I want to back track just a little as we left last week’s message with all that has gone on in Joseph’s life so far. Some people would say he had a right to feel depressed. But, I feel it is important that we take a look at Joseph’s attitude to all that is going on around him. As we talked about last week Joseph never takes his eyes off of God. Turn to Genesis 39.

[Genesis 39:2-5 NLT] 2 The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the LORD was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master's household and property, the LORD began to bless Potiphar's household for Joseph's sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished.

Look at how the Lord was with Joseph and he was successful. Joseph keeps his eyes on the Lord and never lets his circumstances around him prevail. He realizes that all that is going on has nothing to do with who he is… It does not define him. He wants to be the man that his father has taught him to be through the teaching of the Torah about Yahweh. Scripture tells us that the LORD was with Joseph. And because of Joseph honoring God he was blessed, and he blessed his masters house Potiphar.

This portion of the scripture reminds me of what Paul said in Philippians. Turn with me to Philippians 1.

[Philippians 1:12-13 NLT] 12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.

Paul was powered up by practicing the presence of God. His obedience was honored by God in that the Gospel was advanced to all the prisoners and even the palace guard that Paul was only bound by Christ. Not by the chains made by man. He was a slave to Jesus. I feel Paul is aligned with Joseph that no matter where you are that God is first and when we make God first being our Father in heaven, we receive favor. And it is contagious. Even Potiphar sees how God / Yahweh is blessing Joseph in all he touches.

Blessed to Bless

“the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand”

Joseph by his character was evangelizing Potiphar. So, what does Potiphar do with this young man who God favors. He puts him in charge of his whole household and all his land.

You ever hear that phrase “everything he touches turns to gold”. Joseph may not have felt that way with being a slave now… but he realized a very important fact. It is not about me… it is about honoring God in all circumstances. And because of that those around him noticed the blessing… noticed that everything he touched turned to gold!

“LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake”

Yahweh blessed Potiphar for Josephs sake…Joseph was blessed to bless. And he was a blessing to Potiphar. As we continue to read it is important to remember that when things start getting good…that is when we need to be most diligent in spending time with God.

Let’s continue to read Genesis 39 starting with verse 7.

[Genesis 39:7-20 NLT] 7 and Potiphar's wife soon began to look at him lustfully. "Come and sleep with me," she demanded. 8 But Joseph refused. "Look," he told her, "my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God." 10 She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. 12 She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, "Come on, sleep with me!" Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. 13 When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, 14 she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. "Look!" she said. "My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me." 16 She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. 17 Then she told him her story. "That Hebrew slave you've brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me," she said. 18 "But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!" 19 Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife's story about how Joseph had treated her. 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king's prisoners were held, and there he remained.

Potiphar’s wife was used by the enemy to once again take our young Joseph and put him back in chains. She keeps trying to seduce him and Joseph continues to say “No!” …

Finally, when she has him alone, she tries to grab him and he runs leaving his garment in her hand. Now being embarrassed and mad she turns against Joseph and being the wife of Potiphar, he has to do what is politically correct. He supports his wife’s claim but I don’t think he really believes her… read verse 19 and 20 again:

19 Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife's story about how Joseph had treated her. 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king's prisoners were held, and there he remained.

Potiphar puts Joseph in prison rather than kill him. Not only does he put him in prison. But notice which prison he puts him in…

“Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners [were] confined. And he was there in the prison.”

Potiphar puts him in prison where the Pharaoh’s prisoners were kept. This was not the deepest dungeons of the prison. Still bad, but in comparison to what could have been done not too bad.

Honestly the offense he was accused of was the death penalty and immediate. As soon as his wife accused him the politically correct thing for Potiphar to do was to kill Joseph right on the spot. He was a slave. And not only a slave… but a Hebrew slave.

Potiphar knew Joseph by his character. He knew in his heart that what was being claimed was not true. Regardless he had to save face and that is why he felt he would make the decision to put him in prison rather than kill him. Another saying I am sure you know…. Unhappy wife… unhappy life… I am sure that Potiphar was not greeted with a big hug and kiss when he got home for not killing Joseph.

We talk so much about sowing and reaping. Honor God and He will honor you. Joseph honored God, was honorable to his master Potiphar and because of his obedience in spite of his situation around him God made the way out better.

Let’s pick up again in Genesis 39:21

[Genesis 39:21-23 NLT] 21 But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. 22 Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. 23 The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The LORD was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

Not only was the sentence he received from Potiphar gracious and merciful. Now, God shows favor on Joseph once again. Joseph is blessed and he blesses the keeper of the prison was impressed with Joseph and just like Potiphar puts him in charge of the prison. You have the same power in you… you are blessed by God’s presence which by your time with God blesses those around you. You are a light in a dark world.

Learn Where We Are

In Titus 3:14 Paul writes:

[Titus 3:14 NLT] 14 Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be unproductive.

Joseph maintained humility and instead of getting angry he showed the love of God. Everything he did he did with integrity and honor to do good. In doing this by his obedience he was elevated to higher levels of management to the point he was running all of Potiphar’s house and land. See what God did there? Because Joseph honored God in all he did he put himself in the right place to as Paul say learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, so that they be not unfruitful.

I would say that Joseph has been fruitful so far. Potiphar was even upset that he was losing his favorite slave who was blessing his home. Joseph learned how to manage a large property. To maintain the accounting to buy the food and services needed to maintain this large estate. He not only learned it he was very good at it because God used him in this purpose for a higher calling. Hard to believe it was a higher calling since he was a slave not a free man. Joseph knew that slave or free… this did not define who he was in God’s eyes.

Read again how this favored Joseph:

“23 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything [that was] under [Joseph's] authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made [it] prosper.”

Can you see God’s plan? He has a plan for you too… Your circumstances are no different than Joseph. They were distractions. But God used them for His glory. So, now let’s continue to read in Genesis 40.

[Genesis 40:1-4 NLT] 1 Some time later, Pharaoh's chief cup-bearer and chief baker offended their royal master. 2 Pharaoh became angry with these two officials, 3 and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of the captain of the guard. 4 They remained in prison for quite some time, and the captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, who looked after them.

Joseph is now given to serve two officials of Pharaoh’s court. These were guys that Potiphar would have known. They were all part of the royal court of Pharaoh. And Joseph is given the task of serving the two.

Let’s read what God’s plans are with Joseph now and you will see he is in the right place at the right time.

[Genesis 40:5-8 NLT] 5 While they were in prison, Pharaoh's cup-bearer and baker each had a dream one night, and each dream had its own meaning. 6 When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset. 7 "Why do you look so worried today?" he asked them. 8 And they replied, "We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean." "Interpreting dreams is God's business," Joseph replied. "Go ahead and tell me your dreams."

Joseph has some experience with dreams. God just maneuvered Joseph to Pharaoh’s court.

So… what are the dreams? Well, we will have to see what happens next week with Joseph. Isn’t it amazing how the history of Joseph gives us the outline that God has for our lives? Often, we forget to give God the glory no matter what is going on around us. But if we use the life of Joseph to be an example, we see that no matter how bad it can be… God has us in the right place at the right time.

To be empowered we have to be plugged in. If I unplug my laptop on Sunday… I cannot possibly expect the power to make it all the way to next Sunday. There is work to be done, and that power will run out. But see you have the ability to be plugged into God every day. Come to the cross of Jesus, thank God, pray to Him, read His word… you need to be plugged in.

[1 Corinthians 1:18 NLT] 18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.

Receive the power of God… get plugged in each and every day… You will be blessed and will be a blessing to others because of it. No matter how bad things may look around us, give God the glory and learn from your circumstances with love and the peace of God. Next week we will see even greater things from Joseph…

Let’s pray.