Low Jo Series

Low Joe!

Thesis: Our man Joe even in the midst of being at his lowest point in life grows into the man God desires him to be. Low Joe grows through adversity into a man on the go by God

Introduction: Joseph’s life can teach us a great deal on how to deal with adversity in our lives. Crowder notes this about life’s challenges:

It has been said that life has to be lived in forward motion but can only be understood by looking back. This demands that we trust in the loving purposes of a sovereign God. We must trust that He is in control-especially when life seems to be out of control.

This is what Paul referred to as walking by faith II Cor. 5:7. It goes against every element of self-preservation that is ingrained in us. We want to take charge, manipulate, and control. But God wants us to trust in the love of a Father who makes us “more than conquerors through Him who loved us”(Romans 8:37).

Such was the life of the Old Testament character Joseph. His life was filled with dark, difficult experiences-yet the final outcome was amazing! In fact, Joseph is able to teach us much about how to deal with the tangled threads of our own lives. He became a godly man in an ungodly culture-a true over comer-and his example can help prepare us as we face the issues of life (3).

Last week we left with Joe our hero being betrayed by his brothers. He was suffering from the disease of favoritism. He was threatened and thrown into a pit and then sold into slavery. So we now find that Joseph is on a 30 day journey thru the desert to a foreign country where he will be sold as a piece of merchandise.

Describe a scenario on slavery!

Slavery is a system of abuse- Stories from America’s early slavery movement are terrible: Slaves where beaten, raped, brutalized, starved, treated as dogs, children where sold from their mothers, listen to just a few:

· One man was whipped for being two minutes late because his church let out late.

· A slave mother’s doleful prayer.

· One woman was whipped for making a minor mistake after church on Sunday and the one who whipped had delivered the sermon that day.

· A man was beaten to death because he was accused of stealing money he never stole. Later it was discovered that the master’s wife had it.

· Essay to be a slave

· American slavery How bad was it?

The key in any circumstance is to learn the lesson in it. To grow out of life’s ordeals requires us to be teachable through the whole ordeal. Crowder states:

On the old Happy Days television show, Richie Cunningham had just been “grounded for life” by his father , Howard, for misbehavior. As they talked about it, Howard asked his son, “Did you know that there is a lesson in this for you?” Richie’s response was priceless: “I figured anything with this much pain had to have a lesson in it somewhere.”

That is real life! We do not learn character in times of ease and prosperity but in times of difficulty. The greatest lessons of life are often the product of our most serious heartaches (2).

Texts: Genesis 39,40,41

T.S.- Lets explore how our hero Joe deals with adversity and unjust circumstances in his life.

I. Low Joe says No to Mrs. Po. In the land of bondage (Genesis 39)

a. Joe said no unlike other Bible heroes like David, Samson, and Solomon.

b. Just because you say no to temptation once does not mean it will never come again.

i. Mrs. Po did not accept Joe’s no. Her repeated tempting was “Yo Joe!” “Come here Joe!” “Joe I want you.” “Joe he does not love me-he is too busy with his work!”

ii. Joe’s continual response was no. It was based not on what his father taught him but because of his relationship with God.

c. How did Joseph overcome this temptress? (Genesis 39:6 -12).

1. He knew that to honor God he had to live the life.

2. He knew if he sinned that it would affect others.

3. He knew that adultery was not permitted by God

4. He knew he had run.

a. Share about the women’s house we did for Urban.

b. Share about girl you dated (Denise)

d. Jo goes but Mrs. Po mo’s and puts on a show.

i. Result of this unfair circumstance is that Joe’s teachable spirit grows. She moans and he grows – who really Lost?

1. Who’s Master

a. Whatever injury wicked men-in-power inflict upon good men is to be regarded … as a test for the good man’s virtues. Thus, a good man, though a slave, is free; but a wicked man, though a king, is a slave. For, a wicked man serves not just one master, but, what’s worse, as many masters as he has vices. For, it is in reference to vice that the Holy Scriptures says: “For by whom a man is overcome, of the same also he is the slave” (II Peter 2:19). -Augustine