Joseph: Lost His Coat But Kept His Character

Title: Joseph: Lost His Coat but Kept His Character

Theme:

Text: Genesis 39:1 - 20

Joseph Sold into Slavery

Opening Scripture

Genesis 39:1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. (2) The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. (3) And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. (4) So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. (5) So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. (6) Thus he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate.

Introduction

Joseph is betrayed by his brothers. Thrown into a pit to die. Yet by God’s providence, their greed and Ishmaelite band of came through. They decided to line their pockets, so they sold their brother.

Genesis 37:26-28 So Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? (27) Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh." And his brothers listened. (28) Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

20 shekels of silver = a young boys wage 30 pieces of shekels for a man. Jesus was betrayed by 30 pieces of shekels

Joseph’s brothers thought they would never see Joseph again. They thought was a relief to them. We learn even in Genesis 42 that there was a nagging guilt that they lived with. Until everything came to light, they wore the deeds they had done.

Genesis 42:21 "And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he begged us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us"

Joseph & Potiphar’s Wife

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. (7) And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me." (8) But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. (9) There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

After all Joseph faced, he found himself in an intriguing tempting situation.

Temptation will find you no matter who or where you are.

Three main areas of Temptation: 1 John 2:16 (Matthew 4)

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.

From Courson Commentary on 1 John 2:15 - 16

World – Courson “It doesn't refer to people, but rather to the philosophy and mentality of the world system”

- Lust of the flesh (what we feel) giving in to the desires of the flesh. Includes sexual sin, adultery, gluttony, alcoholism, drug addiction, materialism

- Lust of the eyes (what we see) giving into covetousness (desiring what someone else has), pornography,

- Pride of Life (how we view ourselves) looking down on others, “I did it my way”

From the beginning of time, Satan has had only three plays: the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life…

In Genesis_3:6, we read that Eve saw that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was good for food (the lust of the flesh), pleasant to the eyes (the lust of the eyes), and would make one wise (the pride of life).

In Matthew 4, we read that Satan tried to tempt Jesus to turn stones into bread (the lust of the flesh), to look at the kingdoms that could be His (the lust of the eyes), and to prove Himself to the people by jumping from a pinnacle (the pride of life).