Introduction:
A. Let me begin by asking you: “What is it that is most tempting to you?”
1. I think it is funny to watch cats stare at a fish bowl or a bird cage – it is so representative of temptation’s attraction.
2. When I was a kid we had cats and they would sit and stare at the fish and the birds for hours.
B. I read about a 4 year-old boy named Joe, who was very well-behaved except for one little quirk – he didn’t like to wear shoes.
1. When it was time for his first Vacation Bible school, his parents told little Joe he must keep his shoes on at church.
2. Under no conditions was he to take off his shoes.
3. Little Joe nodded in agreement, but they worried about his ability to resist the temptation.
4. On the final night of VBS, their fears were relieved.
5. On display were the crafts the kids had completed during the week.
6. In one section, there were hanging up 11 plaster plaques of children’s feet prints…and one plaque of little Joe’s hand print! Good for Joe, he indeed resist temptation.
C. Today we are going to talk about a different Joe who resisted an even greater temptation than taking off his shoes.
1. Last week we spent some time trying to understand the family into which Joseph, the patriarch, was born.
2. We learned that his family was truly dysfunctional and filled with all kinds of rivalry and jealousy because of the overt favoritism shown by his father, Jacob.
3. When Joseph’s brothers were given the opportunity, they seized Joseph and sold him as a slave to a traveling band of merchants headed for Egypt.
4. They took Joseph’s richly ornamented robe, which was the symbol of his favoritism, dipped it in goat’s blood and took it to their father.
5. Jacob jumped to their desired conclusion and mourned the death of his favorite son.
6. Meanwhile, Joseph was sold as a slave in Egypt.
7. That’s where we left Joseph last week, and today we want to pick up the story right there and see what happens next.
I. The Story
A. Let’s try to imagine Joseph’s situation.
1. He found himself in a country and culture he didn’t know, surrounded by people speaking a language he didn’t understand.
2. This once longed-for child of Rachel and openly favored son of Jacob had been sold as a common slave – what an awful turn of events.
B. As we pick up the story today, there are two important things that we know nothing about.
1. First, we know nothing about how much time has past.
a. We have no idea how long Joseph had been in Potiphar’s house before these events began to unfold.
b. It may have taken a little time for the cream to rise to the top.
2. Second, we know nothing about the adjustments that Joseph has had to make, nor how he managed to make them.
a. The changes and adjustments he must have faced had to have been so difficult.
C. So let’s pick up the story in Genesis 39: Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. (Gen. 39:2-6a).
1. As we pick up the story here in Gen. 39, we notice that Joseph lands on his feet.
2. In Egpyt, he was purchased as a slave by an Egyptian official named Potiphar, who is described as the captain of the guard.
a. Jewish historian, Alfred Edersheim, said that his position was the chief of the executioners.
b. In our country, we might call him the head of the FBI, or the head of the CIA, or Secret Service.
c. Potiphar was no man to fool around with; he was a man of seasoned military experience with position and power over life and death.
3. We also learn that Joseph not only adjusted to his new situation, but he flourished in it.
4. And the secret to Joseph’s success was God’s blessing on his life.
a. A beautiful phrase will be repeated as we read the story of Joseph – “And the Lord was with Joseph.”
b. The sovereign God of Israel was intimately involved in Joseph’s life.
c. The Lord gave Joseph success in everything he did.
5. Potiphar quickly noticed Joseph’s abilities and the blessing that was upon him, and gave him more and more responsibility and authority.
a. Joseph went from being a common slave, probably one among dozens of slaves in Potiphar’s house, to running the whole household.
b. With Joseph in charge, Potiphar’s life was made in the shade – and he knew it.
c. Potiphar must have considered himself so lucky to have made the purchase of this slave from another country with no history.
d. What a windfall for Potiphar.
6. But as we discover in our own lives, with greater success comes greater trust, which leads to greater vulnerability and temptation.
a. The temptations that accompany prosperity are often far greater (and more suble) than those that accompany adversity.
D. Let’s keep reading: Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
8 But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. (Gen. 39:6b-10)
1. We learn from the text that Joseph has got it all – he’s smart, he’s spiritual, he’s a good leader, he can do anything, and on top of that he’s good looking – he’s a hunk!
a. Now Potiphar was interested in all the other things about Joseph, but his wife was interested in only one thing – his body – Joseph was well-built and handsome.
b. You talk about “desperate housewives” – she would fit right in on that TV show!
2. Potiphar’s wife was not into flirting and hinting – she knew what she wanted and brazenly and aggressively went for it.
a. She basically said, “Come to bed with me. Let’s have sex!”
b. How would you have responded to that kind of invitation?
c. Here was a wealthy, prominent, perhaps attractive, Egyptian woman offering her body (no strings attached) to a young, single, good-looking Jewish servant.
3. Joseph, our hero, responded strongly and resolutely – “NO!” – He refused.
4. He appealed to her sensibilities giving her several good reasons for his refusal.
a. First, was his loyalty to his master – he didn’t want to betray the trust – not to mention his master’s powerful and violent occupation. (I wonder if he was trying to hint to her loyalty)
b. Second, was his loyalty to God – how could he do such a thing and sin against God?
5. Notice that this was not a one-time temptation – the Bible says in verse 10 that this offer came from her day after day, yet Joseph continued to refuse, and he did his best to avoid her.
a. Way to go Joseph!!
6. Think for a minute how easy it would have been for him to give in to the temptation. He could have easily rationalized things in these ways:
a. First of all, the flattery involved with the situation could have swept him away – “Wow, this important woman, who can have anything she wants, wants me!”
b. Second, think of the self-pity and sense of entitlement that could have taken over – “You know, I was brought to this country against my will. My family did me wrong. I deserve this little bit of pleasure. I deserve a little bit of affection.”
c. Third, think of the fear that accompanies sexual harassment – “If I don’t give her what she wants, what will happen to my career? She could make my life miserable. If I want things to go well for me, I had better give in to her.”
d. So from a worldly, practical perspective, there was every reason for Joseph to go ahead, but from a spiritual, moral perspective, he simply could not, and so he refused.
E. What happened next? Let’s keep reading: 11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, 14 she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. (Gen. 39:11-20)
1. So Potiphar’s wife refused to take “no” for an answer.
a. She set the perfect trap for Joseph.
b. She sent everyone away so the house was empty.
c. She lit the candles and had sweet smelling incense burning.
d. She had Barry White music playing in the background.
e. And when Joseph came into the room, she went beyond verbal advances and physically grabbed hold of him.
f. She held onto him so tight that the only way he could get away was to come out of his cloak, leaving it in her hands.
2. So Joseph ran out of the house and left her standing there, again rejected, with his garment in her hands – needless to say she was enraged.
a. There’s a famous saying that describes this situation: “Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.” (William Congreve)
b. Every ounce of Mrs. Potiphar’s lust turned to fury – having been repeatedly rejected, she now despised him and made up a story of attempted rape in order to punish Joseph.
c. Mrs. Potiphar built a false case against him, using his robe as circumstantial evidence.
d. How ironic that another of Joseph’s robes has gotten him into trouble!
3. Mrs. Potiphar repeated the story to everyone she encountered and then told it to her husband when he came home from work.
a. The Bible says that Potiphar burned with anger when he heard about it, and he put Joseph in prison.
4. We certainly don’t want to read something into the story that isn’t true, but one wonders if Potiphar really believed his wife.
a. If the captain of the guard and chief executioner really believed that a slave of his attempted to rape his wife, do you think he would just put him in prison?
b. He might more likely have killed him on the spot.
c. Egyptian law at the time called for the execution of those who attempt or commit rape.
d. The prison he was put into was the royal prison, and was likely not as rough as some others, and may have been part of Potiphar’s own house.
F. Lord willing, next week we will see what happened to Joseph there in prison…so tune in next time for another exciting segment in Joseph’s extraordinary saga.
II. The Application
A. From this story of Joseph, we can learn many practical lessons about temptation and how to overcome it.
B. Let me go back to a question I asked you earlier: “What is it that is most tempting to you?”
1. Let’s begin with an admission of truth – all of us are tempted by something.
2. There is not a single person who has ever lived who has not been tempted – including Jesus.
3. Remember, Hebrews 4:15 tells us that he was tempted in every way just like us.
4. The only difference is that Jesus never gave into any temptation, but all the rest of us have.
5. So all of us have been tempted, and therefore all of us can relate to what Joseph was going through.
C. Temptation has many different faces, doesn’t it?
1. Some of us struggle more than others with material temptations.
a. It might be the lust for a big house or a small ring.
b. It might be the lust for a brand-new car or an old antique chair.
c. It might be the lust for the latest electronic device like the Iphone or the Xbox.
d. It might be the lust for a new pair of in-style shoes or jeans.
e. Probably all of us have felt some lust for things and have unwisely yielded to it.
2. Some of us struggle more than others with personal temptations.
a. It might be the lust for fame, authority, power or control over others.
b. It might be the lust for a title like “CEO” or “president” or “doctor” or “Head Coach.”
c. There is nothing wrong with those titles or positions, unless lust for them consumed you in the process and may have even led to other sin as well.
3. Another category of temptation that some struggle with more than others is sensual temptation.
a. It might be lust for a person that leads to premarital or extramarital sex.
b. This kind of lust may lead to fantasizing about life with someone other than your spouse.
c. This kind of lust may lead you to watch television programs or movies that are not good for you, or may cause you to read magazines or books that enflame your passions, or may cause you to visit internet sites that feed sensuality.
D. Readers of Discipleship Journal ranked areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them this way:
1. Materialism. 2. Pride. 3. Self-centeredness. 4. Laziness. 5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness. 5. (Tie) Sexual lust. 7. Envy. 8. Gluttony. 9. Lying.
1. Survey respondents noted temptations were more potent when they had neglected their time with God (81 percent) and when they were physically tired (57 percent). (Discipleship Journal, November / December, 1992.)
E. Personally, I would have to say that I sometimes find myself tempted in many of these ways.
1. I can find myself being tempted by material temptation – I see what others have, and I sometimes desire what they have – newer cars, newer electronics, nice vacations, fewer financial limitations.
2. I also find myself being tempted by personal temptations – I want to be liked and appreciated. I want to be considered a good preacher. I watch or read about successful preachers who get a lot of attention or have power, and I am sometimes envious. I see others who have many degrees and think, “Wouldn’t it be nice to be called “Dr. Dave!”? Then I could have my own TV show.
3. I also find myself being tempted by sensual temptation – like any other person with vision – it’s hard not to notice a pretty woman or man when you see one. I’m bombarded like anyone else with the advertising on TV (I have to look away from the Victoria Secret commercials) and I have to resist the temptation to explore things on the internet, and watch TV or movies that I shouldn’t.
4. So we are all tempted at times in so many ways.
F. The big question is: So what can we learn from Joseph about overcoming temptation?
1. First of all we learn the importance of saying “No.”
a. Back when Nancy Reagan was the first lady, she popularized the statement “Just say no” in the campaign against drug use.
b. People laughed at that approach against drug use, just as they laugh at the same approach to sex abstinence programs.
c. But learning to say “no” and being ready to say “no” are legitimate and valuable approaches.
d. Our Scripture Reading today suggests that the grace of God can teach us to say “no” to ungodliness and worldly passions.
e. May God help us to learn to say “no!” that we might live self-controlled, upright and godly lives.
2. Second, we learn the importance of avoiding what is tempting to us.
a. When we know what it is that tempts us, we must take practical steps to avoid exposing ourselves to those temptations.
b. Like the old Hee Haw joke, “I broke my arm in two places…well, then, you should stay out of those places.”
c. That may mean giving up certain activities, giving up going to certain places, giving up being with certain people. You may have to ask to work a different shift or work with a different group.
d. Do you remember Jesus’ radical prescription for avoiding temptation? In Matthew 5:27-30, He suggested that we should cut out or cut off whatever it is that leads us into sin.
e. In the news this week was the story of Hartford, CT resident Jonathan Metz, a single man, who lived alone, who while trying to fix the boiler in his basement got his left arms stuck in the boiler.
1. In trying to free himself, his arm was cut and became infected.
2. Without a phone to call for help, he tried to free himself for two days.
3. On the third day, as he realized gangrene was setting in and he had to do something, so he made a tourniquet near his shoulder and began cutting off his arm.
4. Although he was not able to cut his entire arm off, he cut enough of it that the gangrene couldn’t spread.
5. He was rescued later that day when friends called the police after he couldn’t be reached for a number of days.
6. He lost his arm, but he saved his life.
f. Jesus suggests that we take that kind of radical approach spiritually to free ourselves from temptation and sin.
3. Third, we learn the importance of running when temptation gets a hold of us.
a. When all else failed, and temptation got a hold of Joseph, he got himself out of there as fast as he could.
b. There’s a famous scene in the movie Forest Gump where bullies are throwing rocks at Forest and he didn’t know what to do. His good friend, Jenny yelled, “Run, Forest! Run!.”
c. That’s great spiritual advice as well.
d. 1 Cor. 6:8 says, “Flee sexual immorality.” 2 Tim. 2:22: “Flee the evil desires of youth.”
e. When sin comes knocking at the front door, we may have to run out the back door.
f. Better to leave our cloak behind as we run away than to lose our character.
4. Fourth, we learn the importance of being aware of the consequences of sin.
a. Rather than giving into the pleasure of the moment (and it would likely have been full of pleasure), Joseph focused on the consequences of the sin.
b. He knew that giving into that sin would have terrible consequences for his relationship with both his earthly boss and his heavenly Boss.
c. When we find ourselves tempted, if we can just see it for what it is - a temporary pleasure that will carry with it terrible, permanent consequences, then temptation’s hold will not be nearly as strong.
d. Why would we give into temptation and destroy our reputation, or destroy our relationship with our mate, or destroy our relationship with God?
e. It’s just not worth it!!
G. Let’s end on a hopeful, graceful note.
1. Joseph’s victory over temptation at Potiphar’s house is given to teach us and encourage us.
2. It’s not given to make us feel guilty or inferior, nor to drive us to despair.
3. All of us have failed to overcome temptation and have fallen into sin, that’s why we need Jesus.
4. Praise God that He is a God of forgiveness. Our God is a God of grace, who knows our need.
5. Although we are called to be holy and to strive for perfection, our hope is not in our goodness nor our perfect obedience.
6. Our hope is in the grace of God that comes through Jesus by faith and with sincere repentance.
7. With God’s help we can do better, and we can experience more victory, because He always provides a way out.
Resources:
Joseph: A man of Integrity and Forgiveness, by Charles Swindoll, Word Publishing, 1998
Genesis, by Derek Kidner, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Inter-Varsity Press, 1967
Genesis, by James Burton Coffman, A.C.U. Press, 1985
“Learning to Say No to Temptation” Sermon by Marc Axelrod, SermonCentral.com
“Refusing Sin” Sermon by Dr. Neil Smith
“Temptation! How Can I Resist” Sermon by Joel Pankow, SermonCentral.com
“Defeating Temptation” Sermon by Dave Kinney, SermonCentral.com
