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).
To this day, every temptation, every attack from the Enemy and every worldly seduction falls into one of these three categories because Satan has no other plays. Therefore, to counter the lust of the flesh, do what Paul did when he said, "I don't allow my body to have mastery over me" (see 1Co_9:27). To counter the lust of the eyes, do what David did when he said, "I will set no wicked thing before my eyes" (see Psa_101:3). To counter the pride of life, do what Jesus did when He humbled Himself and made Himself of no reputation (Philippians_2:7).
(10) So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.
This was a constant temptation that Joseph had no way of being free from until it was exposed.
Illustration: Fishing Lure
It is like fishing with a lure. You find the right lure, the right time and right location, and it becomes irresistible to fish. I have a whole box of them.
(11) But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, (12) that she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.
Everything came to a head on this day. It was building up. Joseph was resisting. Joseph was saying no. This is one of the best ways to overcome temptation, say “NO”. There is a lot at stake.
But Joseph lost something in the process. He lost his coat. Maybe this was a comfort for him as he was reminded of home when he put the coat on. Maybe he was reminded of his father. Maybe the “good ole days”. But Joseph lost even the coat. Was it worth it? Yes.
(13) And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, (14) that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, "See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. (15) And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside." (16) So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. (17) Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, "The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; (18) so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside."
Hebrew slave
- He was a Hebrew. As we learn from Genesis the Egyptians looked down at the Hebrews. They had a disdain for them. They were considered a lowly dirty race. They were shepherds who did the menial jobs. Yet Potiphar had shown favor towards Joseph. He had saw the “hand of God” in his life. I cannot tell you how important this is for your witness.
- He was a slave. He was the one that was bought. He was the one who was captured. Yet truly he was the one who found freedom.
It may have been tempted to ask, “What can a slave do?” What can a person in my position do? You can accomplish more, with the help of God that you believe. You have a destiny and a purpose.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Naaman and the Slave Girl
2 Kings 5:1-4 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. (2) Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. (3) She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." (4) Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.
(19) So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, "Your servant did to me after this manner," that his anger was aroused. (20) 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.
Did Joseph overcome his temptation, yes. Not only did he overcome it but God moved him away from it.
He cut the temptation off.
Matthew 18:8-9 If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. (9) And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.
This is an extreme scripture. I don’t believe we should go around plucking out our eyes or cutting off our hands, but we should learn to remove the temptation or remove ourselves from the temptation.
- If we gossip around these people, then we should change people
- If we are tempted to drink or do drugs around this place, then don’t go
- If this program or magazine causes us to fall into lust, then don’t watch it.
Illustration: Cost of Giving in to Temptation
There is a cost when we give into temptation. Here I have a sample of a wall. This is a wall of sheetrock. Looks good when painted. Most houses are made of this. What do you think would happen if I take this hammer and knock a hole in it? How long do you think it would take? (1 minute) How long do you think it would take to repair this? Patch, tape, mud, dry, mud, dry, sand, tape. The amount it takes to repair well out weighs what it take to do the damage.
Conclusion
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man;
(all people deal with temptation, what you are facing is no worse that what others have faced)
NLT 13 But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience
MSG 13 No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face.
but God is faithful,
God can be trusted
who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able,
He sees your temptation and knows your limits.
but with the temptation will also make the way of escape,
There is a way out of this. There is a way to move forward.
that you may be able to bear it.
You can overcome it
