DOING THE RIGHT THING
Genesis 39:1-23
S: Courage
Th: Profiles in Courage
Pr: WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
?: Inductive
KW: Segments
TS: We will breakdown the story of Joseph in Genesis 39 into six sections that will show how he handled adversity.
The _____ section is…
I. PROMOTION (1-6)
II. PROPOSITION (7-10)
III. PURITY (11-12)
IV. PERJURY (13-18)
V. PUNISHMENT (19-20)
VI. PROSPERITY (21-23)
Version: ESV
RMBC 06 July 03 AM
INTRODUCTION:
1. Have you ever had a really, really bad day?
Have you had a day when nothing seemed to go right?
If you think you have had a bad day, consider the testimony of this person as he attempts to explain his accident to the insurance company…
ILL Notebook: Accident (And You Think You Had A Bad Day!)
I am writing in response to your request for additional information. In block number three of the accident reporting form, I put "poor planning" as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter that I should explain more and I trust that the following details are sufficient:
I am a bricklayer by trade. On the day of the accident, I was working alone on the roof of a new six-story building. When I completed my work, I discovered that I had about 500 pounds of bricks left over. Rather than carry the bricks down by hand I decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley, which fortunately was attached to the side of the building at the sixth floor.
Securing the rope at the ground level, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out and loaded the bricks into it. Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the 500 pounds of bricks. You will note in block number 11 of the accident reporting form that I weigh 175 pounds. Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate up the side of the building.
In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming down. This explains the fractured skull and broken collarbone. Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley. Fortunately, by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope in spite of my pain.
At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground - and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the bricks, the barrel now weighed approximately 50 pounds. I refer you again to my weight in block number 11. As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the building.
In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles and lacerations of my legs and lower body. The encounter with the barrel, slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of bricks and fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the bricks in pain, unable to move, and watching the barrel six stories above - I again lost my presence of mind.
I let go of the rope!
Today, we are going to give consideration to someone that kept having bad days.
What makes this person so interesting is that in the midst of these difficult situations, he shows tremendous courage.
His name is Joseph.
When we first come across Joseph, we note that he is the favorite son of Jacob.
He is such a favorite that Jacob buys him a very expensive colored coat that makes the other brothers crazy.
You see…
2. Joseph had a sibling problem.
They were all very jealous that Joseph had received such a beautiful coat.
But perhaps what made it worse were the dreams that Joseph kept having.
These dreams were prophecies of greatness and places of leadership, even over his brothers.
Needless to say, the brothers did not receive the reports about these dreams so well.
Day by day, this favored-son status gnawed at them and their jealousy turned into hatred.
One day, Joseph was sent by his father on a mission to his brothers.
Seeing an opportunity to be rid of this annoyance, they took Joseph prisoner.
They had had enough, and they cast him into a pit to die.
Reuben, the eldest, interceded for a change of plans.
Instead of leaving Joseph to die, they agree to sell him to some Ishmaelites, who then will take him to Egypt.
This brings us now to our study of Genesis 39.
So…
3. We will breakdown the story of Joseph in Genesis 39 into six sections that will show how he handled adversity.
OUR STUDY:
I. The first section is PROMOTION (1-6).
[1] Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. [2] The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. [3] His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. [4] So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. [5] From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. [6] So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate.
When Joseph reached Egypt, we believe he was about 17 years old.
The Ishmaelites sold him to a man named Potiphar.
But Potiphar was no ordinary man.
When it came to Egyptian leadership, he was up near the top, for Potiphar headed up the military wing that guarded the Pharaoh.
So Joseph is forced to leave the life of a shepherd-farmer and becomes a servant in an Egyptian household.
It is here he will learn new customs, speech, and language.
He will even become familiar with hieroglyphics.
Immediately, Joseph shows a flair for administration.
His administrative skills were put to work and it became clear to Potiphar that he had gotten a bargain.
This Joseph was a valuable employee.
For everything that Joseph did, he did well.
Everything that Joseph managed, was done better than it had ever been done before.
And the text tells us why…
There is relationship between God’s presence and His blessing.
The Lord was with Joseph.
Joseph knew prosperity because God was with him.
It was not anything that Joseph had done per se.
It was because God was blessing him.
The text also makes it clear to us that this was no ordinary prosperity.
It was extraordinary.
It was unexpected.
But it was also very obvious.
For even Potiphar had to acknowledge that God was with Joseph.
So, because Joseph was a faithful man with unusual ability, Potiphar entrusted the entire management of his house to him.
And as a result, Potiphar was blessed as well.
II. The second section is PROPOSITION (7-10).
Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. [7] And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me." [8] But he refused and said to his master’s wife, "Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. [9] He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" [10] And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.
Let’s get this right from the start.
Joseph was a good-looking guy.
When the show, “Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat” picked Donny Osmond to play Joseph in Toronto, it was great choice.
He matched up with what Joseph would have been like (because he probably had a great singing voice as well).
Joseph was well built and handsome.
The girls would go crazy for this guy.
You combine this with his great leadership skills, watch out where this guy can go.
But with his good looks, there did come a problem.
For the wrong girl was after Joseph…Potiphar’s wife.
And it is here we learn that…
It is difficult, but possible, to say “no.”
The text tells us that he was pressured day after day.
He was being hounded by this seductress who was working to break down his resistance.
She even “made eyes” at him encouraging him to come to her side.
It was convenient.
It was compelling.
But Joseph said “no.”
You see, Joseph had a wholehearted trust in God’s purpose for him.
And if he had possessed any doubt about it, it was gone as the purpose was confirmed with God’s blessing.
Joseph was convinced that God had chosen him to rule, therefore, he would not sin against God.
This would be no ordinary “no” by the way.
We can be sure his hormones were in good shape.
Giving in to this brazen woman would have been easy, and perhaps even useful later on.
Nevertheless, he says “no.”
There is no debating.
There is no flirtatious conversation.
He doesn’t say “no” and then play “yes.”
He recognizes that this proposition by Potiphar’s wife was a wicked violation.
It was a violation against his master, against marriage, and against God.
He refuses to sin against his master and violate his trust.
He refuses to sin against marriage, viewing it as a sacred bond.
He refuses to sin against God, because this is a wicked act.
You see, one cannot sin against God if you are is convinced of becoming a significant part of God’s program.
No one can fulfill his or her divine destiny by disobeying God.
Joseph knows this.
And it means, he says, “no.”
III. The third section is PURITY (11-12).
[11] But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, [12] she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house
Joseph teaches us well here that…
When temptation comes, it is time to move quickly.
The text tells us that she has maneuvered the situation so that they are alone.
She has engineered an opportunity to entice him.
You know, how easily he could have said, “Why not?”
“I’m a man; she’s a woman. It’s a nice arrangement.”
“After all, I could use a little affection.”
But this is not how Joseph understood it.
He understood it to be harmful to his soul.
It was a wicked thing.
So when she boldly grabs him, he flees.
He does not debate.
He doesn’t say, “Let me think about it.”
He runs (although we would recommend that next time he takes his coat with him!).
IV. The fourth section is PERJURY (13-18).
[13] And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, [14] she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. [15] And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house." [16] Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, [17] and she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. [18] But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house."
Well…
When one is spurned, “love” quickly turns to hate.
Seeing that she is not going to get her way with Joseph, Potiphar’s wife makes a false accusation.
She accuses him of doing the very thing she did.
She says that he tried to take advantage of her.
Fortunately, she had frightened him away by screaming (it was, by the way, screaming that no one heard).
And to prove it, she held the “evidence” in her hot little hand.
Naturally, there is going to be an emotional reaction to such a crime.
When one is accused of attempting to rape, the people involved (especially the husband) are going to be none too happy.
V. The fifth section is PUNISHMENT (19-20).
[19] As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, "This is the way your servant treated me," his anger was kindled. [20] And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.
ILL Notebook: Consequences (tornado)
There was a preacher who returned home from a trip and one of his laymen met him at the train station. The preacher asked him how things were going.
He said, “Well, while you were gone a tornado came through town and tore my house down.”
The preacher said, “Well, I’m going to be honest with you. That was God’s punishment for the way you have been living.”
Then the layman said, “Well, preacher, it blew your house down too.”
I think we can say this…
Sin always has consequences.
It is just the meaning behind those consequences we have to be careful about.
The response in our story is predictable.
Potiphar is angry.
He is very angry.
And there does not seem to be any questioning (because you have to wonder whether there was a pattern of this before).
Interestingly, it was a crime punishable by death, yet he is put in the prison where the political prisoners were kept.
He goes from the penthouse to the jailhouse.
And do you know where that new location was?
Potiphar’s house…
He goes downstairs to the dungeon.
What makes this so hard is that it was so utterly unjust.
How can God let this happen to Joseph?
He should be blessed for obeying God, not punished.
The one that should be suffering the consequences is not him, but Potiphar’s wife.
Why does obedience have to be so unpleasant?
VI. The sixth section is PROSPERITY (21-23).
[21] But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. [22] And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. [23] The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.
Well, we learn here that…
God does not forget us, even in the midst of our suffering.
Joseph is held in prison because he did the right thing.
He fled the temptation to do the wrong thing.
And instead of being honored, he is punished.
It is a lesson we need to learn, for pain and suffering are inevitable.
If someone tells you they are not, they are lying.
But if suffering is inevitable, let it also be known that misery is optional.
Joseph seemed to keep his perspective.
He had been in prison before.
If God could raise him then, He could do so now.
And God does…
Since it is likely the jailers already knew him, he is quickly put in charge.
He uses the gifts of administration and leadership that God had given him and puts them immediately to work.
And again, Joseph enjoys a measure of prosperity.
Why?
Because the Lord is with him.
APPLICATION:
So let me ask this…
Are you dedicated to God’s calling on your life?
Are you as dedicated as Joseph was to fulfill the God-given destiny He has given you?
If you are, then realize this…
1. WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
We must have the courage to do the right thing, even if the immediate consequences are less than desirable.
ILL Notebook: Resist (Antietam)
The Battle of Antietam in 1862 lasted for 12 hours and ranks as the bloodiest day of the Civil War, with 10,000 Confederate casualties and even more on the Union side. "At last the sun went down and the battle ended," wrote one historian, "smoke heavy in the air, the twilight quivering with the anguished cries of thousands of wounded men."
Though militarily a draw, the mediocre Union General George McClellan was able to end the brilliant Robert E. Lee’s thrust into Maryland, forcing him to retire across the Potomac. How was this possible? Two Union soldiers had found a copy of Lee’s battle plans and had delivered them to McClellan before the engagement.
In some respects, we are no match for our adversary, Satan, whose wiles we are told to be wary of. But as with General McClellan, our enemy’s plans have fallen into our hands. We know his usual strategies — to entice us with lies, lust, greed, and the like. With such knowledge, given us by God’s Word, and God’s Spirit within, we too can have the courage to resist the enemy’s advances.
[Thomas Bailey and David Kennedy, The American Pageant, ninth edition (D.C. Heath, 1991) pp. 456-457]
The war for our soul is going to happen, and so the temptations are going to come.
There will be the temptation to get even.
There will be the temptation to tarnish character.
There will be the temptation to spend what you don’t have.
There will be the temptation to cheat.
There will be the temptation to manipulate others.
There will be the temptation to compromise sexually.
And it will be easy to give in.
It will be easy to think, “No one will know.”
“I’ll do it just this once.”
But note this…
Joseph was victorious, not in one momentous occasion, but in the day to day.
He was successful because he dwelt on the promises, not on the problems.
He was successful because he remembered that God controls our circumstances, and we control our responses.
You see…
2. God always has something bigger in mind than we see in the immediate.
Joseph had proof…
God was faithful to Joseph, even when his brothers threw him in a pit.
God was faithful to Joseph, even when he was sold into slavery.
God was faithful to Joseph, even when he was accused falsely.
God was faithful to Joseph, even when he was put into prison.
God is as much present with us in our suffering as He is when we are at peace.
For it is in our suffering that we truly grow.
We do not grow in prosperity, but in our affliction.
So, we must not avoid these hard decisions…
3. We cannot lose sight that wrong is wrong no matter what the circumstances.
Wrong is wrong even if you don’t get caught.
Wrong is wrong even if you think you are doing it for a good cause.
Wrong is wrong even if others are doing worse things.
Wrong is wrong even if it doesn’t bother the conscience.
Wrong is wrong even if others consider it acceptable.
We must have the courage to do what is right.
We must be determined to live a life characterized by moral excellence.
For Joseph, he experienced the fulfillment of God’s promises.
He would rule.
Might we demonstrate the same kind of courage in the face of adversity and see God at work in our lives.
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
Flee temptation…for it does matter how you live; giving in is not to be an option; instead be courageous to do what is right.
Fear sin…for its consequences are harmful to our soul, eternally damaging and prevent us from receiving the blessing God desires to give.
Live with integrity…live according to God-given convictions in this unstable, chaotic world; be determined to live a courageous life characterized by excellence.
"The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."
Amen.
