Genesis Ch39v1-23 - When God Is With You

to Genesis chapter 39. Genesis is at the beginning of the Bible.

Genesis 39 · chapter mention

We're following along the life of Joseph. And again, if you've missed any of the talks,

they're recorded for you on the Carragalline Baptist Church website. You can find a list of

all the talks, and they've been provided for you to follow up on. So we're going to read

Genesis chapter 39, all of it. They're wonderful accounts, wonderful true accounts that can teach

Genesis 39 · chapter mention

us and help us. So let's hear God's word. Genesis 39, starting at verse 1.

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 so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

When his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord gave him success in everything he

did, Joseph found favour in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his

household and entrusted to his care everything he owned. 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.

So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph's care with Joseph in charge. He did not concern himself

with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well built and handsome, and after a while his

master's wife took notice of Joseph's wife took notice of Joseph and said, come to bed with me.

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 is entrusted to my care. 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? And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed

with her or even be with her. One day he went to the house to his attendants for his duties, and none of the

household servants was inside. 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. When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the

house, 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. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak

beside me and ran out of the house. She kept his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.

She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. Then she told him this story. That Hebrew slave you bought

has come to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the

house. When his master heard the story, his wife told him, saying, this is how your slave treated me.

He burned with anger. Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined.

But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him. He showed him kindness and granted him favour in the

eyes of the eyes of the prison warder. So the warder put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison and he was made

responsible of all that was done there. The warder paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care because the Lord

was with Joseph was with Joseph and gave him success, whatever he did.

Well, let's pray together and we'll look at God's word. Let's pray.

Father, you are good and kind. And you have shown that by giving to us your word.

These true accounts of lives in the past.

That teach us and encourage us today.

And so we pray that you would speak to us afresh, that we would focus upon you.

And you would build us up in our walk and in our faith in you.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

The Lord be with you.

Well done. I didn't think you would say it.

That's right. The Lord be with you and also with you.

Now, what are we asking when we say the Lord be with you?

What are we asking?

We say it all the time when we pray, especially when we don't quite know what to pray.

Lord, be with Amy in Sheffield.

Lord, be with the Rock and Rooted team.

Lord, be with Liz today in hospital.

Lord, be with because they're having a bad time.

What are we actually asking for when we say the Lord be with you?

Well, I think the answer to that question is found in Genesis 39.

When God is with you, it makes all the difference.

When God is with you, it makes all the difference.

We're going to look at two big things.

There's a bit of crossover with both of these ideas.

But I think together they will help us see what it means that the Lord is with us.

Two big things.

That God is present and God is working.

God is present and God is working.

So first, God is present in the downs and ups of life.

Whatever our experiences and circumstances, God is present.

First, he's present in our suffering in the downs.

Joseph, you remember, had been sold off to a bunch of slave traders by his brothers.

So we pick up the story when Joseph is in a downer.

Verse 1.

Now, Joseph had been taken down to Egypt.

Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard,

bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.

Now, whatever way, whatever angle we look at this, it's not good, is it?

Joseph's in a bad situation because slaves, well, they don't have rights

and you don't enjoy a comfortable or restful life.

Clearly, God is absent from Joseph's life.

After all, if God is with you, you don't suffer, do you?

Wrong.

Look at verse 2.

The Lord was with Joseph.

God hadn't gone anywhere.

God was right there with Joseph when his brothers had sold him

and when Potiphar had bought him.

You see, just because life isn't going wonderfully well,

that doesn't mean to say God has gone AWOL.

Just because this isn't the way we would plan or design our life,

that doesn't mean God has stopped working in our life.

No, God is present in our suffering.

And it's also true that God is present in our successes when we're on the up.

Joseph may be a slave with nothing to his name, but all that was to change.

Verse 2.

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

But when things are going good, of course, God is present.

I mean, even Potiphar could see that.

Verse 3.

When his master saw that the Lord was with Joseph and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did.

Well, Joseph was on the up.

So it's obvious that God was with him.

But what would happen to Joseph when things went down again?

What then?

Well, have a look at the very end of the story because things did take another nasty turn.

Look at the end of the story.

Verse 20.

Joseph's master took him, put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined.

Does that mean God has gone absent?

Well, while Joseph was there in the prison, verse 21, the Lord was with him.

You see, we tend to view God like this.

If we're winning, if things are going well in our life, God is present.

But if we're losing, if things are going badly, then God is absent.

And we bring that kind of notion with us through the day.

So if the day is sunny, unlike today, and the kids are good,

and you find the parking spot that you need,

Oh, God is with me.

But if I go to the doctor and I receive some bad news,

well then God is not with me.

Or if you go to work and the boss calls you into the office to give you a raise,

we can proudly say, God is present.

But when my car breaks down on the way home and it costs me a fortune to fix,

well then we think, God must be absent.

But that's not how God works.

The account of Joseph enforces the reality that God is always present,

and God is always at work.

Because our suffering is not a sign that God is absent,

any more than our success is a sign that God is present.

God is with us in the downs and the ups and the downs again of life.

In fact, God is with you to bless those around you.

So he's present in our suffering, in our success,

and he's present with us in those times so that we can bless others.

God was present with Joseph,

and the reason is so that he would bless those he came in contact with.

So verse 5.

From the time Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his household and of all that he owned,

the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian.

The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had,

both in the house and in the field.

Blessings rained down on Potiphar in the home and at his workplace.

Joseph was that means of blessing.

Now that shouldn't be a surprise to us.

Have a look back with me to Genesis chapter 28.

Genesis 28 · chapter mention

Genesis chapter 28.

Genesis 28 · chapter mention

If we went back further,

we'll remember that God made a promise to Abraham

that he would be a blessing to all the nations.

And so that promise continues.

We pick it up in chapter 28, verse 14.

God is speaking to Jacob, Joseph's father.

Verse 14 he says,

Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth

and you will spread out to the west and to the east,

to the north and to the south.

All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

I am with you and I will watch over you wherever you go

and I will bring you back to this land.

I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.

You see, God had made this promise

that through the family of Abraham,

through Isaac, through Jacob, through Joseph,

God was going to bring his blessing

and he promised that he would never ever leave them

until he had done what he had promised

and that was to bless the nations.

So back to chapter 39.

So Joseph is part of that great promise.

God was with Joseph,

bringing him all the way from Canaan to Egypt,

from his own family to Potiphar's family,

so that they would experience the blessing of God

in their own lives.

God was with Joseph in the downtimes

and in the uptimes,

so that Potiphar, a pagan ruler,

living in a foreign land,

might see that God is good and gracious.

You see, is that not the calling of God's people today?

Is that not the calling for the church today?

Whatever situation we find ourselves in,

remember the words of Jesus,

go and make disciples of all nations,

go and bring the blessing of the gospel,

the good news of God's grace and mercy

to all peoples

and remember his promise

and I am always with you

to the very end of the age.

You see, God is actively present in our life.

It might be that God brings you into a hospital bed.

It may be that God will give you a job promotion.

But whatever season of life we find ourselves in,

whether we're on the up or on the way down,

God is present in your suffering.

He's present in your success

so that we might declare the blessing of God.

That if we're in a season of suffering,

we might be able to say,

God is good and gracious.

That if we're in a time of blessing,

we might be able to say,

God is sufficient and God is enough.

So when we pray the prayer,

Lord, be with,

we're asking that God would work through them

in such a way

that they would bring the blessing of the gospel,

the good news of Christ,

so that they too may be blessed.

So first,

God is present in our downs

and in our ups.

The second big idea

is this,

God is at work in the temptations

and trials of life.

God is at work in the temptations

and trials of life.

Joseph,

at the end of verse 6,

is in a good place.

He's risen through the ranks

to become the right-hand man

of one of the most powerful men

in all of Egypt.

But that doesn't mean

he's going to be immune to struggles.

First,

God is working

in our temptations.

Look at the end of verse 6.

Now Joseph was well built

and handsome.

He had a six-pack

and had the chiseled chin.

Something that had not gone unnoticed

by a particular lady.

Verse 7.

After a while,

his master's wife

took notice of Joseph

and said,

Come to bed with me.

You see,

sometimes looks aren't everything,

are they?

Sometimes they bring

unwanted attention.

And it was becoming

a real struggle

for Joseph.

Joseph's temptation

is sudden.

It's directed.

It's constant.

And it seems

that there is no let-up.

On and on it goes.

Sorry,

can you turn it up, Rob?

Because I'm shouting

more and more.

Thank you.

Thanks very much.

God is present

when it's raining.

Don't worry.

Joseph's temptation

temptation is sudden.

It's directed.

It's constant.

And it seems

that in his temptation

there's no let-up.

On and on

it goes.

Every single day.

Come on,

Joseph.

I know you want to.

Come on,

just come and sit

beside me.

Just a kiss.

That's all.

That's all.

On and on

the temptation goes.

Now,

why doesn't God

step in?

Why doesn't God

just make it all

stop?

In fact,

why did God

make Joseph

so good-looking

in the first place?

If Joseph

had been just,

well,

not Joseph,

but an ordinary

Joe,

he would never

have had this issue.

Is God

absent again?

No,

God is at work

in and through

the temptation.

Look,

despite the

ongoing pressure,

look at verse 10.

And though she spoke

to Joseph

day after day,

he refused

to go to bed

with her

or even

be with her.

how did

Joseph

resist?

How did

he not

give in?

Well,

look at his

response.

It came in

verse 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.

Look,

he's saying,

I respect

my master.

And I

respect

you.

But above

all of that,

end of verse 9,

how then

could I do

such a wicked

thing

and sin

against God?

You see,

Joseph is saying,

look,

you promised

me so much,

but I love

God

more.

God is

enough for me.

God is

sufficient for me.

I don't

need anything

else

or anyone

else.

you see,

temptations

reveal

where our

heart is,

what we

most

love.

They

highlight

where we're

most weak

and where

we're most

vulnerable.

In fact,

temptations

keep us

humble.

Instead of

thinking,

I can handle

this,

I've got

this,

temptation

throws us

back in

God,

in desperation

because we

need him.

You see,

God never

tempts us,

but God

uses the

temptations

we face

to show

our ongoing

need of

God.

Joseph

faced

temptation

and we

all face

temptation.

For some

of us

it's sexual,

for others

it will be

a desire

for wealth

and for

power.

It can be

subtle things

like a love

of comfort

or a

longing to

be popular

amongst our

friends.

Basically,

temptation is

anything that

comes alongside

us and

says,

unless you

have this

in your

life,

your life

is empty,

you're

unfulfilled.

And we

struggle when

those temptations

come in.

And maybe

we ask,

why doesn't

God step

in?

Why doesn't

God take

away this

temptation?

Why do

I constantly

have to

fight and

battle day

after day?

Well,

temptations

reveal our

weakness.

They throw

us back

to God

so that

we can

see that

God is

enough

and God

is sufficient.

That's what

it was for

Joseph.

All that

he needed,

all that

he ever

required

was in

God.

He didn't

need

anything

else.

You see,

temptations

grow us

and they

strengthen

us as

we depend

upon

God.

So God

is at

work

through

our

temptations

and God

is working

through

our

trials.

The

pressure

was enormous

for

Joseph.

Eventually

someone

or something

was going

to give.

look at

verse 11.

One day

he went

into the

house

to attend

to his

duties

and none

of the

household

servants

were inside.

She

caught

Joseph

by his

cloak

and said,

come to

bed with

me.

Well,

the timing

was perfect.

She

caught him

by surprise.

They

were alone.

No

one

would

ever

know.

What

was

Joseph

going

to

do?

Well,

it seems

the work

that God

had been

doing in

Joseph's

life over

the weeks

and over

the months

strengthened

him,

gave him

bottle for

what was

going to be

his biggest

test yet.

Look at

the end

of verse

12.

come to

bed with

me.

But he

left his

cloak

and ran

out of

the house.

At this

point we

might say,

well,

all's well

that ends

well.

Perhaps

she will

finally give

up chasing

Joseph and

run after

somebody else.

After all,

God owes

Joseph,

doesn't

he?

Joseph

deserves a

break for

saying no

all of

these years.

But that's

not how

the account

ends.

It goes

from temptation

to trial.

Potiphar's

wife went

ballistic.

She cries

out,

rape!

You wait

until Potiphar

gets home.

Look at

verse 17.

Then she

told him

this story.

The Hebrew

slave you

brought us

came to

me to

make sport

of me.

But as

soon as I

screamed for

help,

he left

his cloak

beside me

and ran

out of

the house.

Poor

Joseph!

It seems

he doesn't

even get

a chance

to be

able to

relay or

tell his

side of

the story.

And

Potiphar

sees red,

verse 19.

When his

master heard

the story,

his wife

told him,

saying,

this is how

your slave

treated me.

He burned

with anger

and Joseph's

master took

him, put

him in

prison, the

place where

the king's

prisoners were

confined.

Where's

God when

you need

him?

Joseph had

done everything

right.

He had been

loyal to

Potiphar, he

had been

obedient to

God, but

not only does

God not come

to him, or

so it seems,

God lets

this great

injustice

take place.

Even worse,

God leaves

him in a

stranded

prison.

No

intervention,

no miracle,

just a

dark dungeon.

Where is

God?

What is

God doing?

You see,

our expectation

is that if

we respect

others, if we

obey God,

God is

going to

work good

in your

life.

If you

resist temptation,

if you don't

sin, God's

going to rescue

you from

danger, he'll

heal you if

you're sick, he

will provide

with you all

that you want.

Just do the

right thing, and

then all the bad

stuff is going to

go away, right?

not so.

Joseph had

done nothing

wrong.

He had done

everything God

had asked of

him, but yet

trials is what

God brought

Joseph through.

You see, God

is always

present.

He is always

working in our

lives, regardless

of how bad or

difficult the

situation may be.

In fact, God

is always

working for

our good.

God is

working for

our good.

God was

present with

Joseph, and

God was at

work.

So why, why

did God leave

Joseph in

prison?

Well, look at

the end of

verse 20.

while Joseph

was there in

prison, the

Lord was

with him, and

God showed

him kindness

and granted

him favour in

the eyes of

the prison

warder.

So the

warder put

Joseph in

charge of all

those held in

the prison, and

he was made

responsible for

all that was

done there.

It sounds

very familiar,

doesn't it?

Do you

remember the

beginning of

this account?

It's like we've

been here before.

It's a similar

turn of events.

Joseph's

accommodation may

be different.

He's in a

dungeon, not

in a mansion,

but there's a

familiarity about

it.

There's this

expectation that,

well, God

could be at

work in the

prison too.

You see, if

God brought

Joseph to

Egypt, if

God caused

Joseph to be

a blessing

to a

pagan

general,

don't you

think that

God has a

purpose for

Joseph in

prison?

We're not

told yet what

that purpose

is.

We need to

keep reading

to find out.

But we are

given an

assurance,

aren't we?

Look at the

end of verse

23.

the Lord

was with

Joseph and

gave him

success in

whatever he

did.

So when we

pray,

Lord be

with so

and so,

well, what

we're saying

is we're

asking,

Lord, would

you enable

that person

to trust

them in

their difficult

and struggling

time to

trust that

you are

working out

good purposes

for them

and for

others.

God is

working in

our temptations

and in our

trials for

good.

So you

see, as we

follow the

life of

Joseph, in

all his

downs and

ups, as

we watch

Joseph go

through his

trials and

through his

temptations,

isn't it so

similar to

our own

life and

our own

pattern?

And we

ask the

question,

where is

God?

Is God

working?

Well, God

is present

with you.

He never

leaves you.

He is

always at

work in

your life.

Whether it's

a time of

suffering to

show to

others that

God is

enough and

he is

sufficient.

even in

our

successful

times and

in the

best of

days, God

is with

you to

show that

God is

good and

gracious, that

he has

given you

all that

you need.

And when

we find

ourselves in

a time of

trial and

we're wondering

what's going

on, yes,

God's purposes

are being

worked out.

He is

strengthening

you.

He is

making you

strong so

that in

your life,

where you

are, you

can bring

God's

blessing to

others.

Let's pray

together.

Amen.

Father, thank

you that you

are present

with us

today.

And as we

go into

this new

week, while

the week is

unknown to

us, we

do not

know what

will unfold

before us.

We thank

you that you

are enough

and you

will be

sufficient.

Thank you,

Father, that

you are at

work in us

and through

us so that

we can

bless others

and show

others that

you are

good and

you are

kind and

meet us in

all of our

need.

So help us

to go with

confidence,

trusting you

and being

strengthened by

you.

In Jesus'

name,

Amen.

Amen.

We're

going to

sing

together.

Mine are

days that

God has

numbered, I

was made

to walk

with you.