Sermons on Genesis 39:1-23
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 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. 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 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 has 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 into the house to attend to 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 her until his master came home. Then she told him this story: “That 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.” 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 favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
Genesis 39:1-23 Interpretation:
Overcoming Temptation: Lessons from Joseph's Faith (New Life Christian Church, Chantilly Campus) interprets Genesis 39:1-23 by emphasizing Joseph's ability to resist temptation through his focus on gratitude and responsibility. The sermon highlights Joseph's humility and empathy, noting that he does not rationalize his actions but instead recognizes the immorality of the act and its consequences for others. The sermon uses the analogy of a rock at the top of a hill to describe temptation, suggesting that the best way to resist is to avoid letting it gain momentum.
Joseph: Integrity, Faith, and God's Perfect Timing (Lymm Baptist Church) offers a unique perspective by comparing Joseph's story to modern-day examples of integrity under pressure, such as the sub-postmasters scandal in the UK. The sermon emphasizes Joseph's decision to flee from temptation rather than confront it directly, suggesting that sometimes running away is the best strategy. It also highlights the importance of not compromising or rationalizing small steps toward sin.
Faithfulness and Grace: Lessons from Joseph's Journey (Hickory Flat Church) interprets Genesis 39:1-23 by emphasizing the inevitability and relentlessness of temptation, using Joseph's story as a metaphor for the temptations we face in life. The sermon highlights Joseph's integrity and his decision to flee from Potiphar's wife as a model for resisting temptation. The pastor uses the Greek word for "convince" to illustrate how temptation can be like bait, drawing a parallel to how the evil one tempts us.
Crafting Your Life Story: Decisions and Legacy (Andy Stanley) interprets Genesis 39:1-23 by focusing on the concept of legacy and the importance of making decisions that contribute to a story worth telling. The sermon uses Joseph's decision to resist Potiphar's wife as an example of choosing a better story, emphasizing the importance of considering the long-term impact of our decisions on our personal narratives.
Embracing Life's Detours: Trusting God's Purpose (Tony Evans) interprets Genesis 39:1-23 by using the metaphor of detours to describe Joseph's journey. Dr. Evans suggests that Joseph's life, filled with unexpected turns and challenges, is akin to a detour that God uses for development and preparation. He emphasizes that God rarely takes us on a straight path to our destiny because He has construction or development in mind, which requires rerouting our lives to prepare us for our ultimate destination.
Genesis 39:1-23 Theological Themes:
Overcoming Temptation: Lessons from Joseph's Faith (New Life Christian Church, Chantilly Campus) presents the theme of gratitude as a defense against temptation. The sermon suggests that maintaining a focus on what one has to be thankful for can help resist the allure of sin.
Joseph: Integrity, Faith, and God's Perfect Timing (Lymm Baptist Church) introduces the theme of God's timing in the development of character. The sermon suggests that God values the slow development of ethical and moral character over time, even through unjust situations.
Faithfulness and Grace: Lessons from Joseph's Journey (Hickory Flat Church) presents the theme that faithfulness to God does not always result in immediate rewards, as seen in Joseph's imprisonment despite his integrity. The sermon emphasizes that obedience to God may not yield instant gratification but leads to long-term blessings and God's favor.
Crafting Your Life Story: Decisions and Legacy (Andy Stanley) introduces the theme of viewing life as a series of decisions that contribute to a larger narrative. The sermon encourages listeners to consider the legacy they are creating with each decision, using Joseph's story as an example of how making the right choices can lead to a story worth telling.
Embracing Life's Detours: Trusting God's Purpose (Tony Evans) presents the theme of divine detours as a means of spiritual development. Dr. Evans introduces the idea that God uses life's unexpected challenges and changes in direction as tools for personal and spiritual growth, preparing individuals for their ultimate purpose. This theme highlights the belief that God's plans often involve indirect paths that are essential for our development and readiness for His intended purpose.
Genesis 39:1-23 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Joseph: Integrity, Faith, and God's Perfect Timing (Lymm Baptist Church) provides historical context by discussing the cultural norms of slavery and the power dynamics in Potiphar's household. The sermon suggests that Potiphar's wife's actions and Potiphar's response reflect the societal norms and expectations of the time.
Crafting Your Life Story: Decisions and Legacy (Andy Stanley) provides historical context by explaining the cultural norms of ancient Egypt, where Joseph's refusal of Potiphar's wife was not just a moral issue but a life-or-death situation. The sermon highlights the gravity of Joseph's decision in a society where such actions could lead to severe consequences.
Genesis 39:1-23 Cross-References in the Bible:
Overcoming Temptation: Lessons from Joseph's Faith (New Life Christian Church, Chantilly Campus) references 1 Corinthians 6:18 and 2 Timothy 2:22 to emphasize the importance of fleeing from sexual immorality. The sermon uses these passages to support the idea that running away from temptation is a biblical strategy for maintaining purity.
Joseph: Integrity, Faith, and God's Perfect Timing (Lymm Baptist Church) references 1 Peter 5:8 to highlight the vigilance required to resist temptation, comparing the devil to a prowling lion looking for someone to devour.
Faithfulness and Grace: Lessons from Joseph's Journey (Hickory Flat Church) references 1 Corinthians 10:13, which speaks about God providing a way of escape from temptation, to support the idea that God limits the power of temptation and always provides a way out.
Crafting Your Life Story: Decisions and Legacy (Andy Stanley) references the broader narrative of Joseph's life, including his rise to power in Egypt and his eventual reconciliation with his brothers, to illustrate the long-term impact of Joseph's decisions and the unfolding of God's plan.
Genesis 39:1-23 Christian References outside the Bible:
Overcoming Temptation: Lessons from Joseph's Faith (New Life Christian Church, Chantilly Campus) references C.S. Lewis's analogy of a dog on a lead to illustrate the idea that God's guidance may feel restrictive but ultimately leads to true freedom and fulfillment.
Crafting Your Life Story: Decisions and Legacy (Andy Stanley) does not explicitly reference non-biblical Christian authors in the analysis of Genesis 39:1-23.
Genesis 39:1-23 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
Overcoming Temptation: Lessons from Joseph's Faith (New Life Christian Church, Chantilly Campus) uses the example of a 70s rock star's fantasy to seduce a priest as an illustration of the allure of forbidden challenges. The sermon also references a personal anecdote about a worship leader being propositioned by a flight attendant to highlight the unexpected nature of temptation.
Joseph: Integrity, Faith, and God's Perfect Timing (Lymm Baptist Church) uses the modern example of the UK sub-postmasters scandal to draw parallels with Joseph's story, emphasizing the difficulty of maintaining integrity in the face of false accusations and prolonged injustice.
Faithfulness and Grace: Lessons from Joseph's Journey (Hickory Flat Church) uses the story of Gordon McDonald, a pastor who wrote about personal integrity but later fell into temptation, as an illustration of how even those who seem strong can fall. The sermon also uses a humorous anecdote about a man circling a parking lot for a donut to illustrate how we often put ourselves in situations where we are tempted.
Crafting Your Life Story: Decisions and Legacy (Andy Stanley) uses the concept of storytelling and personal narrative as a secular analogy to emphasize the importance of making decisions that contribute to a positive legacy. The sermon encourages listeners to think of their lives as stories they are writing with each decision.