1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:06,400 We’re continuing to look at the story of Joseph, which gives us a series of snapshots of a godly 2 00:00:06,400 –> 00:00:13,680 life. What can you expect as a follower of Jesus Christ? What will our experience as believers be? 3 00:00:14,560 –> 00:00:18,480 And we’ve already seen a couple of these snapshots. The first is that, 4 00:00:18,480 –> 00:00:23,680 in Christ, you are loved and favored. That was the first snapshot of Joseph, 5 00:00:23,680 –> 00:00:28,799 the loved and favored son. And we saw, of course, that that points us to Jesus Christ, 6 00:00:28,799 –> 00:00:34,320 the Son of God, who is dearly loved, highly favored by the father. This is my beloved Son, 7 00:00:34,959 –> 00:00:41,919 in whom I am well pleased. And we saw that by being joined to Him by faith, the love and favor 8 00:00:41,919 –> 00:00:49,919 that by nature is on Him, by grace also comes to be upon us. Then last week we looked at a second 9 00:00:49,919 –> 00:00:55,520 and a very different snapshot of what it is to live a godly life when we saw that Joseph was 10 00:00:55,520 –> 00:01:02,400 also hated and despised. So in the same way as Jesus Christ was loved and favored by God, 11 00:01:02,400 –> 00:01:07,680 and yet at the same time was hated and despised by the world, there will be a reflection of that 12 00:01:07,680 –> 00:01:14,080 in our experience as His followers as well. Which is why in 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 12, 13 00:01:14,080 –> 00:01:20,800 we are told that all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. It will 14 00:01:20,800 –> 00:01:27,120 be part of our experience as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ that we share in some way in 15 00:01:27,120 –> 00:01:34,400 the rejection that was his in this world. Now today, we come to a third snapshot of a godly 16 00:01:34,400 –> 00:01:40,080 life and I’ve called it simply Blessed and Successful. The word success is used twice 17 00:01:40,080 –> 00:01:45,599 in the six verses that were read to us. And so I want you to notice as we’re putting these 18 00:01:45,599 –> 00:01:50,239 snapshots, as it were, together and arranging them on the page and the album so to speak, 19 00:01:50,800 –> 00:01:56,800 I want you to notice that the experience of a Christian believer in this world is always mixed 20 00:01:57,919 –> 00:02:04,239 and at times therefore, our experience in this world may even seem contradictory. 21 00:02:04,239 –> 00:02:14,559 Culturally, loved and favoured, though hated and despised, yet blessed and successful. 22 00:02:15,679 –> 00:02:20,720 You say, how can all of these snapshots cohere on the same page? 23 00:02:20,720 –> 00:02:23,919 How can these experiences all be true at the same time? 24 00:02:24,880 –> 00:02:29,839 And the answer, of course, is that they are true in the Christian life at the same time 25 00:02:30,479 –> 00:02:34,320 We are in Christ by faith and yet at the 26 00:02:34,320 –> 00:02:37,279 same time we are still living this life in the flesh. 27 00:02:38,080 –> 00:02:43,839 We are citizens of heaven and yet we are living this life here on earth. 28 00:02:43,839 –> 00:02:50,720 Don’t be surprised therefore, if sometimes you find it difficult to make sense of your experience 29 00:02:50,720 –> 00:02:53,919 as a Christian. Don’t be surprised if there 30 00:02:53,919 –> 00:02:58,160 are times when you say I don’t quite see how all of this fits together. 31 00:02:58,639 –> 00:03:03,360 At the same time, you are experiencing both the pain of what is 32 00:03:04,320 –> 00:03:10,479 and the joy of what is yet to come. That’s the nature of the Christian life in this world. 33 00:03:11,039 –> 00:03:17,119 Now the story of Joseph is wonderfully helpful to us because it gives us this composite of snapshots 34 00:03:17,119 –> 00:03:23,759 as to what we are to expect in the very varied experience of a Christian life in this world. 35 00:03:24,720 –> 00:03:27,759 But then there’s something more that we’re seeing here in this 36 00:03:27,759 –> 00:03:34,960 series and that is that the story of Joseph is a floodlight to shine on the Lord Jesus Christ 37 00:03:34,960 –> 00:03:43,360 to tell us who He is, what He has done and all that is ours in Him. Many years ago I came across 38 00:03:43,360 –> 00:03:52,240 a statement of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones that puzzled me. He said the message of the Old Testament 39 00:03:53,039 –> 00:04:02,160 is the same as the message of the New Testament, except that in the Old Testament it’s easier 40 00:04:03,199 –> 00:04:06,960 and I thought surely the great man’s got it the wrong way around, because I always thought the 41 00:04:06,960 –> 00:04:11,119 Old Testament was harder. Didn’t you think that? The New Testament is an easier book, 42 00:04:11,119 –> 00:04:16,000 the Old Testament is a harder book, but he got it exactly the right way around for this reason, 43 00:04:16,880 –> 00:04:21,920 that the New Testament is full of the most profound spiritual truth, 44 00:04:23,119 –> 00:04:32,640 whereas the Old Testament is full of the most earthy human stories. And the reason that the 45 00:04:32,640 –> 00:04:38,079 earthy human stories are given to us in the Old Testament is to shine a light giving us 46 00:04:38,079 –> 00:04:44,320 greater understanding on the profound spiritual truth that is in the New. So, for example, 47 00:04:44,399 –> 00:04:52,480 in the New Testament we read a staggering spiritual truth that Jesus Christ, the son of God, 48 00:04:52,480 –> 00:05:01,519 laid aside his glory. Now, how am I to think of that? What is it for the son of God to lay 49 00:05:01,519 –> 00:05:07,839 aside his story? And then I go back into the Old Testament and I find his glory. Then I go 50 00:05:07,839 –> 00:05:14,720 back into the Old Testament and I find the story of Joseph. And what does he have? He has this 51 00:05:14,720 –> 00:05:26,399 marvelous coat of many colors, but now it is laid aside and he appears in another place in Egypt 52 00:05:27,440 –> 00:05:36,239 and nobody sees the magnificence of his coat indicating his status as the loved and favored 53 00:05:36,239 –> 00:05:45,839 son. All that they see is a servant who comes to work for for Podopher nobody sees that he is the 54 00:05:45,839 –> 00:05:53,440 loved and favored son. So, there’s just a little window in that story into something of Christ and 55 00:05:53,440 –> 00:05:59,679 of his glory being laid aside as he comes as the servant into the world helps me to picture it. 56 00:06:00,480 –> 00:06:04,559 Today we’re going to see in the verses that are before us what I think is one of the most 57 00:06:04,559 –> 00:06:10,720 wonderful and clearest pictures of the profound spiritual truth in the new testament that we are 58 00:06:10,720 –> 00:06:16,559 in Christ. What does it mean to be in Christ? What does it mean to be blessed with every 59 00:06:16,559 –> 00:06:22,799 spiritual blessing in Christ? How does that work? That’s a profound spiritual truth. Watch it being 60 00:06:22,799 –> 00:06:32,959 illustrated so clearly, so beautifully in an earthy human story today now just then before 61 00:06:32,959 –> 00:06:39,040 we pass on from that, this is why we are given the old testament stories and this is why it is 62 00:06:39,040 –> 00:06:44,079 really important for parents and grandparents aunts and uncles cousins and friends 63 00:06:44,880 –> 00:06:50,799 and sunday school teachers to teach the great stories of the old testament, 64 00:06:51,839 –> 00:06:56,480 but we must always teach them in a way that shows their connection to Jesus Christ, 65 00:06:57,440 –> 00:07:01,119 because if we don’t show their connection to Jesus Christ, then we miss the whole point as 66 00:07:01,119 –> 00:07:06,320 to why they were given and why they’re there in the first place, they’re not just to teach us 67 00:07:06,320 –> 00:07:10,480 sort of moral lessons about life though there’s much of that and we’ll see much of that today 68 00:07:11,359 –> 00:07:16,640 but there’s more there, they are floodlights on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, helping the 69 00:07:16,640 –> 00:07:23,359 young and the old to have a framework of mind in which we are able to grasp who he is and what 70 00:07:23,519 –> 00:07:31,359 he has done and all that can be ours in him, so today then we’re looking at Joseph, blessed and 71 00:07:31,359 –> 00:07:37,119 successful in Potiphar’s house Genesis chapter 39, these marvelous verses that are before us, 72 00:07:37,119 –> 00:07:43,440 the outline is very simple, God’s blessing was on Joseph, Potiphar put Joseph in charge of all 73 00:07:43,440 –> 00:07:50,720 that he had, God’s blessing came to Potiphar through Joseph, we’re going to look at Joseph’s 74 00:07:50,720 –> 00:07:55,679 story for the largest part this morning and then Potiphar’s story and then see how this 75 00:07:55,679 –> 00:08:01,200 shines a light on God’s story, first then Joseph’s story and the first three verses, 76 00:08:01,200 –> 00:08:10,399 God’s blessing was on Joseph, verse 1, now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, 77 00:08:12,000 –> 00:08:18,559 fascinating that this was the very time, the time of Joseph was the very time when the Egyptian 78 00:08:18,559 –> 00:08:26,079 project of building pyramids was in its full swing, it had begun before his time, it continued after, 79 00:08:26,079 –> 00:08:32,000 it was at its height at the time of Joseph, and so try and picture as the Ishmaelite sort of 80 00:08:32,000 –> 00:08:40,159 caravan comes along and and Joseph’s eyes must have widened as he saw these amazing geometric 81 00:08:40,159 –> 00:08:46,479 structures, some recently completed and some still in the process of being built. 82 00:08:46,960 –> 00:08:54,159 They come along the Nile, they get to a center of population and Joseph is put up for sale and in 83 00:08:54,159 –> 00:08:59,039 this way we’re told in verse one he comes to the house of Potiphar who was an officer 84 00:08:59,039 –> 00:09:05,679 of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard an Egyptian who bought him from the Ishmaelites who brought 85 00:09:05,679 –> 00:09:12,799 him there. Now verse two we are told this wonderful statement the Lord was with 86 00:09:13,280 –> 00:09:22,960 Joseph. What a marvelous comfort that must have been to him. Joseph was separated from his own 87 00:09:22,960 –> 00:09:30,960 father who loved him but nothing nothing nothing could separate him from the presence of God. 88 00:09:32,479 –> 00:09:37,280 The brothers had taken away his robe and had been so cruel to him 89 00:09:37,280 –> 00:09:42,400 but nobody could take away the blessing of God that was upon him. 90 00:09:44,320 –> 00:09:52,880 And the Lord was with Joseph, verse two, and he became a successful man and he was in the house 91 00:09:52,880 –> 00:10:00,700 of his Egyptian master. Now this journey from being brought in as the lowest servant to 92 00:10:01,200 –> 00:10:06,640 becoming a successful man was quite a journey of promotion for Joseph. Remember that when he 93 00:10:06,640 –> 00:10:14,479 arrives in Egypt he is still just 17 years old. Most likely as the most recent acquisition to 94 00:10:14,479 –> 00:10:19,280 the household, he would have started work out in the fields, working at the lowest 95 00:10:19,280 –> 00:10:28,159 level, and what follows is a story of a remarkable career in which Joseph is promoted multiple times, 96 00:10:28,960 –> 00:10:36,400 verse two, he is brought into the house, verse four, he becomes Potiphar’s personal attendant. 97 00:10:37,599 –> 00:10:44,479 verse four, again he becomes the overseer or manager of the household, and verse five, 98 00:10:44,479 –> 00:10:50,960 Potiphar puts Joseph in charge of all that he had referring to both the household and also 99 00:10:51,520 –> 00:10:59,440 the fields. So, by any standards, this is a spectacular career. Joseph was a big success 100 00:11:00,239 –> 00:11:06,640 in the employment of this distinguished man, Potiphar. And the Bible underlines this by 101 00:11:06,640 –> 00:11:11,760 using the word success twice in two verses, the Lord was with Joseph, verse two, and he became 102 00:11:11,760 –> 00:11:19,200 a successful man, verse three, his master saw that the Lord was with him and the Lord caused 103 00:11:19,200 –> 00:11:29,119 all that he did to succeed in his hand. So, here we are looking then at a snapshot of a man who 104 00:11:29,200 –> 00:11:39,599 is given by God, great success in his working life. Fast promotion in his career, good success 105 00:11:39,599 –> 00:11:46,799 in his job. I want us to pause for a few moments then and think about Joseph’s work. Verse three, 106 00:11:46,799 –> 00:11:54,880 the Lord caused all that he did, all that he did, all his work, all his daily work, 107 00:11:55,599 –> 00:12:03,119 the Lord caused it to succeed in his hands. Now we look at that phrase, all that he did, 108 00:12:03,119 –> 00:12:08,479 and ask the question, what then did Joseph do? And the answer is he must have done many things. 109 00:12:08,479 –> 00:12:12,640 I mean, first, he had to learn a foreign language. You arrive in Egypt, he would not 110 00:12:12,640 –> 00:12:19,359 have known a word of the language and had to learn it from scratch. In order to become the 111 00:12:19,359 –> 00:12:24,640 manager of the household, he clearly needs to learn some form of accounting. He needs to 112 00:12:24,640 –> 00:12:30,400 acquire management skills and there are no online courses for him to sign up to do this. 113 00:12:31,119 –> 00:12:37,679 All he has to learn is by observation, but he was a quick study. He was a hard worker. 114 00:12:37,679 –> 00:12:46,080 He gave himself to this and God gave him success. This is telling us something very important about 115 00:12:46,080 –> 00:12:56,719 our daily work, our employment, your job. Your work matters. And how you do your work matters. 116 00:12:56,719 –> 00:13:03,919 It matters to God and it should matter to you. Now it’s very clear from this story of 117 00:13:03,919 –> 00:13:10,960 these multiple promotions in a very short span of verses here that Joseph did his 118 00:13:10,960 –> 00:13:18,080 work at these various levels really well. He was reliable. He was conscientious. 119 00:13:18,880 –> 00:13:24,320 In his work, he stayed focused. He was not distracted. He was honest. Potpourri found 120 00:13:24,320 –> 00:13:29,440 he could trust him. He was loyal to the household from which he made his living. 121 00:13:30,400 –> 00:13:36,960 There was a pleasantness evidently about his demeanor. Joseph brought nothing but good to 122 00:13:36,960 –> 00:13:45,440 the house of Potiphar, brought good to the place where God had set him down for his working life. 123 00:13:46,719 –> 00:13:50,719 I think this is very striking because it would have been easy surely 124 00:13:50,719 –> 00:13:55,039 for Joseph to arrive in Egypt with a real chip on his shoulder. 125 00:13:56,239 –> 00:14:04,479 I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be in this job. Why should I labor in the fields? 126 00:14:05,440 –> 00:14:13,359 Life isn’t fair. Everything’s unjust. Why does God allow my brothers to get away with the shameful 127 00:14:13,359 –> 00:14:18,960 way that they’ve treated me. You could imagine this person being the most difficult person 128 00:14:18,960 –> 00:14:21,919 with the worst possible attitude in the entire household. 129 00:14:22,960 –> 00:14:29,039 But no, there is not a hint of that in Joseph. Why? Because the Lord is with him. 130 00:14:29,760 –> 00:14:32,400 Again try and put yourself in Joseph’s shoes. 131 00:14:33,520 –> 00:14:38,479 God has spoken to you and you know that God has a great purpose for your life. 132 00:14:39,119 –> 00:14:43,039 And now here you are labouring the fields in some foreign country doing this 133 00:14:43,679 –> 00:14:48,239 work and you say, now what in the world does this have to do with God’s great plan 134 00:14:48,239 –> 00:14:51,280 and purpose for my life? Maybe some of you have asked 135 00:14:52,400 –> 00:14:55,760 that question. You’re in a job that’s not particularly fulfilling right now and you 136 00:14:56,559 –> 00:15:00,640 say, now what’s this got to do with the great purpose of God for my life. 137 00:15:02,400 –> 00:15:05,840 And others of you know what it is at different places in 138 00:15:05,840 –> 00:15:09,200 your career to experience this. Joseph gets promoted. 139 00:15:10,080 –> 00:15:13,599 And put yourself in his shoes. You become the chief accountant. 140 00:15:14,239 –> 00:15:19,359 You become the general manager. You become the CEO, the director of operations, 141 00:15:19,359 –> 00:15:22,119 whatever it is. Now you’re no longer in the field, you’re sitting 142 00:15:22,200 –> 00:15:25,000 at your desk. You’ve really got quite a nice office. 143 00:15:25,000 –> 00:15:28,440 And still sometimes you wonder why in all the world am I doing this? 144 00:15:29,640 –> 00:15:34,119 What is the point in this work? I’m doing all this for Potiphar, 145 00:15:35,000 –> 00:15:39,239 what does this really have to do with serving the Lord which is what I really want to do. 146 00:15:39,239 –> 00:15:42,039 Well, it has everything to do with serving the Lord. 147 00:15:43,400 –> 00:15:46,440 Because this is the work that he has given you to do. 148 00:15:48,359 –> 00:15:51,479 And Joseph gives us the most marvelous model of this, 149 00:15:52,679 –> 00:15:57,000 what Paul describes in Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 7 as 150 00:15:57,000 –> 00:16:02,039 rendering service with a goodwill and doing it 151 00:16:02,679 –> 00:16:08,039 because you see your work as being offered unto the Lord. 152 00:16:09,080 –> 00:16:13,239 So there’s something very, very important, something wonderfully uplifting 153 00:16:14,440 –> 00:16:17,640 with regards to the Christian’s approach 154 00:16:17,640 –> 00:16:22,520 to the work that God has given to us to do in our employment in this world. 155 00:16:23,799 –> 00:16:28,200 Second, I just want you to notice Joseph’s perseverance in relation to his work. 156 00:16:29,719 –> 00:16:35,000 How long was Joseph working for Potiphar? 157 00:16:36,440 –> 00:16:39,799 The answer to that question is 11 years 158 00:16:40,840 –> 00:16:45,640 and we know this simply because Joseph was 17 when he was sold as a slave 159 00:16:45,640 –> 00:16:47,559 we know that from the beginning of chapter 37. 160 00:16:48,520 –> 00:16:54,760 We’ll see later that he was 30 when he was promoted to Prime Minister by pharaoh 161 00:16:55,400 –> 00:16:59,640 but between these two things there were two years that he spent in prison 162 00:17:00,280 –> 00:17:05,400 so you take 17 from the 30, that gives you 13 minus 2 gives you 11. 163 00:17:05,400 –> 00:17:11,959 11 years serving in Potiphar’s house. 164 00:17:12,359 –> 00:17:17,560 Now some folks have the idea that success should come quickly 165 00:17:19,160 –> 00:17:21,640 and that can be true especially when we are young. 166 00:17:22,520 –> 00:17:25,800 I’ve been doing this job a whole year now. I mean you know, where’s things going? 167 00:17:27,640 –> 00:17:30,839 And this story shows us a better way. 168 00:17:32,920 –> 00:17:39,000 Sudden success is fraught with spiritual dangers, it really is. 169 00:17:39,880 –> 00:17:45,719 If God should grant you sudden success be very very careful and be very very wise. 170 00:17:45,719 –> 00:17:51,400 I don’t know how many times I’ve seen someone who has lost the path through sudden 171 00:17:53,239 –> 00:17:59,079 success, sudden prosperity. You only need to look at the stories of people who come into 172 00:17:59,079 –> 00:18:02,760 large fortunes of money very very quickly, they win it or whatever 173 00:18:02,920 –> 00:18:07,239 and how often the story that follows is is a very tragic one. 174 00:18:09,160 –> 00:18:14,839 Martyn Lloyd-Jones used to say this the worst thing that can happen to a man 175 00:18:16,199 –> 00:18:22,520 is that he should succeed before he is ready. The worst thing that can happen to a man 176 00:18:24,040 –> 00:18:30,520 is that he should succeed before he is ready. It takes something to handle success 177 00:18:31,239 –> 00:18:35,000 and God knows when you are ready to be trusted with more 178 00:18:36,439 –> 00:18:42,199 and remember that as we think about the long time that Joseph was serving in Potiphar’s house 179 00:18:42,760 –> 00:18:50,439 trust is earned. This is particularly true in the workplace remember this. You do not have 180 00:18:50,439 –> 00:18:58,040 a right to be trusted there is no such thing as a right to be trusted. You earn trust by proving 181 00:18:58,040 –> 00:19:05,959 faithful over time. Now this is why it’s very significant that um Joseph had the favor of God 182 00:19:05,959 –> 00:19:12,920 before he had the favor of Potiphar. It’s always that way around. Why? Because the favor of God 183 00:19:12,920 –> 00:19:22,839 is a gift of grace. You don’t earn that. It is a free gift lavished upon us in Jesus Christ. 184 00:19:22,839 –> 00:19:27,800 The Lord was with him. The favor of God was upon him. That’s not earned. That’s a gift 185 00:19:29,400 –> 00:19:35,400 but Joseph had to win the favor of Potiphar and he did that by his loyalty. He did that 186 00:19:35,400 –> 00:19:42,680 by the quality of his work over time. That’s why in verse four it says Joseph found favor 187 00:19:42,680 –> 00:19:49,560 in Potiphar’s sight and attended to him and that growing trust was earned over a period of 188 00:19:49,560 –> 00:19:58,520 years as character was observed as loyalty was evidenced as quality of work became increasingly 189 00:19:59,239 –> 00:20:04,520 apparent. Now here’s the principle and it’s straight from the new testament scriptures 190 00:20:05,400 –> 00:20:13,000 that the person who is faithful in little is the one who gets trusted with more. You remember in 191 00:20:13,000 –> 00:20:19,160 the story that Jesus told about the servants who were trusted with responsibility and with 192 00:20:19,160 –> 00:20:23,640 talents, at the end when the master comes back he says to the ones who have done well, 193 00:20:23,640 –> 00:20:28,520 well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over little. 194 00:20:29,400 –> 00:20:37,239 I will set you over much. That’s Matthew 25 verse 21. You’ve been faithful over a little. 195 00:20:37,479 –> 00:20:46,599 I will set you over much. So there’s a great principle here for us to keep in mind. 196 00:20:48,119 –> 00:20:53,560 Focus your best efforts on what God has given you to do now. 197 00:20:55,079 –> 00:20:59,640 Don’t waste your life by spending half of it thinking about what’s the next thing I’m going to 198 00:20:59,719 –> 00:21:09,560 do. Remember that the best place to flourish is where God sets you down. My pastor used to say 199 00:21:09,560 –> 00:21:13,560 that to me. It’s a phrase that’s always stayed with me, and I found it helpful. Colin, there 200 00:21:13,560 –> 00:21:26,359 are no perfect places. The best place to flourish is the place where God sets you down. What has 201 00:21:26,359 –> 00:21:36,359 God given me to do now? Whatever it is, do it with all your heart. Because whatever the future 202 00:21:36,359 –> 00:21:42,599 might hold, the opportunities that may open for you in the future will in very large measure 203 00:21:42,599 –> 00:21:48,599 be shaped by the way in which you apply yourself to what God has already trusted you to do right 204 00:21:48,599 –> 00:22:00,359 now. So always do your best work. Always do your best work. You never know, as Warren Weirsbee 205 00:22:00,359 –> 00:22:09,000 once said, you never know who may be measuring you for a larger task as you’re doing the work 206 00:22:09,000 –> 00:22:16,599 that God has given you to do right now. So Joseph’s work – his perseverance. 207 00:22:17,959 –> 00:22:22,520 I just want you to notice before we move on here, his testimony. Do you see, in verse 3 there, 208 00:22:22,520 –> 00:22:30,359 that the master saw that the Lord was with him and Potiphar saw that the Lord caused 209 00:22:30,359 –> 00:22:37,400 all that he did to succeed, in Joseph’s hands? If you’re successful in your work, 210 00:22:37,400 –> 00:22:44,599 if God grants you advancement, if God gives you promotion within your chosen career – remember, 211 00:22:44,599 –> 00:22:51,959 all success is a gift from the Lord. Therefore we’re to thank Him for it and give him the glory 212 00:22:51,959 –> 00:22:57,880 in relation to it. It’s very interesting that we’re told not only that Joseph knew that the 213 00:22:57,880 –> 00:23:05,079 Lord gave him success, but that Potiphar knew this. And that can only mean, that in some way, 214 00:23:05,959 –> 00:23:11,239 Joseph had gained the opportunity through the credibility of his work to give some kind of 215 00:23:11,239 –> 00:23:18,839 spoken testimony to his own employer with regards to who the Lord is and the influence of the Lord 216 00:23:18,839 –> 00:23:26,359 within his own life. Remember, Potiphar lives in a culture where there are multiple gods 217 00:23:26,359 –> 00:23:30,439 associated with the sun and the moon and the stars and the rivers and all the rest of it, 218 00:23:30,439 –> 00:23:35,880 and here’s Joseph who comes and speaks about this great God who made the sun and the moon and the 219 00:23:35,880 –> 00:23:41,959 stars and who set the rivers on their courses, the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob, 220 00:23:41,959 –> 00:23:46,280 the God who would reveal himself as the great I am later to Moses. 221 00:23:47,640 –> 00:23:52,040 And the quality of Joseph’s life and work and the trust that he earned 222 00:23:53,079 –> 00:23:59,400 clearly gave him an opportunity to speak of the Lord who is named with his covenant name here, 223 00:24:00,040 –> 00:24:07,239 the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the great God, the creator, the ruler over all of life. 224 00:24:08,839 –> 00:24:16,359 So God’s blessing was upon Joseph and then here’s the second thing. 225 00:24:16,680 –> 00:24:23,800 Podopher put Joseph in charge of all that he had. 226 00:24:25,319 –> 00:24:31,640 Verse 4, so Joseph found favour in Podopher’s sight 227 00:24:32,599 –> 00:24:45,479 and attended him. And he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. 228 00:24:46,839 –> 00:24:53,599 Now, let’s just for a moment try and look at this story through the eyes of 229 00:24:53,599 –> 00:24:59,680 Podopher. And if Podopher was here today, and wouldn’t that be fun if he could come and visit 230 00:24:59,680 –> 00:25:08,079 us, I think that he might say to us something like this. I think Podopher would say, 231 00:25:09,079 –> 00:25:16,160 you know, Joseph was the very best thing that ever happened to me. The first time I saw him, 232 00:25:16,160 –> 00:25:22,660 of course, he was pretty messed up. The Ishmaelite traders told me some story about him being thrown 233 00:25:22,660 –> 00:25:29,439 in a pit, but I could see the guy was strong, and so I decided I’d take a chance on him. Well, 234 00:25:29,439 –> 00:25:34,839 I’ll tell you, he’s the best employee I ever had. Everything I asked him to do got done, 235 00:25:34,839 –> 00:25:39,040 and when it was done, he wanted to know what else he could do to help. I tell you, as an employer, 236 00:25:39,040 –> 00:25:46,479 you can’t buy that kind of enthusiasm. Well, I started him out in the fields and before long, 237 00:25:46,479 –> 00:25:52,099 I said to my wife, you know, that Joseph has something about him. I like him. I think that 238 00:25:52,099 –> 00:25:58,319 we should bring him into the house. And so we did, and I started giving him more to do, and you know, 239 00:25:58,319 –> 00:26:03,599 what he didn’t know, he found a way to learn. It amazed me. Language, accounting, management, 240 00:26:03,920 –> 00:26:10,880 he found a way to master it. And whatever Joseph did was always done well. Over time, 241 00:26:10,880 –> 00:26:15,040 I found when I was thinking about something important that needed to be done, the first 242 00:26:15,040 –> 00:26:20,040 thought that came to my mind was I should give that to Joseph. He’ll do it well. 243 00:26:20,040 –> 00:26:28,339 Then one day I told him about how I really appreciated the quality of his work. I told 244 00:26:28,520 –> 00:26:34,859 him I felt I could trust him. There was a kind of integrity about him. And I asked him 245 00:26:34,859 –> 00:26:40,420 why because it was quite different from others who worked for me. And he told me about his 246 00:26:40,420 –> 00:26:47,420 God. Well, we have all kinds of gods in Egypt, I said, so what’s so special about yours? 247 00:26:47,420 –> 00:26:54,420 And he told me about how this God had appeared to his great grandfather, Abraham, and had 248 00:26:59,680 –> 00:27:06,680 given him promises of an heir who would bring blessing from all people from all nations. 249 00:27:06,959 –> 00:27:13,959 He looked me in the eye and he said, that is would include you, Potiphar. Then he told 250 00:27:14,260 –> 00:27:21,260 me about his grandfather Isaac who’s life would of been laid down except that God provided 251 00:27:22,520 –> 00:27:29,520 a sacrifice in his place. Potiphar that is how God saves lives by providing a sacrifice 252 00:27:32,199 –> 00:27:39,199 in our place he said. Then he told me about his father Jacob who had been a very devious 253 00:27:40,140 –> 00:27:47,140 man. Apparently a cheat and a liar. Well we all know that the apple does not fall far 254 00:27:49,479 –> 00:27:56,479 from the tree so I said to Joseph how did someone as honest as you come from a father 255 00:27:56,920 –> 00:28:03,920 as twisted as Jacob. Oh that’s the grace of God he said to me. God brought a great 256 00:28:04,900 –> 00:28:11,900 transformation in my father’s heart and it’s the same grace that is working in me. 257 00:28:13,880 –> 00:28:18,880 But what about your brothers I asked him they beat you up and they put you in a pit he looked 258 00:28:18,880 –> 00:28:24,760 me straight in the eye and he said mark my words the same grace will win them too. 259 00:28:24,760 –> 00:28:31,719 Well now I’m a businessman and like some of you who are in the same field I know when 260 00:28:32,199 –> 00:28:38,959 I see one and so this is what I figured if God is blessing Joseph maybe some of 261 00:28:38,959 –> 00:28:44,979 that blessing can get unto me as well. If God’s for him it makes sense for me to 262 00:28:44,979 –> 00:28:51,400 be for him too so I thought here’s what I’ll do I’ll put Joseph in charge of 263 00:28:51,400 –> 00:28:58,040 everything that I have. So I said to him Joseph here’s what I want you to do run 264 00:28:58,380 –> 00:29:06,040 life run the household use all that I have in the way that you think is the 265 00:29:06,040 –> 00:29:14,439 best I trust you I’m putting it all into your hands and I have to tell you that 266 00:29:14,439 –> 00:29:23,819 was the best decision I ever made in my life because all I can tell you is that 267 00:29:23,819 –> 00:29:33,900 the blessing of God came to be on me because of him God’s blessing was on 268 00:29:33,900 –> 00:29:39,319 Joseph Potiphar put everything he had into 269 00:29:39,319 –> 00:29:46,719 Joseph’s hands that leads me to the last thing this morning and it’s simply this 270 00:29:46,719 –> 00:29:54,079 God’s blessing came to pot if er threw Joseph notice verse five 271 00:29:54,079 –> 00:30:00,040 we’ve just been told the part of her put Joseph in charge of all that he had and 272 00:30:00,040 –> 00:30:08,359 from the time that he made him overseer in the house right from that time from 273 00:30:08,359 –> 00:30:11,719 the time he made him overseer in the house and over all that he had what 274 00:30:11,780 –> 00:30:21,439 happened the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Joseph’s sake the blessing of 275 00:30:21,439 –> 00:30:25,219 the Lord was on all that he had in house and in field 276 00:30:25,219 –> 00:30:29,660 notice that part of our place is it all into the hands of Joseph and from the 277 00:30:29,660 –> 00:30:34,760 very time he did that the blessing that was on Joseph was extended to pot of four 278 00:30:34,760 –> 00:30:40,640 as well and the reason that was it extended was not because of anything 279 00:30:40,640 –> 00:30:45,900 particularly good about part of her it was for Joseph’s sake that the blessing 280 00:30:45,900 –> 00:30:50,699 that was on this loved and favored son came to the one who trusted everything 281 00:30:50,699 –> 00:30:58,500 into his hands now are you beginning to see how and an Earth the human story is 282 00:30:58,500 –> 00:31:05,060 shining a light on to what it means for us to be blessed in Jesus Christ the 283 00:31:05,060 –> 00:31:10,339 loved and favored Son of God all of this why is it in the Bible it’s pointing us 284 00:31:10,339 –> 00:31:18,079 to our Joseph whose name is Jesus the whole story has been pointing to him 285 00:31:18,079 –> 00:31:22,380 right from the beginning he is the loved and favored son of God he is the one who 286 00:31:22,380 –> 00:31:28,819 lays aside his glory and shows up as the servant he is the one who succeeds in 287 00:31:28,819 –> 00:31:33,420 all that he does that’s why it says in Isaiah that the will of God will 288 00:31:33,979 –> 00:31:40,180 prosper it will succeed in his hands he is the blessed man of Sam number one 289 00:31:40,180 –> 00:31:46,339 where we read that whatever he does prospers it succeeds God’s blessing is 290 00:31:46,339 –> 00:31:52,900 on Jesus that is the central message of the Bible and through Jesus because of 291 00:31:52,900 –> 00:32:01,180 Jesus for Jesus sake that blessing that is upon him can come to you and it can 292 00:32:01,420 –> 00:32:06,479 come to me and this is the great New Testament truth that in shorthand is 293 00:32:06,479 –> 00:32:13,180 written up this way to be in Christ blessed with every spiritual blessing in 294 00:32:13,180 –> 00:32:18,560 Christ what does that actually mean how does this relationship with with with 295 00:32:18,560 –> 00:32:22,959 Christ what does it actually look like how is it forged well that’s beautifully 296 00:32:23,479 –> 00:32:34,219 in this story you put Jesus Christ in charge of all that you are and of all 297 00:32:34,219 –> 00:32:43,839 that you have and the blessing that is upon him extends to you so friends here 298 00:32:43,839 –> 00:32:50,000 is the challenge that comes to us right out of this story could it really be 299 00:32:50,119 –> 00:32:59,479 said of you today that Jesus Christ is the overseer of all that you have could 300 00:32:59,479 –> 00:33:04,280 it really be said truly of you today that all that you have really has been 301 00:33:04,280 –> 00:33:10,680 placed into his hands he came into the world as the servant but you’ve made him 302 00:33:10,680 –> 00:33:17,520 the master you’ve made him the Lord that’s what’s being pictured for us here 303 00:33:17,560 –> 00:33:23,199 could it truly be said then that he Jesus Christ has the freedom and the 304 00:33:23,199 –> 00:33:29,599 authority to do with you and with all that you have whatever he thinks best 305 00:33:29,599 –> 00:33:36,000 and if that is not true of you why is that not true of you do you really think 306 00:33:36,000 –> 00:33:39,760 that your own life and all that you have is better being clutched in your own 307 00:33:39,760 –> 00:33:43,359 hands better than being trusted into the 308 00:33:43,359 –> 00:33:50,079 hands of the one on whom the blessing of God rests why would you not want what is 309 00:33:50,079 –> 00:33:53,959 in verse four to be said of you why would you not want it to be said of you 310 00:33:53,959 –> 00:33:59,079 from the time that you made Jesus Christ the overseer of all that you have the 311 00:33:59,079 –> 00:34:08,239 Lord’s blessing was upon you the blessing is upon Jesus and through him 312 00:34:08,360 –> 00:34:18,219 the servant who you make the master that blessing comes to be upon you you see 313 00:34:18,219 –> 00:34:24,620 this picture it’s so clear a child can grasp it why would you not come and say 314 00:34:24,620 –> 00:34:34,340 to him today you be the overseer of my life you be the Lord and the master of 315 00:34:34,340 –> 00:34:42,820 all that I am and of all that I have I place it into your hands I trust you to 316 00:34:42,820 –> 00:34:50,979 do that which is best concerning me place it all in the hands of the servant 317 00:34:50,979 –> 00:35:00,179 so that he becomes the master and the Lord of your life and the blessing that 318 00:35:00,179 –> 00:35:07,379 is on God’s loved and favored son will surely rest on you let’s pray together 319 00:35:07,379 –> 00:35:18,340 father thank you for the crystal clarity of your word shining not a hazy light 320 00:35:18,340 –> 00:35:26,979 but a bright and brilliant light on your glorious son Jesus Christ who is Savior 321 00:35:27,179 –> 00:35:34,820 because he is Lord and we want as best we know how to respond today by offering 322 00:35:34,820 –> 00:35:41,659 ourselves all that we are all that we have perhaps for the first time perhaps 323 00:35:41,659 –> 00:35:47,739 in a fresh and in a new way into your hands that we may live under the 324 00:35:47,739 –> 00:35:54,199 knowledge of the blessing that belongs by right to the Son of God and to that 325 00:35:54,340 –> 00:35:57,580 end we want to offer the whole of our work including our working life our 326 00:35:57,580 –> 00:36:03,219 employment Lord deliver us from bad attitudes in the workplace help us to 327 00:36:03,219 –> 00:36:08,580 learn to honour Christ in such a way that a credible testimony might be 328 00:36:08,580 –> 00:36:16,979 given that’s undergirded by the quality the loyalty the faithfulness of what is 329 00:36:16,979 –> 00:36:22,560 offered and we pray therefore that in every way our lives may glorify the 330 00:36:22,600 –> 00:36:30,919 Christ in whose hands we are so glad to be placed and these things we ask in 331 00:36:30,919 –> 00:36:35,120 Jesus name amen