1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,040 We’re returning today to our series on Joseph. Snapshots of a godly life. 2 00:00:05,680 –> 00:00:10,720 We have seen that this man was loved and favored, that he was hated, despised, that he was blessed, 3 00:00:10,720 –> 00:00:16,480 and he was successful. And then last time we looked at how he was tempted and was faithful. 4 00:00:16,480 –> 00:00:24,080 We looked at 7 seasons in which we are especially vulnerable to temptation and how we may be able to 5 00:00:24,080 –> 00:00:31,520 stand against it when it comes. And we ended last time by seeing, very wonderfully, how God 6 00:00:31,520 –> 00:00:39,759 wove the faithfulness of Joseph into his wider plan to bring blessing to many people. It was 7 00:00:39,759 –> 00:00:46,400 through the faithfulness of Joseph when he was tempted that he ended up in prison. It was through 8 00:00:46,400 –> 00:00:51,200 being in prison that he met Pharaoh’s cup bearer, it was through the cup bearer that he was introduced 9 00:00:51,200 –> 00:00:56,639 to Pharaoh, it was through Pharaoh that he became the Prime Minister who wisely stored up food 10 00:00:56,639 –> 00:01:02,080 supplies for a time of famine, it was through the food supplies that he stored up for a time of 11 00:01:02,080 –> 00:01:08,080 famine that the life of Judah, his brother, and the rest of the family was saved. And it was 12 00:01:08,080 –> 00:01:14,239 from the line of Judah that Jesus Christ was born into the world. So what came of all of this was 13 00:01:14,239 –> 00:01:21,040 beyond anything that Joseph could ever have imagined, how God would use his faithfulness 14 00:01:21,040 –> 00:01:29,199 and how his stand and his integrity would be woven into a much wider story of the blessing of God 15 00:01:29,199 –> 00:01:36,959 that would come to many, many, many people. God never wastes the suffering or the faithfulness 16 00:01:36,959 –> 00:01:45,919 of his people, but while the ultimate outcome of Joseph’s integrity and his faithfulness was 17 00:01:45,919 –> 00:01:54,400 marvelous, it was glorious, the immediate outcome of Joseph’s faithfulness was very, very painful, 18 00:01:55,120 –> 00:02:00,800 and that is the story that we’re going to focus on today in Genesis and Chapter 39, 19 00:02:00,800 –> 00:02:06,239 and we begin at verse 13, the passage that has been read to us. The storyline of course 20 00:02:06,239 –> 00:02:13,679 is a very simple one. Joseph refuses the advances of Potiphar’s wife. Potiphar’s wife then brings 21 00:02:13,679 –> 00:02:21,440 a false accusation against Joseph and Joseph as a result loses his job and ends up in 22 00:02:22,080 –> 00:02:29,199 the prison. Now, reading the life of Joseph strikes me, it’s like a game of snakes and 23 00:02:29,199 –> 00:02:34,639 ladders. Do you remember playing that game? Joseph is either going up or he is going down, 24 00:02:35,279 –> 00:02:40,720 and he used to play that as children, you know, up the ladders, down the snakes and you are all 25 00:02:40,720 –> 00:02:47,199 over the board and so to speak. This is the story of Joseph. He goes up in the eyes of his father, 26 00:02:47,199 –> 00:02:52,080 then he comes down through the hatred of his brothers, then he goes up with a stellar career 27 00:02:52,080 –> 00:02:57,759 in the employment of Potiphar. Now he comes down to the lowest point at the hand of Potiphar’s 28 00:02:57,759 –> 00:03:06,479 wife. His life is all over the board, so to speak. The story reminds us that wherever you are in 29 00:03:06,479 –> 00:03:11,440 your life, in the ups and the downs, the times when things are thriving and the times when things are 30 00:03:11,440 –> 00:03:17,039 terrible, what really matters is that at the end of the game, are you on a snake or are you 31 00:03:17,039 –> 00:03:26,399 on a ladder? To fly high and to end on a snake is not where you want to be. However low you may come, 32 00:03:26,479 –> 00:03:31,520 you’re on a ladder, it is well with you, and Jesus Christ is our ladder from heaven. 33 00:03:32,080 –> 00:03:38,559 He is our ladder to heaven, and however low you may come in the course of your life with 34 00:03:38,559 –> 00:03:42,399 dark times that you may face…and that, of course, is what we’re looking at today. 35 00:03:43,279 –> 00:03:49,919 In Jesus Christ, there is the assurance that for you all is well. Well, we’re going to see that 36 00:03:49,919 –> 00:03:53,919 from the Bible today. I want us to look at this story, again, 37 00:03:53,919 –> 00:03:59,759 from the perspective of each of the three main players. First Potiphar’s wife, then Potiphar, 38 00:03:59,759 –> 00:04:04,559 and then of course Joseph. And we begin with Potiphar’s wife, and the cameo that we have 39 00:04:04,559 –> 00:04:11,360 of her, here I’ve called Spreading the lie, and we have that in verse 13 to 18. 40 00:04:11,360 –> 00:04:16,559 Potiphar’s wife spreading the lie, verses 13 to 18. 41 00:04:17,839 –> 00:04:22,559 Now, the first thing that we learn here is something very important about the nature of 42 00:04:22,559 –> 00:04:31,519 true love. If your love is pure, it will remain, and it will continue even when you do not get 43 00:04:31,519 –> 00:04:40,799 what you want, but if your love is selfish, that is, if your love is essentially about you getting 44 00:04:40,799 –> 00:04:47,920 what you want from another person, then its intensity can easily turn to hatred when things 45 00:04:47,920 –> 00:04:55,279 don’t work out as you had hoped. Now this works out in all kinds of spheres of life. 46 00:04:56,559 –> 00:05:01,839 It is very easy, for example, for our interest in people to be shot through 47 00:05:02,559 –> 00:05:11,359 with what we hope to get from them. So you court a person in a friendship, in business, 48 00:05:11,359 –> 00:05:16,880 in the church, in your personal life, because you think that you can get something from them and 49 00:05:16,880 –> 00:05:22,880 then at some point, it becomes evident that the answer is no. No, you are not going to get that 50 00:05:22,880 –> 00:05:30,160 contract. No, you are not going to get that money. No, you are not going to get that position. 51 00:05:31,279 –> 00:05:33,600 No, you are not going to have that relationship. 52 00:05:35,760 –> 00:05:43,440 Now when that happens, a pure love continues even when it is slighted. 53 00:05:43,440 –> 00:05:52,720 But a selfish love can easily turn to a sinful hatred, and you see that is the explanation as 54 00:05:52,720 –> 00:06:01,119 to why so often in our experience, and you will recognize this the deepest venom in the human 55 00:06:01,119 –> 00:06:10,320 heart is often directed towards people, or churches, or employers, or friends that we 56 00:06:10,880 –> 00:06:18,959 once said we loved. Why is that because a pure love will continue even when it is slighted, 57 00:06:20,000 –> 00:06:29,119 but a selfish love easily turns into sinful hatred. So we obviously see that very clearly 58 00:06:29,119 –> 00:06:34,720 in this woman Potiphar’s wife and it has helped me to form this prayer that I commend you to 59 00:06:35,119 –> 00:06:43,760 to you today. Lord deliver me from any trace of sinful love that so easily becomes hatred 60 00:06:43,760 –> 00:06:52,399 when I don’t get my way. I don’t want to be that person, and grow in me a reflection of the true 61 00:06:52,399 –> 00:07:02,000 love of Christ. The love that goes on loving even when it is slighted. The story speaks volumes 62 00:07:02,799 –> 00:07:10,880 into the nature of genuine love. Now obviously Potiphar’s wife only knew one kind of love, 63 00:07:10,880 –> 00:07:16,079 and when she didn’t get what she wanted, the true nature of her heart was revealed. 64 00:07:17,279 –> 00:07:23,440 Her sinful hatred caused her to do very great evil to Joseph indeed. 65 00:07:24,239 –> 00:07:33,040 She robbed him of his good name, she caused him to be put out of his job and it was a great sin 66 00:07:33,679 –> 00:07:41,760 and it was a great injustice. Now the bible often shows us the ugliness of sin so that seeing 67 00:07:42,480 –> 00:07:47,200 it for what it is, we will be on our guard against it. And so I want to spend the next 68 00:07:47,200 –> 00:07:53,679 few moments just looking at what a horrible injustice and what an ugly sin we have here 69 00:07:53,679 –> 00:08:01,839 from Potiphar’s wife. There are really three parts to her evil. The first is sewing disaffection 70 00:08:01,839 –> 00:08:09,600 and you have that in verses 13 and 14. As soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand 71 00:08:10,399 –> 00:08:16,399 and had fled out of the house, she called to the men of her household and said to them, 72 00:08:17,359 –> 00:08:26,480 see he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. Now notice how she spreads the lie. 73 00:08:27,760 –> 00:08:36,799 And friends, this is how division comes, how churches end up being thwarted. There’s a pattern 74 00:08:36,799 –> 00:08:41,919 here. We should see it. We should recognize it. We should loathe it with everything that is within us. 75 00:08:42,799 –> 00:08:49,119 How does she spread the lie. She does not begin with a complaint to Potiphar. 76 00:08:50,159 –> 00:08:55,679 What she does is she begins with the servants, with the ordinary people in the house, 77 00:08:56,719 –> 00:09:02,960 and she sows the seeds of discord in their minds and in their hearts. She’s fostering 78 00:09:02,960 –> 00:09:10,559 disaffection. She’s creating a climate of distrust. Notice how she plays the race card, 79 00:09:10,559 –> 00:09:18,719 always so powerful. See he has brought among us a Hebrew, verse 14. What does Joseph’s race have 80 00:09:18,719 –> 00:09:26,479 to do with anything? That is pure prejudice. But notice how she’s using it to develop a them 81 00:09:26,479 –> 00:09:33,359 and us mentality. This Hebrew to come and laugh at us. You see she’s sowing the seeds of 82 00:09:33,359 –> 00:09:41,039 disaffection, discord and of division. She sows this disaffection among the servants not only with 83 00:09:41,039 –> 00:09:48,320 regards to Joseph, but also she’s sowing the seeds of disaffection with regards to her own husband 84 00:09:48,320 –> 00:09:55,039 among these servants. Notice what she says, verse fourteen, see he has brought among us a Hebrew. 85 00:09:55,119 –> 00:10:00,559 Who’s he? Potiphar, of course. He was the one who had brought Joseph into the household. 86 00:10:00,559 –> 00:10:04,960 So now she’s turning the minds of the servants against her husband, 87 00:10:04,960 –> 00:10:11,760 against this foreign person, is the way she’s typecast Joseph. And she’s sowing the 88 00:10:11,760 –> 00:10:20,479 seeds of disaffection. Just a few words, but it’s creating a climate amongst the folk in the kitchen 89 00:10:21,440 –> 00:10:25,760 and the folks who work in the bedroom, and the folks who are in the living room. 90 00:10:26,479 –> 00:10:32,479 And they’re talking to each other. And suddenly there’s a whole climate that she’s created, 91 00:10:33,679 –> 00:10:39,679 sowing disaffection. Second, she repeats a downright lie, verse 14 and 15. 92 00:10:40,559 –> 00:10:48,159 He came in to lie with me and I cried out with a loud voice. As soon as he heard, I lifted up my 93 00:10:48,159 –> 00:10:54,320 voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me, fled, and got out of the house. 94 00:10:56,320 –> 00:11:04,640 Notice that this is a double lie. It’s a double lie because she presents Joseph as a villain, 95 00:11:05,919 –> 00:11:12,400 but she also presents herself as a woman of virtue. She covers Joseph with the shame 96 00:11:13,039 –> 00:11:18,960 of false accusation, and then she covers herself with a pretended virtue that she 97 00:11:18,960 –> 00:11:25,440 certainly does not possess. And then when Potiphar comes home, she repeats the double 98 00:11:25,440 –> 00:11:31,039 lie. And so there’s a multiplication going on here, verse 17, she told him the same story. 99 00:11:32,159 –> 00:11:35,280 And so now you see what she’s doing, having sown the seeds of disaffection, 100 00:11:35,280 –> 00:11:40,000 she’s now making a formal complaint to the person who is in authority, to Potiphar. 101 00:11:40,080 –> 00:11:44,479 Now it’s worth we’re just pausing here, and to remember that the Bible tells us 102 00:11:45,200 –> 00:11:54,320 that Satan is the father of lies. That’s John 8 and verse 44. And I love the translation that 103 00:11:54,320 –> 00:12:02,559 the NIV has of that verse, it says that when he lies, he speaks his native language. 104 00:12:03,280 –> 00:12:09,840 Isn’t that good? Lies are Satan’s native language. 105 00:12:10,239 –> 00:12:19,520 And whenever a lie is spoken, you hear the echo of Satan’s voice. 106 00:12:20,719 –> 00:12:25,760 That is true any time you may accuse another person of something that may not be true. 107 00:12:26,960 –> 00:12:31,280 It is true every time you pretend to a virtue that you do not possess. 108 00:12:31,280 –> 00:12:43,599 And the Bible says, Revelation 21 in verse 8, that all liars end in the lake of fire. 109 00:12:43,599 –> 00:12:48,400 It’s a categorical statement. There is a list of who ends up in the lake of fire, 110 00:12:48,400 –> 00:12:54,000 and the last in the list is this, all liars, all liars. 111 00:12:55,520 –> 00:13:00,559 Now if I am to take that seriously and to let it sink into the depth of my being, 112 00:13:00,559 –> 00:13:04,400 it’s going to bring me to this place that God wants to bring me to, 113 00:13:04,400 –> 00:13:09,119 which is that I must make it my business throughout the course of my life to turn 114 00:13:09,119 –> 00:13:14,239 from all lies and to vigorously in every sphere always pursue the truth. 115 00:13:15,280 –> 00:13:19,440 And that that is one of the marks of a person who is committed to Jesus Christ who says, 116 00:13:19,440 –> 00:13:26,080 I am the way and I am the truth, and I am the life. 117 00:13:26,799 –> 00:13:29,840 So, she sows the seeds of disaffection, 118 00:13:29,840 –> 00:13:31,760 she tells the downright lie, the double lie, 119 00:13:31,760 –> 00:13:34,640 and then she repeats it, multiplying it up and up 120 00:13:34,640 –> 00:13:37,919 and then notice just briefly how she passes blame, verse 17, 121 00:13:37,919 –> 00:13:41,760 and this often goes with this kind of evil, 122 00:13:41,760 –> 00:13:44,880 this Hebrew servant, she says to her husband, 123 00:13:44,880 –> 00:13:50,719 whom you have brought among us came into me to laugh at me. 124 00:13:50,719 –> 00:13:51,760 You see what she is saying? 125 00:13:51,760 –> 00:13:53,520 She is setting Potiphar up. 126 00:13:54,080 –> 00:13:55,840 She is saying, all this is your fault, 127 00:13:56,880 –> 00:13:58,479 now what are you going to do about it? 128 00:13:59,919 –> 00:14:02,559 So, she creates the problem through the lie 129 00:14:02,559 –> 00:14:04,479 and then passes the blame for the thing 130 00:14:04,479 –> 00:14:05,919 that actually never happened 131 00:14:06,880 –> 00:14:10,080 and puts the responsibility on Potiphar. 132 00:14:11,440 –> 00:14:13,440 So, friends, you just look at this, 133 00:14:13,440 –> 00:14:15,280 you say this is ugly stuff 134 00:14:16,799 –> 00:14:19,760 and as one who loves and wants to follow Jesus Christ, 135 00:14:19,760 –> 00:14:21,520 here are some things I want to have 136 00:14:21,520 –> 00:14:25,599 absolutely nothing to do with in my life, 137 00:14:27,919 –> 00:14:29,919 sowing the seeds of disaffection, 138 00:14:31,119 –> 00:14:32,400 repeating the lie, 139 00:14:33,679 –> 00:14:35,840 passing blame. 140 00:14:36,880 –> 00:14:38,000 That’s Potiphar’s wife. 141 00:14:38,799 –> 00:14:39,359 Tragic. 142 00:14:40,400 –> 00:14:41,359 Spreading the lie. 143 00:14:42,080 –> 00:14:43,359 Here’s a second cameo. 144 00:14:43,919 –> 00:14:45,200 Let’s have a look at Potiphar 145 00:14:45,840 –> 00:14:49,679 and I’ve described this as suppressing the truth 146 00:14:49,679 –> 00:14:52,719 and we’re particularly looking at verse 19. 147 00:14:52,719 –> 00:14:56,159 Potiphar suppressing the truth. 148 00:14:57,760 –> 00:14:59,440 Now here’s an interesting question 149 00:14:59,440 –> 00:15:02,400 and I think all of the commentators 150 00:15:02,400 –> 00:15:04,320 have something to say on it 151 00:15:04,320 –> 00:15:05,520 and I wonder what you think. 152 00:15:07,359 –> 00:15:11,440 Did Potiphar believe his wife’s story? 153 00:15:12,320 –> 00:15:12,880 What do you think? 154 00:15:13,599 –> 00:15:14,960 There’s a number of no’s there. 155 00:15:16,080 –> 00:15:16,640 I agree. 156 00:15:17,919 –> 00:15:19,599 Let me give you a number of reasons 157 00:15:19,919 –> 00:15:21,200 why I don’t think, 158 00:15:21,200 –> 00:15:24,880 and many commentators have written at length about this, 159 00:15:25,520 –> 00:15:27,520 I don’t think he believed his wife’s story. 160 00:15:27,520 –> 00:15:30,479 At the very least, he must have had great doubt. 161 00:15:30,479 –> 00:15:31,440 Here’s the first reason. 162 00:15:32,239 –> 00:15:34,080 The first reason for thinking that 163 00:15:34,080 –> 00:15:36,640 is that Potiphar did not have Joseph killed. 164 00:15:37,280 –> 00:15:38,719 I mean, in that day, in that culture, 165 00:15:38,719 –> 00:15:40,479 if he had believed what his wife had said to him 166 00:15:40,479 –> 00:15:41,919 that would surely have been the outcome 167 00:15:41,919 –> 00:15:43,599 but Joseph was not killed. 168 00:15:43,599 –> 00:15:44,960 He was put in prison. 169 00:15:45,840 –> 00:15:48,479 And in this, surely we can see the protecting hand of God 170 00:15:48,479 –> 00:15:50,000 on the life of Joseph 171 00:15:50,000 –> 00:15:53,119 but we may also see Potiphar’s doubt 172 00:15:53,119 –> 00:15:54,559 over his wife’s story. 173 00:15:55,599 –> 00:15:56,960 Second reason for thinking 174 00:15:56,960 –> 00:15:58,960 that Potiphar did not believe his wife 175 00:15:59,520 –> 00:16:01,200 is that sometime later, 176 00:16:01,200 –> 00:16:03,760 if you look at chapter 40 and verse 4, 177 00:16:04,880 –> 00:16:05,919 you will see there that 178 00:16:05,919 –> 00:16:08,000 the king’s cup bearer and the baker 179 00:16:08,000 –> 00:16:10,799 came also to be put in the prison beside Joseph 180 00:16:10,799 –> 00:16:11,760 and then we’re told 181 00:16:11,760 –> 00:16:14,880 that the captain of the guard, verse 4, 182 00:16:15,520 –> 00:16:18,159 appointed Joseph to be with them 183 00:16:18,159 –> 00:16:19,760 and to have charge over them 184 00:16:19,760 –> 00:16:22,080 is what is conveyed there. 185 00:16:22,080 –> 00:16:24,239 Now who was the captain of the guard? 186 00:16:24,239 –> 00:16:27,039 Well, we know from the last verse of chapter 37 187 00:16:27,039 –> 00:16:30,000 that Potiphar himself was the captain of the guard 188 00:16:30,000 –> 00:16:32,479 and so it seems quite clear from this verse 189 00:16:32,479 –> 00:16:35,919 that Potiphar still regarded Joseph with trust 190 00:16:35,919 –> 00:16:39,200 and had regard for his integrity and respect for him. 191 00:16:40,320 –> 00:16:42,479 Third, several commentators point out 192 00:16:43,200 –> 00:16:45,919 that when Potiphar’s wife told her story, 193 00:16:46,640 –> 00:16:48,799 the scripture says in verse 19 194 00:16:49,840 –> 00:16:53,760 that Potiphar’s anger was kindled, 195 00:16:54,400 –> 00:16:56,320 his anger was kindled. 196 00:16:58,000 –> 00:17:00,960 Very significantly, it does not say 197 00:17:00,960 –> 00:17:03,440 his anger was kindled against Joseph. 198 00:17:04,239 –> 00:17:10,800 It just says he was angry when she told this story. 199 00:17:12,319 –> 00:17:13,920 Now put all of this together 200 00:17:14,640 –> 00:17:17,359 with the trust that Potiphar had in Joseph, 201 00:17:17,359 –> 00:17:19,599 the integrity that Joseph had shown 202 00:17:19,599 –> 00:17:22,479 unceasingly throughout his entire employment, 203 00:17:22,479 –> 00:17:25,199 the trust that had been between these men 204 00:17:25,199 –> 00:17:28,000 and I think that it is reasonable to conclude 205 00:17:28,000 –> 00:17:29,839 that Potiphar was angry 206 00:17:29,839 –> 00:17:33,439 because his wife had put him in an impossible position. 207 00:17:35,760 –> 00:17:36,800 I mean, think about it. 208 00:17:36,800 –> 00:17:38,319 All the servants are watching. 209 00:17:38,319 –> 00:17:45,760 They’ve all been primed with Potiphar’s wife’s story. 210 00:17:46,959 –> 00:17:49,119 They’re all on the side of Potiphar’s wife. 211 00:17:49,119 –> 00:17:51,119 They’re waiting to see what Potiphar’s going to do. 212 00:17:52,400 –> 00:17:54,880 And now Potiphar is presented with this story. 213 00:17:54,880 –> 00:17:56,800 What did what is he going to do? 214 00:17:56,800 –> 00:18:01,119 What will his life be if he sides with Joseph? 215 00:18:01,839 –> 00:18:04,479 His wife has put him in an impossible position 216 00:18:05,439 –> 00:18:13,760 and now he is angry and Potiphar’s anger and his affection lead him away from the truth. 217 00:18:15,520 –> 00:18:17,359 Meditating on Potiphar I’m thinking, 218 00:18:17,359 –> 00:18:19,199 This is like someone else in the Bible. 219 00:18:19,199 –> 00:18:21,839 This is awfully like Pontius Pilate. 220 00:18:23,199 –> 00:18:26,560 Seeds of disaffection have been sown in the crowd. 221 00:18:26,560 –> 00:18:28,400 Accusations have been made. 222 00:18:28,479 –> 00:18:30,959 People are saying you are no friend of Caesar, 223 00:18:30,959 –> 00:18:32,479 if you let this man go. 224 00:18:34,079 –> 00:18:35,599 And Jesus says to him, 225 00:18:35,599 –> 00:18:40,239 now everyone Pilate who is on the side of truth listens to me. 226 00:18:41,199 –> 00:18:42,640 And Pilate says, 227 00:18:43,359 –> 00:18:44,640 Well, what is truth? 228 00:18:46,239 –> 00:18:48,719 See, truth has to be crucified. 229 00:18:50,400 –> 00:18:53,920 Joseph has to go on the cross to the prison. 230 00:18:55,119 –> 00:18:57,199 Jesus has to go to the cross. 231 00:18:58,479 –> 00:19:00,719 Truth has to be sacrificed, why? 232 00:19:00,719 –> 00:19:04,000 Because other interests have to be served. 233 00:19:04,000 –> 00:19:06,560 It’s too costly to go with the truth. 234 00:19:08,959 –> 00:19:10,800 Now friends here’s where this speaks to us. 235 00:19:10,800 –> 00:19:14,400 We like to think of ourselves as being fair, open-minded, 236 00:19:14,400 –> 00:19:16,719 you know, honest and balanced and all that good stuff, 237 00:19:16,719 –> 00:19:18,000 we go by the facts. 238 00:19:19,520 –> 00:19:20,400 Here’s the fact, 239 00:19:22,000 –> 00:19:25,040 we are not neutral when it comes to God. 240 00:19:26,560 –> 00:19:27,599 We are not neutral. 241 00:19:29,280 –> 00:19:30,479 And the Bible lays this out. 242 00:19:30,479 –> 00:19:32,640 You can check it out and I encourage you to do so 243 00:19:32,640 –> 00:19:33,920 if you’re not familiar with this 244 00:19:33,920 –> 00:19:36,079 in Romans in chapter one from verse 18 245 00:19:36,079 –> 00:19:37,920 to the end of the chapter. 246 00:19:38,560 –> 00:19:40,800 And here’s the argument that Paul lays out there. 247 00:19:40,800 –> 00:19:41,599 It’s simply this. 248 00:19:42,800 –> 00:19:48,000 There is enough light in the creation around us alone 249 00:19:49,199 –> 00:19:51,680 for every person on the planet 250 00:19:51,680 –> 00:19:55,280 to know that there is a living God who has great power. 251 00:19:56,239 –> 00:20:00,319 And somewhere deep within our hearts, we all know this. 252 00:20:00,319 –> 00:20:03,199 That’s the argument that Paul lays out in Romans and chapter one. 253 00:20:04,160 –> 00:20:06,239 But here’s what we do. 254 00:20:06,239 –> 00:20:10,719 Romans 1, 18, we suppress the truth. 255 00:20:11,839 –> 00:20:12,959 We push it down. 256 00:20:14,079 –> 00:20:16,079 We push it away. 257 00:20:16,880 –> 00:20:20,640 We exchange the truth of God for a lie. 258 00:20:21,920 –> 00:20:23,199 Why would we do that? 259 00:20:24,160 –> 00:20:26,880 Because if there really is a God of power, 260 00:20:26,880 –> 00:20:30,160 I’m gonna have to find out what He requires of me. 261 00:20:30,160 –> 00:20:33,680 And that may put me in an uncomfortable position. 262 00:20:33,680 –> 00:20:36,000 I sense it could be costly. 263 00:20:37,599 –> 00:20:38,479 We’re not neutral. 264 00:20:38,479 –> 00:20:40,000 We got skin in this game. 265 00:20:41,439 –> 00:20:45,359 See, isn’t that what Pilate and what Potiphar are doing here? 266 00:20:47,439 –> 00:20:49,119 Suppressing the truth. 267 00:20:50,800 –> 00:20:52,400 And the Bible says that’s what we do. 268 00:20:52,800 –> 00:20:56,000 By nature, because like Potiphar, like Pilate, 269 00:20:56,000 –> 00:20:59,119 we don’t like the position that the truth would put us in. 270 00:21:00,640 –> 00:21:06,000 Facing it would be very costly for us, indeed. 271 00:21:06,719 –> 00:21:10,239 And so we read in verse 20 that Joseph’s master took him 272 00:21:11,920 –> 00:21:13,119 and put him in the prison. 273 00:21:14,479 –> 00:21:20,000 The place where the king’s prisoners were confined. 274 00:21:20,880 –> 00:21:22,699 I don’t suppose Potiphar slept well that 275 00:21:22,699 –> 00:21:24,880 night, or the night after, or the night after that. 276 00:21:26,640 –> 00:21:32,000 Because he knows in his heart that he’s been acting to protect himself 277 00:21:33,359 –> 00:21:36,239 and that he’s been suppressing the truth. 278 00:21:37,520 –> 00:21:38,479 Does that speak to you? 279 00:21:39,520 –> 00:21:40,800 It’s what we do by nature. 280 00:21:42,560 –> 00:21:46,640 It’s very interesting to me that Joseph did not try to defend himself. 281 00:21:47,520 –> 00:21:50,160 Why didn’t he say, Potiphar, you haven’t heard my side of the story? 282 00:21:51,520 –> 00:21:53,119 You haven’t heard the case for the defense. 283 00:21:54,560 –> 00:21:55,599 Why didn’t he do that? 284 00:21:57,760 –> 00:22:00,319 Because he knew he did not have an honest judge. 285 00:22:02,239 –> 00:22:04,079 Potiphar was not seeking the truth. 286 00:22:04,079 –> 00:22:07,199 He was looking to find a way out of a difficult situation. 287 00:22:07,920 –> 00:22:11,839 And that, of course, was exactly the same for Our Lord Jesus Christ. 288 00:22:11,839 –> 00:22:15,199 As a sheep before her shearers is silent, 289 00:22:15,280 –> 00:22:16,640 so he opened not his mouth. 290 00:22:16,640 –> 00:22:20,319 When the accusations were put to him, he did not answer a single word. 291 00:22:20,319 –> 00:22:22,160 Why? Because he didn’t have an honest judge. 292 00:22:24,239 –> 00:22:24,880 And he knew it. 293 00:22:27,359 –> 00:22:32,959 Thank God, friends, that this world has a better judge than Potiphar. 294 00:22:32,959 –> 00:22:35,439 Right? Thank God for that. 295 00:22:36,880 –> 00:22:40,479 Think of the long list of people through the history of the Bible 296 00:22:40,479 –> 00:22:42,239 and then of the history of the world 297 00:22:42,239 –> 00:22:45,760 who have been falsely accused and wrongfully imprisoned. 298 00:22:47,599 –> 00:22:53,920 Joseph, Jeremiah, Daniel, John on the isle of Patmos, 299 00:22:53,920 –> 00:22:58,479 Paul in Philippi and in Rome, Jesus in the house of Caiaphas… 300 00:22:58,479 –> 00:23:04,079 Think of the long lines of thousands on every continent of the world 301 00:23:05,280 –> 00:23:08,000 who, throughout history, have been falsely accused, 302 00:23:08,560 –> 00:23:10,160 unable to get a fair trial, 303 00:23:11,359 –> 00:23:12,959 wrongfully imprisoned… 304 00:23:14,560 –> 00:23:18,160 Thank God there will be a day of judgment when God, 305 00:23:18,160 –> 00:23:22,400 who knows the hearts of all people, knows the circumstance of every situation 306 00:23:22,400 –> 00:23:26,400 from whom nothing is ever hidden, all truth is open before him, 307 00:23:26,400 –> 00:23:28,239 he will be the judge. 308 00:23:29,280 –> 00:23:34,800 And there will be a day of vindication for those who have been falsely accused, 309 00:23:34,800 –> 00:23:35,760 falsely accused. 310 00:23:36,800 –> 00:23:39,520 For those who have been wrongfully imprisoned, 311 00:23:39,520 –> 00:23:43,119 if that has happened to you, you’ve lived under a false accusation, 312 00:23:43,119 –> 00:23:46,800 there will be a day of vindication for you, because God is the God of truth. 313 00:23:48,319 –> 00:23:54,079 And here is the problem for Potiphar’s wife, and for all who like her spread the lie. 314 00:23:54,079 –> 00:23:59,760 Here is the problem for Potiphar, and for all who like him, suppress the truth, 315 00:23:59,760 –> 00:24:03,599 one day we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 316 00:24:05,599 –> 00:24:10,319 And before Him, all hearts are open, from Him no secret is hid. 317 00:24:12,719 –> 00:24:18,719 When you just think about that, there is the day when truth will be revealed. 318 00:24:21,520 –> 00:24:26,239 And you say to yourself, I dare not speak the lie. 319 00:24:27,839 –> 00:24:31,520 And I dare not suppress the truth. 320 00:24:31,839 –> 00:24:36,239 And if I have lied and if I have made a false accusation, 321 00:24:37,359 –> 00:24:41,439 if I have pretended to virtue to the hurt of another person, 322 00:24:41,439 –> 00:24:46,560 I must confess. I must repent. 323 00:24:48,000 –> 00:24:51,040 I must seek forgiveness from God — 324 00:24:51,760 –> 00:24:57,760 and I must seek forgiveness from the one I have wronged. 325 00:24:58,400 –> 00:25:01,520 I must seek forgiveness of the one I have wronged. 326 00:25:03,439 –> 00:25:07,119 So Potiphar’s wife spreading the lie. 327 00:25:08,319 –> 00:25:12,800 Potiphar, suppressing the truth. 328 00:25:15,040 –> 00:25:18,079 Last cameo Joseph, and I’ve called this one 329 00:25:18,079 –> 00:25:21,439 standing by faith. Standing by faith. 330 00:25:22,560 –> 00:25:24,959 Joseph has been in the Pit before, of course, 331 00:25:25,920 –> 00:25:27,280 only this time it is worst. 332 00:25:28,800 –> 00:25:31,680 Especially at the beginning, I already referred to, 333 00:25:31,680 –> 00:25:34,560 chapter 40, in verse 4, where he begins to rise 334 00:25:34,560 –> 00:25:36,239 even within the world of the prison 335 00:25:36,239 –> 00:25:37,920 because of his integrity. 336 00:25:37,920 –> 00:25:39,920 But at the beginning, it was grim. 337 00:25:39,920 –> 00:25:43,199 Psalm 105, and verse 18, 338 00:25:43,199 –> 00:25:46,079 gives us a little additional piece of information 339 00:25:46,079 –> 00:25:49,119 on this time in Joseph’s life, it says, 340 00:25:49,119 –> 00:25:52,000 his feet were hurt with fetters 341 00:25:52,000 –> 00:25:56,800 with fetters and his neck was put in a collar of iron. 342 00:25:56,800 –> 00:25:58,560 That’s Psalm 105, verse 18. 343 00:25:59,280 –> 00:26:02,400 His feet were hurt with fetters 344 00:26:02,400 –> 00:26:06,800 and his neck was put in a collar of iron. 345 00:26:06,800 –> 00:26:08,640 So you picture Joseph. 346 00:26:08,640 –> 00:26:14,880 This is the lowest point of Joseph’s life. 347 00:26:16,560 –> 00:26:18,160 He’s gone from here to here. 348 00:26:19,119 –> 00:26:21,680 Now what has been the lowest point of your life? 349 00:26:23,359 –> 00:26:25,040 You experienced something like this? 350 00:26:27,199 –> 00:26:31,599 God was blessing you and things were going so well, 351 00:26:31,599 –> 00:26:33,199 your life was on the rise, 352 00:26:34,880 –> 00:26:36,479 and then you were cut down. 353 00:26:38,160 –> 00:26:41,280 You were working hard and the reward you got 354 00:26:41,280 –> 00:26:43,680 was false things being said about you. 355 00:26:43,680 –> 00:26:46,000 People who you would thought were friends 356 00:26:46,000 –> 00:26:47,520 turned against you. 357 00:26:47,760 –> 00:26:52,719 God blessed you, and then what he had given was taken away, 358 00:26:53,680 –> 00:26:57,359 and suddenly you find yourself in a place of great darkness. 359 00:26:58,560 –> 00:27:00,079 I’m preparing this message, 360 00:27:00,079 –> 00:27:02,640 and just thinking across the congregation 361 00:27:02,640 –> 00:27:06,880 and thinking of multiple stories of loss, 362 00:27:06,880 –> 00:27:10,160 painful loss among us today, 363 00:27:11,680 –> 00:27:13,119 sudden loss of health, 364 00:27:13,520 –> 00:27:14,719 sudden loss of health, 365 00:27:16,400 –> 00:27:17,920 sudden loss of a loved one, 366 00:27:19,520 –> 00:27:24,319 sudden loss in regards to your career and your working life, 367 00:27:24,319 –> 00:27:26,239 the position that God had given to you. 368 00:27:28,479 –> 00:27:31,199 And this story speaks right into our lives, 369 00:27:33,199 –> 00:27:37,119 the sudden loss of that which God himself had given and the pain of it, 370 00:27:38,719 –> 00:27:41,199 and many of you are immediately recognizing that, 371 00:27:41,439 –> 00:27:43,520 yes, I can see how that speaks to me, 372 00:27:43,520 –> 00:27:46,319 and if you don’t know it then perhaps one day you will. 373 00:27:48,959 –> 00:27:51,599 I want you to notice something very striking 374 00:27:52,719 –> 00:27:59,359 as the scripture gives us the lowest point of Joseph’s life. 375 00:28:01,760 –> 00:28:08,079 It doesn’t say a single thing about what he felt. 376 00:28:08,560 –> 00:28:11,439 Now that to me is absolutely astonishing 377 00:28:11,439 –> 00:28:14,560 because of course the Psalms are absolutely full 378 00:28:14,560 –> 00:28:17,199 of what believers who’ve experienced loss have felt. 379 00:28:17,199 –> 00:28:20,160 All our questions and all of our feelings 380 00:28:20,160 –> 00:28:22,319 and all of that is in the scripture, 381 00:28:22,319 –> 00:28:24,479 why, because it’s really really important. 382 00:28:26,160 –> 00:28:28,560 I have absolutely no doubt friends 383 00:28:28,560 –> 00:28:31,520 that Joseph was absolutely gutted. 384 00:28:33,040 –> 00:28:35,040 I’m in the pain of this kind of loss. 385 00:28:35,119 –> 00:28:36,079 I’m in the pain of loss. 386 00:28:38,000 –> 00:28:38,880 How would you feel? 387 00:28:41,199 –> 00:28:44,319 I’ve no doubt that Joseph must’ve asked questions. 388 00:28:45,680 –> 00:28:48,400 Jesus on the cross says, why? 389 00:28:49,520 –> 00:28:51,199 And surely Joseph in the prison 390 00:28:51,199 –> 00:28:54,079 and you and me in our situations of real struggle 391 00:28:54,079 –> 00:28:56,000 when we come to our darkest days. 392 00:28:56,000 –> 00:28:57,760 We’re gonna be asking all these questions. 393 00:28:57,760 –> 00:29:01,839 Why God and why this injustice in this world 394 00:29:02,400 –> 00:29:03,359 that you are just, 395 00:29:03,359 –> 00:29:06,160 and how long until I’m gonna be delivered from this? 396 00:29:08,400 –> 00:29:13,920 And yet the Holy Spirit passes over all of that 397 00:29:13,920 –> 00:29:16,239 whatever it might have been for Joseph in the prison 398 00:29:17,680 –> 00:29:20,880 does not record a single word about it. 399 00:29:21,520 –> 00:29:23,199 And I’m looking at that and saying why? 400 00:29:24,400 –> 00:29:28,319 Why is what I would expect to be there not there? 401 00:29:28,880 –> 00:29:30,880 And I can only come to this conclusion 402 00:29:30,880 –> 00:29:34,319 that it was because God, in his great kindness and providence 403 00:29:34,319 –> 00:29:38,959 wants here to direct our attention to something else. 404 00:29:40,800 –> 00:29:43,280 Which is the really big question, 405 00:29:43,280 –> 00:29:45,040 how did Joseph get through? 406 00:29:46,560 –> 00:29:48,959 How in the world did he survive 407 00:29:49,520 –> 00:29:51,119 this lowest point of his life? 408 00:29:52,640 –> 00:29:56,079 And that, God has told us. 409 00:29:56,239 –> 00:29:58,800 God has told us, look at what it says. 410 00:29:59,599 –> 00:30:01,599 He got through because of God’s presence, 411 00:30:01,599 –> 00:30:03,199 it’s there multiple times. 412 00:30:03,199 –> 00:30:04,560 Joseph knew that God was with him. 413 00:30:05,839 –> 00:30:08,319 The Lord was with Joseph. 414 00:30:10,319 –> 00:30:13,599 The Lord showed him steadfast love. 415 00:30:14,959 –> 00:30:16,319 In case we haven’t got it, 416 00:30:17,920 –> 00:30:18,719 the Lord was with him. 417 00:30:20,560 –> 00:30:24,640 God went to prison with Joseph. 418 00:30:26,479 –> 00:30:30,560 One writer, George Lawson has this beautiful comment. 419 00:30:30,560 –> 00:30:33,680 He says, don’t think that the presence of God 420 00:30:33,680 –> 00:30:36,000 with his people is limited to churches. 421 00:30:37,839 –> 00:30:40,640 His presence has often been manifestly seen 422 00:30:41,920 –> 00:30:43,839 when he was with them in prisons, 423 00:30:43,839 –> 00:30:49,280 in caves, in dens, on gibbets and in fiery furnaces. 424 00:30:49,439 –> 00:30:52,400 The presence of God was with him 425 00:30:52,400 –> 00:30:56,640 at the lowest point of his life. 426 00:30:56,959 –> 00:30:59,199 And the presence of God is with you 427 00:30:59,199 –> 00:31:00,800 at the lowest point of your life. 428 00:31:00,800 –> 00:31:02,239 That’s what you need to hold on to. 429 00:31:02,239 –> 00:31:03,839 That’s what the Bible tells you. 430 00:31:04,719 –> 00:31:06,719 I will never leave you. 431 00:31:07,920 –> 00:31:10,000 I will never forsake you. 432 00:31:11,920 –> 00:31:14,640 I will hold you at the lowest point of your life. 433 00:31:16,319 –> 00:31:18,400 Then not only did he have God’s fervent, 434 00:31:18,479 –> 00:31:19,599 not only did he have God’s presence, 435 00:31:19,599 –> 00:31:21,119 he had God’s wonderful promise. 436 00:31:22,079 –> 00:31:24,000 Remember, Joseph had been given the dream. 437 00:31:24,640 –> 00:31:25,520 It had come to him. 438 00:31:25,520 –> 00:31:27,359 Remember, the first message in the series 439 00:31:27,359 –> 00:31:30,560 it came to him with all the force of the Word of God. 440 00:31:30,560 –> 00:31:34,160 God had revealed the future to Joseph 441 00:31:34,160 –> 00:31:35,839 and God has revealed the future, 442 00:31:35,839 –> 00:31:37,680 the ultimate outcome to us 443 00:31:37,680 –> 00:31:40,000 and to all his people in the Scriptures. 444 00:31:41,280 –> 00:31:44,239 So when this man comes to the lowest point of his life, 445 00:31:44,800 –> 00:31:47,359 he knows it cannot end here. 446 00:31:48,239 –> 00:31:49,920 It does not end here. 447 00:31:50,880 –> 00:31:53,359 So Joseph can say there in the pit, 448 00:31:53,920 –> 00:31:57,920 God is with me here and it does not end here. 449 00:31:57,920 –> 00:32:00,719 I have hope because I am looking to God 450 00:32:00,719 –> 00:32:02,640 and to see what he has yet to do 451 00:32:02,640 –> 00:32:04,880 in regards to fulfilling the promise 452 00:32:04,880 –> 00:32:06,239 that he has given to me. 453 00:32:08,160 –> 00:32:09,199 And then there’s one more thing 454 00:32:09,199 –> 00:32:12,880 that’s just wonderful in these last verses here 455 00:32:12,880 –> 00:32:14,959 and it is the way in which 456 00:32:14,959 –> 00:32:18,719 Joseph moves into the purpose of God 457 00:32:18,719 –> 00:32:21,199 even at this lowest point of his life. 458 00:32:22,400 –> 00:32:23,280 Verse 21, 459 00:32:23,920 –> 00:32:25,359 the Lord was with Joseph, 460 00:32:25,359 –> 00:32:27,599 gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 461 00:32:28,400 –> 00:32:30,719 The keeper of the prion put Joseph in charge 462 00:32:30,719 –> 00:32:33,040 of all the prisoners who were in the prison. 463 00:32:33,680 –> 00:32:36,000 Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 464 00:32:36,719 –> 00:32:38,560 The keeper of the prison paid no attention 465 00:32:38,560 –> 00:32:40,880 to everything that was in Joseph’s charge 466 00:32:40,880 –> 00:32:43,119 because the Lord was with him 467 00:32:43,119 –> 00:32:44,719 and whatever he did, 468 00:32:44,719 –> 00:32:46,880 the Lord made it succeed. 469 00:32:47,760 –> 00:32:50,079 Now, that language is exactly a mirror of 470 00:32:50,079 –> 00:32:53,040 what was said when Joseph came into Potiphar’s house. 471 00:32:53,040 –> 00:32:55,040 See, the blessing of God is on this man. 472 00:32:55,920 –> 00:32:57,119 So wherever he goes, 473 00:32:57,119 –> 00:32:59,520 there’s a sense in which the blessing of God comes with him. 474 00:32:59,520 –> 00:33:01,199 He comes into Potiphar’s house 475 00:33:01,199 –> 00:33:03,119 and the blessing comes on Potiphar’s house. 476 00:33:04,400 –> 00:33:06,640 He gets into the prison and what happens? 477 00:33:06,640 –> 00:33:08,640 There’s blessing that’s happening in the prison. 478 00:33:10,640 –> 00:33:11,920 Matthew Henry says, 479 00:33:12,719 –> 00:33:16,719 That’s really helpful. 480 00:33:17,520 –> 00:33:27,439 Whether at the high point of life 481 00:33:27,439 –> 00:33:29,520 or whether at the lowest point of life. 482 00:33:30,319 –> 00:33:34,000 And here’s the principle on which Joseph is evidently working. 483 00:33:34,000 –> 00:33:37,040 If God brings me to the lowest place, 484 00:33:37,040 –> 00:33:40,560 let me bring his blessing to others who will come there. 485 00:33:41,520 –> 00:33:44,000 If God brings me to a place of sorrow, 486 00:33:44,640 –> 00:33:47,439 then through my tears let me seek to bring 487 00:33:47,439 –> 00:33:49,920 his blessing to others who sorrow. 488 00:33:49,920 –> 00:33:51,920 If God brings me to a place of loss, 489 00:33:53,199 –> 00:33:56,160 let me use this experience 490 00:33:56,160 –> 00:33:59,760 to bring blessing to others who also experience loss. 491 00:34:00,800 –> 00:34:04,560 If God allows me to suffer because of the injustice 492 00:34:04,560 –> 00:34:06,319 of a false accusation, 493 00:34:06,319 –> 00:34:08,639 let me be a means of bringing his blessing 494 00:34:08,639 –> 00:34:11,120 to others who suffer the injustice 495 00:34:11,120 –> 00:34:14,080 of living under false accusation. 496 00:34:14,080 –> 00:34:16,159 And he has ministry in the prison 497 00:34:16,159 –> 00:34:17,600 at the lowest point of his life. 498 00:34:20,000 –> 00:34:22,080 The hardest thing in your life 499 00:34:23,280 –> 00:34:25,120 may be the door that opens 500 00:34:26,080 –> 00:34:28,000 to your most significant ministry. 501 00:34:29,679 –> 00:34:32,000 Always have your eyes open to that. 502 00:34:32,000 –> 00:34:37,280 A good person will do good wherever he or she is. 503 00:34:38,879 –> 00:34:40,479 So put your story in here. 504 00:34:40,479 –> 00:34:41,840 Put your name in here. 505 00:34:43,040 –> 00:34:44,320 In the story of Joseph. 506 00:34:46,399 –> 00:34:47,199 You’ve worked hard. 507 00:34:47,199 –> 00:34:48,560 You’ve been blessed by God. 508 00:34:48,560 –> 00:34:50,000 You’ve lived with integrity. 509 00:34:50,000 –> 00:34:51,439 You’ve sought to follow Him. 510 00:34:53,040 –> 00:34:55,280 But then in some way you’ve been cut down. 511 00:34:56,719 –> 00:34:59,600 Your life changed, it happened so quickly. 512 00:34:59,600 –> 00:35:01,040 It took your breath away. 513 00:35:02,639 –> 00:35:05,439 But here’s what God’s word has for you today. 514 00:35:05,439 –> 00:35:06,399 God is with you. 515 00:35:07,360 –> 00:35:11,840 His promises stand firm and He has a purpose for you. 516 00:35:11,840 –> 00:35:18,479 Even in this suffering and this loss Christian brother or sister 517 00:35:19,679 –> 00:35:21,199 gains strength from this. 518 00:35:21,199 –> 00:35:29,199 No lie, no injustice can ever take the presence of God away from you. 519 00:35:31,439 –> 00:35:33,439 And no loss. 520 00:35:33,600 –> 00:35:41,600 No loss can ever thwart the fulfillment of His loving purpose for your life. 521 00:35:43,040 –> 00:35:45,840 God’s promise stands firm. 522 00:35:47,199 –> 00:35:51,120 His great purpose for you and through you will be accomplished. 523 00:35:52,239 –> 00:35:55,840 And all that He has pledged to you, it is yes 524 00:35:55,840 –> 00:35:57,040 and Amen. 525 00:35:57,840 –> 00:36:01,199 Because of Christ Jesus. 526 00:36:01,199 –> 00:36:02,239 Let’s pray together 527 00:36:03,199 –> 00:36:09,360 Father there are people here who are facing a very low and dark point in life. 528 00:36:12,639 –> 00:36:17,520 And pray that in your great mercy there may come a strong assurance of your presence. 529 00:36:19,280 –> 00:36:20,479 Of your great promise. 530 00:36:20,719 –> 00:36:22,000 Of your great promise. 531 00:36:24,639 –> 00:36:28,719 And even of your purpose that good may come 532 00:36:29,760 –> 00:36:36,000 through this and from this in the ministry that may be extended to others in a similar 533 00:36:36,000 –> 00:36:44,959 situation. I pray that you will guard us from the ugliness of sin. That you will protect us 534 00:36:44,959 –> 00:36:53,840 from a selfish kind of love. That where we suppress the truth and push you away because we 535 00:36:53,840 –> 00:37:00,639 sense the costliness of taking up the cross and following Jesus, that today would be the day 536 00:37:01,520 –> 00:37:08,000 of saying I’m so done with that and to come and to kneel at the cross of Jesus. 537 00:37:08,000 –> 00:37:16,879 And to say here am I, send me. Hear our prayers for Jesus’s sake. Amen.