Integrity, helpfulness do not pay! Fortunately ! Genesis 39 and 40
prédication Genèse 39 : Patrice Berger, 2023_06_29, église AB Lausanne
titre : Integrity, helpfulness do not pay! Fortunately ! Genesis 39 and 40
Résumé : Amidst the ordeal of slavery and imprisonment, Joseph becomes the person who succeeds in everything he touches. Obviously, it is not he but the Eternal who gives this success. However, this success does not intoxicate him, Joseph remains honest and helpful even if it does not change his condition. Is it extraordinary though?
Integrity, helpfulness do not pay! Fortunately ! Genesis 39 and 40
Sermon Genesis 39 and 40: Integrity, helpfulness do not pay! Fortunately !
Quote
Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899), founder of the Young Men’s Christian Union said:
“Sin will keep you away from reading the Bible.
On the other hand, reading the Bible will keep you away from sin.»
(From “ Each Day Suffices His Grace ” volume 2, David Sutherland, page for September 29)
So let’s read the Bible:
Sequel to Judah, chapter 38
Chapter 39 resumes the narration of what happens to Joseph.
Genesis 39; Genesis 40 (see Bible Passage)
Joseph Superman?
This Joseph is incredible… When he is there, everything works great:
his arrival at Potiphar rhymes with prosperity and he becomes the general intendant,
ditto in prison, everything goes through him because it’s nickel!
The Lord gives the abilities
This Joseph is incredible… False!
It is the Eternal who makes what Joseph undertakes succeed.
The text is very explicit on this subject.
2 The Lord was with Joseph and success followed him
And it’s not
his intelligence,
his studies,
his abilities,
his work,
his physical strength…
It is the Lord!
This is repeated at least 7 times!
The Lord explains
Joseph did not have the gift of explaining dreams either, but God gave him this ability for these 2 dreams.
8 “Do not explanations belong to God? Tell me about your dream. »
Don’t take what God gives us
Never mistake us to believe that these are
our little muscular arms or
our super intelligence
that bring us the slightest success.
Indeed, it is in him that we have life, movement and being,
James 1. 16-17
16 Make no mistake about it, my beloved brothers and sisters: 17 every blessing and every perfect gift comes from above; they descend from the Father of lights, in whom there is neither change nor the shadow of variation.
Which allow us
to advance in studies,
to advance in our career?
Properly manage given capacities
We are stewards of the abilities and gifts that God gives us.
We have no merit of it.
Therefore, what we receive, as
tribute,
acknowledgement,
securities,
salary,
diplomas,
as a result of what we undertake are only the consequences of what God has given us as abilities and opportunities.
It is up to us to be good managers in the eyes of God to manage
Fame,
finances
that He allows us to have.
Manage beauty
The Lord gave Joseph to be very handsome.
How did Joseph handle this aspect?
He has not become a « serial lover », who collects conquests.
But even while being handsome, he remained intact.
Refuse advances
Joseph resists the sexual harassment of Potiphar’s wife.
Social consequences
Incidentally, I don’t know how it played out later when Joseph was second in the kingdom and had to be confronted by the husband and wife Potiphars again…
It is also a source of reflection for us.
Our seriousness in the sexual field removes complexity for the future, on the social level at least and obviously for that of the testimony.
Joseph resists – flees
Joseph’s best decision was to run away and not stay
together,
eye to eye,
to tell him that « it was not good »!
When a situation is rotten, we run away from it. Point !
When we are involved (not necessarily voluntarily),
that there are feelings involved,
passion,
we are never the solution to extinguish the ambiguous situation.
Staying, “listening”, is only unconsciousness that will rekindle the embers of a passion that must be extinguished.
Unless one indulges in ambiguity with its inevitable bad consequences.
Why does Joseph resist these advances?
Joseph resists the advances of Madame Potiphar,
out of respect for her husband,
for the sake of God.
To love God and your neighbor as yourself.
Mark 12:29-31
29 Jesus answered, “This is the first: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your mind. all your strength. 31 Here is the second: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these.”
Matthew 22:37-39
37 Jesus answered him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And here is the second, which is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
The subject concerning Madame Potiphar and Joseph leads to reflections.
1) Sexuality in the couple
Already in ancient times we can see that there was the notion
exclusivity of sexual expression in the married couple of a man and a woman.
In the previous chapter, an aspect of sexuality outside the couple is practiced with a prostitute.
We understand that this is not the same as usual in a married couple of a man and a woman.
It cannot be said that Joseph was influenced by Judeo-Christian conditioning because there was neither…
2) Sexuality is linked with God
What Joseph categorically refuses with the idea of adultery is harm to his neighbor (and also to himself – adultery only destroys those who practice it. Pleasure is often more in the forbidden So adultery feeds into that aspect and it’s also because he doesn’t want to sin against God, so God is concerned with sexuality.
These two aspects – sexuality in a married couple of a man and a woman and that God is concerned with my sexuality, even more, it is He who gives the indications for sexuality (He is the designer) – cross the whole history of mankind and it is told to us both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament.
An official male-female couple
We can note that in the Bible, where God gives us the instructions for life, the expression of sexuality is planned in the thought of God, exclusively within the framework of a couple of a man and a woman. officially married.
In the OT
In the Old Testament everything outside is described in terms that can never be confused with that of a couple of a man and a woman officially married.
For example, prostitute, concubine, rape, adultery, etc.
In the NT
In the New Testament, the same and in a much simpler way: all sexual practices outside the married couple of a man and a woman are described by the term pornéia (which gave porn in French)
Example: 1 Corinthians 6:13
But the body is not for sexual immorality
No progress
No progress, no modernity in a sexuality outside the officially married couple of a man and a woman; it is absolutely not progress, as our modern Western world would suggest, to have relations as we understand them. It is, to say the least, ancient (since we see a text from the time of the pharaohs where obviously this was the case).
Always the same context
And it is interesting to note that the biblical authors recalled God’s framework for sexuality, while around them the sexual practices were exactly the same as they are now!
The central marriage in all ages
And in a context of sexual practices identical to what we know today, the notion of official marriage runs through the entire Bible, as the exclusive framework of the sexuality of a couple of a man and a woman. Marriage only!
Couple, marriage, Christ-Church image
This strong commitment, which testifies to real love, is used as an image between Christ and the Church.
That I know of,
Christ is not the concubine of the Church,
Christ does not have a trial relationship with the Church,
Christ is not in peace with the Church,
the Church is the bride of Christ ( Ephesians 5:22-33 ).
single frame
If our faith and our life are based on what God reveals to us in the Bible, the expression of our sexuality is reserved for the intimacy of the couple of an officially married man and woman.
Officially
I specify that the church never marries anyone but it is the official services where we are who ratify and record this indisputable decision.
Each sermon is identified, among other things, by a title on the assembly’s website.
The sermon of the day is entitled:
Integrity, helpfulness do not pay! Fortunately !!!
This is what happens to Joseph: his integrity with Potiphar’s wife, his devotion in prison…
And the end of the chapter ends with these words:
23 The senior beverage manager did not remember Joseph. He forgot it.
Certainly, there is a form of injustice and rest assured, it has not escaped God, however, this situation invites us to meditation.
Am I faithful in my relationship because, secretly, I want God’s blessing?
Am I faithful to the biblical framework on sexuality because I expect a return on investment?
Am I helpful or serving God because I’m waiting for a lift?
I hope not !
If we are
honest,
that we cling to the prescriptions of God,
that we serve,
it’s just the normalcy of life…
It’s nothing special,
it deserves nothing in return!
It’s nothing exceptional not to succumb to sexual advances
for Joseph,
like for us.
It’s normal ! It’s normal life!
Integrity,
helpfulness
don’t pay!
And that’s not why I do it.
I’m doing it for God and it’s nothing like “wow! »
It is the expression of our identity!
Matthew 7. 16 b -18
Do we pick grapes from brambles or figs from thistles? 17 Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree bear good fruit.
Integrity and helpfulness do not pay ! Fortunately !!!
Because if we are
integrity or
helpful,
it is because it is the expression of our identity in Christ which molds our heart and our thoughts little by little, with the help of the Spirit, so that our actions stick more and more to our identity as child of God.
So if we are
integrity or
helpful,
It’s nothing extraordinary, it’s normal!
Luke 17. 10
You likewise, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are useless servants, we have done what we had to do.’”
On the other hand, if we are not, let us ask God to help us so that our gestures increasingly reflect our identity as children of God.
Psalm No. 1
1 Blessed is the man who does not follow the counsel of the wicked,
who does not stop in the way of sinners
and do not sit with scoffers,
2 but who delights in the law of the LORD
and meditate on it day and night!
3 It looks like a tree planted near a stream :
it bears fruit in its season,
and its foliage does not wither.
Everything he does succeeds.
4 The wicked, on the contrary,
like straw that the wind scatters.
5 This is why the wicked do not stand in judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
No worries, nothing has escaped the Lord for Joseph!
No worries, nothing escapes the Lord for our lives!
Bible Passages
Genesis 39:1-23
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither.
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not aught he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored.
And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master knoweth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,
That she called unto the men of her house, and spoke unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in a Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice:
And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.
And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.
And she spoke unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:
And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
Genesis 40:1-23
And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.
And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.
And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.
And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly today?
And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.
And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;
And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.
And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:
Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.
But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:
For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:
And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakedmeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.
And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:
Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.
And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:
But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Related Links / Notes
Series : The Josephs in the Bible
Study Notes are translated from the original French version prepared by the pastor Patrice Berger. The orginal French notes are in « note » form, and are not a direct transcription of the video, however they are quite close the original text preached at the church. The notes provided here follow that form, and are detailed enough to help provide a deep understanding of the texts of the parables.
All services as well as some of the bible studies are streamed on the channel YouTube église AB Renens-Lausanne. Also visit the You Tube channel of the Swiss Action Biblique Youth Groups (JAB Suisse Romande).
Bible verses cited in this series are avalaible online in the KJV Bible among others and also as a podcast on Spotify
Keywords
- Antichrist
- Christ
- Son of God
- Eternal life
- Assurance
- Communion
- Perseverance
- Discernment
- Holy Spirit