Joseph a Picture of God's Providence

JOSEPH, PICTURE OF GOD'S prOVIDENCE

Text: Genesis 50:15-21

Intro: Joseph is one oft~ characters that stands out in the book of Genesis.

A lot of Genesis deals with Joseph and all that happened to him.

The providence 0 God is very remarkable in his life.

He even recognized God's Pjovidence after the things happened.

This is where faith comes in. ~aith trusts the Lord when we do not realize He is moving in ~ lives. We will be able to see it when we look back.

I. THE CHARACTE OF JOSEPH

A. He could be trusred.

1. His father trusted him to check on his brethren.

2. Potiphar trust~d him with all of his household.

3. The prison ke

1bpertrusted him and put him in charge of the prison.

4. The baker an the butler trusted him to listen and interpret thei~ dreams.

5. The Pharaoh bf Egypt trusted him and put him in charge of the Iwhole country.

6. God trusted hijm to look after His beloved people of Abraham. ~

B. He could be test d.

1. The provide~ce of God will always involve the testing of God's people under pressure.

2. All the way through Joseph's life you will see him being tested Jf God and others.

3. With each test Joseph seemed to be patient and acted godly.

C. He was tender.

1. One ofthe g eatest traits the saved should have is tenderness.

2. Paul teaches s to be kind and tenderhearted to one another. Eph sians 4:32

3. Joseph reveals his tenderness to Potiphar, the prisoners,

II. THE C~;~~hCASA4267 (talk) ;~so~~rothers.

A. He was spiritu~1.

1. If we are to ?e guided by the providence of God, we must be spiritual.

2. Our spirituality will help us trust the Lord and be patient durirlg the troubled times.

3. Very little iJ i

said of Joseph during all the troubles he endured and went through.

B. He was a servant.

1. All the way fhrough his life, Joseph displayed his servant heary.

2. He served his father, his owner, his prison keeper, the prisoners, Pharaoh, and his own people.

3. Jesus said t~e greatest among His people would be the one who seled others. This is the example the Lord has left for us.

4. Jesus wash9d the disciples' feet to teach them they should be s~rvants. As believers, our mainjob is to be a servant of me Lord. to come out from among them and be separated. I~Corinthians 6: 17 As children of God, we cannot be of and like the world.

2. There coul have been a lot of different reactions to what happe ed to Joseph, but he was what he was in his circumstan es.

3. He became the best slave. He became the best prisoner. He became the best leader. He became the best provider.

D. He was sensiti e to others.

1. As a young an wronged by his brothers, he still loved them.

2. As a servan , he would not wrong his master, even though he d been wronged.

3. As a PrisoneJ he did not become bitter and sour, he cared for the prisoners.

4. As a forgotten servant, he continued to be sensitive to others. I

III. THE CONSECRAfION OF JOSEPH

A. He was consecr ted to his father.

1. He was an 0 edient son who carried out the wishes of his father.

2. He was love of his father and hated by his brothers. That did not hange his consecration to his father.

B. He was consecrrted to his master.

1. Joseph was om free, but was sold into slavery. His own brother sold him to the Midianites who sold him in Egypt.

2. Joseph was ut in charge ofPotiphar's household. When tempt d, he would not offend his owner.

C. He was consecrted to his prison keeper.

1. ~e wa~ wro gly accused by Potiphar's wife and put into pnson.

2. In prison he was put in charge of the prisoners. He was consecrated 0 the prison keeper and the job that was given to hi .

D. He was consec~ated to Pharaoh of Egypt.

1. The butler r~membered a young man who interpreted his dream, after two years.

2. Joseph interPreted the dream of Pharaoh and was put in charge of all/of Pharaoh's kingdom.

3. He served praraoh with consecration and diligence.

E. He was consec~ated to his Lord.

1. All of the trouble started when Joseph revealed a dream he had. I do hot find where he was full of pride or acted out of pride.1

2. When Josep 's father died, he revealed to his brethren how God ha turned everything that had happened to him around.

3. He recogniz d God would take care of his family in Egypt for 0 r 400 years. That is providence.

IV. THE CONVICTI N OF JOSEPH

A. He had convict on for the right.

1. He refused t commit adultery with his owner's wife.

2. While he pr bably expressed human emotions at the things that h ppened, he was patient and productive.

3. He believed hat was right and he did what was right through all his troubles.

B. He had convic on for the Redeemer.

1. Joseph hono ed the Lord in all that happened to him.

2. His life spe s to us and challenges us to live right when wrong are done to us.

3, The Devil tries to make us believe that it is right to do wrong in tro bled times.

C. He had convict' n about respect.

1. He had res t for the Lord and His ways.

2. He respected those who were over him. He acted out of respect.

3. The flesh oft n will act ungodly when it faces troubles and pressure.

D. He had convicti n about the rules.

1. Joseph didn' make the rules. He didn't control some of the things t t happened to him. Joseph knew the rules and followed them, as we should today.

2. The way he t eated his owner, the prison keeper, the prisoners, th Pharoah, and his own brothers reveal this conviction fo the rules.

3. Every time I ead about Joseph seeing his brothers in Egypt for the first time, it moves me. He was moved to weeping.

4. After Jacob ied, the brothers thought Joseph would get even. They ought he might be putting on a good show. He ass ed them of his forgiveness.