Bible Study: "The Life Of Joseph: A Career That Impacted And Saved The World--Part 3

CAREER Boost—Session 3 (Genesis, Chapter 39:7-23)
Bible Study: “The Life Of Joseph: A Career That Impacted And Saved The World”


INTRO:
Genesis 39:6-23 (NASB95)
6 So he left everything he owned in Joseph's charge; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
7 It came about after these events that his master's wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."

Career Hi-Lights!
• The notion that we have “job security” based upon our performance and hard work is erroneous.
• Joseph had a lot going for him—the trust of his boss, the blessing of the Lord, and…he was sexy.
• It often happens that our “strengths” can sometimes become the very things that lead to trouble.
• The misuse and abuse of power is a common occurrence in the workplace. In this case, it was sexual harassment. When we are on the receiving end of an abuse of power, it can change our world.

8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge.
9 "There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?"
10 As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her.


Career Hi-Lights!
• A proper stewardship must be a part of our work ethic. We must know what belongs to us…and what belongs to the company.
• It takes a strong inner conviction not to bend to what is “convenient” instead of embracing what is “correct.”
• A Christian worldview of career always keeps this question at the forefront of one’s mind: “what does God think about this?”
• The temptation to sin does not go away easily—it is persistent, seeking to wear us down.

11 Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside.
12 She caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.
13 When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside,
14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I screamed.
15 "When he heard that I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside."
16 So she left his garment beside her until his master came home.
17 Then she spoke to him with these words, "The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to make sport of me;
18 and as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside."
19 Now when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, "This is what your slave did to me," his anger burned.

Career Hi-Lights!
• It is a whole lot easier to prove your case when there are witnesses around you.
• Just because we do the “right” thing, it does not mean we are protected from slander and false accusations.
• In the end, all things are political and are founded on power. In this case, Joseph had good connections, but they were miniscule compared to the power controlled by Potiphar’s wife.
• In spite of Joseph’s stellar work record and morally ethical life, he became the victim of a power struggle; and in this case, the misplaced anger of his boss became the tool God used to give Joseph his next career transfer—making license plates in jail.

20 So Joseph's master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail.
21 But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.
22 The chief jailer committed to Joseph's charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it.
23 The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper.

Career Hi-Lights!
• We can never judge our difficult circumstances at work as a “bad” thing when it is the very thing God uses to work out His plan for our life.
• Even in the most challenging times, the Lord is with us. In Joseph’s case, the Lord was not only with him, but also extended kindness to him, as well as giving him great favor with the chief jailer.
• Once again, even in a place Joseph did not choose to go, the Lord promotes him and gives him greater responsibility.
• Once again, like Potiphar, before a pagan unbeliever, the witness of Joseph and the Lord’s blessing upon him had a great impact upon the chief jailer. The prisoner became a blessing to the jailer. In reality, the prisoner was much freer than the jailer: God’s man at work was at work impacting those in authority.

Some Final Thoughts:
1. Has there ever been an occasion at work when the rug was pulled out from under me when I thought I was doing a great job?



2. Have I ever suffered the brunt of a misuse of power by those who supervise me? What kinds of feelings did I experience? Was I ever able to address how I felt to anyone else?



3. What is my strategy to keep God in the forefront of my mind when I am at work?



4. If I were to give someone like Joseph counsel, what would I say to them that would be an encouragement to them?



5. When I am given “power” over someone else, how sensitive am I to use it wisely?


13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Galatians 5:13-14 (NASB95)

Bible Study: “The Life Of Joseph: A Career That Impacted And Saved The World” Part 2

Genesis 39:1-6 (NASB95)
1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. 3 Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge. 5 It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house on account of Joseph; thus the LORD'S blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field. 6 So he left everything he owned in Joseph's charge; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

Genesis 39:1 (NASB95)
1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there.

Career Hi-Lights!
• God is sovereign in where we work, in who we work for and in how we get to where we are going
• It was in God’s sovereignty where Joseph landed a job (in Egypt)
• It was in God’s sovereignty who Joseph worked for (Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s body guards)
• It was in God’s sovereignty how Joseph got to where he was going (by way of the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there)

Genesis 39:2 (NASB95)
2 The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.

Career Hi-Lights!
• God is present in where we work
• Because God is present, Joseph became a successful man
• After much crisis of change, Joseph finds himself “gainfully employed” as a slave in the house of Potiphar, the Egyptian, his master

Genesis 39:3-4 (NASB95)
3 Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge.

Career Hi-Lights!
• It is God’s presence in our lives that others should see
• It is God who is the source of any prosperity that comes our way
• It is because of God’s work in our lives that our witness or testimony will open up the doors of career opportunities

Genesis 39:5-6a (NASB95)
5 It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house on account of Joseph; thus the LORD'S blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field. 6 So he left everything he owned in Joseph's charge; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.


Career Hi-Lights!
• The household and “business” was blessed by the Lord because of Joseph
• The blessing of the Lord leads to a greater opportunity for influence
• Lest we rest and be at ease and think that there is permanent job security because we are doing a great job and God is blessing us, there always lies the possibility of circumstances that come our way that are beyond our control; circumstances that will lead to yet another career change

Some Final Thoughts:

1. Think of a time in your life where you realized that God was at work in leading you to a job. How aware were you of His leading? Describe the steps you took that confirmed God’s will for you.

2. How do you keep an awareness of God’s presence at the front of your mind as you work?

3. For those who work close to you, is your faith in Jesus evident? Why is this so?

4. We are to work as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:17) and do the very best we can to make our company and supervisor successful. We are also called to make a relational impact upon our supervisor also;, even impacting his or her home. What is your strategy to impact both your jobsite and supervisor for Christ?


Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17 (NASB95)