Stewardship

Lesson 3

Genesis 39-41

Introduction

Last week we saw that the parable in Luke actually had 3 masters: God, Christ, and the man in the story; but being a parable, the man in the story often functions as an illustration to either God or Christ. In this parable, the master being away is an illustration to Christ being away and his return. What will he find when he returns? Will we beat the other slaves and get drunk, or will we be found working?

I. Why is the story of Potiphar important?

a) One of the characteristics of a good steward that we identified is integrity. Well, that’s actually the point of this story of Joseph with Potiphar’s wife. Joseph has integrity; he is honest, he is truthful; and he shows himself to have integrity both in Potiphar’s house and with Potiphar’s wife.

b) When Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery, he was sold to the captain of the Egyptian guard (39:1-2). Joseph proved his integrity such that Potiphar placed Joseph over all his household, and Potiphar’s house was blessed because of Joseph (vs. 4-6).

c) Potiphar’s wife found him attractive and made advances towards Joseph, but he refused her (vs. 7-12). Joseph’s integrity got him thrown in prison (v. 20); however, what the story is trying to tell us is that if Joseph can show himself with integrity in this situation, he will have integrity even in higher positions.

II. Was Joseph rich?

III. What did Joseph own?

IV. How does Joseph participate in Pharaoh’s house?

a) Participate is a term often used in philosophy/theology which means to share in or have access to. To say that one participates in something is to say that they share in something that is the property of another. As we just said, Joseph was not rich, neither did he own anything, yet he participated in Pharaoh’s household.

b) After interpreting Pharaoh’s dream and being shown to be wise and full of God’s spirit (41:38-39), Joseph is placed over Pharaoh’s house (v. 40), and all the other servants of the house will obey Joseph. Joseph is also given charge over all the land of Egypt (v. 41). Of course, Joseph both lives in Pharaoh’s house, and on Pharaoh’s land. Not only does he have charge over it, but all that is in the house and the land Joseph may make use of. This is what it means to participate.

c) Joseph wore Pharaoh’s signet ring (signifying Pharaoh’s authority), Pharaoh’s fine garments and wore Pharaoh’s goal chain. Joseph even rode in Pharaoh’s chariot (vs.41-43). What I am emphasizing here is that Joseph had access to and benefited from all of these things, but none of them belonged to him. He was able to participate in all of this because he had proven himself to be wise before Pharaoh.

V. How does Joseph’s stewardship bless others?

a) In the years of abundance, Joseph managed the production/harvest such that he was able to meet the needs of the Egyptians, as well as to store sufficient supplies for the lean years to come (vs. 48-49).

b) When the lean years came, extreme hunger spread throughout Egypt and people cried out to Pharaoh; Pharaoh told everyone to go to Joseph. Joseph opened the storehouses “and sold to the Egyptians (v. 56). The Egyptians were blessed in having food; but Pharaoh was enriched because the people were now buying what they would have normally grown for themselves.

c) Notice in v. 57 that the famine was severe throughout the world; so people from every nation came to Egypt and to Joseph, and they were able to buy food from him. Again, the people were blessed because they had food; but Pharaoh was enriched because the people bought from Joseph.

d) In 46:28-34, all of Joseph’s family (father, brothers, and all their wives and children), 70 persons in all, moved to Egypt to escape the famine. Joseph prepared land for them in Goshen where they could live. In so doing, Joseph now blesses his family so that they could survive the famine and live comfortably. However, the land that the family will live on is Pharaoh’s land; so now, not just Joseph but the whole family is participating in Pharaoh’s house.

Next Week: Luke 12:13-21; 2 Peter 1:1-11

Questions for the week (10/18):

1. Why is the man called a fool?

2. How can we show ourselves to be good stewards over our lives?

3. What does it mean to be rich toward God?