SESSION 2 OVERCOME TEMPTATION 98 SESSION 2
The Point It s easier to resist temptation when you know what s at stake. The Passage Genesis 39:3-12 The Bible Meets Life Sin is so enticing and compelling on the front end; but afterward, as we face the consequences of giving in, we see our sin from a different perspective. It is in the aftermath that we often ask ourselves with regret, Why did I give in? Through the life of Joseph, the Bible gives us an example of how we can move beyond temptation and make the right choice. The Setting God blessed Joseph and his service so thoroughly that his master placed Joseph over the entire household and all his possessions. Even the master s wife was impressed with Joseph and repeatedly tried to seduce him. In his loyalty to his master and to God, Joseph just as repeatedly turned aside her advances as evil and a sin against God. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 99
What does the Bible say? Key Words Blessed (v. 5) In the Old Testament, to bless means to imbue with power for success and prosperity. God s blessings were the fulfillment of His promise to Abraham to bless those who bless you (Gen. 12:3). Garment (v. 12) The Hebrew word could refer to either outer or inner clothing. Some argue Joseph left the inner garment, but we should not understand the text to suggest Joseph ran from the house naked. Genesis 39:3-12 (HCSB) 3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made everything he did successful, 4 Joseph found favor in his master s sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority. 5 From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian s house because of Joseph. The LORD s blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields. 6 He left all that he owned under Joseph s authority; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome. 7 After some time his master s wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, Sleep with me. 8 But he refused. Look, he said to his master s wife, with me here my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority. 9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God? 10 Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her. 11 Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there. 12 She grabbed him by his garment and said, Sleep with me! But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. 100 SESSION 2
THE POINT It s easier to resist temptation when you know what s at stake. GET INTO THE STUDY 10 minutes DISCUSS: Question #1 on page 83 of the PSG: What are some warning labels you always ignore? Notes Note: Consider offering a sample answer to this question, such as Dry clean only, so group members know you re asking about practical warning labels not something overly spiritual. GUIDE: Direct group members to The Bible Meets Life on page 84 of the PSG. Introduce the topic of resisting temptation by reading or summarizing the text or by encouraging group members to read it on their own. ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Supplement The Bible Meets Life and encourage your group members to have some fun by creating interesting or outrageous warning labels for different objects located in your meeting space. As the leader, choose an item from your meeting space, then ask group members to brainstorm potential warning labels for that item suggestions can be funny or serious. Repeat with different items as your time allows. GUIDE: Call attention to The Point at the top of page 84 of the PSG: It s easier to resist temptation when you know what s at stake. ENHANCEMENT: Use Pack Item 6, Don t Settle, in order to reinforce the major theme of this study. PRAY: Transition into the discussion by confessing the reality of temptation on behalf of your group. Acknowledge the corruption of sin in your lives, and ask God to grant you wisdom and discernment when discussing the serious issue of temptation. TIP: If your group has more than 6-8 members, consider breaking into smaller subgroups to discuss these questions. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 101
10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Genesis 39:3-6 3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made everything he did successful, 4 Joseph found favor in his master s sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority. 5 From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian s house because of Joseph. The LORD s blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields. 6 He left all that he owned under Joseph s authority; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome. READ: Genesis 39:3-6 on page 85 of the PSG. Read the text out loud or ask for a volunteer to do so. RECAP: Explore the different ways God blessed Joseph by highlighting the following list from page 86 in the PSG: > > > > > > > > Joseph s master saw that the LORD was with him (v. 3). The LORD made everything he did successful (v. 3). The LORD blessed the Egyptian s house because of Joseph (v. 5). The LORD s blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields (v. 5). ALTERNATE QUESTION: What are some of the ways you ve experienced God s blessing in your life? DISCUSS: Question #2 on page 86 of the PSG: What characteristics suggest God is with someone? DO: Encourage group members to complete the activity What s At Stake? on page 87 of the PSG. If time permits, ask for volunteers to share their responses. Choose one: technology, money, and entertainment. How has that tool benefitted our culture in recent years? What s at stake for our culture when these tools become twisted into sources of temptation? 102 SESSION 2
THE POINT It s easier to resist temptation when you know what s at stake. Genesis 39:3-6 Commentary God so obviously prospered Joseph that even his Egyptian master recognized Joseph s success resulted from more than human ingenuity or shrewdness. Potiphar attributed Joseph s success to the God whom Joseph obviously openly worshiped he saw that the Lord was with Joseph and that the Lord made everything he did successful. Potiphar s name means he whom (the god) Re has given. This Egyptian official believed in the Egyptian god Re. Yet the official recognized that Joseph was identified with the power and wisdom of the Lord God. Joseph s relationship with God was so real and evident that this foreigner, a pagan and servant of Pharaoh, could see the work of the Lord in Joseph s life. All Joseph did and all he continued to do was successful. To Potiphar s credit, he liked what he saw. Joseph found favor with his master. Because of his success, Joseph became a personal servant to Potiphar. Today, we might call him the Egyptian s personal valet. Joseph also apparently functioned as Potiphar s business and household manager, supervisor of his other servants, and director of his family s business affairs. Because the Lord was with Joseph, he was so gifted that Potiphar entrusted everything he owned and all his personal belongings to Joseph s care and management. Obviously Joseph was a trustworthy young man who, under God s blessing and leadership, gave Potiphar a great return on his investment in Joseph as a slave. With Joseph in charge, Potiphar prospered greatly and did not have to trouble himself with household or personal business matters. Only one area was not Joseph s responsibility. Potiphar reserved the responsibility for the food he ate. Perhaps he did not believe an Israelite knew how to prepare food the way an Egyptian liked it. Or probably Potiphar reserved this responsibility for himself due to the ritual separation the Egyptians practiced of not eating with non-egyptians at mealtime. Joseph was faithful to the responsibilities given to him by Potiphar. He remained trustworthy, and both he and Potiphar enjoyed a relationship of peace and mutual respect at least for a while. One characteristic of temptation is that it often comes when everything seems to be going well. Joseph had a responsible job, which he was performing well. The young slave had indeed done well to rise to become overseer or manager of the household of an important officer of Pharaoh. Everything in Potiphar s household prospered. But lurking in the shadows was a temptation that could break him. The end of verse 6 foreshadows the temptation lying in wait when Scripture tells us, Now Joseph was well-built and handsome. The words are almost identical with the words that described Rachel, Joseph s mother ( shapely and beautiful [29:17]). Rachel s beauty had first caught Jacob s attention, and now Joseph s handsomeness would catch the eye of Potiphar s wife. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 103
15 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Genesis 39:7-10 7 After some time his master s wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, Sleep with me. 8 But he refused. Look, he said to his master s wife, with me here my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority. 9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God? 10 Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her. READ: Genesis 39:7-10 on page 85 of the PSG. RECAP: Highlight the following observation from the fourth paragraph on page 88 of the PSG: Notice that Joseph put a roadblock at the top of the mountain instead of a first aid station at the bottom. Instead of setting a plan in place to fix a problem, he set a plan in place to make sure there wasn t a problem to begin with. ALTERNATE QUESTION: What do these verses teach us about the nature of sin? DISCUSS: Question #3 on page 88 of the PSG: What s at stake when we give in to temptation? DISCUSS: Question #4 on page 88 of the PSG: What s at stake when we resist temptation? Note: This question applies to the negative consequences we might experience when we choose to resist temptation. For example, by rejecting the illicit offer from Potiphar s wife, Joseph ran the risk of offending someone who had the power to harm him. His freedom was at stake. TRANSITION: As we continue with Joseph s story, we ll see that choosing to do the right thing doesn t always come with a reward. 104 SESSION 2
THE POINT It s easier to resist temptation when you know what s at stake. Genesis 39:7-10 Commentary The words after some time indicate the passage of an unspecified length of time. Perhaps Joseph s routine as the one in charge over the entire household brought him into closer proximity to Potiphar s wife on a regular basis. The words looked longingly at mean that she lifted up her eyes toward. As Potiphar s wife looked at Joseph while he performed his duties, she decided she wanted him sexually. Notice the brazen approach of Potiphar s wife. She openly invited Joseph to have sex with her! Indeed, The verb is in the imperative form in the original language. Potiphar s wife commanded Joseph to sleep with her as though she also possessed power over this slave. A man with lower moral standards might have rationalized having sex with Potiphar s wife, but not Joseph. Rather, he saw such a deed as a great evil. Furthermore, Joseph saw the temptation as not only sinning against Potiphar, but also as violating God s holy standard. His question to Potiphar s wife was rhetorical and did not expect a reply. He would not sin against either his earthly master or against his Heavenly Master. By his use of the phrase sin against God, Joseph s view of sin may initially appear to be limited. To sleep with Potiphar s wife would be sinning against her and her husband as well. However, as David stated years later (Ps. 51:4), Joseph knew that all sin is ultimately against God. It is rebellion against Him. It is willfully disobeying God s direction for life. Today s world loves to tell us that many sins are private matters. In fact, some speak of prostitution or other consensual sex between unmarried partners as a victimless crime. But all sin is an offense against our holy God. The words day after day reveal how persistently Potiphar s wife pursued Joseph. She was determined to have him, but he was just as determined to follow God. Our zeal to follow God can also keep us from yielding to sin s invitation. How serious are you about resisting temptation and following God? Notice how Joseph took deliberate steps to resist Potiphar s wife s invitation. First, he refused her. He refused even to entertain in his mind her call to go to bed with her. Again, the words clearly have sexual connotations. She wanted sexual relations, not merely his company. Second, go to bed with her is literally, lie beside her, to be with her. Joseph tried to avoid coming into her presence at all. He knew if he could stay away from her, he would find her temptation easier to resist. Again, Joseph s example serves as a model to us. When we face temptation, we must flee from it if we can not entertain it (1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22). The Scriptures promise that no temptation will overtake us if we faithfully look for God s way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13). However, we dare not give the Devil an opportunity, or he will take advantage of it (Eph. 4:27). BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 105
5 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Genesis 39:11-12 11 Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there. 12 She grabbed him by his garment and said, Sleep with me! But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. READ: Genesis 39:11-12 on page 85 of the PSG. SUMMARIZE: Use the following statements from page 89 of the PSG to conclude the story of Joseph s confrontation with Potiphar s wife: > > It s right and proper for us to avoid temptation whenever possible. But there will still be times when temptation is unavoidable and demands a response. That s what happened to Joseph. > > Once again, Joseph didn t hesitate in making the right choice. He fled the scene in order to retain his integrity. > > Unfortunately, Potiphar s wife chose to lie about what happened.... Despite his righteous actions, Joseph ended up in prison (see vv. 13-20). ALTERNATE QUESTION: How can we avoid giving in to temptation? DISCUSS: Question #5 on page 89 of the PSG: What s the difference between resisting temptation and fleeing from temptation? Note: The goal of this question is to help group members evaluate different responses to temptation. Sometimes we can stand firm against temptation and continue with our normal lives; other times such resistance won t work and we must flee. How do we know which response is appropriate? GUIDE: Refer back to The Point of this session: It s easier to resist temptation when we know what s at stake. As time permits, encourage group members to share final thoughts or questions. 106 SESSION 2
THE POINT It s easier to resist temptation when you know what s at stake. Genesis 39:11-12 Commentary Despite the care Joseph took to avoid being alone with Potiphar s wife, his responsibilities as a higherlevel servant took him into the house. That he went into the house to do his work indicates he not only resisted temptation to sleep with Potiphar s wife, he also resisted the temptation to do shoddy work in his master s absence. Joseph was loyal in performing his duties even when unsupervised. The inevitable happened. The biblical writer clearly pointed out that Joseph was not guilty of reckless or provocative action. He was doing his work as usual. The text also mentions that Joseph was alone in the house with her because none of the household servants were there. Thus, the stage was set for Potiphar s wife to implement her evil plan. She took advantage of an unusual situation when it finally presented itself. The fact that no other potential witnesses remained in the home afforded her the opportunity to make a play for Joseph. She used the privacy of the moment to tempt Joseph one last time. If Joseph gave in to the temptation, no one but he and Potiphar s wife would know. This time, Potiphar s wife went beyond mere words. The Hebrew word translated caught can also mean seized. It emphasizes the forceful way in which she laid hold of Joseph. Again, she stated the temptation in the form of a command: Sleep with me! We do not know how long Joseph struggled with her. But when he determined he could not get away from her without leaving his garment in her hand, he did so. The term garment probably refers to the outer clothing Joseph had on. The word escaped emphasized the urgency of Joseph s departure. The term means to flee from danger and implies haste. He wanted no part of the temptation Potiphar s wife offered. Joseph got out of the house, thus removing himself as far as possible from the scene of temptation. Joseph resisted the temptation, though doing so meant facing harsh punishment later. We must point out that while Joseph did all the right things and persistently resisted temptation, he still landed in trouble when Potiphar s wife reacted to his efforts to maintain purity. The woman could not understand Joseph s commitment to the Lord. She apparently felt humiliated by his actions. Friends, colleagues, supervisors, and competitors often expect us to compromise God s standards in one way or another. When we don t, we can find ourselves on the receiving end of their hostility, though we have done nothing wrong. We, like Joseph, might indeed pay a price for a moral stand. But just as we saw in the previous session, God is at work even when it is not obvious. Once again, God used the trouble that befell Joseph as a result of his diligent resistance of temptation to set the stage for the next step in bringing Joseph to the ultimate outcome of His plan. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 107
5 minutes LIVE IT OUT Notes GUIDE: Direct group members to page 90 of the PSG. Encourage them to consider these options for making the right choice in the face of temptation: > > Look inside. The first step in fleeing temptation is recognizing that temptation springs from our own desires (see James 1:14). Spend a few moments evaluating which inner desires often tempt you to sin. > > Remember what s at stake. As you consider areas of temptation in your life, list the possible consequences (spiritual, relational, physical, etc.) of choosing to sin. > > Remember God s Word. Memorize 1 Corinthians 10:13 as a reminder that temptation always creates a choice. Wrap It Up TRANSITION: Read or restate the conclusion from page 90 of the PSG: So much in our culture is designed to pull us away from God s plan and God s commands. But read the warning label whenever you face temptation. There s always more at stake than meets the eye. PRAY: On behalf of the group, reaffirm your desire to stand against temptation in the days to come and even to flee when necessary, as Joseph did. 108 SESSION 2
My group's prayer requests Additional suggestions for specific groups (women, men, boomers, and singles) are available at BibleStudiesForLife.com/blog. And for free online training on how to lead a group visit MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesForLife. Idols Away Picture an 8-year-old boy s messy room. It s scattered with action figures, books, and games. Don t forget to watch your step for Legos lying low like land mines. And then there s that little boy who s been playing outside. His stench fills the room, too. Whew! Now, imagine the ancient nation of Judah in a bigger mess. There were no Legos in Judah. It was much worse idols, false worship, and heinous activities had overtaken the nation. Judah needed spring cleaning like it had never known. To continue reading Idols Away from HomeLife magazine, visit BibleStudiesforLife.com/articles. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 109