The Record of Joseph An unfailing faith Obedient but Hated 17 yrs old Victim of partiality Raised in polygamy Hated by brothers Unfriendly terms Object of jealousy Murder intended Threatened, then sold! Faithlessness Justified by By family ties? But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. (Luke 14:18-20 ESV) Faithlessness Justified by By family ties? And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. (Luke 14:18-20 ESV) Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:37-38 ESV) Faithlessness Justified by By family ties? By threat, desperate situation? Now if you are ready to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. (Daniel 3:15-16 ESV) Honorable but Slandered Sold to Potipher Successful, found favor Made overseer of house Handsome form/appear. Honorable Slandered, maligned Master angered Jailed! When he summoned a famine on the land he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, (Psalm 105:16-19 ESV) Faithlessness Justified by Great temptation? And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. (Mark 14:53-54 ESV) Faithlessness Justified by Great temptation? When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. (Daniel 6:10 ESV) Joseph remained faithful In spite of family ties In spite of threat, desperate situation In spite of betrayal In spite of great temptation In spite of unfair treatment Used by God but Forgotten Favored by the jailer Given authority Cupbearer/baker incarcerated Joseph interprets dreams and asks to be remembered Forgotten! For 2 yrs Faithlessness Justified by Discouragement? There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? (1 Kings 19:9 ESV) Faithlessness Justified by Discouragement? Passing time? And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. (Mark 5:25-26 ESV) Faithlessness Justified by Discouragement? Passing time? Being let down by men? Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he? (Isaiah 2:22 ESV) Faithlessness Justified by Discouragement? Passing time? Being let down by men? Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. (Jeremiah 17:5ff ESV) Joseph remained faithful In spite of family ties In spite of threat, desperate situation In spite of betrayal In spite of great temptation In spite of unfair treatment In spite of passing time In spite of discouragement In spite of disappointment Our God is Worthy of Unfailing Faith but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31 ESV) Our God is Worthy of Unfailing Faith And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 ESV) Our God is Worthy of Unfailing Faith Then Satan answered the LORD and said, Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. (Job 1:9-11 ESV) Our God is worthy of obedience, trust, and unfailing faith