BIG PICTURE: The main point of the chapter is that God is with Joseph, even in the most untoward of circumstances. “Sometimes God chooses to bless us and make us people of integrity in the midst of abominable circumstances rather than change our circumstances.” God presence with Joseph not only enables him to succeed personally, but also makes him a blessing to all those around him. In this way God is demonstrating his faithfulness to the Abrahamic blessing, of which Joseph acts as representative. God is also demonstrating the power of his providence in orchestrating all things, even horrendous situations of sin and abuse, to accomplish his holy purposes. Genesis 50:20 applies just as much to the actions of Potiphar’s wife as it does to the actions of Joseph’s brothers! Joseph must be in the royal prison at the end of Genesis 39 in order for God’s good plan to unfold: the saving of Jacob and his 12 sons and their families from starvation, thus bringing salvation to world through Jesus Christ. (Duguid)

Romans 8:28 Four unshakable promises of God for his New Covenant children:

1. God works, or is at work, in our lives.
2. God is at work for the good of his people. “Good” = what God deems will be best to assist our growth into the image of Christ (v. 29) and bring us to final glory (v. 30) - those “good” things in this life that contribute to that final salvation and sustain us on the path to that salvation.
3. God works for our good in all things.
4. God works in all things for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose, not all people without exception.

Five reasons why Joseph successfully resisted sexual temptation:

1. Because of who Joseph was.
2. Because Joseph was prepared to call sin a sin.
3. Because Joseph feared God and saw the act with reference to him.
4. Because Joseph knew not to play with fire.
5. Because Joseph was transparently more concerned for his purity than for his prospects.

This sermon is indebted to “From Prisoner to Prince” by Sam Emadi; “The Temptation of Joseph” by D.A. Carson; “Genesis” by Ian M. Duguid; and “From Typology to Doxology” by Andy Naselli