August 22: The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” –Genesis 39:6-15
Joseph was well-built and handsome. Mrs. Potiphar must have been one of the most beautiful, best-smelling, well-groomed women in all of Egypt. Joseph fled the temptation (and her command!), was accused of attempted rape, put in prison, eventually put in charge of the prison, interpreted the cupbearer’s dream giving him opportunity to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, which made him the Prime Minister of Egypt saving Egypt and the surrounding countries from starvation through his food program, which saved his family including Judah, who preserved the Godly line so that we could have Jesus and be saved from our sins with no fear of condemnation from God. All that happened because he kept his pants on when he must have really wanted to take them off (he was single, lonely, secluded, and young).
Good for him, and we should learn the lesson well: fleeing temptation, however seemingly private, may well change the world.
But there is One greater than Joseph who was tempted in every way, yet was without sin. He was not merely thrown into prison by false accusations of sin: he was thrown in the grave by false accusations of sin! And he wasn’t just raised to be the top official of a nation, but to be the King of all the Nations. He doesn’t just provide a region with food for the hungry, but he is the Bread of Life and the Living Water himself, satisfying all the hungry and thirsty with his body and blood. He didn’t go through all this for his sin because he was righteous, but for our righteousness because we are sinners.
And that’s the gospel! Come hear it preached and enacted in the supper with Jesus this Sunday.
The related hymns we’ll sing are:
O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing
Jesus Paid it All
Be Thou My Vision
COMMUNITY LUNCH
Our August Community Lunch is this coming Sunday following the worship service. For more information, click here.
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Sunday school for children (in Genesis) and adults (in Galatians) is continues. Coffee and other treats are served at 9:15, teaching begins at 9:30, and we break to get ready for worship at 10:15.
Visitors are always welcome!