In Every Space (Thrive Weekend Sermon 2)

Open The Door

“In Every Space” Series

Today we’re beginning the series of talks “In Every Space”. And we’ll be addressing the question, what does it look like to trust God IN EVERY SPACE both personally and publically? (Prov 3:5-6) Today we’re going to examine that question through the story of Joseph.

Question: Did everything go as you planned in 2017?

For us 2017 was filled with many surprises. We set goals at the beginning of every year. And many of those goals we met, we sold our home in TN, moved our family to Boulder, became 100% debt free (God Story), and started settling in to our new life here in Boulder, but there always seems to be some things that just don’t go as planned.

On big or special occasions people will often set goals or make resolutions. And the New Year is a perfect time to do that. I tend to do most of my internal thinking and goal setting on my birthday, I call it my “What am I doing with my life” meltdown, but the New Year is a great time of reflection and looking ahead to the future.

If we look back we can see that things don’t always go as planned. If I had to guess we all had some things go better than we had planned and other things that went terribly wrong.

But as we look ahead to 2018 I want you to know that God has a plan and purpose for your life. We may look back on 2017 and reflect, but we don’t focus on the past.

Let’s look ahead together at how God might want to use us in a BIG way for His honor and glory in 2018!

Big Idea: God wants to do a work in you, so He can do a work through you.

I believe that the greatest battle is not the one ahead of us, but the one inside of us. That there’s some things we need to correct in our own lives as we go out and proclaim the Good News of the Gospel.

Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting!”

This series we are discussing the truth that we can trust God “In Every Space” of our lives, both personally and publicly. That in every circumstance we can boldly trust that God is with us and at work, in Jesus name!

Illust: Draw the picture and explain

Passage: Genesis 39:21-23 (Say it 3x)

Pray: (Pause 3-5 seconds)

Intro:

We’re going to look at several “spaces” Joseph found himself in. The road ahead, if you are a follower of Jesus, is not going to be the easy or comfortable road. Every space is not going to be a field of daisies and a run down fresh powder.

There’s going to be many challenges ahead if you open the door, but when God is with you, and you trust in His plan for your life, you can have victory in every season and IN EVERY SPACE! AMEN?

3 SPACES JOSEPH FOUND HIMSELF IN:

1. Tormented In The Pit (Genesis 37)

   1. Brothers hated him (dysfunctional family)

      1. Genesis 37 – Jacob has 12 sons, but he loved Joseph the most. He made him a robe of many colors. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more they hated Joseph. Joseph tells his brothers of two dreams. In both dreams his brothers are bowing down to him. And in one of his dreams his father and mother are bowing down also. This made his brothers hate him even more.
      2. Joseph wasn’t making good decisions that would gain him any favor with his brothers. We aren’t told his motive, but sharing these dreams while wearing the colorful coat didn’t help.

      3. Question: How would you handle your brother or sister telling you that one day you would bow down to them? :)

         2. Thrown in the pit

      4. Jacob sends his son Joseph to go check on his brothers that were working in the fields. When Joseph found his brothers they had conspired to kill him.

      5. Joseph begged for his life. Genesis 42:21 says, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen.”

      6. Question: Have you experienced the pit? Or do you feel like you are in a pit right now?

         1. Maybe you’ve recently transferred jobs and it’s not going so well.
         2. Maybe you’re struggling with some relationships in your life.

         3. Maybe finances are tight and you don’t know how you’re going to earn more money to make rent. 4. Application: It’s hard to see the bigger picture when you’re surrounded by dirt. When the walls are closing in around you and you feel like there is no way out! This is an opportunity for a turning point. 5. In these moments you have to make a decision. That decision is not about the circumstance, but about where you’re going to put your trust.

         4. Your character is not formed on the mountain tops, but in the pit.

         5. I’ve heard it said that character that has not been tested cannot be trusted.
            3. Sold into slavery

      7. A caravan came by after some time and they sold their brother as a slave for 20 shekels of silver.

      8. Genesis 39 – Joseph was brought to Egypt and sold to a man named Potiphar. Potiphar was the captain of the guards. Verses 2-3 say, “The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.”
      9. Joseph found favor with Potiphar and was put in charge over all he had.

2. Tempted In The Palace (Genesis 39)

   1. Pursued by Potiphar's wife

      1. Now Joseph was a good looking man and had caught the attention of his master’s wife. She tried to get Joseph to commit adultery with her but Joseph refused. He knew he had earned the trust of his master and said “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” She attempted day after day to try and get Joseph to sleep with her, but he remained faithful to God. One day she caught him alone and made one final plea, Joseph refused and she grabbed his garment, but he immediately fled the scene. He wanted no part of it. She then lied to Potiphar saying that Joseph forced himself on her. Potiphar was furious and he threw Joseph in prison.
      2. Question: Have you ever found yourself in a compromising situation where you had to make a choice? The truth is that we have all been here before!
      3. Application: We can learn a lot from Joseph… when tempted, RUN! This is a good principle for us today. Don't stop and think. Don't analyze the situation.... RUN! Leave your coat, your car, and anything else behind and leave the situation.

      4. Often times when we are tempted we do one of two things, rationalize, well maybe this sin isn’t that bad, or blame the circumstances, it’s really not even my fault that I’m in this situation. Joseph did neither of these. He did not want to sin against God, so he RAN.

         2. Accused of adultery and rape

      5. Even though Joseph did the right thing he was thrown in prison.

      6. Question: Ever have the wrong thing done to you for doing the right thing? Have you ever stood for something you believed to be true and in turn experienced pain and sorrow as a result?

      7. Application: These are moments that can cause doubt and frustration, but as we’ll see later in the story, you can trust God even when the outcome isn’t what you would choose for yourself.

         3. Convicted and sent to the dungeon

      8. When Jesus was speaking to His disciples He said “In the world you will have tribulations. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

      9. Application: You may not be responsible for the cause, but you are responsible for your response. Joseph remained faithful to God.

         4. God was with Joseph

      10. We see it again in verse 21 “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” Joseph quickly gained favor in the prison and was put in charge over all the prisoners.

      11. Application: The suffering that you have experienced or are experiencing should not be perceived as a punishment, but an opportunity. It is a privilege because it provides an avenue to point others to Jesus.

      12. It’s those deep moments of vulnerability that God moves through relationships.

          1. When I couldn’t find healing… God.
          2. When my marriage was falling apart… God.
          3. When the addiction was taking over… God
          4. When I was consumed by debt… God. 4. Application: These trials are not set backs, they are set ups for a greater opportunity to minister to others!
          5. Tested In The Prison (Genesis 40)

   2. Joseph in charge of prison

      1. Chapter 39:23 says, “The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.”
      2. Joseph wasn't just a good employee that worked hard and impressed his boss. Joseph walked with God and trusted him in every space, in every situation, in every season.

      3. Joseph's job was not his identity nor destiny. Not a title. Not a dollar amount. Not a status. His identity was in a personal relationship with the almighty God.

         2. Joseph goes on from prison and God raises him up for a special task that would ultimately change the world.

      4. We’ll talk about this more next week, but what I want us to see is that God is with you, even in the trials. And He has a great and wonderful plan for your life.

Back to the Big Idea: God may call you to do something in 2018 that is hard. (GOD IS WITH YOU) Something that requires faith! (GOD IS WITH YOU) God wants to bring us to a place where we fully trust in Him! That IN EVERY SPACE, both personally and publicly we say, “God I trust you!”

In the pit, palace, and prison, Joseph trusted God and showed extraordinary character in the face of many trials and temptations. God was with Joseph and was preparing him for something greater than he could imagine.

Closing:

God wants to do a work in you (personally) so that He can do a work through you (publicly). If we are going to have victory in every space that we live, work, and play, it starts first by putting our trust and faith in Him alone.

I believe in 2018 God wants us to open the door. To take steps into the night boldly in Jesus name.

What does opening the door look like in your life?

Opening the door is putting your trust in what God has next for your life.

Opening the door is saying that you have bigger dreams for the future.

Opening the door is taking a step forward believing that God will be with you on the other side!

Will you open the door?

Let’s pray.