Thursday, January 17, 2008

When God Opens A Door

We concluded a quick exposition on the life of Joseph entitled the promotions of God with our look at Genesis 41. At this point in our text we discover that Joseph had been locked into prison because Potiphar's wife desired Joseph to lay with her which he promptly refused. She told her husband that he tried to force himself upon her and Potiphar sent Joseph into prison. While he was there, he met the chief cupbearer and baker of the present Pharaoh of Egypt and he interpreted dreams for them. He tells the cupbearer the only payment that I want is for when you get back to the house of Pharaoh, remember me. Chapter 41 begins with the words after two whole years Pharaoh had two dreams that not one of his counselors were able to interpret, but the cupbearer finally remembered Joseph and he was brought to Pharaoh to interpret his dreams. Joseph tells Pharaoh that one of his dreams meant that Egypt will have 7 years of plenty and the other means that Egypt will have 7 years of famine, and he tells Pharaoh that he must put someone responsible over the food so that during the 7 years of plenty, he would store up food so that when the famine comes they will have enough food to hold them through it. Pharaoh says in verse 38, can we find a man like this, in whom has the Spirit of God and he appoints Joseph over his entire house. God looks at what is on the inside of a man to determine whether or not he will open a door of influence in the life of that man. Here is the sermon outline:

Text: Genesis 41:37-43

Thesis: who we are on the inside will determine who God will allow us to be on the outside

I. Great Ascension
-verse 40

II. Great Authority
-verse 41

III. Great Association
-verse 42

IV. Great Admiration
-verse 43

No comments: