Sunday School Lesson January 30, 2022

Subject: The Pitfall of Temptation

The Point: Remembering what is at stake helps us overcome temptation.

The Passages: Genesis 39:1-12

Study The Bible: Genesis 39:1-7

1). Be careful when things are going well.

1. Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, and the captain of the guards, bought him from the Ishmaelites who brought him there.
2. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.
3. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful,
4. Joseph found favor with his master and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority.
5. From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph. The Lord’s blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields.
6. He left all that he owned under Joseph’s authority; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome.
7. After some time his master’s wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”

Lasting truths from: Genesis 39:1-7                               

* The Lord is with us wherever we are.

* Sometimes God blesses us to help others see Him and experience His blessing.

* We need to be careful, because temptation often comes in times of blessing.

2). Resist temptation by having standard and convictions already in place.

Genesis 39:8-10

8. But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority.
9. No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this immense evil, and how could I sin against God?”
10. Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her.

Lasting truth from: Genesis 39:8-10

* We can better resist temptation if we have already determined our standards and convictions.

*  Sometimes considering how much we may lose through compromise helps us resist temptation.

*  All sin is sin against God.

3). When nothing else works, run!

Genesis 39:11-12

11. Now one day he wen into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there.
12. She grabbed him by his garment and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his garment in here hand, he escaped and ran outside.

Lasting truth from: Genesis 39:11-12

* Sin will do its best to find an opportunity to attack us.

*  God always provides a means for us to escape temptation.

* Sometimes the wisest move is to run from temptation.

Live It Out

As you reflect on this session, respond to the following questions:

1. Reflect on a time in your life when things were going well. What kinds of temptations are especially possible during such times?
2. What standards or convictions have you already considered in light of areas of personal struggle for you? What does resisting temptation in those areas look like for you?
3. Reflect on a time when choosing God’s standard over the world’s standard cost you personally. Did you find that the next time you faced that circumstance you were tempted to compromise?

Closing Prayer:

“Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died on the cross to forgive me of my sins and rose from the dead to give me new life. I’m sorry for all the wrong I’ve done and ask You to forgive me. I now accept Your gift of eternal life. Thank You for Your love, forgiveness, and a new life in Jesus Christ. From this day forward, I choose to follow You. In Jesus’ name Amen.”