YEA Lesson Library
Right in God’s Sight
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches that Joseph continued to do what was right even in slavery. God blessed him for his obedience and integrity. The student is encouraged to follow Joseph’s example of following God despite pressure not to.
Scriptures
Genesis 39
Genesis 41:33, 37-40
Psalm 1:1-3
Psalm 15:1-5
Psalm 34:11-16
Psalm 40:8-11
Psalm 119:97-100, 104
Psalm 119:125-130
1 Peter 3:10-12
Words to Know
INTEGRITY - standing firm for what is right; doing what is right
AUTHORITY - the right to tell you what to do
WARDEN - the person in charge of a prison
ADULTERY- having sex with someone who is not your wife or husband
IDOL - an image that is worshiped
The Lesson
Stacy had a problem at school. Oh she loved going to school. She loved doing her best, which is why she usually got straight-As. She really liked her fourth grade teacher, Miss Filer. Miss Filer knew Stacy always tried to do her best, no matter what the assignment. So when Stacy finished her assignment early, Miss Filer would sometimes have Stacy help her. Sometimes Stacy would file graded papers into the student mailboxes. Sometimes she delivered notes to the office. Sometimes she helped redo a bulletin board. But Stacy's favorite job was checking papers. She loved getting to sit at Miss Filer's desk, using Miss Filer's red grading pen, and carefully comparing the answers in the teacher's book to the answers the students had written on their own papers. But yesterday, Stacy's favorite job had become not so fun. Megan and Jeremy, Stacy's best friends, had come up to Stacy at recess and had asked her to get the answers from the teacher's book for the upcoming social studies test. They told her how easy it would be. They told her no one would find out. But Stacy told them no. It was cheating. It was wrong. Besides, Miss Filer trusted Stacy and believed in Stacy's integrity. She was not going to cheat for any reason. But Stacy hadn't realized how miserable her two best friends, fi that's what you would call them, could make her. Then she thought about Joseph and Potiphar's wife.
You will remember that Joseph's brothers sold him to the traders going to Egypt. Then the traders sold Joseph to Potiphar, who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard. It sounds pretty bad to be a slave, but remember, God was with Joseph. It was obvious to Joseph's master, Potiphar, that the LORD was with Joseph and that everything he did turned out well. So Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his household and entrusted everything he owned to Joseph's care. God even began to bless Potiphar because Joseph was in charge. Potiphar didn't worry about anything, except what he was going to eat.
But one day Potiphar's wife noticed how handsome Joseph was. She began making eyes at him. Then she asked Joseph to have sex with her. But Joseph immediately refused. He told her that Potiphar had entrusted everything to him, and that Potiphar didn't worry about anything except what he would eat. He told her that he couldn't do such a wicked thing! This would be a great sin against God. But Potiphar's wife would not leave Joseph alone.
She kept on with her suggestion day after day even though Joseph refused to listen to her. Then one day he went into the house to do something. None of the other servants were in the house. Potiphar's wife grabbed Joseph's cloak and again demanded that he commit adultery with her. He fled so fast that he left her holding onto his cloak when he ran out of the house.
Potiphar’s wife began screaming. She blamed her husband for bringing Joseph, this Hebrew slave to insult her. She claimed that he tried to rape her so she had to scream to prevent it from happening. She used Joseph's jacket as evidence against him.
Potiphar believed his wife's story. He was very angry at Joseph and had him put into prison where the king's prisoners were kept in chains. Even though things looked bad for Joseph, God knew what was going on. He knew Joseph was a righteous man and that he would never commit adultery with Potiphar's wife.
God was with Joseph and kind to him right there in prison. He began granting him favors with the chief jailer. In fact, the chief jailer soon put Joseph in charge of the entire prison. Joseph could be counted on. Now the chief jailer didn’t have to worry about a thing - the prison system ran smoothly under Joseph's charge.
There may be times in your life when someone who has authority over you will ask you to do something that is not right. If that happens, remember this lesson. Joseph obeyed God and refused to commit adultery. Because he loved God, nothing was worth sinning against Him. God blessed Joseph because he chose to follow God. Love God with all of your heart! Seek God and His ways all of your life. God's laws are a lamp unto your feet, to show you the way to live. When you follow God's ways, life works out right for you - even if it may not be when or how you expect it to.
Trust God - no matter what. You were born to win. He will work things out for your good.
Student Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please teach me your ways. I want to serve you and do what is right in your sight always. Please give me the strength to stand up for what is right no matter what happens.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday: Psalm 119:125-130
Monday: Genesis 41:33, 37-40
Tuesday: Psalm 34:11-16
Wednesday: 1 Peter 3:10-12
Thursday: Psalm 1:1-3
Friday: Psalm 15:1-5
Saturday: Psalm 40:8-11
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Recite the chain of events from Joseph's sale to Potiphar to his imprisonment in the king’s prison.
2. Relate Joseph's reaction to Potiphar's wife.
3. Explain the value of God's law in the life of each individual.
4. Define integrity.
5. Relate ways of maintaining integrity.
Topics & Themes
Blessings
Integrity
Joseph
Obedience
Potiphar
Potiphar’s wife
Slavery
Trusting God
Trustworthy
Materials Needed
Bibles, YEA students' and teacher's books, very sharp pencils, pens, attendance and memory verse chart, stars, songbook, CD or cassette tape, music player, blackboard, water, boats, markers, large flat container
Preparation
Integrity is rather hard to find. Remember that this age group sees things as black and white, with very little gray. They are also at an age where parents and teachers are no longer the primary influencers in their lives. Peers and television idols gradually take over that position of importance, making it increasingly difficult for this age to resist peer pressure. The desire to fit in and to please wars with their understanding of what is right and wrong. This is a timely and relatable lesson for them.
Integrity in people means strict adherence to a code of moral values. We understand that God's law is a lamp to our path and a light to our feet. His laws keep us going the right way so that we don’t fall.If we do not adhere to His laws, we sink into sin.
Integrity in ships means unimpaired condition or soundness. When you think about it, the integrity of ships becomes a good analogy for the integrity for people. When the integrity of a ship is breached, the ship sinks. When the integrity of a person is breached, the person sinks into sin. Prior to class, make enough boats (out of styrofoam or paper) so that each student will have one. Have the boats already labeled with different biblical situations. You may use the students' activity if you wish.
How to Teach This Lesson
Man the boats- Have students pick out a boat as they walk into class. Make sure the boats are clearly labeled with the biblical example they represent. Place the boats into a container of water.
Integrity - Discuss with the students the meaning of "integrity" when it refers to a boat. Then ask what it means for a person to have integrity. Tell them that in this demonstration, when the integrity of the person is breached, the integrity of the boat will be breached to demonstrate sinking into sin.
Sink or Sail - Discuss each of the biblical examples. When it is determined whether the boat is sinking or sailing, have the student either puncture the boat with a sharp pencil to cause
it to sink or give it a push to allow it to sail free. The sinking boats will have a huge impact on the students.
Sinking into Sin - Discuss how oftentimes one sin leads to another, as in the case of Gehazi (2 Kings 5:15-27). For us all, however, Jesus Christ is the only one who can lift us out of sin in the first place. We are unable to deliver ourselves from this body of death.
Maintaining integrity- Talk about how the people who demonstrated integrity were able to maintain their integrity. For instance, in Joseph's case, when confronted with Potiphar's wife, he ran (Genesis 39:10. Many times removing yourself from the problem is the best way to deal with it. Nevertheless, Joseph wouldn't have removed himself without having had the knowledge of God's law. Seeking God, reading the Bible, attending Sabbath School and church, fellowshiping with God's people, praying, meditating, and putting God's ways into practice in your life are of utmost importance. They are the foundation upon which you base your trust in Christ. Then He gives you the strength to hold to your convictions when you are confronted to do otherwise.
Psalm 119:97-100, 104 - This is the point where you can have the students recite their memory verse. Ask them how it relates to the lesson.What does it have to do with Joseph fleeing from Potiphar's wife and being thrown into prison? Ask what the memory verse means to them after having done the lesson?
Review Questions
1. What position was Joseph given in Potiphar's household? Why?
2. What did Potiphar's wife want Joseph to do?
3. What was Joseph's reaction to her demands?
4. What did Potiphar do with Joseph when he heard his wife's story?
5. What position was Joseph given in the prison by the chief jailer? Why?
6. How does the law of God help each of us?
7. What is integrity?
8. How do you maintain your integrity when you are tempted?
Teacher-Directed Activity
See “How to Teach This Lesson" for integration into lesson. Have each student "man" a boat. Place each boat in the water. Talk about the biblical situation each boat represents. If the biblical character exhibits integrity, the boat floats. If the biblical character sins, breach the integrity of the boat and watch it sink.
Answers to student activity: Integrity examples: A, D, E, F, H; Sinful examples: B, C, G, I, J.
REACH Activity
Back to the Bible: Thrown Into Prison
Read “Did You Know?” below, then look up a Biblical instance of someone who was thrown into prison. There are lots of Biblical examples, i.e, Daniel, Paul and Silas, Jeremiah. Look up one of them and write a one-page report about why they were thrown into prison (include scripture references), the outcome, and your reaction to the event.
Journal Jot: Pleasing God
If you have a choice between pleasing God and pleasing the people around you, who do you please? It’s easy to say that we choose to please God, but when you get into a situation where people begin to put pressure on you, it can be very difficult to stand your ground. If you have thought about it and thought about the consequences of your choice, you will be in a much better place to choose to please God.
In your Bible notebook, write about the reasons why you should always choose to please God first.
Word Study: sheqer
Psalm 119:104 says, “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.” The Hebrew word for “wrong” in this verse is sheqer. It means an “untruth, a sham, a lie, or lying words.” Used in the Old Testament 113 times, “it is a way of life which goes completely contrary to God’s Law. It describes groundless words or activities which have no basis in fact or reality - completely worthless.” (Source: Zodhiates’ Hebrew-Greek Key Word NAS Study Bible, 1990).
Write this word and its meaning in your Bible notebook. Then find another instance where it is used in the Bible. (Hint: use a concordance or the center reference in a study bible.)
Just Toolin’ Around: Steward
Joseph had been the steward for Potiphar and was so successful that Potiphar didn’t concern himself with anything about his household, except the food he ate (Genesis 39:1-6). Using a Bible encyclopedia, find out what you can about a steward; for instance, what were his duties? Write down five facts in your Bible notebook. Share with your family.
Did you Know? Guilty Until Proven Innocent
Being thrown into prison was often a death sentence. Prisoners often relied on family members to bring them food - so someone far from home often starved to death. Prisons were damp and dark. There were no toilets. Disease and filth were common. The smell would have been awful. Prisoners were put in prison until a trial, but there was no guarantee the trial would be soon; often prisoners were thrown into prison and forgotten about, living with robbers, murderers, and the insane. (Source: The Victor Journey Through the Bible, V. Gilbert Beers, 1996, p. 44.)
Draw a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the prisons of Joseph’s day to the prisons today. Share with your family and then three-hole punch the diagram and file in your Bible notebook.
Stretch It Out: Oh, How I Love Your Law!
Psalm 119:97-100, 104 talks about the benefits of keeping God’s law. Read this passage. Then read Genesis 39:5. Make some notes about each of these scripture passages. Then read Deuteronomy 28:1-14. How do these three passages relate to each other? How important is observing God’s law in your success? Think about building a house. Think about changing oil in a car. Think about following a recipe to make chocolate chip cookies. If following directions is important to how well the house turns out, the car functions, or the cookies taste, then how important is it to follow God’s law in living your life?
After thinking about all of this, design a poster encouraging people to love God’s law and to keep God’s law! Display at church (with permission from your parents and teacher).
Music Notes: The Solid Rock
This hymn is found on page 5 of the CEM Hymnal.
The first line of this hymn is “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” When you are in a situation that looks completely hopeless (like Joseph being thrown unfairly into prison), sometimes your only recourse is to hope in God and trust Him with the outcome.
Edward Mote wrote the words to this hymn in the early 1800s. The son of poor innkeepers in London, Edward apprenticed as a cabinetmaker. Eventually he became a Baptist preacher. “One day, while going about his work, it came to his mind to write a hymn on the ‘Gracious Experience of the Christian.’ He started with the refrain, ‘On Christ the solid Rock I stand,/ All other ground is sinking sand.’ Later in the day, he sang his hymn for a dying woman. It proved such a comfort that Mote went home and wrote more verses by the fireplace” (Source: Near to the Heart of God, Robert Morgan, 2010, January 21st).
In your Bible notebook, write down five things that you completely trust God for.
Questions?
Write down any questions you have in your Bible notebook so that you can remember to ask your parents or your pastor.
Song
"Dare To Be A Daniel" is on page 9 of Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Ask for a volunteer to lead in prayer asking God for guidance in all their actions, to strengthen them to do what is right even when it isn't easy.
Printable Pages
