Read at beginning of service:
Genesis 32:22-32 (NIV)
22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. 28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” 29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” 31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.
INTRODUCTION
For a number of weeks now I?ve been preaching a series entitled, “When the Heroes of Faith Speak”(?recap messages)
Today, into the sanctuary comes a man who should be an example to us all.
A man who is living proof of the power of God to change us from what we are, into the potential for what we can be in Christ.
Up to the pulpit strides a man who is living proof of the reality of Phillipians 1:6,
Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
He is a work in progress, and man who knows sadness and success, heartache and happiness, haughtiness and humbleness, imperfection and integrity.
He is so much like us that it?s frightening.
To look into his face is to look into the mirror.
Now it?s been said that you can?t teach an old dog new tricks.
However, an “old dog” named Jacob would disagree with you.
The name of this man means “deceitful” and as we?ll discover he certainly lived up to this name. However, God taught him some new tricks, and he was so radically changed that God also changed his name to Israel, which means “God Prevails”. Certainly God prevailed in this man?s life and I believe that Jacob would speak to us with a wisdom that comes from experiencing the grace and goodness of God in spite of his shortcomings.
What does God have to do to change a heart so completely?
What will God have to do in our lives to change our hearts from the men/women we ARE to the men/women He WANTS us to be?
Friends, I submit to you this morning that a leopard can change its spots into stripes with when God wills it.
I submit to you that a “Jacob” can become an “Israel” with God?s help.
I submit to you that you can change your heart/habits and become everything good that Christ wants for you, with his work in and through you!
Let?s look at 4 pieces of advice that Jacob would give to us this morning.
1. Don?t Play Favorites with Your Children.
Genesis 27 and 28 tell us the story of Jacob (the deceiver) stealing his brother?s birthright.
The birthright was very important in that day and time.
It functioned as:
A will for material possessions.
A declaration of family leadership.
A blessing from almighty God.
Isaac?s senses were going?He could no longer hear/see very well.
Genesis 25:27-28 tells us that each parent had a favored child.
Genesis 25:27-28 (NIV)
27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
It was time for Isaac to pass the birthright to his favored son Esau.
But Rebekah wanted Jacob to have all those things, and convinced Jacob to fool his father.
Jacob cooked a stew of wild meat, dressed in Esau?s clothes, draped a skin over his arm like his hairy brother, and took the food into his father.
Genesis 27:19 tells us that Jacob blatantly lied to his father.
Genesis 27:19 (NIV)
19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may give me your blessing.”
Isaac ate, and then gave his blessing to Jacob instead of Esau.
And the family was nearly destroyed because of parents playing favorites.
The succeeding chapters of Genesis tell us that Esau threatened to kill his brother Jacob.
Jacob ran for his life to his uncle Laban?s house.
Genesis 28:1-2 tells us that, as Jacob got ready to leave, Isaac told him,
Genesis 28:1-2 (NIV)
1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman. 2 Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.
And, as a result of parents playing favorites with their children, Esau became a rebellious son.
Over 20 years after Jacob left home, he returned to face Esau.
Genesis 32 tells us how Jacob divided his family/flocks/servants into 2 groups, so that if Esau slaughtered the first group, the 2nd might have a chance to run.
Here?s a picture of the well where Jacob and Esau met again after 20 years.
After 20 years, Esau chose to accept rather than destroy Jacob.
But look at the cost of parents playing favorites in the family!
? A wife working to deceive her husband.
? A son lying to his father.
? Another son who rebelled.
? A son separated 20 years from his family.
Friends, the cost of playing favorites with your children is always too high to pay!
If Jacob were here this morning, he?d plead with you to never, ever play favorites with your children.
(if time relate story of Joseph [Jacob?s son] Genesis 37)
Genesis 37:3-4 (NIV)
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
Also, Jacob would encourage you.
He?d tell you that?
2. The Really Important Things in Life are Worth Struggling For.
Genesis 29 tells us that Jacob went to His uncle Laban?s country.
He did the first thing many young men do when they get out on their own.
He fell totally in love with the first girl that he saw.
Down the path comes Laban?s daughter Rachel, and Jacob is totally tongue-tied!
Genesis 29:11 tells us that within a few minutes of meeting this gal, he?s already smooching on her and crying because he loves her so much!
Genesis 29:11 (NIV)
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud.
The rest of chapter 29 tells us how Jacob agreed to work as Laban?s servant for 7 years just for the right to marry his true love Rachel!
Listen to these ? oh so romantic words?
Genesis 29:20 (NIV)
20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
Awwww?
The marriage day finally arrives, the vows are spoken, and Jacob goes into the tent to consummate the wedding vows.
But, the deceiver was deceived!
Laban slipped Rachel?s older sister Leah into the dark tent, and Jacob consummated the marriage with Leah, not Rachel!
Laban offered to let Jacob marry Rachel too, if he would agree to serve him 7 more years!
Jacob had to serve Laban for 14 years in order to marry his first love, Rachel.
There?s a really important principle here, friends.
The really important things in our lives are worth struggling for.
Nothing worthwhile ever comes quickly.
It usually takes our blood, sweat, prayers, and tears to see out dreams realized.
Just ask some of our saints who have been married for a while?A good marriage takes a lot of struggling!
I?ve never met a honest couple who failed to admit to me that they?ve struggled in their marriage.
Even Ruth and Billy Graham went through hard times.
Ruth Graham was asked one time if she ever considered divorcing Billy.
“Divorce, no never! But murder, murder I?ve considered any times!”
Our families will never be what we want them to be unless we?re willing to struggle for them.
Raising our children is never easy.
They don?t raise themselves.
It takes effort to discipline our kids.
When you ground your kids, you get grounded right beside them.
In most cases, by the teen years, it?s pretty easy to tell which parents have struggled for their families.
We have a Biblical, Godly responsibility to struggle as hard as we have to in order to lead our children toward God.
Our church will never be what God wants it to be unless we?re willing to struggle for it.
Too many church members would rather run away from sin than confront it.
Too many church members would rather talk about the church rather than struggle to make her what God wants her to be.
Too many pastors would rather pack up and leave when trouble comes along than struggle to provide Godly leadership to the Body of Christ.
(Talk about my call to Hanover)
Let me saw this for the record?and when I say it?
Some of you may want to rejoice,
Some of you may want to repent,
Some of you may want to resign.
God called me to this church.
He called me to provide Godly leadership to this church.
He called me to preach God?s Word faithfully in this church,
He called me to love the hard to love as much as the easy to love.
And unless/until he “uncalls” me, you all better get used to seeing my face up here each Sunday morning.
God has called me to lead this congregation during an amazing time when He is doing great things.
And friends, God?s work here in this church is really important, and it?s worth struggling for!
Unless God leads me elsewhere, you can expect to see me here for a long time.
Jacob would tell you that the really important things are worth struggling for!
Jacob would tell you:
Don?t Play Favorites with Your Children
The Really Important Things in Life are Worth Struggling For.
And 3rd, he?d remind you that:
3. What Goes Around Comes Around ? “Be careful what you sow”
Jacob, the deceiver, cheated his brother out of the most important thing in his life, Isaac?s blessing.
Laban turned around and cheated Jacob out of the most important thing in his life, Rachel.
Friends, there?s a valuable spiritual principle here.
It?s a principle that God has laid into the very foundation of creation ? you reap what you sow!
Galatians 6:7 (NIV)
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
Now, before I go on?Let me make a very important statement here.
God is one who isn?t mocked.
God is the one who deals out the consequences for our sins.
Romans 12:17-21 (NIV)
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
If you don?t hear anything else I say here this morning, please hear this.
God doesn?t need your help in making sure what goes around comes around.
He?s perfectly capable of taking care of whoever needs to be taken care of without our intervention.
And He will make it happen.
Some folks will account for their behavior here?the natural consequence of their actions.
Some folks will account for their sins in front of our Almighty God on the day of Judgment
2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV)
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
The deeds of the unrepentant heart will be laid out bare at the judgment seat and it will show that what goes around comes around!
God has made sure that whatever goes around comes around. It is the eternal balance.
? Gossips will be gossiped about?He who talks to you today will talk about you tomorrow.
? Liars will be lied to.
? Cheaters will be cheated.
? Stealers will be stolen from.
? The mean spirited will be treated meanly.
Jacob, the deceiver, was deceived!
Whatever goes around comes around.
God will take care of it, and He doesn?t need your help to do it.
Also, Jacob would plead with you to:
4. Do Whatever it Takes to Hang on to God
In Genesis 32, we see a man in turmoil.
Jacob is coming home.
Jacob hasn?t seen Esau in 20 years.
He has no idea whether he?ll be received or rejected
He sent his family across the river and camped by himself.
God appeared to Jacob that night.
Jacob must have quickly realized that he was dealing with a Heavenly force, because he demanded that the Lord would bless him.
They wrestled for hours, and Jacob?s hip was torn out of it?s socket in the struggle.
Still, Jacob demanded the Heavenly blessing.
Finally, in Genesis 32:26 “And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”
Genesis 32:26 (NIV)
26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
Do you see what?s happening here folks?
Jacob is in a crisis.
The deceiver is about to face the one whom he has deceived.
The cheater wonders whether he?ll live to see the sun set.
He?s alone/afraid.
And in that hour of crisis, God appears to him.
At that moment, Jacob makes a decision.
He?s tired of being a deceiver.
He?s tired of living from lie to lie.
He?s tired of trying to survive by his own wits and strength.
All his cunning has gotten him is a brother that swore to kill him and 20 years as a servant in his father in law?s house.
In the dark of that night, alone, Jacob looked inside himself at who he really was.
And Jacob wasn?t very happy about what he saw.
Friends, God always comes to us in our time of need, or hour of crisis.
And He?s a gentleman?He?ll never force himself upon you.
He stood before Jacob, and I believe that the physical struggle with God was symbolic of the internal struggle in Jacob?s heart.
Finally, Jacob decided that it was time to let go of the past.
It was time to put his sins behind him and reach out to almighty God.
So he called upon God for His blessing.
Look at God?s answer.
Genesis 32:27-28 (NIV)
27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. 28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”
God gave him a new heart, and a new name.
Friends, Jacob would have been a man in his 40?s when he laid down the title of “Deceiver” and took up the God given title of “Overcomer”.
If you don?t hear anything else here this morning, please hear me now?.It?s not Too Late for you to Change!
God is in the business of redemption.
God is in the business of change.
God wants more than salvation for you.
God wants to give you a new name.
“But preacher, I like my name!”
Well, God will someday change your name just like he changed Jacob?s
Revelation 2:17 (NIV)
17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
God wants to change your heart today.
CONCLUSION
Jacob would challenge you this morning.
He?s say?
? Don?t Play Favorites with Your Children.
? The Really Important Things in Life are Worth Struggling For.
? What Goes Around Comes Around
? Do Whatever it Takes to Hang on to God