Reunited Genesis 33:1-20

A family from a remote area was making their first visit to a big city. They checked in to a grand hotel and stood in amazement at the impressive sight. Leaving the reception desk they came to the elevator entrance. They’d never seen an elevator before, and just stared at it, unable to figure out what it was for.

An old lady hobbled towards the elevator and went inside. The door closed. About a minute later, the door opened and out came a stunningly good-looking young woman.

The Dad couldn’t stop staring. Without turning his head he patted his son’s arm and said, “Go get your mother, son.”

-God Works to Transform His People

I. A New Posture vv. 1-3

When we pick up the story, Jacob has had a long night

He has been wrestling with the angel of the Lord and he has held on for a blessing

He leaves that place with a limp, a constant reminder of his dependence on the Lord

This is all part of a new posture that will mark his life moving forward. We see that in two ways:

Prior to this, Jacob intended to walk behind his family, hoping that the presence of the women and children would provide him with safety if his brother continued in anger

Now, we see that Jacob is out in front; as an act of faith, Jacob goes first and risks the wrath of his brother

Prior to this, Jacob was marked by a touch of arrogance; he was willing to trade for the birthright and deceive for the blessing; he is the son of the covenant line.

Now, we see Jacob bowing in humility before his brother; whatever position God has given Jacob, he has wronged his brother

We need to understand that God’s people ought to be marked by a posture of humility

Like Jacob, we have experienced great forgiveness

Like Jacob, the blessings we have are gifts from God

This does not just impact our relationship with God; it ought to overflow to our human relationships as well

II. A New Peace vv. 4-11

There is good news; God has not only been at work in Jacob, but in Esau also

The last time we saw Esau, he was plotting to kill Jacob

Now, he is ready to embrace him

Jacob’s transformation represents a total change of character

He returns to Esau as a man who has received God’s blessings rather than a manipulator and schemer

He is ready to give to his brother Esau, not take away from him

He views himself as a servant of Esau

All of the language of Jacob recognizes that he is in the debt of his older brother

Interestingly, greatness and humility go hand-in-hand in God’s kingdom!

Jacob’s peace with Esau is an extension of his peace with God

You cannot be at peace with God without it overflowing into your human relationships as well

People who experience great grace are able to rest in the sufficiency of God and do not have to pursue self-justification or live by pride; they can own their failures and seek forgiveness from others!

The death of Christ is the ground on which we live at peace with each other.

This power of prayer can be illustrated by the story that goes back to the fourth [sic] century – the monk… followed a crowd into the Coliseum, and… he saw the gladiators come forth, stand before the Emperor, and say, ‘We who are about to die salute you.’ And he realized they were going to fight to the death for the entertainment of the crowds. He cried out, ‘In the Name of Christ, stop!’ And his voice was lost in the tumult there in the great Colosseum…

And as the games began… the crowds saw this scrawny little figure making his way out to the gladiators and saying, over and over again, ‘In the Name of Christ, stop!’ And they thought it was part of the entertainment, and at first they were amused. But then, when they realized it wasn’t, they grew belligerent and angry…

And as he was pleading with the gladiators, ‘In the Name of Christ, stop!’ one of them plunged his sword into his body. And as he fell to the sand of the arena in death, his last words were, ‘In the Name of Christ, stop!’ And suddenly, a strange thing happened. The gladiators stood looking at this tiny form lying in the sand. A silence fell over the Colosseum. And then, someplace up in the upper tiers, an individual made his way to an exit and left, and the others began to follow. And in the dead silence, everyone left the Colosseum. That was the last battle to the death between gladiators in the Roman Colosseum. Never again did anyone kill or did men kill each other for the entertainment of the crowd…

One tiny voice that could hardly be heard above the tumult. ‘In the Name of Christ, stop!’ It is something we could be saying to each other throughout the world today.

III. A New Priority vv. 12-17

The new Jacob continues forward in a way that demonstrates his change of character

Esau asks him to journey along with him, but it would be quite a feat

Esau is journeying with armed men; Jacob has sheep and children!

Rather than pushing the family and flocks for the sake of Esau, Jacob gives consideration to them and opts out of following Esau

Jacob is acting like a good father and a good shepherd. This is significant!

The new Jacob trusts the Lord and loves others

He acts with humility towards Esau, but he does not live in fear of Esau

If this had all been nothing more than the fear of Esau, Jacob would have handled the entire situation differently; it would have been a sham

However, because of the transforming work of God in his heart, Jacob can do the right thing, not just the expedient thing

I’m afraid that this is where many of us find ourselves:

We are good, as others count goodness. However, it is not motivated out of a genuine desire to glorify God and trust in Him

Instead, it is a man-centered fear that drives us; we must place the Lord as our central priority and hope!

IV. An Old Promise vv. 18-20

The story ends with Jacob’s return to Canaan

This is a fulfillment of the Lord’s promise to Jacob at Bethel; years have passed, but the Lord has been faithful

This return retraces Abraham’s route and is a step in His father’s footsteps

This return follows Abraham’s pattern: He builds an altar and worships the Lord

When Jacob builds his altar, the name is telling: God is the God of Israel!

This is an inward look, as Jacob recognizes the goodness of God towards him and commits himself to the Lord

However, it also looks ahead: Israel is not just an individual, but a nation, one that we are invited to be a part of!

The God who called Abraham, provided for Isaac, and transformed Jacob can be your God also!

Farmers in Zentsuji, Japan, are preparing full-grown watermelons for shipment -- only these are no ordinary melons: they're square! They were placed in tempered-glass cubes while they were still growing. Why would anyone want a square watermelon? They’re much easier to store in a refrigerator! It’s amusing to think of how a naturally round watermelon can become square because of the shape of the container in which it’s grown.

This reminds me of the forces in the world that exert their influence on us and attempt to shape us. That’s why in Romans 12: 2 we are told not to be "conformed to this world," but to be "transformed by the renewing of [our] mind." The idea is rather simple: We are to allow the transforming Word of God to work within us and produce outward results, instead of permitting external pressures to shape us.