NLM 20230910 Genesis 29: The Lord Who Loves the Unloved and the Unlovable
Genesis: Looking Back in Order to Move Ahead Spiritually • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Behold - the injection of grace and mercy in the lives of undeserving sinners.
1 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
Map of Jacob’s journey
2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large, 3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” 6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” 7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father. 13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)
25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.
Introduction:
I love and I hate superhero movies all at the same time.
Marvel, DC, Wheel of Time, Mandelorian, you name it, I’ll watch it but I’ll nitpick it to death
LOTR - 3 movies - but think about it - why didn’t the eagles, who could defeat the winged beasts of the Nazgul just take the ring and drop it into fires of Mount Doom?
Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like Jacob, He was was lost but now is found, was blind but now he sees
What happens after salvation? Do we suddenly change overnight? Do all of our problems go away?
(1) The Lord watches over Jacob (29:1-8) From start to finish!
A journey of 550 miles!
How we are taught to read these verses
(1) God helps those who help themselves. Jacob traveled a long way. It must have been a hard journey. But because he worked hard, he earned God’s favor. God owed him a blessing
(2) Let go and let God. The reason that there’s only one verse is because there were no difficulties. Believer’s don’t have struggles
(3) He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
The Lord is molding Jacob, conforming him to the image of His Son Jesus. Jacob is being sanctified, made like Jesus
Jacob was a man of the tents, Esau a man of the fields and streams. You can take the boy out of the kitchen, but you can’t take the kitchen out of the boy.
That’s not true, the Lord is about to change Jacob, stretch Jacob, humble Jacob
The long journey was just the beginning...
(2) The deceiver gets deceived (29:9-30) You reap what you sow!
Leah’s weak eyes - she was emotional (lit, soft or tender)
Jacob worked seven years, waited a week, married Rachel, worked another seven years
Is Jacob twisting the Lord’s words, the younger shall serve the older and changing it to, the younger shall marry the younger and not the older?
How did the switch happen? Laban had a mishteh, a drinking feast.
Vs 25 - why have you deceived me? Hah! Notice the use of the word, behold. If Jacob was surpised in his dream by God’s mercy and grace, he was even more surprised when Laban did the switch
In chapter 28 Jacob was filled with the Spirit, in chapter 29 we see him drunk with wine. And we know that nothing good happens when that happens
(3) The Lord loves the unlovable and the unloved (29:31-35) And that’s you!
There’s a sadness in this part of chapter 29. Leah knew that Jacob loved Rachel. Just like Rebekah and Jacob’s deception of Isaac, Leah knew that she and her father Laban were deceiving Jacob.
But verse 30 makes it clear: Jacob loved Rachel rather than Leah
Jacob is a jerk, he’s unlovable - but God loves him
Leah is a godly jewel, unloved - and God loves her
What are the implications in your life?
What does this say of Christ, the savior who died for morons like Jacob and Peter, but also for wonderful people like his mother Mary and his good friend the apostle John.
Truly God is a God of grace and mercy
4 Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.
Not every believer is perfect - but the Lord cares for your soul
Not every believer is loved - but the Lord is your refuge - He loves you
And now may the Lord, who is the strength of His people, be your Shepherd and carry you forever. Amen.