Up Here Again

Introduction

Today I’m going to be preaching a part 2 of a message from a few months back titled “I didn’t even realise” - A story from the life of Jacob where God shows up in a dream as he’s fleeing from his brother. And God blesses him in the most undeserving time. Jacob awakes and says “Surely God is here and I wasn’t even aware of it”. God speaks destiny and encouragement over his life. We are going to kind of pick up where we left off. PROPHETIC INJECTION & PRAYER

When I was 12 my sister Elyssa ran away from home to live with her bf. Really hard and confusing time. Must have been a difficult season for my parents. She came back just before her 17th Birthday. Coming back home would have reminded her of the security and love from her family. But also the reminder that she was committed to these relationships too.

Maybe right now you’re running away from relationships that are hard, situations that are difficult, past pain that you don’t want to re visit. When it comes to our relationship with God it’s easy even as a follower of Jesus to spend our days away from him and running from who He has called us to be and how he has called us to live. There’s a reason why Jesus teaches us to pray “Give us today our daily bread”. We need him daily. We need daily reminders open up, think about, follow him. It’s so easy to get off track. To forget the commitment we made. To forget the promises that we have in him. WE get amnesia sometimes when it comes to what he’s called us to be and who he’s called us to be. Or we purposely distance ourselves from him or his community and before we know it we are isolated living under the grip or deception of the enemy. Have you ever had a day like this? A week, maybe a month even year? Some of you it’s been a whole season of your life. But you know deep down God knows you. His eyes are on you and He has designed an incredible path for you to take that wont just bless you but everyone around you. In fact there are people, opportunities, healing, relationships, businesses, families, marriages awaiting your yes to God.

If you feel like this, you are exactly where Jacob was in his life right now.

CONTEXT

Alot happens in between Ch 28-35. Like alot. You ever look back over the last few years and think “What the heck just happened?”. You’re in good company. Jacob moves in with his Uncle who becomes his Father in law Out of the Promised Land Works 14 years for him to marry the woman he loved “Rachel” He ends up with two wives Has 11 Sons and 1 Daughter Works another 6 years to grow his cattles Has to be crafty to escape his Psyco Father in law who wouldn’t let him go back home Father in law chases him down but they come to an agreement Has to face his twin brother whos life he ruined 20 years before Has a wrestling match with God His daughter gets raped His sons get angry and kill a whole village of men in revenge

When Jacob is trying to run away from his Father in law God speaks to him in Gen 31:3 “Go back to the land of your Fathers, and I will be with you”

In our cinematic, one dimensional reading of the Bible we hear this and go “Sounds like a good idea”. Jacob is thinking about all the things he needs to face as he heads back. But He goes and this is where we pick up.

UP HERE AGAIN

35:1 “Then God said to Jacob “Go Up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau”

From the words “Go back to the land” and “Go up to Bethel” - it was about 8 years. Geographically Bethel is just near where God wanted him. But He settled in Sheckem for 8 years. That’s when trouble came to his daughter. Settling is never a good idea when it comes to your faith. Contextually part of this word is to protect him and his family. If the other people around them heard about what his sons did - it would have been game over for him and his family. God says go! But also God wanted to take him back up to a place he had been before. Why? This call back to Bethel ( House of God) would have reminded him of God’s love and faithfulness but also his commitment... 28:20 “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return saftely to my Fathers household, then the Lord will be my God”

Well Jacob, I think God has done more than that for you. Right now, You need to be reminded God has done more than what you asked for you.

“Go Up” Jacob. Or some of the older tranlations “Arise”. Go Up there again to Bethel Jacob. Go up again to the house of God. You ever feel like God keeps taking you up again and again and again? Why? Cause you need it.

For almost a year my sister and brother in law lived with us in our back loft. Almost every day at some point in the day, our girls would dissapear. We knew exactly where they’d be. We call out to Sam and Kay “Are the girls up there?”. “Yep there Up Here”. Some days we’d just call or text - “Yep Up Here Again” - they kept going back there. It was fun for them, and every time they’d visit it was a reminder of how much they loved spending time with them.

UP HERE AGAIN.... The reason why the Scripture says “Up” is because Bethel is on a slight incline. Jacob had to ascend not only from his circumstance but up to the place.

So Jacob does get up, but immmediately he has to make some changes..

Who is your God?

Read v2-4 This is evidence of how far away Jacob got from God. He had false idols repsenting false Gods in his household. Rachel brought these in in 31:35, but also the surrounding servants and people would have brought in a culture of worship to another God. You gotta understand, the reason why your far away is because your allowing your surroundings lead you astray into a land of false idol worship. Your friends as they chase money and fame. Your family as they tell you to be afraid everything. Your instagram feed showing you what you don’t have and what you should have. Your love for self feeding your sinful desires. Continuing to fall deeper into slavery to debt and lust. Your surroundings lie. They promise you what they cannot deliver. You need to get RID of the idols. Who’s at fault here in the story? Everyone, but mainly Jacob. I want to speak to the Fathers in the room for a moment. If you are a single Mum or a single carer I want to include you in this too. TAKE BACK YOUR FAMILY! Stop excusing idol worship under your watch. Stop turning a blind eye to what your family are doing. If you can’t convince them by your words, try praying. If you can’t convince them by your words, try changing. Show them that our God is the only God!

TAKE BACK YOUR FAMILY. TAKE THEM UP HERE AGAIN TO BETHEL!!!! And Jacob does it! v6-7

El Bethel “God of the house of God” Why? One commentator said this “The house itself is an empty ordinance without meeting the God who owns the House” You keep showing up to Church, connect, streaming sermons - but it’s all empty religion until you truly know the God of the House and He becomes your number 1. When God is first, there is no second. Can you say that with your whole heart?

God Will Appear Again

About 5 years ago I went on an adventure up a mountain in Katoomba called Mount Solitary. My mate was a crazy marathon runner and oragnised a “walk”.. He told us it was 7km. Easy. We get there and every starts running so this walk tunred into a run, and after 7km we hit a 1km climb up a steep hill to the top… Then we run back - so it was 15.4 km and extremely hard. I think sometimes it feels hard “Going up again” to God. Another prayer, another church service, another moment of being vulnerable, opening up my sin. Another mental challenge, emotional hurdle, conversation in the foyer. Sometimes instead of “Up here again” it’s “Up here again?” Can we be honest...

This is when we’ve misunderstood approaching God. He has become a chore. A hurdle. A challenge. A problem. And that’s tiring.

Is this possible why Jacob was in such a mess? He misunderstood God. And who He is. The God who says “I will go with you and give you rest” to Moses The God who says “I will lead you to quite waters and green pastures” to David The God who says “My yolk is easy and my burden is light” to the Disciples The God who says “I leave you my peace” to John

But He knows we struggle. And we take the burden upon us. And we END UP HERE AGAIN AND AGAIN.... Going round in circles, run far away, full of shame and guilt

I asked her what it was like coming back. She said this… (READ TEXT) This is real life. And this is what we feel in these moments with God. But I want to show you something in this passage.. Where God shows up.... V9-13

I want to read v9 slowly... “God Appeared Again”.... When we are “Up here again”, God “Appears again” Blesses him again

Reminds him of his name again

Reminds him of his calling again

Chapter 28 he already told him this!! But who knows we need to hear it again and again and again...

We need God to Appear again and again.

Watch this... Jesus was sent down to bring the house of God to this place. He is the God of the House

And what do the Angels say to the disciples? Acts 1 “Men of Galilee why do you look UP into the sky?” This same Jesus that was taken up will come back in the same way you saw him Go.” Jesus is the greater Jacob who has ascended up to the House and baby he is coming back down the same road. God bought Jacob back down the same road to the place to meet him.

A few years ago I was walking through Kings Cross with my wife Summer. And I notice this building. It was a building that took me back to a moment when I was 19. I was arrested for a brawl outside a night club. One of the lowest moments of my life. This time as I walked back up this slight hill in kings cross and looked at the building I was a totally different man. Completely changed. In fact it brought me great joy and a moment of thankfulness and worship to God. I remember thinking “Wow I’m Up here again in Kings Cross, and I and remembering all that God has brought me through and he’s still - he’s still faithful.”