Hall of Faith - Jacob, Wrestling For The Blessing

INTRO:

What makes you angry? News, coworkers, classmates, people making foolish mistakes seemingly not caring? All anger comes from a place of hurt. And so when we get angry and hurt we are convinced that the other person needs to come address it and apologize to me in order to start to make it right. Most of us are so heavy on that, and look down on those that don’t make as much effort as we think they should in righting their wrongs. And then we even look up to those that offer forgiveness so seemingly easily after something major or severe happens, we look up to those that have this sense of maturity that they can just do that!

Sometimes we say how bad we want to be like someone who has shown great mercy and forgiveness and we talk about our desire to be that.

But how often do we talk about the desire for forgiveness...and how much do we seek God’s transformative work on our own selves?

Victim mentality: I’m the one that forgives. But we’re not only the victims…

We all have room for growth and maturity in our ability to give forgiveness and mercy and grace, of that there is no doubt. But sometimes we forget that we also have been on the side of the perpetrator, that we’re not just the victim. We’ve been the ones to cause pain, sadness, worry, stress, and other problems. We’ve all been that difficult person! And we’ve all desperately needed forgiveness and change to not be that way or that person anymore.

(PPT) The Perpetrator or The Victim? Jacob started off as the one who was the swindler, the cheater.

Our hero doesn’t start of so “heroic”.

Recap/Summary:

Chapter 27

Isaac is dying and is time to pass on blessings

Esau = Hairy, Jacob = not so much....Deception from Jacob with Rebekah’s help wearing goatskins

Esau lost the birthright (ch.25) and now the blessing, and intends to kill Jacob. And Jacob flees - running from Esau and that problem.

But that problem would come back later, the past would catch up.

Chapter 28

V.10-12

In a vision from God, Jacob sees this ladder or staircase with angels going up and down it - a ladder that connects heaven and earth.

Angels going up and down doing the will of God and being messengers of God.

(PPT) God’s is involved with what is taking place on the earth, He connects Himself with it and guides the course of human history.

If were to you live in a way that reflects you believing that, what would be different? A lot less fear and way more trust!

Are you living like you believe God is in control? - with less fear of the unknown, more trust in God’s eternal promises, less anxiety about loneliness, and more courage to step out in faith? Life is radically different when you do, and is immensely richer with God as well.

V.13-15

At the top is God. God speaks to him in that moment saying “I am with you, I will protect you, and I will bring you back here safely once again.”

(PPT) Covenant established between God and Jacob - as it had been with Abraham (Gen.22:16-18) and Isaac (Gen.26:3). The Promise: Land, Nation, and all the earth blessed through ONE of his offspring (Messianic Prophecy).

There is the proof that God has a guiding hand on human history from the OT to now.

V.20-21 -

It was in that moment that he loved what God was saying, but wasn’t ready to trust Him. Instead he bargains in a way, saying if you do these things then you will be my God. A lot of “ifs”, and bold statements.

“IF”? You just saw God and heard Him!

(PPT) We never negotiate with God do we? Do we leave things as contingent?

“If you grant this I’ll never disbelieve again…When things slow down I’ll be do more with the Church… God, if you get me out of this mess, I’ll never sin like that again….”

Something we need to remember is that God is not a negotiating partner, He is Lord! We’re called to take up our daily and follow His lead, not meet him halfway with our contingencies.

Jacob has not completely surrendered.He is at that time crafty, a negotiator, even with God.

Chapter 32

This is the defining story in Jacob’s life. It transforms Jacob into Israel. Its done by God for Jacob’s benefit. This is a transformative moment.

In the beginning of this chapter Jacob is about to meet up with Esau. About 20 years ago, Jacob was running off from Esau who was bent on killing him for tricking him out of his birthright and blessing. He was a guy who was shifty and knows how to pull the right strings, push the right buttons, and run very fast. Jacob made the journey away, now its time to come back.

V.1

When Jacob is back on his way the angels of God, like a welcoming committee, meet him. But its more than that, they’re a reminder that he is in the land of God.

Jacob is making preparations and in verse 3-8 (gotta get my story straight)

V.9-12

Here see him do something he hasn’t done before really – he prayed to God.

It’s a key moment for Jacob.

When Jacob first leaves God encounters him in ch.28. Now he has a lot of material gains and family, and its time to meet his brother.

Now he has to trust the promise of God from 20 years ago, God saying “I will bring you back to this land”. He should’ve trusted it back then, and he’s struggling to trust it now. He’s unsure and wrestling with feelings verses promises. Because what he’s been running from is formidable and seems difficult to deal with.

Funny how things from the past haunt us. Running from the past never works, you have to deal with those issues, and Jacob is being taught that.

We see him working his own plan in case Esau attacks...but we see him now praying to God. You don’t see that happen up until this event. Struggles and difficult circumstances can lead us to prayer like nothing else can. And yes, it is a good time to pray in those times.

The last thing we read about before the wrestling match he sends gifts to Esau to “soften the blow”, v.13-21.

V.22-24

This is the time when God chooses to pay a visit. As you look at the different encounters God has with people, you see Him do it with an angel, sometimes He is simply described as a man or a being (which is the case here), sometimes as the angel of the LORD .

Jacob is alone. Alone with God once again. That’s really when defining moments take place, when there’s someone alone with God.

(PPT) Solitude with God is needed in your life. Jesus needed it, so how much more do we?

Mark 1:35 “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” If Jesus, in all His perfection, needed this time, how much more do we, with all our flaws and distractions? In times of choosing the 12 apostles, after feeding the 5000, before his betrayal - Jesus shows us the need for stepping away from life’s noises and connecting with God for clarity and focus on God’s will.

Wisdom says I need to do that regularly too.

V.25-30

Was Jacob truly greater than God? There’s no way...so what does this text mean? Did God let Him and just kind of toy with Jacob, was he “wrestling” like a dad with a toddler even though the toddler isn’t playing around?....There are some things in the Bible that are like the stars of the night sky – meant to be seen, appreciated, and simply marveled at.

The key to get here is the message. The story of Jacob is framed by God’s two encounters with Jacob, ch.28 &32. In this second one there’s not a lot of negotiating or tricks – there is simply a prayer that says “LORD save me, I need you”, an immense struggle, a breaking, and a blessing.

When God visits a person in the Bible, the encounter can usually be summed up question: “Do you trust me? Do you believe me?” And to Jacob specifically – “What have you learned since last we spoke? Have you changed at all, have you learned at all?” Jacob needed to be broken down by God. The cheater needed to be beaten. God had big plans for Jacob but his character had to be altered first.

Jacob had spent his life as a schemer and manipulator, he didn’t want his life directed by God, but instead wanted to get successful by his means. All of that had to change, he had to wrestle with God, not just physically. And it didn’t just hurt physically either. Change hurts! But he realized how much greater God is than Himself and was willing to hang on and to keep wrestling for the blessing!

(PPT) Jacob has learned the lesson that God has wanted him to learn – it’s about submission, its about humility, its about surrender of yourself, let God define who you are (hence the name change) and let God bless your life beyond what you could do for yourself.

Genesis 32:26 - why would he ask for a blessing unless he knew that this person was greater than himself?

(PPT) It’s a blessing to be changed by God! And only God can do it.

We too get a new identity with God. If you don’t like your identity, then change it! 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

The story isn’t about Jacob! It’s about God. The same as my story isn’t about me either. It’s about God. It’s about God’s transformative power and divine work being accomplished.

Have you learned that lesson? As Jacob limps away he is reminded of what he has learned and reminded to keep yielding to God’s purposes and plan. He learned the lesson and had the mark to prove it.

Jacob endured the pain and God changed him. Hebrews 10:36 “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” To live by faith you have to have endurance. Endurance of course in this world but also we need to endure in what God says, endure in the path He’s laid out.

You might be wrestling with God’s divine direction.

From a cheat and trickster, to a humble surrender-er.

In the end Jacob was faithful. Hebrews 11:21 “By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.”

So he’s faithful because he leaned on his staff worshiping and giving blessings when he’s about to die? Yes. But it was what he grew past to get to that moment in faith that lead to him being a great person of faith. To be a person of faith, Jacob had to learn humility and submission to God. And He did, and he even had the limp to prove it.

(PPT) What’s your end going to be? What will be said about you at the end? Your identity does not have to be wrapped up in what you have done.

You might be like Jacob was: tricky, manipulative, un-trusting — or in other words, FLAWED. You may not have a good start, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a good end.

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

And at that point, your identity is changed to the new name that you bear - Christ’s name.

Are you ready to submit to God and be changed forever?