"I AM JACOB"
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>>>(Illust.) X2 (explain plot)
*Magneto wanting mutants to be free and dominant.
>>>Character named John whose ability is to create/manipulate fire.
>>>Sitting w/ Magneto scene.
*Magneto: “What’s your name?”
*John: “John.”
*Magneto: “What’s your real name?”
*John: “Pyro.” (Flicks fire)
>>>The point of Magneto’s questions was not to know what people called John, but what he called himself-his identity.
*“Who are you?”
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>>>Abraham had Isaac whose wife was pregnant w/twins.
*Twins were described as two nations-struggled in womb.
Genesis 25:24–26 “When her days leading to the delivery were at an end, behold, there were twins in her womb. Now the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so he was named Jacob; and Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.”
>>>(v.25-26) Rebekah gave birth to the twins. One came out hairy (Esau), and the other came holding on to his brother’s heel (Jacob).
>>>The name “Jacob” means “one who takes by the heel”/“supplants” (cheats).
*Jacob from his birth had the identity of a cheater.
JACOB’S NAME REFLECTED HIS IDENTITY.
JACOB’S NAME REFLECTED HIS IDENTITY.
>>>People were named in the Bible based a lot of times on their identity. It was not just what they were called but who they were.
>>>This is not done in West. But regardless of our names we all have an identity.
*Identity-how we live, choices we make, speech, life events, family, social groups, actions, etc.
>>>May have ID as “bad kid”/ “needy”/ “fearful”/ “insecure”/ “rejected”/ “liar/deceiver”/ “manipulative”/etc.
>>>Jacob (could have been named Max) had the identity of someone who tricks, deceives, manipulates, cheats-especially when it came to his older brother.
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>>>Esau came back from hunting and wanted Jacob to give him some of the stew he was making.
>>>Jacob gave him stew in exchange for his birthright (the benefits/inheritance that would go to the firstborn). He manipulated his brother.
>>>Later, Isaac, who was losing his sight, was going to bless Esau, the blessing of many nations with his nation being chosen.
>>>Rebekah had gave Jacob the idea of dressing as Esau and taking Esau’s blessing. He stole his brother’s blessing.
>>>Jacob had the identity of a cheat, deceiver, and manipulator. He lived out his identity.
WE LIVE BASED ON OUR IDENTITY.
WE LIVE BASED ON OUR IDENTITY.
>>>Whatever we think we are/who everyone says about us, we act accordingly. We live based on our identity.
>>>ID of bad kid? Acts like bad kid. As a fearful person? Acts in fear? Needy? Tries to find acceptance (how some women end up in abusive relationships).
>>>Like Jacob, our lives reflect what we see is our identity.
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>>>Jacob left his parents and went to his uncle, Laban (Rebekah’s brother).
>>>Laban had two daughters: Leah and Rachel. Jacob loved Rachel and worked 7 years to marry her.
*Laban gave him Leah.
*Told Jacob to serve another 7 years to get Rachel.
*The one who took advantage of others was now being taken advantage of.
>>>Jacob was more prosperous than Laban. Laban had cheated Jacob and now was not “friendly” towards him.
>>>Jacob left Laban (cheated him) without telling him rather than facing Laban as he followed what God told him. Rachel took the idols with her.
*Stole from her father.
*Jacob worshiping idols?
>>>Jacob never confronted anything in his life. He always fled.
>>>Jacob was now in the place of being cheated himself, all stemming from his decisions with his family.
OUR IDENTITY CAN LEAVE OUR LIVES A MESS.
OUR IDENTITY CAN LEAVE OUR LIVES A MESS.
>>>When we live according to our identity-the wrong identity-our choices begin to have consequences.
>>>Bad kid-continuing to do bad things/broken families/Acceptance-in abusive relationships/depression.
*Our lives can become the mess of our choices.
>>>We don’t face our problems/what has caused the mess. We run away/avoid.
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>>>Jacob had to go back to Canaan, meaning he would have to face his ultimate past, Esau.
>>>Jacob had to major encounters with God. The first one showed God never left him.
*Even as Jacob was fearful and deceiving with a messed up life, God was still there.
>>>He had a second encounter with God.
Genesis 32:24–26 “Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.””
>>>The man (pre incarnate Jesus) wrestled Jacob all night, but Jacob would not let Him win. The Man hit his hip and knocked it out of socket, winning.
>>>Jacob wanted the man to bless him. He understood the man was divine and was his superior. He was not letting go until God intervened.
Genesis 32:27–29 “So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have contended with God and with men, and have prevailed.” And Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there.”
>>>The man changed Jacob’s name to Israel meaning, “strives with God” or God strives”. Jacob struggled with God and kept persisting.
>>>God had to literally break Jacob to get him to yield. His grabbing was now him seeking God.
*He was given a new identity.
GOD CAN GIVE US A NEW IDENTITY.
GOD CAN GIVE US A NEW IDENTITY.
>>>God still pursues us despite the mess of our life. But for our lives to truly be fixed, we have to let Him in. This means facing ourselves and have to be broken.
>>>(Illust.) My Story
>>>We can run in fear and keep pushing back, or God can change us, giving us a new freedom and identity-a new way of living.