Failure is not Finality
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Last week in Life is a Journey, we find Isaac trying to force a blessing on Esau that was supposed go to Jacob.
We also saw Jacob’s mother, Rebekah stepping in trying to beat Issac’s desire with the ultimate will of God, but not because of her dedication to the will of God, but rather for her selfishness and love for her son Jacob.
We then saw Jacob following through with the plan to deceive Issac by covering his appearance, lying, and sealing the deception with a kiss to obtain his father’s blessings.
This led to Esau being anger for being duped, twice out of his birthright. Once because of his own despising of his birthright and secondly because of the Will and Sovereignty of God.
The entire incident left both Esau and Jacob isolated from their family. We drew four conclusions last week.
If You Sow to the Flesh, You’ll Reap from the FLESH.
(2) You can’t OBSTRUCT the Ultimate Purpose of God, so Why not Work with Him, Not against Him?
(3) Godly Ends do not Justify Wrong MEANS.
(4) The Way to Find Your Life is to LOSE it for Christ’s Sake.
Jacob’s Position
Jacob’s Position
1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
2 Arise, go to Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.
3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.
5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.
Jacob’s Problems
Jacob’s Problems
His Parentage:
His Parentage:
Remember
28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Now, if you are going to show favoritism, it definitely should be because of the venison.
Issac was a Sensual Man:
Issac was a Sensual Man:
He loved his venison. He loved the things of the flesh.
Rebekah was a Scheming Woman:
Rebekah was a Scheming Woman:
Rebekah was a busybody.
She was the one who helped Jacob scheme against her husband Issac over the blessing.
Then you has Esau.
Esau was a Self-Centered Brother:
Esau was a Self-Centered Brother:
Esau didn’t care about the things of God. He was simply a hairy outdoorsman who was very selfish and self absorbed with the things of the flesh.
This is Jacob’s family.
His Personality:
His Personality:
Jacob’s name means: schemer, conniver, trickster, by nature.
It was a struggle for Jacob to do right.
He was always looking to con or cheat someone out of stuff.
Jacob seemed to have everything against him. His environment, His Heredity, His Age.
It just seems there is one failure after another.
We need to understand his problems in order to hopefully be able to see God’s grace in his life so we can understand that it is not our environment, heredity, or even age that is the problem, but rather God’s grace that is sufficient in all things.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore, notice that Jacob did have some Positives.
Jacob’s Positives
Jacob’s Positives
Jacob Had
The Love of God:
The Love of God:
No matter what your background, no matter what your environment, no matter what your situation. Everyone, including you as the Love of God.
It even states this specifically in
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God didn’t love him because of his faults; He loved him in spite of his faults.
God didn’t change him in order to love him; God loved him so he could change him.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
The Love for God
The Love for God
Jacob had a spiritual hunger; he wanted to know God.
I don’t have time this morning, but do you remember the birthright that Jacob cheated his brother Esau out of.
That birthright was not only an inheritance of physical assets but spiritual assets also.
Esau didn’t care for the spiritual blessings. that is what turned the love of Esau to hatred on behalf of God.
Because didn’t care about God.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
God loves you, but do you love him.
Let me ask you this morning:
Do you have a hunger for God pr are you satisfied like you are?
Forget your failures, forget your faults, forget your family.
Do you hunger for God?
Failure is not Finality!
Jacob hungered for God and God moved in Jacob’s life.
Lets look at
Jacob’s Progress
Jacob’s Progress
as we look at 3 episodes in the life of Jacob that didn’t Finalize his Failure.
Jacob’s Progress begins in verse 10
10 And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran.
Jacob is obeying his father and heading back to their homeland to find a wife,j rather than taking one from the Canaanites.
11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
Jacob is all alone.
He is away from his family.
His deceitful character has seperated him.
He has a death penalty. Esua wants him dead.
He is away from God.
His sinfulness has separated him.
It is now getting dark, He’s surrounded by desert. He has a stone for a pillow. He is definitely not in the comfort of the promises of God or the blessings of Isaac.
He finally drifts off to sleep.
Jacob’s New Proclamation
Jacob’s New Proclamation
12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
Notice, God doesn’t wait for us to come to him. God came to him.
Jacob has a dream.
Jacob sees a ladder.
Going from Earth all the way to Heaven.
Jacob sees angels.
Ascending and Descending on the ladder.
Jacob sees the Lord.
Standing at the top.
Who is Jacob looking at?
Jesus Christ. Remember, the Old Testament is about Jesus Christ.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
Guile = Jacob
Here is an Israelite in whom is no Jacob.
He is not a deceiver.
He is not a trickster.
He is not a conartist.
Jesus takes Nathanael back to the Old Testament and says what Jacob saw you are seeing.
Notice:
The Ladder’s Reach:
The Ladder’s Reach:
12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
Now, to really understand this ladder, you need to go back to Genesis 11, before God called Abraham to follow Him.
We find people building a ladder in an effort to reach heaven. It was a failure and ended in division and separation.
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jacob’s ladder goes all the way to heaven, the presence of God.
Not only the ladder’s Reach, but notice
The Ladder’s Resources:
The Ladder’s Resources:
Angels Ascending and Descending, Up and Down the Ladder.
Remember John 1:51
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
What are angels?
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Angels are ministers of God. Angels bring the blessings of God, the protection of God, and the love of God.
How do these angels get here? Through Jesus Christ.
How do we go to God? Through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the only way to God and Jesus Christ is the only way for God to get to you.
Every blessing that you receive today comes down that ladder, through the Lord Jesus Christ.
All of the blessings of God are in the Lord Jesus Christ.
That what God is telling Jacob.
That is what Jesus was telling Nathaniel.
That is what I am telling you today.
All through life, from my call to preach, to marry, to pastoring His churches, I have learned what Jacob learned.
If I want to get to God, I come through Jesus, If I want God in my life, I invite Jesus.
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
God, through Jesus Christ has taken care of my every need and I promise He will take care you yours as well.
Not only did Jacob have a New Proclamation but notice:
Jacob’s New Perception
Jacob’s New Perception
16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.
Before the Proclamation, Jacob didn’t realize that Jesus was there.
How much of life do we live without realizing that God is there?
Jacob almost missed God in his life.
The Apostle Paul referred to salvation as,
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Hopefully, you are not here this morning and missing God. He is here. He is very close.
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
It doesn’t get any closer than that.
I am offering you today, Jesus Christ.
You have to believe.
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.
Open your heart and receive Him.
Open you mouth and confess Him.
Jacob receives a New Proclamation and has a New Perception of God.
So, notice lastly
Jacob’s New Partnership
Jacob’s New Partnership
16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.
17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
This stone is Jesus Christ.
The oil is the annointing on Jesus Christ.
Listen, every Old Testament altar is a picture of Jesus Christ.
The stone of PAIN became a stone of PRAISE.
NOW, God is with Jacob.
19 And he called the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
Why mention that is was first called Luz?
Luz means “separation”.
Jacob was seperated from God.
BUT now, Jacob calls it Beth-el.
Beth = House or gate
el = God.
Bethel is the “House or Gate of God”
Bethel is the place where Jacob met God.
Do you have a Bethel?
Do you have a place where you met Jesus?
Jacob ends up getting away from God. and I have gotten away from God.
But I have continued to be saved from the point I met God, through Jesus Christ.
Failure is not Finality!
God is a God of love, and God loved Jacob, not for what Jacob was, but for what God could make out of him.
God loves me, not for who I am, but for what God can make out of me.
God loves you, not for who you are, but for what God can make out of you.
Do you have a hunger for God?
Don’t miss the presence of God in this place?
