Surrender Brings Freedom

(S1) —

I know nothing about professional wrestling! I was never a fan, followed it, or even watched a match. The closest i’ve come is wrestling with my kids on the living room floor—a match I knew In could win

If you could pick someone to go head to head with in the ring, would you pick these two?

The Steiner Brothers; an American professional wrestling tag team—Rick and Scott Rechsteiner

Todays’ scripture lesson, Jacob has met his match—burdened by his failures, poor choices and past regrets. The only way to freedom, was to stop running, surrender, and face an unbeatable opponent.

(S2) — THE GREATEST WRESTLING MATCH OF ALL TIME

SERIES — Altars in the O.T. were places built to encounter the presence of God— Built many different ways, they involved an offering of sacrifice given up to God.

SPACE + SURRENDER = SHIFT

The next two weeks

David (Guilt offering) At What Cost

Palm Sunday (Peace offering) Sacrifice of Praise...

Easter, the greatest offering of all—Jesus

Lent is about surrendering to God those parts of our life we have not fully allowed Him to inhabit—inviting God into the rooms of our lives we’ve previously kept locked.

“It’s the difference between clearing a shelf and actually handing over the keys to the room. Its an invitation for God to move into the dusty corners of our lives we usually keep shuttered.

Today…Jacob and his Sin offering—How he finds freedom wrestling with God

There is something incredibly transformative about the moment you decide to stop carrying around the weight of past mistakes, unmet expectations, old regrets, or the "mental clutter" that doesn't serve your future.

Are you living for what you desire over what is best? Are you holding on to a plan that is yours and not Gods? Is there a decision you’ve made, or a past mistake you regret—baggage weighing you down so much—you just can’t let go?

When past decisions and past mistakes cling to us like barnacles on a boat, it can make it hard to change direction by ourselves.

WHEN WE HOLD ON TO THE PAST — THE PAST HOLDS ON TO US

(S3) – TITLE

Jacob has been my story...if we’re honest, Jacob is apart of everyone's story— wrestling with God...wrestling with ourselves…?

— The only way to FREEDOM is to SURRENDER—to be ALTAR’D, and wrestle with, the transforming power of a Holy God.

BIBLES/PRAY

Jacob built 3 altars that we know of. They all told a story of his life and his relationaship to God

Where he ENCOUNTERED God

REVEALED something about himself, his past

Marked a spiritual TURNING POINT in his relationaship with God

1)Dream at Bethel {Gen. 28:10-22}

Sets up camp/stone for a pillow/dream/stairway to heaven...

Encounters God who gives him the promised blessing of his grandfather Abraham...

The Altar is a clue to Jacobs past...

(S4) — {28:20-21}

This is more than asking about God’s provision and protection—Jacob is on the run

— notorious for cheating his brother (Esau) out of his inheritance and his father’s blessing. His deception or trickery began in the womb...heal grabber

Confirmed in his second altar when Jacob returns to Bethel

Genesis 35:7 “...because God had appeared to him there when he was fleeing from his brother, Esau.”

And, the altar he builds after his encounter at the rivers edge. Jacob comes to a place called Shechem in the land of Canaan. We are not given any description or of its building. Only its name

(S5) — {33:20}

Each told a story of his life, his past, and his relationaship to God.

From the beginning Jacob had his struggles—prone to go his own way and willing to do whatever it took to get it

{Genesis 25}— Isaac/Rebekah/Childless

twins/In the womb with his twin brother Esau the elder…‘heel -grabber’—wanting to be first…

He latter tricks Esau, decisive his father and cheats Esau out of his birthright

On the run to avoid his brother’s wrath, Jacob finds himself his running from his past.

He had married, started a family, but returned to his deceiving ways and manipulated a situation with Laban, his father-in-law, for his own gain. Once again, Jacob try's to outrun his past

It is on the heels of Laban’s reconciliation that Jacob sent word to his estranged brother. Trying to smooth things over, he sends a gift to Esau...but he learns that Esau is already on the way, with an army of 400 men!

7 “Jacob was terrified at the news. He divided his household, along with the flocks and herds and camels, into two groups. 8 He thought, “If Esau meets one group and attacks it, perhaps the other group can escape.””

Then out of fear, HE PRAYS TO GOD—Good start Jacob!

20 “Jacob thought, “I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead of me. When I see him in person, perhaps he will be friendly to me.””

Have you ever acknowledged a mistake in your past and, instead of facing the consequences, you tried to negotiate a settlement?

made a mistake at work: try to over-perform to make sure no one notices or brings it up.

hurt someone's feelings: try to buy their forgiveness with favors or gifts instead of having the difficult conversation.

Facing the Consequences vs. Negotiating is the difference between saying,

(S6) — How can I make this go away? How can I make this right?

“While a settlement might resolve a legal or social conflict, reconciliation—with others or yourself—usually requires walking through the consequence rather than around it.”

Jacob was ready to face his brother, but he was not ready to face the sin of his actions. He sends word to his brother, telling him that he wasn’t hiding, and wasn’t trying to take anything from him—hoping Esau would just forget the past.

Scripture tells us that our sin has consequences...

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Forgetting the past isn’t facing the past, it’s circumventing the consequences of our sin.

Jacob continued to carry the burden of past, not ready and willing to face it.

The internal wrestle is often the loneliest kind of negotiation because you are both the defendant and the judge. When no one else knows about the mistake, the "settlement" usually looks like an invisible treadmill—you try to outrun a past version of yourself...

(S7) — {32:24}

So in the middle of the night, Jacob separates himself from everyone and everything...sends them across the river—leaving himself alone, where he encounters a man and has the match of his life.

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 84 אָבַק

wrestle, struggle, have a physical altercation (by grabbing and holding) with an opponent. Characterized by physical contact, and gaining advantage through leverage holds and moves, to control the opponent by manipulation as contrasted with striking and hitting in boxing

...to get dusty, down in the mud with an opponent...an intended purpose and hopeful outcome

Who he is wrestling with?

Names the place Peniel or face of God

How long he wrestles?

Till daybreak - till there is a shift

“When God’s people crossed the desert after being freed from slavery, God gave instructions for offering different sacrifices in order to be forgiven and reconciled in their relationship with Him.

SIN OFFERING — a sacrifice given in acknowledgement of sin {Lev. 4:1-6:13},

While the other offerings focused on what would be accepted as a sacrifice, the SIN OFFERING focused more on the SINER than the sacrifice.

If we don’t wrestle with our sin…we will find ourselves wrestling with God! That’s why we tend to negotiate rather than face the consequences of our actions.

Jacobs sin is the reason and need for his the wrestling match with God. Which seems at first to be going his way.

(S8) — {32:25}

…the man could not overpower Jacob. We already know this is GOD! So clearly Jacob or any man, was no match for him!

With a touch, He wrenched Jacob’s hip and brought him to his knees, which is exactly where he needed him to be.

Our altars, when we encounter God, on our knees is exactly where we need to be—face to face with our creator—a daily, voluntary "kneeling" to stay in alignment with God’s higher purpose.

1 Peter 5:5–6 “...dress yourselves in humility, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.”

The first of three SHIFTS; how Jacob found FREEDOM. He had to surrender and...

(S9)

I. SQUARE-UP WITH GOD

He had to STOP RUNNING and CONFRONT his past to find freedom…get right with God before he could make things right with Esau…

Jesus who knew no sin, could have confronted his accusers, but he knew that giving up his life for the sin of the world, was the way to make us right with God—he did it not with power and might, but with humility—on his knees

Luke 22:42 ““Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.””

The "altar" in this sense isn't just a physical location, but a mental and spiritual posture. Choosing to be on one's knees suggests a proactive surrender. But, facing our past, squaring up with God, doesn’t leave us without scars...

When he took the sins of our past and present it left him with scars. A reminder that he died so we can be right with God. Scars are a reminder of who we were, so we will know who we can be because of Jesus.

26 “Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.””

The second SHIFT that needed to happen for Jacob to surrender and find FREEDOM

(S10)

II. LET GO...CLING TO

Jacob moved from straining against God to clinging to Him. He went from pushing the man away to grasping onto Him.

God would not force Jacob to humble himself, but He wanted Jacob to surrender on his own—He had to let go...of what was not good in his life, so he could CLING TO...the goodness of God (blessing)

Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”

Letting go of what was holding him back from living into God’s purpose and clinging to the ONE who gave him purpose.

(S11)

HOW TO TRAP A MONKEY

It was not about what he could receive but what was willing to give...to sacrifice his desires for God’s blessing.

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

Jacobs desire to receive God’s blessing is admirable, but he had to get to this place of surrender—to let go so he could and receive God’s blessing

1 Timothy 1:18–19 “Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you...May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear.

Next...the man speaks...and gives Jacob the

27 ““What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.” 28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.””

(S12)

The third SHIFT...that needed to happen for Jacob to surrender and find FREEDOM

III. EMBRACE HIS NEW IDENTITY

In this sacred space, Jacob had to surrender his past identity, a life of sin, for his new purpose in God. He was changed because he accepted God’s authority over his life going foreward—Jacob had to lose to win, he had to surrender to be saved.

SIN CAN DEFINE US AS BROKEN—JESUS DEFINES US AS BECOMING

2 Corinthians 3:18 “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”

When we choose to follow Christ, we are SAVED by grace so we can be SACNTIFED by the Spirit of God.

Max Lucado said in his book Just Like Jesus:

“God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way.”

Jacob had been carrying the baggage of his past, the burden of his sin. God wanted to use Jacob, but he needed him embrace his new identity

The sacrifice on Jacobs altar is not an animal; it is the person’s own will and life.

Romans 12:1 “...give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”

A willingness to be molded and made new, in the image of Christ.

HOLDING ON TO THE PAST CAN HOLD ONTO US, but when we surrender our past and trust Jesus to change us, we will experience the joy and freedom He wants to give us. What will it take?

(S13)

SQUARE UP WITH GOD — LET GO...CLING TO...EMBRACE YOUR IDENTITY

The Young Man and the Zen Master: A Lesson in Detachment

Once upon a time, a young man visited a Zen temple to seek guidance from an old Zen master. On his way, he witnessed an interesting sight and decided to test the master. Upon arriving at the temple, he and the master chatted over tea. Suddenly, the young man asked, “What does ‘going round and round’ mean?”

“It’s because the rope hasn’t been cut,” the Zen master replied casually.

The young man was stunned and amazed. He said, “Master, I am surprised that you knew! Today, on my way here, I saw a cow tied to a tree. The cow wanted to go far to graze, but because the rope was through its nose, it kept going round and round, twisting itself without being able to break free. It was quite amusing. I thought that since you hadn’t seen it, you wouldn’t be able to answer. But you answered correctly right away.”

The Zen master laughed and said, “You asked about an event, and I answered with a principle. You asked about a cow tied by a rope and unable to break free; I answered about the mind being entangled by worldly matters and unable to find liberation.

Are you willing to release the burden of the baggage you carry and grab hold of Jesus? Surrender to Christ and let him be Lord of your life?

John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

Did God let Jacob win? Whether he won or not isn’t the point—Out of Jacob's struggle came a new name...a new identity...a new purpose all because he came face to face with God and found freedom in the goodness of God How are you encountering God this season of Lent? Are you making space...? What do you need to SURRENDER, so you can live more like Jesus and into God's purpose? Lent is more than giving up meat, chocolate or the things you love? Its about surrendering your life in love to Jesus, and encountering God in a new way.

Wrestle my friends...and allow it to shift your life and cling to Jesus