Finding Bethel - God Didn't Find You So That You Could Remain Comfortable

Intro

Last week, we found Jacob displaced in the mountain of Luz. 48 miles from his home.

He was a product of his own poor decisions.

Terrible brother, son, husband, and father.

He slept on a stone pillow.

Everything changed in .

God spoke to Jacob in a dream and gave Jacob a purpose.

He gave him the promise of His presence and protection.

The covenant he had made with Abraham and Isaac.

We came to this conclusion.

God finds people that aren’t looking for Him.

We didn’t ask God to be intimate with us and show us what His purpose is for our life… But He did it anyway.

He finds us.

Jacob called this place Bethel - “The House of God”.

Every believer in Jesus Christ has a Bethel.

You have one and it provides you a purpose.

You have rejected it and you’re going nowhere.

God will bring you back to Bethel. Why?

God didn’t find you so that you could remain comfortable.

Genesis 31:1–3 NASB95

1 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this wealth.” 2 Jacob saw the attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as formerly. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

1. The plans of God and man will intersect. (v. 1-3)

It had been 20 years since Jacobs dream at Bethel.

He worked for His mothers brother Laban.

Married Leah and Rachel.

Numerous children.

Great wealth and prosperity despite Laban’s attempts to manipulate Jacob.

Flocks of speckled and striped lambs.

Jacob’s wealth had estranged him from Laban and his brother-in-laws.

In spite of all his service. (They were now separated by a three days journey.

Laban worshipped other God’s.

He didn’t have regard for God’s plan.

His own plans hadn’t worked up to this point.

The situation had soured.

Jacob heard marching orders from God.

He was reminded of Bethel and God’s plan.

He was given permission to go.

Even though the past wasn’t pleasant.

Jacob had a Heavenly destiny.

He wasn’t meant for this life.

The Silver Family

God didn’t find you so that you could remain comfortable.

There is pain in the past.

There are memories that we hide away for various reasons.

Sadness

Shame

Regret

Pain

Sin

God doesn’t allow people to experience anything without a reasons.

Romans 8:28 NASB95

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

The purpose of your life isn’t to be comfortable and secure.

It’s God’s plan or nothing.

God is calling you to embrace everything in your life and use it for His purpose.

Genesis 31:4–13 NASB95

4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to his flock in the field, 5 and said to them, “I see your father’s attitude, that it is not friendly toward me as formerly, but the God of my father has been with me. 6 “You know that I have served your father with all my strength. 7 “Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times; however, God did not allow him to hurt me. 8 “If he spoke thus, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock brought forth speckled; and if he spoke thus, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock brought forth striped. 9 “Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. 10 “And it came about at the time when the flock were mating that I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which were mating were striped, speckled, and mottled. 11 “Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 “He said, ‘Lift up now your eyes and see that all the male goats which are mating are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13 ‘I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, leave this land, and return to the land of your birth.’ ”

2. God won’t forget His plan for you. (v. 4-13)

Jacob didn’t owe his wives and explanation.

He wanted them to understand where he was coming from.

He pointed them to the hand of God in his life the past twenty years.

His decision aligned with God’s will.

Laban tried to ruin him.

God’s blessing had been rich on Jacob anyway.

Laban had not been a dutiful boss.

Repeated attempts to diminish his wages.

Angel of God. (Angel of Covenant)

Close relations with Jehovah God Himself.

Tasked with sharing the promises of God.

“I’m the ONE who spoke to You at Bethel.”

“I see you.”

Jacob’s period of service had ended.

He was being called back home.

Just because Israel was commanded to wander in the desert for 40 years didn’t mean that God was through with them.

40 years had ended and it was time to take the promised land.

Jacob’s pillar was still true.

You could be wondering if God has forgotten you.

You could feel like you’re in a holding pattern.

20 years is a long time.

Wherever God has you right now is no accident.

God only speaks in 3 of 21 verses. What verses carry the most weight?

God is not long winded when He declares a word to His people.

One sentence from God can supply a life-time of trust in Him.

You can trust His promise even if it takes a long time to see it through.

God didn’t find you so that you could remain comfortable.

Genesis 31:14–21 NASB95

14 Rachel and Leah said to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house? 15 “Are we not reckoned by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and has also entirely consumed our purchase price. 16 “Surely all the wealth which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you.” 17 Then Jacob arose and put his children and his wives upon camels; 18 and he drove away all his livestock and all his property which he had gathered, his acquired livestock which he had gathered in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 When Laban had gone to shear his flock, then Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the Euphrates River, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

Genesis 31:

3. Obey God when He calls. (v. 14-21)

Jacob put his money where his mouth was.

He packed up everything and moved in God’s direction.

His wives agreed to leave their father. (Culturally frowned upon)

Tent poles, canvas, baggage, camels, donkey, and sheep.

Left it all and took only what was his.

Rachel took one of Laban’s household idols.

He left a place burning a bridge to return to a place where he had already burnt a bridge.

People will choose to remain in a place because it’s too exhausting to think of moving.

It is not always convenient to your earthly life to follow God’s plan.

It’s hard and painful

People won’t understand.

It can force you to do what can be felt as unpleasant.

God didn’t find you so that you can remain comfortable.

Why?

Because His plan is better.

Because Jesus gave up comfort.

Because comfort doesn’t bring God glory. We give glory to Him through obedience and sacrifice.

Romans 12:1–2 NASB95

1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

What is your Bethel?

God will call you back to where it all began.