Covenant 8/16/2020

Will this morning? We're continuing our series entitled forerunners of our faith and we're looking at an insight into the life of the Patriarchs that we would not have gained if we simply had the Book of Genesis in front of us alone because we talked about last week one of the best ways to interpret the scriptures and understand God's word is to use scripture to interpret scripture. And of course as we talked about again last week, that's the human authors wrote the scriptures inspired by the Holy Spirit. It was the Holy Spirit God himself who was the primary author of the scriptures and so is the author of Genesis wrote Moses to the stories of the Patriarchs the Apostle Paul returns to those very stories in the New Testament to provide even greater insight. Do what God was doing and how he was at work the title of my message this morning is from Jacob to Israel a story of God's grace and we looked at the story of Jacob in light of God's grace both to Jacob and to us in Christ last week and I want to return to some key Concepts there that I don't want us to miss as we saw last week. We saw that that Jacob wasn't man who God's hand was placed upon Jacobs hand of God's hand was on Jacobs life, even before he was conceived. We saw the story of how Abraham and Sarah wanted a daughter for a wife for their son Isaac and since they're serving all the way back to her on back to the the place from which they came to find one there and as Eliezer went back to that home country of For him to find a wife for Isaac. He prayed and God had Rebecca come out for him and for the camels that he had brought along with him and assigned Eleazar set before God the woman who Waits on me and the camels were let that be the one that you intend as the wife for. My master's son. Isaac was the very one who came out in cared for them. It's a it's a sign in the signal here in the biblical story that even before Jacob was conceived God's hand was upon his life his father and mother worked and chosen by God as those who would carry on that abrahamic promise to the Next Generation and we saw also last week that Not only was God's hand on Jacob before he was conceived but his hand was on Jacob even before he was born. We read the story of how his mother wrestled in the womb at these children would seem too stupid to twist and turn in her stomach before they were born and she prayed Lord what's going on here? And God made it clear that within your nation your your your room are not one child, but two and not one nation, but to and the older will serve the younger had to Not only was God's hand on Jacob before he was conceived and before he was born, but God pan was on Jacob's life in a very unique way from that day forward that is revealed to us even more clearly as we turn the pages of the New Testament and I want to return to some of the things that we talked about last week as we revisit the second half of Jacob's life. It's probably all of you are aware. There is an election coming in our country. Have you guys become aware of that yet? I'm not sure. I'm not sure in my entire life. If there's been a more hotly contested election. I think we're only about 90 days away from that election and the both political parties as well as their cohorts cohorts and their respective media Outlets are doing all they can to convince you to vote for the candidate that they believe in order to vote against the candidate that they opposed. Let me speak of elections in America. We're very familiar with that an election is a time when people come and they make a choice. They choose the candidate in this case still choose between Two Men And yet when human beings make a choice when they come to an election moment, they usually look at the the decisions that the candidate has made in the past things that they had done in the past and things that they promise to do in the future and human beings will usually make their decision their choice their election selection based upon what that person has done. We don't use the word election very often in our vocabulary, but we certainly will be using it in the weeks ahead when we elect people as human beings. We elect them on the basis of what they have done or what they promised to do. Return to the pages of scripture. We find this term used as well. The term election is a very familiar term in the pages of scripture, but it is to be understood in a different way than the way that we understand election in the human economy of making a choice for example of political choice because what we find if we turned the pages of scripture is it when God elects us? When God chooses us in Christ, it is not on the basis of what we have done and it is not on the basis of what we will do. God's election, his choice is wholly dependent upon his Sovereign will It throws us off as we turned the pages of scripture because this is not how we make decisions in our own lives. But let's ask the question of the stories of Genesis that we've looked at so far. Why was it that God chose Abraham? Why was it that God elected Abraham. Why was it that God called Abraham in Genesis chapter 12 as we've already studied. We read these words. Now the Lord said to Abram or called Abram go from your country and your Kindred your father's house. The land that I will show you and I will make it you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing I will bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you I will curse head in you all the families of the Earth shall be blessed. So Abram went as the Lord had told him Abram was called by God. He was the one through Whom The Promised Redeemer would come the promise that God had made to Adam and Eve are in the garden after their sin fit one day a child of this woman would crush the head of the serpent, but it was Abraham's family that God chose to be that line. And Abram was the one that got elected and called but why did God choose Abraham? Why did he choose another one of the Mesopotamians are our people who lived in the city of her on in that day? Why didn't he not choose someone from another continent all together? The story of scripture goes on as we read that God chose not simply Abram but he chose Isaac as well. He chose Noah's he rescued him the frog from the flood and Show De Grace to his family. They chose as we saw last week's Jacob even before he was born. But why is it that God chooses one and not another blessed difficult question to answer but God's word provides us some very clear Insight inside that we looked at last week. But inside that I want to come back to this week to ensure that we have a firm grasp on it as we move into the second part of Jacob's life. If I asked you to study the life of Jacob you probably would very quickly turn the pages of Genesis to find the account of his life last week. Genesis is not the only book that deals with the life of Jacob. In fact, it's the book of Romans in chapter 9 that we find a great deal of insight. end of the choice that God made there in the womb between one brother and another in Romans chapter 9 verse 13 as we saw last week the Apostle Paul wrote These inspired words about that event. Listen, very carefully. These are words about God's election of those that he called and their words about the nature of God's grace and I think that you'll learn something important from them. Here's what Paul writes about Jacob and his birth in Romans 9:13. He writes when Rebecca had conceived children by one man are for father Isaac bill. They were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad in order that God's purpose of election might continue. Not because of works but because of him who calls she was told the older will serve the younger as it is written Jacob. I loved but Esau I hated. Darren Romans chapter 9 the holy spirit in a great explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as Paul pins the powerful words explaining how in the Sin we were dead. But Christ died and rose again that we might be saved and we are justified by his righteousness and his righteousness alone that God's grace comes to us not because we deserve it in that powerful letter explaining the very nature of the gospel and the nature of God's grace. He uses. The life of Jacob has the illustration of the way in which God's grace Works in our life. He uses the wife of Jacob as an illustration of how God's grace in Jesus Christ comes to each one of us, and I don't want you to miss it. In the Christian church today, there are different views of grace and the biblical view of Grace is a surprising one of these verses before we return to Jacob's life that we don't lose our understanding of this man in his relationship with the God who called him. Look what Paul pinned about Jacob and the grace that God showed him when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, who was Rebecca's husband. Of course it was Isaac Wright and she conceived children by Isaac such that two children were in her womb these children had the same father and the same mother and so many different ways. They had the same genetic makeup and familial similarities. And yes, we're told by the Apostle Paul though. They were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad in order that God's purpose of election might continue. She was told that the older would serve the younger. What picture is Paul and the Holy Spirit painting for us as we seek to understand God's grace even in the lives of the Patriarchs we come to learn is that God's grace was not dependent upon anything that these boys had done because they had not yet been born or would do. What is it that Paul writes in verse 11. They were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad. God called Jacob. God's election is not based upon what we have done or what we will do God's election his call his unmerited and it is undeserved. It is not conditioned on our Behavior God's calling and God's grace are an utter gift to us in Jesus Christ. We do not earn them and we do not deserve it. It's a remarkable statement that God shows Jacob and he did not show that same Grace to Esau. It's a remarkable statement and yet it's a challenging one, but it parallels very closely to the very language that the Apostle Paul uses to describe Grace itself. You'll probably remember Ephesians chapter 2 verses 6 through 10. What are the most famous statements of Grace in the end? Bible God's calling and his election presupposed God's grace God calls and it's by way of his grace that he calls Sinners and so God's election his calling and his grace our hand in hand and neither one or deserved or Meredith unconditionally given by God to those who do not deserve it based simply upon his favor and his love listen to what Paul says here not about election. What about Grace itself and infusions Chapter 2 Verse 6 and see if you noticed some of the same language and ideas. Here's what Paul writes about God's grace the very Grace that he's shown you and Christ as a Believer the very Grace that you showed to Jacob long ago. Here's what he wrote Ephesians 2:6. But God being rich in Mercy because of the great love with which he loved us. Even when we were dead in our trespasses. He made us alive together with Christ by Grace you have been saved and listen very carefully to what he says in verse 8 for by Grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing you hear the similar language that neither boy had done anything good or bad when God shows Jacob for by Grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing it is what it is the gift of God. Not a result of human works so that no one may boast for we are his workmanship created in Jesus Christ for good works the language between infusions to Aid in Romans 9th parallels itself. Almost exactly Jacob there in the womb took place long before Jacob ever did anything good or bad that call that election of God on Jacobs life with his grace poured out on him his grace to Jacob the younger son and Passover Esau the older son. And the answer that question is simply we don't know. He showed his love and mercy to Jacob, but he withheld that Mercy from Esau. Sing for us to understand and it's hard for us to understand largely because we forget the nature of man before God and we shouldn't do that. We studied it carefully In This Very series forerunners of the faith has we looked at the life of Adam God gave adam a choice to obey him so that his children would be blessed and you warned Adam if he disobeyed it's sin would enter into the world and death would be the consequence did Adam obey God or did he rebelled against God there in the garden steering belt against God and immediately send and immediately death Came Upon Adam and Eve and their children and their children's children. In Romans chapter 5 again. The Apostle Paul gives us insight into Adam and Eve decision specifically Adams because he is the one that got held accountable for that act and Paul writes this just as Sin in Romans 5:12 came into the world through one man show to death came through sin in Romans 5:16 hero for the Judgment follows one trespass Adams trespass and brought condemnation verse 18 as one trespassed Adams trust bath let the condemnation for almond and then verse 19 for as by the one man's Disobedience. The many were made sinners. What took place there in the garden is Adam rebelled against the Lord? Is it sin and death entered into the human Community Adam and Eve were condemned on that day for violating God's law and their hearts and their very nature was corrupted and it changed and the nature that they handed on to their children was a corrupt and sinful nature. We start as we studied the story of Cain and Abel their very first born son murdered their second born son. It goes to show you the gross and disastrous consequences that send Broad and every one of Adam's children from that point forward were under the curse their Natures were corrupted. They were Sinners not because of the fact that they send but they said because they were born sinners. It's something that's hard for us as Americans to understand. We believe that each individual should stand on their own but that's not how God treats Mankind in the scriptures and for good reason and so all of Adam's children were under the condemnation of God from that point for every single one. Noah and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob were all under that condemnation as they were born every child born of Adam and Eve were condemned double in God's sight. They were Sinners and they were worthy of God's righteous judgement. But God chose not to judge all of the sons of Adam and Eve he chose and were told this but even before the foundation of the world he made this choice for seeing Adam and Eve said in fact or gaining all the events that have come to pass he chose that he would show his grace and mercy to some of the children of Adam and Eve as in Christ. God shows his grace to some of Adam and Eve's children. He doesn't simply do it willy-nilly he does it by the power of the death and Resurrection the atoning work of Jesus Christ as he applies it to those children that he calls those children that he shows his grace to And that's where we return to this story because we're all condemned it under God's judgement. Our only hope is not that God would look at the merits of Our Lives because there is none to make a decision to save one of us because if he looked at the merits of your wife or my life, he would not save a single one of us. He would bring his Justice to pass and he would condemn us for all eternity that he showed his grace to some. By what means did he show that Christ on the cross of Jesus Christ? What was the reason that he showed that Grace? We don't know the scriptures tell us these showed that Grace to us because he loved us Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:6, but God being rich in Mercy because of the great love with which he loved us. Even when we were dead in our trespasses made us alive the images. What from the dead in Christ for by Grace you have been saved. Do you see that? Grace is a sovereign worth of God in the lives of those. He chose his chooses to show his Mercy to Grace has not come to us because we deserve it. It does not come to us because we are good people. It does not come to us even because we would put our faith in Jesus Christ, but the grace of God perceive that God's grace comes to us unmerited without any Worth or accomplishment on our behalf. And win that Grace comes our response is a response of Faith as we call upon the name of the Lord and put our faith in Jesus Christ. God's grace precedes our faith in Christ and it's a remarkable thing and it's bewildering Jacob and about your life in my life. And in the in the person of Jesus Christ as we've come to believe in him and God has shown us our Grace in him. You see that? I hope you do it. So then if we turn to the wife of Jacob return to a man who God has decided to show his grace to even before he was conceived even before he was born before he had done anything good or bad and Jacob did so many things that were so despicable got him determined to show his grace did Jacob so I want to go a little bit further into Jacobs life is we learn his story and we apply these principles as we understand how God's grace is worked out in the life of this man. Now you recall the first two stories that we read about Jacob in the scriptures do not cast him in a very positive white. Do they remember last week? What did Jacob do to his brother Esau and Esau came in from the hunt? He thought was famished and he begs Jacob for some of the students you love so much. Hey Jacob, set the ball before missing here take some of this too. And is he saw winning to take a big scoop of this doing pulled it back and said, but before you do, give me your Birthright sell it to me and very soup. This very meal will be the consideration that I paid for the birthright that gives you the inheritance of our father. And Esau being a rash and somewhat frivolous man-made that foolish exchange a bowl of porridge for the birthright of Isaac and The Blessing of Abraham. It's not a pretty picture of Jacob who deceived his brother and tricked him out of his inheritance, but it's the first picture that we get and yet. This is the one that God determined to show his grace to even before he was born story of Jacob's life will be better it will Merit God's favor and yet what do we find? But Jacob in cahoots with his mother as he conspires with her to steal the blessing from his father as his father enters into his last days as we saw last week Jacob Rock The Mule to Isaac and Isaac kind of had a sense that this wasn't he saw in his presence who he had asked to go out and kill some animals and bring it back so that he can bless him, but it was Jacob pretending to be his brother. And after some back-and-forth his father blessed him believing him to be Esau in that moment that Jacob had both stolen the birthright and the blessing. this man who God has showed his unmerited grace cute, even before he was conceived even before he was born in his first two acts on the pages of scripture looks so much more like a desperate Center that he does like a man. Who's Mark by God's grace and yet the mark of God's grace was upon a Jacob's life. Although I don't think he fully understood it at this moment. What do you think happened is Jacob stole the birthright in the blessing from his brother? But his brother Esau wanted to hunt him and take his very life until he was forced to flee from his home and he made his way to his uncle's house in her on his uncle's name was Laban you probably remember this story in the pages of the scriptures in Genesis. He made his way there on the way. He he lay down in the field. And he had his first encounter with a God who would have called him even before he was born. We find it in Genesis chapter 28. It's the first moment. I do Show Jacob grace even in the womb before he had done any of his despicable Deeds met Jacob face-to-face in the midst of a dream as his life was starting over because of his sinful and with your decisions Genesis chapter 8 verse 10 tells the story Jacob. That's where his family was. He ran for his life as if you tried to escape his brother's Vengeance and he went to laban's place to find a wife and he went to her on and he came to a certain place and stay there that night. Because the sun had set taking one of the stones of the place he put it under his head and laid down in that place to sleep and he dreamed and behold there was a ladder set up on the earth and the top of it reached to heaven and behold the angels of God were ascending and descending on it and behold the Lord stood above it and said I am the Lord the god of Abraham your father and the god of Isaac the land on which you lie. I will give to you and to your Offspring your Offspring shall be like the dust of the earth and you shall spread abroad to the West End of the yeast head of the north and to the South it in you and your Offspring shall all the families of the earth. Be blessed. Behold I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and we'll bring you back to this land for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised to you. Ben Jacob awoke from his sleep and said surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it. He was afraid and said how awesome is this place? This is none other than the house of God and this is the Gate of Heaven. I noticed this but even at this point in Jacob's life, he's done. Nothing to deserve the blessing of God. He's just left deceiving his father and his brother out of the most important things that they're family-owned peed on the run is on the lamp for the sake of his life because it's sinful acts of and brought about this division sin and murderous intent of his brother and plotting with his mother he escapes that he can go to another land and perhaps weather out the storm headed there on the way on that road on that runaway trail that Jacob lays down his head to find rats. And what did he find with the Living God? The very God would called Abraham not because Abraham deserved it because God has sovereignly chose to show his grace and mercy and to call Abram in a relationship with him. The very God would called Isaac that promised son to be his own now met with Jacob there as he laid his head on a stone in the middle of the Wilderness is the Stars innumerable the night sky and what is it that God promises to Jacob with the very blessing that God had given to Abraham his grandfather and Isaac his father before him. Do you really think that when Jacob and his mother deceived Isaac out of the blessings that God has to say, oh you tricked Isaac. So I've got a bless you because of your sinful ways. It doesn't quite work like that. Does it? This is a blessing that was not stolen. It was a blessing that was not ripped out of the hands of God. Jacob didn't deceive the Lord to receive this blessing but in grace and mercy God gave this blessing to this man, even if he had called him before he was born and for the first time Jacob a man of Grace but a man marked by so many sinful ways came to see and hear the call of the Lord in his life. We continue this journey with a great promise. Not only that God would bless him with it one day that God would bring him back to the Homeland that he longed to return to Jacob made the five hundred mile journey to her on and is he came there? He came to a well much as Eliezer had when he went to find a wife for Isaac. He came to a well in and they're around the well, we're Shepherds. They talked with those Shepherds for a while and then all the sudden the distance the shepherd ass up a female Shepard of a woman who tended the flocks of her father made her way to that. Well when she was beautiful in form and appearance the scriptures tell us in her name was Rebecca, and she was the daughter of Jacob's Uncle Laban. It's so he saw Rebecca and had shared with her all I'm sorry Saul Rachel and shared with her all the different events that had transpired and Rachel brought Jacob back to her home and introduced her to her father Laban and they've been sat down with Jacob in and welcome to into his home about a month pass and then Laban came to Jacob and said to him. What is it that you want from me? Just because you're my Kinsmen you shouldn't work for me for free. We find the account a little bit later in the Book of Genesis here and Laban said the Jacob because you are My Kinsman. Should you serve me for nothing. Tell me what you shall have for your wages that Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah and the name of the younger was Rachel Leah's eyes were weak. Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Jacob loved Rachel and he said I was 7 years. For your younger daughter Rachel laven said well, it is better that I give her to you that I should give her to any other man. Stay with me. So Jacob served seven years for Rachel hem a seam to him but a few days because of the love he had had for her what a remarkable experience. It must have been for Jacob to arrive at his uncle's home the very place where his mother had sent him to find safety to find Comfort to find family to find a wife and work diligently for those seven years and caring for laban's flocks and state increased under Jacobs hand because God had blessed Jacob and Windows 7 years had come to an end. He was excited that he has served his time and now Rachel this beautiful young woman who he longed for and loved would become his wife. And the story continues in verse 21, then Jacob said to Laban after the seven years were over give me my wife that I might go into her for my time is completed. So maybe gather together all the people of the place and made a feast. But in the evening, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob and he went into her hand in the morning behold It was Leah and Jacob said to Laban. What is this? You have done to me that I'm not sure you for Rachel why they have you deceived me Laban said his not so done in our country to give the younger before the firstborn complete this week the wedding week with this one and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another 7 years. Jacob did so and completed her week has been lame and gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife who Jacob went into Rachel also any loved Rachel more than Leah and served labor for another seven years. You see any family resemblance? Between Jacob and his mother Rebecca and his uncle Laban the deception and the trickery. She's not a healthy family. This was a grossly dysfunctional family with a grossly dysfunctional family that God had showed his grace to Jacob is not a Godly Man at this point. He's still coming to understand who got is. He's enjoying the Lord's blessing. He's learning that God's hand is upon him. And certainly he's learning that God's hand is upon him not for anything good or bad that he had done but simply by way of the grace that God had shown first Abraham and then to Isaac and then to him Sometimes we read the stories of the Patriarchs. We believe that these individuals were standout individuals. They were Saints and the remarkable nature of their lives led to God's blessing in those lives. But the only way that we would ever come to that conclusion is with perhaps the this Sunday school accounts that we read as little children. Can we dig into the scripture? What we learned according to Paul according to Moses is that these were men and women marked by God's grace. They were marked by sin as any son of Adam and Eve ever was and yet they were marked by God's grace and his call upon their lives. Over 7 years more Jacob work for Laban to pay off the Dowry for his beloved Rachel and when that time is up and he wants to leave a man convinces him to stay a little bit longer country makes another deal. He says to Laban will let me tend to your flock and let me begin to produce well for my own family and I'll tell you this Laban any gold or sheep. It's born with spot spots or Speckles during the time that I watch over them. They will be mine and all the others will be yours. And this way my truthfulness. It's interesting. That's the language that used in the scriptural accounts. My truthfulness will be demonstrated to you because whenever you enter into my flock the spotted and speckled sheeps and goats will be clear and in yours animals will not be with mine. We're told that on the very same day that Laban made that deal with Jacob still secretly told his sons to go remove all the spotted and speckled sheep and goats from The Hearth and take them three days journey away. I can only imagine Jacob who is very familiar with those flocks coming to work the next day after he instructed his Covenant with his father-in-law and looking out of the flock that he knew so well prepared to divide them those which would be his and those which would be his father-in-law's only to discover that he had been cheated yet again, we're told him the scripture that during his time with Laban Jacobs wages were change pin times over the course of those 20 years, but Jacob continue to Faithfully serve a little bit later in the story that the Lord had appeared to him in another dream and told him that those spotted and speckled lambs and goats for the ones that he should choose because the Lord was going to bless them and make them strong and make innumerable eventually Jacob decides to leave the care of his father-in-law and so he flees the first he calls his wives now he's got many children along with him and many possessions to his side's in the fields to tell them what he has decided in Genesis 31 verse for we read so Jacob sense, and this is twenty years after he first arrived and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was and said to them. I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the god of my father has been with me is that an interesting realization Jacob now 20 years into his experience with God and the grace that God has shown him. But the god of my father has been with me, you know that I have served your father with all my strength get your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit him to harm me. What happened to this guy over the years to become a theologian all the sudden. You just need to run at least in this particular case from his enemies, but he's trusting that the Lord will watch over him, but God would not let him harm me if he said the spotted shall be your wages then all the flock boar spotted and if he said this try to shove your wages, then all the walk board strike. What is it that Jacob would come to understand that God is Sovereign over all things and it went when Laban change the terms of the deal with the Lord simply brought his Blessing in the Supernatural way to a different set of means and given them to me in the breeding season of The Flock. I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that made it with the Flopper Stripes spotted and model in the angel of God said to me in the dream Jacob and I said here I am he said lift up your eyes and see all the goats that mate with a flocked are Stripes spotted and model for I have seen all that Label bathing is doing to you I am the god of Bethel where your anointed a pillar and made a vow to me now rise go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred. Ben Rachel and Leah answered and said to him. Is there any portion of inheritance left for us and our father's house are we not regarded by him as Foreigners for his sold us and he's indeed devour Dowry the money that was given for us all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children now then whatever God has said to you do. when interesting story of this man named Jacob A man who before he was conceived before his parents even came together God's hand was upon a man who's there in the womb as he wrestled with his brother even in uterus that the Lord sovereignly chosen by his grace by his election not because of anything that these boys would do good or bad but simply because God chose to show his love did Jacob there on that day. He blessed him and called him his own that the older would serve the younger and God watched over him. These many years has its own people tricked and deceived him and blessed him and gave the wife of his heart's desire and another wife who he had to come to love in some certain sins gave him any children who were a blessing to him. Jacob was a sinner like every other man and woman are and yet he was one who was marked by the grace of God and Jacob return home. Any return home because God had called him home and if we end his story we in with a final encounter that would define his life from that day forward ticket was making his way back home. And he knew that is he left Laban behind as he entered into the promised land. He eventually would run into his brother Esau and things didn't go very well. The last time he was he's with East off as you all know very well and he was concerned that his brother the hunter this rash man who many times act foolishly in and it without a great deal of thought might bring him great harm and so has Jacob approached the promised land he split up all of his possessions in the different groups, and he decided to give his brother a great portion of his wealth and he sent out a sheep and goats and livestock Farm in front of him in packs so that Brother came to greet him a big pack of gifts would come in and he told his servants that when he saw asked you what is all this they were to tell him. It's a gift from your brother Jacob who is back behind us. You'll see him soon. And so time and time again. He saw would come to these great Treasures that his brother had given to assuage his anger and perhaps restore their relationship. Jacob service reported back that you saw did not come alone, but he came with 400 strongmen and Jacob was greatly afraid. He sent his family before him along with all of the gifts and he laid down on the other side of the Abbot River before he made his way over to meet his brother the next day. And this is the account that we read the final account will look at tonight account of God's dealing with this man to whom he had shown grace even before he was born Genesis 32 the same night the night that he would spend sleeping before meeting his brother the next day we read Jacob Arose in and took his two wives his two female servants has 11 children and cross the Ford of the Jabbok River. He took them and sent them across the stream and everything else that he had said. Jacob was left alone. Alone again, what city was that night that he made his way to her around but now alone on his way back to the promised land and then we read these strange words. He was alone that night any man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When a man saw that he did not Prevail against Jacob he touched his hip socket and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Vinny said let me go for the day has broken, but Jacob said I will not let you go. Unless you bless me. And he said to him. What is your name? And he said Jacob Vinny said your name shall no longer be called Jacob but Israel for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed has been Jacob asked him. Please tell me your name, but he said why is it that you asked my name and they are he blessed him? So Jacob called the name of the place Pineo saying for I have seen God face to face and get my life has been delivered the sun rose up upon him as he passed penuel limping because of his hip. What a remarkable story. unremarkable, man a man who was broken and sinful even as we are a man who did nothing to deserve the grace and mercy of God, man who didn't do much remarkable in his life. Nothing noteworthy or truth truly honorable that that we found so far at least and get a man who even before he was born. Who is marked by God's grace? God had determined to call not because of anything good or bad that Jacob had done but simply because God chose to show his love and mercy to him and not to his brother. I'm at grace and mercy came to Define his life. And how did it Define it it Define it in as much as because of God's grace. And because of God's call on Jacobs life. God bound himself to Jacob forever more. God's grace is Sovereign in our lives when God calls us. The Gryphon tea places on us will never falter or fail. It's true of the wife of Jacob and his true in our life as well. You know the story of Jacob now called Israel by the only one who can change your name like that became father of the nation that the Lord would use to blast the entire world and ultimately the father of Jesus Christ himself. forerunners of the face men and women who are not marvellous a remarkable in their own right but men women who are marked by the grace of God. Even before they were born that they might come to know him if they might enter into a relationship with them that their very lives might be defined by him. close in a word of Prayer gracious and holy God we give you thanks for who you are. We give you thanks Lord that you have entered into a relationship with us in Jesus Christ. Relationship that in no way do we married of our own accord? Relationship that you have Sovereign Lee decided to establish unconditional Grace unconditional election. Remarkable Mercy. We're so grateful for what you've done. so grateful for your son Jesus Christ, and we're so grateful Lord that in our lives those sinful as they are that you continually reveal yourself more and more to us each and every What if you look at the life of Jacob and see how you draw him closer and closer to yourself, but we would pray that you would do the very same thing for us or meet us face-to-face in the person of your son Jesus Christ that we might give you praise and give you glory for the grace that is changed. Our lives Grace that is found in Christ and Christ Alone in Jesus. Mighty name. We pray. Amen.