06PM October 15 Genesis 27_33
October 15, 2006—Evening Worship
God’s Broken Instruments
Limping Toward God – Part 1 – Jacob
The Regrets of Life
Genesis 27-33
Intro: Everybody has a history. Most of us have, at least, something in our history that we regret. Those regrettable incidents of the past tend to carry painful consequences that plague the present & threaten to foil our future plans.
In Genesis 27, we read the account a man who wanted to be successful—even if success came at the price of his own integrity. Many times we want what we want, when we want it; & we disregard the price it costs us. It’s only later that we realize just how much that momentary pleasure or status symbol of prestige actually cost. It’s in those moments that we regret the decisions of our past & hopefully learn how not to make those same mistakes in the future.
But isn’t wonderful to know that God takes our broken past & mends it according to His will? & in fact, we are, many times, broken to be used as God’s instruments of grace. So tonight we’re going to begin a new series of 4 messages titled “God’s Broken Instruments.” We’re going to take a look at various individuals from the Bible whom God used mightily – even though they were broken & in some cases, literally limping toward God.
We begin tonight w/the story of Jacob found in several chapters of the book of Genesis. & tonight we’re going to concentrate on one regrettable incident in his life, so…
1st let’s talk about what the regrets of life teach us about…
1. The Concept of Regret (Gen. 27:5-29).
The concept of regret begins with…
A. Living under the Influence of others (READ vv. 5-13)
1. We all know from experience that we can get into enough trouble ourselves
2. We also know from the Bible that when Jacob enticed Esau to sell him his birthright for a bowl of stew, Jacob did that on his own; he took the initiative
3. But in these vv., we find Jacob being influenced by his mother
4. She came to him w/her idea about getting her favorite son the best & he bit
5. According the Bible account, Jacob only puts up a mid objection to her idea
6. He could see immediately how much benefit it would be to him personally
7. & so he took the bait
8. The same thing happened to Eve in the Garden
9. & the same thing happens to us every time we are tempted w/personal gain
10. You are being influenced; manipulated; directed & controlled by others
11. & that can only lead to regret
The concept of regret then escalates so that you are…
B. Depending on your own Resources (READ vv. 14-29)
1. When a person must resort to disguise & deception to get what he wants, regret is conceived
2. You might even assume that you succeeded at getting the desired prize
3. You may even claim, as Jacob did in v. 20, that God helped you get it
4. It might even seem like you’ve gotten away w/your scheme
5. But never forget—there are consequences that come w/the prize
6. We are never to do anything by our own power according to our own will
7. We are to trust the Lord & He will give us the desires of our heart
8. IF THOSE DESIRES ARE GODLY & IF THEY GLORIFY HIM
9. & that can only happen as we submit ourselves & seek His resources
2nd let’s understand what the regrets of life teach us about…
2. The Complications of Regret (Gen. 27:30-28:5).
Jacob succeeded in his con game—but at what cost?
Let’s consider the complications…
A. For Esau (READ vv. 30-41)
1. Esau said in v. 36 that Jacob had taken away his birthright
2. But in reality, Esau sold it to him in exchange for a bowl of stew
3. Esau regretted having done that & now blames Jacob for taking it away
4. When the Bible says that Esau cried out & wept, it means in agony; bitter tears
5. Esau’s “blessing” from Isaac was to be Jacob’s servant & he hated Jacob for it
Let’s consider the complications …
B. For Jacob (READ vv. 42-45)
1. Jacob was forced to flee from his infuriated brother
2. He was ashamed before his father who was saddened at Jacob’s deceit
3. He was forced to leave home, away from the misguided support of his mother
4. & notice in v. 45, Rebekah puts the blame on Jacob for Esau being angry
5. She was at least partly to blame for this mess & now she blames it on Jacob
6. He really gets it from all sides here
Let’s consider the complications …
C. For Rebekah (READ vv. 46)
1. Rebekah tried to give Jacob, her favorite son, an advantage over Esau
2. She wanted to see Jacob as the “blessed” son
3. But in fact, her scheme actually made it impossible for her to see Jacob again
4. When he leaves his father’s house, as far as we can tell, he never sees his mother alive again.
5. The Bible never mentions her death or her ever being reunited w/her favorite son
6. Be careful what you plan & scheme for—it just might backfire
Let’s consider the complications …
D. For Isaac (READ 28:1-5)
1. Isaac’s favorite son was Esau b/c Esau was a good hunter & cook
2. Isaac now sees just how dysfunctional his family really is & I’m sure that was a great distress to him
3. B/c of his wife’s ideas & his youngest son’s ambitions, Isaac now had to send Jacob away to protect him from his older brother’s wrath
4. Isaac had to bless Jacob, whom he knew to be a deceitful, scheming, conniving, con man
5. But I believe that v. 4 holds the key to Isaac’s blessing
6. He asked that God would give Jacob Abraham’s blessing & Abraham was blessed by God b/c he was obedient & so Isaac prayed for God to change Jacob into a man of obedience
& so, finally tonight, let’s grasp what the regrets of life teach us about…
3. The Control of Regret (Gen. 32-33).
Regrets can control us through the use of…
A. The Guilty conscience (READ 32:3-12)
1. For about 20 years Jacob was alienated from his family
2. His fear of Esau & his own guilty conscience bombarded his present w/regrets
3. God commanded him to return to his home
4. God wants us to face the regrets of our past; to face our fears; to trust in Him
5. Jacob was still trying to rely on his own resources by sending peace offerings to Esau to try to appease his anger
6. Then he finds out from his messengers that Esau is coming w/400 men
7. This is what drove Jacob to his knees
8. Sometimes we must be broken of our own resources; of our own schemes; of our own devises so that we can see that only trusting God is the answer in every situation
But until we really understand that, we continue with…
B. The Great struggle (READ vv. 22-31)
1. I’ll be honest w/you & say that I don’t fully understand the significance of Jacob wrestling w/the pre-incarnate Christ
2. But I do know that the whole time that Christ is trying to change us from our sinful selves, we resist w/all our might
3. It could be that this struggle w/Christ is symbolic of our spiritual transformation
4. It could be symbolic of Jacob’s name change to Israel that he was truly transformed that night as he struggled w/Christ
5. Maybe Jacob relived all the schemes of his past as Christ revealed their emptiness
6. Maybe Jacob came to realize his own utter helplessness in affecting the situations of his life
7. Whatever took place in that struggle we know that God used for His glory as He did in ever other event of Jacob’s life
You see, the regrets of life try to control us through the guilty conscience & w/great struggles, but the Bible teaches us that, although we deserve the worst, what we really receive is…
C. The Grace of God (READ 33:12-20)
1. God, in His grace, had turned regret’s potential into grace’s promise
2. God had taken what Jacob feared most, Esau’s anger, & had turned that into a gracious brother offering to help another
3. In Joel 2:25 God says, “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten”
4. In that context He is saying that when you turn to Me in obedience, He will protect; provide; & restore
5. Ladies & gentlemen—that’s God’s grace
6. God uses every situation in our lives to make us better; more usable; more effective for ministry
7. God is not taken by surprise by these situations – God allows them so that we can be all the He has planned for us to be
8. God is firmly in control – not regret – in the lives of His children
9. His grace is sufficient for our every need
Conclusion: So—what experience in your history continues to weigh heavily on your heart & mind? Is there someone you once offended whom you are afraid to face? Is the Lord calling you to return to your past & there find the peace that only He can provide through reconciliation?
Don’t let your guilty conscience control you! Don’t let your regrets stunt your growth & stymie your witness! Go back to your past & make peace w/it & then move on into the future as a mighty warrior for the King of kings & Lord of lords!
Invitation: In whom do you really trust? Is it God? Is it your own ability? Is your trust in some one or something?
God is calling you tonight to surrender your will & submit your life to Him alone. Are you willing to take the steps that are necessary to make peace w/your past so that you can move forward into the bright future that God has planned for you?
Will you come tonight & trust the Lord to empower you to do exactly what He’s calling you to do? Will you—w/all that’s w/in you—begin limping toward God & be amazed as God draws you to Himself w/ever increasing joy & peace & power for His glory?
Hymn 333 Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
