Messy - Week 2 - Grace for Other's Messiness

Introduction

Throughout the month of August we are going to be going through a series titled “Messy!” In this series, we are going to be talking about something called grace. Does someone want to tell me what grace means?

Grace means giving someone something that they don’t deserve.

I have a messy story about grace I’d like to share. Whenever I was your age, had chores to do. One chore that was on my checklist was one of the messiest: having to take out the trash. And about twice a week, whenever I would go outside to take the trash out, I would find the trash cans tipped over and the trash ripped open and spilled and scattered all over the ground.

And I knew the culprit. It was our neighbors dog. (SLIDE) His name was Hoosier and I really didn’t like Hoosier! He was the worst! I hated that Hoosier had the nerve to stride onto our property every week and make my life so much more difficult!

There was one particular day that I was extra frustrated about Hoosier’s behavior and so I ran to my dad and I said, why do I have to put up with this! It’s that dumb dog Hoosier! He is always pulling out our trash and making a big mess and nothing ever changes.

Wait, I have an idea! Dad, how about you walk over to our neighbor’s house and tell them that they better chain up Hoosier or else! Tell them they need to keep him tied up and off our property! I’m sick of it.

I’m not going to do that, my dad told me. Why not! “It’s called grace, son.”

And that was my first lesson in grace. What did Hoosier deserve? He probably deserved my dad going over to yell at his owner, “Your dog keeps getting in our trash! Chain him up or else!” He deserved to be confined to his dog house.

But what does grace say? Grace says, “It’s okay Hoosier.” Grace keeps forgiving Hoosier again and again and again. No matter how many times he knocks over the trash cans. Grace is giving someone something that they don’t deserve.

I want to share with you another story about grace that comes from the Bible. It’s about a man named Jacob. And let me tell you, Jacob was one messy guy. He made some big mistakes and did some bad things. In fact, his name “Jacob” meant deceiver. Liar. He was one messy dude.

I want to tell you about one of the biggest mistakes that Jacob made. And it had to do with his brother Esau.

Jacob and Esau’s dad, Isaac, was growing very old. In fact, he was so old that he couldn’t even see anymore. And one day, he called for his son Esau.

He said, “Esau, I feel like I will soon pass away. And because you my oldest son., I am going to give you my blessing.”

A blessing was like a prayer for your future. Isaac was prepared to give Esau a good prayer and blessing of future goodness, but first he wanted Esau to do a few things.

He said, “Esau, I’m ready to bless you, but first go get your bow and arrow and hunt some wild animals. Then make that tasty soup I like. (The Bible actually says that). Then i will bless you”.

So Esau goes out to hunt for his dad.

Little does Isaac and Esau know, but Rebekah–Jacob and Esau’s mom–was standing nearby and heard everything Isaac had said. And here’s where it gets crazy.

Rebekah knew that parents weren’t supposed to play favorites, but Jacob was her favorite kid. So she called Jacob over, “Hey, come here. I just heard your dad talking to your brother and tell him that he’s ready to give him a blessing. I think that you should get Esau’s blessing.”

And Jacob’s like, “How can I get the blessing? I’m not the oldest child!”

And Rebekah said, “I have a plan. I’m going to give you Esau’s clothes so you smell like Esau. And I’m going to put sheep skin on your arms so you feel like Esau (because he’s really hairy). And I’m going to make the soup that your dad likes. Then, you’ll walk in and give it to him. Remember, Isaac can’t see, he’s going blind. But you will smell and feel like Esau. You can steal the blessing while Esau is gone! It’s the perfect plan!

Jacob was unsure, but he did what his mom said. He wore Esau’s clothes and put sheep skin on his arms and he carried the soup into his dad.

His dad was confused for a little bit, but after smelling the clothes and feeling the hairy arms, he really thought that Jacob was Esau. And so he blessed Jacob instead!

New International Reader’s Version Chapter 27

28 May God give you dew from heaven.

May he give you the richness of the earth.

May he give you plenty of grain and fresh wine.

29 May nations serve you.

May they bow down to you.

Rule over your brothers.

May the sons of your mother bow down to you.

May those who call down curses on you be cursed.

And may those who bless you be blessed.”

Whoa! What a blessing! Jacob left feeling like his plan went off without a hitch. But as soon as he left the tent and got out of sight, Esau came out of the forest. He went to his father and found out that he’d already given his blessing. What? How is that possible?

And then Isaac and Esau realized they’d been tricked. What do you think Esau did next? That’s right! He was super mad! He went out of the tent in a rage, ready to kill Jacob. So Jacob ran away, fearing for his life.

What a messy situation. Who did the wrong thing? Absolutely! Jacob deceived his dad and stole from Esau! He probably deserved to get yelled at by his dad. He maybe even deserved to get beaten up by Esau. But that’s not what happens. Instead, Jacob doesn’t get what he deserves.

If you fast forward in the story of Jacob, many years later, Jacob is traveling with his family, walking along in the desert and in the distance he sees this large crowd of people headed straight for him! And at the head of this great bunch of people…is Esau! Oh no! We’re in big trouble!

Jacob hid his children and put his wife’s out of harms way. He didn’t want them to see what was about to happen! Jacob decided he would just stand there and take it. He would take what he deserved. He was ready for a beatdown!

And Esau got closer and closer and when he saw Jacob he started to run. Oh no! We’re in trouble here he comes! And when he gets close, he puts his arms around Jacobs neck, and Jacob thinks “Oh no! He’s going to strangle me!” But then he realizes…wait…no…Esau is hugging me? How is that possible? That’s not what I deserve! I deserve to be beaten up. Esau has every right to kill me. To steal from me like I stole from me! But instead, he hugs me? He forgives me?

Esau showed Jacob grace.

Think about your life. How often have you been wronged by other people? How often have people betrayed you? Lied to you? Stolen from you? Been mean to you? Maybe it’s you best friend. Maybe it’s even been your sibling like Jacob and Esau.

Every single day it seems like some one does something mean to us that we don’t like.

And our response in those moments is to get even. You broke my toy, I break yours. You punch me in the arm, I will punch you. You lied to me, I’m going to lie to you. We want to get even. It’s like the balloon game! You popped my baloon, I’ll pop yours! But that’s not grace is it? No!

This is what Jesus said:

New International Reader’s Version Chapter 5

38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye must be put out for an eye. A tooth must be knocked out for a tooth.’ (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21) 39But here is what I tell you. Do not fight against an evil person.

“Suppose someone hits you on your right cheek. Turn your other cheek to him also. 40Suppose someone takes you to court to get your shirt. Let him have your coat also. 41Suppose someone forces you to go one mile. Go two miles with him.

42“Give to the one who asks you for something. Don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow something from you.

Jesus realized that if we take revenge on someone else, if we try to get even, it begins a never ending cycle of meanness. He realized that we don’t need to get even, instead we should just show grace!

Jesus knew that without grace, the world would be a dark and angry place.

(object lesson)

You might be thinking, the world is already dark and lonely! There’s a lot going on! How can I make a difference. Well…it just takes a little bit. It just takes one person. It just takes one group of kid. One church who decided that we aren’t going to give people what they deserve. No more eye for eye. No more stealing from those who steal from us, hitting those who hit us. Instead we are going to show grace. Why? Because God showed grace for us.

Like Esau did for Jacob, we have a choice in how we will react when we are wronged. Esau could have been mean back to Jacob. Could’ve hit him. Could’ve killed him. But instead he showed grace.

You have the choice too!