Title: An Amazing Perspective Changes Everything
Text: Genesis 27.41-28.22
CIT: Jacob fled for his life and found God in a power way.
CIS: What does the evide
Introduction:
The Death of Abraham; Esau and Jacob’s journey (25-27)
Transition: So Jacob deceived his brother and stole his blessing. Tonight’s passage is divided into 4 parts:
Jacob’s Departure, Dream, and Declaration
1. Jacob’s Dilemma (27.41-46)
exp.: Esau’s hatred and threats; his life is in danger; rd v 41
- Esau’s hatred of his little brother (v 41)
- Rebekah’s Deceptive plan to save her son (v42-46)
- To Isaac
- To Jacob
Transition: Jacob’s dilemma was that his life was in danger. If he stayed, his days were numbered.
2. Jacob’s Departure (28.1-9)
exp.:
- Isaac’s Instructions to Jacob to find a wife from their family; rd v 1-2;
- Isaac’s identification of Jacob as the heir to the Abrahamic Covenant; rd v3-5; Gen 17.1; El Shaddai;
- Esau’s desire to please his father; rd v 6-9;
Transition: Our sins have a way of finding us out. What I mean by that is Rebekah got her way, she got what she wanted; however, she would never see
3. Jacob’s Dream (28.10-15)
exp.: rd v 10-11; who is with him? he’s alone; imagine with me, if you will, what it must have been like for him; rd v 12; What do we see;
- The ladder; an escalator? A flight of stairs?
- The Angels; ascending and descending; John 1.51
- The Lord
- A Visual communication to Jacob that God is at work here, ushering angels about to do his work;
- A Verbal communication to Jacob that God is at work here!
- I am
- I will
- Your offspring will
- You will
- I am
- I will
Transition: Jacob’s dilemma is that his brother will kill him as soon as Isaac is dead; So Rebekah hatches a plan to save her son by sending him to her homeland to find a wife through her husband; Esau is fooled into getting a wife that’s not a Canaanite! Jacob stops for the night, all alone and uses a rock for a pillow. He dreams a magnificent dream and wakes up and says… which brings us to our Act 1, scene 4:
4. Jacob’s Declaration (28.16-28.22)
exp.:
- He was Amazed and declared: – rd v 16; Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place
- He was Afraid and declared – rd v 17;
- He was Awestruck and moved in two ways:
- His worship – rd v 18-19; his pillow turned pillar! A demonstration of his love and commitment to God; He renamed the place; that’s big, too
- His commitment – rd v 20-22; still, very selfish thought, huh? Isn’t he placing conditions on his commitment? If you will…Then I will… sort of condition?
Transition: Have you ever placed conditions on your commitment to God? Be honest!
Observations & Implications:
- Do we really think our decisions through to their outcome? I mean, not just the immediate pleasure, but the devastation we’re headed toward? A loan brings a car quickly. A loan means a long term payment!
- As I mentioned earlier, our sins have a way of finding us out!
- It will cost us more than we ever wanted to pay
- It will take us further than we ever wanted go
- And It will keep us longer than we ever wanted to stay
- Do you realize that God is at work where you are? You might not see him, but he’s there!
- Does your understanding and realization of God in your life move you to worship? Is it conditional?
What will you take home with you?