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What God
Wants Us to Remember Introduction: A. Background 1.
Illustration: A famous major league baseball player began his
major league career with only one hit in his first 26 at bats. His debut was
so unimpressive that it seemed unlikely he would last more than a few weeks
as a big-leaguer. The turning point came when his manager, Leo Durocher,
found him crying in the dugout after yet another miserable performance at the
plate. The coach put his arm around the young player and said, “What’s the
matter, son?” The player said, “I can’t hit up here. I belong in the minor
leagues.” Durocher said this to the young player: “As long as I’m manager of
the Giants, you’ll be my centerfielder.” It wasn’t long before young Willie Mays
began hitting the ball, and he was on his way to becoming a legend of the
game: 660 home runs (third on the all-time list), more than 300 stolen bases,
and one of the best defensive center fielders to play the game. Fortunately
there was someone there to encourage him and tell him, “I am behind you, this
will work out.” 2.
Here on September 11, 2005, we remember what happened four
short years ago, and then we think of what has happened since then, and then
we look at what has happened in the last few weeks with hurricane Katrina, and
it is easy to become discouraged. a)
Sometimes we look around us at what is going on in our life,
our country, and in the world and the future seems
so uncertain. b)
We need to remember that all of this is the result of living
in a fallen world. 3.
During these times of uncertainty we need the same thing that
Willie Mays needed. a)
We need a word of encouragement. b)
We need to know that the “coach” is behind us. c)
We need to know that things will work out. d)
The good news is that we can have this need for encouragement
and assurance met because God, through his word and Spirit, reminds us of
what we need to remember in uncertain times. B. Jacob’s Departure (vv. 1-5) 1.
Jacob was forced to leave home, fleeing for his life, fleeing
from his own brother who had threatened to kill him (Genesis 27:41). 2.
Jacob was facing a very uncertain future. a)
He was far from home and could not be sure of ever coming
back. b)
He had no assurance of finding a wife, a job, a home to stay
in, or even having his basic needs met. c)
He was seemingly all alone in a hostile world with no
guarantee that he would not be hunted down and killed by his brother Esau or
that he would not be harmed by a bandit or wild animal. d)
Jacob didn’t deserve anything from God, but God in his mercy
came to Jacob anyways. 3.
Fear, loneliness, and destitution—these experiences grip the
hearts and lives of so many people upon earth. a)
There is not a person upon earth who escapes the suffering of
some fear and loneliness during his or her life; and in far too many cases,
some persons are overwhelmed by these experiences. b)
There are far too many people within every nation who suffer
destitution, stripped of the very necessities of life. 4.
But there is hope of deliverance from all these bad
experiences, no matter what brings them upon us. 5.
Jacob’s experience demonstrates this for us. C. Esau’s Response (vv. 6-9) 1.
There is a second person in this story - Esau, feeling insecure
and rejected by his father, seeking the approval of his father 2.
Esau had always been the favorite son of Isaac. 3.
When Esau found out that Isaac had sent Jacob away, charging
him not to marry an unbeliever, a Canaanite woman, he realized that his own
Canaanite wives did not please his father. 4.
Esau then attempted to secure his father’s approval and
blessing by going to Ishmael, Abraham’s son, and marrying one of Ishmael’s
daughters, thinking that this would please his father. 5.
Sin always results in suffering and pain that often reaps
devastation and destruction. I.
God Meets Jacob’s Needs
(vv. 10-15) A. In a Lonely Place 1.
“a certain place” - Place is
important. 2.
It surely was important so far as Jacob was concerned. a)
Experiencing the blessing of God meant being in the place
where God wanted him. b)
There are surely certain places where it would be difficult,
even impossible, for a person to hear from God. 3.
Jacob was all alone; a deep sense of loneliness. a)
Jacob was having to avoid people
because he needed to escape Esau. b)
Jacob was facing the unknown, and not knowing what lies ahead
always arouses a sense of loneliness within us. 4.
Jacob was now homeless and destitute and all alone – right
where he needed to be to hear from God. B. In an Incredible Dream 1.
There was the vision of a great ladder or stairway stretching
all the way from earth up into heaven. a)
The stairway was huge, wide enough for streams of angels to
pass one another, ascending and descending on it. b)
What did the stairway symbolize for Jacob? 2.
The stairway pictured the great gulf and separation between
heaven and earth, between God and man. a)
The gulf and separation was so vast that no man could ever
reach heaven apart from the supernatural work of God and His angels. b)
Jacob was bound to see how helpless he was in trying to reach
God on his own. c)
God had to provide the way if man was ever to reach heaven. 3.
There was the vision of angels, a stream of angels, ascending
and descending upon the stairway. a)
The word angel simply means messenger. (1)Jacob saw the angels come
to earth to carry out the commands of God and then return to heaven to report
on their work. b)
What was their work upon earth that would concern Jacob at
this point in his life? (1)Scripture tells us that
angels have a very important function in God’s dealings with believers, four
functions in particular. (2)Scripture says: “They are
all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them that are the heirs
of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). (a)Angels protect and
deliver believers through trials. (i) “For
he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways”
(Psalm 91:11; cp. Psalm 34:7; (b)Angels guide and lead
believers in their ministry. (i) “And
when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth
to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother,
and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod
will seek the young child to destroy him” (Matthew 2:13; cp. (c)
Angels encourage believers. (i)
This assistance seems to begin at childhood and continues on
throughout life. (ii) “Take
heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That
in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in
heaven” (Matthew 18:10; cp. (d)Angels escort believers into
heaven. (i)
“And it came to pass, that the
beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man
also died, and was buried” (Luke 16:22). 4.
The stairway also pictured this fact: there is a great
stairway stretching between earth and heaven. a)
A way has been provided for man to reach heaven, a way
provided by God Himself. (1)Jesus Christ Himself
referred to this experience of Jacob. (a)Jesus claimed that He
Himself was the ladder, the very way God had provided for man to reach
heaven. (b)One of Jesus’ disciples
had just declared that Jesus was the Son of God. In response, Jesus made His
great claim: (2)“And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see
heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and
descending upon the Son of Man.”” (John 1:51). C. With a Powerful Message 1.
The Purpose of His Blessing a)
So that we may be a blessing to others 2.
The Promises of His Message a)
I am with you (1)The promise of His
presence (2)These great promises given
to Jacob are also given to us. (a)“Behold,
I am with thee” (Genesis 28:15). (b)“And
he said, My presence shall go with you, and I will
give you rest” (Exodus 33:14). (c)
King David said in Psalm 23:4, “I will fear no evil for you
are with me.” (d)“When
you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they
shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be
burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you” (Isaiah 43:2). (e)“For
where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst
of them” (Matthew 18:20). (f)
Jesus encouraged his disciples in (3)In uncertain times
remember God’s presence. (a)This does not mean we
will escape the storms of life but the knowledge of his presence in those
storms can give us peace and confidence in uncertain times. b)
I will keep you (1)The promise of God’s
protective, keeping power – the greatest protection imaginable! (a)“I
will keep you in all places where you go” (Genesis 28:15). (b)“Behold,
he that keeps (c) “I
know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that
which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Timothy 1:12). (d)“Who
are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be
revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5). (e)“Now
unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and
to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy”
(Jude 24). c)
I will bring you back (1)The promise of God’s guidance
and leadership. (a)“I
will bring you again into this land” (Genesis 28:15). (b)“For
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans
8:14). (c)
“However, when He, the Spirit of
truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His
own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell
you things to come.” (John 16:13). (2)In uncertain times
remember God’s guidance and leadership. d)
I will not leave you (1)The promise of God’s
fulfilling His promises and purposes in our lives. (a)“I
will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken to you of”
(Genesis 28:15). (b)
“And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to
perform” (Romans 4:21). (c)
“Being confident of this very thing, that he
which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ” (Phil. 1:6). (d) II. Jacob’s Response to God (vv. 16-22) A. He Understood God Better and Was Afraid 1.
Jacob had a new insight into God and into himself. 2.
He now understood God as never before. 3.
God was overseeing and taking care of all things in Jacob’s
desperate hour of need. 4.
Jacob was afraid and awed by the power of Almighty God! 5.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said to the Washington Post
of Katrina’s damage - "I look at this and cannot believe my eyes. It
tells us however strong and powerful we think we are,
we are nothing in the eyes of nature and of God Almighty." 6.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” 7.
B. He Made Sure He Would Not Forget 1.
He named the place 2.
a)
a place where he could meet God in worship and
prayer. b)
the very gate of heaven: a place where he could ask
and seek and knock until God heard and answered his prayer. 3.
Jacob dedicated the place by building an altar by stacking
stones one upon another. a)
Then he anointed the altar with oil. b)
Jacob was dedicating the place to God as a very special place
of worship. C. He Committed Himself to God (vv. 20-22) 1.
His vow a)
Jacob had a renewed commitment and made a vow to God. (1)This is the first vow
recorded in the Bible. (2)Out of a heart of
thankfulness to God, Jacob was voluntarily vowing to follow God as
never before, because of the great promise God had just made to him b)
Jacob’s vow involved three commitments: (1)that the LORD, the God of
redemption and salvation, would always be his God (Genesis 28:21b). (2)that he would always worship
God in (3)that he would be faithful in
tithing to God (Genesis 28:22). c)
When God meets us and gives us very special
experiences—special manifestations of His presence—we should always
rededicate our lives to Him. 2.
The Principles a)
God sometimes shows up at unexpected times and unexpected
places. b)
God is present and active even when we are unaware of him. c)
God has prepared a way to Himself through His Son, Jesus
Christ. d)
In uncertain times remember God’s promises. (1)I am with you (2)I will keep you (3)I will bring you back (4)I will not leave you e)
Surely God is trying to tell us something by this. f)
It is by resting in Him and in His Word that we can be blessed
so that we can be a blessing to others. |
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Ministries