Jebez – The Man The World Couldn't Mold Part 5 Series

Jebez – The Man the World Couldn’t Mold

Heroes of Faith Part 5

Text: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

In the last several weeks we’ve been looking at some of the less known “Heroes of Faith” as we have looked into the loves of individuals such as:

Enoch - The man the world could not hold

Noah - The man the world could not sink

Mom - The woman the world can not duplicate

Today we are going to look at another of these heroes, a man by the name of Jabez. The Man the world could not mold.

Like all of our other heroes, the Bible doesn’t give us a lot of information about Jabez. From the two verses of scripture that mention his name we know a few things about him:

• He was of the family of Judah – (House of Praise)

• He was brought into this world in great pain.

o His name means “Son of Sorrow” or “He will cause pain”

• Something about him caused a significant shift in the generations that followed him.

o From the opening verse of 1 Chronicles, we are presented with a genealogy or Chronology of the decedents from Adam to the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel).

o The purpose is to document who was from what family and who had rightful claim to what inheritance.

o History of the Book.

 Ezra what a priest and scribe at Israel’s return from Babylonian exile.

 As a matter of his desire to keep the genealogies clear, Ezra painstakingly records the generations from Adam’s sons to the twelve sons of promise.

 But when he records the Linage of Judah, he pauses at one child. After some 44 names in chapter 4 alone, a story of great significance breaks through…

Bruce Wilkinson, in his book The Prayer of Jabez says

“Someone once said there is really very little difference between people – but that little difference makes a great deal of difference. Jabez doesn’t stand astride the Old Testament like a Moses or David or light up the book of Acts like those early Christians who turned the world upside down. But one thing is sure: The little difference in his life made all the difference.”

1. He broke the mold.

A. His name should have told it all. “He will cause Pain”.

o “stay away from him, he’s trouble”

o We are not told why his mother named him (that was a job for the father to do)

o Perhaps this pregnancy was unplanned

o Maybe she didn’t want any more children

o Maybe this baby was a peace offering of a failing relationship.

o He could have let people’s opinion dictate his life

Remember an early definition of Hero?

“Ordinary people doing extraordinary things”.

B. He outlived people’s opinion and expectations.

Vs. 9

Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers,

o Despite the name calling

o Despite public opinion

i. After all, he came from the House of Praise

ii. He knew a God who listened

a. God thought more highly of him than others did.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Rather than living up to people’s expectations

try living out God’s Dream

b. His willingness to Praise gave him audience in prayer.

c. His willingness to Praise gave him authority in prayer.

2. He dared to pray boldly

James 4:3

You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss,(with the wrong motive) that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Mark 11:24

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Hebrews 4:16

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

In a prayer of only 32 words, Jabez captured God’s dream for his life – and yours.

1. That he would be blessed

“Bless me indeed”

2. That he would be bountiful

“Enlarge my territory”

3. That he would be barricaded

“That Your hand would be on me”

4. That he would be blameless

“Keep me from evil”

5. That he would be “brand new”

“Don’t let me cause pain”

(Change who I am)

Let’s Pray

A note from Pastor Terry,

Thanks so much for looking over this message. I trust that, in some way, you were blessed, encouraged and empowered on your own walk with Christ. Every message I prepare is bathed in prayer that God will draw, inspire, and challenge my listeners (or readers) into a more meaningful and power-filled walk with Him.

Pastors, how we need one another! We need to be encouraged, strengthened and built up in order to encourage, strengthen and build up. It’s my personal prayer that the message you’ve just reviewed has done that for you in a personal way. Use what you can of this message, toss what you can’t and above all, let God’s Spirit inspire it all!