It's Not Too Late For Jacob Series

There will come in each of our lives heartbreaking & troublesome situations & conditions which are totally out of our human control. The devil likes to tell us that the longer they continue the more hopeless they become. However, in this series of messages we will be reminded that with GOD there is no such thing as a HOPELESS SITUATION or PERSON or CONDITION.

Sermon July 19, 2009

Sermon Series: It’s Not Too Late:

Sermon #1: Jacob the Deceiver:

Scripture Ref: Genesis 32: 24-30

‘& Jacob was left alone, & there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. & when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; & the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. & he said; Let me go, for the day breaks. & he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. & he said unto him, What is thy name? & he said, Jacob. & he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with GOD & with men, & has prevailed. & Jacob asked him, & said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. & he said, Wherefore is it that thou does ask after my name? & he blessed him there. & Jacob called the name of the place PENIEL: for I have seen GOD face to face, & my life is preserved.’

Introduction:

What you & I are WITNESSING TODAY is NOT a LOST GENERATION. What we are WITNESSING TODAY is the PRODUCT of a LOST GENERATION. What we are WITNESSING is the TRANSFERANCE of a CURSE rather than the TRANSFERANCE of a BLESSING. & we OFTEN FIND in the BIBLE where BOTH CURSING & BLESSING can be TRANSFERRED from ONE GENERATION to ANOTHER GENERATION until finally someone BREAKS the TRANSFERANCE.

This morning I want us to look at one such man who WANTED to TURN a CURSE into a BLESSING. In the Old TESTAMENT it speaks of “PASSING ON A BLESSING.” That BLESSING involved the NAMING & the DETERMINING of the FUTURE. It spoke of GOD’S COVENANT with HIS PEOPLE.

This morning we want to look at JACOB:

The name JACOB means DECIEVER – TRICKSTER – He was a SHIEKSTER – He was a DOOPER. He would MANIPULATE THINGS & PEOPLE so that it would WORK OUT like he wanted them to. The ONLY PERSON JACOB CARED ANYTHING ABOUT was JACOB. He knew how to WORK on the WEAKNESS of OTHERS to SERVE his own ends.

But there was ONE THING JACOB WANTED MORE than ANYTHING ELSE & that was THE BLESSING.

Because JACOB KNEW WHAT the BLESSING was.

But there was a PROBLEM. According to JEWISH TRADITION it was the OLDEST SON who got the BIGGEST PART of the BLESSING. The BIBLE says the OLDEST SON received a DOUBLE PORTION.

But JACOB WANTED the BLESSING. So as was his CUSTOM he CONIEVED & SCHEMED to TRICK & DECEIVE his FATHER, ISAAC, in to BLESSING HIM while THINKING he was BLESSING his oldest son, ESAU.

That is found in Genesis 27:

To SUMMARIZE it, here’s what happened:

• When ISAAC was old & couldn’t see, JACOB dressed up like ESAU. He put on ESAU’S clothes, talked like ESAU, looked like ESAU & he acted like ESAU. He walked in & said to ISAAC, -- ‘FATHER it is time to BLESS ME.’

• ISAAC asked, ‘Which of my sons are you?’ & he answered, ‘I am ESAU your oldest son.’ So ISAAC BLESSED JACOB but thought he was BLESSING ESAU.

Now before this in Genesis 25 ESAU SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT, --- BLESSING, --- to JACOB for a BOWL of POTTAGE. ESAU had come in from the FIELD & was HUNGRY & JACOB just happened to have the FOOD prepared. & when ESAU asked for some FOOD then JACOB bargained with him. A BOWL of SOUP for your BIRTHRIGHT, DEAL or NO DEAL? & ESAU said, What good is the BLESSING if I am DEAD from HUNGER.

Here is the DIFFERNENCE between the TWO TWINS.

ESAU was THINKING ONLY about the PRESENT.

JACOB was THINKING about the FUTURE. That’s WHY the BLESSING meant so much to him.

So considering the BLESSING was already his JACOB went in & got the BLESSING.

In Genesis 27:

The BLESSING said that as the DEW falls down from HEAVEN so shall the GOODNESS of GOD fall on you. & GOD said ‘I will BLESS YOU so that OTHERS will come UNDER your AUTHORITY & you shall LEAD them. & those who BLESS YOU ---- I WILL BLESS & those who CURSE YOU I WILL CURSE, --- for I will be YOUR GOD.’

In other words GOD was saying, ‘I am going to TAKE CARE of your FUTURE.’