WHEN YOU MEET GOD February 25, 2007 Jay Robison GENESIS 32:22-30
I acknowledge that I have used the sermon central site as one of my study resources for this sermon.
There is a great mystery of life
You must STRUGGLE if you ARE GOING TO GROW
Growth always means struggle in one form or another.
As a child we struggle trying to grow physically, teething babies
Children struggle to grow emotionally, balancing many emotions
Always easier to gain weight than lose it Studying is not very fun
Spiritually we do not become Godly when we first want to
it is a struggle called discipleship but when we struggle we grow.
Passage today points that out Vs 28 NIV
Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and men and have overcome.
Interesting episode, some will say metaphorical I don’t think so
Literal events, but don’t read too much into details
Jacob appears to be beating up on God angel afraid of light etc
3 principles we have to keep in mind when we meet God
1. Come Clean ABOUT WHO YOU ARE
Although God used Jacob he was not perfect by any means
Jacob was kind of person could enter a revolving door behind you
& come out ahead of you.”
When Jacob shook hands w\you, check to be sure still all 5 fingers
Jacob was A LIAR, A CHEAT, A CON ARTIST, and a crook
From womb he was younger of twins, but holding older bro’s heel
Jacob literally means “heel grabber” and “deceiver”
His older twin Esau as first born entitled to double portion of estate
Jacob swindled it from him not once but twice Gen 25 pot of stew
Gen 27 by deceiving dad on his deathbed. Jacob always out on top
Because of these things, Jacob had to leave town in a hurry
Spied beautiful woman Rachel but met his devious match
Laban Rachel’s dad sure marry my daughter if work 7 yrs ch 29
See Rachel had older sister Leah ugly duckling consolation prize
On wedding night after 7 yrs hard work surprised to find Leah
Laban she is oldest had to marry first, 7 more years for Rachel
Jacob chuckled at buy one get one free wife, cons admire good con
Jacob\Laban went into cattle business, Jacob good at it
But rambling man so wanted to move on, Laban said 1 more year
Then divide flock, Jacob said he’d take misfits, spotted speckled
But Jacob was the breeder so when cattle bred, don’t you know
Strongest cattle were spotted and speckled, 30:42
So Jacob loaded up his two wives and spotted strong cattle
Left in middle of night, Rachel stole some gold from dad
Laban chases Jacob who ends up running right toward Esau
20 years since seen him stole inheritance, Will Esau try to kill him?
Jacob thinking on his feet divides family and possessions
1st animals, goats, rams, camels, bulls, cows etc. said give to Esau
2nd wives, and maids, 3rd was to be Jacob, trying to soften Esau up
Jacob lived by his wits & wanted to get away with his life
It was middle of the night when Jacob set this all up
And he went across the Jabbok River by himself
When Jacob cannot sleep, but in wrestling match
Jacob was battling an angel and HIMSELF
His life was passing before his eyes, and not a pretty show
He was in a wrestling match and prize was his very soul
Jacob had to make peace w\his past, face himself, look in the mirror
When life is out of control, we are wrestling with God
Is God wrestling with you today? Are you resisting God?
Is there something you’re withholding from Him?
When we meet God, 1st come clean about who you are
God already knows its no news to God, still loves you
2. Call on GOD FOR HELP
Jacob was wrestling with who he was, what he had done
At his wits end longest night in his life fear, isolation & loneliness;
We have to admit WE NEED GOD
So God can show us WHAT WE CAN BECOME
Up till now, Jacob handled his life really well thank you
Jacob had been such a “schemer”.
Jacob’s whole life marked by getting into trouble & running away.
Now the jig is up Jacob needs God and knows it
Vs 26 NLT Jacob panted I will not let you go unless you bless me
Jacob is praying out of desperation
“I won’t let you go until you bless me.
I won’t let you go until I’m a new man - a different person."
Jacob panted, underline that, his whole life is on the line
He is standing before God, needs help
There is nothing like A LITTLE STRESS
To build YOUR PRAYER\SPIRITUAL LIFE
Doesn’t our prayer life become intense when under stress
Very best place to run to in prayer - especially in time of stress.
When the going gets tough the tough get to praying
Do you have a backup plan just in case God doesn’t come through?
Do you pray but all the while formulating in mind a backup plan
"just in case God doesn’t come through"?
Is that what it means to trust God? I don’t think so.
That’s living in self-sufficiency; what Jacob lived by & we will too
Jacob recognized who he was who he really was
We come to know we are limited and weak.
Then we call out to God and see thing only God can do
Experience of is not to wrestle w\God over our demands,
but to know heart of One who seek to bless us & call us to a higher
purpose in life, help us understand utterly dependent on Him.
3. Commit yourself TO WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO IN YOUR LIFE
Jacob is forced to come to the end of himself
and to throw himself exclusively upon God.
Story about coming to end of yourself so God is finally free to work
I won’t stop until you bless me! I throw myself on your mercy
John White says, Jacob was conquered by dependency.
God wrestles with us IN ORDER TO HELP US GROW
God wrestles with us to encourage us by His presence
to become a better person.
God’s personally interested in each one of us realizing
Godsized dreams for our life so God makes
personal appearances with us to assist in the process.
But it’s not always easy
..he struck Jacob’s hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket
Vs 25 NLT
Most translations say man "touched" Jacob in hip,
Actually dislocated the hip.
Jacob could not EMERGE UNSCARRED
Joni Eareckson Tada, a paraplegic confined to a wheelchair,
wrote the following poem by holding a pen between her teeth:
When God wants to drill a man, and thrill a man and skill a man,
When God wants to mold a man to play the noblest part,
When He yearns with all His heart
to build so great and bold a man,
That all the world shall be amazed,
Then watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects whom He royally elects;
How He hammers him and hurts him, and with mighty blows converts him,
Into shapes and forms of clay which only God can understand
While man’s tortured heart is crying and he lifts beseeching hands...
Yet God bends but never breaks when man’s good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses, and with mighty power infuses him,
With every act induces him to try His splendor out,
God knows what He’s about!
It is impossible to MEET GOD and remain THE SAME
Jacob was a different man after meeting God
He became the leader God always wanted him to be
Jacob had a real lasting change in his character.
Jacob’s battle and our battle is between life IN THE FLESH
And life IN THE SPIRIT
That lonely & fearful night Jacob changed from a man
who got through life by scheming & conniving
to someone who would succeed through power of his r-ship w\God.
God wishes to do great things through us, through your life
But it is only in surrender to God that we find victory
From this day on Jacob no longer thought only of himself
Now he consciously lived under God’s will
Asked himself what does God want with me?
Is the only place for any of us to live
WHEN YOU MEET GOD
February 25, 2007 Jay Davis Robison GENESIS 32:22-30
You must if you
Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and men and have overcome. Vs 28 NIV
1. Come Clean
Jacob was
Jacob was battling an angel and
2. Call on
We have to admit
So God can show us
Jacob panted I will not let you go unless you bless me Vs 26 NLT
There is nothing like
To build
Do you have a backup plan just in case God doesn’t come through?
3. Commit yourself
God wrestles with us
..he struck Jacob’s hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket
Vs 25 NLT
Jacob could not
Jacob was changed by God
Jacob’s battle and our battle is between life
And life
