DON’T BE A STONER…
BE A TRANSFORMER!
Genesis 17:1-6; 32:24-28
Review:
Last week we began this two part message: “Don’t be a stoner… Be a transformer”, and I would like to recap a little of that message before we begin today.
We were in John 8:1-11 last week, and saw how absolutely incredible the Lord Jesus Christ was in how He manifested God to us in this life.
Last week we focused on the Pharisees and how they Received and Responded to “God in the flesh” and I was amazed that any group could be so unaffected by Christ.
Remember: they set Jesus up with the woman taken in adultery and brought her before Him for a potential stoning. Then, after Jesus ignores them, and completely convicts them of their own sin, they walk away, only to be ready at the end of the chapter to potentially stone HIM!
(Starts) POTENTIAL STONING -- POTENTIAL STONING (Ends)
DON’T BE A STONER!
BE A TRANSFORMER – ONE WHO “IS” TRANSFORMED BY THE POWER OF GOD!
Seeing how this man was a topic of discussion last week:
John 8:58-59 58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT ABRAHAM AS THE FIRST OF TWO EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE TRANSFORMED BY THE MIGHTY POWER OF GOD!
1.) THE AFFIRMATION OF ABRAM
WE FIRST SEE ABRAM COME ON THE SCENE BACK IN GENESIS 11
Genesis 11:27-31 27Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. 28And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. 29And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. 30But Sarai was barren; she had no child. 31And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.
NOTICE: HIS NAME IN THIS PASSAGE IS ABRAM, NOT ABRAHAM – NOT YET.
INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE NAME “ABRAM” IT MEANS:
“HIGH” OR “LOFTY” FATHER
JUST ONE LITTLE PROBLEM WITH THAT – ABRAMS WIFE SARAI IS BARREN AND SHE DOESN’T HAVE ANY CHILDREN – THE HIGH AND LOFTY FATHER HAS NO KIDS!
WHAT HE DOES HAVE THOUGH, IS SOME INCREDIBLE FAITH IN GOD, LET’S LOOK AT THE TESTIMONY OF THIS MAN: ABRAM.
Genesis 12:1-3 1Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
SO GOD SAYS: HEY ABRAM, I WANT YOU TO PACK UP AND LEAVE EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE YOU KNOW AND LOVE AND TAKE OFF FOR A PLACE I’LL SHOW YOU!
What would your response be to this command?
Ahhhhh, where again did you say you wanted me to go God?
Because I need to really make sure that I am willing to follow – so could you repeat that one more time, PLEASE.
NOT ABRAM – He had way too much FAITH to wait for all those LIFE-ALTERING DETAILS:
Genesis 12:4-5 4So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. 5And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
IN ABRAM’S LIFE TIME AND AGAIN WE SEE HIM TAKE THE SELFLESS “HIGH ROAD” (LITERALLY) AND FOLLOW IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S COMMANDS.
Genesis 13:5-9 5And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. 6And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. 7And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. 8And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. 9Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
THIS IS NOT SAYING THAT ABRAM WAS FLAWLESS – THERE WERE TIMES WHEN ABRAM LACKED FAITH AND TRIED TO IN HIS OWN STRENGTH DO WHAT ONLY GOD COULD DO:
1) HALF-SISTER EPISODE (Genesis 12:10-20)
2) HALF-SON EPISODE (Genesis 16:1-3)
ABRAM WAS A MAN OF FAITH! (JUST CHECK OUT HEBREWS 11 SOME TIME!)
I WANT TO LOOK AT AN ENCOUNTER HE HAD WITH GOD THAT TRANSFORMED HIM:
Genesis 17:1-6 1And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 6And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
For 86 years Abram was the “high” and “lofty” father with no children.
He takes matters into his own hands, and now he is 99 years old and still without a son of promise.
ABRAM HAS AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD – JUST AS THE PHARISEES IN JOHN 8!
GOD COMMANDS HIM TO: 1) Walk before Him, 2) Be Perfect, and 3) He would make a covenant with Abram.
LOOK AT ABRAM’S REACTION: HE FALLS ON HIS FACE BEFORE GOD!
Genesis 17:3 3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
MANY CHRISTIANS HAVE TROUBLE HEARING WHAT GOD IS SAYING TO THEM – HERE IS THE KEY – HUMBLY BEING WILLING TO DO WHATEVER HE SAYS !
GOD MAKES THIS HIGH AND LOFTY FATHER (WHO REALLY ISN’T ALL THAT HIGH AND LOFTY) INTO A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS: ABRAHAM!
ABRAM IS TRANSFORMED BY HIS ENCOUNTER WITH GOD!
What an incredible example for us to follow! I would like to look at another example today that is a bit different, let’s look at Abraham’s grandson: JACOB!
2.) THE JOSTLING OF JACOB
Jacob has a little different story – even from the beginning: JACOB’S name doesn’t have anything to do with being “high”, “lofty”, or a “FATHER” – actually it is quite the opposite.
Genesis 25:19-26 19And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac: 20And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. 21And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. 23And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. 24And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 26And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.
THERE IS JACOB – THE HEEL CATCHING, SUPPLANTER, DECEIVER!
As we look at his life, we see him live up to his name – check it out: the first episode the Bible records of these two brothers interacting with one another is this:
Genesis 25:29-34 29And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: 30And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 31And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
JACOB WAS A SCAMMER – ALWAYS LOOKING TO MANIPULATE PEOPLE AND THINGS TO HIS ADVANTAGE–HE WAS ALSO A DECEIVER AS WE SEE A FEW CHAPTERS OVER:
Genesis 27:18-24 18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? 19And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. 20And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me. 21And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. 22And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him. 24And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.
AS WE LOOK AT JACOB UP CLOSE WE SEE THAT EVERYTHING HE DOES IS SOLELY TO BENEFIT HIMSELF – REALLY ALL HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT – SELFISH!
THIS GETS HIM IN A BIT OF TROUBLE – HIS OLDER BROTHER WANTS TO KILL HIM!
SO HE FLEES AND GOES TO HIS MOTHERS FAMILY AND DOES MORE OF THE SAME.
THEN IT HAPPENS – GOD CALLS JACOB TO FOLLOW HIM:
Genesis 31:1-3 1And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory. 2And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 3And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
Now he is faced with the same question as Abram: DO I FOLLOW GOD? HE DOES!
Genesis 31:17-21 17Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; 18And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. 19And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s. 20And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. 21So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.
Many years have passed since Jacob fled from his brother Esau – We know that Jacob has served Laban for 20 years for his two daughters and cattle; but he has no clue as to how Esau will respond to his homecoming and that brings him to a CRISIS OF BELIEF moment, calling out to GOD:
Genesis 32:9-11 9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: 10I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. 11Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.
THAT IS WHEN GOD SHOWS UP – INCREDIBLE ENCOUNTER:
Genesis 32:24-28 24And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
MOST OF THE COMMENTARIES I READ CONCERNING THIS PASSAGE MADE ME SICK: They talked about how this was all figurative, it was all just a dream or vision in Jacobs head.
I’VE YET TO HAVE A DREAM HALF CRIPPLE ME.
Genesis 32:31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
HERE WE GO AGAIN: CLASSIC JACOB – Wrestling, manipulating people and things to get the advantage over them – he had the ANKLE PICK down from BIRTH!
Hosea tells us that this “man” was also an angel and God!
Hosea 12:4-5 4Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us; 5Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial.
HIS ENCOUNTER WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN HIS GRANDFATHERS!
HIS TESTIMONY WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN HIS GRANDFATHERS!
HIS PERSONALITY WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN HIS GRANDFATHERS!
THAT’S OK!
WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT – WITH JACOB, IT WASN’T ABOUT IMMEDIATE SUBMISSION, IT WAS ABOUT CLEAVING TO GOD AND SEEKING HIS BLESSING.
Jacob goes from being “THE DECEIVER” to ISRAEL: “GOD’S PRINCE” One who rules as God.
HE COMES AWAY FROM THIS ENCOUNTER WITH GOD – BROKEN AND BLESSED.
I don’t know today what your testimony looks like – I don’t know what you have been through in your life – I don’t know what kind of encounters you have had with God.
Whatever it is – God will use it to glorify HIMSELF!
Don’t be ashamed that you lack a SPECTACULAR, SIN-RIDDLED, DYNAMIC TESTIMONY!
DON’T BE ASHAMED IF YOU DO!
YOUR TESTIMONY IS JUST THAT: YOUR TESTIMONY!
Check this out: BOTH OF THESE GUYS – ABRAM AND JACOB (no matter how different) WERE BOTH USED TO FULFILL THE SAME COVENANT/PROMISE/PLAN!
GOD’S PLAN HASN’T CHANGED – HE IS STILL TRANSFORMING LIVES, CHANGING NAMES, AND HE WANTS US TO BE HIS VESSELS – TO BE USED TO BRING HIS PLAN TO FRUITION IN THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND US.
WILL YOU JOIN HIM?
