This picture was during the 2008 Olympic Games in China. What can you say about this picture??
A relay running race is a team event in which you have to pass a baton from one teammate to another in order to finish the race. The US Team dropped the baton and was disqualified from the race.
It has been said that Christianity is only one generation from extinction! In other words, if we Christians today don’t pass the Christian baton properly to the next generation, Christianity on earth will cease to exist. Sounds far fetched? The Book of Revelation tells us that one day, this will happen. Of course God is in control, but God also calls people to “team” with Him to finish the race!
How can we pass the spiritual baton properly to the next generation? The story of the transition from Isaac to Jacob is actually helpful for us today. God chose a people through Abraham and Sarah to be God’s Special Team on earth. This Special Team was called to reveal God and his Good News. God called Abraham and Sarah to be in God’s Good News Team. Abraham passed the “baton” of God’s calling to Isaac. Isaac then passed it to Jacob.
Please open your Bibles to Genesis 28, page…..
Isaac was the one who had the “baton” from God to pass to Jacob. What did Isaac do right?
We note in v1: Isaac called, blessed, and instructed Jacob.
Isaac knew he had to pass the “baton” to someone. But we don’t read God ever directly instructing Isaac to whom the baton should be passed to.
Who was Isaac going to pass the baton to, Esau or Isaac? Remember from Genesis 27, Isaac was ready to give the blessing to Esau, but Rebekah and Jacob tricked Isaac?
Why would Isaac call on Jacob this time around??
Take a look back to the end of Genesis 27…..
Isaac’s wife was grieved about the Canaanite women who Jacob married. This time around, Isaac considered what his wife had to say! Because of his wife’s concern, Isaac called Jacob to bless and instruct him.
And how did Isaac bless the one he was going to pass the “baton” from God to? Isaac prayed for Jacob. Look again at v3-4 with me………….
Isaac prayed for both spiritual and physical blessings for Jacob. Now, there is something significant in v4. Did Isaac pressure Jacob into following God?? Absolutely not! What was Isaac’s prayer request for Jacob in v4??
Isaac prayed for a personal revelation directly from God. You see, God is in control, but he does allow people a free will to choose. Isaac did not force God on Jacob!
Isaac did many right things in this chapter. And before we talk about Jacob, the one who was receiving the baton, let us briefly talk about Esau because God talked about him in v6-9. Did Esau marry those two women to please his parents or to spite them? It could go either way.
But here’s what we can say for sure, Esau never counseled with God or with his parents! If we consider Esau in light of the “team” which God was putting together, did Esau ever desire to be on God’s team??
So far in his life, Esau never showed an interest in being on God’s team!
Now, did Jacob do anything to indicate that he had an interest in receiving the spiritual baton from Isaac? What would you say was the first thing that Jacob did right to receive the spiritual baton that Isaac wanted to pass??
Jacob listened and obeyed Isaac! Jacob did as his father told him to do! Can we say that Jacob now has the baton to run the race for God??
Yes, Jacob heard from his father and he obeyed, but Jacob did not directly hear from God till v13. God spoke to Jacob through a dream. Jacob personally receives the promise directly from God. Jacobs hears, or can we say see, the baton being passed to him.
Can we say that Jacob now has the baton to run the race for God??
The baton from God was still being passed through Isaac to Jacob as God spoke to Jacob. Jacob himself had to grab the baton! Look again with me v16-17…………
Jacob personally realized that God has made a way to heaven. Jacob memorialized the time and the place of this revelation!
Jacob called the place Bethel, which in Hebrew means “house of God”. Jacob then made a vow to God and look again at v22……..
Jacob made a commitment to God with worship by remembering God and giving back to Him. We can now say that Jacob had the baton to run the race for God!
Are you and I running the race for God today?
Here’s what the apostle Paul said in Acts 20:24,
I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
Please turn your Bibles to Hebrews 12, page…..
Read along with me verse 1……………
Who is God talking to in this verse?? – Christians!
Who are in the cloud of witnesses?? – They are the faithful ones who have gone before us! Look back to Hebrews 11. We see the list of faithfuls who have run the race for God! In v4 we see Abel, in v5 Enoch, in v7 Noah, in v8 Abraham, in v20 Isaac, and in v21 Jacob! In the Book of Revelation, we can note that the Apostles and all the Saints received the baton and ran the race for God as they lived on earth! All followers of Jesus Christ are to receive the “Christian baton” from those who have gone before them and run the race marked out for them.
What can we learn from Isaac?
Isaac knew he had to pass the “baton” of God’s Good News to someone. Isaac chose Jacob by considering what his wife had to say and Jacob’s willingness! Isaac prayed for both spiritual and physical blessings for Jacob.
God calls every Christian to pass the “baton” of the Good News Team to someone else. Are you committed to this? Christians are to choose followers by considering counsel from God and from those close to them. Also, Christians are to pass the “Christian baton” to those who are willing to listen and follow.
What can we learn from Esau and Jacob? Esau refused to be in the race; Jacob showed an interest in the race and actually received the baton to run a race for God!
The warning regarding following the ways of Esau is found in Hebrews 12:15-16. Read along with me……..
People can be like Esau. Many people today can refuse the love of God and be defiled, who in turn passes that defilement to others! I pray that no one here today will be like Esau.
I pray that each one of us here today will be like Isaac and Jacob. Jacob listened and obeyed Isaac! Jacob personally received the promise directly from God. Jacob himself grabbed the godly baton! Jacob made a commitment to God with worship by remembering God and giving back to Him.
If you have never truly listened and obeyed Jesus Christ, please do it today.
Jesus said in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” And in John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” God speaks directly to people today through the Bible! Are we listening?
Believe and receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and God!
Be in the Good News Team of Jesus Christ!
Grab the “baton” which came from Christ Himself!
Run the “race”, which is the Christian life!
Look for others to hand this “Christian baton” to!
May we all be able to say what the Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7-8. Please say it with me.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
