God is still in the Changing Business
2 Cor 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
(KJV)
This is a wonderful thing for man to understand. And man must understand that God is not interested in changing himself, but is interested in changing man.
A. David...a man after Gods own heart
David grew up watch and tending to his father’s sheep...the fall of Saul, rise of anointing of David...
Ps 51:10
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
(KJV)
*Notice-here in this verse David is asking God to renew a right spirit within him.
For his spirit needing to be renewed then it first had to have been at one time in the right condition. Because you don’t renew that which is already good or in the same condition as it was when purchased. So something had to happen...
The 51 Psalm was written by David sometime after that Nathan the prophet came to him after his affair with Bath-Sheba.
We have here a man "David" King of Israel arise out of bed and strolling out to the roof of the Kings house. And while he is out there he notices a woman in the neighboring house bathing her self...The bible says that she was very beautiful to look upon. So undoubtedly she caught the eye of David. David then sends for her and commits adultery with her.
David first saw Bathsheba
Then he sent after her
Finally he sinned with her
There was a rapid development from lust to sin here which falls in line with...
James 1:14-15
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
And David realized this so when confronted with his sin he ends up repenting. And by the time his life is over he was Israel’s finest King and died leaving the kingdom to his son. God establishes David kingdom for his obedience.
B. Paul-the persecutor, the persecuted
1. Starts out at war against the Church
-Took part in Stephens death
-Threw Christians it prison
-Voted to put them to death
-Beat them
-Compelled them through torture and blaspheme
-Made havoc of the church
-Persecuted the church beyond measure and wasted it
2. Ended fighting the good fight of faith
-En route to Damascus to persecute believers
-Was knocked down and blinded by a heavenly light
-Heard and accepted Christ as Lord and Savior
Paul was referred to as a Hebrew of the Hebrews: Full of zeal
In attempting to keep the law
In attempting to destroy the church
But God had other plans for Paul...On road to Damascus...
Acts 9:3-6
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutes: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
(KJV)
God takes a man that is at war with his church and touches him, changes his heart to were he is now part of the church.
C. Jacob the determined wrestler
Gen 32:24
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
(KJV)
Here Jacob learns that his brother Esau is coming to meet him with 400 men. This terrifies Jacob so he immediately does 3 things...
1. He divides his household into 2 groups so that if Esau smites 1 company then the other that is left shall escape.
2.Cries out to God in prayer saying,...
Gen 32:10-11
10 I 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.
11 Deliver 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.
(KJV)
3. He sends a bribe gift to Esau consisting of 550 animals.
But that night something happens that would change Jacob forever.
*24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
...He was alone and began to talk to God...
-God I’ve got to have a meeting time with you
- I’ve got to have you
-you are going to have to help me, I need a touch from you
-I’d getting ready to face one of my hardest trials of my life
-my brother is coming to meet me, I cant face him, I’ve lied to him I’ve stole from him
-he will probably want to kill me
- I’ve got to have you
and the verse says that Jacob wrestled with a man...what happened was the Lord walked by and Jacob recognized who it was and got a hold on him...
they wrested back and forth, this way and that way and when the Lord saw that he prevailed not against him he touched the hollow of his thigh putting it out of joint. But Jacob didn’t give up. The Lord said...
Gen 32:26
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
(KJV)
Jacob says no...God I have to have a touch, not satisfied were I am, not satisfied with what I got, I know what I am facing in the future and its going to take more than I got know, I need you.
And this is what happened...
Gen 32:27-28
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And 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.
(KJV)
Gen 32:31
31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
(KJV)
When you receive a touch from the Lord it will change the way you walk.
Closing
There are 3 things that take place in salvation...
1.You go to the Cross of Calvary...David repenting
2. God changes your nature...Paul’s change of heart
3. God writes you name in the Lamb’s book of Life...Jacob’s name was changed, but yours is written
