“So You Think You’ve Got It Bad!”
Lessons from Jacob & Joseph - Gen 25+
Intro: Do you know anyone who always has trouble? It seems to me there are three type of people in the world. First, there are those who lead relatively uneventful lives: it seems that nothing eventful ever really happens to them. The bulk of people we know are like that. Second, there are those who seem to always have everything go right for them. Growing up, the boy across the street, Gary Kaytor, was like that. Gary could fall into a pile of trash and come out with a $20 bill. Gary always seemed to be lucky. Third, there are those who always seem to go from one catastrophe to another. I’ve known several people like that. Just as the get out of one situation, something worse comes along.
How do you deal with the stresses and pressures of life? What do you do with the obstacles you face in life? At work, at home, physically, spiritually, habits you try to break, people you try to get along with-- how do you face up to your obstacles?
There are three basic ways of dealing with obstacles. The first way is the way of setback: it is to ignore them. Let yourself be sidetracked and held back by the obstacles you face. There are some people who will never speak out, even when they are in the right. The face setback after setback.
But there are two ways to overcoming obstacles: and as we look at them, we see them exemplified by the two key Bible characters of our reading this week, Jacob and Joseph: the two ways are self-reliance and reliance on God. Let’s look first at the life of Jacob.
I. Jacob is an example of overcoming obstacles through self-reliance. He sought to work through every obstacle on his on strength and cunning. He tries to overcome by human efforts. Self-reliance brings despair and frustration. God may offer his blessing, but he does it in spite of us, not because of us. Let’s look at how Jacob tackled his obstacles.
A. Getting the Birthright - In every Jewish household, the firstborn was given a special share of the inheritance. There was an extra 10% given to the oldest son when the division of the estate happened. In Isaac’s family, the birthright belonged to Esau. Let’s look at Genesis 25:19-28.
This is the account of Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to enquire of the LORD. The LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger." When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Jacob, supplanter or deceiver, one who grabs at his brother’s heel, one who seeks to take his brother’s place, - was a schemer. Let’s read on in verse 29.
Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom.) Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?" But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.
Jacob is prophesied by God to have his brother serve him, but he seeks to obtain blessings for himself by his own scheming. Two weeks ago when we were having the viewing for Max Rhea, one of Max’s grandsons went off the road into the snow on the way there. He had someone tow him out: they charged him $150. Taking advantage of the situation. No wonder Esau despised his brother. Jacob schemes to get the extra inheritance for himself at the expense of his brother. That’s typical of life in America: we are willing to step on anyone we need to in order to make ourselves look better.
B. The Blessing - ch.27 - The next obstacle for Jacob is the blessing from his father. Let’s look in chapter 27. read whole chapter - Once again Jacob relies on his scheming - this time with his mother’s help - to get what he really wants. His self-reliance gets him rewards, but he pays a dear price: separation from his family and the anger of his brother who was waiting for a chance to kill him.
C. The Brides - ch. 29 - read 29:14-30 Jacob meet us with another schemer. This time his self-reliance finds him with two wives - at least one too many for any man. This time the deceiver is deceived. I wonder if when he woke up next to Leah he thought about his deception to his father. When you play with sin, you never win. You may get away with it for a little while, but the consequences are tremendous.
D. The Breeding - ch. 30 -read 30:30-36 - Jacob barters for new wages. Once again the schemer relies on his cunning. Let’s keep reading in verse 37. Read 30:37-43
Jacob schemes a way to get the flocks to be spotted -- AND IT WORKED!! But why did it work? Not because of Jacob’s scheming, but because of the God of Jacob. Look at 31:5-13.
E. The Bidding Adieu - read ch. 31:17-24, 43-53 - Here is the compact between two schemers. So often we see these beautiful necklaces with half a heart and that verse on them, “The Lord watch between me and thee while we are apart from each other - but really that covenant is a promise of two schemers. Literally, they are saying, don’t try to stab me in the back, or God will get you!
F. The Brother - we see Jacob meeting up with his brother Esau in ch. 32.
Read 32:13-23. Once again, Jacob tries to scheme his way through obstacles. But God had already prepared Esau’s heart. Let’s look at 33:5-17. Jacob meets his brother, but he slips away to another place. Constantly he is a schemer.
Jacob is a perfect example of one who trusted in his own strength. Now let’s compare Jacob with his son, Joseph.
II. Joseph is an example of overcoming obstacles through reliance on God.
Joseph also has his share of problems. In fact, as we read the story of his life, he had more than his fair share. But Joseph had a different way of dealing with obstacles. He looked to the Lord to give him the victory. Let’s look at some of Joseph’s obstacles he had to overcome.
A. Siblings - If you think you’ve got family problems, consider Joseph. Look in chapter 37. Read 37:1-11. Joseph was hated because he was his father’s favorite, because of his dream that his brothers would bow down to him. Not only are they jealous and filled with hatred, but they go even further. Read 37:17-22. They brothers plot how they can kill their brother.
B. Slavery - If family problems aren’t bad enough, next Joseph finds himself in slavery. Let’s read on in chapter 37. 37:23-28 And you thought Joseph had it bad at home. Now he finds himself in Egypt, a slave. But once again God is with him. In the midst of family problems, God gives two dreams to show that he is with Joseph. Now in the midst of slavery, God brings blessing. Let’s read 39:1-6a. In the midst of slavery, God was with Joseph. But Joseph faces another obstacle.
C. Sexual Temptation - One of the greatest temptations we face is when someone tells us how wonderful we are. Joseph put up with brothers who hated him, but now he faces a woman, his master’s wife, who tells him how much she loves him. Let’s see what Joseph does. 39:6b-12.
Joseph flees - he doesn’t try to trust his own ability to resist, he flees. That leads to the next obstacle.
D. The Slammer - Joseph is put in prison. Potiphar believes his wife, not Joseph, so Joseph is imprisoned. 39:20-23. Once again, in the midst of trials, God is with Joseph. As we read on, 2 court officials are also imprisoned. Joseph interprets dreams and asks them to remember him to Pharaoh. But they forget.
E. Success - Sometimes our worst obstacles to living the Christian life come when everything is going well. Pharaoh had a dream. Joseph is brought out to interpret the dream. But even in the chance to lift himself up, he lifts up God. Look at 41:14-16.
Finally Joseph has the chance many might have longed for if we were in his situation: Revenge. As the famine comes, his brothers come down to Egypt to buy grain. Joseph sees his brothers, and he arranges to have his younger brother Benjamin brought down so he can see him. At the end, Joseph meets privately with his brothers and reveals himself to them. Read 45:1-9.
Conclusion: Through it all, Joseph gives all of his obstacles to God. He trusts in the power of God at work in his life. He believes in a good God who works all things, even the obstacles and problems, for the good of those who love God.
This morning, how do you handle problems? Are you like Jacob? Do you try to handle everything in your own strength? Do you try to scheme and plan and hope nobody finds out what you are really like? Or are you like Joseph? Do you look to give God glory at all times.
In every temptation, 1 Cor. 10:13 tells us that God always gives a way of escape. What do you want your life to look like: a schemer and deceiver who is running from problem to problem, or one who in the midst of each problem turns to God and gives all the glory to God. We need to decide today how we will live our lives. Shall we pray.
