Sermons on Patriarchalism:

The Biggest Tent Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

Abraham faces his biggest challenge yet. And through it God shows a wonderful picture of Jesus Christ through the sacrifice of Isaac.

Abraham didn’t wake up one morning and say "Oh, I better get my prayer life in order - today’s a big test day from God." We don’t get that chance either - and our relationship with the Lord needs to be in order so that on any day a test comes - we’ll be ready. We learn today about the nature of ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Sibling Rivalry Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

Learn how two brothers fight from before birth - and how differences in attitude towards God can mean a big difference in how your life goes.

Verse 1 - 4 Abraham remarried and had kids - the kids were of no consequence and moved to different areas around Palestine - the point is that Isaac is the focus of the blessing. Verse 5 - 8 Abraham started giving away the inheritance before he was dead. Even though Isaac was the focus of ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Backfiring Schemes Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

What happens when everyone does the wrong thing? We find that in this chapter - and how God gets His way despite our best efforts to mess up!

Do you ever find a situation where absolutely everybody does the wrong thing - and yet God still gets His way? That’s what we find in Genesis 27. Everyone - Isaac, Essau, Jacob, and Rebekah - all have plans they want hatched and so they go about trying to maneuver God’s blessing to their benefit. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 27:1-46

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Killing The Flesh - The Spiritual Jounrey Of Jacob Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

Jacob begins a relationship with God after the Lord strips away everything he has. It is a process God brings each of us through.

Verses 1 - 5 So you’re Jacob. You’ve just wrangled the biggest deal of your life - by cheating your brother first of the birthright then of the patriarchal blessing. But far from celebrating, Jacob now has a death threat against his life and is going to be sent away on a journey hundreds of ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Confrontation! Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

Laban confronts Jacob after God tells him to leave and go to Canaan. We learn how God peels away the flesh and transforms us with His character through the confrontation between Laban and Jacob.

I don’t like confrontation - especially with people who I know have ulterior motives and are trying to trip me up and get the best of me. I get obsessed about it - and it makes my stomach churn. I’m sure Jacob was feeling some of those feelings as he thought about Laban - who at every turn cheated ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 31:1-55

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Jacob's Final Transformation Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

After Jacob gave his heart to God, and saw the Lord change his character, there was a point where God needed to break Jacob so that he would be fully devoted. God does that in our lives as well - what does it mean?

You give your heart to the Lord - saying "I’m yours, be my Lord and Savior." Then the Father begins a process of transformation. The Apostle Paul put it this way: "being transformed into His image with ever increasing glory" (1 Cor 3:18). That transformation process often involves the tearing ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:1-31

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Unexpected Welcome - Unexpected Sin Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

After dreading the meeting - Jacob and Esau have a family reunion. But then jealousy and violence take over as Jacob’s sons do something unthinkable.

Jacob has had a really tough time - back in Padan Aram he finally left his uncle Laban, who had cheated him for 20 years. Laban would have probably killed him had God not intervened but even still Laban gives Jacob a really hard time and then makes this agreement asking that God judge Jacob if he ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

What To Do If You Make A Big Mistake Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

We all make small errors now and again. But what do you do if you make a big blunder? We learn from Jacob and what he did after Shechem about how to get back with God.

When we make small errors we often just breeze over them or remind ourselves not to do that anymore. But what happens when we make a really big blunder - something that affects other lives and our own in significant ways? Sometimes we panic, or we throw up our hands and do nothing, or we allow ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Moving Out Of Your Comfort Zone Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jun 3, 2005

Joseph had it all - favored by his father, in a position of power - yet God moved him out of the place of having it all to having nothing. What does that teach us?

Genesis 37-38 Sometimes when we think about the patriarchs and the leaders of the tribes of Israel they take on sort of a patina glow – a sort of holiness – like they were not quite human. But here in chapters 37 and 38 we see the very human nature of Jacob’s twelve sons. We see the dirt swept ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

What's In A Name Series

Contributed by Lynn Malone on Jun 13, 2005

God calls us by name.

Abraham: What’s In a Name? Genesis 17:1-8, 15-16 Reader’s Digest is full of interesting little tid-bits of information—some enlightening, some challenging, but most always, funny. They appear at the end of articles as little slices of life that readers have submitted in hopes of being ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 17:1-8

Denomination: Methodist

Dream Making In The Midst Of A Dysfunctional World Series

Contributed by Bumble Ho on Jun 14, 2005

Part 1 of Dream Maker series. Big Idea: We are all dysfuntion, but don’t get used to the status quo of dysfunctional world you are living in. God doesn’t. God will not content to leave you there; He has something better in mind. He has a dream for you.

DREAM MAKING IN THE MIDST OF A DYSFUNCTIONAL WORLD Part 1 of the Dream Maker Series English Worship, Vietnamese Alliance Church at Midway City June 5, 2005 Genesis 37:5 "Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more." 1) {DYSFUNCTION} We all had some sort ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:2-28

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Living A Godly Life In A Godless World Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jun 16, 2005

Joseph was stuck as a slave, then a prisoner in Egypt. He could have claimed God had forgotten him, but Joseph remained faithful and a man of character on the inside and outside. It gives us many lessons on how to live our lives in Christ.

The story of Joseph reminds me of someone else later on in the Old Testament - Daniel. Like Joseph, Daniel was carried off to a foreign land but because of his God given talent and integrity, he was given broad trust and responsibility. Also like Joseph, that character got him enemies who sought to ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

It's Time To Go Through Some Troublesome Training Series

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Jun 17, 2005

This sermon covers Jacob’s dealings with Laban in Haran for 20 years - and how God worked through it all.

June 19, 2005 Episode III - Jacob and Laban - Genesis 30-31 A part of the job of a teacher or a trainer is to look for the weaknesses in your pupil in order to strengthen them. The job of a student or trainee is to then LISTEN to the assessment of the teacher and to then follow the regiment ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Secrets Of The Dream Keepers Series

Contributed by Bumble Ho on Jun 20, 2005

Part 3 in DreamMaker series. Big-Idea: Dream Makers are really Dream Keepers: they are faithful in the bottom of the pit of discouragement as well as on top of the world of distractions

{Introduction – after a short clip on Sport Fest promotion} Thank you Hieu for capturing those fine moments on tape. Every summer we participate in the Sport Fest for the last two weekends in July, where we compete with the other churches in the region many different sports. Many people practice ...read more

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Be Ready When God Comes Calling Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jun 23, 2005

Joseph languished in prison for two years after he thought he had a chance to get out. But when Pharaoh came calling suddenly he was ready to serve. So how do we keep "at the ready" when God comes to ask us to serve unexpectedly?

Verse 1 2 years passes after Joseph gives interpretation to the baker and butler. What must Joseph had thought. After it looked like God was making a way for him to get out of prison – the days were followed by weeks which were followed by months and years – and nothing. You’d think God had given ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 41:1-57

Denomination: Calvary Chapel