We Don't Look Like Much

Dr. Wayne A. Lawson

Preached at Perfected Praise Worship Center

Oklahoma City, OK

Sunday, May 30, 2010

TITLE: WE DON’T LOOK LIKE MUCH

SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 30:34-43

What an exciting time to be a part of this Ministry and experience what God is doing for us. I pray that we enjoy the moment for we do have some challenges and trying times before us. But for now it is simply good to be here. Let me encourage each of you this morning to enjoy the moment, for God uses each of us in the performance of His Perfect Will. That is all that I desire to be - in the Will of God.

In our text this morning we can identify and understand the significance of Being in God’s Will. Those on the outside looking in can’t possibly understand what it is that God is doing. When we consider the movement of God in this place through the lenses of the natural eye, I would venture to say that “We Don’t Look Like Much.” I found this same theme throughout our text that has been read in your hearing.

In our text we recall how Jacob took his refuge at his Uncle Laban’s in Haran, escaping his angry twin brother Esau. He married Laban’s daughters, Leah and Rachel. Then Jacob wanted to go back home with his family and livestock, but Laban wanted to keep him working for himself. Laban knew that the Lord blessed him because of Jacob’s working for him and the Anointing on his life.

Finally, after many years, Jacob went to Laban and announced his decision to return to his home. He intended, further, to take his wives and all his children with him. Jacob had worked for Laban for 20 years at this point. He reminded Laban that he had more than lived up to his part of the bargain, so that he had no further moral or legal claim on him or his family. Laban, however, was very reluctant to see him go. He had prospered greatly because of Jacob’s abilities and faithfulness, and he was willing to make almost any bargain that would keep him working for him. Laban even acknowledged that the Lord was with Jacob, and that it was of the Lord that he had profited so much through Jacob. Once before, he had gotten the better bargain by letting Jacob name his own wages; so now he made the same proposition again. Jacob had merely to name his price, and Laban assured him he would meet it, if Jacob would only keep working for him.

I don’t know about you, but I like to attach myself to those who are being richly blessed of God. I like to be in the presence of those that walk in God’s will. Every now and then those blessings begin to overshadow me. The anointing on your life will touch me. PSALM 133:2 “IT IS LIKE THE PRECIOUS OINTMENT UPON THE HEAD, THAT RAN DOWN UPON THE BEARD, EVEN AARON’S BEARD THAT WENT DOWN TO THE SKIRTS OF HIS GARMENTS.” The anointing of God will fully overshadow his servants. It will start at your head and run down to your feet, fully anointed. I need to spend my time in the presence of God. You remember when Peter’s Anointing was so strong that the Bible calls to our attention that His Shadow alone would fall upon those in need and they were healed of whatever ailed them. I have sense enough to know where God is moving, that’s the neighborhood that I want to live.

So, Laban asked Jacob what he wanted. Jacob answered, “Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the black ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages” - Jacob said let me take the cattle that appear to have some problems – those that don’t look like much. The cattle that were Pure, that is to say Pure Black or Pure White, or Pure Brown - you know the one’s that look real good they would belong to Jacob’s Father-in-Law. Those that don’t look so Pure would belong to Jacob, those that Don’t Look Like Much, I’ll take those.

Jacob would examine the flocks that day, removing all the Speckled - Spotted animals, and – catch this - these would be set aside as Laban’s property. These animals would be taken three days’ distance and kept by Laban’s sons. Therefore, only those newly born spotted or striped would become Jacob’s property. They would have to be birthed by the Pure Cattle. At some later time the herd would be examined, and the spotted or striped animals would go to Jacob, while the rest would be Laban’s. Removing the spotted and striped which were in the flock benefited Laban in two ways: