1 00:00:00,835 --> 00:00:02,664 Well, if you have a bible with you, 2 00:00:02,824 --> 00:00:04,574 I encourage you to go ahead and grab 3 00:00:04,574 --> 00:00:06,642 it or maybe open an app on your 4 00:00:06,642 --> 00:00:08,153 phone or even grab 1 of the pew 5 00:00:08,153 --> 00:00:08,472 bibles. 6 00:00:09,683 --> 00:00:12,956 And open to Genesis chapter 28, 7 00:00:13,675 --> 00:00:16,171 and we're gonna be in verses 10 through 8 00:00:16,229 --> 00:00:17,667 22 this morning. 9 00:00:18,879 --> 00:00:21,666 But before we get too far ahead of 10 00:00:21,666 --> 00:00:23,179 ourselves, I just kind of wanna go through 11 00:00:23,179 --> 00:00:26,445 a very quick recap. I know my recap 12 00:00:26,445 --> 00:00:27,184 is generally... 13 00:00:27,814 --> 00:00:29,093 Go on for a little bit longer, but 14 00:00:29,093 --> 00:00:32,130 a very quick recap of where we've been 15 00:00:32,130 --> 00:00:35,806 from Adam through Abraham so far. And what 16 00:00:35,966 --> 00:00:38,873 Genesis has really taught so much 17 00:00:39,248 --> 00:00:39,748 about 18 00:00:40,522 --> 00:00:45,493 Y, about about God himself and about God's 19 00:00:45,867 --> 00:00:48,590 relationship to us and ourselves to Y 20 00:00:49,679 --> 00:00:52,562 and ultimately, how Y desire 21 00:00:53,253 --> 00:00:54,047 is for us. 22 00:00:57,007 --> 00:00:57,825 He created 23 00:00:58,281 --> 00:01:01,386 us, and his desire is for us. 24 00:01:02,993 --> 00:01:06,596 Has good desires for us, good intentions and 25 00:01:06,653 --> 00:01:07,153 good 26 00:01:07,528 --> 00:01:10,393 plan sees that kind of God. 27 00:01:12,478 --> 00:01:14,951 And everything we've learned so far is that 28 00:01:14,951 --> 00:01:16,648 this is a god unlike 29 00:01:17,185 --> 00:01:17,903 any other. 30 00:01:20,631 --> 00:01:23,662 Especially as you think about the people groups 31 00:01:23,662 --> 00:01:24,640 that existed 32 00:01:25,815 --> 00:01:28,150 during Abraham time and before 33 00:01:29,658 --> 00:01:31,961 Y comes as a God that is not 34 00:01:31,961 --> 00:01:34,050 like any other God he is loving 35 00:01:34,424 --> 00:01:35,400 and kind 36 00:01:36,092 --> 00:01:37,068 and compassionate. 37 00:01:38,237 --> 00:01:38,737 Mer. 38 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:40,580 Almighty, 39 00:01:41,750 --> 00:01:42,250 patient 40 00:01:43,102 --> 00:01:43,602 enduring 41 00:01:44,057 --> 00:01:44,932 with his people. 42 00:01:46,537 --> 00:01:48,308 And is this God is 43 00:01:48,841 --> 00:01:51,167 revealed to us so too 44 00:01:52,574 --> 00:01:55,433 was he being revealed to the Israelites? 45 00:01:56,004 --> 00:01:56,824 In the wilderness 46 00:01:57,521 --> 00:01:59,777 after fleeing from Egypt. You see we've been 47 00:01:59,836 --> 00:02:03,849 approaching our reading of genesis as if the 48 00:02:03,908 --> 00:02:06,178 people hearing it for the first time 49 00:02:06,553 --> 00:02:07,531 were the people 50 00:02:07,906 --> 00:02:10,849 in the wilderness as they were led out 51 00:02:10,849 --> 00:02:12,281 of Egypt by Moses. 52 00:02:13,252 --> 00:02:15,486 Genesis is is attributed to Moses. 53 00:02:16,603 --> 00:02:19,316 In fact, entire torah is attributed to Moses. 54 00:02:20,208 --> 00:02:20,947 And Moses 55 00:02:21,563 --> 00:02:24,191 moment with his people is as he's leading 56 00:02:24,191 --> 00:02:26,444 them out of Egypt and into the wilderness 57 00:02:26,502 --> 00:02:27,696 for 40 years. 58 00:02:29,544 --> 00:02:32,253 And here these people are hearing these stories 59 00:02:32,253 --> 00:02:35,441 and the testimonies of their fore fathers and 60 00:02:35,441 --> 00:02:35,760 before. 61 00:02:37,370 --> 00:02:38,750 And how it helps 62 00:02:39,689 --> 00:02:41,310 inform them of this 63 00:02:41,610 --> 00:02:42,590 time period 64 00:02:43,370 --> 00:02:45,150 in their wilderness wandering. 65 00:02:48,737 --> 00:02:49,477 You see 66 00:02:50,014 --> 00:02:51,130 for 400 67 00:02:51,130 --> 00:02:54,001 years, the Israelites were of people that knew 68 00:02:54,001 --> 00:02:54,501 nothing 69 00:02:54,879 --> 00:02:56,075 more than being slaves. 70 00:02:58,003 --> 00:02:59,699 And their entire worth 71 00:03:00,713 --> 00:03:02,865 was built upon what they were able to 72 00:03:02,865 --> 00:03:03,105 produce. 73 00:03:05,114 --> 00:03:06,552 And for the first time, 74 00:03:07,671 --> 00:03:09,769 there are people that no longer 75 00:03:10,948 --> 00:03:12,466 is about what they do. 76 00:03:13,998 --> 00:03:16,067 So how do they define themselves? 77 00:03:18,932 --> 00:03:21,797 What we learned in the very beginning, 78 00:03:22,593 --> 00:03:23,071 Genesis. 79 00:03:23,483 --> 00:03:24,355 Chapter 1. 80 00:03:25,863 --> 00:03:26,601 Was this 81 00:03:27,449 --> 00:03:29,853 invitation to a god who created 82 00:03:31,035 --> 00:03:33,339 mankind in his own image. 83 00:03:35,722 --> 00:03:37,231 And in his image, 84 00:03:37,804 --> 00:03:41,015 he invited them on day 1 to 85 00:03:41,950 --> 00:03:42,349 rest. 86 00:03:44,183 --> 00:03:46,256 And so a people that had known nothing, 87 00:03:46,989 --> 00:03:48,285 other than doing 88 00:03:49,855 --> 00:03:52,163 was called to find their value and worth, 89 00:03:52,323 --> 00:03:53,835 not in what they produced, 90 00:03:55,124 --> 00:03:56,396 but in their creator. 91 00:03:58,861 --> 00:04:00,689 And their creator was saying, 92 00:04:01,723 --> 00:04:02,041 stop, 93 00:04:04,517 --> 00:04:07,769 Stop trying to live up to some standard 94 00:04:07,769 --> 00:04:10,703 that was set forth by your task masters, 95 00:04:11,273 --> 00:04:13,181 I am not a task master God. 96 00:04:16,838 --> 00:04:18,507 And as we continued with the story, 97 00:04:19,158 --> 00:04:21,539 We learned that ultimately, this is a god 98 00:04:21,539 --> 00:04:23,761 that wants to be with his people, 99 00:04:24,554 --> 00:04:27,173 wants to c create with his people. 100 00:04:27,985 --> 00:04:30,625 Once his people to witness about him and 101 00:04:30,625 --> 00:04:32,805 testify of who he is 102 00:04:34,464 --> 00:04:36,064 and then do it all over again. 103 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:38,720 And again, 104 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:40,720 and again, 105 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:43,220 to not be a people 106 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:45,620 bent on destruction 107 00:04:47,291 --> 00:04:50,083 bent on their own demise as we even 108 00:04:50,083 --> 00:04:52,338 think about what happened with 109 00:04:53,034 --> 00:04:55,187 Noah and the ark and the flood, and 110 00:04:55,187 --> 00:04:57,676 we think about the people in the tower 111 00:04:57,676 --> 00:05:00,471 of Ba trying to once again, create a 112 00:05:00,471 --> 00:05:01,588 name for themselves. 113 00:05:06,232 --> 00:05:07,982 Not just was it a matter of pride, 114 00:05:08,141 --> 00:05:09,971 but they were falling back into the trap 115 00:05:09,971 --> 00:05:11,402 that they were what they produced. 116 00:05:15,486 --> 00:05:18,443 In God, in his mercy to save them, 117 00:05:19,162 --> 00:05:19,881 scattered them. 118 00:05:22,286 --> 00:05:23,080 Across the globe. 119 00:05:27,449 --> 00:05:29,594 And as we hear these stories, 120 00:05:31,674 --> 00:05:32,810 We are reminded 121 00:05:33,581 --> 00:05:35,806 that if we are to be the people 122 00:05:35,806 --> 00:05:36,363 of God, 123 00:05:39,078 --> 00:05:41,221 that we need to learn from the same 124 00:05:41,221 --> 00:05:43,467 lessons that the Israelites learned 125 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:44,657 in the wilderness. 126 00:05:47,669 --> 00:05:48,410 To rest 127 00:05:50,389 --> 00:05:51,129 to c 128 00:05:53,349 --> 00:05:54,089 to witness 129 00:05:55,599 --> 00:05:56,314 to love. 130 00:06:00,127 --> 00:06:03,146 To see God for who he truly is. 131 00:06:06,910 --> 00:06:08,209 No matter the circumstances. 132 00:06:09,310 --> 00:06:11,569 And there are a lot of circumstances that 133 00:06:11,629 --> 00:06:12,529 make it hard 134 00:06:13,069 --> 00:06:13,810 and difficult 135 00:06:14,764 --> 00:06:16,440 and challenge us quite frankly. 136 00:06:18,037 --> 00:06:19,175 I can't imagine 137 00:06:19,713 --> 00:06:21,709 what it was like to be challenged in 138 00:06:21,709 --> 00:06:24,595 the wilderness times. I mean, How many times 139 00:06:24,595 --> 00:06:26,348 did the Israel israelites said it would be 140 00:06:26,348 --> 00:06:28,499 better if we turned back and went back 141 00:06:28,499 --> 00:06:29,056 to Egypt. 142 00:06:30,984 --> 00:06:33,381 It was a better time when we were 143 00:06:33,381 --> 00:06:33,881 slaves 144 00:06:35,538 --> 00:06:36,656 than in our freedom, 145 00:06:42,664 --> 00:06:45,380 Challenges sometimes make us wanna go backward. 146 00:06:46,354 --> 00:06:48,847 When God keeps calling us to move forward 147 00:06:49,622 --> 00:06:51,398 and to trust and believe 148 00:06:52,890 --> 00:06:54,108 that we too 149 00:06:55,300 --> 00:06:57,540 through him can get over this wall. 150 00:07:01,300 --> 00:07:03,460 And so in our passage today, 151 00:07:05,230 --> 00:07:06,904 Genesis chapter 28, 152 00:07:08,260 --> 00:07:09,318 we turn to 153 00:07:09,775 --> 00:07:11,529 another 1 of the patriarch Jacob. 154 00:07:13,296 --> 00:07:16,469 Jacob is the son of Isaac, 155 00:07:17,579 --> 00:07:20,454 Isaac being the son of Abraham who few 156 00:07:20,454 --> 00:07:21,593 weeks ago. We 157 00:07:22,292 --> 00:07:25,429 talked about this moment in Isaac life 158 00:07:25,888 --> 00:07:27,886 where he was going with his father to 159 00:07:27,886 --> 00:07:28,866 worship on 160 00:07:29,657 --> 00:07:30,609 Mount Mori mariah, 161 00:07:31,878 --> 00:07:34,996 and they took the fire with them and 162 00:07:35,369 --> 00:07:36,186 all these 163 00:07:36,814 --> 00:07:39,152 logs to make a sacrifice 164 00:07:39,531 --> 00:07:42,908 and Isaac in the middle of their travels 165 00:07:43,208 --> 00:07:44,906 realizes, they don't have a sacrifice. 166 00:07:47,138 --> 00:07:49,373 And Abraham says to him God will provide. 167 00:07:51,049 --> 00:07:51,847 God will provide. 168 00:07:53,284 --> 00:07:54,082 God will provide. 169 00:07:56,809 --> 00:07:58,883 And then when they get up to the 170 00:07:58,883 --> 00:07:59,600 top of the mountain, 171 00:08:01,036 --> 00:08:03,986 Isaac has this realization that he is the 172 00:08:03,986 --> 00:08:04,719 sacrifice nice. 173 00:08:08,875 --> 00:08:11,352 And he's bound up and placed on the 174 00:08:11,352 --> 00:08:12,331 altar and 175 00:08:13,190 --> 00:08:13,245 nice 176 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:15,296 Abraham in this 177 00:08:15,830 --> 00:08:16,727 moment is 178 00:08:18,216 --> 00:08:21,359 probably extreme distress and yet extreme faith 179 00:08:22,137 --> 00:08:24,934 knows that something has to happen because he 180 00:08:24,934 --> 00:08:26,851 knew that they were gonna return together. 181 00:08:28,783 --> 00:08:30,297 He told his servants as such. 182 00:08:34,122 --> 00:08:35,317 And in that moment, 183 00:08:36,209 --> 00:08:38,287 The angel of the Lord stays his hand 184 00:08:38,287 --> 00:08:39,086 over his son. 185 00:08:40,125 --> 00:08:40,764 And says, 186 00:08:41,963 --> 00:08:42,202 stop. 187 00:08:42,922 --> 00:08:44,200 God now knows. 188 00:08:45,095 --> 00:08:48,134 That you believe him and trust him to 189 00:08:48,134 --> 00:08:49,654 give you all that you need. 190 00:08:51,174 --> 00:08:53,174 And that's important because we've been talking about 191 00:08:53,174 --> 00:08:54,235 how much Abraham 192 00:08:54,709 --> 00:08:55,979 was also a screw up, 193 00:08:56,852 --> 00:08:57,645 and a mess up. 194 00:08:58,518 --> 00:09:01,772 And didn't believe God time and time again 195 00:09:01,772 --> 00:09:04,408 didn't trust God to be the provider that 196 00:09:04,488 --> 00:09:05,997 God said he would be, 197 00:09:07,665 --> 00:09:08,562 and now 198 00:09:09,254 --> 00:09:09,754 Abraham 199 00:09:10,287 --> 00:09:11,875 believes God to provide. 200 00:09:15,163 --> 00:09:17,818 Through the most distressing and challenging moment 201 00:09:19,075 --> 00:09:19,793 of his life. 202 00:09:23,152 --> 00:09:24,922 And so you can only imagine 203 00:09:27,597 --> 00:09:28,970 leading through this 204 00:09:29,359 --> 00:09:30,951 family up to Jacob, 205 00:09:31,350 --> 00:09:33,819 what Isaac has been through in that moment. 206 00:09:36,128 --> 00:09:37,823 Jacob might not be 207 00:09:38,293 --> 00:09:39,904 the most faithful follower 208 00:09:40,278 --> 00:09:40,992 of Y. 209 00:09:43,136 --> 00:09:45,676 And so let's hear these words this this 210 00:09:45,676 --> 00:09:46,073 morning, 211 00:09:47,755 --> 00:09:48,945 of Jacob, 212 00:09:50,531 --> 00:09:53,545 about Jacob in chapter 28 versus 10 through 213 00:09:53,545 --> 00:09:54,021 22. 214 00:09:55,704 --> 00:09:58,277 And then Jacob departed from Beers 215 00:09:58,735 --> 00:10:00,170 and went toward Har run. 216 00:10:01,127 --> 00:10:02,962 And he reached a certain place and spent 217 00:10:02,962 --> 00:10:05,036 the night there because the sun had set. 218 00:10:05,608 --> 00:10:07,119 And he took 1 of the stones of 219 00:10:07,119 --> 00:10:08,868 the place and put it under his head 220 00:10:08,868 --> 00:10:10,220 and lay down in that place. 221 00:10:11,174 --> 00:10:13,241 Then he had a dream and behold, 222 00:10:13,894 --> 00:10:16,051 A ladder stood on the earth with its 223 00:10:16,051 --> 00:10:18,368 top touching heaven and behold, the angels of 224 00:10:18,528 --> 00:10:20,525 God were ascending and descending on it. 225 00:10:21,499 --> 00:10:23,810 And behold, Y stood above it and said, 226 00:10:24,049 --> 00:10:25,484 I am Y, 227 00:10:25,962 --> 00:10:28,114 the God of your father, Abraham and the 228 00:10:28,274 --> 00:10:28,991 God of Isaac. 229 00:10:29,723 --> 00:10:32,035 The land on which you lie, I will 230 00:10:32,035 --> 00:10:33,869 give it to you into your seed. 231 00:10:34,427 --> 00:10:36,580 And your seed will also be like the 232 00:10:36,580 --> 00:10:38,745 dust of the earth, and you will spread 233 00:10:38,745 --> 00:10:40,493 out to the west into the east into 234 00:10:40,493 --> 00:10:42,399 the north and into the south and in 235 00:10:42,399 --> 00:10:44,465 you and in your seed, all the families 236 00:10:44,465 --> 00:10:47,007 of the earth shall be blessed. 237 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:48,014 It's 238 00:10:48,692 --> 00:10:50,684 Behold I am with you and will keep 239 00:10:50,684 --> 00:10:53,154 you wherever you go, and I will bring 240 00:10:53,154 --> 00:10:54,986 you back to this land for I will 241 00:10:54,986 --> 00:10:56,899 not for you until I have done what 242 00:10:56,978 --> 00:10:57,775 I have promised you. 243 00:10:58,988 --> 00:11:01,626 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said 244 00:11:01,626 --> 00:11:02,126 surely, 245 00:11:02,904 --> 00:11:04,902 Y is in this place, 246 00:11:05,782 --> 00:11:07,460 and I did not know it. 247 00:11:08,672 --> 00:11:11,066 And he was afraid and said, how fearsome 248 00:11:11,066 --> 00:11:13,540 is this place. This is none other than 249 00:11:13,540 --> 00:11:15,215 the house of god, 250 00:11:15,708 --> 00:11:17,379 and this is the gate of heaven. 251 00:11:18,413 --> 00:11:20,640 So Jacob rose early in the morning and 252 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:22,311 took the stone that he had put under 253 00:11:22,311 --> 00:11:24,161 his... Head and set it up as a 254 00:11:24,161 --> 00:11:25,997 pillar and poured oil on its top, 255 00:11:26,636 --> 00:11:28,073 and he called the name of that place 256 00:11:28,233 --> 00:11:28,712 Bethel. 257 00:11:29,430 --> 00:11:31,426 However, previously, the name of the city had 258 00:11:31,426 --> 00:11:31,905 been lose, 259 00:11:33,278 --> 00:11:35,755 Then Jacob made a vow saying, if God 260 00:11:35,755 --> 00:11:37,513 will be with me and will keep me 261 00:11:37,513 --> 00:11:39,350 on this journey on which I am going. 262 00:11:40,324 --> 00:11:42,075 And he will give me food to eat 263 00:11:42,075 --> 00:11:44,463 in garments to wear, and I return to 264 00:11:44,463 --> 00:11:46,772 my father's house in peace then Y will 265 00:11:46,772 --> 00:11:47,489 be my god. 266 00:11:48,539 --> 00:11:50,297 Now, this stone, which I have set up 267 00:11:50,297 --> 00:11:51,896 as a pillar will be God's house. 268 00:11:52,855 --> 00:11:54,453 And if all that you give me, I 269 00:11:54,453 --> 00:11:56,850 will surely give a tenth to you. 270 00:11:57,744 --> 00:11:59,902 Let's pray. Good and gracious God. As we 271 00:11:59,902 --> 00:12:01,180 hear these words this morning. 272 00:12:01,900 --> 00:12:03,578 Lord I pray that we would learn from 273 00:12:03,578 --> 00:12:05,176 them that we would hear from them that 274 00:12:05,176 --> 00:12:05,895 we would have... 275 00:12:06,790 --> 00:12:07,529 The holy 276 00:12:08,230 --> 00:12:09,750 wondering about who you are, 277 00:12:10,549 --> 00:12:12,230 and who you are calling us to be 278 00:12:12,230 --> 00:12:14,470 and just as the Israelites might have heard 279 00:12:14,470 --> 00:12:14,710 this, 280 00:12:15,284 --> 00:12:16,261 in the wilderness 281 00:12:16,638 --> 00:12:18,708 being taught to them from Moses God may, 282 00:12:18,868 --> 00:12:20,460 we also hear from it right now. 283 00:12:21,416 --> 00:12:23,009 What it is that you wanna speak and 284 00:12:23,009 --> 00:12:23,248 say. 285 00:12:24,139 --> 00:12:25,678 How you wanna lead and guide 286 00:12:26,057 --> 00:12:27,755 and what it is that we should learn 287 00:12:28,134 --> 00:12:30,531 from you and walk away with in our 288 00:12:30,531 --> 00:12:30,771 lives. 289 00:12:31,904 --> 00:12:33,971 It's in the holy name of Jesus that 290 00:12:33,971 --> 00:12:34,448 we pray. 291 00:12:35,243 --> 00:12:35,641 All amen. 292 00:12:36,833 --> 00:12:37,890 Well, before we 293 00:12:38,264 --> 00:12:40,014 dive too far into the text, so let's 294 00:12:40,014 --> 00:12:42,176 have just a little bit more context about 295 00:12:42,336 --> 00:12:45,999 Jacob because this is about Jacob. And Jacob, 296 00:12:46,159 --> 00:12:47,216 maybe to your 297 00:12:47,751 --> 00:12:47,990 recollection, 298 00:12:48,946 --> 00:12:52,459 probably isn't... It's the patriarch that any of 299 00:12:52,459 --> 00:12:55,183 us want to look to as an example 300 00:12:55,953 --> 00:12:58,756 of somebody that we should emulate. 301 00:13:00,495 --> 00:13:01,471 He was 302 00:13:02,004 --> 00:13:04,784 quite often known as the deceive, 303 00:13:05,817 --> 00:13:08,541 which if any of you also have any 304 00:13:08,597 --> 00:13:10,921 knowledge about you know, what we call the 305 00:13:10,921 --> 00:13:11,421 enemy 306 00:13:11,957 --> 00:13:13,473 that might be 1 of his names. Now, 307 00:13:13,632 --> 00:13:15,865 I'm not saying Jacob is is the devil. 308 00:13:16,743 --> 00:13:18,258 But I am saying that he was a 309 00:13:18,258 --> 00:13:18,657 tricks. 310 00:13:21,944 --> 00:13:22,444 Jacob 311 00:13:23,381 --> 00:13:23,881 was 312 00:13:24,579 --> 00:13:25,079 not 313 00:13:26,016 --> 00:13:27,773 well liked by his brother, 314 00:13:28,491 --> 00:13:29,264 Esa saw 315 00:13:29,863 --> 00:13:33,294 if you remember, he he tricked Esa out 316 00:13:33,294 --> 00:13:36,566 of his birthright for a bowl of soup. 317 00:13:38,254 --> 00:13:39,766 Not sure how many of you are willing 318 00:13:39,766 --> 00:13:41,221 to give up your inheritance 319 00:13:42,313 --> 00:13:44,303 for a bowl of suit because you're that 320 00:13:44,303 --> 00:13:44,701 hungry, 321 00:13:45,195 --> 00:13:47,514 but Esa was willing to trade his birthright 322 00:13:47,514 --> 00:13:48,315 for a bowl of soup. 323 00:13:49,674 --> 00:13:51,034 And so he got tricked out of his 324 00:13:51,034 --> 00:13:53,514 birthright by Jacob there, and then, 325 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,081 he was he tricked his father Isaac 326 00:13:59,248 --> 00:14:02,286 with his mother's help into receiving the blessing 327 00:14:02,913 --> 00:14:04,342 of the born son, 328 00:14:04,978 --> 00:14:06,670 which Esa saw was the 329 00:14:07,043 --> 00:14:07,543 born 330 00:14:08,314 --> 00:14:09,132 in Jacob 331 00:14:09,506 --> 00:14:10,642 second, and therefore, 332 00:14:11,428 --> 00:14:13,979 all the rights of the first born son 333 00:14:13,979 --> 00:14:15,653 should have gone to Esa. 334 00:14:17,566 --> 00:14:18,124 And yet, 335 00:14:19,970 --> 00:14:23,173 because Isaac was old in age and 336 00:14:24,025 --> 00:14:26,490 becoming blind, hard of seeing, 337 00:14:27,618 --> 00:14:28,118 When 338 00:14:28,734 --> 00:14:32,002 Jacob entered the room to receive the blessing 339 00:14:32,002 --> 00:14:32,980 he did so 340 00:14:33,356 --> 00:14:34,233 as Esa saw. 341 00:14:35,443 --> 00:14:39,123 Cover himself and, like hair and put on 342 00:14:39,338 --> 00:14:41,961 the clothes of esa to smell like him, 343 00:14:43,249 --> 00:14:45,662 And so he received his brother's 344 00:14:46,198 --> 00:14:47,792 blessing as the born. 345 00:14:49,864 --> 00:14:50,842 This ends up 346 00:14:51,314 --> 00:14:53,631 causing a lot of rage to be built 347 00:14:53,631 --> 00:14:54,910 up in Esa on. 348 00:14:55,549 --> 00:14:58,426 Isaac isn't happy with the outcome either so 349 00:14:58,426 --> 00:15:00,985 much so that Jacob ends up having to 350 00:15:00,985 --> 00:15:03,308 flee his home, flee his 351 00:15:03,759 --> 00:15:05,979 his his family flee his clan. 352 00:15:07,423 --> 00:15:08,718 And set off 353 00:15:09,411 --> 00:15:11,343 for his mother's family 354 00:15:12,036 --> 00:15:12,673 in Har. 355 00:15:14,199 --> 00:15:15,874 In fact, he sent there in order to 356 00:15:15,874 --> 00:15:16,932 find himself 357 00:15:17,309 --> 00:15:17,867 a wife. 358 00:15:18,983 --> 00:15:19,483 And 359 00:15:20,100 --> 00:15:21,854 I think this is a really interesting story. 360 00:15:22,093 --> 00:15:24,343 We're not actually gonna cover any of the 361 00:15:24,343 --> 00:15:27,560 story of Jacob going to Lab in and 362 00:15:28,179 --> 00:15:29,378 that whole account. 363 00:15:29,937 --> 00:15:32,115 But I think it is interesting that 364 00:15:32,749 --> 00:15:33,729 Jacob goes 365 00:15:34,428 --> 00:15:35,487 to Lab 366 00:15:35,866 --> 00:15:37,165 and stays there 367 00:15:38,503 --> 00:15:39,003 when 368 00:15:39,702 --> 00:15:41,940 Abraham was sending servants, 369 00:15:42,753 --> 00:15:46,580 to the mother country to receipt... To find 370 00:15:46,580 --> 00:15:47,797 a wife for Isaac, 371 00:15:48,333 --> 00:15:50,087 Isaac wasn't allowed to go. 372 00:15:51,137 --> 00:15:52,273 I think that was very 373 00:15:52,647 --> 00:15:53,147 intentional 374 00:15:54,475 --> 00:15:54,975 because 375 00:15:55,747 --> 00:15:57,837 if he had gone, there's the possibility 376 00:15:58,211 --> 00:16:00,794 that Isaac would have fallen into I worship 377 00:16:02,132 --> 00:16:04,710 because we find out in those stories that 378 00:16:05,409 --> 00:16:07,907 in Har iran, the the family of 379 00:16:08,605 --> 00:16:10,797 rachel and it'll the family of 380 00:16:11,493 --> 00:16:14,785 Rebecca and the family of Sarah and Abraham 381 00:16:14,843 --> 00:16:16,141 all still practiced 382 00:16:16,917 --> 00:16:17,555 idol tree. 383 00:16:19,644 --> 00:16:21,162 I say all that, I'm getting off a 384 00:16:21,162 --> 00:16:22,701 little bit of the topic, but 385 00:16:23,319 --> 00:16:25,796 it's interesting because Jacob goes and he stays. 386 00:16:26,915 --> 00:16:28,682 And And what do we end up finding 387 00:16:28,682 --> 00:16:30,595 out is that Lab is also a tricks, 388 00:16:31,391 --> 00:16:31,630 tricks, 389 00:16:32,586 --> 00:16:36,189 Jacob into marrying the first? Born daughter before 390 00:16:36,189 --> 00:16:38,023 the 1 that he wanted to marry. 391 00:16:39,539 --> 00:16:42,171 And then we find out later, that Jacob 392 00:16:42,171 --> 00:16:43,686 also then tricks slave back. 393 00:16:44,818 --> 00:16:45,318 By 394 00:16:46,574 --> 00:16:48,809 stealing flux out from under him. 395 00:16:50,565 --> 00:16:53,211 So again, by all intents and purposes, Jacob 396 00:16:53,211 --> 00:16:54,959 isn't somebody that we should emulate. 397 00:16:56,151 --> 00:16:57,366 Deceiving people 398 00:16:58,058 --> 00:17:00,918 is not good. Deceiving people in business, deceiving 399 00:17:00,918 --> 00:17:01,156 people, 400 00:17:01,889 --> 00:17:05,005 in family matters and relationships, whatever it might 401 00:17:05,005 --> 00:17:05,325 be, 402 00:17:06,044 --> 00:17:07,343 we shouldn't be seeking 403 00:17:07,721 --> 00:17:08,121 deception. 404 00:17:11,808 --> 00:17:12,308 But 405 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:16,538 I think the story 406 00:17:17,155 --> 00:17:17,609 teaches us 407 00:17:19,890 --> 00:17:20,789 that God 408 00:17:22,289 --> 00:17:23,029 can use 409 00:17:23,809 --> 00:17:24,769 anyone whom he pleases. 410 00:17:26,130 --> 00:17:26,184 Yes 411 00:17:27,813 --> 00:17:29,186 And it does not matter 412 00:17:29,957 --> 00:17:30,751 your past, 413 00:17:32,022 --> 00:17:32,919 your present 414 00:17:33,611 --> 00:17:35,517 or even your future sins, 415 00:17:36,483 --> 00:17:39,123 God is fully capable of using 416 00:17:39,733 --> 00:17:40,629 who he 417 00:17:41,001 --> 00:17:41,397 pleases. 418 00:17:44,032 --> 00:17:46,344 And so let us open and start working 419 00:17:46,344 --> 00:17:47,562 through this passage 420 00:17:48,098 --> 00:17:48,657 this morning. 421 00:17:49,294 --> 00:17:51,846 You see, Jacob has now departed for Beers 422 00:17:51,846 --> 00:17:54,247 toshiba. He's going toward Iran. He's going to 423 00:17:54,247 --> 00:17:55,224 the place where 424 00:17:55,599 --> 00:17:58,483 his mothers and his fathers are from in 425 00:17:58,540 --> 00:18:01,243 order to find himself, a, a wife being 426 00:18:01,243 --> 00:18:03,246 also... And sent away in exile, 427 00:18:04,439 --> 00:18:06,507 because of the trouble that he had caused 428 00:18:06,507 --> 00:18:08,098 with his brother esa saw, 429 00:18:08,988 --> 00:18:11,372 and he reached a certain place along his 430 00:18:11,372 --> 00:18:13,223 journey, and he spends the night there 431 00:18:13,597 --> 00:18:15,742 because the sun had set night has come 432 00:18:15,742 --> 00:18:16,194 and 433 00:18:16,553 --> 00:18:19,026 he shouldn't keep traveling during the nighttime, and 434 00:18:19,026 --> 00:18:20,302 so was like, well, I might as well 435 00:18:20,302 --> 00:18:22,535 rest during my journey. And so he took 436 00:18:22,535 --> 00:18:24,609 a stone from that place, and he put 437 00:18:24,609 --> 00:18:26,619 it under his head and lay down in 438 00:18:26,619 --> 00:18:28,299 that place. Now, I'm not choosing a stone 439 00:18:28,299 --> 00:18:28,860 as a pillow. 440 00:18:29,980 --> 00:18:32,059 But to each their own, if that's what's 441 00:18:32,059 --> 00:18:35,530 comfortable for him then great, for Jacob, really 442 00:18:35,748 --> 00:18:38,242 good on him for finding that place, but 443 00:18:39,816 --> 00:18:41,113 he finds himself 444 00:18:41,650 --> 00:18:42,767 falling asleep. 445 00:18:45,740 --> 00:18:47,420 And then he has a dream. 446 00:18:49,660 --> 00:18:52,490 And he has a dream hold a ladder 447 00:18:52,706 --> 00:18:53,206 stood 448 00:18:53,660 --> 00:18:56,126 on the earth with its top touching heaven 449 00:18:56,126 --> 00:18:59,570 and behold. The angels of God were ascending 450 00:19:00,199 --> 00:19:01,955 and descending on it. 451 00:19:04,109 --> 00:19:04,429 Now, 452 00:19:05,785 --> 00:19:06,105 first, 453 00:19:06,743 --> 00:19:08,041 maybe you've heard this 454 00:19:08,591 --> 00:19:10,655 before because you've read this story. 455 00:19:11,289 --> 00:19:14,067 But maybe you've also heard this before because 456 00:19:14,226 --> 00:19:14,726 Jesus 457 00:19:16,147 --> 00:19:18,694 when he was starting out his ministry, 458 00:19:20,445 --> 00:19:21,798 1 of his disciples, 459 00:19:22,752 --> 00:19:23,252 Nathaniel 460 00:19:24,265 --> 00:19:24,924 was sitting 461 00:19:25,474 --> 00:19:27,146 under a fig tree. 462 00:19:28,182 --> 00:19:31,129 And his friend, Philip came and found him 463 00:19:31,129 --> 00:19:33,997 and said come and see. We have found 464 00:19:33,997 --> 00:19:34,395 the cry. 465 00:19:36,325 --> 00:19:38,502 Nathaniel of course, was skeptical and 466 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:40,556 follows his friend Philip anyway. 467 00:19:42,073 --> 00:19:44,563 And Jesus then recounts to him, 468 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:46,798 all that he knew. 469 00:19:49,513 --> 00:19:51,509 And so in John, chapter 1 starting in 470 00:19:51,509 --> 00:19:53,640 verse 48. And Nathaniel said to him 471 00:19:53,997 --> 00:19:55,588 from where do you know me? 472 00:19:57,099 --> 00:19:59,190 And Jesus answered and said to him 473 00:19:59,804 --> 00:20:01,554 before Philip called you. 474 00:20:02,681 --> 00:20:04,980 When you were under the fig tree, I 475 00:20:04,980 --> 00:20:05,535 saw you. 476 00:20:06,961 --> 00:20:09,047 And Nathaniel answered him rabbi, 477 00:20:10,308 --> 00:20:13,178 you are the son of god. You are 478 00:20:13,178 --> 00:20:14,693 the king of Israel. 479 00:20:15,649 --> 00:20:16,468 And Jesus 480 00:20:16,845 --> 00:20:17,961 answered and said to him, 481 00:20:18,774 --> 00:20:20,528 because I said to you that I saw 482 00:20:20,528 --> 00:20:22,043 you under the fig tree, 483 00:20:22,681 --> 00:20:23,638 do you believe? 484 00:20:24,994 --> 00:20:27,488 You will see greater things than these 485 00:20:28,198 --> 00:20:30,107 And he said to him truly truly, I 486 00:20:30,107 --> 00:20:30,663 say to you, 487 00:20:31,379 --> 00:20:33,390 you will see the heavens opened 488 00:20:33,924 --> 00:20:36,968 and the angels of a God ascending and 489 00:20:37,025 --> 00:20:38,574 descending on the son 490 00:20:38,947 --> 00:20:39,583 of man. 491 00:20:40,933 --> 00:20:42,680 And so we read this passage. 492 00:20:43,236 --> 00:20:45,404 And when we hear it, we should immediately 493 00:20:45,460 --> 00:20:48,179 be reminded of this passage that of what 494 00:20:48,339 --> 00:20:50,359 Jesus was saying to nathaniel 495 00:20:50,819 --> 00:20:51,700 in the gospel. 496 00:20:53,140 --> 00:20:54,679 The truth and the reality 497 00:20:55,233 --> 00:20:57,220 of what this passage is saying is that 498 00:20:57,220 --> 00:20:59,548 there is 1 that makes a way 499 00:21:00,161 --> 00:21:01,672 between heaven and earth. 500 00:21:02,959 --> 00:21:03,835 And it's Christ. 501 00:21:05,666 --> 00:21:08,474 It is Jesus. It has always been Jesus 502 00:21:09,009 --> 00:21:10,942 and it will always be 503 00:21:11,414 --> 00:21:11,892 Jesus. 504 00:21:12,930 --> 00:21:16,222 But what's so interesting is that this passage 505 00:21:16,360 --> 00:21:18,490 ends up also being set up 506 00:21:19,166 --> 00:21:19,666 as 507 00:21:20,120 --> 00:21:21,257 a comparison 508 00:21:21,870 --> 00:21:24,416 between another passage that we've already read in 509 00:21:24,495 --> 00:21:24,995 Genesis 510 00:21:26,180 --> 00:21:28,407 You see this language where it says they 511 00:21:28,407 --> 00:21:30,793 had a dream and behold a ladder stood 512 00:21:30,793 --> 00:21:32,861 on the earth with its top touching heaven. 513 00:21:33,989 --> 00:21:36,802 Could also be translated as a staircase 514 00:21:38,057 --> 00:21:39,014 that reached heaven. 515 00:21:40,290 --> 00:21:42,125 And what's interesting about that is if you 516 00:21:42,125 --> 00:21:44,454 know anything about the ancient near East, 517 00:21:45,095 --> 00:21:47,174 and the culture surrounding it. 518 00:21:47,894 --> 00:21:48,794 There is something 519 00:21:49,095 --> 00:21:51,414 from mesopotamia that is called a zig, 520 00:21:52,226 --> 00:21:54,475 And a Zig out is a temple 521 00:21:54,849 --> 00:21:57,075 that was built to the gods. And on 522 00:21:57,075 --> 00:21:59,562 1 side, it always have this 1 huge 523 00:21:59,856 --> 00:22:00,356 staircase. 524 00:22:01,144 --> 00:22:02,501 That went to the very top. 525 00:22:03,618 --> 00:22:04,118 And 526 00:22:04,576 --> 00:22:06,432 these were really big, 527 00:22:06,890 --> 00:22:08,188 kind of structures 528 00:22:09,379 --> 00:22:11,055 but they were man made. Right? 529 00:22:11,933 --> 00:22:13,370 And when I say that we've already kind 530 00:22:13,370 --> 00:22:14,487 of heard about this, 531 00:22:15,286 --> 00:22:18,811 many believe scholars believe that it... The tower 532 00:22:18,811 --> 00:22:19,630 of Ba 533 00:22:20,326 --> 00:22:21,123 was a z on. 534 00:22:23,115 --> 00:22:25,267 And what's even more fascinating is we didn't 535 00:22:25,267 --> 00:22:26,795 talk about it then, but I wanna mention 536 00:22:26,795 --> 00:22:28,385 it right now just briefly. 537 00:22:29,499 --> 00:22:31,248 Archaeological, if you look around the world, 538 00:22:32,918 --> 00:22:35,560 there are lots of these, structures that look 539 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:36,756 exactly like the Z, 540 00:22:37,234 --> 00:22:39,704 whether you're in South America, 541 00:22:40,421 --> 00:22:41,218 in Asia, 542 00:22:42,509 --> 00:22:43,407 It's interesting 543 00:22:43,944 --> 00:22:45,880 that people continue to build 544 00:22:46,337 --> 00:22:47,156 a structure 545 00:22:48,331 --> 00:22:50,325 that was probably similar to that which they 546 00:22:50,325 --> 00:22:51,224 knew in 547 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:52,160 Ba. 548 00:22:54,479 --> 00:22:55,910 And what happened they were scattered, 549 00:22:57,579 --> 00:22:58,714 but they kept building 550 00:22:59,327 --> 00:23:00,122 because it's what they knew. 551 00:23:02,443 --> 00:23:04,433 But in this moment, in this dream, 552 00:23:05,069 --> 00:23:08,093 it is not a staircase built by human 553 00:23:08,093 --> 00:23:09,446 hands that reaches heaven. 554 00:23:11,928 --> 00:23:14,257 It is 1 that comes from heaven 555 00:23:15,269 --> 00:23:15,985 through god. 556 00:23:17,988 --> 00:23:19,738 More specifically through Jesus. 557 00:23:22,204 --> 00:23:22,602 And so, 558 00:23:24,193 --> 00:23:24,693 Jacob 559 00:23:25,084 --> 00:23:25,982 sees this 560 00:23:27,396 --> 00:23:30,527 event happening unfolding in his dreams of god 561 00:23:30,744 --> 00:23:33,056 coming in angels ascending and descending, 562 00:23:34,027 --> 00:23:34,504 before him. 563 00:23:38,002 --> 00:23:39,990 And I love what says this and behold, 564 00:23:40,149 --> 00:23:43,305 this is verse 13 Y stood above it 565 00:23:43,899 --> 00:23:46,119 But what's interesting is there's 2 ways to 566 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,315 trans like translate that. He is either standing 567 00:23:49,528 --> 00:23:49,924 above, 568 00:23:51,209 --> 00:23:52,828 or it can also be translated, 569 00:23:53,207 --> 00:23:54,645 he was standing beside. 570 00:23:56,883 --> 00:23:58,741 So Y is both 571 00:23:59,121 --> 00:23:59,974 in this text 572 00:24:00,493 --> 00:24:00,993 above 573 00:24:02,807 --> 00:24:04,163 and beside Jacob. 574 00:24:07,115 --> 00:24:10,410 That's speaks to the, again, this character of 575 00:24:10,490 --> 00:24:10,809 God. 576 00:24:12,009 --> 00:24:15,025 The person of God, this 1 that is 577 00:24:15,462 --> 00:24:17,292 above all things and yet wants to be 578 00:24:17,292 --> 00:24:20,180 in this really personal and intimate 579 00:24:20,555 --> 00:24:21,430 relationship with his people. 580 00:24:23,439 --> 00:24:26,236 And he says to to Jacob, the exact 581 00:24:26,236 --> 00:24:29,932 words that he said to Isaac into Abraham 582 00:24:30,311 --> 00:24:30,790 before him. 583 00:24:32,004 --> 00:24:34,561 To his father and to his father's father, 584 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:35,540 this 585 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:36,420 promise. 586 00:24:41,206 --> 00:24:43,598 That his seed will be a blessing to 587 00:24:43,598 --> 00:24:44,816 the entire world 588 00:24:45,831 --> 00:24:47,048 that his family 589 00:24:47,425 --> 00:24:48,484 will be a blessing 590 00:24:49,513 --> 00:24:51,582 and that he will take possession of the 591 00:24:51,582 --> 00:24:52,856 land upon which he lies. 592 00:24:57,247 --> 00:24:59,231 I think what's so important about that If 593 00:24:59,231 --> 00:25:00,207 we remember 594 00:25:01,611 --> 00:25:03,119 that this is taking place, 595 00:25:04,230 --> 00:25:04,285 and 596 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:06,951 or being heard for the first time by 597 00:25:06,951 --> 00:25:08,168 the people in 598 00:25:08,783 --> 00:25:11,193 the wilderness by the Israelites and the wilderness. 599 00:25:13,178 --> 00:25:14,316 What they're hearing 600 00:25:15,731 --> 00:25:17,965 is that the covenant that God made with 601 00:25:18,124 --> 00:25:18,624 Abraham 602 00:25:21,088 --> 00:25:22,940 continues to make its way 603 00:25:23,315 --> 00:25:25,145 through Isaac and to Jacob. 604 00:25:27,388 --> 00:25:31,053 Which means God is a faithful covenant keeper. 605 00:25:31,850 --> 00:25:33,284 That when he said that he would do 606 00:25:33,284 --> 00:25:34,342 it with Abraham, 607 00:25:34,734 --> 00:25:36,090 that he was... That he also did it 608 00:25:36,090 --> 00:25:37,685 with Isaac and now he is doing it 609 00:25:37,685 --> 00:25:39,599 with Jacob. And if he's able to do 610 00:25:39,599 --> 00:25:41,992 it with Isaac and Jacob, then that means 611 00:25:41,992 --> 00:25:43,986 that even in their wilderness moment. 612 00:25:45,992 --> 00:25:47,606 Over 400 years 613 00:25:47,981 --> 00:25:48,481 separated 614 00:25:50,209 --> 00:25:52,778 from the first giving of this covenant 615 00:25:54,202 --> 00:25:55,790 that covenant still applies to them. 616 00:25:57,775 --> 00:26:00,792 And if that covenant still applies to them, 617 00:26:02,159 --> 00:26:03,516 then it still applies to us. 618 00:26:06,789 --> 00:26:09,183 That's the kind of covenant keeping God. 619 00:26:11,511 --> 00:26:12,386 That we have. 620 00:26:14,931 --> 00:26:16,703 A God who can make a covenant 621 00:26:18,271 --> 00:26:20,759 with 1 man and his family 622 00:26:21,548 --> 00:26:22,984 thousands of years ago. 623 00:26:24,819 --> 00:26:27,053 And to this day that covenant has not 624 00:26:27,053 --> 00:26:27,611 been broken. 625 00:26:31,599 --> 00:26:33,028 And the covenant still stands, 626 00:26:35,171 --> 00:26:36,624 and the covenant goes forward, 627 00:26:37,568 --> 00:26:39,501 and will continue to go forward 628 00:26:40,035 --> 00:26:40,513 forever. 629 00:26:43,458 --> 00:26:44,913 And so as they hear 630 00:26:45,224 --> 00:26:48,521 this covenant being re told, not remade 631 00:26:48,901 --> 00:26:49,380 mind you. 632 00:26:50,898 --> 00:26:53,616 There's not another sacrifice, no new covenant is 633 00:26:53,616 --> 00:26:54,255 being cut. 634 00:26:54,829 --> 00:26:57,169 But the covenant being re told to the 635 00:26:57,869 --> 00:27:00,429 to Jacob been being re told to Israel 636 00:27:00,429 --> 00:27:01,250 and the wilderness 637 00:27:01,710 --> 00:27:02,529 is a solid 638 00:27:03,069 --> 00:27:05,164 of who this Y is. And what he 639 00:27:05,164 --> 00:27:07,720 has done and what he will continue to 640 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:10,356 do with his people and for his people, 641 00:27:11,475 --> 00:27:11,529 is 642 00:27:13,959 --> 00:27:15,154 and then in verse 16. 643 00:27:16,587 --> 00:27:18,818 And then Jacob awoke from his sleep and 644 00:27:18,818 --> 00:27:20,273 said Shirley Y, 645 00:27:20,904 --> 00:27:24,496 is in this place and I did not 646 00:27:24,496 --> 00:27:24,815 know it. 647 00:27:27,130 --> 00:27:28,747 Here's where I kinda of just wanna focus 648 00:27:29,459 --> 00:27:30,418 and wrap things up. 649 00:27:33,534 --> 00:27:35,852 God is an unexpected God. 650 00:27:37,943 --> 00:27:39,937 But us remind ourselves that Jacob is a 651 00:27:39,937 --> 00:27:42,272 deceive, he's not 1 to be emulate, 652 00:27:42,649 --> 00:27:45,441 he's not very good. In fact, as we 653 00:27:45,441 --> 00:27:47,355 go forward in the passage and we read 654 00:27:47,355 --> 00:27:48,485 verse 21 again. 655 00:27:49,201 --> 00:27:51,191 And if I return to my father's house 656 00:27:51,191 --> 00:27:51,827 in peace, 657 00:27:52,384 --> 00:27:54,135 then Y will be my God. 658 00:27:56,376 --> 00:27:59,970 Jacob believes that place still not trusting Y 659 00:28:00,026 --> 00:28:01,216 to be his God. 660 00:28:02,978 --> 00:28:04,967 Still not putting all his faith in Y. 661 00:28:05,286 --> 00:28:07,753 He's gonna head off to Har iran, find 662 00:28:07,753 --> 00:28:08,628 himself some wives, 663 00:28:09,503 --> 00:28:11,811 make a little trouble with his father law, 664 00:28:13,102 --> 00:28:14,858 and he still doesn't trust God, 665 00:28:16,534 --> 00:28:19,168 But if God does these things then Y 666 00:28:19,168 --> 00:28:19,887 will be my God. 667 00:28:22,766 --> 00:28:26,920 Then Y will be my god. And that 668 00:28:27,612 --> 00:28:30,648 is how unexpected God is, as he shows 669 00:28:30,648 --> 00:28:31,148 up 670 00:28:32,477 --> 00:28:34,783 to a man with no faith in him. 671 00:28:34,942 --> 00:28:36,215 And we don't know how we got to 672 00:28:36,215 --> 00:28:37,749 that point. We don't know if Isaac 673 00:28:38,455 --> 00:28:40,622 didn't teach the commandments in the ways 674 00:28:41,471 --> 00:28:43,717 that he was supposed to as Abraham 675 00:28:44,407 --> 00:28:45,359 taught to Isaac. 676 00:28:47,043 --> 00:28:48,798 But what we know is that in this 677 00:28:48,798 --> 00:28:51,669 moment is Jacob is fleeing his home. 678 00:28:53,424 --> 00:28:55,976 He doesn't have the faith that Abraham had. 679 00:28:56,949 --> 00:28:59,287 Where his faith was counted to him is 680 00:28:59,746 --> 00:29:01,185 where his righteousness was counted... Or where his 681 00:29:01,185 --> 00:29:02,804 faith was counted to him as his righteousness. 682 00:29:04,142 --> 00:29:06,275 And doesn't exist right now for Jacob 683 00:29:07,674 --> 00:29:08,654 He's just fleeing 684 00:29:09,515 --> 00:29:11,434 and yet God still shows up. 685 00:29:14,328 --> 00:29:16,902 In a place where he did not even 686 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:17,519 expect him. 687 00:29:19,194 --> 00:29:21,368 Surely God was in this place, and I 688 00:29:21,586 --> 00:29:22,623 I didn't even know it. 689 00:29:26,696 --> 00:29:28,684 God shows up in unexpected ways, 690 00:29:29,399 --> 00:29:31,387 even when we aren't seeking him, 691 00:29:31,959 --> 00:29:35,232 we don't acknowledge him or even sometimes have 692 00:29:35,232 --> 00:29:36,748 the faith to believe in him, 693 00:29:38,025 --> 00:29:39,622 God can still show up for us. 694 00:29:40,580 --> 00:29:42,589 When he will still show up for us. 695 00:29:44,424 --> 00:29:46,179 Because the covenant that was made back then 696 00:29:46,179 --> 00:29:47,057 holds true today. 697 00:29:48,588 --> 00:29:51,405 Even more so the covenant made in Jesus 698 00:29:52,503 --> 00:29:53,643 still holds true 699 00:29:54,021 --> 00:29:54,261 today. 700 00:29:55,953 --> 00:29:57,568 And what's wonderful is that 701 00:29:58,025 --> 00:29:59,959 David reminds us in the psalms 702 00:30:01,690 --> 00:30:04,412 that we can't escape his presence no matter 703 00:30:04,412 --> 00:30:05,049 where we go? 704 00:30:06,083 --> 00:30:07,356 Psalm 01:39 705 00:30:07,356 --> 00:30:10,381 7, where can I go from your spirit, 706 00:30:10,794 --> 00:30:13,026 or where can I flee from your presence? 707 00:30:13,903 --> 00:30:15,976 If I ascend to heaven you are there 708 00:30:15,976 --> 00:30:17,672 and if I make my bed and she 709 00:30:18,049 --> 00:30:20,376 behold you are there? If I lift up 710 00:30:20,376 --> 00:30:22,131 the wings of the dawn, if I dwell 711 00:30:22,131 --> 00:30:24,843 in the remotes parts of the sea, even 712 00:30:24,843 --> 00:30:26,757 there, your hand will lead me in your 713 00:30:26,757 --> 00:30:28,671 right hand will lay hold of me. 714 00:30:29,403 --> 00:30:31,389 If I say surely the darkness will bruise 715 00:30:31,389 --> 00:30:32,978 me and the light around me will be 716 00:30:32,978 --> 00:30:35,361 night, even the darkness is not too dark 717 00:30:35,361 --> 00:30:37,368 for you in the night. Is as bright 718 00:30:37,368 --> 00:30:40,164 as the day. Darkness and light are a 719 00:30:40,164 --> 00:30:41,203 alike to you. 720 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:48,386 It doesn't matter where we go, what... Situation 721 00:30:48,386 --> 00:30:50,772 we find ourselves, the challenges that we experienced, 722 00:30:51,010 --> 00:30:53,498 like the challenges that the Israelites experienced 723 00:30:53,967 --> 00:30:55,877 time, and time, and time, again. 724 00:30:56,672 --> 00:30:58,820 Many of them mind you were brought on 725 00:30:58,820 --> 00:31:00,013 by their own decisions, 726 00:31:00,983 --> 00:31:03,456 I mean, making a golden calf, their decision. 727 00:31:04,493 --> 00:31:07,524 Complaining about the mann in the quail, their 728 00:31:07,524 --> 00:31:10,315 decision. Complaining about the water, their decision. 729 00:31:12,318 --> 00:31:13,828 A lot of the decisions that they made 730 00:31:13,828 --> 00:31:14,646 in the wilderness 731 00:31:16,133 --> 00:31:17,484 led to their mis fortune. 732 00:31:18,934 --> 00:31:21,654 And yet y way still chose to show 733 00:31:21,654 --> 00:31:22,154 up 734 00:31:22,934 --> 00:31:24,214 in unexpected ways. 735 00:31:25,669 --> 00:31:27,264 To still provide for them, 736 00:31:30,375 --> 00:31:31,491 to still be there, 737 00:31:32,049 --> 00:31:34,442 to still show them the way to still 738 00:31:34,442 --> 00:31:35,261 lead them 739 00:31:35,732 --> 00:31:38,676 out of the wilderness and into the holy 740 00:31:38,676 --> 00:31:38,915 land. 741 00:31:40,347 --> 00:31:41,245 His presence 742 00:31:42,018 --> 00:31:42,757 is in 743 00:31:45,056 --> 00:31:47,204 and he is fully capable. 744 00:31:49,512 --> 00:31:51,262 I'm reminded of the words of Jesus and 745 00:31:51,342 --> 00:31:52,717 Matthew chapter 19, 746 00:31:55,815 --> 00:31:56,315 when 747 00:31:57,170 --> 00:31:58,706 the disciples are 748 00:31:59,162 --> 00:31:59,959 challenging him, 749 00:32:03,876 --> 00:32:05,067 about the rich young ruler. 750 00:32:06,973 --> 00:32:07,211 Says, 751 00:32:07,846 --> 00:32:10,149 and Jesus said his disciples truly, I say 752 00:32:10,149 --> 00:32:11,976 to you, it is hard for a rich 753 00:32:11,976 --> 00:32:12,476 man 754 00:32:12,944 --> 00:32:14,937 to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again, 755 00:32:15,096 --> 00:32:16,452 I say to you it is easier for 756 00:32:16,452 --> 00:32:18,046 a camel to go through the eye of 757 00:32:18,046 --> 00:32:20,278 a needle than for a rich man to 758 00:32:20,278 --> 00:32:22,608 enter the kingdom of and when the disciples 759 00:32:22,608 --> 00:32:25,004 heard this, they were very astonished and they 760 00:32:25,004 --> 00:32:26,623 said, then who can be saved. 761 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:30,535 Heaven And looking at them, Jesus said to 762 00:32:30,535 --> 00:32:31,894 them with people, 763 00:32:33,015 --> 00:32:34,295 this is impossible. 764 00:32:35,908 --> 00:32:36,783 But with God, 765 00:32:37,738 --> 00:32:39,091 all things are possible. 766 00:32:40,683 --> 00:32:43,469 Well, you believe that Y is a god 767 00:32:43,469 --> 00:32:43,969 of 768 00:32:44,345 --> 00:32:45,322 unexpected challenges 769 00:32:46,192 --> 00:32:48,585 that when we face challenges, he's gonna show 770 00:32:48,585 --> 00:32:48,824 up. 771 00:32:49,701 --> 00:32:52,014 He can show up, and he can change 772 00:32:52,014 --> 00:32:54,508 the course and the direction of history. 773 00:32:56,811 --> 00:32:59,596 Just as he changed the course of Jacob's 774 00:32:59,596 --> 00:33:01,983 life in that 1 moment by showing him 775 00:33:01,983 --> 00:33:04,390 a dream. And he surely did not know 776 00:33:04,390 --> 00:33:06,146 that god was in that place. 777 00:33:08,700 --> 00:33:09,578 That is to say, 778 00:33:10,297 --> 00:33:10,696 expect. 779 00:33:11,428 --> 00:33:13,337 God to do unexpected things. 780 00:33:14,928 --> 00:33:16,997 Expect him to do unexpected things in your 781 00:33:16,997 --> 00:33:19,164 life. Expect him to do expected things in 782 00:33:19,164 --> 00:33:22,125 this church, expect them to do unexpected things 783 00:33:22,125 --> 00:33:24,444 in our community, in our nation and in 784 00:33:24,444 --> 00:33:25,005 this world. 785 00:33:25,819 --> 00:33:27,819 Because right now, I think we're kind of 786 00:33:27,819 --> 00:33:29,420 living in an age where we have to 787 00:33:29,420 --> 00:33:31,339 look around and we have to say, God, 788 00:33:31,500 --> 00:33:33,660 you have to do something unexpected at this 789 00:33:33,660 --> 00:33:33,900 point. 790 00:33:35,827 --> 00:33:37,994 But I believe that you are the God 791 00:33:38,208 --> 00:33:39,637 who can do unexpected things. 792 00:33:42,747 --> 00:33:46,000 Even as the israelites trans through the wilderness. 793 00:33:46,238 --> 00:33:48,063 They're like, God, we don't know how you're 794 00:33:48,063 --> 00:33:49,808 getting us to that promised land. 795 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:55,463 But you have showed that you are gone 796 00:33:55,463 --> 00:33:56,813 that can do the unexpected. 797 00:33:58,814 --> 00:34:00,402 I mean, just read through D toronto You 798 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:02,228 I can't tell you how many times they're 799 00:34:02,228 --> 00:34:04,530 complaining about what's in the holy land and 800 00:34:04,530 --> 00:34:06,038 the spy sent to the holy land and 801 00:34:06,038 --> 00:34:08,038 we can't do it and it's... Impossible. 802 00:34:10,261 --> 00:34:12,349 They didn't trust that God 803 00:34:12,801 --> 00:34:13,992 could be in that place. 804 00:34:14,786 --> 00:34:17,197 It's Maybe just as Jacob couldn't trust that 805 00:34:17,277 --> 00:34:18,257 God could be 806 00:34:19,195 --> 00:34:19,695 and 807 00:34:20,074 --> 00:34:20,314 Fell. 808 00:34:21,433 --> 00:34:22,472 And yet he was. 809 00:34:23,431 --> 00:34:24,070 He was there. 810 00:34:25,919 --> 00:34:28,385 And he was always with Jacob in fact. 811 00:34:30,294 --> 00:34:31,351 If we remember 812 00:34:32,044 --> 00:34:32,681 the words, 813 00:34:33,890 --> 00:34:35,489 that God gave to Isaac. 814 00:34:36,050 --> 00:34:38,369 It was that the older would serve the 815 00:34:38,369 --> 00:34:38,769 younger? 816 00:34:40,130 --> 00:34:41,170 And how did that happen? 817 00:34:42,621 --> 00:34:43,892 Well, through a lot of deception, 818 00:34:45,084 --> 00:34:45,584 unfortunately, 819 00:34:46,435 --> 00:34:47,388 but God used it. 820 00:34:48,898 --> 00:34:49,931 In his plan, 821 00:34:51,217 --> 00:34:53,860 to raise Jacob up to continue 822 00:34:55,979 --> 00:34:56,479 this 823 00:34:56,853 --> 00:34:58,837 covenant that god made with Abraham. 824 00:35:00,123 --> 00:35:02,358 That he continues to make with us and 825 00:35:02,358 --> 00:35:03,416 continue to make 826 00:35:04,512 --> 00:35:06,027 with the Israelites and the wilderness. 827 00:35:07,636 --> 00:35:10,019 So how has God showing up unexpectedly in 828 00:35:10,019 --> 00:35:11,528 your life? How has he done it? 829 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:14,070 And do you expect him to do it 830 00:35:14,070 --> 00:35:14,228 again? 831 00:35:15,753 --> 00:35:17,186 We you believe that he is a gun 832 00:35:17,186 --> 00:35:18,220 that can do all things. 833 00:35:19,255 --> 00:35:20,289 Not just little things. 834 00:35:21,642 --> 00:35:24,030 But he's the god that's involved intricate in 835 00:35:24,030 --> 00:35:25,637 all the little things your life, 836 00:35:26,434 --> 00:35:28,346 not just the big moments where he seems 837 00:35:28,346 --> 00:35:29,462 really put on display. 838 00:35:31,693 --> 00:35:33,069 Because this was a big moment 839 00:35:33,445 --> 00:35:34,083 for Jacob. 840 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:34,934 Have 841 00:35:35,770 --> 00:35:37,918 But it's very clear in scripture that Y 842 00:35:37,918 --> 00:35:40,487 was involved in every step of the process 843 00:35:41,260 --> 00:35:42,190 to lead him to that moment 844 00:35:43,503 --> 00:35:44,697 He still leads us today, 845 00:35:45,971 --> 00:35:47,744 and we thank Jesus for that 846 00:35:48,597 --> 00:35:49,393 for that gift, 847 00:35:50,363 --> 00:35:52,134 that he is truly 848 00:35:52,825 --> 00:35:53,563 the latter 849 00:35:54,731 --> 00:35:56,874 upon which heaven and Earth connect. 850 00:35:58,398 --> 00:36:00,964 In which we have been given away 851 00:36:01,497 --> 00:36:02,474 back to the father 852 00:36:03,722 --> 00:36:04,516 through the spirit. 853 00:36:05,549 --> 00:36:06,026 Let's pray. 854 00:36:07,313 --> 00:36:09,228 Good and gracious God. Could we be like 855 00:36:09,228 --> 00:36:09,945 the israelites? 856 00:36:11,142 --> 00:36:14,492 Who hear the story of Jacob and are 857 00:36:14,492 --> 00:36:16,246 encouraged that you are a God who shows 858 00:36:16,246 --> 00:36:16,746 up 859 00:36:17,379 --> 00:36:20,176 unexpected places and unexpected ways to do unexpected 860 00:36:20,176 --> 00:36:20,416 things. 861 00:36:23,053 --> 00:36:26,350 That you continue to do it. Even today 862 00:36:26,730 --> 00:36:28,893 in or I can I can't even imagine 863 00:36:28,893 --> 00:36:29,393 how 864 00:36:29,847 --> 00:36:30,347 unexpected 865 00:36:30,961 --> 00:36:32,950 the coming of Jesus was? 866 00:36:35,514 --> 00:36:35,913 And yet, 867 00:36:36,870 --> 00:36:37,370 that 868 00:36:37,907 --> 00:36:39,125 moment in history 869 00:36:40,619 --> 00:36:41,496 changed the world. 870 00:36:44,864 --> 00:36:47,184 It was another realization that the covenant that 871 00:36:47,184 --> 00:36:48,324 you made with Abraham 872 00:36:48,945 --> 00:36:49,905 carried forth still. 873 00:36:52,557 --> 00:36:53,275 And so Lord, 874 00:36:54,313 --> 00:36:55,270 lead us and guide us, 875 00:36:56,945 --> 00:36:58,142 reveal yourself to us, 876 00:36:59,354 --> 00:37:01,612 that we may follow you wherever you go 877 00:37:02,151 --> 00:37:03,829 and whatever challenges await, 878 00:37:05,188 --> 00:37:06,487 we trust and believe 879 00:37:07,745 --> 00:37:08,799 that you will be there here. 880 00:37:10,077 --> 00:37:11,515 It's in the name of Jesus that we 881 00:37:11,515 --> 00:37:11,675 pray. 882 00:37:12,873 --> 00:37:13,033 Amen.