Genesis | Pt. 29 It's A Little Complicated

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Series = Genesis
Focus = Jacob
I really like Jacob; I can relate with him
Extremely Complicated
Bible is FULL of complicated figures
Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Peter
If you are complicated you are in good company
In OT nobody as complicated as Jacob
Jacob reflects the inner conflict we face
Jacob from the womb was engaged in conflict
Rebekah asks God what is happening in her?
1st time we see Jacob he is grabbing Esau's heel
He was born with conflict; born trying to get ahead
Came into the world with me first mentality
Developed the though = if you are not first, you're last
All of us are born with a me first mentality (original sin)
Hard to live a God first life in a me first world
Me first is exhausting and miserable
World tells us = Love Yourself, Grab, Follow Heart
Heart doesn't know what it need
Jesus says = Deny Yourself, Grab, Follow Me (Good Shepherd)
If you're not first you're last is crippling
Jesus says something so strange - First will be last
What good is it to gain the world and lose your soul
Me first might gain you the world but you will lose yourself in the process
Big problem with Me first is it's never enough
Lack of Contentment = Idolatry
Jacob was never content
Came out grabbing, tricked his way into the birthright and now he will deceive his way into the blessing which will feel like a curse when he gets it
Genesis 27:1-4
Isaac loved Esau; Esau was the oldest and Isaac was ready to give him the blessing
Rebekah loved Jacob
Genesis 27:5-17
Parents have to be careful what we put on our kids
We can try to make them to be something that they were never created to be
Rebekah is not the only one at fault
Jacob is 76 years old
Genesis 27:18-27
Jacob steals the blessing; Esau plans to kill him; Jacob runs for his life
Jacob gets blessed but it feels like a curse
He got the blessing as Esau not Jacob
jacob learned how to put esau's clothes on; he learned to fool Isaac
Jacob how to use a filter on Instagram; those pics are so heavily filtered = false advertisement
Culture is full of filters
We try to pretend to be someone we are not
Become poor carbon copies of what we think we should be
Nobody can fake it better than a church person
God cannot bless the pretend you
God cannot anoint your facade
It's possible to get what you want and hate you who are
what good is it to get the blessing and lose yourself in the process?
God is calling us to remove the filters, stop wearing esau's clothes
You can pretend so well that you fool your neighbor or me but not God or yourself
Freedom & healing takes place when we get real
I've learned when you get real that you get healed
James 5:16
You can be forgiven and not healed at the same time
Proverbs 28:13
The power of sin = secrecy
The sin you hide is the sin you keep
Reveal it, healing takes place
Back to Jacob's mess
What Is Your Name?
Steals the blessing and runs away for 21 years
Decides to go back
Genesis 32:22-30
Jacob was always wrestling; always grabbing
This time someone grabbed him (verse 24)
He is 97; no wonder his hip popped out of socket
He holds onto God when it would have been easier to let go
Jacob wasn't letting go
What is your name?
Last time that was asked of him was 21 years earlier by his father Isaac
Now Jacob owns who he is = deceived
Jacob got real; removed the mask
God changed his name
Israel = prince with God
When Jacob faced who he was; God changed who he was
When you face who you are instead of pretending to be someone you are not; God will change who you are - Real me, Fake me, Future me
Now you would think going forward in the Bible he would be referred to by God exclusively as Israel
I am the God of Abraham, Issac and JACOB
I'm the God not just of Israel, but I am the God of Jacob
Jacob got a new identity when he faced who he was
Jacob = nation of Israel (God's people)
Woman at a well = church (God's people)
Let me tie all this together for you
John 4
John 4:4-7
She says - You're a Jew & I'm a Samaritan
Jesus says - If you knew who I was you would ask me for water because i have living water
She says - give me some
Jesus says - go get your husband
Time froze for this woman
5 husbands and living with a man not her husband
Life had been rough and she could have tried to avoid this sensitive subject
If someone judges me on my past; that's' fine they have a past to
This woman could have walked away from her issue but she chose to wrestle with it
She got real with Jesus
Jesus said - you have answered well
She says - you must be a prophet
Jesus says - I am the Messiah
She is the first person Jesus reveals himself to
She got real and got a revelation
Jacob got real and got a revelation
What is your name?
Jesus has given you a new name - Righteous, Holy, Conqueror, Victor
God is the God of Israel & Jacob
We have new names because of what Christ has done for us