WEBVTT

00:00:01.130 --> 00:00:03.529
Welcome to the official podcast of the Church

00:00:03.529 --> 00:00:06.049
of Christ Wheeler area. We're so glad that you've

00:00:06.049 --> 00:00:08.529
tuned in for today's message. Whether you're

00:00:08.529 --> 00:00:10.730
on your morning commute or if you're relaxing

00:00:10.730 --> 00:00:12.730
at home, we're here to share the strength and

00:00:12.730 --> 00:00:15.710
truth of God's Word with our community. If you're

00:00:15.710 --> 00:00:17.350
in the neighborhood, we'd love to meet you in

00:00:17.350 --> 00:00:20.969
person. Come see us at 1500 South Allen L. Bean

00:00:20.969 --> 00:00:23.960
Boulevard right here in Wheeler, Texas. We gather

00:00:23.960 --> 00:00:26.980
every Sunday morning at 1030 a .m. and in the

00:00:26.980 --> 00:00:29.839
afternoon at 230 p .m. We meet again on Wednesdays

00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:33.439
at 7 p .m. Right now let's open our Bibles together

00:00:33.439 --> 00:00:41.899
and dive in to today's sermon. Happy to be with

00:00:41.899 --> 00:00:44.079
you this evening. We're going to get right into

00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:48.579
the study which will be the second half of a

00:00:48.579 --> 00:00:53.009
life and we're going to finish up Jacob. We began

00:00:53.009 --> 00:00:56.810
by a passage in the book of Hebrews that Jacob,

00:00:56.969 --> 00:00:59.770
while he was dying, worshiped God leaning upon

00:00:59.770 --> 00:01:03.210
his staff. And if you'll recall, a brief refresher

00:01:03.210 --> 00:01:08.290
perhaps, the name means supplanter, one who takes

00:01:08.290 --> 00:01:11.349
something, and it means heel catcher. But Jacob

00:01:11.349 --> 00:01:14.769
is very true to his name. He took the birthright

00:01:14.769 --> 00:01:18.890
from his brother and... And we talked about a

00:01:18.890 --> 00:01:20.950
lot of those things. And I'll just briefly roll

00:01:20.950 --> 00:01:23.569
through here. The idea that we're going to talk

00:01:23.569 --> 00:01:27.640
about was Jacob. while he was dying, blessed

00:01:27.640 --> 00:01:30.420
Joseph's sons in worship, leading on the top

00:01:30.420 --> 00:01:33.180
of the staff. He was a twin, as we described

00:01:33.180 --> 00:01:36.620
as a planner. He was a deceiver. He tricked his

00:01:36.620 --> 00:01:40.299
father into blessing him. He later heard God

00:01:40.299 --> 00:01:43.859
at a place he calls Bethel. And we'll talk about

00:01:43.859 --> 00:01:46.700
that some tonight. And then he's deceived by

00:01:46.700 --> 00:01:49.579
his father -in -law into marrying two different

00:01:49.579 --> 00:01:53.540
women. And he tried to take from him all the...

00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:56.780
fruits of his labor along the way and at the

00:01:56.780 --> 00:02:00.859
end of our study some weeks ago he is gripped

00:02:00.859 --> 00:02:04.620
with fear because now he's not only fled from

00:02:04.620 --> 00:02:07.780
Laban but he's coming to meet Esau his brother

00:02:07.780 --> 00:02:10.020
and he knows Esau has a tremendous amount of

00:02:10.020 --> 00:02:12.580
hatred for him and he's got all this family and

00:02:12.580 --> 00:02:16.699
flocks and herds and he's very afraid and so

00:02:16.699 --> 00:02:22.680
now we really get to the pivotal Point in Jacob's

00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:27.979
life. It's the encounter and Truth be told we

00:02:27.979 --> 00:02:33.000
all need one we all need one just like this and

00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:37.560
Jacob is true to his nature In that he is a person

00:02:37.560 --> 00:02:42.360
who goes after what he wants He wanted that birthright

00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:44.340
he went after it. He wanted the blessing and

00:02:44.340 --> 00:02:48.620
he went after it He wanted Rachel And he went

00:02:48.620 --> 00:02:50.879
after it. If he had to work 14, then he worked

00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:54.659
14. That's his nature. to be this kind of a man.

00:02:54.740 --> 00:02:57.460
The book of Genesis, chapter 32, we'll get in

00:02:57.460 --> 00:03:00.719
verse 22. He arose that night, took his two wives,

00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:04.300
his two female servants, his 11 sons, and crossed

00:03:04.300 --> 00:03:07.280
over the fjord Jabbok. He took them and sent

00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:10.620
them over the brook and set over what he had.

00:03:10.860 --> 00:03:14.080
He has now taken his family. He split them into

00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:17.300
two parties. He's put one over this way and one

00:03:17.300 --> 00:03:20.759
over that way because he's hopeful that if Esau

00:03:20.759 --> 00:03:25.250
attacks, maybe half of them will... live and

00:03:25.250 --> 00:03:28.449
it's interesting he sent them over here and he

00:03:28.449 --> 00:03:34.069
sent these over there and now he's alone there

00:03:34.069 --> 00:03:38.930
he is now I want you to just think for just a

00:03:38.930 --> 00:03:42.909
moment the choices that you've made the decisions

00:03:42.909 --> 00:03:45.370
you've made in your life bring you to a point

00:03:45.370 --> 00:03:49.599
and sometimes that's good and you look at those

00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:51.800
decisions and choices and you're happy about

00:03:51.800 --> 00:03:55.520
those things and here's Jacob all alone and he's

00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:59.240
got the whole night to go, I'm about to lose

00:03:59.240 --> 00:04:03.520
half of my family, half my wives, half my sons,

00:04:03.900 --> 00:04:07.500
half my possessions, my choices and my decisions

00:04:07.500 --> 00:04:12.599
have brought me here. Now you talk about a long

00:04:12.599 --> 00:04:17.370
night, that's gonna be a long night. And so there

00:04:17.370 --> 00:04:23.490
he is, all alone. And verse 24 says, a man wrestled

00:04:23.490 --> 00:04:27.850
with him until the breaking of day. I don't know

00:04:27.850 --> 00:04:32.689
if the translators could have give us less. What

00:04:32.689 --> 00:04:36.149
man? Where did he come from? Why are they wrestling?

00:04:36.290 --> 00:04:38.930
Did he show up and say, I challenge you? No,

00:04:39.009 --> 00:04:43.370
I challenge, I mean, how does this happen? We

00:04:43.370 --> 00:04:46.829
have none of that information. We just hear that

00:04:46.829 --> 00:04:51.370
a man shows up, and for whatever reason, they

00:04:51.370 --> 00:04:55.769
wrestle. Now, I've had a lot of questions my

00:04:55.769 --> 00:04:59.769
whole life, who is the man? And I will attempt

00:04:59.769 --> 00:05:02.329
to answer. I don't know that I can answer, but

00:05:02.329 --> 00:05:06.389
I will attempt, I suppose. Now, they're wrestling.

00:05:07.389 --> 00:05:16.939
Not for a minute. Not an hour. All night. They

00:05:16.939 --> 00:05:20.759
wrestle, and they wrestle, and we don't get a

00:05:20.759 --> 00:05:23.620
play -by -play of who got the upper hand or if

00:05:23.620 --> 00:05:25.779
somebody got somebody in the figure four of the

00:05:25.779 --> 00:05:28.720
half Nelson. We don't know. But we know they

00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:32.420
wrestled all night. Now here's a key I want you

00:05:32.420 --> 00:05:37.139
to notice right here. You see that word? He.

00:05:38.899 --> 00:05:45.040
Well, typically, it's not capitalized. Usually,

00:05:45.079 --> 00:05:53.180
it's a little h. He saw that he did not prevail

00:05:53.180 --> 00:06:01.079
against him, a little H. So whoever the he is,

00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:06.819
whoever's the he, the big H he said, I ain't

00:06:06.819 --> 00:06:12.300
gonna win. I'm not gonna beat this guy. We've

00:06:12.300 --> 00:06:19.079
been at it all night. And the hym's gotta be

00:06:19.079 --> 00:06:25.800
Jacob. He touched the socket of his hip and the

00:06:25.800 --> 00:06:28.779
socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as he

00:06:28.779 --> 00:06:33.500
wrestled with him. Now, I've not had that. I

00:06:33.500 --> 00:06:35.819
only know one person that did and I'll tell you

00:06:35.819 --> 00:06:39.639
it took a pretty serious amount of work to get

00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:44.259
the hip back in. Your hip just don't pop out

00:06:44.259 --> 00:06:48.019
a joint but the he in this instance this man

00:06:48.019 --> 00:06:50.899
Took Jacob and he popped his hip out of joints

00:06:50.899 --> 00:06:58.100
and he said let me go capital M for the day breaks

00:06:58.100 --> 00:07:02.360
But he Jacob said I will not let you capital

00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:06.980
Y Go unless you bless me. I think you're probably

00:07:06.980 --> 00:07:12.379
figuring it out. I think it's Jesus There's God.

00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:20.319
I don't know why God chose to wrestle, but he

00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:24.339
did. And I'll tell you something, Jacob wrestled

00:07:24.339 --> 00:07:30.800
all night. And that tells us it's very true to

00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:34.069
his nature. He didn't quit. He went after. Even

00:07:34.069 --> 00:07:36.610
in the midst of this wrestling match, when he

00:07:36.610 --> 00:07:40.209
has a hip out of socket, he says, let me go.

00:07:40.230 --> 00:07:43.610
And he says, I ain't letting you go. I'm hanging

00:07:43.610 --> 00:07:47.209
on until you bless me. I'm not letting go. That's

00:07:47.209 --> 00:07:51.569
very much like Jacob. And so he said the he to

00:07:51.569 --> 00:07:59.050
him, what is your name? And he said, I'm the

00:07:59.050 --> 00:08:07.000
supplanter. I'm the thief. I'm the deceiver.

00:08:10.660 --> 00:08:18.399
That's my name. That's my name. I don't know

00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:21.740
what kind of blessing he's expecting. I don't

00:08:21.740 --> 00:08:25.120
know what he thought would happen. And it makes

00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:28.220
no sense to me that we didn't get names out before

00:08:28.220 --> 00:08:31.040
the wrestling match, but we've waited till now.

00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:37.600
I'm the supplanner. I'm the one that displaces

00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:41.519
and takes the place of, it should be Esau here,

00:08:41.960 --> 00:08:47.080
shouldn't it? But Esau's nowhere to be found.

00:08:47.740 --> 00:08:51.220
And Jacob's wrestled all night. I want to go

00:08:51.220 --> 00:08:54.830
to the book of Hosea. Chapter 12, we get a little

00:08:54.830 --> 00:08:57.769
bit more information from Hosea and why Moses

00:08:57.769 --> 00:09:00.470
didn't have this information, I don't know. But

00:09:00.470 --> 00:09:03.009
Hosea provides a little more information to the

00:09:03.009 --> 00:09:06.169
account. He says, the Lord also brings a charge

00:09:06.169 --> 00:09:08.750
against Judah and will punish Jacob according

00:09:08.750 --> 00:09:11.490
to his ways, according to his deeds. He will

00:09:11.490 --> 00:09:14.250
recompense him. Now here, in this passage, or

00:09:14.250 --> 00:09:17.950
verse two, he's talking about the nation of Israel.

00:09:18.250 --> 00:09:20.490
It's what he's describing, and he calls them

00:09:20.490 --> 00:09:24.440
Jacob or Judah. That's a national thing. Then

00:09:24.440 --> 00:09:26.820
he goes on right here in verse three says, he

00:09:26.820 --> 00:09:29.799
took his brother by the heel in the womb. It's

00:09:29.799 --> 00:09:33.960
clearly talking about Jacob. And in his strength,

00:09:34.200 --> 00:09:39.480
he struggled with God. That's exactly what happened.

00:09:41.340 --> 00:09:44.580
Yes, he struggled with the angel and he prevailed.

00:09:45.539 --> 00:09:49.440
Was it a man? Was it an angel in the form of

00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:53.480
a man? Did he have flesh? Was it just a spirit?

00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:57.039
I don't know. And for some reason, God don't

00:09:57.039 --> 00:09:59.679
really hardly want us to know, I think, because

00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:04.759
we don't have a lot. Notice what it says. He

00:10:04.759 --> 00:10:11.440
wept. Jacob didn't just say, bless me. He begged

00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:20.039
God. Maybe he was in pain. But I will tell you

00:10:20.039 --> 00:10:23.379
he struggled with God with the man with the angel

00:10:23.379 --> 00:10:27.759
he prevailed and He wept and he sought favor

00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:31.340
from him in the midst of the struggle hip out

00:10:31.340 --> 00:10:35.299
a joint Jacob didn't just say bless me. He pleaded

00:10:35.299 --> 00:10:41.460
bless me Please bless me. He wept Tears asking

00:10:41.460 --> 00:10:45.159
for the blessing and the Bible says and there

00:10:45.159 --> 00:10:50.559
he spoke to us That is the Lord God of Hosts.

00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:54.700
The Lord is his memorable name. God gave a blessing.

00:10:55.279 --> 00:11:00.059
He spoke not only to Jacob, but to you and me

00:11:00.059 --> 00:11:02.080
and all those who believed in the promise of

00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:05.019
Abraham that went down through Jacob. I'm gonna

00:11:05.019 --> 00:11:08.700
go back to Genesis 32 verse 28. He said your

00:11:08.700 --> 00:11:12.379
name shall be no longer called Jacob, but Israel.

00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:16.639
For you have struggled with God and with men.

00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:20.639
have prevailed then Jacob asked saying tell me

00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:24.080
your name I pray and he said why is it that you

00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:28.980
ask about my name and he blessed him we don't

00:11:28.980 --> 00:11:34.840
know the name I suppose is Jesus I will tell

00:11:34.840 --> 00:11:37.059
you something this tells us about Jacob he weren't

00:11:37.059 --> 00:11:43.240
no quitter he struggled with God and that tells

00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:46.679
us you and I something You're going to struggle

00:11:46.679 --> 00:11:54.299
in your life. You young folks listen. You're

00:11:54.299 --> 00:11:58.059
going to struggle. You're going to have challenges

00:11:58.059 --> 00:12:01.059
and some of the challenges that Jacob had were

00:12:01.059 --> 00:12:06.940
awful. He was a deceiver. He was a thief. He

00:12:06.940 --> 00:12:11.220
was. We have no sense in sugar coating it. And

00:12:11.220 --> 00:12:13.120
the truth is there ain't a person here in this

00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:17.019
room that ain't bad in some way. We all have

00:12:17.019 --> 00:12:22.080
a shortcoming or two or five or ten and we struggle.

00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:31.580
He said, you're no longer the supplanter. Your

00:12:31.580 --> 00:12:35.460
name is Israel. It's interesting. He was the

00:12:35.460 --> 00:12:39.740
hill catcher. You know what the word Israel means?

00:12:40.139 --> 00:12:48.600
The wrestler, exactly what it means. It's kind

00:12:48.600 --> 00:12:52.139
of like you see somebody and they perform a trick

00:12:52.139 --> 00:12:54.019
and you always, you call them after that trick

00:12:54.019 --> 00:12:58.799
from then on. God calls him, you're the wrestler.

00:12:59.860 --> 00:13:03.860
You're the one who struggled. Wrestler with God.

00:13:04.580 --> 00:13:08.059
And the Hebrew behind it literally means to prevail

00:13:08.059 --> 00:13:12.460
with the Almighty. And so Jacob has this encounter

00:13:12.460 --> 00:13:18.000
with God. And God blesses him. Or maybe it was

00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:20.659
Jesus. Jesus blessed him. He calls him a man.

00:13:21.059 --> 00:13:23.639
He blessed him and he gave him that blessing

00:13:23.639 --> 00:13:26.679
there. And verse 30, Jacob called the name of

00:13:26.679 --> 00:13:29.600
the place Peniel, for I have seen God face to

00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:32.980
face and my life is preserved. Just as he crossed

00:13:32.980 --> 00:13:36.120
over Peniel, the sun rose on him and he limped.

00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:53.000
The rest of his days he limped. And the sun's

00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:59.559
come up and now it's time to meet Esau. But Jacob's

00:13:59.559 --> 00:14:08.419
not meeting Esau. Israel is meeting Esau. In

00:14:08.419 --> 00:14:11.360
Genesis 33 and verse 1, now Jacob lifted his

00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:14.080
eyes and looked and there Esau was coming. And

00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:17.399
with him were four hundred men. So he divided

00:14:17.399 --> 00:14:19.759
the children among Leah and Rachel and the two

00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:21.740
maidservants. He put the maidservants and their

00:14:21.740 --> 00:14:24.220
children in front, Leah and her children behind,

00:14:24.340 --> 00:14:27.120
and Rachel and Joseph last. Then he crossed over

00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:29.120
before them and bowed himself into the ground

00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:32.600
seven times until he came near to his brother.

00:14:35.019 --> 00:14:41.700
He's a humble Israel. Isn't he humble? He ain't

00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:45.539
sneaking around, is he? He ain't dressing up

00:14:45.539 --> 00:14:49.100
in hairy clothes now, is he? He's coming with

00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:52.980
humility and he's bowing seven times. Esau ran

00:14:52.980 --> 00:14:55.139
to meet him and embraced him and fell on his

00:14:55.139 --> 00:14:59.820
neck and kissed him and they wept. And he lifted

00:14:59.820 --> 00:15:02.639
his eyes and saw the women and the children and

00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:06.240
said, who are these with you? So he said, the

00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:11.019
children. whom God has graciously given, your

00:15:11.019 --> 00:15:16.000
servant. He didn't say they're mine. He said,

00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:20.000
this is what God's given me. See, this is Israel,

00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:26.269
a changed man. And he goes on to say the handmaidens

00:15:26.269 --> 00:15:29.049
came near and they and their children and bowed

00:15:29.049 --> 00:15:31.570
down and Leah came near with her children and

00:15:31.570 --> 00:15:34.110
they bowed down afterward Joseph and Rachel came

00:15:34.110 --> 00:15:37.289
near and bowed down then Esau said what do you

00:15:37.289 --> 00:15:39.889
mean by all this company which I meant and he

00:15:39.889 --> 00:15:42.809
said these are defined favor in the sight of

00:15:42.809 --> 00:15:48.250
my Lord the man who took and stole said it's

00:15:48.250 --> 00:15:53.690
yours they're for you A great herd of cattle

00:15:53.690 --> 00:15:57.470
and all these goods and things and presents he's

00:15:57.470 --> 00:16:00.610
brought, they're for you. And Esau said, I have

00:16:00.610 --> 00:16:02.830
enough, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.

00:16:02.950 --> 00:16:08.210
And Jacob said, no. No. I'm not a taker anymore.

00:16:09.570 --> 00:16:14.429
I'm a giver. Please if I have now found favor

00:16:14.429 --> 00:16:16.649
in your sight then receive my present from my

00:16:16.649 --> 00:16:19.210
hand It's as much as I have seen your face as

00:16:19.210 --> 00:16:21.730
though I had seen the face of God and you were

00:16:21.730 --> 00:16:24.649
pleased with me He said I'm gonna treat you just

00:16:24.649 --> 00:16:29.669
like I'd treat God I'm not gonna treat you the

00:16:29.669 --> 00:16:36.070
way I did before Please take my blessing that

00:16:36.070 --> 00:16:39.250
is brought to you because God has dealt so graciously

00:16:39.250 --> 00:16:42.899
with me and because I have enough So he urged

00:16:42.899 --> 00:16:45.340
him and he took it. Then Esau said, let us take

00:16:45.340 --> 00:16:48.940
our journey. Let us go and I will go before you.

00:16:49.019 --> 00:16:52.620
And from this day forward, in most of the instances

00:16:52.620 --> 00:16:58.399
that we read about, he's a blessed man. His family

00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:00.980
thrives and flourishes. His flocks and herds

00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:05.299
thrive and flourish. His family grows and is

00:17:05.299 --> 00:17:08.980
the way of families. He has children and grandchildren

00:17:08.980 --> 00:17:12.470
and abundance. and he becomes a very blessed

00:17:12.470 --> 00:17:16.650
and wealthy man. Chapter 32, verse 9, he said,

00:17:16.890 --> 00:17:19.250
oh God of my father Abraham and God of my father

00:17:19.250 --> 00:17:21.549
Isaac, the Lord who said to me, return to your

00:17:21.549 --> 00:17:24.470
country and to your family and I will deal well

00:17:24.470 --> 00:17:27.529
with you. I am not worthy of the least of all

00:17:27.529 --> 00:17:29.509
the mercies and all the truth which you have

00:17:29.509 --> 00:17:31.750
shown your servant. He's a grateful individual

00:17:31.750 --> 00:17:35.440
now. And his outlook has changed tremendously.

00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:39.019
Chapter 33 verse 17 says, and Jacob journeyed

00:17:39.019 --> 00:17:42.240
to Succoth, built himself a house, made booths

00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:44.819
for his livestock there. The name of the place

00:17:44.819 --> 00:17:47.339
is called Succoth, or therefore the name of the

00:17:47.339 --> 00:17:50.160
place is called Succoth. Then Jacob came safely

00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:52.519
to the city of Shechem, which is in the land

00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:55.779
of Canaan, when he came from paid anoram, and

00:17:55.779 --> 00:17:59.539
he pitched his tent before the city. And he bought

00:17:59.539 --> 00:18:02.160
the parcel of land where he had pitched his tent

00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:05.299
from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father,

00:18:05.380 --> 00:18:08.160
for one hundred pieces of money. Then he erected

00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:12.579
an altar there and called it El Elohi Israel.

00:18:14.279 --> 00:18:20.420
What do you think? He named his altar, well,

00:18:21.019 --> 00:18:26.380
the mighty God of the one who wrestles with God.

00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:33.700
That's what he named it. And he worships God

00:18:33.700 --> 00:18:38.039
and he prospers and there he lives until he becomes

00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:42.099
an old man. In Genesis 37 and verse 31 he has

00:18:42.099 --> 00:18:45.839
one more trial that he's got to endure. So his

00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:49.079
brothers took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of

00:18:49.079 --> 00:18:51.279
the goats and dipped the tunic in the blood.

00:18:51.319 --> 00:18:55.400
You'll recall that Joseph was the dreamer and

00:18:55.500 --> 00:18:58.319
He dreamed about the moon and the stars and he

00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:01.220
was the moon and the stars bowed to him. He dreamed

00:19:01.220 --> 00:19:07.400
about the bales or shocks of hay and all his

00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:09.880
brothers and fathers bowed to his shock and his

00:19:09.880 --> 00:19:12.460
brothers were very jealous of this and his brothers

00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:15.160
sold him into slavery and so they tricked their

00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:19.019
father. And they took Joseph's coat, they dipped

00:19:19.019 --> 00:19:22.019
it in the blood. And verse 32, they sent the

00:19:22.019 --> 00:19:24.279
tunic of many colors and brought it unto their

00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:26.880
father and said, we have found this. Do you know

00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:29.599
whether it is your son's tunic or not? And he

00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:31.960
recognized it and said, it is my son's tunic.

00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:34.640
A wild beast has devoured him without doubt.

00:19:35.099 --> 00:19:37.660
Joseph is torn into pieces. Now trouble with

00:19:37.660 --> 00:19:42.099
this, Joseph was special to him. It was Rachel's

00:19:42.099 --> 00:19:52.400
boy. we don't read much at all about Jacob not

00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:59.400
really very little after this point we do read

00:19:59.400 --> 00:20:02.500
this Jacob tore his clothes put sackcloth on

00:20:02.500 --> 00:20:06.079
his waist mourned for his son many days and all

00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:09.019
his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort

00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:11.859
him but he refused to be comforted and said I

00:20:11.859 --> 00:20:14.619
shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning

00:20:15.019 --> 00:20:20.579
Thus his father wept for him and so Joseph is

00:20:20.579 --> 00:20:25.259
inconsolable for many many days and I suppose

00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:27.839
years it's hard to know exact time frame here

00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:31.319
because you know Joseph goes down and is sold

00:20:31.319 --> 00:20:34.140
as a slave to Potiphar and then eventually he's

00:20:34.140 --> 00:20:36.839
thrown in to prison in Egypt and then eventually

00:20:36.839 --> 00:20:41.700
he as the dreamer begins to deliver Egypt from

00:20:41.700 --> 00:20:44.799
the terrible plague of drought that comes upon

00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:48.640
them. And the Pharaoh takes Joseph and pulls

00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:51.559
him out of the prison. And all this is intertwined

00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:54.380
in God's plan and in God's purpose. And in part

00:20:54.380 --> 00:20:57.160
one of this, we talked about these three promises

00:20:57.160 --> 00:21:02.099
God made to Abraham. The land promise, the nation

00:21:02.099 --> 00:21:04.539
promise, and that all peoples of the earth will

00:21:04.539 --> 00:21:07.440
be blessed. And now these promises are hinging

00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:12.880
on a famine. And they're hinging on slavery.

00:21:15.019 --> 00:21:20.000
They're hinging on Jacob's little family having

00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:23.799
a cocoon in which they could grow into a great

00:21:23.799 --> 00:21:29.220
nation. And Egypt is that cocoon. And slavery

00:21:29.220 --> 00:21:35.880
is that place. And so, if you're familiar with

00:21:35.880 --> 00:21:38.279
all the story, and I know you are, we'll fast

00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:41.150
forward a little bit because Joseph makes himself

00:21:41.150 --> 00:21:44.430
known to his brothers and eventually he says

00:21:44.430 --> 00:21:47.549
you need to bring my father down. Genesis 45

00:21:47.549 --> 00:21:51.049
verse 26 they told him saying Joseph is still

00:21:51.049 --> 00:21:53.650
alive and he is governor over all the land of

00:21:53.650 --> 00:22:00.210
Egypt and Jacob's heart stood still because he

00:22:00.210 --> 00:22:03.170
did not believe them. But when they told him

00:22:03.170 --> 00:22:05.670
all the words which Joseph had said to them and

00:22:05.670 --> 00:22:08.650
when he saw the carts which Joseph sent to carry

00:22:08.650 --> 00:22:11.150
him the spirit of Jacob their father revived

00:22:11.150 --> 00:22:16.549
and Israel said it is enough Joseph my son is

00:22:16.549 --> 00:22:19.589
still alive. I will go and see him before I die

00:22:19.589 --> 00:22:22.069
I won't tell you we're talking about a man who

00:22:22.069 --> 00:22:27.210
felt like his life was at an end And he says

00:22:27.210 --> 00:22:32.390
one phrase it's enough He's alive and I'll go

00:22:32.390 --> 00:22:37.869
see him and I'll be ready to die And so of course

00:22:37.869 --> 00:22:40.970
the family moves down to Egypt because there's

00:22:40.970 --> 00:22:45.549
bread there. There's grain and Joseph Invites

00:22:45.549 --> 00:22:48.470
the whole family and of course Jacob moves down

00:22:48.470 --> 00:22:52.670
there I believe it's about 70 people that move

00:22:52.670 --> 00:22:57.269
in to Egypt where Joseph is the governor now

00:22:57.269 --> 00:23:07.730
Genesis 48 beginning in verse 8 then Israel saw

00:23:07.730 --> 00:23:14.470
Joseph's sons and said whose are these Joseph

00:23:14.470 --> 00:23:18.730
said to his father they are my sons whom God

00:23:18.730 --> 00:23:22.910
has given me in this place it seems like the

00:23:22.910 --> 00:23:26.009
attitudes of Israel have passed along down a

00:23:26.009 --> 00:23:28.289
generation to Joe these are the children God's

00:23:28.289 --> 00:23:34.180
give me And he said, Please bring them to me

00:23:34.180 --> 00:23:38.299
and I will bless them. Now the eyes of Israel

00:23:38.299 --> 00:23:41.700
were dim with age so that he could not see. Then

00:23:41.700 --> 00:23:45.720
Joseph brought them near him and he kissed them

00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:49.920
and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph,

00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:54.500
I had not thought to see your face. But in fact,

00:23:55.099 --> 00:24:00.299
God has also shown me your offspring. So Joseph

00:24:00.299 --> 00:24:02.900
brought them from beside his knees and he bowed

00:24:02.900 --> 00:24:15.099
down with his face to the earth And Joseph took

00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:18.519
them both Ephraim with his right hand and towards

00:24:18.519 --> 00:24:21.200
Israel's left hand Manasseh with his left hand

00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:23.559
toward Israel's right hand and he brought them

00:24:23.559 --> 00:24:26.660
near him Then Israel stretched out his right

00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:29.450
hand and laid it on Ephraim's head who was the

00:24:29.450 --> 00:24:31.569
younger, and his left hand on the Manasseh's

00:24:31.569 --> 00:24:34.250
head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh

00:24:34.250 --> 00:24:40.710
was the firstborn. It's happening just like happened

00:24:40.710 --> 00:24:48.829
to him. He's choosing the younger. And he blessed

00:24:48.829 --> 00:24:51.450
Joseph and said, God, before whom my fathers

00:24:51.450 --> 00:24:54.750
Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed

00:24:54.750 --> 00:24:58.700
me all my life, all my life long to this day

00:24:58.700 --> 00:25:03.619
the angel who has redeemed me from all evil bless

00:25:03.619 --> 00:25:08.039
the lads let my name be named upon them and the

00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:10.920
name of my fathers abraham and isaac and let

00:25:10.920 --> 00:25:13.799
them grow into a multitude in the midst of the

00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:18.220
earth do you ever notice there ain't no tribe

00:25:18.220 --> 00:25:29.210
of joseph there's not wonder why right here.

00:25:30.930 --> 00:25:35.250
Israel says they're gonna be like mine and these

00:25:35.250 --> 00:25:38.490
two will be counted like sons. That's what he

00:25:38.490 --> 00:25:42.829
said and they are. They were considered a part

00:25:42.829 --> 00:25:47.190
of the 12 tribes all along and always found it

00:25:47.190 --> 00:25:54.950
fascinating and so we come full circle to an

00:25:54.950 --> 00:26:05.220
old man Who worshiped? Now I gotta ask you a

00:26:05.220 --> 00:26:11.140
question. Do you think you'll feel like worshiping

00:26:11.140 --> 00:26:22.660
when you're dying? Do you think you could bow

00:26:22.660 --> 00:26:32.900
yourself to the earth? On your bad hip? I've

00:26:32.900 --> 00:26:38.559
not known a lot of people as they died, and I

00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:40.400
can tell you I don't really know what will be

00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:52.420
on my mind. But I can tell you this. If you have

00:26:52.420 --> 00:27:01.559
faith, your mind will be on God. If you have

00:27:01.710 --> 00:27:09.769
struggled your whole life out of the bad. If

00:27:09.769 --> 00:27:14.910
you have left the crooked individual like Jacob

00:27:14.910 --> 00:27:19.089
did, and if you have turned to the Israel that

00:27:19.089 --> 00:27:23.829
he became, at the end, you'll be praising God.

00:27:25.509 --> 00:27:36.509
You'll be showing him that you're ready. Israel.

00:27:37.950 --> 00:27:40.769
A life. Now you might get out your song book

00:27:40.769 --> 00:27:43.710
this evening. I got a couple other things I want

00:27:43.710 --> 00:27:59.210
to say to you. You know, most of the time at

00:27:59.210 --> 00:28:03.049
a funeral we have an obituary which is a really

00:28:03.049 --> 00:28:06.930
short summation of a life. The fact is, you're

00:28:06.930 --> 00:28:09.130
living your life right now, and it's just that,

00:28:09.170 --> 00:28:12.009
it's a life. Do you know how many lives are being

00:28:12.009 --> 00:28:18.890
lived right now? About eight billion. Eight billion

00:28:18.890 --> 00:28:24.230
right now. And about every 70 or 80 years, there's

00:28:24.230 --> 00:28:27.950
a whole new eight billion. God keeps up with

00:28:27.950 --> 00:28:31.990
them. But the truth is, you live your life in

00:28:31.990 --> 00:28:39.630
such a way, It's a life. It tells a story. It

00:28:39.630 --> 00:28:43.470
has an impact on a lot of people. You know, one

00:28:43.470 --> 00:28:46.650
of the most telling things to me about Jacob's

00:28:46.650 --> 00:28:50.230
life, to think he started from the scoundrel

00:28:50.230 --> 00:28:55.430
that he was, to hear his son say, these are the

00:28:55.430 --> 00:28:59.930
children that God's given. It had an impact.

00:29:01.670 --> 00:29:06.269
He had an effect. And I don't know how you feel

00:29:06.269 --> 00:29:09.710
about your life. Because some of you are pretty

00:29:09.710 --> 00:29:14.289
young. Some of you are a little older. And you

00:29:14.289 --> 00:29:16.230
start to think about what you're going to leave

00:29:16.230 --> 00:29:19.710
behind. What kind of people are going to follow

00:29:19.710 --> 00:29:28.009
in your name. Because ultimately all you have

00:29:28.009 --> 00:29:40.180
is a life. Maybe tonight, You need to let everybody

00:29:40.180 --> 00:29:50.940
else cross on somewhere else and wrestle. Rattle

00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:56.500
for your soul. Rattle with God for what you really

00:29:56.500 --> 00:30:05.420
are. Rattle for your life. Maybe that's what

00:30:05.420 --> 00:30:08.859
needs to happen. Because I want to tell you,

00:30:08.940 --> 00:30:14.380
the devil wrestles with you every day. Every

00:30:14.380 --> 00:30:18.480
day. And so you ought to wrestle God every once

00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:25.380
in a while. Thank you for listening to today's

00:30:25.380 --> 00:30:27.380
sermon from the Church of Christ Wheeler area.

00:30:27.640 --> 00:30:30.359
We hope this message encouraged you and strengthened

00:30:30.359 --> 00:30:32.740
you in your faith this week. Don't forget the

00:30:32.740 --> 00:30:35.940
door is always open at 1500 South Allen L. Bean

00:30:35.940 --> 00:30:39.700
Boulevard. at 10 30 a .m on sundays 2 30 p .m

00:30:39.700 --> 00:30:42.900
on sunday afternoons and recharge with us midweek

00:30:42.900 --> 00:30:46.460
on wednesdays at 7 p .m for more information

00:30:46.460 --> 00:30:49.720
or to hear past messages follow us on your favorite

00:30:49.720 --> 00:30:53.359
podcast platform look us up on facebook and instagram

00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:55.819
we hope you have a blessed week and we'll see

00:30:55.819 --> 00:30:56.460
you next time
