Genesis 31:1-55, Replacing Fear With Faith

I'm ready for a Bible study so let's begin I have to let you know we're covering 55 verses tonight I'm so desperately and looking forward to next week cuz we're covering two chapters I feel like it's been a while since I've been with y'all and I just have to say it wasn't last time I love I love and I'm so thankful that we are going through the book of Genesis as a church so guys let's begin let's come before the Lord Heavenly Father we thank you again as we're continuing into a attitude and heart of worship that you're the author of life you breathe life into us you show us fresh revelation through the word and your spirit is so good and I pray that you would just make yourself known to every person hearing my voice right now that we would be a church just desperate to hear from you thank you for the story Lord that we know it's truth in its life and I pray you would minister to your saints in Jesus name and all God's people said amen like I said we're covering 55 verses of Genesis 31 this evening we're going straight into the text so let's begin verses 1 in verse 2 of Genesis 31 we're told now Jacob heard the words of Laban son saying Jacob has taken away all that is our fathers and from what and I'm from what our fathers he's acquired all this wealth and Jacob saw that the countenance of Laban and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before stop there just for a moment Jacob in this portion of Scripture is overhearing his brother-in-law's talk and he hears some pretty aggressive words and truth that are presented he hears them say listen Jacob has taken away all of our father's wealth if you've been through our Genesis series you know that's not true it's a dramatic statement it's a pretty dramatic accusation because again if you've gone through the book of Genesis with us the issue wasn't that Jacob stole anything from late rather it was that Jacobs wealth was increasing in proportion to Laban 's wealth and so think of it like this again the problem isn't that oh here's Jacob stealing and by the way the the form of currency in the form of wealth that they're talking about are the cattle and and the amount of cattle that was being bred at this point and the issue wasn't that that Jacob was stealing from his father-in-law the issue is that Laban sons are envious they're filled with envy it's so unfortunate because I feel like envious this thing that we skim over in church but it's something a lot of people and I would imagine a lot of people in here carry daily it's a heavy weight it's a disruptor of relationships it distorts truth and the reason for this is because envy it falsifies and helps you not in in a truthful manner but it distorts the truth and Jacob he didn't take anything from Laban but in the eyes of Layton's boys he took everything and really what it comes down to is that they were their minds were poisoned by Envy the text tells us that Jacob saw the countenance of Laban and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before that's the transition after Laban --zz sons are basically talking smack about him but I want you to notice Jacob you know Jacob noticed more specifically that after his brother-in-law's make those comments that his father-in-law's countenance was changing and not in a good way it was in a bad way that the influence of his brother of his sons envy leaked on to him and again for those who are listening to me right now for those who are gonna be listening to this later some of you may even think right now like let's move on Envy is really not a problematic thing but the issue really comes down to this Envy is something that doesn't just hurt ourselves and it corrupts every person we come into contact with throughout the Bible this subject is brought up in the little epistle of james we're told James 3:16 for we're envy and self-seeking exist confusion and every evil thing are there Paul had to address this issue even with the church at Corinth when describing what true love is love suffers long it's kind love does not envy and here's the bottom line here's the takeaway that all although Envy is the self promoting problematic relationship breaker here's the hope and I hope you walk away and remember this that God wants to deliver you from me from the envy you might be putting on your shoulders daily where you look at other people's life and you compare it to your own where you look at other people's relationships and other people's wealth and other people's this and you name the list and we don't we don't even realize it that to the point where it's almost this hardwired thing but God wants to deliver you from it and Jacob he is seeing that this family dispute could really get messy really fast and at the eleventh hour God speaks to him look at verse 3 with me of Genesis 31 then the Lord said to Jacob return to the land of your father's and to your family and I will be with you I want you to notice something here this is not a suggestion this is a command return to the land of your father and to your family and you have to realize guys it's been over 20 years since Jacob fled remember he's fleeing because in his mind his brother Esau is gonna want to kill him because he stole his birthright and the blessing it's been over 20 years and you have to wonder if in that moment Jacob heard it maybe there was a level of excitement but maybe there was a hint of doubt maybe there was that hint of doubt not in his stomach that the fear and prospect of boat weight I fled originally because my brother wanted to kill me and any preconceived doubt is shattered at the end of that verse in verse 3 I will be with you and those five words must have run strong and Jacobs mind I need you to return home but remember I will be with you Satan is quite relentless when he uses fear and doubt to make us forget the promises of Jesus it's true it's easy to listen to those kinds of things and whatever the pessimistic question or a question Jacob may have brought up in that moment I need you to return home I don't know it was shattered but I'm gonna be with you though and a lot of us in here we assume difficulty means that there's an absence of God that there's problems in your life so in your mind it's like that's this isn't making any sense and maybe God's not here and it's not true because we have to ingrain into our mind that if God is for us then who can be against us that if he tells us to do something we've got to move forward with it and I have to be honest with you even for Carolyn when we moved back here from our church plant in Charleston I was because I'm such a people pleaser I was convinced I need to convince everyone why we're supposed to be coming back but I have to tell you guys something that I'm so thankful for it because of my personality the Lord in that moment I remember said it's not your job to convince other people what I've already convinced you and oh boy you better believe that ring with hope in my heart and that's hard for me and I know that's easy to just hear but guys we passed our church off in hopes in faith that we were hearing from God correctly and I'm here to tell you that I'm so thankful for that because our little church plan is turning seven this September and it's still going and still running strong even without us but here's the point when God tells us to do something oh boy you better believe that he's gonna be with us every step of the way I'm going to be with you and Jacob he knows that he needs to do it so he calls for a family meeting look at verses 4 through 7 with me so Jacob said he called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock and he said to them I see your father's countenance that it's not favorable toward me as before but the god of my father has been with me that's code for hey ladies your dad doesn't like me anymore it's quite obvious and he says in verse 6 and you know that that with all of my might I have served your father yet your father has deceived me and changed look at this guy's changed my wages ten times but God did not allow him to hurt me it's very important as a church that we remain biblical and so I thought it would be appropriate for our staff here at Calvary CSD that I changed the staffs wages ten times consecutively in one year just to see how they would react based on how they react it's really gonna determine their employment Sebastien Muller just kidding so it's crazy know that this is crazy ten times your dad changed my wage and not only that look what he says in verse eight and if he said thus the speckled shall be your wages then all the flocks are speckled and if he said thus the streets shall be your wages then all the flocks bore streaks so God has taken away the livestock of your father and he's give them to me so Laban basically made a deal with Jacob in the previous chapters on what his wages would be and God was showing great favor on his behalf but Laban was going back on everything that he was saying and so what's happening here is Jacob he's recounting everything that we read about in the 30th chapter but I want you to notice at the end he says but God did not allow him to hurt me even though Laban tried to cheat Jacob God protected him every time at every moment and only that but God showed Jacob that he was greater and able to overcome anything any man might want to do to Jacob that God's presence and favor was with him as God promised it reminds me of the psalm and we should take this to heart so I'm one eighteen six if the Lord or excuse me the Lord is on my side I will not fear what can man do to me and shake up guys he had such a confidence in God and in ways that I wish that I had I you know when God speaks to me directly and even when as I told you when we moved back from Charleston to hear God's like it's not your job to convince other people what I've convinced you I hear that and it rang true in my heart there were times where it's like but maybe for some people I need to convince them I don't need to I don't need to do because if God is for me then who can be against me maybe some of you work with someone maybe you have an employer that has taken advantage of you who has in fact mistreated you and some and I know every one of us in here can go on and on and on my first job was that KFC when I was 15 and I worked with a guy by the name of Otto I was convinced he was sent by Satan into my life made my life miserable I remember just and you know in those moments it's just kind of like what am i doing I don't even go to work here and you know God used it for a season and of course I was a teenage adolescent hormonal little guy and you know and you know it was cool because I got left that job but then came back and he was like nice to me I wasn't what is this he's like I was just showing you tough love whatever man whatever that can't be the case but maybe some of you right now in this moment have an employer who is taking advantage of you you're like well that's funny John you were 15 then but like I hate my job like I I am struggling with it they take advantage of my time and my talents and you need to know something that we're reading this in the scripture but this isn't a new problem when a culture has to face Jakub like many of you have been mistreated by your employer maybe for some of you you've been mistreated by your own father-in-law but I want you to notice that Jacob how he appeals he doesn't bring his complaint to toby flenderson from the office he doesn't filed that formal complaint he doesn't convince everyone we have to go on a strike against the Laban instead he appealed to God and God took care of him it's it's so simple but it's so worth saying again he appealed to God and God took care of him and for some of us were like it can't be that simple and I'm not advocating that you guys do anything that's illegal because your boss asked you to do it I'm not even saying you should tolerate abuse but at the end of the day you may hate your job and leave your job because you're just surrounded by these sinners but you know what's gonna happen at your next job you're gonna be filled with sinners even more well I'll come work here at the church there's a lot of sinners here on this staff but you get my point here here's the takeaway before some of you might be thinking about quitting whatever job you're in I don't know if that's true or not but pray about it trust God live above approach and watch God go before you because here's Jacob his son Joseph is gonna be sore inner Lutheran about this in the coming chapters his sons gonna be sold into slavery he's gonna have this moment where Potiphar's wife is gonna attempt to sleep with him and he flees and instead of like being rewarded for doing the right thing he's put in prison but I was still before him and God and God he used that and it is it's a good I can't wait till we get to that portion but here in the text Jacob he knows he needs to return to his homeland for the first time he's heard God say it after 20 plus years and God has affirmed it but now God reveals new insight through a dream look at verses 10 through 13 and it happened at the time when the flocks conceived that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream behold the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked speckled and gray spotted then the angel of God spoke to me in a dream saying Jacob and I say Here I am and he said lift your eyes now and see all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked speckled and gray spotted for I have seen all that Laban and what he is doing to you and I'm the God of Bethel where you anointed the pillar a word you made a vow to me now arise get out of this land and return to the land of your family now you have to know that Jacob me maybe he doubted for a second even though he heard from God and he's like I'm just gonna sleep on it and I love that about God you can't escape me I'm gonna speak to you through your dream now I've told you and what's so unique about this is that we learned about this in the 30th chapter that the blessing of this reproduction of cattle wasn't because of agricultural methods on Jacobs part because he was so clever it's because God had everything to do with the the process and how all this happened also I want you to notice how God introduced himself he said I am the God of Bethel and he reminds Jacob it's that place you made a vow to me the place where he first encountered the Lord in a personal way what do you think about this now with me can you guys remember not the last but the first time you encountered God well maybe it was in a church maybe it was in your house maybe it was in the wilderness maybe it was a friend in your car because he or she was telling you maybe whatever it is remember the first time you had that encounter with God and how powerful it was and the reason why it's good to recount guys or specifically it's important to remember those encounters with God it's because we were so fickle and we're so prone to forget God's faithfulness and in this moment and for me especially as I was thinking about this my first encounter with God I was I was going back in time at least what I can remember is I was 15 my age was in my basement and God spoke to me and it was so vivid and it was so powerful and I just remember even in that moment if it made sense in this moment God has to remind Jacob I need you to seriously go back to Bethel the place where you first made a vow to me remember that I need you to go and take your family we need those reminders because ultimately some of you might some of you right now I might even think like I don't feel the way that encounter that you're telling me to let go back in time and remember I sure as heck don't feel that way now and you might feel like gods abandon you but I need you to know something God is the same yesterday today and forever that his character demands that not only is he consistent but he continues to want to pour himself out onto you that his character can't change even when with things in our life change it's never the case and in the same way God's plan hadn't changed for Jacob he was still going to benefit from this land that he promised his father and his grandfather and now we're gonna find out in the chapters to come that the Jewish nation is gonna come from this man's obedience to return back and he knows what he needs to do but he needs his wives plural he needs them to be on board he needs their approval look at verses 14 through 16 so then Rachel and Leah because they're in the field obviously talking to him at this point answered and said to him is there still any portion of inheritance for us in our father's house are we not considered strangers by him for he sold us and also completely consumed our money for all these riches which God has taken from the father are really ours and our children's now then whatever God has said to you do it so here's the little confession from the sisters present they're basically presenting hey Laban our dad is really bad at managing his finances and maybe there's something here like you're like there's a little bit of Laban in me that there's an issue with this management of finances because what makes matters worse that we just read about here is that the dowry given to Laban that basically was like a financial security for the girls sure is it's now revealed that not only did he not manage it properly he spent everything the text says he completely consumed our money emptied their piggy banks and so of course Jacob he's talking to his wives and he's like all right all in favor to ditch Laban move back to my hometown say aye they all say aye so and more specifically they say whatever God has said to you do it we're in it's unanimous they're out of there bye-bye Laban say you think that and no more specifically I hope you should see the key principles here one of them especially some powerful principles on marriage husbands if you're smart you're going to consult your wife on big decisions you're not going to just tell her what's happening you're gonna you're gonna involve her in the process the Bible that you know we're so fixated on the verse that says wives submit unto your husbands but did you know that the Bible also talks about husbands and wives smitten to one another and fear of the Lord your wife is a sounding board that has not just good things to say God will more often use your wife's voice to speak through to you don't forget that wives in the room allow your husband to lead and this is hard because some of the wives in here like my husband doesn't lead so I need a lead and maybe that is a problem for some of the people in here but I need this is gonna sound crazy and outrageous but follow me allow your husbands to lead and allow them to make mistakes not all the time not habitually not every single time because that's just his character John but it's important for him to see when he makes a mistake because he will the humility is gonna be clothed in that moment because husbands in the room when you do and make a mistake call it out recognize it the wife's are on board God's told you to Jacob let's go look at verses 17 through 18 then Jacob rose and he said his sons and his wife son the camels and he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained his acquired livestock which he had gained in paddan-aram to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan now you guys have to realize at this point like Penske truck rentals a 747 airplane these things don't exist this is not convenient this is going to be a very difficult move into transport everything we just read two verses but we don't realize he's moving everything and when I say everything we're talking about Jacob himself his two wives his eleven boys his one daughter his entire livestock are going on this journey by camels now the journey from where they're at to where they're going is about 300 miles it would be like if right here I was like let's be biblical there's 12 camels outside or something and we're gonna ride from here to Santa Fe New Mexico because that's basically the distance they have to travel in order for this to happen you think I'm joking but we're going to Israel and Jordan next year I've never to this day ridden a camel they smell terrible like I've been around camels but I decided after reading this I was like you know what I wouldn't I did just for five minutes want to get a feel of what this is gonna be like I know it's gonna be uncomfortable and weird and smelly but I'm gonna do it I'm gonna take pictures we're digressing verse 19 let's move on now Laban had gone to share his sheep and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father's well that's a change in the story right there she stole the idols now the idols in the Hebrew here is teraphim they were basically like little statues that looked like men or women and what's interesting about these Tara films is that I mean more specifically as I'm going through this instead of thinking why did she steal it why would she I mean and there's actually numerous reasons potential reasons I'm gonna tell you what might my conclusion is but I'm gonna tell you what some people believe the reason for our stealing the idols some believe that well maybe she secretly worshipped some of these idols without Jakob knowing I don't think that's the case some people believe well maybe she stole the tear film simply to almost get back at her father because we just learned in the previous verses that he's consumed all of her money maybe this is a way for her to be like I'm gonna take a little back I don't think that's the case either according to this some Jewish tradition rachel took the teraphim because you know she wanted to keep her father from idolatry that's Noble at least sounding I don't think that's the case what's interesting that I've read about that this was a practice that this is a practice in some areas in the world right now is that they would take these little idols and these Terra films and often it was used as a deed of contract of a property you know some of you have our homeowners and you you have the deed or you know the bank has the deed and some of you have paid off the your house and now you have the deed of trust of the home or whatever it might be these Terra films were basically proof of basically an inheritance that belonged to whoever blown - so in this case maybe and this is what I do think I think she took it because when Laban dies that to her is the ticket to get back her inheritance to get back basically everything that he consumed and took from us this is now our safety net for the dowry he spent but then again no one really knows verse 20 and 21 look what it says and Jacob stole away unknown to Laban the Syrian and that he did not tell him he intended to flee verse 21 so he fled with all that he had he arose and he crossed the river and he headed to the mountains of Gilad Oh guys don't forget in the previous verses that we just read God God it's given his blessing I'm giving you my blessing safe passage will go before you I mean at that point the dude could have gone to Kinko's and printed out these giant banners that says like we're out of here Laban see you later and he could have had like and like a fleet of people and they're all celebrating together not a worry of consequences because God told him I'm gonna be with you but instead he stole away unknown to Laban the Syrian in that he didn't tell him that he intended to flee but he got the green light from from the Lord so why why does he have to be sneaky right here simply put I think it's the same reason why we do this because I think fear and where he got the best of him it consumed him and the cure for fear ladies and gentlemen is faith it's faith in Jesus Christ because the Bible says without faith it's impossible to please God but there is something in our parts where we have to exercise a level of belief and trust that okay Jesus is in control even though it may not seem that way and the reason we do this guys that we put our faith in Christ and we don't entertain the fears of our heart is because fear it clouds our judgment it literally affects the way we think that the more often you worry you train yourself to live by this this code of conduct of if it doesn't make sense on paper I'm gonna freak out and anxiety and I'm gonna be paralyzed with my decision-making and I'm gonna go back and forth and I'm not gonna know and the reason I know that fear does all of these things is because the Bible says perfect love casts out all fear you know at the end of that verse says because fear involves torment fear tells the believer in Jesus to abandon their faith in Jesus it doesn't have to be the case you just have to be the case cuz the Bible declares in 2nd Timothy 1:7 for God hasn't given us a spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind and for most of you you need to hear this like you need to remember this that if you allow fear to remain active in your life it will take hold of your thoughts it will affect your judgment it will stifle I dare even it will suffocate your god-given destiny we are so again we're so fixated on this this worry train and God has not given you a spirit of fear he's given you a spirit of power of love and of a sound mind why do you think Jesus has to remind Peter like hey by the way I'm gonna build my church and not even the gates of Hell are gonna prevail against it you guys are given a power that is promised by Jesus himself the Holy Spirit and you can take that to the bank any day we need it because the way we face fear in conquer fear that the way we excuse me face and conquer fears with God's Word Jacob he did guys he didn't have to sneak out he did not have to do this cuz God already gave His blessing God already said I'm gonna go before you also another thing to note it says he arose he crossed the river and he headed toward the mountains of guilt Gilead I told you again it would be like the distance of traveling from here to Santa Fe New Mexico that journey is gonna be very hard it's gonna be very difficult thankfully no one's on there on their tail oh wait look what happens in verse 22 and 23 Laban was told on the third day that Jacob fled then he took his brethren with him he pursued him for seven days journey and he overtook him in the mountains of gallied again notice the amount of time it took him to realize they were gone three days an indication probably most likely is because they lived three days journey from one another and I was laughing I was as I was thinking about this because my father-in-law lives in South Carolina Carolyn's the oldest of eight kids right and every single one of her siblings literally live within a couple miles from her dad like you guys know the app find my friends some of you are like what's an app follow me here we go so on your phone there's the thing called find my friends which is basically a stalkers app because you know where you know if people give you permission to follow them you'll know where they're at geographically I follow Carolyn's siblings because we lived in Charleston at one point I'm not a creeper I need to preface that so and if you look on the map it's so funny too because they all live within literally one to five miles of each other all of their siblings and all of their spouses and it's crazy but in this case like that that doesn't exist there's a three day's journey between Jacob and Laban and so he finds out and he's filled with rage and in the heat of rage he's takes his brethren Laban himself and they pursue Jacob even though even though Jacob has a three-day start it couldn't help but to think of Lord of the Rings when I was thinking about this when Legolas yes Gimli and Aragorn are pursuing the fleet of orcs that took merry and pippin the little hobbits from the Shire and of course if you've seen the movie they managed to catch up with the orcs before the orcs smell man flesh and babe sorry I know I was kicking out there for a second but that's literally where my mind went when Laban finds out that his family is missing and I think Laban had every intention to kill Jacob I do in fact we're gonna read about it why I think that's the case but God he's gonna intervene because look at verse 24 of Genesis 30:1 but God had come to Laban they the Syrian in a dream by night and he said to him be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad now just stop there for a second something again tells me that God wouldn't have to confront Laban in a dream unless Laban was planning to do something malicious harmful even kill Jacob and the pursuit is over and Laban is gonna confront Jacob he knows what he needs to do which is such a interesting statement that when you speak to him let it neither be good nor bad and he doesn't do that look at verses 25 through 30 so Laban overtook Jacob and Jacob pitched his tent in the mountains and Laban with his brethren pitch the mountains of Gilead they're really quick I just need to point out that they are incredibly close to the Jordan River and the promised land at this point I think about that especially for all of those that are coming with us Israel this next year verse 26 and Laban said to Jacob what have you done that you've stolen away unknown to me and carried away my daughters like captives taken with a sword why did you flee away secretly and still away from me and not tell me I I might have sent you away with joy and song with timbrel and harp and you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters no you have done foolishly in so doing it is in my power to do you harm but the God of your father spoke to me last night saying be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad and now you have surely gone because excuse me and now you have surely gone because you greatly longed for your father's house but why did you steal my God's lowercase G this is like a diva moment right now like I'm just like Laban is probably a former thespian or something this is very overly melodramatic what we're reading right here and he does Laban confronts Jacob why did you flee away secretly and what makes this so inconsistently insane it's because in the same sentence that we just read Laban is basically like I might have just basically sent you away with joy and songs we could have had a going-away party we could have had confetti snacks possibly punch yeah right what whatever because in that same sentence he also says you've done foolishly in so doing it is in my power to do you harm it's this passive-aggressive way of saying like well but I'm not because your God basically spoke to me in a dream and by the way why'd you steal my God's because it is but he knows the teraphim is missing and in his mind it's Jacob obviously fled in the night secretly obviously he stole it and what I just guys think about that with me what a ridiculous statement why did you steal my God's little word of advice if you worship false gods that are capable of being stolen or lost that should be an indication that you're worshiping the wrong thing because I just can't imagine this setting but look at verse 31 Jacob pleads the fifth and then Jacob answer you said to leave him because I was afraid for I said perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force he doesn't answer all the questions immediately he just answers the first why did you flee secretly and he gives it right here fear fear was the answer he was afraid I don't want to overly drive the point but this is a problem for for Jacob it was a problem for Isaac it was a problem for Abraham his problem for some of us here guys fear is gonna keep you from fulfilling the potential God has for you fear is this self imprisonment in fact fun word study if you look up fear not in the Bible 63 times it's mentioned so if you're in your mind like I should do have word study on something do don't fear not and it I'm hoping it should prompt inside of you well maybe if God says it so much then there's a reason why he wants me to fear not and the cure for it fear his faith every single time and Jacob he was so confident that the idols weren't with him he makes this foolish statement look at verse 32 he says with whomever you find your gods do not let him live in the presence of our brethren identify what I have of yours and take it with you for Jacob did not know that Rachel stole them oh snap the plot thickens you have to know Rachel at that point but you know what Rachel is a trickster guys should learn from the best she learned from her dad and she learned from her husband how she can get out of this pickle it's kind of weird but follow me verse 33 through 35 Laban went into Jacobs tent - Leah's tent and just the two the two maids tents and he didn't find them then he went out of Leah's tent he entered Rachel's tent and Rachel had taken the household idols he put them in the camel and excuse me put them in the camel saddle sat on them Laban searched all about the ten didn't find them and then she said to her father let it not displease my Lord that I cannot rise before you for the matter of woman is with me and he searched but did not find the household idols I just have to ask this I hope do you know what she means when she says let not this displease my Lord that I cannot rise before you for the manner of woman is within me because it was customary back then to arise the Lord 8ie heard her father is present and she's basically saying like hey Dad I'd love to get up but you know it's that womanly time of the month for me and I'm having a menstrual cycle and it's prohibiting me from moving then like any other father hearing that their daughter saying oh sorry I didn't hear that or what I didn't know no just sit just sit just sit sneaky sneaky Rachel again where do you think she learned that from she's watched her husband do and she's watched her father do it the idols are nowhere to be found Jacob unaware still that his wife stole it - decides to give his exchanging of words at this moment look at verse 36 to 39 and then Jacob was angry rebuked Laban in the Hebrew angry it means to glow to burn you know what that means he's not holding anything back then Jacob was angry he rebuked Laban and Jacob answered and said to Laban what is my trespass what is my sin that you've so haughtily pursued me although you have searched all my things what part of your household things have you found said it here before my brethren in your brethren that they might judge between us both these twenty years I have been with you your news and your female goats have miscarried their young and I have not eaten the Rams of your flock that which was torn by beasts I didn't bring I did not bring to you I bore the loss of it you required it from my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night now you guys have to understand in those days that if a shepherd was in charge of a certain heard a certain flock that didn't belong to them but their job was to watch the whatever it was and the owner basically paid them to do so that if one of the little lambs or anyone from the flock was attacked by a predator the Shepherd had the responsibility to prove that he wasn't him that actually stole it and what he would have to do is he would have to bring body parts to his owner like here's the year here's the lake here's the limb here's whatever the part is and that was an indication proof I didn't I didn't I didn't steal it I'm not lying to you right now and what Jacobs saying right here he's he's basically saying like I didn't even do that I just assumed to take the loss so if one of the Predators took what was bond to you I gave you in a mine and not only that I would above and beyond the call of duty by serving you for 20 years did hey look through my stuff is anyone here I didn't steal from you Carolyn before we had kids she worked at a at the Olive Garden in South Carolina unfortunately this restaurant establishment was notorious for servers to pocket the money and basically say oh they dined in - but a lot of people like again they were just pocketing the money so they had this policy that hey you that happens twice you're out of here kind of a thing I'm not saying this to make anyone feel bad if you've done this because God's grace is sufficient God's grace is good but this is what happened in the story she how to Dinah - sure couple and they order that any and everything that they could and she had to use the money she made that night to pay for her their bill because she knew her bosses at that point would let her go she came home crying and she was devastated and she'd been gone for probably about eight to ten hours and she's like I made $2 today and I mentioned that story for two reasons if you're ever thinking about dining and dashing again think about my wife's face crying on the breast of my chest because it was very sad but at this point in the story Jacobs like that never happened my conscience is clear and thankfully like I said Carolyn paid and God did provide we didn't eat for a week but that's okay verse 40 through 41 then he says Jacob there I was in the day of the drought and it consumed me in the frost by night my sleep departed from my eyes thus I have been in your house 20 years I've served you 14 years for your two daughters we learned about that weeks ago and six years for your flock and you've changed my wages ten times there it is he's saying it again he's fixated on that again 20 plus years of serving this man and I think I think at this point like he had been holding it in like I think this was 26 plus years of just like I'm not gonna say anything to him and he's just like he was so angry so filled with rages like I don't even care I'm gonna have to say everything he does he points it out I've been with you for 20 years I didn't secretly take any Rams that belong to you Laban I didn't steal an idol from you that you're accusing me I not only that I've worked tirelessly through extreme weather not only that leading you've changed my wages ten times that he finished by saying this in verse 42 of Genesis 31 look what it says and unless the god of my father the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac had been with me surely now you have sent me away empty-handed God has seen my affliction the labor of my hands he rebuked you last night you gotta love that moment you got it Oh ladies bite in his lip cuz he knows he's right this is why we need reminders that it would see maybe maybe this is so you right now that when your life it feels like everything is falling apart don't forget sometimes oftentimes God is using it to make everything fall into place that God is using whatever the circumstances in your life in order to show you that not only is he in control but he knows the outcome that he knows how to to provide for you and what what you need on a daily basis could be kissing even for me I would imagine a lot of us don't realize the amount of times God has protected us without us even knowing it you know what I mean like there have been times in our life that what we looked on paper was like things don't make sense I don't know why this is happening and it's God's Way of showing you that like I'm actually doing this to protect you Jesus knows the outcome this is why the cure for fear is faith in Jesus that faith in Jesus has to be more than just a noun see we love him it has to be more than that it requires action on our part that we have to live in such a way that our actions speak louder than our words that it that the way we live does really in fact reflect our love for Jesus and our faith in Jesus also I think this chapter reminds us that when we think we have all the information I need to think twice before we lash out on someone I'm gonna say it again this is a reminder for everyone in here that when we think we have all the information we need to think twice before we lash out on someone that's why the Bible promotes this be quick to listen slow to speak because in the end Jesus does know everything and that's comforting for me it's comforting for me verse 43 Laban answered and said to Jacob these daughters are my daughters these children are my children this block is my flock all that you see is mine but what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have born it's a pretty bold statement you'd realize what he's saying right here he's like actually everything that I see that's before me belongs to me anyways but since I'm being such a nice guy you can have it you'll see what I mean look at verse 44 through 50 now therefore come let us make a covenant you and I let us be a witness between let it be a witness between you and me so Jacob took a stone he set it up as a pillar then jacob said to his brethren gather stones they took stones made a heap and they ate there on the heap and Laban called it cigar and Saha do thha but Jacob called it gilad and Laban said this heap is a witness between you and me this day therefore its name was called gallied also Mizpah because he said may the Lord watch between you and me the Lord watch between you and me and when we are absent from one another and if you afflict my daughters or if you take other wives besides my daughters it's a weird statement although no man is with us see God is witness between you and me so I just let's break this down just for a second Laban at this point is before Jacob and they're making this covenant to finally settle the score but I want you to notice the wording at the end of what I just read also nice huh because he said may the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent from one another Missa was never meant to be a nice sentiment nice statement Laban is still struggling doing this I don't want to do this and I'm still struggling with trusting Jacob and the idea of Miss fafa is listen God is watching don't do wrong even though there might be people present or not present God is going to see on your behalf I'm gonna talk more about that here in a second let's read the final verses Laban said to Jacob here's the heap here is the pillar place between you and me this heap is witness and this pillar is a witness that I will not pass beyond this heap to you and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me for harm there's the protection there right they got the God of Abraham the god of nature and the God of the Father judged between us and Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac and then Jacob offered his sacrifice on the mountain and called his brethren to eat bread and they ate bread and they stayed all night in the moon and early in the morning Laban arose he kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them and Laban departed and he returned to his place this is a very tense portion of Scripture because I need you all to understand that what why they're settling this here they're building a pillar as a way to draw in the sand there it is I'm not gonna cross that side you're not gonna cross this side I'm not gonna cross that side to harm you you're not gonna cross this side to harm me and if you dare even attempt to cross it these stones that pillar they made are gonna be witnesses and not only the stones but God is gonna be a witness if you break this vow and then they came to the agreement this they stay the night they feasted and Laban say goodbye and he kissed his daughters he kissed his grandchildren and then they separated next week the goal is to cover 32 and 33 of Genesis but chapter 32 is gonna be a turning point for Jacob he's heading back to the place that he's been gone for over 26 years he hasn't seen his brother in two decades the very brother that threatened to kill him the last time he saw him and Jacob at this point was willing to obey God even though it seemed dangerous it seemed foolish he knew he needed to do it he required listening and then obeying and I love this part it involved confirming it and affirming it with his family and I think there's a lot of us in here that need confirmation I think God's Word has all of the answers I also believe that the Bible declares that in the multitude of counselors there safety there's wisdom to talk to men and women listen carefully because we we get advice from anyone and everyone sometimes other than men and women that actually love Jesus have a reverence for his word that's why the Bible says walking out in the counsel of the ungodly there's power guys maybe some of you are struggling and you need affirmation you need unique counsel I strongly strongly strongly if you're in the process right now I'm making a big life decision get advice and counsel from men and women that love Jesus have a reverence for the word and are gonna point you back to him because in the end because in the end Jacob is gonna head back and the Jewish nation is gonna come from this from this man and his family but think about it what if Jacob didn't go back like I said a couple Sundays ago God hasn't given us the thought process of the what-ifs of life we do that what if I would have done this would if anyone in this in Christ he's a new creation and old things that pass away behold all things become new until then next week chapters 32 and 33 let's pray Heavenly Father we come before you and we thank you for the life of Jacob that again what a just dysfunctional family that you appointed that the Messiah that Jesus was gonna come from who not only represents but is in fact perfect who that not only took on the weight of sin on my behalf and every person in this room listening to my voice and hearing this he's the very reason why we can celebrate what we're about to sing a song right now that we can declare our praises to Lord I pray that we would learn from the life of Jacob and Rachel that we wouldn't be men and women that are dishonest and lie that we wouldn't have to live in fear and I pray for anyone in here that just are overwhelmingly overtaken by fear Lord that they wouldn't harp it on on that statement that I'm always fearful that I'm always anxious Lord but that you would take the men and women in here that are struggling with that and that they would consume their thoughts with your word that they would hide your word in their heart that they might not sit against you I just pray right now Lord as we're about to end with the last two songs that you would just speak to our hearts that if we've been dishonest men and women that we've been fearful mitad women that we haven't been trust in you I pray tonight that we would replace the fear in our life with faith faith in Jesus the author and finisher of life we love you Jesus and it's your perfectly we pray amen let's worship

Channel: Calvary South Denver

Views: 3,996

Rating: 4.8730159 out of 5

Keywords: Calvary Chapel, Christianity, Bible Study, Jon Geraci, Genesis

Id: QfQbZWKdSlE

Length: 53min 55sec (3235 seconds)

Published: Thu Mar 21 2019