Beginnings: Cultivating God s Promises: Naming of a Nation: Genesis 32-33 Introduction Naming your child (Caleb Dog) Retell the High Points: Probably the most important part of Jacob s life. Transition: This morning I want to pull out 3 principles from this passage of scripture. On a side note: This is a Shaun Brown thought I think the reason Jacob stayed so long in his toxic relationship with Laban is that he was afraid to go home and deal with his past. He knew he had swindled his brother out of his birthright and blessing. So no matter how bad things got with Laban, going home was a far worse proposition (At least in Jacob s mind) then staying with Laban. 1
Transition: But now God has commanded him to go home. And he know he is going to meet his brother Esau. And so in preparation for this meeting he uses I. Wisdom: Planning and prayer. A. Planning. Genesis 32:7-8 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, 8 thinking, If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape. (ESV) 1. Jacob plans for this meeting. 2. He is obedient to the word of God, but is also comes with planning. 3. He plans again in VV 13-21 and then he executes his plan in 33:1-3. 4. Wisdom is not just, Pray about it. I have often heard that 2
phrase used, as a cause of inaction, or poor planning. We can just pray about it. 5. We should pray about it and I will cover that in a second. 6. Wisdom dictates good planning, wise counsel. Luke 14:27-33 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, 3
any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. (ESV) Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. (ESV) Illustration: I often shocked how often people will take a business loan without first seeking the counsel of an older wiser business man or woman. Get married without first asking parents, spiritual mentors if this person might be a good fit for marriage. Second part of wisdom is B. Prayer. Genesis 32:9-12 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good, 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your 4
servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But you said, I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. (ESV) 1. Notice he prays humbly some of the first signs of humility we have seen out of Jacob. 2. He prays dependent acknowledges his complete dependence on God and God s hand of blessing on Him. 3. He prays reminding God of His commands and promises. BTW: This is not a stamp approving His plans. This is obeying God s commands, but understanding that God is sometimes asking us to risk. Faith and obedience often 5
has a risk factor to it, which reminds us all the more to depend on Him. Transition: First thing I want you to see is this beautiful picture of wisdom. Prayer and planning. Second I want you to see the naming of God s people and I will discuss how I think that applies to us II. Naming of God s people. Genesis 32:26-31 Then he said, Let me go, for the day has broken. But Jacob said, I will not let you go unless you bless me. 27 And he said to him, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. 28 Then he said, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed. 29 Then Jacob asked him, Please tell me your name. But he said, Why is it that you ask my name? And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has 6
been delivered. 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob s hip on the sinew of the thigh. (ESV) Main Point: God changes Jacob s name. Whenever we see this in scripture it is a significant moment. Jacob gets a name change from Jacob to Israel. Let s unpack this for a moment, because this brings me so much encouragement. A. Israel: wrestle/persevere with God. 1. Of all the names God could have given to His people. a. He could have named his people anything. b. People that love God, People that worship God, People that have joy in God, People that 7
find mercy from God, people God blesses. c. No, He named them the people that wrestle with God. 2. He named his people, the people that persevere, or strive with God, or cling to God until the end. 3. Here is why that gives me so much hope: Illustration: I have so many questions for God. As I read Genesis, it is head scratching to me. I have questions, it doesn t all make sense to me. There are doctrines of God that I would love to know more or understand better. Some of the questions that you wrestle with, I wrestle with. But God does not call me to understand everything, and God does not call me have an answer for every question a person may ask me, called has called us to wrestle with him. 8
Retell John 6 Eat my flesh and drink my blood. Do you all want to leave too? John 6:66-69 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, Do you want to go away as well? 68 Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God. (ESV) Main Point: That is very close to my faith journey. Where else do I go. Hedonism? Atheism? Other religions huge doughnut holes for me. And the linchpin for me (And Apostle Paul) is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Grounded in historical fact, attested by 100 s and 100 s of people. What do I do with that? Believe. Not faith in faith But faith in the facts of what we know to be true. 9
Now my journey is to wrestle, cling, grapple with, and persevere with God, no matter how much sense it does or doesn t make to me. Transition: Second thing we see here (Letter B) is that Jacob in his wrestling comes to understand the gospel message. Genesis 32:30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered. (ESV) B. No one can see God and live. (What is it that Israel understands?) 1. God is holy and sinful man deserves to be consumed by His holy character. 2. The only way we get to see God is if God does something about our sin something we can t do on our own. (Life, death, resurrection of Christ) 10
3. We need God s mercy and grace that finds its fulfillment in Christ. 4. We need to humble receive God s grace and mercy by faith it God and God alone that delivers us from His own character. Transition: Jacob (Now Israel) humbly receives the saving grace of God and because of this C. Walk with a limp. Genesis 32:31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. (ESV) 1. Sometimes the breaking process of our pride is difficult and painful. 2. Sometimes that leaves a life time consequence. 3. The good news is that God uses broken people to display His glory. 11
4. It is better to have an earthly (Life-time) consequence to know that we have our eternity secured. Illustration: In fact the Apostle Paul takes it so far as to remind us that sometimes God leaves us broken so that we can daily depend on Him for His grace to get us through each day. Think about Jacob, if ever there was a time he need to project physical strength it was now. In case his brother wanted to fight or go to war. He needed to be strong, instead God sent him with a disability. Paul prayed about his own (Struggle, temptation, disability, sinful past we don t know exactly when he said) 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that 12
it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (ESV) Main Point: We get to brag about our limps because God uses them for His glory. Finally: Jacob is a broken man, a new name, and a limp, meets his brother and humbles himself before him. And in this he gives us a terrific picture of true repentance. Genesis 33:8-11 Esau said, What do you mean by all this company that I met? Jacob answered, To find favor in the sight of my lord. 9 But Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself. 10 Jacob said, No, please, if I have found favor in your 13
sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. 11 Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. Thus he urged him, and he took it. (ESV) This is the overflow of III. Real repentance. Genuine repentance exhibits: A. Generosity because we have been forgiven by a generous God. B. Restitution As much as it depends on us make things right. (Romans 12:18) Illustration: We see the exact same thing in Luke 10 with Zacchaeus. Luke 19:8-9 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give 14
to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold. 9 And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. (ESV) Main Point: I preached on this last fall. Zacchaeus knows the law and is acknowledging he has broken the law, and doing over and above what the law demands. He is calling himself a thief and a liar, not sugar coating his sin, and because God has forgiven him in Christ, he is now free to tell on himself to others and make genuine restitution. It is the overflow of the freedom of the gospel. No more hiding, no more shame, no more guilt. Free to call His life what it is and make things right with other people. Zacchaeus got a new name in Christ, and lived up to his name. Jacob got a new name in Christ and lived up to his name. Conclusion 15
We worship the God of new names, fresh starts, and second chances. Our God gives us a new name and then empowers of us to live up to that new name. I love the way the Apostle Paul reminds us that we all have a story, and as Christians it is not your sin is worst than my sin, it is that we all, as Christians have been given a new name. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (ESV) Christian. Follower of Christ. We have taken His name upon us, may God by the 16
power of His Spirit grant us the strength to live up to our new name. Pray 17