Series of 15 Sermons by Pastor Ron Thomas On "The Life of Jacob" 4 - "JACOB TRIES HIS WINGS" RODGERS BAPTIST CHURCH 801 West Buckingham Rd. - Garland, TX 75040 <<==== Pastor Ron Thomas

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2/13/2002

Text: Genesis 28:1-5. "And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother. 3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; 4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. 5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother." Verse 10. "And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. 16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. 17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. 18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. 20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee."

INTRODUCTION: Life has it's difficult passages. One of the tough spots in the road of life, is between our teen years and adulthood. It is a time of transition filled with moments when we struggle between dependance and independence; times when we want to be treated like a child at home, and moments when we desire to be treated as an adult. It is a time when we struggle with some of the great questions of life. These can be lonely years as we struggle to find our own identity, our own way, our own place in the sun.

In the Scriptures the mother eagle is often used to illustrate this passage of life. In Deuteronomy 32:11-12 it says, "As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: 12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him." This is what the mother eagle does when it is time for her eaglets to leave the nest and learn to fly. She flutters over her brood to excite them to fly. She disturbs her nest, making it less comfortable for her young ones to stay, and to encourage them to leave it. Then the mother eagle launches her young from her wings in the heavens, teaching them to fly on their own.

Leaving the comfort, care, and shelter of home and trying out our wings can be a very fearful experience. Young adults must discover their own boundaries, develop their own convictions, make their own commitments, establish their own walk with the Lord.

As we continue our study in THE LIFE OF JACOB, we find him leaving the nest and trying his wings. He is in transition, in-between the young boy at home and the young man in the house of Laban.

Jacob is leaving home, largely out of necessity. A death threat made by his older brother Esau propels him from his home ready or not, into an unknown future. Quickly his dad and mother gather his things together, giving him last minute instructions, pointing him toward his mother's family who dwell in a distant place called Padanaram. He was not to follow the example of his older brother Esau in marrying a Canaanite women. Instead, he was to chose a bride from his own people, people who knew and served the same God.

Before he leaves, his father Isaac blesses him, this time not by deceit, but desire.

Suddenly, Jacob is away from home for the first time in his life, alone with his thoughts with plenty time to reflect upon his past, as well as contemplate the future. Without doubt, as Jacob strikes out on his own, countless questions flood his mind. Will he ever be able to return home again? Would the blessing ever be realized in his life? What did the future hold for him? Would he survive? What kind of man was his uncle Laban? Would he be received into his home? Would he find a wife there?

Jacob travels a two or three days journey away from home. It is evening, and he prepares to spend another night on the road, out under the stars. He is near the very place where his grandfather Abraham had built an alter. Some even speculate that Jacob used stones from that alter as a pillow for his head.

Soon Jacob was asleep, and as he slept, he began to dream the dream of his life. He saw in his dream, a great ladder extending from Heaven to the earth, and on that ladder, angels who were ascending and descending. What seemed to be a very lonely, desolate place, was suddenly bustling with activity! The Lord Himself was at the top of the ladder and He began to speak to Jacob. As He speaks to Jacob in his dream, the Lord rehearses and reaffirms the covenant made to his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac. God tells Jacob that the land belongs to him and to his seed. His seed would prosper and fill the land! The promise of God was alive and well!

Then the Lord's message became very personal. In verse 15 He tells this lonely, fearful young man, "And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." Hearing those words was like a mother eagle swooping under Jacob and lifting him to the heights, to refresh him and encourage him to spread his wings. The blessing was real! The Lord was with Jacob as much as He was with his father or his grandfather! He was not alone, and he would never be alone! The Lord promised Jacob His presence, protection, and providential care.

Jacob wakes up from his dream a very different man! As his journey away from home takes a turn toward God, Jacob is better equipped to face the future.

Jacob awakens from his dream, filled with a new assurance. Verse 16 says, "And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not." Jacob wakes up with a new assurance. Up to this point in time, His knowledge of God and experience with God was second hand. Jacob's faith is becoming his own. He is for the first time in his life realizing that the Lord was with him as much as He was with Abraham and with Isaac. God is the God not just of Abraham and Isaac, but of Jacob!

There comes a time in our lives when the faith becomes our own possession. It is no longer the "faith of our Fathers," the faith of our parents, the faith of my pastor, it is our faith! We need to come to the place in life when we can say in our hearts, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!" How wonderful and reassuring to know that we have a living, personal relationship with God apart from our parents; that God will hear and answer our prayers. We can go to Jesus Christ, our own personal High Priest with our problems, our cares, and find mercy and grace to help in the time of our need!

Jacob awakens from his dream with a new awareness. Verse 17. "And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." Guess what? God is not so far away! As someone said, "Earth is crammed with Heaven." The ladder connecting Heaven and earth, busy, crowded with angels going back and forth was a great revelation to Jacob. The transcendent God was very present and involved in human affairs.

There needs to be in our lives a growing awareness that God is still here. He is ever present! There are times when we may feel all alone, but we are never alone! The Lord has promised each of us, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." The is no power or presence able to shut God out of our lives. The psalmist asked in Psalm 139:7, "Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?" The answer is NO WHERE!

There needs to be in our lives a growing awareness that God is still working. There are times when we feel that God is idle, that He is inactive. God is always working in hearts, in lives; He is working behind the scenes, working in ways we are not even aware. God is always on the job. He never takes a vacation. Psalms 121:1-4 reads, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."

There needs to be in our lives a growing awareness that God is still committed to us. There will be times in life when we will feel as though the Lord has abandoned us, that He has failed to keep His promises. This is never the case! Psalms 27:9-10 reads, "Hide not Thy face far from me; put not Thy servant away in anger: Thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up."

There is great strength in this awareness. The whole world can be against us, but if we know that God is with us, that God is for us, that He is on our side, we can go on! We hear this awareness in the words of the apostle Paul recorded in II Corinthians 4:8-9. "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed."

The greatest awareness is that God Himself became a ladder connecting Himself with mankind. In John 1:47-51 we read, "Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith unto Him, Whence knowest Thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49 Nathanael answered and saith unto Him, Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel. 50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. 51 And He saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."

In Hebrews 2, Paul tells us that Jesus took upon Himself our nature, a "partaker of flesh and blood," so to "taste death for every man." Jesus took upon Himself the "seed of Abraham," made "like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted." As the ladder, Jesus is the one and only way to God, the one and only mediator between God and man!

Jacob awakens from his dream with a new association. Verses 18-19. "And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first." There is now a special place in Jacob's life. It is called Bethel, the house of God. The Lord has met with him there in that special place! Jacob takes the stone around that place and makes a pillar or a monument, then he pours oil upon it.

The Lord has given us a house of witness. At one time it was the Tabernacle. Once it was completed, the Lord immersed it with His Spirit, His presence, His glory. It was the same later with the Temple. The glory of God's presence filled that place upon it's completion and He met with His people there. The Lord Jesus Christ came and established His church, His assembly, during His earthly ministry, and on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit of God immersed it, and empowered it. As believers living in this age, we are to associate with the people of God, and with His church!

The church is the "pillar and ground of the truth," the place where we are to be encouraged, equipped, and edified. The apostle Paul was a church man, a church planter, and care taker. He lived and died for churches. Upon Paul's shoulders was a daily burden for all the churches! He said in Ephesians 3:21, "Unto Him, (God) be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

In February 1996, the announcement was made that the Cleveland Browns were moving to Baltimore after 30 years in Cleveland. The announcement devastated many people. Among the many Browns fans interviewed, one man sat in his pickup truck and wept as he said, "Now me and my family will have no place to go on Sunday." As Christians, we have a place to go on Sunday.

Jacob awakens from his dream with a new affirmation. Notice verses 20-22. "And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee." This is the first vow recorded in Scripture.

Jacob is deeply impressed with the vision of God and voice of God. There is a difference of opinion as to the attitude expressed by Jacob. Some read this vow as conditional, weak in commitment. The two words "if" and "then" suggest a vow based upon Jacob's terms. Others see Jacob's if as since, that is "Since God will be with me." It is obvious that Jacob is now aware of God's presence, protection, providence, and promise in his life, where once he was unaware. Realizing all of this, Jacob affirms his own commitment to God by making this vow. Someone said, "If only some of those who are inclined to criticize Jacob would do what he promised and give the tenth of their income to God, what a different state of affairs would obtain in connection with God's work at home and abroad."

It is interesting to note that from this point on, the Lord prospered Jacob in all that he did, giving evidence that he was serious and sincere when making this vow, keeping it's terms. When we get serious with God, He gets serious with us!

The truth is this, it is one thing to sit in judgement of Jacob's vow, and quite another to make our own vow to God. What are we vowing to God? Minus commitment, we have nothing. Marriage minus commitment is nothing. A relationship with God minus commitment is nothing. A church relationship minus commitment, is nothing. It is one thing to say that we are bought with a price, that Jesus owns us, and another thing to live like it, to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God. It is one thing to say that God owns everything, that all blessings flow from Him, and another thing to give like it, to honor Him with our time, our talent, our treasures, and the tithe!

In Kentucky, there is a huge rivalry in college basketball between the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky. The story is told that at one of the recent "Dream Games" between the two schools, an elderly woman was sitting alone with an empty seat next to her. Someone approached her and said, "Ma'am, I have rarely seen an empty seat in Rupp Arena, let alone at the Dream Game. Whose seat is this?" The woman responded that she and her late husband had been season ticket holders for twenty-eight years, and the seat had belonged to him. "Well, couldn't you find a friend or relative to come to the game with you?" the observer asked. "Are you kidding?" she replied. "They're all at my husband's funeral."

What kind of a commitment are we making in our lives to God, His Word, and His house? Does our service to God cost us anything? What does it take to get in our way of following God?

Here are the things that will deliver us from the teen years into our adult years.

FIRST, we need a growing assurance that God is with us, possessing our own faith and walk with Him.

SECOND, we need a growing awareness that God is here, that He is working in our behalf, and He keeps His promises.

THIRD, we need a definite association with the house of God and the things of God. Hockey fans go to the hockey games and support the team. Jesus fans go to the house of God and support His cause.

FOURTH, we need a personal affirmation, making our vow to God.