Pericope: Genesis
28:16-22
Sermon Text: Genesis
28: 20 Then Jacob made a
vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I
am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear
Sermon Title: God’s
Got It: Pt 2 And So Do You!
James 4:1-6 - What causes fights and
quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2
You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you
want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you
may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don’t you
know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone
who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you
think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he
has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture
says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Point 1: Jacob makes a proposition. Genesis 28: 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying,
“If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and
will give me food to eat and clothes to wear
a) How long is the contract? Vs 20…watch over me on this
journey
b) How do you enter the contract? Vs
20 if you then I will
I called this that “if you” condition's. Jacob was all in
God's face talking about if you do the something. We say on a regular basis,
“if you God…”
c)
What
will both parties do? Vs 20 [God] give me food to eat and clothes
to wear… I return safely… You will [can] be my God.
Point 2: God's response
to your needs. God has an If then Deuteronomy 28:1-8 - If
you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands
I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the
nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you [overtake you] and
accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: 3 You will be blessed in the city
and blessed in the country. 4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed,
and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the
calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. 5 Your basket and your
kneading trough will be blessed. 6 You will be blessed when you come
in and blessed when you go out. 7 The Lord will grant that
the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated
before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in
seven. 8 The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you
put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving
you.
In order to receive those blessings God
wants a lifestyle change.
Matthew 5:22 But I say to you that
everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever
insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’
will be liable to the hell of fire.
Vs. 28 - But I say to you that everyone
who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with
her in his heart.
Vs 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and
pray for those who persecute you,
Vs 48 You therefore must be perfect, as
your heavenly Father is perfect.
James 1:13-15 Don’t let anyone under
pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious
to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil comes
from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up
of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to
adulthood, and becomes a real killer.
Point 3: Negotiate from a position of strength Vs 13
There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your
father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants
the land on which you are lying.
God promised him the birthright. “And
may God give you of the dew of heaven [abundant rainfall] and of the fatness
[rich places] of the earth, and plenty [an abundance] of grain and wine. Let
people serve you, and let nations bow down to you. Be lord [rule] over your
brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone that
curses you, and blessed be he that blesses you” (Gen. 27:28-29).
That
blessing that was irrevocable. Isaacs blessing him in Vs 1
So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him.
God
re-affirmed it.
Philippians
4:19 says all we need to do is trust God. 19 And my God will meet
all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Life
Application:
1. Stop
bargaining with God and start trusting God.
2. Remember
he loves you so much he gave his only begotten Son for you. He will not withhold any good gift from you.
3. When
you make a promise to God – if..then – keep it!