Sunday 11:10:13

Gen 25:24-26 Jacob is born a deceiver, a schemer Gen 25:27-43 Jacob schemes his brother, Esau, out of his birthright Gen 27:1-40 Jacob deceives his father, Isaac and took Esau's blessing Gen 27:41-28:9 Jacob flees Esau and starts his journey to Haran to seek a wife Gen 28:10-15 Jacob has a dream of a stairway to heaven. God passes the promise of Abraham and Isaac to Jacob Gen 28:16-22 Jacob's response to God's promise: "If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey... then the Lord will be my God." (He asks for food, clothes, and a safe journey). Jacob's faith is weak, but God is patient and will prove that He can be trusted Gen 29:1-14 Jacob arrives in Haran and meets Rachel Gen 29:15-30 Jacob works for seven years to marry Rachel, but is deceived by Laban and Jacob marries both Rachel and Leah. God allows polygamy in some OT stories, but it ALWAYS causes trouble. God's design is a man and a woman in marriage. Jacob's love for Rachel - he worked for her for 14 years. He had a devoted love for her. He had a self-sacrificing love for her Jacob will become Israel, the father of the 12 tribes. His devoted, self-sacrificing love for Rachel is a foreshadowing of Jesus' devoted, self-sacrificing love for his people. Genesis 29:31-35 - Leah's children "the Lord saw Leah." Reuben - sounds like "he has seen my misery" Simeon - "one who hears" God knows our struggles, our pain. He sees. He hears. He cares for you God demonstrated his love for Jacob by being with him when he was afraid. God is demonstrating his love to Leah by blessing her with children when she was hurt. Genesis 30:1-8 - Rachel tries to earn what she already has Why is Rachel so upset about not having children? She's insecure. She's competitive, jealous. She's afraid Jacob will love Leah more. So she works, and schemes, and strives to make Jacob love her. Did she have to work to earn Jacob's love? No, he demonstrated his love for her by working for 14 years. She was trying to earn what she already had. And it made a mess of her family. She couldn't just accept Jacobs love for her. We can have the same problem with God. God loved us before we had done anything Ephesians 1:3-6 In love, he predestined us for adoption He chose us to be holy and blameless We can know in our heads that God loves us and accepts us, but don't really believe it in our hearts. When we live like this, we're trying to earn the unearnable. You're trying to earn Gods grace and favor. 1) you believe you can earn God's favor - arrogant 2) you believe you cannot earn his love and come to believe we'll never have it. The truth is, if you have faith in Jesus, you already have God's love and acceptance. You could do nothing to earn it. In his grace - his undeserved favor - he loved you. If you're striving to be loved, accepted, significant, you are not receiving Gods love for you.