Entire ; fast forward to .

Good morning. Praise the Lord, everybody. He's worthy to be praised this morning. He is so wonderful and kind and gracious. Thank y'all for being here to worship with us this morning.

I'm going to read Psalm 119. Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God. It is He who has made us and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pastures.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and enter His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name. For the Lord is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures through all generations. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. He's worthy. Don't get quiet now. Hallelujah. He's worthy to be praised. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.meye

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

All I want

Is for you

I'm going to be loved

I'm going to be

To live in my life

All I want

Is for you

I'm going to be loved

You to live in my life

All I want

Is for you

I'm going to be loved

You to live in my life

I'm going to be loved

You to live in my life

I'm going to be loved

You to live in my life

I love your name.

Jesus, you show us.

Your name will be lifted by.

I love your name.

Hear the voice.

We lifted high in power.

We lifted high in fire.

What's that?

We lifted high in fire.

It's for you, you to be all the time, you to be all the time.

All I want is for you, you to be all the time, you to be all the time.

All I want is for you

So fill my life till all they see is you Lord, glorify your name, fill my heart till all they see is you Lord.

I want you to glorify your name, fill my life till all they see is you Lord, glorify your name, fill my heart till all they see is you Lord.

Glorify your name, fill my life till all they see is you Lord, glorify your name, fill my heart till all they see is you Lord.

Glorify your name.

Your name

Glory by your name

Because all we want

Is for you

You to be glorified

You to be lifted high

All we want

Is for you

You to be glorified

You to be lifted high

All we want

That's our heart's desire, Lord

It's for you

You to be glorified

You to be lifted high

All we want

Is for you

You to be glorified

You to be lifted high

Amen

Yes

Amen

Hallelujah

God, you are worthy

To be praised

Daddy, we thank you for

Yes, another opportunity

We have to come before your presence, God

We thank you that your spirit

Rests in this house

And rests in your people, God

We thank you for the joy

That is our strength

And your peace

That surpasses all understanding

That guards our hearts and minds

In Christ Jesus

We thank you, Father

That you are with us

You are with us

And you will never leave us

You will never forsake us, oh God

We want you to be glorified

We want you to be lifted up

We want you to be praised

God, you are worthy of it and more

Whatever we can give you right now, God

You are worthy of that and more

God, you are a God of more

Great abundance, God

You're so holy

You're so worthy

You're so righteous, oh God

And we thank you

We thank you for our lives

And our families

We thank you for another new day

Thank you for this day

That you have made

And we are glad

And we rejoice in it

Come on, let's rejoice together

Hallelujah and amen

Let's rejoice together

Our Father is so worthy

Thank you

We want our visitors to know That you are family as well We are so grateful that you will come And spend time with us on this morning We have cards on the back of the chairs Where you can send your Give us your information So we can connect with you You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram And through our group meet So we can stay connected Right fam? Right Praise God

Also, we want to give a shout out To the members who went And just our Rhema family For going out to Golden Owls Elementary We adopted Golden Owls Elementary And we gave Golden Owls Elementary Donuts and love Right?

I love Donuts And we gave them to Golden Owls Elementary Just to celebrate the teachers Who are coming back in And getting prepared for their classes And we want to make sure we keep our Glynn County Schools lifted up in prayer So they can have an amazing school year Is that right, Rhema family?

Let's make sure we keep Golden Owls Elementary And as well as all the other schools In Glynn County In our prayers And make sure we lift up the teachers And the students

We also want us to celebrate Those coming back in And we also want us to celebrate Those coming back in From college, right?

On August 17th You can come and be a part Of a volunteer opportunity From 9 to 1 p.m., RSVP Or group meet Or meet with Taylor We want to go to Coastal Community College And help with the movie

Right? Help the college students feel welcome And prepare them for this great semester They're going to have We're speaking that out now in faith

Also, be a part of the Good News Club As I said before We have adopted Golden Owls Elementary And we want to make sure We're supporting them Throughout the entire school year, right?

So the Good News Club Meets on Tuesdays From 2.30 to 3.45 Beginning August 20th

You can be a part Of that volunteer opportunity We want to serve The greatest in the kingdom Is the servant of all, correct?

Praise God

And last but not least The student ministry Meets tonight At 5.30

Let's give a round of applause Round of applause What they're doing For the student ministry

Come on, let's clap it up For the student ministry

They meet on this Sunday Every Sunday At 5.30

So make sure you're young adults Are going over

We want to show you A little video About the beloved ministries

Stand up

It's my bad

Hey guys, my name is Rebecca I was a single mom For about the first seven years of my son's life

When my son was five I really hit a low point In my life

But God used beloved ministries To show me that He will meet me where I am

And show me how much He really loves me

Beloved ministries offers A safe place For single moms

To connect with each other And also with God

I'm excited to announce That Beloved is moving to Brunswick

We're opening up A new chapter And we're really looking to invite single moms

And we also need volunteers To help out with Serving food, childcare, and anything you feel

Led to help with

Where our first meeting Will be on September 17th

And then we'll be meeting Every other Tuesday

Dinner will also be provided For the moms, volunteers, and the children

If you need more information You can just come find me after the service

Or you can visit the website Belovedministries.com

All right, now let's stand and worship

We'll be here

No wonder we can hear

I'm so confident

My passion was revealed To be only a miracle

A blind-oven heart, a scene left The fire of my grave

The dead was arrested by the end

You were holding back to the soul

But she's over

You had paid me on the right

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you

So I could walk right through the lake

My fears were drowned in perfect love

You rescued me so I could sit and see

I'm a child of love

You rescued me so I could walk right through

My fears were drowned in perfect love

You rescued me so I could stand and see

I'm a child of love

I am a child of love

I am a child of God

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Sing that again

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Sing it again

Worship in your O's

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Oh, oh, oh, oh

You

Take all I have in these hands

And multiply God

All that I am

And find my home

On the altar again

Send me a fire

Take all I have in these hands

And multiply God

All that I am

And find my home

On the altar again

Send me a fire

Here I am

Got my arms wide open

Pouring out my life

Gracefully broken

In my heart

Sense

The all of your love

You're my love

Sense

So to the end

You will fulfill

Your purpose

You're a promise

For a new

And you'll fail

You'll fail

I am

My heart

Is wide open

Oh yeah

Grace will be broken

Here I am

Hearts wide open

Oh yeah

Grace will be broken

So on to Jesus now

On to Jesus now

Holding nothing back

Sing it again

On to Jesus now

Holding nothing back

I surrender

Here I am

God

Hearts wide open

Holding nothing back

Grace will be broken

Here I am

Hearts wide open

And I am

Foaring to I am

My grace will be broken

So on to Jesus now

On to Jesus now

And holding nothing back

Holding nothing back

All to Jesus now

Holding nothing back

All to Jesus now

I'm holding nothing back

Holding nothing back

I surrender

Lord, I surrender

I surrender

thank you father your grace is new every day your grace is new every day

my life is yours father make it something that glorifies you that magnifies you father

i surrender it i can't do it without you i need you

on to jesus

on to jesus now holding nothing back holding nothing back

i surrender

just thank you father for meeting me every day

your love your mercy your grace it never runs out

it never runs out

we love you father thank you very much amen

amen

thank you worship team

we want to go ahead and dismiss our children pre-k

through fifth grade

if you guys will go ahead and follow

David Drury

and Bryce

amen

sure

i need to unmute it as if i wouldn't know that by now right

um

so Curtis and i were talking in the car yesterday

just about how

we really need to

to share

more

within the body

on sunday mornings

about

the the things that

god is doing

through this body

and the way that he's providing for people in our community

and how people are serving

and so he asked me to share this with you

this is just

it's just cool how god ordains things

if

if you're not aware of what the care portal is

um

you can see tina carbo

where is she

she's right there

um

or i can direct you to tina carbo

um

some of you have signed up for the care portal

the department of family and children's services

has created a way for us to be able to meet the needs of people

in the community

in an effort to keep children in their homes

um

so

one of the ways

you can do that is sign up for the care portal

we got this notification that

um

there was a need

and

the cool thing is

a week and a half prior

the Kavanaugh's

oh no that was the sunday whatever

it doesn't matter

the Kavanaugh said

hey we've got this trundle bed

do you know anyone who needs it

and just about a week earlier

Alex said

hey i've got this single mattress

do you know anyone who needs it

well then the care portal came

and it was

um

twin girls

they needed beds

and they needed them yesterday

and i went

so

texted dfax

texted Kavanaugh

text Alex

the next day they had beds

they had sheets

they had everything that they needed

in their home

um

they also needed car seats

bam

we had car seats

they also need 5T clothes

well

we just got a whole bag of 5T clothes

last night

we can give to them

guys that care portal makes a huge difference

for people

huge

it's sometimes it's a matter of whether or not

children stay in a home or not

and um

children should never have to leave a home due to poverty

ever

that's our job

so if you're not a part of the care portal

please be a part

because there might be something in your home

or something you can provide

for someone in need

um

and you can do it quickly

and it's really cool to see God working in that way

amen

thank you sweetheart

uh

just so you can keep it in in your um

kind of in your camp as well too

and be praying about this

if someone feels led to be a part of this

uh

love to be able to talk to you about this

uh

my 180 is a

is a

just a brief testimony

it's not your complete testimony

but just

maybe something that was going on in your life

and God has gotten a hold of you

and redirected you

and has brought about a 180 in your life

and I want to show you

one of our 180s that we've had in the past

um

pray that

you can watch this

and

you'll understand where we're going on that

if you roll that for us

all right

all right y'all ready to roll?

okay

I was born and raised here in Glynn County

uh

grew up in

some of the

lower parts of the town

Brooklyn Homes Projects

Dixville

I

had a

rough childhood

but I still enjoyed it

my life

my life is a testament

of

survival

uh

surviving

molestation

surviving

my mother going to prison

when I was

in the first grade

uh

just surviving

life as a kid

I started out as a good kid

but when my mom went to prison

uh

it was

tough

for me

because

kids are cruel

and

uh

I began

to

fight

it's just

it was just tough

and it

carried on

you know leave I would run away I just I didn't know how to deal with life other than fighting

I didn't grow up in church I always say I grew up down the street from church

I didn't know the path to salvation I didn't even know what salvation was so having all of that in

my background and not having you know really an outlet in September of 98 I didn't like who I was

so I attempted suicide I remember sitting on the floor and being contented to die I was okay if I

lived it was okay if I died it was okay because I really didn't know how to live and I had no

expectations out of death except that I didn't have to be who I was anymore through the efforts

of a praying wife I you know desired better I desired more in February of 1999 I was sitting

in Holy City Church of God in Christ in Memphis Tennessee and the pastor asked if there was

anyone that wanted to be saved and as a big shock to my wife I stood up and we've been rolling along

ever since all I wanted was to not be angry anymore all I wanted was to not be me anymore

and there was a promise of a life that I had no prior knowledge of that was being solicited being

told to me that was available so that's what I pursued I began to read the Bible devoutly I

began to pray before I read you know that the Lord exposed to me his word and and not even knowing

then I asked him to help me to teach his word to other people and I'm just excited to grow not just

at Rhema community but grow in my family my boys are growing here you know being a part of worship and

music ministry being a part of the youth ministry having them have the opportunity to not just be

sown into but to be souls as well it's it's really the place where God makes us more grateful is when

we don't just see what God is doing in our lives but when we can see what God is doing in our children's

lives it's it's the greatest part of this walk for us my name is Bobby Henderson this is my one

amen amen amen to God be the glory amen um today we will get into uh Genesis chapter 33 I say

Genesis and you're like oh shocker right we've been living in Genesis this will today this morning

though I said I had an announcement for you last week but today will be the last uh a message we

have in Genesis for a while we will get thank you Brad I thought you was my friend man I expect that

from Jill but not enough from you come on now uh yeah Jill told you to do that um we will get back

into it we will uh finish out Genesis uh but we're going to take just a brief pause next Sunday I got a

message I'm going to bring to you that God's been stirring in my heart uh on just really the um

uh just for a lack of a better way to say it just the just the dignity of all life the dignity of

all life and we're going to look at the scripture and what really to have a kingdom mindset and a

kingdom worldview what that really looks like and how we are to live that out and then we're going to

spend the next three to five weeks I don't know I haven't mapped it out uh I just really sense that

God is saying I we need to speak some encouragement to people so I'm going to have some messages uh

that have to do with trying to encourage you showing you how to encourage one another how to

encourage one another in relationships in the word and all that and so we'll be in different parts of

the scripture as well too and then we'll get back to this because we're going to stop just before

some really nitty-gritty gross stuff in Genesis and so I'm trying to encourage you before we get to

all the gross stuff so there we go um but you know what we've been through Genesis and we've

already hit lots of gross stuff so we shouldn't be

Esau killing him so his plan was to do what I'm going to send droves of gifts and people and all this other stuff so if Esau kills the second drove the first drove I can go to the second drove if he doesn't kill the second drive I can make it another plan and another plan and hopefully he'll see that all these gifts I'm giving him I'm going to butter him up to where he's going to say this guy's so nice how could I kill him he hasn't seen his brother in 20 years this is the re this is the reunion that he's just been uh just scared of avoid

avoiding and we also see that he saw uh Jacob also in making these plans it's kind of a complicated plan and it's a pretty smart plan you know he's he's uh kind of planning this is strategizing this thing out but he's showing that he's not trusting God he's not really trusting God in all of this and you would think at some point somebody would wake up and say God's been with me God's gone before me and I'm going to trust God in this but again as we'll see this morning

Jake we see ourselves in the life of Jacob we see ourselves and today's message is entitled unexpected embrace unexpected embrace as we get into chapter 33 and Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked and behold Esau was coming with uh and 400 men with him that's not good that's not good uh Jacob's got his little

little crew and everything but Esau has 400 men coming with him so he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants he put the servants servants with the children in front and Leah with their children and Rachel and Joseph last of all he himself went before them bowing himself to the ground seven times until he came near to his brother Esau but Esau ran to him

and embraced him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him and they wept unexpected unexpected embrace absolutely unexpected you know uh this this also tells me that it wasn't Jacob's plan that worked it was Jacob's prayer that worked remember Jacob was praying out oh God oh God please I'm gonna die I'm gonna die would you please help me and so he said okay

I got this whole thing figured out I'm gonna send one drove three droves maybe four or five droves of people ahead of me all these animals in presence sweet I've got this figured out but God already had the whole thing handled God had already changed Esau's heart and this leads me into a little story I want to I want to tell you because um if any of you have written uh read any of the the writings of Flavius Josephus he's a historian writes in the Jewish heritage very good works that he

that he puts out there he has a story um that that of history historical thing that went on and you've heard of Alexander the Great well Alexander the Great remember he conquered the world so quickly he comes to an end he comes to the the end of this place right by the Indies River and he weeps like a baby because why everything was conquered there was nothing else for me to conquer that's what he's crying about there's nowhere else for me to conquer he gets to this place and so he journeys Alexander the Great journeys eastward to the city of Tyrese

which would be modern day which would be modern day which would be modern day Lebanon today and he goes over there and he decides he's gonna take it over and he surrounds the city and he knew he's getting needed to eventually take the city of Tyrese so he sends troops down to Jerusalem to get an alliance with the Jews there in Jerusalem and also to get food and supplies and to ask them to help conquer Tyrese and he was met by a by a guy named by the name of Jadua

Jadua and Jadua and Jadua was the high priest at this time and he says I'm sorry we can't help you because we signed an agreement with your arch enemy Darius the Persian and so this guy takes the message back to Alexander the Great and so now Alexander marches against Jerusalem because Jerusalem wasn't going to help him and everybody thinks that the Jews are toast and they're going to be killed it's going to be destroyed

well when he comes and he gets outside of Jerusalem in the writings Jadua the high priest marches out to meet Alexander the Great and this is in 332 BC alright he goes out to meet according to Josephus and the high priest goes out and he grabs the scrolls of the Old Testament and he shows Alexander the Great

dismounts off of his horse and he bows down in front of this high priest, the Jewish high priest.

And Alexander's second in command is baffled. He's like, why aren't we killing these people?

They're saying they're not going to help us in this. And Alexander said, because before I made

this journey east, while I was still in Macedonia, I had a dream at night that I would meet a man

dressed in the garb of a high priest. And there he would meet me and this man would show me in

the scriptures of the fulfillment of things that I had already done. And so, so in other

words, what happens here is that God was in control of this whole thing way before Alexander

the Great even came onto the scene. God had met him and spoken to him. It was already prophesied

by the, by the prophet Daniel. And so in a similar manner, okay, God had it all handled. God had

handled Esau way before Jacob ever saw him. He'd already worked in Esau's heart. And so

Jacob's going, Oh no, Oh no, no. Here's Esau. Here's Esau. It's what I've, you know, I've really

been fearing this whole time, but he embraces him. He loves on him. It's, it's amazing. It

is an unexpected. It's a completely unexpected embrace. And, but Esau is acting in a way that

we don't expect him to act when he comes over and he meets, he meets Jacob. Esau, the guy

who was cold, he was callous. He was driven by his own appetites. He was easily tricked

by Jacob. This is the one who hated Jacob and he threatened him very credibly saying, next

time I see you, I'm going to kill you. Okay. But instead he does exactly what we might hope

he would do. He embraces his brother. He runs to him. He runs to him, he embraces him and

he kisses him. Now listen, this is a story that would be very, very familiar to Israel.

Very familiar to Israel. They would be teaching this, this story as, as it goes on. Israel would

be teaching this to their sons. Okay. And, and so they're teaching their sons in Deuteronomy

chapter four, Deuteronomy chapter six, and Joshua chapter four, the fathers are teaching them

this story. And so it would be ingrained in them, ingrained in their heritage. Yeah. All

the way down to the unexpected embrace that Jacob goes, he runs and he meets, he meets Esau

runs and meets Jacob and embraces him. And you can hear it later in the scriptures, but you

may not even recognize it because when we get to Luke chapter 15, Jesus begins to tell the

story of the prodigal son and how the son comes home. And what does the father do over

against all expectations? He's telling the prodigal the story and the father runs after

the son. He embraces him. He puts his arms around him. He kisses him. Where did they get

that idea? Again, Jesus is bringing about something in the old Testament that would be ingrained in

the Jews to where they would go. Ah, that's the unexpected embrace that we heard about

that, that God did the work in Esau's heart. Look how God is working in the life of the prodigal

son and his father. There would be that connection that that's made right here. This is one of

the most important transitional verses in Genesis. Esau runs to him, embraces it, but it just falls

on his neck. That just means they go, they go, you know, when you, they didn't do the awkward

thing where it's like, you could go left or right kind of thing, you know, no, we knew

which way we're going. And when they, they lay their heads across each other and they

embrace and they weep. All right. Verse five. And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the

women and children, he said, who are these who are with you? Jacob said, the children whom

God has graciously given your servant. Then the servants drew near. They and their children,

they bowed down like Aaliyah, likewise, and her children drew near and bowed down. At last,

Joseph and Rachel drew near and bowed down. Esau said, what do you mean by all this company

that I met? What he's saying is, why have you sent drove after drove after drove to me

and present after present? What is going on with all this mess? Why have you done this?

And Jacob answered to find favor in the sight of my Lord. Okay. Verse nine.

Okay.

But Esau said, I got enough. I have enough, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself. It's very interesting. Esau is very rich. God has blessed Esau, right? He's blessed Esau in all this. Okay. But not with the covenant. God has not blessed Esau in all this. Okay. But not with the covenant. God has not blessed Esau in all this. Okay.

He has blessed him with the covenant role, but he has blessed him. And Jacob continues to talk in verse 10. No, please, if I have found favor in your 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. Now, what does that mean when he says he has, he has seen his face, which is like seeing the face of God, because he has just met with God, remember? And he has just

wrestled with God. He has just wrestled with God. He thought he was going to die. He said, I thought, and yet I've seen the face of God, and yet I lived. And so now he's saying, I have, I have really, really struggled. I've been so nervous. I've been so scared about meeting up with you again, Esau. I know what's been happening. I know the road between us. I know the path that's between us.

So when I see you, and I experience grace from you, it is like seeing God's face and living, because I thought you would kill me. I thought I was going to be a dead man. His brother gives him grace, and he survives.

Please accept my blessing, verse 11, 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. Now, notice Esau has a plan.

Then Esau said, let us journey on our way. I will go ahead of you. But Jacob said to him, my Lord knows that the children are frail, and the nursing flocks and the herds are a care to me.

If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. Let my Lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me, and at the pace of the children, until I come to my Lord in Seir.

So Esau said, let me leave with you some of the people who are with me. But he said, this is Jacob saying, what need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my Lord.

So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house, and made booths for livestock.

Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on the way from Paddan Aram.

And he camped before the city. And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent.

There he erected an altar and called it El Elohi Yisrael.

So Jacob is still scheming. Jacob hasn't really learned all of his lessons yet, is he?

He still, you know, he receives from Esau this unmerited favor, completely unexpected, this grace.

And Jacob refers to himself as being dealt with by Esau graciously.

But Esau has this vision for Jacob to come and join him in Seir, and that's where he has his flocks and his home and his tents.

But Jacob says, you know, you go ahead to Seir, and I'll follow.

But he doesn't. He doesn't.

And maybe it was like, you know, Abraham and Lot.

It was probably best that they separate because they were both so wealthy.

But instead he goes to Succoth.

And he doesn't just go to camp there.

He builds houses.

He builds booths for livestock.

This is a permanent dwelling place.

He doesn't own the land, but he's got to go ahead and build homes there.

He's got to build stuff there.

And he intends to settle there.

And then he goes from here to Paddan Aram in order that he may buy from the sons of Hamar, Shechem's father in Shechem,

where he can buy the land where he's already built all this stuff, already built the encampment that he's there,

this permanent dwelling, okay?

It's like we're going to go build all this stuff, then I'm going to go ask to buy it, you know?

And so he says, and there he erected an altar and called it El Elohi Israel.

So El Elohi Israel means God, the God of Israel.

Now isn't that interesting that now he's been given that new name.

And so now he calls him the God of Israel.

My name isn't long enough Jacob, but he's now the God of Israel.

Jacob is, in all of this, he recognizes that God is providing.

God is the one who's sustaining him.

He recognizes that this is all the Lord's name.

But it's still not a story of absolute faithfulness that we would expect from Jacob. You know, you think somewhere along the line he's going to learn his lesson. He's going to learn the lesson. It's a story of God's faithfulness toward Jacob. You know, isn't that a lot about our lives? A lot of times, our lives, I love Bobby's 180, but it's a story of God's faithfulness toward Jacob.

I hope you can see in between the lines. It wasn't a story about so much of Bobby's faithfulness. It was God's faithfulness in Bobby's life. Even when Bobby wasn't seeking the Lord, God was still faithful. God was still ever present in it. But there's a faithfulness that's here, but it's not the faithfulness that we would hope for, at least at this point in the life.

So why would the Lord give us all these massive, detailed, complex narratives in the very first book of the Bible?

We have this account of Jacob and go into such great detail that includes all this stuff that doesn't make Jacob look like the patriarch that we would expect to see hanging on a picture on the wall.

You know, when we think of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we're thinking about these patriarchs that we would have a picture of these people that we would hang on the wall and we could say in every respect, be like them.

They're the patriarchs, right?

The reality is God has given us all of this, at least in part, so that we would not put pictures up on the wall and say in every way, be just like them.

And so actually, and evidently, it's important that we not see them, that we not see them as any other way than what they are.

Because this is very important because it turns out that in God's way of dealing with his covenant people, he does not choose people who are perfect because there aren't any.

That's the good news for us.

That's absolutely good.

He doesn't put the mantle or the responsibility of the fulfillment of the covenant on frail human beings believing that we're going to be able to carry it out.

Rather, this is God's faithfulness that continually shows through the scriptures.

And God will accomplish his covenant purposes in the way that he says he will and through whom he says he will.

He will do it.

Listen, Jacob's life was never, ever, ever really in danger.

His life was never really, if you look at it from the perspective of the divine gift of the book of Genesis, all right, and the perspective of God's purposes to fulfill his covenant, Jacob's life was never, ever in danger, okay?

He may have felt like he was in danger, but it wasn't.

Why?

Because God said to Abraham earlier that through you and through your seed, okay, all the peoples of the earth would be blessed.

And God said to Abraham, it will not be through your son of Hagar.

It will not be through the son of one of your servants.

It's going to be through the son born to Sarah, whose name will be Isaac.

And then it continues on through Isaac.

Was Isaac's life ever in danger?

No, not really, because not until God says you're done.

It's never over until God says.

Not because Isaac was protected by some human source or anything like that, but God had a covenant purpose, okay?

And he was going to fulfill it through Isaac all the way through, and God's going to make it happen.

Jacob's life was never, ever really in danger.

And that's really important to remember, because when his mom says you need to flee and go to my brother Laban's house because your brother is going to kill you,

still his life was never really in danger.

And there's this sense that none of this was necessary.

None of this that we read is necessary.

If every one of us understood God's determination to keep his covenant promises, the book of Genesis would have been a whole lot shorter.

If the people would have really understood that, okay?

We wouldn't have all these narratives and leave ourselves scratching our heads saying, why is this even in here?

Why is this narrative there?

And we need to know all of this because we, listen, we are like Israel.

We are just like Israel.

And if we would actually live out our lives as to what it means to understand what Jesus Christ has really done for us,

if we really lived our lives out that way, if we would understand our status in Christ,

if we would understand what our union in Christ really means,

and we would understand God's purposes enough,

and we would do that to where the story of our lives would be a lot shorter too in terms of complications.

We wouldn't go through half the trouble we go through if we really understood our position in Christ.

Amen?

And we're gonna we're gonna tie this up short today into a nice little bow. This is not just Israel's story but it's our story too. Romans 15 verse 8. Paul writes, For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truth, truthfulness in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God.

for his mercy. Is anyone in here of Jewish descent and Jewish born?

We're all Gentiles. This is us. This is us he's talking about here. He did this so that we would have a position. We would have a place. We would have an understanding. As it is written, therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing your name and said again rejoice O Gentiles with his people and again praise the Lord all you Gentiles and let all

the peoples extol him and again Isaiah says the root of Jesse will come even he who arises to rule the Gentiles in him will the Gentiles that's us and will we hope may may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace and believing so that so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. You see the supreme the supreme example of ministry must always be

Jesus Christ and he came to the Jews first. He came to the Jews first. Okay. And to Israel in order that Israel might be able to minister to the Jews. He said to the Jews first. That was the principle that was followed in his earthly ministry of Christ and in the earthly ministry of the church as well too. We see to the Jews first John the Baptist comes along and to the nation of Israel to what prepare them for the way of the Messiah. When Jesus begins his ministry it was only to the people of Israel.

And he sent out his apostles on the first missionary evangelism mission in order that he told them not to go to the Gentiles and did any of the Samaritan cities but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Okay. First Matthew chapter chapter 10. But he doesn't ignore the Gentiles because he did minister to a few. But his major emphasis was on Israel. We need to understand this is what God's doing to his covenant people in order that we can be sitting in these four walls here today.

And understanding and understanding and believing in Jesus Christ the Messiah. Yeshua. The one who was to come. And so after his resurrection he commanded the disciples to do what? Let's remain in Jerusalem. Okay. And they begin their ministry there. And that's covered by the period of Acts chapters 1 through 7. You can read that. It's characterized by the ministry that they do to the Jews and the Jewish proselytes.

It's not until Acts chapter 8. It's not until the Samaritans are given the gospel. Then we get Acts chapter 10. The gospel goes to the Gentiles. And then Acts chapter 13. Paul takes it to Rome. Okay. Then it begins to spread everything.

So when Jesus Christ came and he died. What he did is he confirmed the promises that God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. All the Jewish fathers and to the Jewish nation. Some of these promises have been fulfilled. Some of them were still waiting to be fulfilled.

Until he comes to this earth and establishes his kingdom. Was it selfish of God to emphasize the Jews? No.

Because through the Jews he would send the good news of salvation to the Gentiles.

That's what it's all about. That's why there's so much painstaking. We need to understand why it's important that we're studying Genesis.

Why we're going through this. It's not just some book that we talk about a people that used to. No.

There's a reason why God uses them to awaken our hearts.

And I can't tell you how many times I've thought to myself.

Why is it that the Jewish people operates on the same system America does?

If the gift was food, it would be insufficient because so much of the nation, the world, we all eat different stuff.

Oh, we've got bags of rice for everybody. Half the world would be like, ooh, turn my nose over that.

You know, whatever. Whatever the gift was, you can find a hole in that.

But for hope, peace, love, joy, power, all the fruits of the Spirit as well too, there is no better.

Jacob's name. He says, no longer will your name be Israel. No longer will your name be conniver. No longer will your name be one who trips his brother. No longer will your name be heel catcher. Your name will be Israel. One who fights victoriously with God. Not for God, with God. Not against God, but with God. He gives him a new name. And that's one of the things we really emphasized last week is that for all of us who have that

hope and that joy and that hope and that joy and that peace, God has given us a new name. A new name. We are a new creation in Christ Jesus. But you know, as I read this story, it seems to me that Jacob, Jacob wasn't quite over the consequence of his past wrongs. He just had a heart. He was, he was still distrustful of Esau because he knows that

he doesn't deserve the kindness that Esau is given to him. I know what I did to my brother. I know what my thoughts were. How many of you have been in that position? And you think, I hear the pastor. I hear the church. I hear people talking about how God is so gracious. He's willing to forgive all. But you don't know what I've done. You don't know how I have mistreated people.

You don't know how the thoughts that have come across my mind. And the words. And the Lord says, if I thought it, I've done it. So holy smokes, why should I be on fire? I hear in front of everyone.

If that's the case, guess what? None are righteous and none should be with the Lord. Right?

Now, how's that pan out in your panism theology? Well, I'll just pan out in the end. No, no. Put your trust and your hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the name changer. He's the name changer.

You know, there's always the possibility. One of the possibilities of just the continual, as we continue to walk in our sinful ways.

And we continue to, all the wrongdoing that we have. And it seems to just mount on us at times.

If you've ever, never read the book, Pilgrim's Progress, great book to read. You need to read it.

He wrote it from prison. Tremendous book. There's a movie out now, Animated Beauty. I haven't seen it yet, but tremendous book.

But a lot of times, one of the penalties of continuing to live in that and walk in that is we project that into the feelings that we have with others.

And the condemnation that we inwardly feel continues to visit us more often than we want it to.

And because of that, we have a hard time accepting the goodwill that's offered from people who are trying to make amends, people who are trying to make things right.

We have a hard time taking the risk of believing in that, even when it's made plain to us, as it's made plain to Jacob, Esau was not, he was not going to enact what was justly his.

But a lot of times, many of us will really have a hard time. Is that resonating with anyone?

Really trusting in the grace and the mercy that's offered to us in our earthly relationships.

So now you can understand how it's even, how it's even harder to, how can a holy, righteous, sovereign God really forgive me and say that my sins are as far as the east is from the west?

If he really is holy as the Bible says he is, and he really knows everything about me like the Bible says he does, how is it that he really could love me?

All I know.

Is but for the grace of God.

Go I.

But for the grace of God.

Goes Rob.

But for the grace of God.

Goes Jan.

I don't know why he does it.

But he does.

Because he loves us.

I love that the old theologian that was asked what is the deepest truth of the scriptures that you could give your people today if you were able to able to wrestle wrestle it all out into one truth and really just speak to the people's hearts.

He said it would be this.

And this is a man who knew the Greek, the Hebrew, knew Aramaic, was able to translate much of the scriptures, and was even part of the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls and translating all of that great knowledge of the scriptures.

His truth was this.

And we'll leave it with this this morning.

Jesus loves me.

This I know.

For the Bible tells me so.

Let's not make it any harder than it is.

It is a gift.

The love of Christ is a gift that none of us, none of us deserve.

We can't deserve.

We can't earn it.

We can't.

We can't position ourselves for it.

We can't go to church enough.

We can't volunteer enough.

We can't have enough kids.

We can't adopt enough kids.

But it's a great, it's a gift that we, we simply say thank you, Jesus.

As the worship team comes up this morning, I want to remind you that, um, Becca is good to be over at the info table if you have any questions about Beloved.

I'd love to be able to connect with you on that.

It's a tremendous ministry.

Maybe, maybe watching the video today, that's a place where you say that I can serve in that.

I'm not a single mom or whatever.

I might even be a dad.

I know Brandon Grant has helped for years of Beloved and Taylor helped for years of Beloved just doing, uh, childcare.

I'll do childcare.

I can do that.

I can, I can herd cats.

Guys, maybe your gift is herding cats.

They can always use some cat herders.

You herd Becca, you get a free meal out of it.

Guys, I just, I just really sensed that, that Jacob had a hard time really believing that's, that his brother that he hadn't seen in 20 years could really love him so much.

And, okay, so God's gotten a hold of his heart.

But really?

Really?

And if he had a hard time just really with that, think about the things that surely we wrestle with, with our, with our Heavenly Father.

I think there's some, there's some, there's some good in the wrestling though.

There could be some good in the wrestling.

I, I think that at times we need to, to wrestle.

That's part of when, when Paul talks about working out our own salvation.

Okay?

Wrestling with God.

God, how could you love me?

I don't understand, but I accept it.

You ever had that back and forth conversation?

God, why would you ever use me like this?

But, but thank you.

God, why, why would you, why would you bless me with a family, with a significant, but, but thank you.

I don't deserve it, but thank you.

Amen.

But God, being rich in mercy, poured out his grace upon us.

And we just simply receive it in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Let's stand.

Father, we just thank you so very much.

I thank you so very much for the gift of life, for the gift of salvation.

As I think this morning about a poured out life, I just, I'm not trying to call any one specific thing out.

But I can't help but just be reminded, my brother Rob, this morning, just how, God, you, you were touching his heart as he was pouring himself out.

May all of us understand what it means to be poured out like a drink offering, as Paul talked about.

To be empty of ourselves, empty of ourselves in order that we may serve you and love you and have just a fingernail.

Thank you.

wrestling with really identifying with that love that you have for them, Lord, they would just use this time as a time of prayer, where they are. Come to the front. There's people who would love to pray with you. Just experience the freedom that Jesus offers. Really what it means to be forgiven. And if God has forgiven you, you are indeed free.

If the Son has forgiven you. If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Oh, my Jesus, it's extravagant, it doesn't make sense, we'll never comprehend the way you love us.

It's unthinkable, only heaven knows just how far you've gone to say you love us, to say you love us, to say you love us.

Oh, my Jesus, it's extravagant, it doesn't make sense, we'll never comprehend the way you love us, to say you love us.

I won't resist the hearing, oh, my love, it's yours, no conditions, we'll never comprehend the way you love us.

I won't resist the hearing, oh, my love, it's yours, no conditions, we'll never comprehend the way you love us. Oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, my love, it's yours, no conditions, we'll never comprehend the way you love us. Oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh, I won't resist the hearing, oh

I won't resist

No, I won't resist

It's extravagant

It doesn't make sense

Will never come back

The way you love us

Is something to blow

If only heaven knows

Just how far you've gone

To say you love us

It's extravagant

It doesn't make sense

Will never comprehend

The way you love us

It's something to blow

Only heaven knows

Just how far you've gone

To say you love us

God, thank you for your love

Thank you for your grace

And your mercy

God, thank you for your protection

God, thank you for being who you are in our lives

We love you

We thank you for the word

That has gone forth

We ask that you would sit

Over our hearts

And as we leave this place

How we never leave your presence

We thank you

That you are always with us

You never leave us

You never receive us

Be with us

In our travels

As we leave

And

As we come back

On Wednesday

And Sunday

We love you

Have your way in our lives

In Jesus name

God, thank you for your love

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