The God Who Transforms Me
Who is God? • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 2 viewsThe transformation God brings leaves us eternally marked by the process
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Transcript
The Man at a Bar
Some may have already heard, read, or seen a short clip on the man who chose to sit at a bar to drown his sorrows in yet another pint of beer as he retells the story of his past and even the failures of the present.
This hypothetical man is a Christian husband and father of children. One may think why not turn to the church for help or to express the pain of what he is at present enduring.
This man’s past is filled with the things we consider the worst of things; He has been to prison, he lived the life of a womanizer has been married more twice, and his current marriage is in danger of failing, his children are far from the best society has to offer, at present he has an addiction to pornography and has no idea how to overcome.
When he steps into church people talk about his life and gossip as if it were their right. His pastor sidesteps him and the last time he was in church a developing minister said something so off putting to him he has not had the bandwidth to return…his final thought in church was with friends like these who needs enemies
On the other hand each time he walks into the bar there is a seat waiting for him, a cold beer ready to be poured and the facade of friends that will at the least listen to his pain, he can be vulnerable here and the bar tender will listen… all he has wanted was to be heard…(Cheers )
This unfortunately can be the perspective of so many after all the church says change therefore you have to change, the church says do this that or the other and you have to do as the church says, the church expects every single person who walks through the door to have it all together and so you hide your mess. Instead of vulnerability what you exhibit to the church world is a polished version of you that cannot change even if it wanted to
One of the essential components of the nature of God is in found in this space where there is a level of brokenness that we are tired of living with that we cry out in desperation God help me!!!
In this space of surrender we encounter the God who transforms us.
The transformation God brings leaves us eternally marked by the process
The transformation God brings leaves us eternally marked by the process
And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
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.”
We encounter Jacob now at the place in a space of his greatest fear on the run and in the crosshairs of an avid hunter.
He is given a new name and in this instant will be transformed… He will now be known as on who has wrestled with God.
What did it take for him to finally be in this space?… what does it mean to have a new name?
Jacob is known as a supplanter…his entire life up to this point he lives out this name
Supplanter:Take the place of another through force; schemes, strategy
He is a usurper of sorts.
Imagine this guy shows up to church and says lets be friends…
Examine his journey briefly and see just what the cost was for him to be transformed from usurper to one who will be completely redefined and transformed by God.
The Old Nature on Full Display
The Old Nature on Full Display
The road to knowing who God leads right through the Old Nature
not that you need to be the old rather as you understand the old nature you realize what needs to come to an end.
The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.
And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”
From before birth Jacob had been anointed to fulfill God’s word
why the fighting, why the trickery,
living into the promise our natural tendencies that get in the way are on full display
How do we behave ourself the same way?
Deceit towards loved ones
Deceit towards loved ones
It should be noted Esau despises his birthright
trades it for a bowl lentils
And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.)
Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.”
Jacob takes matters into his own hands and takes advantage of his brother who is exhausted
Look at the blessing I found (wallet full of cash
Gen 27 Jacob conspires with mom to deceive Isaac.
Jacob says the Lord granted me success…
Yes the Lord helped you to deceive?!?
Not just the birthright but the blessing he took from Esau
Esau proposes to kill his brother. v.4
Gen 28:6 Jacob goes on the run in fear
what happened to the anointing… what happened to being in God…
Unsure of Belief
Unsure of Belief
Jacob is running away in fear of his life and has an encounter with God Jacob’s ladder
After the encounter is still wanting to put things to the test
If God is with me; If He gives me bread to eat; If He puts clothes on my back; if he lets me go back
I’ll make this altar but if you do for me then I will make this the house of the Lord… then I will give you my tithe… The old is still not dead not transformed
Used and abused
Used and abused
As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country.
Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you.”
But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.
Name your wages, and I will give it.”
Laban plots against Jacob
Leah then Rachel
Hides the male goats
Cheats him his wages
all done to deny Jacob from stepping into his own.
Laban acts like he did Jacob a favor
Later in the chapter Jacob realizes just how the Lord protected him
Even then Jacob flees in secret
This old nature of his causes him to lie cheat steal, and in turn the same is done to him.
In 32:6 Jacob learns Esau is now coming his way and wants to kill him. He divides his camp (if he attacks them thinking I am with them…”) cowardice
Transformed in the Encounter
Transformed in the Encounter
No true encounter with the Lord will ever leave you the same. Every-time you encounter God there must be a Transformation
Jacob is on the run and terrified as he cries out
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,’
I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.
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.
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.’ ”
The wrestling begins when we take our deficiencies to the Lord and believe on the Lord
Jacob remembers the anointing on his life…and who it was that called him
In v. 26 now Jacob is no longer just wrestling with a concept or thought he is wrestling with God.
Three Phases to the Transformation
Three Phases to the Transformation
Understanding of Self
Understanding of Self
you are not the past
you are not your current mistakes
Jacob wrestles with God!!! Who does that?
He finally accepts the promises made in the encounter
Understanding of God
Understanding of God
God was no longer just a concept
God was not an object as the object gods Rachel took from her dad
God showed up and they stood face to face
Eternally Marked
Eternally Marked
The man touches Jacob’s hip ad displaces
Jacob will forever walk with a limp
not always a bad thing
Esau was an avid hunter and hunter don’t hunt bad game… when he saw Jacob limping to him his heart melts and he embraces his brother
We cannot have an encounter with God and not be completely changed.
The scars you carry tell a story and speak of the greatness of God. Who are you scars formed by? Your own wounds? or
Have you finally started to wrestle with the God who is transforming you?