A Dysfunctional Family

Robert Gillis

Genesis • Sermon • Submitted a month ago • Presented a month ago

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A Dysfunctional Family

Introduction: Amen.

Would you take your Bibles and turn with me to Genesis 27.

The Family.

The Family is God’s creation.

We see it in the beginning of this book. Genesis 1:28 “ “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.”

It’s importance cannot be overstated.

The family is God’s plan. It is God’s will.

The family is at the heart of God.

That a man would leave his father and mother. And unite with a woman.

They would become one, forever. And they would bear children, in the family unit.

And even though families are important, no family is perfect.

Because families consist of broken and sinful people.

And so the only hope in our families, is God.

Fathers, mothers, children, living with faith in God.

And this morning in Genesis 27, we will look at a family.

And in it’s dysfunction, we will learn things about faith and/or faithlessness in God.

Prayer: Father, our heavenly Father in heaven, as your children we come, we thank you for your love - for your provision - for your protection - for your guidance. Speak to us and instruct us through your word. Yet, also give us faith to do the things we are to do. Save the lost. Forgive me of my sins. In Jesus name, Amen.

Introduction: In Max Lucado’s book (in the eye of the storm) he references a story told by Clovis Chappell, a minister from a century back. The story is about two paddleboats. They left Memphis about the same time, traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they traveled side by side, sailors from one vessel made a few remarks about the snail's pace of the other. Words were exchanged. Challenges were made. And the race began. Competition became vicious as the two boats roared through the Deep South.

One boat began falling behind. Not enough fuel. There had been plenty of coal for the trip, but not enough for a race. As the boat dropped back, an enterprising young sailor took some of the ship's cargo and tossed it into the ovens. When the sailors saw that the supplies burned as well as the coal, they fueled their boat with the material they had been assigned to transport. They ended up winning the race, but burned their cargo.

Lucado states - God has entrusted cargo to us, too: children, spouses, friends. Our job is to do our part in seeing that this cargo reaches its destination. Yet when the program takes priority over people, people often suffer. How much cargo do we sacrifice in order to achieve the number one slot? How many people never reach the destination because of the aggressiveness of a competitive captain?

Genesis 27 is about a family. It’s the end of Isaac’s life, and we have four members of his family.

Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, and Esau.

And in this story we will see a dysfunctional family and their sin, but we will also see How God works it all together for His will and purpose.

Now, as we look at the text, let’s first look at Isaac.

The son of Abraham. The husband of Rebecaa, The father to Jacob and Isaac.

Here is about 137 years old and he realizes his life was coming to an end.

Blinded by favoritism

Genesis 27:1 “When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.””

Genesis 27:2 “He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death.”

Genesis 27:3 “Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me,”

Genesis 27:4 “and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.””

So the Isaac of the Bible, doesn’t seem to be an extraordinary man.

This man of faith, is probably most known for being a son to Abraham and the father of Jacob.

But in his old age. Blind.

Maybe there’s some symbolism there. Physically blind in his eyes, but also blind to the things of God.

It is kind of a tragic story. About a man, a husband and father, who knew God’s will for his sins and ignored it.

In this story, Isaac’s sin was to attempt to go around God’s will.

How could this man of faith go against God’s will to bless Jacob? For the older to serve the younger?

Well, We just need be reminded of the weakness of the flesh. We are all in the flesh.

For the child of God, there is a battle between flesh and spirit.

And here it is Isaac’s will and God’s will. Flesh and Spirit. Flesh and Faith.

Yet, this is what isaac ignored.

God’s word given to his wife about the twins.

He ignored, the promise Esau made when he sold his birthright.

He even ignored Esau’s marriage that brought grief to the family.

Isaac’s was blinded by favoritism.

Three ways he we see he was blinded.

1. He placed Esau before God’s will.

2. The point could even be made, Isaac is acting in secret. They are alone, father and son, and he was going to do this outside the presence of everyone else.

3. He placed the customs of the day before faith. He was making choices in line with the world and the culture, that were contrary to God’s word.

Now, Isaac was not the only one blinded by favoritism.

So was Rebecca. Genesis 25:28 - says Isaac loved Esau but Rebecca loved Jacob.

Genesis 27:5 “Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it,”

Genesis 27:6 “Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau,”

Genesis 27:7 “‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the Lord before I die.’”

Genesis 27:8 “Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you.”

Genesis 27:9 “Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves.”

Genesis 27:10 “And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.””

Genesis 27:11 “But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.”

Genesis 27:12 “Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.””

‘Genesis 27:13 “His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.””

Genesis 27:14 “So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved.”

Genesis 27:15 “Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.”

The best garments.

Genesis 27:16 “And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.”

Genesis 27:17 “And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.”

Rebecca, wife and mother, silently listening, spying on Isaac and Esau.

Here’s what Isaac said, and so she hurredly gets Jacob.

And she comes up with this plan.

Get some game, she’ll cook it, Just the way daddy loves, bJacob will bring it to him before he dies, and he will get the blessing.

And so we need to give jacob some credit here. He questions moms, command vs 8.

He brings up his brothers hair but also that he might get cursed if found out.

Now, Rebeccas all in.

So much so she says she will take responsibility, if there’s a curse, let it be on my.

She knew this was wrong, and willing to be cursed in doing so.

Rebecca loved Jacob.

Rebecca loved Isaac.

Rebecca loved God.

Her sin was favoritism, but there’s more to that.

Now, let me remind you. Isaac a man of faith. Rebecca a woman of faith.

Believed God’s word

Rebecca heard from God about her sons.

I think she believed God’s word, but she didn’t have faith.

we must admit she was between a Rock and a hard spot. Obey God or her husband.

Isaac’s going against God’s will.

- How do I stop him?

Her sin is this, not trusting God to work it out in God’s time.

She took control.

the plan, the food, the hair.

Instead of trusting God, she took things into her own hands.

Is it possible to know God’s will and not know God’s timing?

To know God’s will and take matters into you own hands?

Yes, how about Isaac’s father and mother.

God promised them a son.

But they took things into their own hands, before God’s timing, and had Ishamel.

It’s possible, that Rebeccah convinced herself and Jacob that she was doing the Lord’s work.

Like Abraham and Sarah thought they were doing the Lord’s work.

She was right to be worried about Isaac’s sin.

And for us, we too often know God’s will. word and Spirit.

But we fail to do it.

but don’t think we don’t also do things on our terms in the flesh. devise our own plans.

Charles Sprugeon “Good men have gone very wrong when they have thought of aiding in the fulfillment of promises and prophecies. See how Rebecca erred in trying to get the promised blessing for Jacob. We had better leave the Lord’s decrees in the Lord’s hands.” (Spurgeon)

Isaac and Rebecca were blinded by favoritism.

They believed God’s word, we will get to Isaac on that point in a moment.

But Jacob was blessed without merit.

Blessed without merit

Genesis 27:18 “So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?””

Genesis 27:19 “Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.””

Genesis 27:20 “But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.””

I’d say there’s a moment here where Jacob could have went back or confessed. Instead he went all in.

He lied, the lie spread. He’d deceive his father, never see his mother again, and his brother wanted to kill him.

He received a promise from God, but he didn’t have to deceive to get it.

Genesis 27:21 “Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.””

THE TEST.

Genesis 27:22 “So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.””

DIDN’T ACCOUNT FOR THE VOICE.

Genesis 27:23 “And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him.”

Genesis 27:24 “He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.””

Genesis 27:25 “Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.”

Genesis 27:26 “Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.””

Genesis 27:27 “So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed!”

THE SMELL, SEE IT’S REALLY ME DAD. WHAT’S BAD, HE THROWS GOD’S NAME IN HIS DECEPTIVE PLAN.

Genesis 27:28 “May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine.”

Genesis 27:29 “Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!””

Jacob the deceiver.

influenced by his mother, and dishonor’s his father.

he lied over and over again.

If so if he like his mother believed they were doing the Lord’s work, they did it the wrong way at the wrong time, in the flesh.

Again spurgeon says, “All four of them – Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Esau – did not trust each other. Worse yet, they did not trust the Lord. Each one of them schemed and plotted against each other and against God. “The whole story reflects no credit upon any of the persons concerned.” (Spurgeon)

So what are we to make of Jacob.

A man blessed without merit.

We too are blessed by God, and we do not deserve it.

We saved by God, recipients of his grace and mercy, do not deserve it.

Burdened with despair

Genesis 27:30 “As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting.”

Genesis 27:31 “He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.””

Genesis 27:32 “His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.””

Genesis 27:33 “Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.””

Genesis 27:34 “As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!””

Genesis 27:35 “But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.””

Genesis 27:36 “Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?””

Genesis 27:37 “Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?””

Genesis 27:39 “Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high.”

Genesis 27:40 “By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.””

Genesis 27:41 “Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.””

Imagine the shock and awe. One moment Esau’s going to get a blessing. He was going to earn it, hunting and cooking.

the next moment, he hears from dad, and he is filled with despair, and bitterness, and weeped with tears.

Then soon this bitterness turns into hatred, for Jacob, whom Esau said he would kill.

Now, Let me talk about Isaac for a moment.

All Hebrews says about Isaacs faith is this, Hebrews 11:20 “By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.”

And this is what I struggled with.

How did Isaac act in faith when he was deceived? When he tried to go against God’s will?

I believe in verse 33, when Isaac realized what happened, he submitted to God in Faith.

I blessed him, Yes and he shall be blessed.

Isaac’s faith was demonstrated after his attempt to do his own will was redirected by the will of God.

As soon as Isaac recognized that he was wrong, he gave in and displayed his faith in God.

He sees God’s hand in the story.

As far as Esau, his life and actions show us he didn’t want God’s will or blessings. he sold it.

And at this time He wanted the blessing but not God.

Esau wanted to change God’s will, so he would get the blessing.

In doing so, and in his respone, esau refuse to acccept God’s will

This family with a web of lies.

Look at he outcome of their sin.

Genesis 27:42 “But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you.”

Genesis 27:43 “Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran”

Genesis 27:44 “and stay with him a while, until your brother’s fury turns away—”

Genesis 27:45 “until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?””

Genesis 27:46 “Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?””

this part of the story ends with a family falling apart. all is lost.

every one of them schemed and maneuvered in human wisdom apart from God’s will.

and the family ends up broken, jacob has to leave.

We need to be reminded, that in all of this tragic sotry, God still accomplshed his purpose. The sin and tragedy was that theis family worked outside God’s plan for their lives.

Their is a big difference between knowing about faith, living in faith.

Will we in our families, live in faith. Obey his will.

The family is God’s plan, He created it.

He created the physical family.

But he also created a spiritual family.

the spiritual family is the church family. God’s family.

How does one become apart of this family?

How can one be saved?

Ye must be born again.

How is one born again? Repentance and faith.

Sorrow doesn’t always lead to repentence. Look at Esau he weeped, but he didn’t repent.

Godly sorrow leads to repenteance and faith.

Close:......Amen.

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