Be careful not to take just part of this message. The whole thing must be grasped or it could be used as an excuse to sin. That would be horrible!
The danger of teaching on God's Grace and God's Sovereignty always carries with it the possibility of some using it as a license for willful disobedience or a lackadaisical attitude toward eternity.
Properly understood a balance will appear. Perhaps out of fear as well as a lack of a grasp of it, the church in certain areas did not talk about these subjects in the past. We sang about it when I was growing up but we didn't go much further than that. There was a lot of condemnation but a scarcity of expounding on the glorious riches we have in Christ- few enjoyed what they had. Thankfully God brought people to me who did.
There are several themes of Grace in chapter 33. The first three words contain it. Jacob had been through some deep struggles. Now he is looking up.
Verse Four is sublime reconciliation. Does there need to be a Jacob-Esau meeting with a member of your family? IS there a brother or sister you are estranged from? Go out there and meet them.
Jacob was on his journey back to where God wanted him, back to the House of God (Bethel).
1. Jacob should have gone directly to Bethel. 35.1
*Where he first met the LORD. 28.10-21
If you have been wandering, get back to the House of God
Get back to where you first met the LORD.
*Where God identified Himself by that place. 31.13
*Where it was safe- Bethel- The House of God, the family of God
The Church- The Safest Place on Earth
Larry Crabb writes in his book by that title, "A few people, I among them, are coming to believe (and a fair amount of psychological research is pointing in the direction we are heading) that someone who relates well (Mature Christians) is more capable of promoting meaningful change than a trained professional who does "therapy" to a patient as a set of clinical techniques based in well thought out theories of pathology, diagnosis and treatment."
Jacob settled within sight of Shechem.-v.18
Called by God Whom he first met Bethel, he detours from a path there and settles in Shechem.
2. Shechem, although a far cry from Sodom, had some similarities.
It was fruitful and had water sources to sustain all of Jacob's flocks
Jacob dug a well there. John 4.1-6, 12 It took care of Israel, his sons their families and his flocks and his herds. It is some well- still there today 4,000 years later.
Like his Uncle Lot (Genesis 13.12, 33.18) Jacob pitched his tent near the city. Where are you pitching your tent these days? Are you near some things that could hurt you spiritually? Are there people you have close relationships with that you know pull you down in your walk with the LORD?
Godless (c.34) God's Name is not mentioned at all in the whole chapter!- not many chapters in His Word like that. Look at Genesis 49.5-7
Steer clear of close relationships with godless people- where His Name is never mentioned... trouble brews in places like that as Jacob found out.
Stay away from those places that look good and may even contain temporal material and physical blessing but lack the recognition of the LORD.
3. Jesus met the Samaritan Woman at the well Jacob dug. John 4
She had five husbands. - a mess of her life. 6 men John 4.16-18
She was physically thirsty so went to Jacob's well. She did not know she was about to meet God!
God used Jacob's detour (and his son's disaster) to save a whole town!- 1,900 years later, but also for this woman (who remains nameless) to come to meet the Messiah and believe on Him. God is sovereign. He is in control. He can redeem disasters as well as detours.
*Ask forgiveness for your blunders but don't beat yourself up over and over again. He was pierced for our transgressions. Isaiah 53.5
Change direction- move away from the things or people of necessary who are dragging you down.
*Repent! Jacob did.
There is hope. Sometimes the enemy can get us to think it is hopeless. Sometimes we believe it is We must remember he is a liar and the father of lies. When we are losing hope, the LORD comes to us. God shows up.
A few years back Alice gave a gift to the nursery school staff, a disposable camera and a small album entitled "Summer 2004". Lucy and I and our nephews, Mike and Steve and our niece Marlee were at golf course at Robert Moses. We took the camera. Marlee was our caddy (for which we gave her a nice tip) and at one point we took a group shot- If it were a MasterCard commercial it would have gone, "Parking at Robert Moses- $10, round of golf for a 4some- $44, a picture of the group- priceless. When we got back home and unloaded the backpack we could not find the camera anywhere. We looked in the car. We called Robert Moses, We filled out a form at the Lost and Found. We asked every time we went over there if they had found a small disposable camera. After a year we gave up. Then the other night we were heading over with Patrick and Inna. Lucy reached in her bag to get her golf glove and she felt something. She reached down and pulled out the camera! What we thought we lost we had all the time! God's surprises!
Watch Him work in your life today!
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