Genesis 31:1-13 Family Pow Wow
31:1-13 God commands Jacob to return.
Why do you think that Laban’s attitude had changed?
Jacob wanted to return, but what did he expect to find there? Esau, Rebekah?
31:3- God promises Jacob his presence.
V9 Jacob attributes his increase to God.
Family Pow Pow: Jacob tells his wives how their father has treated him.
Was this news to them?
Why do you think God reminded Jacob of his vow? What was the vow? 28:20-22
If you will be with me, and keep me on this journey, give me food and clothing, and I return in safety, then you will be my God and I’ll tithe.
Did God’s promise depend on Jacob’s safe return?
31:14-18 Rachel and Leah support Jacob.
What reasons do the girls give for siding with Jacob over Laban?
No inheritance
Status as foreigners by father
Laban sold us and spent the money
God has taken Laban’s wealth and given it to Jacob
God has spoken to you.
31:19-37
God speaks to Laban
Jacob deceives Laban
Rachel steals the household idols
Laban catches up with the convoy
What do Rachel’s actions say about her relationship with Jacob?
Are you surprised that God would speak to Laban?
Did Laban trust Rachel and Leah?
Was Jacob truthful when he told Laban why he left without warning?
31:38-53 The Agreement
Jacob tells his side of the story
What did Jacob agree to? Not to mistreat the girls or to return to do harm.
What did Laban agree to? Not to pursue Jacob for harm.
V53 – who did they swear by?
Jacob was being obedient to God in leaving Paddan-aram, but he faced difficulty in getting out of his current situation. Obedience is not always easy, nor is it easy to deal with life’s sticky situations. BUT God is faithful to keep his promises. He was with Jacob, and he is with us during our challenges in life, particularly when they come up as a result of our obedience to Him.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Youth Lesson on 1 Cor 10:31
1 Cor 10:31 Do All to the Glory of God.
School is Starting!
My Todo List: Meetings, Class, in-Box, Iphone
How do you keep up with what there is to do? Homework, games, tests, etc?
What are some things on your list?
Class – shopping – studying – work –
How about stuff not on the list, but that you are planning to do?
Read 1 Cor 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Context: V23 and 24: All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.
Paul is talking to the church at Corinth, encouraging them to act is a way that takes others into account. The key point to the passage is that we should live so that others see Christ in our actions.
The Old Testament word for “glory” comes from the Hebrew word for weight, or heaviness. The idea behind it suggests substance and importance. For example, when Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers in Egypt, he instructed them, “So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.” In other words, he wanted his greatness, his privileged position and exalted status and power, to be reported to Jacob.
In the New Testament, the word “glory” conveys the same idea. A man’s glory is his good reputation. It is that about him which is praiseworthy. Jesus uses the word this way in Matthew 6:2, “Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.”
So when the Bible speaks of the glory of God it is referring to His worth and honor and greatness. Or, when this word is used of God, we could say that His majesty or supremacy is in view.
But we cannot make God more glorious than He already is and always has been. So when the Bible calls us to give glory to God it is not suggesting that we can in any way add glory to Him. He is already infinitely glorious within Himself and nothing we can do can increase His inherent worth and supremacy. He is God—the God of creation … and the God of providence…and the God of redemption…(who gave us Jesus Christ!). He is inherently all-glorious! No creature can ever do anything to add to His glory.
We can however, honor God in what we do, doing each act to point out how praiseworthy God is, rather than thinking of our actions as simply another item on the todo list.
My example – meetings – listen, be polite, value other’s opinions, in other words take others into account. Class- realize that I have student’s from different backgrounds, prepare for class, realize that as the teacher, I’m not the main person in the room, but the student’s and their learning is what is important.
How about your todo list? How can you do those things on this list so that you are seeking the good of your neighbor and glorifying God in the process?
School is Starting!
My Todo List: Meetings, Class, in-Box, Iphone
How do you keep up with what there is to do? Homework, games, tests, etc?
What are some things on your list?
Class – shopping – studying – work –
How about stuff not on the list, but that you are planning to do?
Read 1 Cor 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Context: V23 and 24: All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.
Paul is talking to the church at Corinth, encouraging them to act is a way that takes others into account. The key point to the passage is that we should live so that others see Christ in our actions.
The Old Testament word for “glory” comes from the Hebrew word for weight, or heaviness. The idea behind it suggests substance and importance. For example, when Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers in Egypt, he instructed them, “So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.” In other words, he wanted his greatness, his privileged position and exalted status and power, to be reported to Jacob.
In the New Testament, the word “glory” conveys the same idea. A man’s glory is his good reputation. It is that about him which is praiseworthy. Jesus uses the word this way in Matthew 6:2, “Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.”
So when the Bible speaks of the glory of God it is referring to His worth and honor and greatness. Or, when this word is used of God, we could say that His majesty or supremacy is in view.
But we cannot make God more glorious than He already is and always has been. So when the Bible calls us to give glory to God it is not suggesting that we can in any way add glory to Him. He is already infinitely glorious within Himself and nothing we can do can increase His inherent worth and supremacy. He is God—the God of creation … and the God of providence…and the God of redemption…(who gave us Jesus Christ!). He is inherently all-glorious! No creature can ever do anything to add to His glory.
We can however, honor God in what we do, doing each act to point out how praiseworthy God is, rather than thinking of our actions as simply another item on the todo list.
My example – meetings – listen, be polite, value other’s opinions, in other words take others into account. Class- realize that I have student’s from different backgrounds, prepare for class, realize that as the teacher, I’m not the main person in the room, but the student’s and their learning is what is important.
How about your todo list? How can you do those things on this list so that you are seeking the good of your neighbor and glorifying God in the process?
Genesis 30-31
Jacob leaves Laban with Leah and Rachel
How many of you have a dog? Is it a mixed breed or a pure breed? What characteristics of each breed does it have?
What we skipped: Jacob meets uncle Laban and Rachel, agrees to work for 7 years so that he could marry Rachel. Jacob gets Leah, agrees to 7 more years of labor, gets Rachel. Several children are born to Leah, Rachel, and their 2 maids.
30:25-36 The Bargain (Jacob gets the spotted sheep)
After 14 years, Jacob is ready to go back “home”.
He strikes a bargain with Laban, but it has no exact time.
If you were Jacob, would you trust Laban?
30:37-43 Jacob uses a combination of selective breeding and popular superstition to increase his flock.
Jacob became exceedingly prosperous.
"By crossing the heterozygotes among themselves, Jacob would produce, according to the laws of heredity, twenty-five percent spotted sheep. Thus he multiplies his flock. (Heterozygote advantage)
Jacob's behavior was devious because he sought to prosper at the expense of his employer.
The text records that Jacob became very wealthy (v. 43), but it does not say that his wealth was a blessing from God. Jacob made his own fortune, as opposed to God making him rich like Abraham. God allowed Jacob to become wealthy through his own toil and deception. God probably would have done more for Jacob than he could have done for himself if Jacob had placed himself under God's authority.
In this section of Genesis we have walked through some of Jacob’s trials and experiences. As Jacob prepares to go back to his homeland, in obedience to God, how would you describe his maturity, his faith, and his personality?
How many of you have a dog? Is it a mixed breed or a pure breed? What characteristics of each breed does it have?
What we skipped: Jacob meets uncle Laban and Rachel, agrees to work for 7 years so that he could marry Rachel. Jacob gets Leah, agrees to 7 more years of labor, gets Rachel. Several children are born to Leah, Rachel, and their 2 maids.
30:25-36 The Bargain (Jacob gets the spotted sheep)
After 14 years, Jacob is ready to go back “home”.
He strikes a bargain with Laban, but it has no exact time.
If you were Jacob, would you trust Laban?
30:37-43 Jacob uses a combination of selective breeding and popular superstition to increase his flock.
Jacob became exceedingly prosperous.
"By crossing the heterozygotes among themselves, Jacob would produce, according to the laws of heredity, twenty-five percent spotted sheep. Thus he multiplies his flock. (Heterozygote advantage)
Jacob's behavior was devious because he sought to prosper at the expense of his employer.
The text records that Jacob became very wealthy (v. 43), but it does not say that his wealth was a blessing from God. Jacob made his own fortune, as opposed to God making him rich like Abraham. God allowed Jacob to become wealthy through his own toil and deception. God probably would have done more for Jacob than he could have done for himself if Jacob had placed himself under God's authority.
In this section of Genesis we have walked through some of Jacob’s trials and experiences. As Jacob prepares to go back to his homeland, in obedience to God, how would you describe his maturity, his faith, and his personality?
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Genesis 28
Jacob leaves home
27:41-28:10
A Picture of family strife
After Jacob received his father’s blessing – Esau wanted to kill him.
Jacob feared Esau
Both parents had their favorite son
Rebekah was “tired of living”
Isaac – Old, deceived, not able to perceive what was going on around him.
Esau had already married Judith and Beeri – who caused a lot of trouble for Rebekah.
This is the line that God chose to bless in a supreme way. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Can we learn anything about God’s choices by looking at this family?
Does God mainly want to work through the “put together” and “perfect” people?
Why do even families who are faithful to God experience rebellious children sometimes?
28:11-28:22
Jacob’s vision and God’s promise
Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth
Spread out to the east and west, north, and south.
In you and your descendants, all the families in the earth will be blessed.
The Promise of the presence
First Person – Isaac 26:3 and 26:24
2nd person –Jacob 28:15 – I am with you.
3rd person – Moses Exodus 3:12
4th Person – Joshua Joshua 1:5
5th Person Gideon Judges 6:16
All -Christians Matthew 28:20
Jacob’s response,
A bargain and worship.
A stone to memorialize the place.
27:41-28:10
A Picture of family strife
After Jacob received his father’s blessing – Esau wanted to kill him.
Jacob feared Esau
Both parents had their favorite son
Rebekah was “tired of living”
Isaac – Old, deceived, not able to perceive what was going on around him.
Esau had already married Judith and Beeri – who caused a lot of trouble for Rebekah.
This is the line that God chose to bless in a supreme way. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Can we learn anything about God’s choices by looking at this family?
Does God mainly want to work through the “put together” and “perfect” people?
Why do even families who are faithful to God experience rebellious children sometimes?
28:11-28:22
Jacob’s vision and God’s promise
Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth
Spread out to the east and west, north, and south.
In you and your descendants, all the families in the earth will be blessed.
The Promise of the presence
First Person – Isaac 26:3 and 26:24
2nd person –Jacob 28:15 – I am with you.
3rd person – Moses Exodus 3:12
4th Person – Joshua Joshua 1:5
5th Person Gideon Judges 6:16
All -Christians Matthew 28:20
Jacob’s response,
A bargain and worship.
A stone to memorialize the place.
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