HOW DO WE GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?
Genesis 28:10-22
INTRODUCTION
When all else fails, read instructions. Every one of us who have children know what it is to stay up most of Christmas Eve putting together some “simple” toy. Finally, after two or three attempts we start looking for the instructions. The wise wife is the one who quietly puts it aside for her husband. After a few Christmas assemblies husbands also get wiser: we never buy a toy until we examine the instructions.
How much time is saved if we would just quit taking short cuts and follow instructions on all the things we do. Some projects that seem so simple we can do it without reading the any instructions. Those are the ones that cost the most in time and money.
The same goes with our lives. Life is simple. We will make it without any instructions on how to assemble our lives … we think. When things become hopelessly entangled, we go back to the instructions: the Bible. The Bible is the instruction book we must read to assemble our lives properly.
Too often we get ahead of the instructions because we think we have it under control. We take short cuts. Usually short cuts are “long cuts.”
If there was any one in the Bible who took short cuts (long cuts), it was Jacob. Jacob may be the most “human” person in the Bible.
THEME: HOW DO WE GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?
I. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO STOP WHEN WE CAN’T SEE 28:10-11
A. Jacob Was Running Away From His Problems vs. 10
NOTE:God promised Jacob the right of first born; Jacob took a short cut to get it instead of waiting on God
1. Deceived his father and brother
2. Stole his brother’s inheritance
B. He Only Stopped Running Because It Was Dark; He Could Not See To Run Any More
1. He tarried there all night
NOTE:He lay alone, defenseless; an uncertain future because he did not follow God’s instructions
NOTE:Sin can cause us to be unsettled, to run away from our responsibilities
2. He lay down in that place to sleep
a. Sleep lets us forget our troubles for a little while
b. So He giveth His beloved sleep Psalm 127:2
c. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Proverbs 6:9
NOTE:Some sleep to forget
C. Jacob Was Unable To Control The Approaching Darkness Coming Upon Him
1. He had no power to turn back the sun
2. Neither he, nor we, have power to bring back light in our life after the darkness of sin overtakes us
NOTE:Just like we have artificial light in our houses to substitute for the sun, so we have artificial light in our lives to substitute for the Son
NOTE:The artificial light in our houses burn out and have to be replaced, but the sun cannot be replaced cf. artificial lights vs. The Son of God
T.S. HOW DO WE GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?
I. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO STOP WHEN WE CAN’T SEE
II. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO LET GOD SPEAK TO US 28:12-15
A. He Dreamed 28:12
1. God could not talk to him until Jacob quit running
2. Be still, and know that I am God Psalm 46:10
B. The First Facts God Wants Us To Know: 28:12
1. The ladder; uninterrupted access to God
2. Angels; sent to show God’s constant care of God’s people
C. What God Has For Us: 28:13-15
1. A heritage, a past
NOTE:I am the Lord God of Abraham … Isaac … vs. 13
2. An inheritance for us and our families
NOTE:Spiritual as well as physical
3. Those who will follow the path we choose 28:14
4. A guarantee from God 28:15
a. His Presence: I am with you
b. His Protection: I will bring you again into this land
NOTE:I will restore you
c. His Promise: I will not leave you
NOTE:When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up Psalm 27:10
NOTE:I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee Hebrews 13:5
T.S. HOW DO WE GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?
I. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO STOP WHEN WE CAN’T SEE
II. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO LET GOD SPEAK TO US
III. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO REALIZE OUR PLACE BEFORE GOD 28:16-19
A. Jacob Awaked Out Of His Sleep 28:16
1. The astonishment to find God where we think we are alone
NOTE:Though far from home, we are always near to heaven and Him
2. God gives us:
a. When we are lonely and alone: The gift of friendship
b. When our guilt is heavier than stones: The gift of forgiveness
c. Used of God: The gift of purpose
B. He Was Afraid 28:17
NOTE:A vision of God reveals our shortcomings
1. Sin can make us afraid of God
2. The greater the sin, the greater the fear when we face Him
NOTE:Guilty conscience
C. He Recognizes God28:18-19
1. An altar is made
a. A place to worship God
b. A place to commemorate being with God
2. He names the place Bethel
a. Luz; separation
NOTE:An obscure, unimportant site until Jacob met God
a. Bethel; house of God
T.S. HOW DO WE GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?
I. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO STOP WHEN WE CAN’T SEE
II. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO LET GOD SPEAK TO US
III. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO REALIZE OUR PLACE BEFORE GOD
IV. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO MAKE THE RIGHT VOWS TO GOD 28:20-22
NOTE:The first vow in the Bible
A. If God Will Be With Me 28:20
1. Not bargaining with God
2. Since God is with me
B. He Will Keep Me In The Way 28:20-21
C. He Will Give Me:
1. Bread to eat
2. Raiment to put on
3. I will come again to my father’s house in peace
NOTE:In My Father’s house are many mansions … I go to prepare a place for you … John 14:2
D. I Will Build God’s House (Work) 28:22a
E. I Will Tithe Unto The Lord 28:22b
NOTE: Jacob becomes personal: I will give to You
NOTE:God made no demands on Jacob; He only gave assurances. Jacob showed his love for God.
CONCLUSION
HOW DO WE GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?
I. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO STOP WHEN WE CAN’T SEE
II. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO LET GOD SPEAK TO US
III. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO REALIZE OUR PLACE BEFORE GOD
IV. TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE WE HAVE TO MAKE THE RIGHT VOWS TO GOD
Sermons And Lessons From The Old Testament 