GET READY FOR YOUR FAMILY REUNION Genesis 33:1-10

 FAMILY REUNION   GEN 33: 3-8   

THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT 

Family is God’s premier divine institution. He spoke everything into existence. But He took special time to make all of us in His own image and likeness. He didn’t make anything else in creation to be like Him, Not even angels

From two people, Adam and Eve there over 8 billion  around the world

God loves family reunions.  We all got a place in that great family reunion planned when Jesus returns.

Did you know that God started the writing of the Bible, the Old Testament with the remembrance of a family reunion?  It in Exodus read it for yourself.  The nation of Israel was born in 400 years of slavery in Egypt.  God sent Moses to perform 10 plagues to get Israel released from Egypt.  It was the last plague that got Israel released. The first born son of every Egyptian was killed.

But every Israelite family was spared who had the blood of lamb on

Their door post. The death angel passed over them. 

That was a foreshadowing of what Jesus did for you and me. 

All throughout the Old Testament the Jews went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. It was a family reunion.  Some traveled 100 miles on foot. When Jesus was growing up He went to the passover festival with His family. Every Sunday Morning for us is a family reunion.

 We got one final family reunion that we are all invited to.  I want hear Jesus say come on in, well done.

I want to spend a few minutes talking about one of the notable 

Family reunion in the Old Testament . It a family reunion between

The families of Esau and Jacob.

Issac the Son of Abraham and Rebekah had two twin sons,  Esau was born  first, and Jacob was born holding on to the foot of Esau.

Esau, a few minutes older, was  by tradition the one who would inherit the Family fortune when the father died. That time came.

 I want to make 3 points about the families of Jacob and Esau meeting after being apart for over 20 years. Find the story in Genesis 27 -33

1. It is God who put in the hearts of people like Allison and Her crew 

    To bring family members together. You are the vessels God used.

2. Family reunions are a time to catch up on what has happened in the lives of members and meet new members.

3. A Family reunion is a time to bury the hatched, forgive and forget past hurts and unify together as one.

THE STORY 

Issac and Rebecka, after years of trying, had twin sons Esau and Jacob. Esau was born hairy and red. He was a man’s man. Loved the outdoors; A game hunter.  He was favored by  Issac.

Jacob on the other hand was a momma boy. He hung around his momma and learned how to cook. He was momma's favorite.  

You can imagine there was some friction in the family

Esau being a man’s man loved foreign girls outside his race. Women

Whose families worshiped idol gods. This was not pleasing to momma

And against God’s commands. 

When Issac was old, blind and about to die, he called Esau in and told

Him, he would be blessed with the family fortune.  Issac wanted one last meal  made of game Esau would kill. 

When Rebecka heard it she got with Jacob and told him go kill a sheep. I will make some stew. Your dad can’t see but he can feel. We will disguise you as Esau by putting sheep skin around your arms.

That was done and Jacob was blessed with family fortune before

Esau got back with a game he killed. Esau got angry and Jacob was sent away to save his life.

GOD ALLOWS YOU TO TROUBLE YOUR LIFE FOR HIS GLORY

It would appear that Rebekah and Jacob joined together to trick Esau.  Not so

• Esau was planned from birth to be the unrighteous nation

• Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew

• Esau disqualified himself by associating with women who                                                                   worshiped idol gods 

• Isaac blinded by his favoritism for Esau would have violated God’s                                                        command

• Rebekah preserved the family name and the command of God with                                                                       what she did for Jacob 

• On the way to his uncle Laban’s house Jacob met God in a dream

• Gen 28:12  As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven.

• God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. 14 Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth!

GOD HAS A BASIC TRAINING PROGRAM FOR FAMILY UNITY

• Jacob was prideful, boastful and fearful when he left his momma headed to his uncle's place

• He met God on the way out;Gen 28:12  As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven.                                            And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway.

• Gen 28:13-14  "I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you                                                      are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants.

• 20 years of life happened. He was trained by circumstances

• Jacob met God on the way back home: Gen 31:1

•  Then in my dream, the angel of God said to me, Gen 31:13

•  I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, the place where you anointed the pillar of stone and made your vow to me.                                           Now get ready and leave this country and return to the land of your birth.'"

• BASIC TRAINING COMPLETE

• Gen 32:24-25  a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break..Gen 32:28  "Your name will no longer be Jacob,"   the man told him. "From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won."

• Jacob was now ready to be the Patriarch of the Nation  

• YOUR LIFE IS A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR GOD

THE FAMILY REUNION

20 years later Jacob was blessed with two wives, to wives maidens and between the four women had 12 sons.   And many  livestock. He decided to return home.

On the way back Jacob got the word that Esau was coming with an army. Fearing Esau would kill him and his family, he stayed up all night to get a plan to save his  family. He made up his mind he was going to face the music. He did the deed,  now he had a price to pay.

Jacob had been caring that burden for 20 years, 

IN THE SPIRIT OF RECONCILIATION, HUMBLE YOURSELF

Gen 33:3-4

 Then Jacob went on ahead with his family following.  As he approached his brother, he bowed to the ground seven times before him. 4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.

Gen 33:5 Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, "Who are these people with you?"

"These are the children God has graciously given to me, your servant," Jacob replied.

Watch this, Jacob would rather serve his brother than endanger the lives of His family

Gen 33:8 "And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?" Esau asked. Jacob replied, "They are a gift, my lord, to ensure your friendship ."9 "My brother, I have plenty," Esau answered. "Keep what you have for yourself."

Jacob laid it on pretty thick  Call his brother lord.  Still was not sure he was hearing what he heard. Didn’t trust his brother motive

Esau came with 400 men

I want you to notice something.  20 years earlier Jacob ran to save his life

 In the spirit of reconciliation, Jacob presented himself as a servant to his brother and brought a gift of reconciliation. 

Talking about. kissing some you know what, Jacob laid it on thick

TRUST GOD WITH YOUR PROBLEMS

While Jacob was worried about meeting his brother. God had already

Worked it out. God can soften the heart of your worst enemy

Jacob had been carrying this burden for 20 years. But Easu had moved on.

SUMMARY

1. God is pleased when we come together as a family unit

   He ordained family reunions

   All throughout the Old Testament Israel was required to go to

   Jerusalem to celebrate the passover. It was a good old fashioned    

   family reunion

   God expects us to show up for worship on Sunday Morning

 Look Jacob showed up with an offering, a gift of reconciliation. 

God expects us to come with gift. 

2. Family Reunion is the time to catch up on each other and meet new family members

Esau said who are these people you brought with you 

I said to my wife I got a lot of family members to get to know

Mothers and daughters, fathers and sons , grand and great grand I never met.  We got a strong family unit

3. Family Reunions is a time to forgive and forget old hurts and enjoy each other.

That is what Jesus did on the cross for us.  He settled the sin issues 

He settled all hurts and pain. He settled every jealous and envious attitude . With arms stressed  wide with His last breath He said

Its finished  

We got one last family reunion to attend. We going to meet up with

Jesus in the sky. He going take into the  heavenly family reunion

Come on in well done

He cast our sin as for as the east is from the west. God chose to forget your sins. We have to choose to be at peace with each other 

 

PSALMS 133:1  Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

LET FREEDOM RULE IN YOUR HEART John 8:32

                  LET FREEDOM RULE YOUR HEART

John 8:32

 

America celebrated 250 years of freedom from Britain this year.  The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. However the slave trade begin in a America in 1526 by Spanish slave traders is South Carolina. Another group of African slaves arrive in August 1619 at Point Comfort 

Present day Fort Monroe  in Hampton Virginia. The signing of the Declaration of Independence did not address human slavery in America.

Slavery in the US was constitutionally abolished in the 13th Amendment in December 1865. Black males didn’t get the right to vote until the 15th amendment was added in 1870.

Congress never made holding slaves a crime until 1941. The 14th and the 15th Amendments to the constitution were not enforced until the 1960’s.

Black women did not get the right to vote until the 1950’s

Today in America many immigrants who came looking for the American dream are being forced out. Except for the native American Indians, we are all immigrants.   So whose freedom are we celebrating? 

Dr Martin Luther King had a dream for the future of America. It was doing the Civil Rights movement in 1963. It was about physical freedom and the equality of men and women with equal rights. 

His I Have a Dream statement was made in Washington DC. An excerpt is below

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. “

We live in a society where freedom is based on whose perception you are looking from. In America today we are not free to voice our opinions without physical reprisals or violence. Your freedom depends on how much money you got, what political party you claim and what connections you have in government. And that changes from day to day,

WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT FREEDOM

Gal 5:1 For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.

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1 Peter 2:16 as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.

John 8:32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

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Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life.

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Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.

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THE WORD OF GOD ABOUT TRUE FREEDOM

I have the Word of God about true freedom. God promised us spiritual freedom over 2000 years ago. It was ratified with the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. It has nothing to do with our physical circumstances but all to do with our spiritual freedom. Physical freedom want get you into heaven but Jesus can.

John 8:32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Jesus is the truth, Freedom of the soul. Jesus came to make us free from the inside out. Jesus came to set us free from sin. In the Bible sin is missing God’s perfect standard of righteousness or breaking His law. Unless we get puffed up

God reminds us; Rom 3:23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.  

God further emphasizes our inability to be perfect in His sight with 

Rom 3:10 as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one;

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It is only through a relationship with Jesus Christ can we be set free from Sin 

John 8:36 If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

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SLAVERY TO SIN ALWAYS A HUMAN PRODUCT

Slavery to sin has always been a factor in human relationships. It started in the Garden of Eden and continues today.  Sin binds us to a lie; you want die. It blinds us to the truth which is the Word of God and it grinds us into the pit of hell. 

JESUS NEVER CONDEMNS YOU BUT EMPOWERS YOU

Jesus never condemns us for our sins or put us on a guilt trip. Jesus went out His way to meet the Samaritan women at the well.  A woman who had had five husbands and was living with a six man who was not her husband,

Jesus told her he knew who she was and offered her living water, which she accepted and became a missionary in Samaria.

The woman with the issue of blood for 12 years by law was not to be in the crowd, quietly made her way to Jesus and touched the helm of His garment

And was immediately healed. She intended to slip away unnoticed. But 

Jesus recognized the healing power had come out of him. He called her out and she confessed. Jesus said your faith has made you well. She was free from the blood issue and could live a normal life. But she was bound to the blood of Jesus for her spiritual freedom.

Peter who denied Jesus three times the night of His trial, was forgiven and restored with preaching power. Peter converted 5000 souls in his first two sermons.

Jesus came that we might have life abundantly. Jesus did not come to start a religion, but to start a relationship with Him. Religion is something you do out of habit. A relationship is a free gift from Jesus. You did not have the good sense to come to Jesus until you were drawn. 

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day.

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SIN KEEPS YOU IN A WALL OF GUILT

There are some who build  walls around their sins. They get comfortable in their misery, It is their norm. Like Judas He was the keeper of the donations given to Jesus. He regularly stole from the money bag. He sold Jesus out to the Jewish leaders for 30 pieces of silver. He knew he

was wrong and gave the money back to them. BUT, he was too proud to confess his sin to Jesus and accept forgiveness. The tragedy was that forgiveness was his for the asking. He was blinded to Jesus’ words that

He had the power to forgive sin;

Matt 9:6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (then saith he to the sick of the palsy), Arise, and take up thy bed, and go up unto thy house.

Judas had been with Jesus for 3 ½ years. He heard and witnessed this. Blinded by Satan he committed suicide.

Judas didn’t start out to be a thief. His name means “praise be to the Lord”.

Jesus trusted him with the donations. He took a little once, got away with it

And kept doing it and in some way justified it in his mind till it became a habit. He accepted the lie from Satan, you can quit anytime and no one will know,

THE PRICE FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS

Anything worth having has a price. To be any athlete takes years of training. To pursue a professional career takes years of study.

Our spiritual liberty was not cheap. It cost Jesus His life, A man without

Sin received the death on the cross, the cruelest punishment.

On the cross with arms stressed wide , his final words was it is finish, Into

Your hands I commit my spirit. The word finished was a legal business term. The transaction between Jesus and the Father was complete

Jesus paid the price for you sins and mind forever, past present and future,

God chose to forget your sins. He is the only one that can do that

Ps 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

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WHAT DOES SPIRITUAL FREEDOM COST YOU?

Give up self for God 

Give up hate for love

Give up you getting even for God’s vengeance

Give up intolerance for patience

Give up your will for God’s will

Give up religion for relationship

Give up independence for dependence on Jesus

Give up your opinions for the truth

THE BENEFIT OF YOUR SPIRITUAL FREEDEM

The Truth will set you free            John 8:31-32

Freedom from the Law to Grace   John 1:17

Freedom to love and serve         Gal 5:13

Protection over your freedom   1 Cor 6:12

Freedom From Guilt 

Freedom From the Bondage of Sin

Prepared place in heaven        John 14:2

WHAT DOES A LIFE OF TRUE FREEDOM LOOK LIKE?

1. LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOU MIND BODY AND SOUL

2. ACCEPT JESUS AS THE ONE WHO PAID THE PRICE FOR ALL YOUR SINS

3. TRUST GOD FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS AND THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART

4. EXPECT GOD TO GIVE YOU A LIFE OF ABUNDANCE

5. START EACH DAY WITH PRAISE AND WORSHIP

6. LIVE EACH DAY WITH AN ATTITUDE OF GRADITUDE

7. SEE EACH DAY AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OTHERS

8. LIVE EACH DAY IN JESUS JOY, THE WORLD DIDN’T GIVE IT AND ONLY YOU CAN LET IT SLIP AWAY

9. LET THE PEAC

10. E OF GOD RULE YOUR HEART IN MIDST OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES

11. MAKE ALL YOUR REQUESTS KNOWN TO GOD WITH PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING

12. IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HE WILL DIRECT YOUR PATH

WE ARE FREE THANK GOD ALMIGHT FOR THE GIFT OF FREEDOM 

 

REMADED, RESHAPED, REDEEMED Jeremiah 18:1-10

 REMADED, RESHAPED, REDEEMED

JEREMIAH 18:1-10

Jer 18:1-10

 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 "Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words." 3 So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. 

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? says the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will repent of the evil that I intended to do to it. 9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10 and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will repent of the good which I had intended to do to it.

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THE LORD IS THE POTTER

WE ARE THE CLAY

THE POTTERS WHEEL IS THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE

THE SPOILING IS SIN

THE REMAKING IS THE MERCY OF GOD

YOU HAVE A DIVINE CALL ON YOUR LIFE

V:1The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 "Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words

1. AVAILABLE TO ACT ON GOD’S COMMAND

Jerusalem was on a hill and perhaps the potter's house was in the valley.

Jesus stepped down out of heaven, put on humility to come dwell with us.

We have to humble ourselves before the Lord and become His workmanship

2. A VISUAL EXAMPLE OF A SPIRITUAL MESSAGE

Sometimes the simple jobs of life have profound messages. Everything is by God's design and we would do well to pay attention. Sometimes we have to lower ourselves to the ground to look up and realize God’s work

The potter like God himself was a creator of vessels of different sizes, for different purposes and different uses. It was the potters' design to create vessels for general use.

Each of us were made by God for different uses to give Him glory. The work of God requires us to move at His command. We see different things in different places. You never know what God is going to reveal to you from day to day. Keep living. Keep serving and you keep gaining insight into the God of creation.

DIVINE WISDOM, FOLLOWING GOD’S COMMAND

V:3 So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. 

Obedience to God’s guidance and direction is important in our lives.

Sometimes God can show us a way we can get a clearer understanding.

The potter was a busy body doing the work assigned to him. In his creative work, the more vessels he made he  increased his skill of creativity. The more we serve God the more ways we learn to serve. To learn, God sends us to working people, dedicated to the skill.  Like clay, we are in the potter's hand. Our minds, body and souls are individually shaped by God.

GOD HAS A  PLAN, A PURPOSE AND POWER FOR YOUR LIFE

V: 4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. 

After God spoke the world into existence, on the sixth day he took the dust of the earth and made man in His own image and likeness. Some where along the way of life sin was introduced and we became spoiled,

Israel was at the time moving away from God in their constant disobedience to God’s commands. The message is a physical example of God's sovereignty, power and control.

Wisdom develops through the problems we face in life.  There are times we fail at what we do, Sometimes failure is not our fault. We are not told what caused the vessel to be spoiled. What we do know is the potter didn’t give up on the clay, he reshaped it. That’s what God does for us. He will never leave us or forsake us 

1. SIN THE REASON FOR A SPOILED LIFE

What causes life to be spoiled is sin. God does not give up on us. It was the potter who selected the clay. It was the potter's plan for the clay. It was the potter's design for the clay, It was to be made into a vessel of use. He restarted the process. Perhaps, the potter inspected the clay and removed the imperfection before the reshaping. In life the reshaping of  ourselves to model the perfect model who is Jesus Christ is the goal.

2. WE SERVE A GOD OF MANY CHANCES

Notice he reshaped it into another vessel. There are cups for drinking, bowls for mixing, plates for eating and pots for cooking. Maybe he changed the design to make a more useful vessel. God gave some for preaching, some for teaching, some for missions, some for encouragement and some for helps. 

Any man in Christ is a new creation. We forget about the old and focus on the new.  The old experiences in life prepared us with a testimony for a new life in Christ. The potter’s wheel represents the circumstances of change,

Growth, development and the hope for a future.

YOU ARE IN GOD’S HANDS TO DO AS HE PLEASES

V:5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? says the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 

Learning about the Lord never ceases. God used the example of the potter to show what He would do for Israel and us. We are but clay in God’s hands To do as He pleases

What God does is consistent with His nature. He is sovereign, He has the power to change natures as He wills. Our past does not change His plan and purpose for us. He knows our faults but may not judge them but change our minds to reflect His will

Jeremiah was completely aware of the sins of Israel. And may have been

Concerned as to why God had not corrected the nation. God’s timing is not our timing and His ways or not our ways. We have no ability or wisdom to counsel God. We have to accept His way as the best way. 

GOD’S PLAN INCLUDES YOUR TESTIMONY

V: 7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will repent of the evil that I intended to do to it

1. God makes judgement on our sins. And can carry it out at His will. We deserve punishment described in His Word. He has the choice to 

Defer the Judgement depending on our  repentance. 

2 Chron 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2. THE MERCY OF THE POTTER

God has laid out a judgement for our sins. But because of His great

Love and mercy, He has given us a way out. God is not too quick to 

Execute His judgement. He tolerates our sinful behavior because knows what to do to bring us to repentance. 

3. HOPE FOR RESTORATION

God reshaped the clay into a new vessel 

The new vessel is better able to serve because it has a history of failure to add to its testimony. Life experience often change one’s perception on God’s Work

GOD’S PLAN INCLUDES YOUR CHOICE

V:9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10 and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will repent of the good which I had intended to do to it.

God makes choices concerning us. Salvation or judgement.

We have a choice, to do good or to do evil.  We have the choice to accept God’s will for our life or to reject God and suffer the consequences of hell

Where you spend eternity, heaven or hell depends of you. We can claim

Ignorance or lack of knowledge. God makes Himself plain to all man kind

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, (even) his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse:

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SUMMARY

Jeremiah served under five Kings. He was directed by God to warm Israel of the impending doom of the city and the people if they did not repent and 

Return to God. The did not want to hear the message. He was threatened and imprisoned. He saw no change in the attitude of the people. Yet he had a message of hope for redemption.

The message from God to Jeremiah through eyes of the potter was that 

God is in control and He will do as He will to punish and restore Israel

The message to all believers is God is in control of your life. The circumstances of your life does not change God’s plan of redemption for you,  GOD GOT THIS.  GOD GOT YOU IN THE PLAMS OF HIS HANDS.