This sermon looks at the significance of Jacob’s meeting with God. He met God face to face and his life was preserved. God is a God of Love and is the solution to every need.
I want to talk about the fact of God wanting and managing to meet each of us face to face. The word ‘Trinity’ means meeting God face to face.
We are going to look at the story of Jacob, he had served ten years of his life with Laban, and he was now on his way back to see Esau.
Genesis 32:1 – 8
Jacob was a very scheming person, and when he heard about Esau he thought of a strategy straight away. Despite this, Jacob knew deep down that he needed God. So we have one of the first prayers recorded in scripture:
Genesis 32:9 – 15
That was a prophecy of what was going to happen in his life, and now he was stuck with Esau and four hundred men coming and so he asked God not to forget what He promised him.
Sometimes you can get into a situation where it is seemingly impossible to find your way out. The impossibility that you face is there because God is going to show you how He alone will work out the solution. That’s what He loves to do. He is going to bring your solution purely because He loves you, and wants you realise that He is the one who does it.
Genesis 32:13 – 15
He wanted to make sure that Esau would not do what he thought he was going to do.
Genesis 32:16 – 24
There comes a time where, even for Jacob, the strategies ran out. He sent the presents off, and he was left alone. Sometimes that’s your situation, and for some of you it’s just you and God. And God, in that time, manages to get your attention. I am confirming His word to your heart, even though you’ve been alone in your heart, despite the other people around you, God is interested, and has been there all the time, and is now ready to provide the solution to your situation. You are not alone.
Genesis 32:24 – 26
Somehow he knew who he was wrestling with, and somehow he knew that in this curious way, he had to hang on. He wasn’t going to be put to one side on this one. “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” For some of you, it’s been as if God is the only one left. He is a good one to have as the last one, because He delights to provide you with Himself, who is the answer. It’s a great place to be – just you and God. The solution is there because God’s there. When it’s you and God, He has your full attention. There is no one else. As your heavenly Father, He delights to show you and lead you to the solution: Himself.
Genesis 32:27 – 29
Jacob wanted to know the man’s name. In a sense Jesus made himself of no reputation. His life on this earth wasn’t to build up a fantastic CV for a job. His life was to make Himself of no reputation, so that when you are alone with God, it’s His life, Himself, His love, His provision that you will acknowledge and greatly accept, because there is no other solution. You’ve tried this and tried that, and He’s been very patient with you, but even when Jacob had all his strategies, he was still left on his own.
Genesis 32:30 – 31
There was no strategy to overcome the limp. It was a reminder to him always that God is the solution.
Genesis 32:32
The name of this place is Trinity because we want people here to meet with God.
Ephesians 2:1 – 5
When Jacob met with God, he knew his life was preserved. When you meet with God, He gives you a new life, and you live that life until you meet God face to face. It is heaven on earth now because Christ’s life is inside us. He’s birthed you into life. Jacob thought he was facing death, but his life was preserved, not because of what happened with Esau, but because he met God face to face.
Ephesians 2:6
Everything is settled
Now we get into a situation where everything is settled. There are no surprises in heaven. There are no credit crunches, there are no worries, and there is no fear in heaven. With the life of Christ inside you, as you face circumstances in life, you are seated with Him in heavenly places. This world is not my home, I am just passing through. My passport has ‘heaven’ on it, because I’m a citizen of heaven. When Jacob wrestled with God he knew his life was preserved. As a Christian, your life has been launched in new birth. God is going to fulfil his purposes in your life until such time as you see Him face to face. He loves you. In a sense, it is as if we were at the foot of the cross, our sin put Him there, and we would have been alongside those who put Him there.
Ephesians 2:4 – 10
The gift of God is faith. The gift of God is Himself in your life. This is not up in the clouds – this is reality. This is God mixing with you in your life, preparing the way, and knowing what’s happening in the weeks ahead. He knows exactly what He’s doing, and everything is couched in His love and provision for you. Everything. If you want to view things differently, you can, but why? Why think that God isn’t going to make provision? He is, because everything that He’s done He’s prepared.
Revelation 22:1 – 5
Jacob called the name Trinity, because he had met with God face to face. As we now experience the bounteous mercies and grace in our lives, we are moving forward to a point where we shall see His face. The Church, bought with the blood of the Lamb, shall have His name on their foreheads. Your name is in the book of Life. At some point we will see His face. It is through His work and His grace. I won’t be presenting an earthly CV to get into heaven. I will be evidence of God’s grace in an individual, and that’s what you will be.
This week, is your mind going to be oriented the way it was last week, or is it going to be oriented on and in God? He has made provision. He is my provider. He is a God of love. Jacob met with God face to face, and God preserved his life.
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