God and Family
This Verse Changed My Life • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
If your family was a tv family, which family would you be?
Waltons / Ingalls’ - your family is the pioneering type that can take on the American West, the Great Depression or a zombie apocalypse.
Bradys - Blended family with wholesome values.
Barones (Everybody Loves Raymond) - you live waaayyy too close to your in-laws
Partridges - There is always music at your house and everyone always breaks out into song.
Addams Family - You just don’t care what other people think about your family. You might be a bit strange but that’s quite normal for you. And you have an uncle who looks exactly like Lurch.
And there are more:
. . . Davidsons
Genesis 30:1–24 (ESV)
1 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2 Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.” 4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. 7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali. 9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad. 12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher. 14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar. 19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun. 21 Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah. 22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!”
Truth: Families can be messy
Truth: Families can be messy
And this family is no exception
Family line started with Abraham.
Abraham lied to Pharaoh and said Sarai was his sister
Abraham had to get his nephew out of trouble. . . again.
Abraham’s nephew ends up getting drunk and having sons / grandsons with his own daughters. These two sons will go on to be the fathers of the moabites and the ammonites - sworn enemies of Israel
Abraham heard God’s promise yet took matters into his own hands and had a child with his wife’s servant Hagar (this issue will be revisited)
Abraham’s son has two sons who are in constant competition from the moment they are born.
Jacob tricks his brother out of his birthright by wearing dead animal hair and making a really good stew.
Esau gets angry and marries a girl from the other side of the tracks - someone related to his half-uncle
Jacob leaves town because his brother, Esau, wants to kill him.
Jacob finds the girl of his dreams in Rachel and works hard to become her husband only to have his father-in-law switch sisters so that Jacob unwittingly marries Leah who is described as having “weak eyes,” a euphemism for being not so pleasant to look at for those with strong eyesight.
After working another seven years, Jacob now marries Rachel while still being married to Leah.
Jacob “loved Rachel more than Leah.”
Leah begins having children in an effort to have her husband love her
Rachel remains barren and jealous of her sister.
Not exactly a “wholesome tv family” (though sordid enough to probably have good ratings!
Families can be messy!
Even pastors’ families can be messy - If you know, you know
Your marriage is shiny on the outside but dying on the inside
You’re struggling with your children.
You’re struggling to HAVE children.
You’re family has a past you’d rather not share.
You’re family has a pain you’re not sure you can explain.
It’s a mess. Sometimes you hide it, but it is there.
*What’s the mess in your family?
ILLUST - 20????????? years ago for Christine and I it was very similar to Rachel in Genesis 30 - We had tried for quite a while to have children only to be left with the pain of four miscarriages and a doctor’s diagnosis that we’d be unable to have children.
Christine - “Would it really throw the planets out of alignment just to give us a child?!”
She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!”
Maybe you can relate
Jesus understands family mess
— was adopted
— didn’t come from the best side of Israel
— family didn’t have any status or wealth
— bullied because of his step-dad
**God does not abandon messy families. God has not abandoned you if you don’t find yourself in the family you desire.
God can work in and through messy families.
God can work in and through messy families.
Even in the midst of this strange baby competition between Rachel and Leah, God is at work fulfilling his promise to multiply Abraham’s family
2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Husbands and Fathers, lead your family to God.
Husbands and Fathers, lead your family to God.
1 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2 Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.”
Jacob blames God for the problem of his wife instead of going to God with the problem on behalf of his wife.
Jacob does one thing right, he recognizes God’s sovereign over Rachel’s womb.
Jacob does a wrong thing by using ungodly means to try to sidestep God.
Even in the mess that Jacob created, God is still at work!
He should have followed his father’s example:
21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Husband‘s and fathers recognize that your wife and your children do not need you to be there God. Instead, they need you to take them to God in prayer with the word and with the way you live.
Husbands / Dads lead your family to God!
This is your God-given role.
Husbands and fathers, you do not bear the responsibility of being God, rather you bear the responsibility of taking your family to God
Husbands, when you take your wife before God, you will not be arguing with her.
When you bring her before the Lord, you bring no other woman before your eyes.
When you lead your family to the throne of God through prayer, you bring the God enthroned into your house.
*When was the last time and how long did you pray for your wife? / kids?
Wives and Mothers, remember God remembers you.
Wives and Mothers, remember God remembers you.
22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
Mom’s are great at not forgetting things.
ILLUST - Mom’s “brain” - pen light for Christmas
When God remembers it is not because he forgets.
God can’t forget
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the child of her womb? Even if these forget, yet I will not forget you. 16 Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
When God remembers, it is because it is time for him to act.
Genesis 30:17 “17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son.”
When it says that God remembers, it is from our perspective and not God’s. He doesn’t forget. He is just waiting for the right time to act.
For us, however, it may feel like God has forgotten.
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the child of her womb? Even if these forget, yet I will not forget you.
*Where do you feel like God has forgotten you? For these ladies it was likely years.
Remember, He remembers. He is listening. Keep praying.
Those missing family, make God’s family your mission.
Those missing family, make God’s family your mission.
if you’re missing family — grown, no kids, away from
Let’s not forget the maid servants in this passage they are not insignificant. These children were listed as the children of another woman yet these were the ladies who acted as their mothers for at least the beginning of their lives as these boys grew, and became pillars of the the nation of Israel there was Zilpah standing in the background, having had a hand in shaping and moving forward God‘s kingdom
*Ladies, who around you can you be a spiritual mother, too you may have your own children, or you may want your own children, but all of us can have a hand in shaping the next generation for the kingdom of God
In fact,
46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
And indeed, it may be messy
“Family on mission is how we stop thinking of discipleship as a task that we do and start living out discipleship as a way that we are.”
― Mike Breen, Family On Mission
Conclusion
How’s the family?
*Fine, but not really on mission. We’re just existing.
We’re busy and not sure why.
Give your family to God for his mission.
*Tense, there are things we need to deal with in our marriage. We know it. The kids know it.
Husbands, it’s time to treasure your wife, guard your children and fight for your marriage. It may mean fighting your own desires to be right all the time, or fighting your desire to look and lust at other women, or fighting your desire to simply sit back and let your wife raise and disciple your children.
Dads, make home your work and not work your home.
It’s time to stand in front of and for your family.
Dads, you are the leaders at serving.
Lead your family to God. Lead your family on mission.
Moms, we remember you today, but God remembers you ALWAYS.
Your children will remember who you are more than what all you’ve done. Show them Jesus.
Kids, moms and dads are not perfect. We’ve never parented a YOU at your age before. Some things we will get right, somethings we will get wrong.
We want you to know Jesus!
*You’d say the family is empty.
Moms-at-heart but not at home,
God knows exactly where you are and is listening. I know it’s been years since or years towards.
Your desire for family is good. The timing and way for family is God’s. Give it to God and the two will come together.
In the meantime, find yourself in God’s family
*The family is messy.
Your family doesn’t need to be perfect in the world’s eyes, it just needs to be pointed at God’s heart.
Give your family to God and allow him to work his mission through your family.
Reality: God is at work in your family.
Reality: God is at work in your family.
When we invite God into our family, we move from being simply a family with a mess to a family on mission.
The altar is open for families, dads, moms, sisters, brothers, and everyone in between.
