Striving and Seizing | Pastor Greg Ford Sermon | One Church Columbus
Striving and Seizing | Pastor Greg Ford Sermon | One Church Columbus
ICEBREAKER:
Who is your best friend? Why?
MESSAGE NOTES:
Sermon: Striving and Seizing
Intro: Saying “Ill never be the same again.” Ill never do that again. From today on I will always. I’m different. I’m a new creation.
Jacob is an example of guy who from the moment he was born seemed to be on trial for his value. *Compare him to Joseph in that way.
Born second… “heel grabber”…to follow behind
Fraternal twin…all of the distinguishing factors favored his brother…how he looked. What he was good at…fit his gathers image of what he hoped for in a son.
Imagine being on trial for your value and the first person making a case against you is your own father…your own parent.
The Bechor…double portion…great responsibility…Esau despised it…took it for granted…didn’t value it…Jacob really wanted it. Mother sided with Jacob…maybe she noticed Esau’s attitude. Maybe it was an ambition fueled by insecurity and a need to prove something…or maybe he was wired for it…either way he has to strive
[Genesis 25:34]
…Esau despised his birthright.
pivotal moment
[Genesis 32:27-28]
27 The man asked him, “What is your name?”
“Jacob,” he answered.
28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”
Between Genesis 32-50 The author calls him Israel 36x times while he calls him Jacob 83 times!
[Genesis 32:30]
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”
[Genesis 32:31]
The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.
We would all cream of having an encounter this profound…“I saw God face to face”
Physical and Metaphysical…he struggles the rest of his life trying to figure out if he’s Jacob or Israel
Different name or a different person?
Think Different thoughts
[Romans 12:2]
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…
[Colossians 3:10]
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
[Ephesians 4:23-24]
…be renewed in the spirit of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God…
Your decisions after the pivotal moment will determine if the pivotal moment was actually pivotal.
Your mindset will determine if the name change was actually a name change.
App. Fundamentally change how you see yourself.
The name change was God telling Jacob about how he sees Jacob. Jacob seemed to lack the ability to calibrate his view of himself to God’s view of him.
Do Different things
Not much changes…deceives his brother again…and he shows back up
[Genesis 35:9]
After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.” So he named him Israel.
Become a Different person
God did’t send a memo & told everyone he’s Israel
They will call you Jacob and treat you like Jacob
Ill. People reminding you of your heal grabbing
How do I make sure my pivotal moment is actually a pivotal moment and not. Just a cool story?
Expect the world to still see you as Jacob until you show them Israel consistently over time.
Expect Jacob to show up…still feeling behind…still feeling a need to prove…
- Jacob did this with his family
He treated his family based on how they made him feel about himself
How do I know if I’m changing?
You stop striving and start seizing
You go from full of yourself to free of yourself
- end of his life
[Genesis 47:7-9]
Then Joseph brought in his father, Jacob, and presented him to Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 “How old are you?” Pharaoh asked him. 9 Jacob replied, “I have traveled this earth for 130 hard years. But my life has been short compared to the lives of my ancestors.”
Comparisons don’t demoralize you
- Jacob and Esau early comparison
- Does comparison still make you jealous?
New mindset: I’m going to do what’s mine to do and I will have what I’m meant to have.
Conclusion:
[Genesis 32:27-28] NLT
“What is your name?” the man asked.
He replied, “Jacob.”
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.”
QUESTIONS:
QUESTION 1:
Can you recall a Pivotal Moment in your life?
QUESTION 2:
In that moment, what was the mindset change that needed to happen?
QUESTION 3:
Can you recall or catch yourself still thinking in old ways post Pivotal Moment?
GUIDED PRAYER:
God thank you for your faithfulness and grace. God we pray that you would help us discern when you provide a moment we need to pivot, where we need to change our thinking. God help us to focus on your purpose for our life and and carry the change all the way through so we can live more like you and give you glory. Thank you God. We love you, praise you, and worship you. In Jesus name - amen.