by Fleming Island United Methodist Church on Jun 02, 2024
### Summary
Today, we embark on a journey through the story arc of the Bible, focusing on the life of Jacob. Jacob's story is a complex one, filled with family drama that could rival any modern soap opera. He ends up with four wives and twelve sons, all of whom have their own conflicts. This summer, we will delve into the historical and cultural contexts of these biblical stories to better understand their significance.
In our household, we have a tradition of watching movies every Friday night, regardless of where my husband is due to his National Guard duties. This tradition is important to us, much like how understanding the full context of biblical stories is crucial for our spiritual growth. Just as movies often leave out details found in the books they are based on, our reading of the Bible can sometimes miss the deeper, richer context that history and culture provide.
The story of Jacob trying to marry Rachel but being tricked into marrying Leah instead is a prime example. This story seems strange to us today, but it was a part of the cultural norms of that time. Jacob's experience of being tricked by Laban, his father-in-law, mirrors the broader theme of broken trust. However, unlike human relationships that can be fraught with deceit, God's promises are steadfast and unchanging.
We often imagine the rooms Jesus promised in His Father's house as grand mansions, but the reality might be more intimate and personal. Jesus assured His disciples that there is a place for each of us in His Father's house, a place that feels safe and close to Him. This promise is a stark contrast to the broken deal Jacob experienced with Laban. Jesus' promise is secure; the price has been paid, and the sacrifice has been made.
The patriarchal period, where our story is set, was defined by the oldest living male in the household. This head of the house made all the important decisions, from marriages to financial matters. Jacob's story takes place in this context, where family units were large and closely knit, often living in compounds. The head of the house had immense responsibility and authority, much like Laban did over Jacob.
Interestingly, the Bible often omits women from genealogies unless they played a significant role. In the lineage of Jesus, four women are mentioned: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. Each of these women had complicated pasts but were honored by God for their righteousness and significant contributions. This inclusion highlights that God values everyone, regardless of their past, and can use anyone for His divine purposes.
As we continue to explore these stories, we will see how they connect the Old and New Testaments, revealing a continuous thread of God's grace and redemption. The Bible is not just a collection of isolated stories but a unified narrative that tells the epic tale of God's ongoing quest to redeem His creation. This summer, let's dive deeper into this story arc and discover the richness of God's Word.
### Key Takeaways
1. **The Importance of Context in Understanding Scripture**: Just as movies often leave out details found in the books they are based on, our reading of the Bible can sometimes miss the deeper, richer context that history and culture provide. Understanding the historical and cultural background of biblical stories helps us grasp their full significance and apply their lessons to our lives. [04:53]
2. **God's Promises Are Unchanging**: Unlike human relationships that can be fraught with deceit and broken promises, God's promises are steadfast and unchanging. Jesus assured His disciples that there is a place for each of us in His Father's house, a place that feels safe and close to Him. This promise is a stark contrast to the broken deal Jacob experienced with Laban. [26:45]
3. **The Role of Women in Biblical Genealogies**: The Bible often omits women from genealogies unless they played a significant role. In the lineage of Jesus, four women are mentioned: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. Each of these women had complicated pasts but were honored by God for their righteousness and significant contributions. This inclusion highlights that God values everyone, regardless of their past, and can use anyone for His divine purposes. [15:32]
4. **The Patriarchal Structure of Biblical Times**: The patriarchal period was defined by the oldest living male in the household, who made all the important decisions, from marriages to financial matters. Understanding this structure helps us comprehend the dynamics in stories like Jacob's, where the head of the house had immense responsibility and authority. [10:19]
5. **The Unified Narrative of the Bible**: The Bible is not just a collection of isolated stories but a unified narrative that tells the epic tale of God's ongoing quest to redeem His creation. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible reveals a continuous thread of God's grace and redemption, inviting each generation to know His amazing grace. [07:59]
### Youtube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[03:23] - The Importance of Context
[04:53] - Movies vs. Books: Understanding the Full Story
[06:43] - The Epic of Eden
[08:54] - The Patriarchal Period
[10:19] - The Role of the Head of the House
[15:32] - Women in Biblical Genealogies
[20:04] - Family Compounds and Daily Life
[22:08] - Jacob's Wedding and Broken Trust
[23:19] - Jesus' Promise of a Place for Us
[25:26] - The Intimacy of God's Promise
[26:45] - The Unchanging Nature of God's Promises
[27:31] - Prayer and Reflection
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Genesis 29:14-30 (Jacob's Marriage to Leah and Rachel)
2. John 14:1-3 (Jesus' Promise of a Place for Us)
3. Matthew 1:1-6 (Genealogy of Jesus, including the women mentioned)
#### Observation Questions
1. What was the agreement between Jacob and Laban regarding Jacob's marriage to Rachel? How did Laban deceive Jacob? ([12:41])
2. How does Jesus describe the place He is preparing for His disciples in John 14:1-3? What does this promise signify? ([24:24])
3. Who are the four women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:1-6, and what are their backgrounds? ([15:32])
4. What role did the patriarch play in the family structure during the time of Jacob? How did this influence decisions and daily life? ([10:19])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does understanding the cultural and historical context of Jacob's story help us grasp its significance? ([05:41])
2. In what ways does the promise of a place in Jesus' Father's house contrast with the broken trust Jacob experienced with Laban? ([23:19])
3. Why is it significant that the genealogy of Jesus includes women with complicated pasts? What does this inclusion tell us about God's view of righteousness and redemption? ([15:32])
4. How does the patriarchal structure of biblical times compare to modern family structures? What can we learn from this about leadership and responsibility? ([10:19])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt deceived or let down by someone. How did you handle it, and what did you learn from that experience? How can you apply the lesson of God's unchanging promises to your life? ([26:45])
2. Jesus promises a place for us in His Father's house. How does this promise affect your sense of security and belonging in your faith journey? ([24:24])
3. The women in Jesus' genealogy had complicated pasts but were honored for their righteousness. Is there an area in your life where you feel unworthy or disqualified? How can you embrace God's redemption and purpose for you? ([15:32])
4. Understanding the cultural context of biblical stories can deepen our faith. What steps can you take to learn more about the historical and cultural background of the Bible? ([05:41])
5. The patriarchal structure placed immense responsibility on the head of the house. How can you apply principles of godly leadership and responsibility in your own family or community? ([10:19])
6. Think about the tradition of watching movies in the pastor's household. Do you have any family traditions that help you stay connected? How can you create or strengthen traditions that foster spiritual growth and unity? ([03:23])
7. The Bible is a unified narrative of God's grace and redemption. How can you integrate this understanding into your daily Bible reading and study? ([07:59])
Day 1: The Importance of Context in Understanding Scripture
Understanding the historical and cultural background of biblical stories helps us grasp their full significance and apply their lessons to our lives. Just as movies often leave out details found in the books they are based on, our reading of the Bible can sometimes miss the deeper, richer context that history and culture provide. By delving into the context, we can uncover layers of meaning that enhance our spiritual growth and understanding. For example, the story of Jacob trying to marry Rachel but being tricked into marrying Leah instead may seem strange to us today, but it was a part of the cultural norms of that time. Recognizing these cultural nuances allows us to see the broader themes and lessons that God wants to convey through these stories.
[04:53]
"Then Jacob said to Laban, 'Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.' So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her." (Genesis 29:21-23, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a biblical story that has always puzzled you. How might understanding the historical and cultural context of that story change your perspective on its meaning and relevance to your life today?
Day 2: God's Promises Are Unchanging
Unlike human relationships that can be fraught with deceit and broken promises, God's promises are steadfast and unchanging. Jesus assured His disciples that there is a place for each of us in His Father's house, a place that feels safe and close to Him. This promise is a stark contrast to the broken deal Jacob experienced with Laban. While Jacob faced deceit and disappointment, we can rest in the assurance that God's promises are reliable and eternal. Jesus' promise of a place for us in His Father's house is a testament to His unwavering love and commitment to us.
[26:45]
"In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." (John 14:2-3, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt let down by someone. How does the assurance of God's unchanging promises bring comfort and hope to that situation?
Day 3: The Role of Women in Biblical Genealogies
The Bible often omits women from genealogies unless they played a significant role. In the lineage of Jesus, four women are mentioned: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. Each of these women had complicated pasts but were honored by God for their righteousness and significant contributions. This inclusion highlights that God values everyone, regardless of their past, and can use anyone for His divine purposes. These women, despite their challenges and societal status, were integral to God's plan of redemption, showing that God's grace and purpose extend to all.
[15:32]
"Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah." (Matthew 1:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: Consider the women in your life who have made a significant impact on your faith journey. How can you honor and support them in their walk with God?
Day 4: The Patriarchal Structure of Biblical Times
The patriarchal period was defined by the oldest living male in the household, who made all the important decisions, from marriages to financial matters. Understanding this structure helps us comprehend the dynamics in stories like Jacob's, where the head of the house had immense responsibility and authority. This context sheds light on the societal norms and family dynamics that influenced the actions and decisions of biblical characters. Recognizing the patriarchal structure allows us to better understand the challenges and responsibilities faced by individuals like Jacob and Laban.
[10:19]
"Then Laban said to Jacob, 'Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?' Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel." (Genesis 29:15-16, ESV)
Reflection: Think about the leadership structures in your own life, whether in your family, workplace, or community. How can you apply the principles of godly leadership and responsibility in your own roles?
Day 5: The Unified Narrative of the Bible
The Bible is not just a collection of isolated stories but a unified narrative that tells the epic tale of God's ongoing quest to redeem His creation. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible reveals a continuous thread of God's grace and redemption, inviting each generation to know His amazing grace. This unified narrative connects the Old and New Testaments, showing how God's plan of salvation unfolds through history. By seeing the Bible as a cohesive story, we can better appreciate the depth and richness of God's redemptive work.
[07:59]
"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24:27, ESV)
Reflection: How does viewing the Bible as a unified narrative change your approach to reading and studying Scripture? What new insights have you gained about God's plan of redemption?
Some of you probably know that story, right? Yeah, it's one of those famous ones, right? The poor guy. If you know much about Jacob's story, he has the family story that would be a modern soap opera today. Ends up with four wives, 12 sons. They all argue with each other.
We're not going to go into the whole details of all the story, but this summer we're looking into what the sermon series that I'm calling the story arc. And I'm going to explain why. So if you want to follow with the sermon notes, you can do that, of course, in the church app.
But before we jump in, I want to be curious who in here likes movies? You like to watch movies? We love movies in our house. We have had a long-standing tradition for like more than 10 years in our household to watch a movie every Friday night. It is like religious that we watch a movie on Friday night. When something disrupts that, it becomes a big deal.
And we have very chaotic lives. My husband's in the National Guard, so he leaves one weekend a month. And no matter what happens, whether he's home or he's across the country or across the world, we watch a movie every Friday night. There are times he has watched it with us from across the country when he's been gone for months at a time. He has watched that movie from wherever he was. It has been the norm in our life. So this is very important to us.
Now, how many of you have watched a movie and seen that little line that says, "This movie is based upon the book of such and such"? You've seen that, right? Now, in my house, other people may really like to read. I don't like to read as a dyslexic person. Reading is not fun. I do read a lot. I read for information. I don't read for enjoyment.
Now, my family, they love to read for enjoyment. So we watch these movies, and they love the movies. And then they'll see that line, "This movie was based on this book." And so then the book gets added to their wish list of what they want to read because they figure if they like the movie, they're going to love the book, right?
So what happens is that my family reads the books, and then I ask all the questions. Right? I'll be like, "OK, so what was the deal with this character? And tell me what happened here?" Because notoriously, the author has a whole lot more information that we don't get in the movie. Right? You know, some of you readers, you know that. Right?
OK. Some of you are like, "I'm like Faith. I don't read. I just watch the movie." It's OK. I'm happy to admit it. Well, this sermon series is all about us kind of getting the book side of what oftentimes is the movie experience. Right?
Because to be truthfully honest, when we read the scriptures, we don't have the background version of what we're reading because it happened a really long time ago. And some of these things seem really strange. Like this story we just heard read about Jacob trying to get his wife and then the switch happening. And that seems strange.
All the women in the room, you're trying to figure out how he married the wrong woman. Right? That seems weird. And these things are so different from our culture, we have a hard time understanding them. So this summer, we're going to kind of dig into the history and the culture and figure out what that means when we read both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Now, the thing I do love to read is comic books. That's because they have lots of pictures and not as many words. I like it. It's relaxing to me. And there's this thing in the comic book world called the story arc, meaning the overarching story thread that runs through all the books. And we have that in scripture, too. We have a thread that connects everything with us.
And so there's been a handful of books that have really impacted the way that I read scripture. And one of them is called the Epic of Eden. If you want to join and dig even deeper in this with me, we're going to have a Bible study starting next week on Wednesdays. And I'll have books in the back that unpack some teachings on this. And if you have questions, you can ask me about it at the end.
But I want to read you a quote from this book, the Epic of Eden. It says this: "We forget that this book," meaning the Bible, "was cast upon the waters of history with one very specific, completely essential, and desperately essential purpose: to tell the epic tale of God's ongoing quest to ransom his creation."
Keep going, Bob. "And to thereby give each generation the opportunity to know his amazing grace." One more, I think. "The Bible is the saga of Yahweh, God, and Adam, the prodigal son and his ever gracious heavenly father, humanity and their rebellion of God and his grace. This narrative begins with Eden and does not conclude until the new Jerusalem."
So that's saying Genesis to Revelation. And it's firmly placed in one story. And if you are a believer, which, friends, are we believers? All right. If you are a believer, then this is your story.
So this morning, we're going to use this. This is the story that you just heard there in the Bible comic called Broken Trust, or when Jacob tried to go get married. And he made a deal. And that deal was broken in his eyes. Why does this story matter? And how does it help us understand the culture of the Old Testament?
So I'm going to explain here by using some details of this that apply to a wide section. Now, some of you love facts, and you're going to love that I give you lots of facts. Some of you don't love facts, and I'm sorry. You're just going to have to bear with this series. OK? Your facts people are really excited because I haven't done this in a while. So just give them the time. OK?
All right. So this story exists in what we call the patriarchal period in the big scheme of the Old Testament. It moves. We're going to be in different periods through, but the patriarchal period is where we have Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These three people, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is where the story within the patriarchal period is found.
OK? So we have the three heads of house: Abraham, who we say we are the children of Abraham, and then his son, Isaac, and his son, Jacob. And our story, of course, today is on Jacob. You can click one more for me, Bob, so we can zoom in. There you go. Now you can see that a little smaller.
So we don't know the timeline of Eden or Noah, but we believe that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was around 2,000 years before Christ. OK? This is as best as archaeologists can figure out. So there's a couple of things important about this period. It is what we call patriarchal because it's defined by the oldest living male in the house.
See? They didn't have kings. They didn't have rulers. You were overseen by the head of your house. If you got in trouble, the patriarch disciplined you. There wasn't a jail or anything like that. You were dealt with by the head of your house. The immediate family was 15 to 30 people. OK? The family reunion would have been like 150 people. Who's ready to go to that thing? Who's anybody? All right.
So the family units lived together all the time. This head of the house, he would decide all the important things. He decided who was allowed within the family, who needed to be removed from the family. He approved all the marriages. He made all of the money decisions. He managed everything that had to do with the farming or the livestock and everything within. He made every decision.
He also had to sometimes make decisions regarding life and death things for the house. He oversaw it all. That's big stuff right there for this kind of day and age. So when someone was acting inappropriately or causing harm to the family, the head of the house had to decide how he was going to manage that person and how he was going to discipline them. That's what it meant to be patriarchal.
So we see this in the passage that we read just a bit ago when we look at Laban. Go back to Genesis 2, verse 29. So Laban is the head of his house. And we see in verse 14, Laban exclaimed, "You really are my own flesh and blood." After Jacob had stayed with Laban for about a month, Laban said to him, "You shouldn't work for me without pay just because we're relatives. Tell me how much your wage should be."
So Laban is Jacob's uncle. So they're related, but they were not in the same direct household. But they are related. So we go down to verse 18. Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, Laban, "I'll work for you for seven years if you give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife."
"Agreed," Laban replied. "I'd rather give her to you than anyone else. Stay and work with me." So we see Laban deciding who is in his house, who is working for him. And we see him deciding who is going to marry his daughter. This is the norm. This is the normal response of the head of the house.
We also get this idea of the family tree or the lineage being passed on by the men. So this is what we call patrilineal. Now, this is pretty normal to us as Americans. We're used to lineage being traced through the men, right? Yes? OK. You are zoning out on facts here. Come on now. We can be a little more awake.
You get the whole lineage passed through men thing, right? OK. I mean, it's shifting some in the United States, but as a whole, usually us women, we get married, we take our husband's last name, and it's important for men to have sons so the family name continues, right? OK. That makes sense to us.
So in Jacob's family tree, we see the fact that we trace the lineage by the men, OK? So Jacob has gone to his uncle. He has an uncle, Laban, who is his mother's brother, and he wants to try to stay within his clan to find a bride. And as we said earlier, we have Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, three of the men and how the lineage is traced.
So Laban has no sons as far as we know because otherwise the women would not have been out herding sheep. The women didn't go in the fields and work if there were men to do it. So to best we can tell, he only had daughters. Now, this is important to note because when scripture tells us about women and lineage, it's intentional why they do it because they don't ever list women in family trees unless there's a reason for the woman to be listed.
I'm sorry, ladies. It's just the way it is. We weren't that important back then, and the only reason we got listed in a lineage is if either we were one of multiple wives and they needed to indicate which child received all of the assets, and so they needed to indicate that, or if we were really important.
And I point this out because if we go to the most important lineage in scripture, to the lineage of our Lord, in the book of Matthew, there are four women listed in this lineage other than Mary. Obviously, Mary's listed because at the very end we talk about Mary. I'm talking about in the descendants of Jesus.
So let's look at this for a second. Matthew 1, verse 3: "Judah was the father of Perez and Zariah, whose mother was Tamar." Tamar was widowed without a son, and her family didn't follow the laws to help her receive a son. She did the righteous act when her brothers-in-law and her father-in-law wouldn't. So God viewed her as a righteous woman, honored her, and eventually gave her a son in her righteousness.
So she's listed. Not only did her son that she honored her deceased husband by honoring him and bearing him a son, she's in the lineage of Jesus. She's listed in the lineage of Jesus because she was righteous.
And if we go on to verse 5, "Solomon, who was the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab." Now, Rahab was the woman that helped sneak Israel, the people of Israel, into the city when they were trying to get into the city walls of Jericho, the spies. Y'all remember Jericho, right? They marched around the city, and then they shouted, and the walls came tumbling down.
Yeah. Rahab got the spies over the wall so they could see into the city. She was not a person of Israel. She was a foreigner. Not considered a woman of respectable history. OK? But she was then honored by God for helping the foreigners. She was also put into the lineage of Jesus and then noted for her, again, her righteousness.
And we move on in there. "Boaz was the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth." Ruth, who was honored because she left her hometown, again, a foreigner, and stayed to the side of her mother-in-law. And then we get, "Jesse was the father of King David," verse 6. "David was the father of Solomon, whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah."
Bathsheba, who was abused by the king, lost her first son and then redeemed in her second of Solomon and became mother of the next king. These women all had very imperfect pasts. Can we say it that way? Not the storybook stories of women that we would expect, right? But God redeemed them.
He showed that you don't have to be perfect to be used. You don't have to have the history of everything going the right way for you to be put not only in a place of honor, but for you to help be in the lineage of the Lord. And the gospel writers documented them for a reason. Because they wanted history to know that these women played an important role.
When we see them, it's important to note. Because they were only there to draw attention to something special. Because otherwise, the women were not listed. We do see in the very beginning of Matthew in verse 2, once again, the head of the patriarchal lineage, "Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac was the father of Jacob, and Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers." The tribes of Israel.
See, the family was set in these ways. Now, the last piece is that it's patriarchal. I think I said that right. Y'all know I don't say all the words right. You live with me, and I appreciate your love and grace. Meaning that the household was set by the father. They all lived within the father's house.
We have a lot of images in our head of the father's house, don't we? And the family unit could be better said as the family compound. Remember I said the immediate family is more like 15 to 30 people living within a single home? It's more like a compound of homes. Because they all lived within this space with little mini houses within.
And the women would stay within the whole time. And then the men would go out in the day, and they would farm and they would shepherd, do all their things. And the animals stayed within. And the animals stayed within the compound too. And we had this what we call the four-room dwelling where the animals stayed within the immediate space.
And you had an upper room, which was the roof, and the rooms below where the even more immediate family. There's no word in the Old Testament to indicate a more immediate family. But the archaeologists have found these four-room dwellings all grouped together. So they had a more immediate space. The animals were on the ground floor, and they had a cooking space and a living space and a storage space.
And then the roof that they called the upper room. So Jacob probably was given one of these spaces after he married Laban's daughter so he could have a space to live with his new wife.
Now, I just want to say we shouldn't be too hard on Jacob for the fact that Laban tricked him. It was tradition then that when they had these big old wedding feasts, that the bride would have been completely veiled. The whole extended family unit would have come and a big old party.
We talked in the last series. They like to have fun, right? They would have had fun till late in the night, and it would have been dark, and the bride would have been given to Jacob, and he wouldn't have really been able to see. It wouldn't have been, as it said in the passage, until the morning that he would have been given to Jacob, and he wouldn't have been able to see that he realized who had been given to him because she would have been covered the entire time.
And I would guess, it doesn't say in the passage, but I would guess if Laban was a smart man, he wouldn't have had Rachel walking around the wedding feast invisible, right? Because Jacob would have figured that out.
Now, something I want to point out as we think about this, because we see this story of trust being broken, but our God doesn't break trust, does he? See, we're thinking about this story and the deal that was made and how the head of the house made the deal and he was able to re-change the deal and all of these things because Jacob was at Laban's mercy in this.
And we sometimes are at the mercy of our God, but when Christ throws a wedding feast for us, he doesn't change his deals. He's there waiting. And he even says he has a room ready in his family compound for us.
We think about the upper room. That would have been much like the space that Christ sat with his disciples at the Last Supper, a rooftop space. They used it all the time unless it was in the rainy season when they couldn't. So as Christ entered Jerusalem and he was sitting with the disciples in someone's home, he would have been sitting on the roof enjoying the Passover meal in someone's private, personal, intimate space.
And he would have been with them as they were enjoying the meal. And all of a sudden they hear him say, "Hey, guess what? I've got to leave you." And as their teacher, they had left their families and come under his authority. He was their head. No longer were they under their father or their grandfather or their great-grandfather's authority. They were under Christ's authority.
And now he says he's leaving. And the panic and anxiety within them would have been great. But we read this in John 14: "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust in me. There is more than enough room in my father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?"
Friends, Jesus is sitting here in a space that felt so familiar to him and to others because they were in a space that felt so familiar to him and to others because they would have felt like a home he had been in a thousand times, even if he had never been in it.
And he is telling his disciples, "Our father," a word that sounds so familiar to them because they lived in a society that was so used to the father, the head of the house, making these decisions. And he's saying, "Our father has a room for us."
Now, oftentimes we have imagined these rooms to be big old. And we're all going to have our own big old house. But I love the idea of us all living within these personal spaces. It feels intimate and nestled and safe. It feels like our father knows us and wants us right beside him.
It feels with these walls that they have to protect us from the world that we're ready for whatever comes. But we also have an openness and a freedom. Because you see, much like Laban was bringing Jacob into his house, Jesus is saying to the disciples, "Our father has done the same in heaven for us."
And Jesus made this promise when he left to prepare a place for everyone else. See, these are the images that we have to connect between the old and the new. Remembering that the wedding feast that Christ promised he's preparing is never going to have a deal switched.
The sacrifice has been made. The price has been paid. We're not going to have to work another year. It's all done.
Would you pray with me?
Almighty God, I am so thankful that you put so many beautiful images in scripture like this one for us. And that we have so many things that we get to celebrate with you. God, I'm thankful that our Bible characters aren't perfect. It's so different. Our culture today from the biblical times.
I'm thankful that we don't have the same culture that we give different value on people than we did then. But I'm also thankful that we can learn from it and understand what it is that you are trying to say.
As we come to this table, Lord, I pray that we imagine the wedding feast that you have for us in heaven. That when each of us join in your heavenly hosts, that we get to feast for as long as we want. And it's a joyful celebration as you welcome us into your presence.
And this table is just a taste of that. So receive us as your beloved so that we may be in this space a hundred percent as we are loved by you, known by you, and redeemed by your sacrifice.
We pray this in your holy name. Amen.
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Now, something I want to point out as we think about this, because we see this story of trust being broken, but our God doesn't break trust, does he? See, we're thinking about this story and the deal that was made and how the head of the house made the deal and he was able to re-change the deal and all of these things because Jacob was at Laban's mercy in this. And we sometimes are at the mercy of our God, but when Christ throws a wedding feast for us, he doesn't change his deals. He's there waiting. And he even says he has a room ready and his family compound for us." [22:08](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
2. "Friends, Jesus is sitting here in a space that felt so familiar to him and to others because they were in a space that felt so familiar to him and to others because they It would have felt like a home he had been in a thousand times, even if he had never been in it. And he is telling his disciples, our father, a word that sounds so familiar to them because they lived in a society that was so used to the father, the head of the house, making these decisions. And he's saying, our father has a room for us." [25:26](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
3. "These women all had very unperfect pasts. Can we say it that way? Not the storybook stories of women that we would expect, right? But God redeemed them. He showed that you don't have to be perfect to be used. You don't have to have the history of everything going the right way for you to be put not only in a place of honor, but for you to help be in the lineage of the Lord. And the gospel writers documented them for a reason. Because they were... They wanted history to know that these women played an important role." [18:01](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
4. "So this story exists in what we call the patriarchal period in the big scheme of the Old Testament. It moves. We're going to be in different periods through. But the patriarchal period is where we have Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These three people, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is where the story within the patriarchal period is found. Okay? So we have the three heads of house. Abraham, who we say we are the children of Abraham. And then his son, Isaac. And his son, Jacob. And our story, of course, today is on Jacob." [08:54](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
5. "So Jacob probably was given one of these spaces after he married Laban's daughter so he could have a space to live with his new wife. Now, I just want to say we shouldn't be too hard on Jacob for the fact that Laban tricked him. It was tradition then. That when they had these big old wedding feasts, that the bride would have been completely veiled. The whole extended family unit would have come and a big old party. We talked in the last series. They like to have fun, right? They would have had fun till late in the night and it would have been dark and the bride would have been given to Jacob and he wouldn't have really been able to see. It wouldn't have been, as it said in the passage, to the morning." [21:03](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "And the panic and anxiety within them would have been great. But we read this in John 14. Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust in me. There is more than enough room in my father's home. If this were not so, I would have told, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you." [24:24](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
2. "And so there's been a handful of books that have really impacted the way that I read scripture. And one of them is called the Epic of Eden. If you want to join and dig even deeper in this with me, we're going to have a Bible study starting next week. Next week on Wednesdays. And I'll have books in the back that unpack some teachings on this. And if you have questions, you can ask me about it at the end. But I want to read you a quote from this book, the Epic of Eden. It says this. We forget that this book, meaning the Bible, we forget that this book was cast upon the waters of history with one very specific, completely essential, and desperately essential. To tell the epic tale of God's ongoing quest to ransom his creation. Keep going, Bob. And to thereby give each generation the opportunity to know his amazing grace." [06:43](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
3. "So this story exists in what we call the patriarchal period in the big scheme of the Old Testament. It moves. We're going to be in different periods through. But the patriarchal period is where we have Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These three people, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is where the story within the patriarchal period is found. Okay? So we have the three heads of house. Abraham, who we say we are the children of Abraham. And then his son, Isaac. And his son, Jacob. And our story, of course, today is on Jacob. You can click one more for me, Bob. So we can zoom in. There you go. Now you can see that a little smaller. So we don't know the timeline of Eden or Noah. But we believe that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was around 2,000 years before Christ. Okay? This is as best as archaeologists can figure out." [08:54](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
4. "Now, oftentimes we have imagined these rooms to be big old. And we're all going to have our own big old house. But I love the idea of us all living within these personal spaces. It feels intimate and nestled and safe. It feels like our father knows us and wants us right beside him. It feels with these walls that they have to protect us from the world that we're ready for whatever comes. But we also have an openness and a freedom. Because you see. Much like Laban was bringing Jacob into his house. Jesus is saying to the disciples, our father has done the same in heaven for us. And Jesus made this promise when he left to prepare a place for everyone else. See, these are the images that we have to connect between the old and the new. Remembering that the wedding feast that Christ promised he's preparing is never going to have a deal." [25:26](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
5. "And my husband's National Guard. So he leaves one weekend a month. And no matter what happens, whether he's home or he's across the country or across the world, we watch a movie every Friday night. And there's sometimes he. He has watched it with us from across country when he's been gone for months at a time. He has watched that movie from wherever he was. It has been the norm in our life. So this is very important to us. Now, how many of you have watched a movie and seen that little line that says this movie is based upon the book of such and such? You've seen that right now in my house. Other people of them may really like to read. I don't like to read as a dyslexic person. Reading. Reading is not fun. I do read a lot." [04:11](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
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