A Legacy Anyone Can Leave
Sermon Notes
After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.” So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant. When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?” Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.” And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
- Genesis 29:15-30
She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon
- Genesis 29:33
‘Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there’s something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, “Hey man, this is what is.” I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think, “It’s got to be more than this.” I mean this isn’t, this can’t be what it’s all cracked up to be.’
– Tom Brady
‘What’s the answer?’
- Interviewer
‘I wish I knew. I wish I knew.’
– Tom Brady
She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
- Genesis 29:35
Table Group Resources
Mixer
Happy Valentine’s Day! God has shown all of us love through his promises and through others. When have you experienced God’s love through another person? What did the person do that made you feel loved?
Sermon Questions
Scriptures: Genesis 29:15-30, 33, 35
1. What is it that one thing you spend time pursuing (new car, promotion, perfect vacation, etc.), thinking it will bring you happiness? Did it?
2. Read Genesis 29:15-30. What was Jacob pursuing? What was Leah pursuing? Did their pursuits come from a sinful place?
3. Pastor Jared said “You don’t commit a sin, sin has a way of committing you.” What was the reverb effect from Isaac to Jacob to Leah? Have you had an experience in your life where you were a “Jacob”? Does that make you any different now - how?
4. Richard Rohr says “If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it....” What was the decision that Leah made that broke the cycle? What do you need to do to break yours?
5. Pastor Jared reminded us that “in the morning, all the Rachels we follow in life turn into Leahs.” What do you do at that moment? We can either play the blame game or we can hit our knees like Leah. When we do that, what can we expect God will do with our disillusionments?
6. To leave a legacy that anyone can leave, our children need to see our dependence on God. What will this look like for you?
Serve
Did you know we send out weekly newsletters with opportunities to volunteer and Go First to serve our community? Want to hear more? Join this group to receive the weekly Impact updates.
Pray
Join us in prayer for the kids that attended winter camp this past weekend. Pray that the spiritual decisions they made would continue to be nurtured and the Holy Spirit would finish the work in them that was started this weekend. In addition, there was so much progress in building community & connection, pray that this continues!
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18
