Heading Home, Part 2

We've been looking at Genesis chapter 31 and Jacob's journeys as he begins to head back to his homeland and by looking at Genesis 31, we we saw the prompting that that The events that moved him from where he was in Haran to finally go back home We saw two things one was the ways of man.

The other was the Word of God the ways of man would as we would see would really be the working of God and The Word of God would demonstrate to Jacob the will of God that he might know exactly the plan for his life we saw last week where the ways of man centered around two things the Conversation of Laban's sons where they would lie about what Jacob had done and the countenance of Laban himself where he was no longer favorable toward Jacob And yet in spite of all that God was orchestrating the events of Jacob's life to bring about his sovereign purposes So God would come to him and tell him it was time for him to leave It was time for him to go back to His homeland and by looking at Genesis 31 we were able to see several things that Jacob understood We understand that when he talked to Rachel Lee in verse number five that the God of his father had been with him Verse number seven that God did not allow Laban to hurt him in verse number nine that God had taken away Rachel and Leah's father's livestock and given them to to Jacob and then of course down in verse number 12 God said I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you Jacob understood that that God was intimately involved in his life Jacob came to grips with the reality that God had orchestrated the events of his life to bring about his sovereign purposes and we have taken just a Little aside here to understand that through all that Jacob had been through the last 20 years while living in Iran Through all the cheating and through all the lying and all the deception and all the heartache and all the problems that Jacob went through he was a man that was able to grasp God amidst every situation and believe that God Was involved in his life and he was able to live triumphantly for God and to give glory to His name and so we have taken a little bit of a break to help us understand some principles some principles that will guide us to the process of Believing in God when things around us don't seem right When situations seem unfair When we really believe we've been treated unjustly What is it?

We are to do that We might begin to see God involved in a process as as Jacob saw and so as we look at some principles We began with looking at our theology Romans 11 36 tells us that from him that is God and through him and to him are all things Meaning that somehow we must believe that everything that happens in our life comes From God because God is in complete control of everything.

He's not in control of some things and out of control of others He is a complete control of everything and Paul in Romans 11 would tell us that I know that that God's ways are untraceable I know that his judgments are unfathomable Paul says I know those things and yet Even though I can't trace the hand of God Even though I I don't really fully comprehend all that God is doing in my life One thing I do know and that is that from him and through him and to him are all things That God is so involved in my life that everything comes from him He is so involved in my life that he's not gonna let anything happen to me that he has not already designed to happen for his Ultimate glory and so he would conclude Romans 11 36 by saying to him be the glory forever and ever Amen why because everything that happens to me is all about God.

Anyway, it's not about me. It's about God Therefore he needs to receive all the glory That's our theology Realizing that God is involved in everything God was involved in Jacob's life For God had said to Jacob. I have seen Everything that Laban has done to you not that he has observed them from a distance But he has been involved and everything that has happened with Laban God says and I have been with you and I will continue to be with you And I will lead you and I will guide you for I am the God of Bethel She Jacob came to grips with the fact that God was in complete control of his life We need to understand that and so we've looked at some principles as Outlined by the Apostle Peter in first Peter chapter 3 verse number 8 all the way down through verse number 17 So if you have your Bible I want you to turn back there with me if you would because we want to pick up where we left off last week Peter says in verse number 8.

I want to sum everything up for you. He says very simply let all be harmonious sympathetic brotherly kind-hearted and humble in spirit Not returning the evil for evil or insult for insult But giving a blessing instead for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing Peter says you have been called to inherit a blessing. God wants to bless your life and So therefore when bad things happen to you and and bad things were happening to these people that Petey was writing to they were being Set ablaze to light Nero's garden at night They were being fed to animals and being eaten alive.

And so these people were suffering severely And so Peter says listen, I don't want you to return insult for insult or evil for evil I want you to have a forgiving spirit. I want you to portray a Christlike attitude I want you to live the life of Christ. I want you to have a forgiving spirit. I Want you to be able to portray Christ to the world and the best way to do that is is not to Retaliate and not to be vengeful with your attitude and your actions But to be sympathetic to be harmonious to be brotherly to be kind to be tender-hearted He goes on to say these words let him who means to love life and see good days you fade his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile and Let him turn away from evil and do good.

Let him seek peace and pursue it See, that's the attitude. It's the Christlike attitude and Peter says I I want you to portray that attitude I want people to be able to see that attitude in you You see when when bad things happen to us when when we believe that we are treated unfairly The last thing we are thinking about is how the world perceives God through our lives The first thing we're thinking about is why am I being treated this way?

Why are things around me crumbling? Why are things so bad? Why aren't I being blessed like so-and-so's being blessed? Why is my marriage worse than their marriage? Why are my children more rebellious than their children? What is it? I have done and Peter says let me sum it up for you.

I Want you to portray a Christlike attitude. I want you to live the Christlike life. I Want people to be able to see Christ in you Why you go through treacherous times? And then he says not only do I want you to portray a Christlike attitude But I want you to praise God for his providential care He says these words in verse number 12 for the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears attend to the prayer But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil Peter says to sum it all up. God doesn't miss a thing He sees what's happening to you because his eyes are on his people He hears your cry Amidst your desperate situation because his ears are attentive to your prayers And to top it all off his face is against your persecutor.

He is against those who persecute you he will deal with them in a tremendous way Turn back with me if you would to to Psalm 56 And listen to the words of the psalmist as he helps us understand God's involvement in our lives To help us learn to praise God for his providential care You know when the bible says that we are to give thanks in all things and we are to give thanks for all things That we are to be a praising kind of people That is best seen when we are having difficult times And listen to what the psalmist says in psalm 56 verse number one Be gracious to me.

Oh god for man Has trampled upon me ever felt like man's trampled you He says fighting all day long He oppresses me My foes have trampled upon me all day long For they are many who fight proudly against me When I am afraid I will put my trust in thee In god whose word I praise in god. I have put my trust I should not be afraid. What can mere man do? to me You see if you put your trust in god and you believe in god there is no fear of man And the psalmist realized that that he would trust his god believe his god hang on to his god For what can mere man do to me?

and then he says All day long. They distort my words They they take my words. They they mix them up and and they make me look bad And All their thoughts are against me for evil They attack they lurk they watch my steps as they have waited to take my life because of wickedness Cast them forth in anger put down the peoples. Oh god Thou hast taken account of my wanderings Put my tears in thy bottle Are they not? in thy book The psalmist already admits that everything about god is in his book The book of his remembrance the book that that outlines the the the plan of man's life And then he says Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call this I know That god is for me, isn't that good god is for me.

Do you believe that god is for you? the psalmist did even though Everybody around him distorted his words Even though man would lurk and seek after him to destroy him because all their thoughts about him were evil Even though he felt like he was trampled all the day long He said you know what god is for me And if god before me who could be against me, right? And then he says in god whose word I praise In the lord whose word I praise In god I have put my trust I shall not be afraid What can man do to me?

Thy vows are binding upon me. Oh god I will render thank offerings to thee For thou has delivered my soul from death Indeed my feet from stumbling So that I may walk before god in the light of the living. Isn't that a great psalm? The psalmist understood that god was for him He understood that his job was to praise god for his word his providential care That all his tears were were even in the bottle of god and even in the book of god And so he could trust his god to take care of him Because god was for him That's what peter says different words first peter 3 verse number 12 God doesn't miss a thing He knows it all So therefore portray a christ-like attitude praise god for his providential care And then he says back to first peter chapter 3 verse number 13 And who is there?

To harm you If you prove zealous For what is good Peter says who's out there who can really harm you if You prove zealous for that which is good principle number three passionately pursue That which is good Passionately pursue that which is good He says these words exactly if you prove zealous For what is good?

Zealous is the word of intensity remember simon the zealot He was one of the apostles the zealots were people who who would live and die for a cause They wanted to free their people from from foreign rule and so they would uh resort to to violence and to assassination Because they would they would die and live for a cause they believed in something and they were passionate about it When we are treated unjustly we become very passionate about some things don't we? Maybe we are passionate about clearing our name We maybe we are passionate about defending ourselves maybe we are passionate about Retaliating against those who have harmed us.

Maybe we are passionate about Returning insult for insult. We are passionate about something And peter says I want you to be passionate about something right and that is Be zealous for that which is good not the bad things Paul would say it this way over in first thessalonians 5 verse number 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil same words that peter uses but always seek after that which is Good for one another and for all men So paul says the exact same thing Pursue that which is good for other people over in third john 11 john the apostle Says this Beloved Do not imitate what is evil But what is good?

The one who does good is of god And the one who does evil has not seen god John says it this way And he was the guy remember who who wanted to call fire down from heaven to to consume those who rebelled against christ Go ahead lord call fire down from heaven burn them up get rid of them who needs him Anyway, john learned a lesson That if we are the beloved people we need to imitate that which is good not that which is evil Because you see if you do that which is good you prove yourself to be a son of god If you do that, which is evil you prove yourself to be what not a son of god And so when you retaliate and you return evil for evil when you return bad for bad Insult for insult you're not demonstrating the fact that you're a child of god But a child that doesn't know god.

So peter says passionately pursue that which is Good That which is right Paul would say over in philippians 4 verse number 8 that there are certain things we are to think upon Things that are pure and true and holy and lovely and of of good repute that is those things that are attractive And if you do those things guess what the the peace of god will guard your heart and mind through christ Jesus our lord you see if you think of the things that are right and good guess what the peace of god calms your heart If you don't think upon those things then the peace of god doesn't calm your heart instead You become passionate about doing other things that are evil and not good And so therefore to heed the words of peter we need to passionately pursue that which is good The number four ponder your blessing ponder your blessing.

He says but even if You should suffer for the sake of righteousness. You are blessed The text says you are blessed meaning you have divine favor Perfect example the life of mary the mother of our lord what elizabeth would say to her mary you among all women Are most richly blessed? Why because she was going to give birth to the messiah? And yet once she gave birth to the messiah She took him to the temple and simeon just a few days after his birth would take him into his arms And say that mary would be pierced through with many sorrows So if that's the case How is it?

Mary was a blessed woman and yet her whole life would be pierced through with many sorrows and of all the women in the world There was not a woman with more sorrow than mary the mother of our lord none She had to go through life watching people ridicule her son despise her son Ultimately lie about her son and kill her son And yet she was the most blessed among all women because she had found divine favor in the eyes of god So peter says when you suffer for righteousness sake you're blessed because you have found divine favor in the eyes of god fifth He says at the latter part of verse number 14 and do not fear their intimidation And do not be troubled people who who cause you heartache because of righteousness sake don't be afraid of them.

Don't fear them instead he says But sanctify christ as lord in your hearts Set christ apart as lord. This is so good This is the principle put christ first in your life very simply put christ first above everything else Listen when when you suffer for righteousness sake when you're doing all that is right and people come against you This is what you are to do.

You are to sanctify christ as lord That is you are to say lord. You know what you are number one. You're in charge I want you to be in charge of my emotions I want you to be in charge of my responses You're my god. You are sovereign you rule over everything Therefore I set you number one in my life And I submit all that I am to you my emotions my mental state my physical well-being I submit it all to you because I know That from you and through you and to you are all things and I I want to give you all the glory forever and ever Therefore I set you apart as lord of my life.

I sanctify you as my god I make you the number one person in my life and I submit To all that you're doing because lord, I cannot control the people around me.

I cannot control their responses I cannot control their attitudes. I cannot control anything about them lord, but you can because you're god and therefore I leave them in your hands And I leave myself in your hands as well trusting you to do the right things Peter says don't be troubled Remember, maybe he's thinking back to john 14 1 when christ said let not your heart be troubled you believe in god I believe also in me Christ says I know you're going through a difficult time I'm going to die tomorrow and you're having a hard time grasping that And and you're having a hard time getting a hold of that but I don't want you to be agitated I don't want to be troubled on the inside Why because if you believe in god believe also in me in other words because I am god i'm in control of everything I'm in control of my my own destiny I'm in control of of your lives as well christ says So don't be troubled when treated unfairly Unjust number one portraying a christ-like attitude number two Providential care number three passionately pursue that which is good number four Ponder your blessing and number five put christ First in your life and then number six Prepare to answer every man.

Now. You're ready to speak now. You're ready to do the right thing prepare to answer sanctify christ says lord in your hearts always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the Hope that is in you you see they see the hope that's in you You have a hard time sharing it if you don't show it right if you show That christ is first in your life people will say Tell me about your hope.

Why is he respond that way? How can you possibly be the kind of person that you are when everything around you is is falling apart? Peter says if you sanctify christ as lord You'll be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks of the hope that lies within with gentleness and meekness with the right kind of attitude with the right kind of of spirits why because The eternal gospel is more important than your temporal grief That's why the eternal gospel is more important than your temporal grief You see right in the midst of our heartache.

What are we thinking about our grief our turmoil our problem our pain our heartache And god says there's something more important than your grief and it's the gospel and how is that gospel being demonstrated through your life So someone will come and say give me an answer as to the hope that is within you You see that's what was number one on the mind of christ, right?

That's why when he was on his way to calvary he would have in a sovereign plan Simon the cyrene carry the cross beam because what was most important was not the fact that he was in severe pain But that people would get a picture of what it means to be a christian all along the via de la rosa the road signs You see the gospel was still preeminent in his mind People needed to see the picture of the cross to understand the gospel and why christ would die for them That's the attitude. That's where we need to be, right?

One more point it's this in verse number 16 possess a good conscience Possess a good conscience. He says and keep a good conscience or possess That which is good a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered Those who revile your good behavior in christ may be put to shame Isn't that good keep a good conscience possess a good conscience maintain a life of integrity maintain a life that that that Or where your conscious conscience does not accuse you of anything but affirms Your attitude paul would say it this way in acts 24 verse number 16 I do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before god and before men There's nothing more powerful than a life of integrity a life.

That's marked by a pure and holy and blameless conscience Why so that those around you are put to shame? because of your lifestyle They're put to shame As those who saw joe were put to shame as those who saw daniel were put to shame As those who saw joseph were put to shame As those who saw jesus were put to shame Go through the bible read about the men of god who maintained a pure and holy conscience Through all of their unfair treatment and everyone around them were put to shame. Why because Those characters honored the lord with their life Now peter says verse number 17 for it is better If god should will it so that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is Wrong, you know peter says let me conclude something for you He says it is the will of god that you suffer for doing that which is right that's god's will for your life You see we don't want to hear that Oh, we want to know god's will for our life But we don't want to know that it's god's will for my life to suffer for doing right No, it is god's will if you do the right thing if you live his life, then you will be treated unfairly Unjustly people will speak against you people will try to tear you down.

They will slander your name They will gossip about you they will do everything they can to ridicule your life because that's what happened to the life of christ But as you go through that fiery ordeal as you go through that difficult period in your life What you find is that god is orchestrating all those events to bring about his sovereign purposes So that he is ultimately glorified in your life And that's why when you when you go back and you read job 1 you realize that that god handed job over to satan Because it was the will of god for job.

So when you go through a difficult time and you suffer for righteousness sake It's because god in his sovereign will has said this is my plan for you today Question is will you portray a christ-like attitude? Will you be the kind of of person that praises god for his providential care? Will you be the kind of person that will passionately pursue that which is good not that which is evil will you be the one that that ponders the fact that you have a Divine blessing because you are in divine favor and in a privileged position with god Will you put christ first above yourself your needs your pain your problems?

Will you sanctify christ as lord in your hearts? Will you be that kind of person in order that you might be prepared to answer? Everybody who asks of the hope that lies within all the while Maintain that appear in proven conscience before god and before man that they might be put to shame because of your godly life That's god's plan for you. Will you obey? That's the question. Let's pray