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Sermon Summaries by Sandi Jordan
Published in the Crossville Chronicle
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February 23, 2020
Jacob, in Genesis 35, tells his household to put away their foreign gods and purify themselves. The household is about to take the final portion of their journey toward the land God has provided for them, Bethel. God tells him to “be fruitful and multiply”. While on the way, Rachel, Jacob’s wife, goes into labor and delivers a boy, Benjamin. But she dies in childbirth. As the family and servants get to the land, a listing of Jacob’s sons is made, but only after it is mentioned that the oldest son, Reuben slept with his father’s concubine. This fact will be important as inheritances are divided later in Genesis. In this chapter God is mentioned 13 times directly and indirectly in other ways. Pastor Stu reminds us that Jacob now faithfully rests on the promises of God. The constant Presence of God in our lives deepens our faith. Deepening our faith each week as we study through the Word each Sunday at 9:30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 16,2020 The Bible often lays bear the horrific ways of sinful man. One might wonder, “If the book was written by men without the leading of the Holy Spirit, would such an incident, or others like it, be included.” Pastor Stu is in Genesis 33 and 34. Jacob takes his family to settle just outside the city, Shechem. Jacob’s daughter, Dinah, goes into the town is seen by Shechem, the man who the town is named after. He takes Dinah and rapes her. Jacob hears of this and remains neutral, but Simeon and Levi plan to exact revenge on the whole town. The brothers insist that all the men in Shechem become circumcised. While healing, the sons of Jacob rescue their sister, slaughter the men, and plunder the city. This is not a story you would not want in your family history, but the Bibles deals with tough issues. We have the freedom to chose our own path, but without God, is it worth the price? Find answers on Sundays at 9:30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 9, 2020 Our service starts with the verse “My grace is sufficient” spoken to Paul in 2 Corinthians. We are then blessed with worship and an added bonus of music from Josh Pitrezzello written after his family and friends left The Paradise Fire in California. Our teaching in Genesis 32 features Jacob wrestling with God. Jacob, who has always wavered between faith and self sufficiency, finds himself confronted by God. Although Jacob struggles to take control, he finally relents and through this he is renamed Israel. He also leaves with his hip disjointed. Like Jacob, it is hard to find ourselves the hands of the Potter and give up our own desires. Through Pastor’s Stu teaching we learn in this passage to consider these actions: Pray, and pray again, confess total control to the Lord, wait, and then accept the answer from the Lord that may be “yes”, “no” or “not now”. It all comes back to the grace that is sufficient. Be blessed through our teachings each Sunday at 9:30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 2, 2020 After receiving communion, our study continued in Genesis 31 and 32. As Laban and Jacob plan to depart from each other they promise an oath and make a heap. A heap of stones is a witness called Mizpah, “May the Lord watch between you and me”. It has a two fold purpose being both a covenant and a line in the sand. Jacob then goes on his way and the angels of God meet him on his way. This should have given him great comfort, but in the next few verses we read that Jacob is about to meet his estranged brother Esau who he has deceived many years before. Jacob offers a prayer: he acknowledges the Lord, he humbles himself, and he reminds himself of the promises God has made. Here is a man who battles between self-sufficiency and faith. But we are reminded in scripture that our God is faithful. Sharing each week with Pastor Stu Greenberg on Sundays at 9:30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 26, 2020 Our fellowship group was graced by a visit from Sheri Nichols of Plateau Pregnancy Services this Sunday morning. Sheri shared with us the purpose of the center was to aid women during life-changing decisions and offer support for their ongoing situations. Sheri shared her personal testimony. Her life has become a force in Middle Tennessee for love and compassion. Calvary Pathway is proud to be supportive of this worthwhile program. Our teaching this week continued with Pastor Stu’s light-hearted teaching on Genesis 31. Pastor Stu’s approach to the Biblical story with humor makes the story both memorable and relatable. Jacob has now worked for Laban for 20 years. Although God has told Jacob to return to the land of his father, he feels he has to leave in the middle of night with his family. Rachel, Jacob’s wife, steals her father’s idols as they are leaving. Three days later Laban catches up with Jacob, but through a dream God tells him not to harm him. Laban asks about the missing idols, but Rachel hides them. Then Laban and Jacob swear an oath and depart from each other. More on Genesis 31 next Sunday at 9:30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 19, 2020 Pastor Stu took us through a fascinating portion in Genesis 30. This is a chapter that is filled with competition, distrust, and superstition. By now Leah, Jacob’s first wife, has had four sons. But Rachel is still barren. To try to even the score Rachel offers her servant, Bilhah, who becomes pregnant twice and delivers two sons. This competition continues between wives and servants. Eventually Rachel gives birth to a son named Joseph. Jacob has eleven sons and a daughter. Jacob wishes to leave the land of Laban with his family to return to his homeland, but Laban, who has become rich through Jacob’s tending of his flock, does not want to see him go. Jacob offers a plan where he will take the weaker animals of the flock to leave Laban the best of the best. While tending the weaker animals, Jacob, through the Providence of God, produces wonderful flocks and wealth. These accounts make us realize that not much has changed in 4000 years. But ultimately we learn “to trust in the Lord”. Proverbs 3: 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 12, 2020 After a wonderful praise and worship presented by Josh, Holly, and Ratha, our hearts were prepared to learn from Pastor Stu with his teaching in Genesis 29 and 30. Jacob leaves his home to find a wife in Haran and meets Rachel, a shepherdess, at the well as she waters her flocks. She is from the family of Laban, Jacob’s uncle. Jacob tells him he will work 7 years so that he can marry Rachel. Laban agrees, and at the end, Laban substitutes the older sister, Leah. Jacob works another 7 years for Rachel. Leah has 4 sons, while at this point Rachel is barren. The fourth son of Leah is named Judah. Judah is the line from which the Promised Savior will come. God’s other promises include: atonement, rapture, day of judgement, and the reign of Jesus. God’s past promises have been fulfilled and His future promises will be seen. To understand the coming promises, join us Sundays at 9:30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 5, 2020 In Genesis 28, Pastor Stu presents the dream of Jacob. Jacob after receiving the blessing from Isaac, he leaves the area to find a wife that is not from the pagan culture. After traveling, Jacob needs rest. He finds a stone for his head. As he is sleeping, he has a dream where he sees a ladder where angels are ascending and descending into Heaven. This dream has a deeper meaning. The Lord is the ladder as revealed in John 1: 52 “...hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” Those angels will attend to Jacob and us as well in times of need. Hebrews 1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” Jacob is in awe of what he learns through this dream. We all, like Jacob, are going through the process of sanctification. We all take long journeys to reach our goal of being conformed to His Image. To help you on your journey, join us Sundays at 9:30. |