Week 5

Isaac's Family Story

We will start this week with the end of Week 4 - The sacrifice of Issac. 

If we have time, Jacob and Esau 

Genesis 25:21-34

Genesis 27:1-38 

From their conception, Jacob and Esau are at odds. Like Cain and Abel, one had the more stereotypical 'manly' pursuit of hunting and slaughtering animals, and the other was more homely. In both cases there is a struggle for equality and acceptance.

What are the relationship dynamics in their family? 

If their family represents the human family as well, what do they tell us about how we struggle also to get along?

Genesis really has a lot of dysfunctional family stories. And in those stories, we see our own stories and we understand the need for God's love and grace to hold us together and step in where there's hurt. The beauty of these stories is God's commitment to work with imperfect people and through imperfect relationships to create blessing.

Jacob steals both the birthright (the legal rights that belong to the 1st born son), and the spiritual blessing. He does so by deceit. Those ill-gotten blessings turn out to be curses. Jacob doesn't get the life he thinks he will have. In many ways, he tried to take a shortcut through life.

There are no shortcuts to restoring relationships and doing the hard work of growing into God's plans. His shortcuts make things worse for everyone. 

Can we identify ways in which we try to shortcut what takes actual commitment and faith to accomplish? How does that work out?

We will pick up next week how his story develops. 

Jacob's story continues next week....

 

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