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THE CHURCH ON HIGHER GROUND |
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HOMEPAGE |
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THE PLAN |
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HOMEPAGE & MENU FOR OTHER LESSONS |
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STUDY OUTLINE |
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PAGE 18 (
LESSON #1 The Go Between...Ge.24:34-41
LESSON #2 Sacredness of Life...Ge.24:42-49
LESSON #3 Decide and Follow Through...Ge.24:50-57
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LESSON #1 The Go Between...Ge.24:34-41
Mon Oct 22, 2001
Servant introduces himself to Laban, Rebekah's brother (34), and then explained his mission (35-38). Remember, we see a picture of the Holy Spirit in the life and ministry of servant. Servant was sent to find a bride for Abraham's son, just as our heavenly Father sent the Holy Spirit to find a bride for His Son. All of the positive traits which we find in servant are reflections of the traits we find in the Holy Spirit.
There is another side to understanding this passage fully. Not only is servant a picture of the Holy Spirit, he is a picture of Christians in their service to the Master. The positive traits we find in him are the traits which we should find in ourselves in obeying God and executing His Plan.
Just as servant entered into Rebekah's life and Laban's house and explained his mission to them, so the Holy Spirit enters into our lives and tells us of the Father's Plan. Servant was offering an opportunity for Rebekah to come with him and be married to Isaac. The Holy Spirit enters our lives and offers us the opportunity to be wed to Jesus.
An interesting point is made in verses 39-41. Servant had asked the question, "What if the woman I find will not follow me?" (39). Abraham first said that the Lord would send an angel with him and prosper his way (40) and that he would find a woman to be Isaac's wife among Abraham's kindred (40). God has chosen to give a wife to His Son from among His human family. God did not choose angels or any other creature to be the bride to His Son, other than mankind.
Abraham prodeeded to tell servant that he would be clear from his mission if the woman refused to come (41). Servant's mission was to locate and invite the woman of God's choosing, but he was not under obligation to bring her back if she was not willing. We often think of all the decisions of arranged marriages being made by the parents. However, the young woman in question often had the power of choice. The need of of the groom-to-be was not the diciding factor, the intention of the parents was not the diciding factor, it was up to the young woman.
When the Holy Spirit comes looking for a bride for Jesus, He finds candidates, but He never forces His will on them. He lavishes us with kindness and gifts of many kinds, and He tells us of His mission and the Father's Plan, and He invites us to come to Jesus, but He never forces us to do anything. Mankind was created with a free will and even after Adam abused his free will and chose to sin, God allowed him to still have the freedom of choice. Since the garden, man has had the option of obedience or rebellion. When the Holy Spirit offers us the free gift of salvation from sin, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can either accept it by faith or reject it. When He offers us a living and loving relationship with Jesus, we can either accept it or reject it. He does not force or coerce our submission to God's Plan.
Think about this: The Holy Spirit is the holy go-between. When the Father wanted to call us to Jesus, He sent the Holy Spirit. Just as servant's mission was to communicate Abraham's message and to promote Isaac rather than himself, so the Holy Spirit's mission is to communicate the Father's message and promote (glorify) Jesus and not glorify Himself (John 16:13-15). The Holy Spirit is the Holy Go-Between. Even after we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we still approach the Father through the Holy Spirit. He teaches us to pray, He prays within us and He makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Then, we in turn, are to become God's ambassadors (II Co. 5:20), go-betweens, too a lost and rebellious world. Abraham sent servant, the Father sent the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit sends us. We see in the New Teatament that Christians are empowered, sent and led to bring the lost to Jesus. We are not sent to promote or glorify ourselves, but to glorify Him. We are not sent with our own message but His. We are not allowed to change His message or hide is message. As faithful servants, we must tell God's truth in love.
Let us go and tell the world that Jesus loves them.
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LESSON #2 Sacredness of Life...Ge.24:42-49
Wed Dec 5, 2001
When servant told Rebekah's brother (Laban) and her father (possibly called Bethuel) the story of his journey and how he arrived at their home (50), he recounted the spiritual aspect as clearly as he did the natural side of his adventure. His conversing with God and seeking God's blessing in his endeavor was as much a part of his daily routine as eating and caring for his responsibilities.
Notice how he transitioned from reporting his conversation with Abraham to his conversation with God (41-42). We can see it was as natural and as ordinary as breathing for servant. It was not the first time he told someone about his personal relationship with God. He was not bragging or complaining, he was just being himself.
We all need to be in such a relationship with God that we do not draw a distinction between our "natural lives" and our "supernatural lives", our "earthly affairs" and our "heavenly calling", our "normal" and "spiritual" practices. You see, this is the mark of a person who is at home with God, he has not divided his life into the "secular" and "sacred." All of life is sacred.
Before we became Christians, all of our life was secular (not related to spiritual matters). Though there are many people who have been "religious" or involved with "spirits" (either with "Christian" groups or even the occult), they did not have a sacred life. Sacred has to do with that which is holy, and only that which is related to the true and living God is holy. After we became Christian, most of us partitioned our lives into the "secular" and the "sacred." In the west we have been taught in the public schools to separate our lives into these two parts. We have been taught there is a time and a place for the sacred and we should not allow it to interfere with our normal or secular lives. The religious scene in America (as in Europe) has fallen victim to this lie. In many parts of the world the religious and the secular are interwoven in daily life, yet we do not see the true integration of life with the sacred until a Chrisitan allows the Holy Spirit to fill and lead his (her) whole life.
Servant did not separate his sacred life from the rest of his life. He not only was able to move easily from natural to supernatural activities, he also recounted these events in the same breath. When we begin to realize Jesus is part of our daily lives (work, conversation, entertainment, contemplation, etc.) then we will begin to live every moment aware of His presence. We will realize we are not alone and we are not on our own. Servant realized this and it showed in his daily activities and interpersonal relationships.
Notice also that servant communicated with God in his heart (45). He didn't go around "speaking to God" as if speaking to himself. Though we are to realize the presence of God, we are also to realize the "special-ness" of His presence. We should never take His presence for granted, but rather with gratitude and awe. Though we should become accustomed to the spiritual and sacred realities in our lives, we should never become unaware of the greatness of such realities. We must always remember that God is both "transcendent" and "imminent", that is, He is far above all others and beyond our comprehension, yet He is as near as our own breath. In fact God is our Breath, He gives us our breath. Though we expect our next breath to always be at hand, we know that life would cease if it was gone. So it is with God.
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LESSON #3 Decide and Follow Through...Ge.24:50-57
Wed Mar 13, 2002
Josephus, the Jewish historian sugessted that "Bethuel" in this passage was Rebekah's brother rather than her father. Regardless of his identity, the account and the principles are the same.
After hearing servant's account of his mission, the family agreed that what was being said was from the Lord and they could not argue against it (50). God's ways are reasonable and believable to the open heart and mind. I hope their response was more from servants account than because of the fine gifts and prospects of an aliance with a rich man. Though there was some spiritual insight in Bethuel's family, the evidence shows that there was at least some carnal influence still in Laban's life.
Sometimes people say the right things, but it is more "show" than "reality". Bethuel and Laban agreed to this proposed marriage (51). When servant could see success within his grasp, he worshipped the Lord (52). He understood that it was not his accomplishment nor the benevolence of Bethuel's family, but rather the goodness of God which had afforded him success in his mission. Too often people think that they created their own success or they had been "lucky" or someone else had been the source of their accomplishment. We must always realize that it is God who is the giver of every good and perfect gift*.
Servant gave more gifts to Rebekah and to her brother and mother (53). At this point, servant enjoyed the meal he had postponed (54). We should be more focused on the fulfilling of the mission than on the celebrations of life. Much of the so-called "Praise and Worship" which occupies the life and ministry of the Church today is celebration without obedient and faithful ministry. As a result, the celebration is done more in emotion and exhibitionism than "in spirit and in truth*."
After celebrating and spending the night, servant arose and expressed his desire to return home and finish his errand (54). However, the mother and brother asked that he remain longer (55). Making a decision is easier than following though with it. Many right choices have been made but never accomplished because of procrastination. It is important to make right decisions, but decisions must be followed-through if they are to produce the end result of success. It has been said, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."
There are;
1-those who avoid life changing decisions,
2-those who face the decisions but choose wrongly,
3-those who choose right but never act on their decisions,
4-those who act on their decisions but do not follow through to completion and,
5-the very few who follow through.
We must not allow ourselves to "put off" the "doing" of a thing, after making a right choice. Nor must we allow others to deter our following through. Servant would not be thwarted in his mission (56). He knew God had given him success, but he also knew that humans have the ability to frustrate the will of God. He could have failed at any time and now Laban could hinder the plan as well. We must set, fix our minds on the calling and objective before us. As Paul said, "Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.*"
This is why a decision for Christ is important, but the life of obedience and faith is essential for eternal life.
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