
Good News of Great Joy
“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a hope and a future.” —Jeremiah 29:11
“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” — Isaiah 55:11
God is the God of
Starting with Abraham:
“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” —Genesis 22:18
– Abraham
– Isaac
– Jacob
– Joseph
God’s
doesn’t cancel our dysfunction
Abraham
Abraham was called to be the father of a nation, God’s chosen people
He began a pattern of dysfunction that became generational
Abraham married Sarah and then lied about it:
- Gen 12 – Denied Sarah as his wife to the Pharoah out of fear of being killed
- Gen 20 – Did the same to King Abimelech of the Philistines
Isaac
-Gen 26 - Isaac denies Rebekah as his wife to King Abimelech of the Philistines
He found himself in the same place doing the same behavior as the generation before him.
Jacob
The generational cycle of deceit that started with Abraham and Isaac became Jacob’s identity.
Jacob’s name meant to supplant, or
-Tricked his father and stole Esau’s birthright
Joseph
Grew up with favoritism and being pitted against his brothers
Sold by his brothers into slavery
Forgiveness
Generational Cycles
“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” —Matthew 6:14
Joseph lived out his faith and God elevated and blessed him.
Went from a slave to the right hand of Pharaoh
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” —Joshua 24:15
Joseph continued to live out his faith by
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for
” —Genesis 50:20
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will be on His shoulders; and his name will be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” —Isaiah 9:6
Good news: Jesus is the perfect answer that breaks every generational cycle