Jacob’s Christmas
Scott McKinney
December 5th, 2021
Genesis 35, 37, 45
Review:
The world exists because God
God made it for
The world is dying because we have
Someone is coming to
In Genesis 12-50 we see God working in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob pointing us forward to
Jacob’s Christmas points us forward to the
“God blessed him and said, “Your name is no longer Jacob; you will now be called Israel.” Then God said, “I am God Almighty. Multiply and fill the earth! Become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! And I will pass on to you the land I gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants.” —Genesis 35:10-12
“Jacob tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and mourned his Son many days. All his sons and daughters came to comfort him but he refused to be comforted. ’No in mourning will I go down to the grave, to my son’, so his Father wept for him.” —Genesis 37:34-35
Jacob’s hopes and dreams died with
“Now when Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, Why do you look at one another? For, he said, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; get down there and buy grain for us, that we may live and not die.” —Genesis 42:1-2
You never know what God is doing out of your
Jacob experiences Christmas.
Christmas is about
“And they [Jacob’s sons] left Egypt and returned to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan.” —Genesis 45:25 (NLV)
Christmas is a time where
Christmas is about
“Joseph is still alive!” they told him. “And he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned at the news–he couldn’t believe it”. —Genesis 45:26 (NLV)
Christmas is about an
“Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.” —Genesis 45:9-10
“But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.” —Genesis 45:27
Good news demands a
“And Israel said, “I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.” So Israel set out with all that was his.” —Genesis 45:28 - 46:1
Jacob represents
Joseph represents
Jacob knew that staying meant
Going meant
The Big Picture on this Message
Jacob had great expectations in his life. Many of those expectations centered on his son Joseph. When Jacob lost Joseph, he was disappointed in life and with God. At the end of his life Jacob realizes that God had been at work completely out of his view. Jacob experiences Christmas. His family came together, and gifts were given. The greatest gift of all was the news that Joseph (who was thought to be dead) was alive, and that by going to him the family could be saved. Joseph is a picture of Jesus, the Son who was dead, has come back to life, and is able to save those that come to Him.
Study Questions
1. While Jacob thought that Joseph was dead, Joseph was in fact alive and on his way to becoming Prime Minister of Egypt. Have you ever had an experience where you had given up on something only to find out later that God was working on it completely out of your view?
Read Genesis 45:3-4- Why were Joseph’s brothers terrified? What did they expect Joseph to do with them?
Read Genesis 45:5- What was Joseph’s perspective on the whole situation?
Read Romans 8:28- Have you ever seen God take something bad and use it for good?Read Genesis 4:25-26- What was Jacob’s first reaction to the news that Joseph was alive and had become Prime Minister of Egypt? Have you ever gotten news that was too good to be true?
How are we like Jacob? How is Joseph like Jesus?
- Read Genesis 45:27-46:1- How did Jacob respond to the good news? How does God want us to respond to the good news that Jesus is alive and able to save?