“Rehoboth”
Genesis 26:1-6; 12-29 - November 10, 2019
Message 1 of 6 in the Sermon Series: “Difference Makers: Chasing the Vision”

Today’s Goals

To hear the call of God in our lives.
To see our present circumstances in pursuit of that call.
To find clarity on our next steps as a community of believers on mission together.

1. The Call of God on our lives – Gn. 26:1-6

Genesis 26:1-6—“Now there was a famine in the land—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines in Gerar.²The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live.³Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you.For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.⁴I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed,⁵because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions.”⁶So Isaac stayed in Gerar.”

God blesses people so that they can bless others.

Every Christian has been “blessed to bless”.

Our miracle is a connection to a Holy God.

Genesis 26:3b—“…I will be with you…”.

Our mandate is to live on-mission for him so others might have that connection.

2. The Circumstances of God moving – Gn. 26:12-21

Genesis 26:12-21—“Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him.¹³The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy.¹⁴He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him.¹⁵So all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth.

¹⁶Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us.”

¹⁷So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar,where he settled.¹⁸Isaac reopened the wellsthat had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.

¹⁹Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there.²⁰But the herders of Gerar quarreled with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him.²¹Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.”

God blessings were bigger than the borders of Isaac.

“Esek”= Dispute.

“Sitna”= Opposition.

TRUTH: The blessings of living through a movement of God are greater than the burdens.

HOWEVER: Often times the blessings of God require you to find more space to enjoy them.

3. The Clarity needed to continue fulfilling our calling – Gn. 26:22-29

Genesis 26:22-29—“He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth saying, “Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.”

²³From there he went up to Beersheba.²⁴That night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham.Do not be afraid, for I am with you;I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”

²⁵Isaac built an altarthere and called on the name of theLord.There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.

²⁶Meanwhile, Abimelek had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces.²⁷Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?”

²⁸They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you; so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you. Let us make a treaty with you²⁹that you will do us no harm, just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by theLord.”

Steps to Clarity

1. Rehoboth.

“Rehoboth”– There is room for us!

2. Remember.

“Beersheba”– The first piece of Abraham’s “promised” land.

3. Reality.

Isaac’s reality, as he continued to experience God’s blessings, was that he just need to “keep digging wells”.

4. Reach others.

Genesis 26:28a—“They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you…”

Difference Makers: Chasing the Vision ‘Key Dates’

Sunday, December 15^th: Commitment Sunday

Bring Your First Fruits Offering.

Bring Your 2-Year Pledge.

Christmas Weekend: Celebration Services Announcement

Difference Makers: Chasing the Vision

Worship Experience Journey Church International

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