Video and Sermon for the 19th Sunday after Pentecost
19th Sunday after Pentecost
Genesis 32:22-30
2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
Luke 18:1-8
O Lord, your Word is lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my
redeemer.
Jacob is used to winning. On this dark night, when he mysteriously finds himself
in a wrestling match, he eventually realizes that he is not going to win. This is an
odd situation for him to be in. He is not used to this.
The Jacob that we encounter in the Old Testament reading is the third generation
to bear the sign of God’s covenant with Abraham. Isaac is the son of Abraham
and Sarah. Jacob is the son of Isaac and Rebekah. Jacob is the second born twin.
Esau came first. But, Jacob will not ignored. At birth, he grabbed hold of Esau’s
heel. He may be second born but he will be a force to be reckoned with.
As we learn in Genesis, Jacob is indeed used to winning, but it is through
cunning, deception, manipulating circumstances. Jacob wanted from the very
beginning to have what was by birth Esau’s. So, he laid in wait for the right
opportunity. In a fit of hunger, Esau gave away his birthrigh as the eldest because
Jacob withheld food. Then, as their aged and blind father prepared to meet his last
hours, Jacob made himself feel and smell like his brother Esau. Blind Isaac gave
the final blessing for the eldest to his youngest. Jacob stole the blessing.
When Jacob was sent away to work for Laban. Jacob eventually became rich off
of his uncle’s own livestock. He made his forced free labor work for him. He
prospered through his cunning and deception.
Jacob makes his way in the world through his craftiness. He wins, he is
successful, by his own efforts, devious as they may be. But not on this night.
Jacob meets his match with the mysterious stranger. He is effortlessly wounded
by his adversary. Jacob is defeated. All that he can do is hold on. Who is he
wrestling with?
While Jacob’s adversary refuses to name himself. We can surmise as Jacob did
that he wrestled with God. Who else changes people’s names to describe their
future? God does. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel. In Hebrew, Israel can
mean either “he strives with God” or “God strives.” Because we have the luxury of the whole counsel of Scripture, we know that the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ
appeared to many people in the Old Testament. He is identified as “the angel of
the Lord.” This angel of the Lord is different than the others because he accepted
the worship of men whereas the other angels prevented worship and adoration
because they are servants not God.
Jacob, now Israel, wrestled with God. The name change is significant because
first it points to God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity.
We recall that when God established his covenant with Abraham, he changed
Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah. In their new names, the promise of many
descendants is realized. Second, Jacob’s new name is not just for himself, but
for the whole people of God who will be called Israel.
Israel will learn as it continues through history, that God strives in their behalf.
They may strive with God from time to time. Yet, while they chafe at God’s
expectations of them, they also come to realize that God strives for them. God is
the one who strives with Pharoah on Israel’s behalf. God uses Moses to lead
Israel out of slavery. God strives with the Canaanites in order to make the
Promised Land the homeland of Israel. The first city they had to conquer in
Canaan was Jericho. God did the heavy lifting. Israel obediently marched around
the city and sounded their trumpets. The Lord brought the walls tumbling down.
God strove with Babylon to bring Israel out of slavery back into the Promised
Land.
In the ministry of the Incarnate Jesus, we see most clearly how Christ takes our
place and strives against, battles, and conquers the enemies of sin, death, and the
devil. Jesus strives against these ancient enemies on our behalf because we
cannot win. Only God can win. Through the Incarnate Christ, God wins.
Jacob received his blessing from the pre-incarnate Christ by admitting his defeat.
We receive the blessing of the of the Incarnate Christ by his own self-imposed
defeat in our behalf on the cross. He strives with sin, death, and the devil, and he
allows momentary death on the cross so that we can receive Christ’s blessing of
forgiveness and salvation through faith. On the cross, Jesus atones for all of our
sins. His atonement arrests the stranglehold of original sin, and the power of the
devil to make us fear or mortal end.
Because of Christ, because of his blessing upon us, because he strives for us even
unto the cross, Jesus rises on the third day. Jesus’ resurrection is our resurrection. On account of our Lord’s blessing upon us, our mortal death is simply a doorway to life everlasting in the Lord’s presence. We shall bask in the immortal glow of
his light. Darkness of any shade shall be no more.
In admitting defeat, Jacob’s defeat became a magnificent defeat. He received
God’s blessing. The heel grabbing, conniving, deceiver, receives the promise of a
future with God and God’s people. In the magnificent defeat of Christ Jesus, we
receive the benefits of God’s striving for us. Forgiveness, salvation, and the
promise of resurrection life.
We give thanks to God that he strives for us and that he sets us free to be his
people.
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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