Scripture
– Genesis 49:1-15 NIV
Then
Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will
happen to you in days to come.
“Assemble
and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.
“Reuben,
you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in
honor, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,
for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it.
“Simeon
and Levi are brothers— their swords are weapons of violence. Let me not enter
their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in
their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. Cursed be their anger, so
fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse
them in Israel.
“Judah,
your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you
return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a
lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the
ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and
the obedience of the nations shall be his. He will tether his donkey to a vine,
his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes
in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter
than milk.
“Zebulun
will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend
toward Sidon. “Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying down among the sheep pens.
When he sees how good is his resting place and how pleasant is his land, he
will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labor.
Bob’s
thoughts:
We
were warmly greeted, engaged in conversation, and encouraged to get a great cup
of coffee, something I next to never say drinking decaf.
The
sun was too bright to open the curtain obscuring the stained-glass cross, but
just knowing it was there was enough today.
I saw
no directional signage when searching for a restroom, making it somewhat more challenging.
There
was an altar call for prayer early in the service. I noted a woman who, when
she came in, I sensed she needed prayer. After she went forward for prayer, I
was convinced our prayers had been heard.
The
pastor shared a “holy cow” moment: while at Chic-Fil-A on Valentine’s Day, the
cow presented his son-in-law with an announcement that he will be a dad again.
The
pastor’s passionate message was on Jacob’s blessing on his sons and presented
the concept of positive and negative blessings. My wife’s job was recently
outsourced and this negative has become a positive blessing. The message was
delivered with enthusiasm and Scriptural references.
It is
always a joy to worship and feel Christ’s presence not just in worship but in
the church in general. I hope we do get to visit again soon.
Jan’s
thoughts:
We
arrived with enough time to look around and get some coffee. After finding seats
in the hallway, we were welcomed by several folks who stopped to chat and
introduce themselves. It was relaxed and welcoming.
Two
projection screens service the large worship area and even from where we sat in
the back, they were easily readable.
Worship
began with contemporary songs, some of which were unfamiliar to me but were all
well presented. The volume was perfect.
The
pastor has been preaching through Genesis, and today he began with chapter 49
where Jacob blesses his sons.
He
began by telling a heartwarming story about his father-in-law, who believed he
was dying and called his family to his bedside on a particular day. They all
came and took turns telling him how much he meant to them and how much they
loved him. The pastor characterized it as a memorial service prior to the
passing. It was a couple more weeks before the man actually passed, but the family
has this special memory to hold on to. He explained this was similar to what
was going on with Jacob and his sons, though in addition to bestowing
blessings, Jacob also prophesied about each.
The
oldest, Reuben, lost his birthright because he was not steadfast in his faith
and because he slept with his step-mother. Simeon and Levi were judged due to
their cruel anger and animal cruelty. Interestingly, much later, the tribe of
Levi turned their anger instead toward Satan, so God redeemed their anger and
made them the priestly tribe.
A
side note about angry brothers: The disciples known as the Sons of Thunder,
James and John, were known for their anger as well, but they were transformed
by spending time with Christ. I view this as a clear indicator about how to deal
with anger.
The
pastor wound up the message talking about the tribe of Issachar, which Jacob stated
was lazy. The pastor had strong words about laziness and about marijuana use,
which has been shown to cause people to become withdrawn, lethargic, and
apathetic. He prayed for the State of Pennsylvania, which is now considering
legalizing marijuana.
Our
prayer for this church:
Lord,
we pray this congregation are good stewards and active in bringing other lost
sheep into the fold. Amen.
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