The Bridge Church of the Nazarene
Sunday, Oct 24, 2021 (2)
Aloha. The Bridge currently meets at Oahu Veterans Center in Foster Village (1298 Kukila St, Honolulu, HI 96818) at 9:45am. *NOTE: For federal holidays that fall on Sundays, OVC is closed and we meet online only. *NOTE: Currently, on the last Sunday of each month, we meet at a park or for a service project instead of at OVC. See Facebook or Newsletter for details. We look forward to seeing you in person! For those who can't make it at this time and location, we will broadcast church service online on Sunday morning at 9:45am at: BridgeNaz.org Please join us for worship, prayer, and a message from Pastor Michael! Mahalo and God bless!
Locations & Times
The Bridge
1298 Kukila Pl, Honolulu, HI 96818, USA
Sunday 9:45 AM
Sermon Title: Asymmetry (Gen 31:19-32:1)
Gen 31:19-32:1
19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father’s. 20 Jacob stole the heart of Laban the Aramean, in that he didn’t tell him that he was fleeing. 21 So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, crossed the river, and set his face toward the mountain of Gilead.
22 Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. 23 He took his relatives with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey. He caught up to him on the mountain of Gilead. 24 God came to Laban the Aramaean in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Take care that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.” 25 Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead.
26 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with tambourine and with harp; 28 and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly. 29 It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’ 30 Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”
31 Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought, ‘lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’ 32 With whom you find your gods shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he didn’t find them. He went out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but didn’t find them. 35 She said to her father, “Don’t let anger burn in the eyes of my lord that I can’t rise up before you; for I’m having the ‘way of women.’” He searched, but didn’t find the teraphim.
36 Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have pursued me? 37 Now that you have felt around in all my things, what have you found of all your household? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven’t eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 That which was torn of animals, I didn’t bring to you. I bore its loss. Of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42 If not for the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac being with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
43 Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine! What can I do today to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne? 44 Now come, let’s make a covenant, you and I. Let it be a witness between me and you.”
45 Jacob took a stone, and set it up as a pillar. 46 Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you today.” Therefore, it was called Galeed 49 and Mizpah, for he said, “Adonai watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another. 50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness between me and you.”
51 Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap, and see the pillar, which I have set between me and you. 52 May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not cross this heap to you, and that you will not cross this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the Fear of his Father, Isaac. 54 Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed the night on the mountain. 31:55/32:1 Laban rose up in the morning, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.
19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father’s. 20 Jacob stole the heart of Laban the Aramean, in that he didn’t tell him that he was fleeing. 21 So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, crossed the river, and set his face toward the mountain of Gilead.
22 Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. 23 He took his relatives with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey. He caught up to him on the mountain of Gilead. 24 God came to Laban the Aramaean in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Take care that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.” 25 Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead.
26 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with tambourine and with harp; 28 and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly. 29 It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’ 30 Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”
31 Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought, ‘lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’ 32 With whom you find your gods shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he didn’t find them. He went out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but didn’t find them. 35 She said to her father, “Don’t let anger burn in the eyes of my lord that I can’t rise up before you; for I’m having the ‘way of women.’” He searched, but didn’t find the teraphim.
36 Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have pursued me? 37 Now that you have felt around in all my things, what have you found of all your household? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven’t eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 That which was torn of animals, I didn’t bring to you. I bore its loss. Of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42 If not for the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac being with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
43 Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine! What can I do today to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne? 44 Now come, let’s make a covenant, you and I. Let it be a witness between me and you.”
45 Jacob took a stone, and set it up as a pillar. 46 Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
48 Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you today.” Therefore, it was called Galeed 49 and Mizpah, for he said, “Adonai watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another. 50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness between me and you.”
51 Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap, and see the pillar, which I have set between me and you. 52 May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not cross this heap to you, and that you will not cross this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the Fear of his Father, Isaac. 54 Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed the night on the mountain. 31:55/32:1 Laban rose up in the morning, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.
Word of the Week
Positive-Negative Asymmetry Effect: The idea that negative experiences have stronger and longer-lasting effects than positive ones
Positive-Negative Asymmetry Effect: The idea that negative experiences have stronger and longer-lasting effects than positive ones
Bottom Line
Asymmetry is often a telltale sign of idolatry.
Questions
1. It seems to be a well-known fact that humans focus much more on negatives than positives. For our Word of the Week, Pastor shared that researchers call this the “Positive-Negative Asymmetry Effect.” Again, this is the idea that negative experiences are strong and longer-lasting than positive ones. For instance, have you ever received compliments that, shortly after, were overruled by a negative remark? Share an example from your own life where the Positive-Negative Asymmetry Effect has proven true.
2. In this week’s story, Rachel steals her dad’s (Laban’s) idols. They are called “teraphim,” and are usually representative of a god or goddess. A) Which goddess might this idol have represented? B) How might that be significant in understanding Rachel’s motives? C) Later in the story, Rachel is found sitting on the idol(s). Might that also shed some light on Rachel’s motives? D) Previously, Rachel had trusted in God for fertility. When she takes the idol(s), what might this indicate about her trust in God?
3. This week’s Bottom Line was: “Asymmetry is often a telltale sign of idolatry.” Asymmetry, of course, refers to imbalance. In this case, it’s putting persons or things above God, whether we know it or not, and creating an imbalance. This can be time, laziness, free-time, freedom, food, drinks, family, friends, and so on. This may be a difficult question, but can you think of a time, whether past or present in your life, where you’ve experienced this sort of spiritual asymmetry?
4. Read Gen 31:26-30. In this encounter, Laban really manipulates and plays the victim. All along he’s been Jacob’s abuser and oppressor. Discuss how that shows up here. Once you’re finished, share a time where you or someone you know has dealt with someone like this. How did you/they get through it? Did they ever find the courage to flee? What happened?
5. Near the end of the sermon, Pastor said the following: “I see a lot of bumper stickers and shirts and whatnot around here with the He > I logo. Okay, fine. True. But not enough. Yeah, you might be able to admit that he is greater than you, but what about all the other stuff? Could you honestly put on a shirt that says He > my job? He > my free time? He > my laziness? He > my desire to fit in? He > whatever the cultural fad is at the moment? He > my sex drive? He > drugs, alcohol, porn? He > my worry? He > my desire to fit in? Can you affirm that His Scripture is greater than your excuses? That his church is greater than your solitude? Or, will you live a life of asymmetry? Out of balance? Maybe saying those things but not living them?” With a disposition of charity and honesty, share your thoughts on this.
6. Were there any other points made during the sermon that stuck out to you? Anything within the passage of Scripture that you had questions about?
Asymmetry is often a telltale sign of idolatry.
Questions
1. It seems to be a well-known fact that humans focus much more on negatives than positives. For our Word of the Week, Pastor shared that researchers call this the “Positive-Negative Asymmetry Effect.” Again, this is the idea that negative experiences are strong and longer-lasting than positive ones. For instance, have you ever received compliments that, shortly after, were overruled by a negative remark? Share an example from your own life where the Positive-Negative Asymmetry Effect has proven true.
2. In this week’s story, Rachel steals her dad’s (Laban’s) idols. They are called “teraphim,” and are usually representative of a god or goddess. A) Which goddess might this idol have represented? B) How might that be significant in understanding Rachel’s motives? C) Later in the story, Rachel is found sitting on the idol(s). Might that also shed some light on Rachel’s motives? D) Previously, Rachel had trusted in God for fertility. When she takes the idol(s), what might this indicate about her trust in God?
3. This week’s Bottom Line was: “Asymmetry is often a telltale sign of idolatry.” Asymmetry, of course, refers to imbalance. In this case, it’s putting persons or things above God, whether we know it or not, and creating an imbalance. This can be time, laziness, free-time, freedom, food, drinks, family, friends, and so on. This may be a difficult question, but can you think of a time, whether past or present in your life, where you’ve experienced this sort of spiritual asymmetry?
4. Read Gen 31:26-30. In this encounter, Laban really manipulates and plays the victim. All along he’s been Jacob’s abuser and oppressor. Discuss how that shows up here. Once you’re finished, share a time where you or someone you know has dealt with someone like this. How did you/they get through it? Did they ever find the courage to flee? What happened?
5. Near the end of the sermon, Pastor said the following: “I see a lot of bumper stickers and shirts and whatnot around here with the He > I logo. Okay, fine. True. But not enough. Yeah, you might be able to admit that he is greater than you, but what about all the other stuff? Could you honestly put on a shirt that says He > my job? He > my free time? He > my laziness? He > my desire to fit in? He > whatever the cultural fad is at the moment? He > my sex drive? He > drugs, alcohol, porn? He > my worry? He > my desire to fit in? Can you affirm that His Scripture is greater than your excuses? That his church is greater than your solitude? Or, will you live a life of asymmetry? Out of balance? Maybe saying those things but not living them?” With a disposition of charity and honesty, share your thoughts on this.
6. Were there any other points made during the sermon that stuck out to you? Anything within the passage of Scripture that you had questions about?