A Legacy Anyone Can Leave

After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, Laban said tohim, “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me fornothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” Now Laban had two daughters; thename of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah hadweak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Jacob was in lovewith Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your youngerdaughter Rachel.” Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to someother man. Stay here with me.” So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, butthey seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. Then Jacobsaid to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make loveto her.” So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave afeast. But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her toJacob, and Jacob made love to her. And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to hisdaughter as her attendant. When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said toLaban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I?Why have you deceived me?” Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to givethe younger daughter in marriage before the older one. Finish this daughter’sbridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for anotherseven years of work.” And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, andthen Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. Laban gave his servantBilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. Jacob made love to Rachel also,and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked forLaban another seven years.
- Genesis 29:15-30

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She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said,“Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So shenamed him Simeon
- Genesis 29:33

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‘Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there’ssomething greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say,“Hey man, this is what is.” I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think,“It’s got to be more than this.” I mean this isn’t, this can’t be what it’s allcracked up to be.’
– Tom Brady

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‘What’s the answer?’
- Interviewer

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‘I wish I knew. I wish I knew.’
– Tom Brady

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She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said,“This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
- Genesis 29:35

Mixer

Happy Valentine’s Day! God has shown all of us love through his promises and through others. When have you experienced God’s love through another person? What did the person do that made you feel loved?

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Sermon Questions

Scriptures: Genesis 29:15-30, 33, 35

1. What is it that one thing you spend time pursuing (new car, promotion, perfect vacation, etc.), thinking it will bring you happiness? Did it?

2. Read Genesis 29:15-30. What was Jacob pursuing? What was Leah pursuing? Did their pursuits come from a sinful place?

3. Pastor Jared said “You don’t commit a sin, sin has a way of committing you.” What was the reverb effect from Isaac to Jacob to Leah? Have you had an experience in your life where you were a “Jacob”? Does that make you any different now - how?

4. Richard Rohr says “If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it....” What was the decision that Leah made that broke the cycle? What do you need to do to break yours?

5. Pastor Jared reminded us that “in the morning, all the Rachels we follow in life turn into Leahs.” What do you do at that moment? We can either play the blame game or we can hit our knees like Leah. When we do that, what can we expect God will do with our disillusionments?

6. To leave a legacy that anyone can leave, our children need to see our dependence on God. What will this look like for you?

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Serve

Did you know we send out weekly newsletters with opportunities to volunteer and Go First to serve our community? Want to hear more? Join this group to receive the weekly Impact updates.

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Pray

Join us in prayer for the kids that attended winter camp this past weekend. Pray that the spiritual decisions they made would continue to be nurtured and the Holy Spirit would finish the work in them that was started this weekend. In addition, there was so much progress in building community & connection, pray that this continues!

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18