Coming Home to Bethel

Posted on November 13, 2005

 

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Genesis 35:1-15

I grew up in Bowling Green, Kentucky and I’ve spent all but two years of my life there. Most of my ministry experience is there. Most of my friends and family are there. Most of my memories are there as well. In a sense, Bowling Green is “home” to me. But in the last month and a half, God has done something amazing in my heart and in the heart of my wife as well. He has really given us a new home and a new vision for a new field of ministry. Though we love our former field of ministry and always will, our hearts are “coming home to Bethel.”

For Jacob, Beth-El was a similar experience. It was the place where he really became what God intended him to be. The Hebrew word beth means “house” and the word El is the name of God Almighty in its simplest form, so Jacob was coming home to God’s house.

Before this moment, he had conned his way into God’s blessings (all under the watchful eye of a sovereign God, of course). Now he would be blessed by God with a new character and a new identity. Now Jacob would learn what it means to really get to know God. This is Jacob’s fresh start. Today is my fresh start and I want us to realize that today is Bethel’s fresh start as well.

I want to invite you to consider “coming home to Bethel” this morning. For some, that will mean beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ for the very first time. For others, it will mean deciding that today, you’re going to have revival. You’re going to draw close to the Father again for the first time in a long time. Let me give you some directions for coming home to Bethel.

DIRECTIONS FOR “COMING HOME TO GOD’S HOUSE…”

1.         Accept the Father’s invitation. (v. 1)

The Bible is a story of many things but more than anything, it is about God’s pursuit of mankind. He lost His creation to sin and loved us so much that He sent His one and only Son to live as one of us, then to die for all of us. God is pursuing you this morning. His invitation to a relationship with Himself is open to all. Have you responded?

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” –Revelation 22:17

2.         Be willing to make some changes. (v. 2)

Grace is free, but it’s not cheap. God loves us unconditionally but He saves us conditionally. The condition is first that a righteous sacrifice be made and that was Jesus. The other condition is that we receive that sacrifice as our own by faith and that we turn from our sins in repentance. Where there is no change, there is no evidence of salvation or the indwelling Spirit of God. Have you turned today by faith to Jesus?

3.         Bury the baggage of the past. (vs. 3-5)

The Bible says that Jacob “hid” the idols. It literally means he hid them by covering them over – by burying them. We have a common expression that we use to describe what it means to get over an issue in a relationship – we “bury the hatchet.” I believe there are a couple of applications for us this morning.

·         First, let’s bury the baggage of our past before Christ. If you’re washed in the blood, then it’s time to grow past the past. Claim 1 John 1:9…

”But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” -1 John 1:9

·         Second, let’s bury the hatchet on some old wounds. Whatever it is that keeps you from feeling at home with God this morning, let’s bury it. I don’t mean to suppress it so that you blow up later. I mean that you make peace with it. Forgiveness is not a feeling, it’s a decision. You may have to decide a thousand times to forgive someone, but keep deciding it every day.

4.         Engage in intimate worship. (vs. 7-9)

There is something amazing stated here about what happened in Jacob’s relationship with God. He changed the name of the place of the altar from “Beth-El” (house of God) to “El-beth-El” (God of the house of God). What was essentially happening was that Jacob was beginning to develop a deep intimacy with God. This is how it must be as we grow in Christ as well.

First we learn the basic habits like Bible study and prayer, but then we get to know God through the deeper level of suffering and persecution. First we fall in love with the church’s fellowship and ministry, but then we get to know Jesus, the Founder of the Church. We begin to enjoy studying the Word of God, but we develop our intimacy with the God who authored the Word.

How is your intimacy-level with the Father? Do you hunger for Him?

            As the deer panteth for the water

            So my soul longeth after Thee

You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship Thee.
You alone are my strength, my shield,
To You alone may my spirit yield,
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship Thee.

5.         Live up to your new identity. (v. 10)

Jacob received a new name at Bethel. He would not longer be called “the heel-catcher” but rather the one who “rules for God.” Then God promised him a posterity that would follow in the footsteps of the patriarchs. When we are saved, we get a new name as well. That literally means that we have a new identity.

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” –Revelation 2:17

What did it mean to Jacob to have a new name?

·         A new character. He receive a new identity. He needed a fresh start because his identity was beginning to preceded him. He’d always been a con-man until this day.

·         A new future. Along with his new name came a new future. God promised him great things. God promises us great things as well. Our new name includes some wonderful gifts from God:

“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.” –Revelation 3:12

Today is your chance to start over with God. Whether you’ve never known Christ or you’ve just grow distant from Him, why not begin an intimate relationship with Him today? Turn from your sin and trust Him alone to save you. His invitation is open.

For us as a church, today is a fresh start as well. I hope that we can all face the future with faith!