GENESIS CHAPTER 29: 1-10
What Is Blocking YOUR Well?
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.
2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.
3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.
4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.
5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.
8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.
9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them.
10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
A Comparison of Shepherds
1. Jacob had a concern for the sheep in Verse 7 he said let’s water the sheep. The other shepherds are passive that the sheep are lying down.
2. Jacob showed initiative in Verse 10 by rolling the stone away for the sheep. The other shepherds were putting their labor off to the last minute.
3. Jacob was near to the sheep in Verse 10 the Bible says he went near. From reading the passage you get an image of the other shepherds having distance between them and the sheep.
4. Jacob watered the sheep in Verse 10. We are not told if the other shepherds moved the stone so the sheep could drink.
Large stones were often placed over the wells to keep the water clean from pollution. These stones served as blockades to keep the sheep from drinking the water. The stone had to be rolled away before the sheep could drink. In John 11, Lazarus had died. In verse 39 Jesus said take ye away the stone. Notice Jesus commanded them to take away the stone before he brought Lazarus back from the dead. There are stones or blockades in our lives that prevent us from drinking from the spiritual well and because of the stones we are deprived of the blessings and true fulfillment which can only come from the Lord. Let us look at a few stones which are blocking spiritual blessings in our lives and keeping us from enjoying our Christian walk with Jesus.
1. Stone of Pride- God hates pride.
A. Prov. 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom
B. Prov. 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. C. Prov. 21:4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin
Example: 2 Chron. 26:16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense
2. Stone of Prayerlessness- Jesus said when ye pray..
A. Is. 64:7- And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities
B. Daniel 9:13- As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth
3. Stone of Worldliness- Ye are in the world but not of the world. This is to say to world system.
A. Luke 21:34- And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares (surfeiting means to be caught up with something)
B. Matt. 13:22- He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful
4. Stone of Laziness- Work while it is day the night comes when no man can work
A. Matt. 28:18-19- And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ( Go is a verb, Go means to move, Go means action, God uses busy people, God never used a lazy person unwilling and uncaring to do his work)
5. Stone of No Compassion- Jesus had compassion.
A. Jude Verse 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference
Five Places Jesus Showed Compassion
1. Matt. 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd
2. Matt. 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
3. Matt. 10:34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes:
4. Luke 7:13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not
5. Mark 1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean
6. Stone of an Unforgiving Heart- Jesus told the disciples to forgive 70 times 7 times. In other words be always ready to forgive.
A. Eph. 4:32- And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you
B. Col. 3:13- Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
7. Stone of Bitterness- Look diligently lest any root of bitterness spring up in us.
A. Eph. 4:31 - Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice (Bitterness has followers: Wrath, Anger, Clamour, Evil Speaking, and Malice)
8. Stone of Rebellion- For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry I Samuel 15:23
A. Acts 7:51- Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. ( Here is a good example and I give you three reasons why people rebel against the Word of God and the Man of God.)
1. Truth of the scriptures pierce deep into the deep places of your heart.
2. Touch of the Spirit of God brings conviction to the sinner and believer.
A. Receive or Reject
3. Testimony of the Christian brings reprove in your life.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10
There is a war in our hearts about what the Bible says about you and what you would like to thank is true about you. We have a tender, loving, and compassionate Savior who will assist us in moving the stones away in our lives so He can give us life (which also means the quality of life on this side) more abundantly. Amen.
God Bless,
Bro. Kevin Bowling
Pastor Liberty United Baptist Church |
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