Who Am I?

Well, thanks so much, Jackson. Buddy, I'm going to miss you a lot.

And I think Jackson comes to us genuinely as a wonderful example of what it is,

the benefit holistically that we receive when we immerse ourselves in the life of a church family.

It does feel like a lot longer than two years that Jackson first rocked up here.

But it also reminds us, doesn't it, of the call that God makes in our lives to be a multinational

and a multi-generation church family that welcomes people from all over the world that find their home in our city.

So it's with great sadness, but excitement that we say goodbye to him this morning.

So I just wanted to honour him and just the ways that he has served here.

But the ways that the Lord has taught me through him are great.

So Genesis 32 is where we're going to be this morning. So turn with me there.

Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay. You with me? Yeah?

Fascinating interview he did on BBC Radio 2 a couple of years ago.

And he was talking about the soul searching that he was doing during the COVID pandemic

when he had to isolate and be all by himself.

Remember those days? COVID's kind of back in the news, isn't it?

Remember those periods of being alone, of isolating, being left alone with your thoughts?

It seems so bizarre now, doesn't it, to think about the fact that at one time

we were allowed out in this country for one hour a day at its peak.

I wonder, what did you learn? Here's what Chris Martin said.

He said,

He said,

Last year was quite an eye-opener for me, reflecting back on that year.

I was like, who am I without Wembley Stadium saying, you're awesome?

So here's a guy that spent so much of his life performing to thousands of adoring fans.

Spending his life with people and acclaim and noise.

But as soon as he was alone and always stripped away,

he starts asking himself those big questions that we often ask ourselves in life.

What is life all about?

Who's acclaim and whose affirmation makes my life worthwhile?

And what do I do and who am I when no one is watching?

Subtext, who am I?

Now, we think today that that is a postmodern question.

And it is one that everybody's asking just now.

We're searching for identity.

But let me just say, it's not a postmodern question at all.

Actually, it's a question that human beings have been asking ourselves

ever since we were created.

And there's a reason for that.

And the reason is that we are all identity craving creatures.

And here is why whoever you are here today,

wherever you're from, whatever you think of the God of the Bible,

I want you to tune in to what we're going to be thinking about

for the next 25 minutes or so.

Because this is all about identity.

What this is today is the answer that the Bible gives the Christian

as to who they are and why.

And it's unbelievably good.

If I had to go as far as to say I'm pretty convinced that understanding the answer

to that question is the key to flourishing and growing in the Christian life

and enjoying the great three-in-one God who we worship.

So here we are in the book of Genesis and we've come to this defining moment in Jacob's life.

Now, if you know anything about this man Jacob, it might well be this episode.

And you've probably picked it up from reading it that it's as weird as it is wonderful.

So here's maybe an interpretive lens through which to understand the wrestling match

which we're about to get involved in.

Verse 28 is the key for us that I think unlocks the true significance of what's going on here.

God says to Jacob,

Now here's a fun fact for you about this passage.

I love a fun fact.

Here's a fun fact for you.

This is the first time the word Israel is used in the Bible.

This name that's given to identify the corporate people of God.

And here's what I reckon Moses as he pens this is up to.

Here's the purpose of this.

Because as he travels with this Israelite generation who are the first readers here,

he journeys with them in the wilderness.

He's probably fully aware of the conversations that are going on in the family tents, right?

Picture the scene, an intuitive little girl saying to her dad,

Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, what's our name again?

Dad says, our name's Israel.

But being an intuitive little girl, she doesn't stop there, does she?

No, she goes for the question that my girls love to ask me at a minute to wind me up

because they get me with it every time.

Yeah, but why are we called Israel?

Well, her dad would take her straight to this passage.

Or might have been a scroll, don't know.

Takes her to this encounter and he says,

Sweetheart, this is why we're called Israel.

This is what it is to be the people of God.

You see, Jacob's on his way to Canaan.

And at this point in the story, if you remember,

he's caught in this kind of trauma sandwich.

He's left his uncle Laban behind.

And he's got Esau, his brother, up ahead.

And remember, Esau's got, verse 6, look back.

He's got 400 men on his side.

And Jacob's heard that there's 400 men with Esau.

So he's trapped between Laban on one side, Esau on the other side.

And he's got no idea what Jacob and those 400 men, what their intentions are.

And so, verse 22, having sent his camels and his children across the stream,

just follow with it,

what happens to him?

What does he find himself being?

He finds himself all alone.

Now, we're not told why.

But we are told that the Lord meets him.

Now, this is a wonderful truth about the God of the Bible.

The initiative is always his.

And this is what sets apart Christianity from all the other world religions.

That knowing this God is not about us working ourselves up to him.

No, we would have no idea who this God is if he hadn't first revealed himself to us.

This God, he comes to meet us in our grime and in our mess.

This God stoops to be with us in our ash heaps and in our alone moments

when we have no idea where we're looking to for purpose and any kind of foundation to our lives.

This God steps right into the rubble.

And this God has come looking for a fight.

You didn't think wrestling was in the Bible?

Think again.

God wrestled with Jacob.

Now, verse 24 says a man.

You read a lot of commentaries.

They predict maybe that this was a pre-incarnate Jesus.

We don't know.

Text doesn't tell us.

But it does tell us, verse 30, that Jacob left this encounter, this wrestle,

under no illusions and in zero doubt that he'd just been in combat with the divine.

All right?

Oh, if Sky Sports were offering pay-per-view in this one, I'd be all over it.

Yeah?

50-99, I'm taking this one.

And the thing is that this should be God versus Jacob.

This should be what they call a non-contest.

Because it's not even an even match-up, is it?

No one goes toe-to-toe with the omnipotent, omniscient God.

The three times holy God who created the world with the power of his word.

No one goes toe-to-toe with Yahweh.

Goes sparring with him and hopes to come out on top.

And yet what a strange encounter this is.

Because at first it looks like an even match.

Do you see that?

But I guess this is a bit like when I do a rugby scrum with my six-year-old girl, Grace.

She loves to do a rugby scrum.

Big dad secret here, I do not tend to go full-on Jonah Lomu on her in the first ten seconds.

It's an even match.

And I think that's kind of what's going on here to understand it.

Just a touch.

Wrestled.

But just a touch from God.

Do you see that word there?

Just a touch.

And that's what that word means.

It means the slightest of touches.

It means what we would say today.

A brush.

Just a brush of Jacob's hip socket.

And he's limping for the rest of his days.

Now here's, there's tons of question marks I've got about this passage.

Can I give you my two?

Here's number one.

God says, Jacob, you've prevailed.

And you think to yourself, what?

Call a timeout.

You look for the var.

How has he prevailed in this situation?

The guy's hips out.

How has he won?

The wonderful truth about Christianity is that to win with this God is to admit defeat.

The way to victory comes when we submit ourselves to his lordship.

Do you see why Jacob is hanging on?

What's he hanging on in the fight for?

Do you see the word?

He's hanging on for God's blessing.

In other words, Lord, do what you said you'd do.

Be who you said you'd be.

Do what you said you'd promise.

Make us a people.

Remember God had said that promise?

That through Jacob and his line, he was going to create a people.

And not just physical people, but people who worship and know the Lord.

It's going to come through Jacob's line.

He's going to take them to a place.

What's so special about the place?

That God himself is there.

And more than that, what's he going to do?

Is those two things come together.

God is going to bless the nations of the world through his people.

It's a wonderful thing, isn't it?

We sit here today in Scotland.

Not just around the corner from where this happened.

Miles away.

We're from all over the place to see how this is God's intention, his heart, for the world, for the nations.

And the thing about this, Jacob says, God, give me that promise.

Give me that blessing.

The thing is, God has always committed himself to this already.

But now Jacob realizes, and before he was kind of hedging his bets, he was kind of half in.

He was kind of up and down.

Now he's in the place where he says, God, I see that only you can do it.

Only you can do it.

And I think, having been in this passage for a while here,

that this is where God wanted Jacob all along.

And God says to him, verse 27, he says, what is your name?

Now that's the second question mark I've got of this passage.

What is your name?

Why do you think it's a question mark?

Because surely God already knows his name.

Yeah?

Surely that goes with the territory of being the all-knowing God.

Surely that goes with his job description.

But here's what I think the Lord is up to here.

And get this and you'll get the very heart of Christianity.

Now the last time Jacob was asked that exact question was back at chapter 27.

Now who asked it of him then?

His dad.

Who are you, my boy?

Who are you, my son?

And Jacob says, I'm Esau.

He lies.

And so God is almost here teeing him up again.

Let's have a rerun.

Let's do it again.

He says, Jacob, who are you?

And it's almost as if God is stopping him in his tracks right there.

And in the moment, he's inviting him to put his hand up.

And come out of the shadows and say, this is who I am, Lord.

And inviting him to come and own his own sin.

And his mistakes.

And his hurts.

And his pain.

And his failures.

And put his hand up and said, I am Jacob.

And I'm the guy that cheated.

And I'm the guy that swindled.

And I'm the guy who deceived.

And I'm the guy who's the coward.

And I'm the guy who makes mistakes in his heart all the time.

And it's in that place.

It's the truth.

The light shines.

And the truth is out.

And all is exposed.

That God invites Jacob to step forward.

And say, do you see how you need saving?

Not from your circumstances.

You need saving from yourself.

You need me to transform your heart.

And right there in that place of admission and surrender.

The Bible would say that life is to be found.

A God that knows us to the bottom.

And a God that loves us to the sky.

But get this.

Instead of God answering.

And it's always a dangerous self to put yourself in the shoes of God.

But I tend to do it occasionally in the passage.

God could have answered and said, too right you are.

But he doesn't.

He says, I'm going to give you a new name.

Jacob is what you are by nature.

But Israel is what I will make you by grace.

Israel.

That name means.

And you see it.

If you've got an asterisk in your Bible there at the bottom.

It means you have prevailed.

You have overcome.

In other words, God is saying by grace, Jacob.

I am on your side.

So dear friends, know this today.

That we have a God.

God.

Who is in the business.

Of giving new names.

And he is in the business of creating in people.

New affections.

And awakening in people's hearts.

New desires.

That weren't there before.

And of determining for people.

New futures.

Daddy, daddy, daddy.

Why are we called Israel?

We are called Israel.

We are called the people of God.

Because our lives are by grace and by faith.

They're caught up in this one who God says.

You've overcome.

And you think about it.

Here's the question of Genesis.

If you remember back in Genesis 1, Genesis 2.

God creates this perfect world.

It becomes very good when Adam and Eve are made.

Creature, creator, living in harmony with one another.

Genesis 3 comes along.

They believe the lie of the devil.

They believe the lie of Satan.

That the good life is to be found.

Not by submitting and loving the Lord.

But actually trying to do it your own way.

Away from the Lord.

And right there is God makes a promise.

In Genesis 3.15.

That he will send somebody who will crush Satan himself.

And the question of the rest of the Bible story.

But it's certainly the Old Testament rather.

Is definitely the question of Genesis.

Is this the serpent crusher?

Is this the one that God promised he would send?

That he would raise up?

And you have to say.

Yes, God is saying they're coming from Jacob's line.

But it's not Jacob.

And yet echoes from Jacob's story are picked up.

As we look down the line of Jacob.

And we see Jesus.

He was saying he's going to be a man.

Who found himself truly alone.

In the garden before his death.

Who truly submitted his will to his father.

Not my will but your will be done.

And because of that he truly is the one who overcame.

He overcame our mess and our sin.

He died on the cross in our place.

So when God asks us to come clean.

And face up to our faults.

And own our mistakes.

He does so by saying.

Look at my son on the cross.

Paying for those mistakes and that sin.

Do you know it occurred to me recently.

That it was not nails that held Jesus on the cross.

Remember this was a man who stilled the storm.

This was a man who raised the dead.

It wasn't the nails that held him there.

It was a desire to accomplish his father's will.

To save his people from their sin.

And to give them a future and a hope with him.

He's overcome our sin by going to the cross.

And he's overcome death itself.

As he rose on the third day.

And because of that.

God has given him.

And I'll start it with this.

The name that is above all names.

And so then to be a Christian believer.

Is to have your life caught up with.

His name.

The king of kings.

The lord of lords.

And because of that.

Our names in one sense are still the same.

But in another sense.

They are profoundly different.

Because whereas before.

By nature.

We were spiritual orphans.

We were separated from God.

With no future other than his eternal judgment.

Now.

Because of our faith.

And because of his grace.

We're sons and daughters of the living God.

Melissa Kruger writing in her wonderful book.

Identity Theft.

Which I highly recommend to you.

Is devotional reading.

If you're looking for something a little bit different.

Reclaiming our identity in Christ.

She just says really simply.

Your identity is grounded in God's work in you.

Not your work for God.

And do you know what that means?

It means the living God.

Our father.

He feels the same way about us.

As he does his son.

And boy does he.

Adore.

His.

Son.

You know I've got a friend Dano.

Who works for Christians in sport.

He has this thing called the three.

A.

A.

M.

And he gets up and he's stumbling around in the pitch black.

Looking for the light.

Looking for anything.

And he thinks to himself.

Who is thinking of me in this moment?

Who knows where I am in this moment?

and in one sense nobody does

except his father

knows exactly what's going on in his life

knows exactly what he is

he thinks to himself I'm groggy

I don't even know what day it is

but he's not

I'm getting older

I can't do so many of the things I used to do

he's not

my body, my life, my times are changing

all around me

for him they're not

he never tires

of being a father

to his people

and his promises

to us in Christ

will never fail

and so do you see how we too

are Jacob by nature

but we are children of God by grace

that's the gospel

can I just give us one quick fire truth

maybe to take away from this today

and chew on

here it is

see with this God

weakness is the new strength

you see God's brought Jacob to this place

where he realizes that there's nowhere else I can go

and there's nowhere else I want to go

but to you

and that's a really uncomfortable place to be

facing up to the fact that we are not

in control

because

our world sells us the illusion that we are

right

Vodafone

power to you

Burger King

have it your way

what are both of those things saying

you're in control

okay

that's just Princess Street

but let me just say

it's a truly healthy place for us to be

to recognize that we're not

because it's here that God teaches Jacob

that he is

and you'll find this again and again

in the gospels

as people encounter

Jesus

you know friends

we can have all

we can run all the evangelistic courses

and we can

have all the evangelistic

training that we want

but at the end of the day

it's going to come down to this

what are we discovering right now

about Jesus

that makes our hearts sing

because that's what's going to come out of us

when people ask

that's what's going to come out of me tomorrow

when the parents say

at the school playground

what did you do at the weekend

can I give you one

for me just now

here it is

it's the fact that

his most tender

and compassionate words

are reserved for those

who realize

they have no hope but him

those who say

Lord I believe

help my unbelief

those who say

Lord my little girl

is dying

Jesus' heart is drawn

in love

to such people

who is it that he consistently

points to

as an example

of how life works

in his kingdom

it's not the sorted

religious types

or the rich

affluent sorts

who does he point to

he points to

little children

those who specialize

in the fact

that they have

nothing to offer you

other than

open hands

to receive

kind of how it works

with kids

right

did that

Alex did that

around Cameron

toll yesterday

gave them two pounds

and they just went

and spent it

right

they weren't looking

to pay that back

those who have

open hands

to receive

as God

weans us off

the self-reliance

that comes so

naturally

to each of us

and he weans us

onto

loving

and trusting

and looking

to him

and when we run

there

know that we

find

at his

throne

we find

grace

you know

as an 18 year

old

I couldn't

wait to get

away from

home

be independent

do it my way

because that's

when you

that's what you

do when you

grow up

right

you take

on the

world

the more

you go on

in life

you realize

what a fool

that actually

life is to

be found

in submitting

to this

Jesus

actually

maturity

looks like

not going

at myself

but running

to him

more

as he

calls me

to deny

myself

and to

take up

my cross

and to

follow him

and in

so doing

find wonderful

and counter

cultural

rest

by living

a life

that's

lived

in

radical

independence

see if

I was to

give us

oh sorry

before we

get there

in that

sense

do you

see how

Jacob

limping

about

for the

rest

of his

life

is caught

up in

this idea

of

dependence

something

that the

Israelites

mark

do you

see that

is they

don't eat

the

Sinai

of the

thigh

this is

something

that's

kind of

woven

into their

corporate

life

I take

it that

every

Christian

should not

just be

walking

with a

limp

but embracing

a limp

because I

will use

my weaknesses

to magnify

his strength

I will use

everything that

comes my

way in

life

to know

that he

is sovereign

and in

control

do you

remember

Obama's

famous

phrase

that he

took

with him

on the

election

trail

in 2008

yes we

can

it's almost

as if Jesus

invites us

to say

no we

can't

but yes

you can

do you know

if there's one

word that I

pray would

come to

capture our

corporate life

together as a

church together

this year

do you know

what it would

be it would

be this

word

dependence

dependence

we cannot

do anything

we're wasting

our time

if the Lord

does not

build the

house

the labourers

labour in

vain

we look to

him

as it's seen

in our lives

in desperate

corporate

prayer

Lord would you

come

and have

your way

would you

save people

to yourself

would you

build

this house

radical

in

dependence

dependence

you know

just as we

close

and she's

been in my

mind all

week this

week as I've

been thinking

about this

it was

Irene's

funeral on

Thursday

some of you

will know

Irene

she's been

part of this

church for

years

some of you

won't know

her but let

me just tell

you about her

as we close

doing her

funeral on

Thursday

three things

struck me

firstly it was

the photos

if you were

here you remember

the photos

this little

woman

five foot

nothing I'm

assuming

always smiling

always smiling

secondly it

was the

place

you know

apart from

the later

latter years

of her life

that she

lived in a

care home

just over

in the

Granger she

spent her

whole life

in a little

flat down

in Gorgie

and number

three was

the words

that people

kept using

to describe

her

and it

was the

word

content

now those

three things

sorry to use

the double

negative here

but they

are not

disconnected

smiling

same place

content

and into

our world

that's always

encouraging us

to chase the

next big

thing

yeah

holiday

job

house move

etc etc

her life

cuts so

wonderfully

against the

grain

and it

reminds us

doesn't it

of how you

get there

because I'd

listened to the

stories about her

life and I thought

that's where I

want to be

how do you

get there

I take it

as by

grasping

this identity

that God

gives us

by grace

who are

we

we are those

who've been

chosen

who have

been loved

who have

been redeemed

who have

been indwelt

by the

Holy Spirit

and who

are heading

home

why

because of

this God

of grace

and this

morning I

don't know

some of you

might be

here you've

never heard

this stuff

before

love to

chat it

out with

you but

may today

be the day

when you put

your faith

in this

Jesus

see his

open arms

feel his

beating heart

for some of us

else today

this might be

a thing

convicted of

our self

reliance

and again

let's just

pray

come and grab

me

come and grab

anyone who

you've seen

up here

let's pray

that today

would be

the day

where God

weans us

off our

self reliance

and puts us

fully on him

will we

pray

and so

this is

the words

of Isaiah

66

God declares

this through

Isaiah to

his generation

but this is

the one to

whom I

will look

he who

is humble

and contrite

in spirit

and who

trembles

at my

word

and so

heavenly

father we

ask lord

that you

would instill

in us

that spirit

that the

disciples

just personified

as they said

lord to who

else will we

go

where else

will we

go

you have

the words

of eternal

life

father thank

you for the

upside down

topsy-turvy

nature of

your kingdom

that the

first

are last

and the

last are

first

father thank

you for this

morning thank

you for your

precious word

and I pray

lord that

your spirit

as your

word has

gone forth

would be at

work in each

of our

hearts

thank you

that the

holy spirit

is a way

better preacher

than I

ever will

be and I

pray that

he would be

at work

in our

midst this

morning

bringing

comfort

bringing

encouragement

bringing

conviction

bringing that

deep sense

of needing

to change

but father

more so

just that

awareness

of your

wonderful grace

that's found

in Jesus

alone

father we

thank you

for your

commitment

to us

and your

love for us

in Jesus

and we

pray in his

wonderful name

amen