Some of us are revilers and swindlers, but you were washed. Jonathan Evans says your past may describe you, but God's forgiveness means it can no longer define you. You have been sanctified and justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. That means it's gone. This is the alternative with Dr.
Tony Evans, author, speaker, founding pastor of Oakcliffe Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, and president of the Urban Alternative. Have you ever known something was true about you, but struggled to live like it? To hear words of hope, but still feel weighed down by what you've been through. Today, Pastor Jonathan Evans walks us through a pivotal moment in Jacob's life: a night that looked ordinary on the surface, but carried life-changing significance. It's a powerful story we can all learn from.
Let's listen. The setting Is Jacob? As a fugitive On the run. Yes, it says that he was going from Beersheba to Haran. Because He was going to find his wife there.
But he was also running. Jacob was on the run because from the moment Esau and Jacob were born, Jacob would be grabbing on to Esau's heel. Esau went out one day to hunt, and when he came back in, Jacob had some stew, and Jacob tricked Esau to trade his birthright to Jacob for some stew.
So now Jacob has Esau's birthright. By the time you get to Genesis 27, Now Jacob is tricking his own father, Isaac. To the degree That he put on some wool from an animal because his brother was hairy. And he went to his father and cooked a meal that Esau would normally cook. And his father ate it.
He felt on his son just to make sure it was Esau, but it wasn't Esau, it was Jacob. His mama was helping him. And so he ended up giving the blessing to Jacob. Esau came in from the field and cooked the meal. For his father and went over to his father.
And he said, okay, Father, here's your meal. It's time for my blessing. And the Bible says Isaac shook. Because he realized at that moment that he had been tricked. And he told Esau already gave the blessing to your brother.
And it says that Esau wailed and he wept. He said, Father, do you not have a blessing for me also? Bless me also, Father. But back then, blessings were irrevocable. And he had already given it to Jacob, and Esau wept, and he became angry.
And the Bible says in chapter 27, around about 42, that Esau planned to kill Jacob. I bet you he did. Because Jacob had surplanted him twice. And now you find Jacob in chapter 28, verse 10. It says now he's leaving Bathsheba and he's headed to Haran.
So here Jacob is, he has a blessing. But he's leaving the place of blessing with a blessing. He's going out of God's will, out of God's promises while holding it in his hands. which lets me know that it is possible for you to be a blessed fugitive. Where you can have a blessing.
But be living and walking like you don't. You have salvation. That means if you've accepted Christ, you have, what was that blessing? It was the covenant. If you accepted Christ, you have the new covenant.
And in that covenant are blessings. It's embedded into the covenant that you hold. You have salvation and hope and restoration and redemption. You have adoption. You have been chosen.
You have eternal life. Death can't even stop you. Like you have all of that that's embedded in your blessing, and yet you're on the run. Why is it, what would make Jacob walk this way? Simple.
He knew something from his past was after him. Many of you are not living out your blessing. Because you're so jaded from your past. And so you're not walking like You're forgiven, you're walking like a fugitive. In this blessing, Jacob is going to get a name change.
His name is going to be Israel. Jacob is going to have a heritage. He's going to have a legacy. He's going to have a great nation. In this blessing is already coming his son Judah, through which Jesus would arrive, because Jesus is the lion of.
Judah? All of this is going to come with this blessing. And he's still living like he's haunted. Yes, it's true what he did was wrong. But it's also true that that blessing makes it right.
Because God would still move forward with them. The blessing means that your shame is canceled by the salvation. The blessing means that grace cancels the guilt. The blessing means that your faults have been canceled by God's favor. The blessing means that your tomorrow is better than your yesterday.
The blessing means that you're not supposed to live like the unforgiven and a fugitive when you have the salvation of God. David was an adulterous murderer. God gave him an everlasting kingdom. Moses was a murderer. Exiled to Midian for 40 years, and God still found him at the burning bush and made him the greatest savior in the Old Testament.
Peter denied the faith three times. And Jesus still came to him and said, feed my sheep and tend my lambs. You're still, how you gonna make Peter the pastor? He denied the faith. And Jacob is a trickster, and God is still going to bless him.
Because when I say that God can do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that you can think.
So, yes, some of us are adulteress, and some of us are revilers and swindlers, or all of these different things, but you were washed. You have been sanctified and justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. That means it's gone. And if you don't realize that... You'll be walking like a fugitive even when you're forgiven.
Why was Jacob dealing with this? Because He took the blessing the wrong way. He took it the wrong way. It doesn't negate that it's a blessing. He just didn't take it right.
So, when he took the blessing the wrong way, let me read to you how he felt. I want you to see how he felt in the verse, not just read the words. It's communicating how he feels in this scene. Verse 11 says, he came to a certain place, spent the night there. Because the sun had set.
And he took a stone of the place and put it under his head and laid down in the place.
Okay. He's at a certain place. He's got a blessing, but he's in a certain place. You know what that means? He's somewhere, but nowhere.
It's like when you ask somebody, How are you doing? I'm all right. What are you doing with yourself? I'm just trying to make it. Wait a minute, you got a double inheritance of the Father?
You got the inheritance of Jesus Christ? You're a son and daughter of God, and you're just trying to make it. You must have took the blessing the wrong way. It says the sun has set. It's not just telling you what time of day it is, even though it is.
It's telling you it's setting in his life. That it's dark in his life, that he's depressed. He's somewhere, but nowhere. He's totally depressed. And he finds a stone in the place and uses the stone as a pillow.
You got a birthright of Isaac and Abraham, which means you got money. That's what that means. And you somewhere but nowhere depressed? And you got a stone as your pillow? In other words, what he's saying is his headspace was in a hard place.
You got people out here who are blessed and depressed. People out here that are blessed and burdened. People out here where God is meeting your needs and He's showing up, and you're still somewhere, but nowhere. We must have took the blessing the wrong way. Jacob took it as a schemer.
We took the blessing with a lack of faith and expectation in our Redeemer. Oh. We took the blessing thinking that salvation was only for heaven. And because you took salvation wrong. In other words, it's not just for heaven.
The Bible says I've given you life and life more. The Bible says that when you accept Christ, the old is gone and the new has come. That you have been crucified with Christ. It's no longer you that lives, but Christ that lives in you. The life that you now live is not like the life you used to live, but by faith in the Son of God.
In other words, you have been made new. All of that stuff that Jacob did, that you did. He cut it off. That's why Jeremiah 31 says, I will remember your sins no more.
So, if a perfect, unblemished, righteous, holy God. Can forgive you of your sins. and remember them no more. How can God forgive you, but you can't forgive you? You tie a rope around my waist.
I wish I would have brought it, but I've just thought about this. You tie a rope around my waist. There's the promise. I'm trying to get to the promise, but I'm fatigued. And I can't get there because I feel like I'm tethered to something that's holding me back.
And then when you look to see what's holding you back, it's you. I'm not talking about your feelings. Feelings are hard to manage. Feelings don't have intellect.
So it's hard to not feel different. I'm calling you to walk based on what you really have. My dad would often tell me, That it's not about feelings. You have to demand that your heart follow the truth. You put it on a leash and you drag it along.
Because what's true is I'm a saint. What's true is I've been delivered. What's true is I've been redeemed. What's true is, I'm saved. What's true is he has washed my sins.
Away! Pastor Jonathan Evans will have more from this final installment in his teaching series, All Eyes on Jesus, when he continues in just a moment. You know, throughout these eight lessons, Jonathan's been showing us that when Christ becomes our focus, uncertainty gives way to confidence, and ordinary life becomes kingdom opportunity. This complete audio collection is designed to help you keep that focus long after this broadcast ends. We'd love to send you all eight messages on CD, USB flash drive.
or as instantly available digital downloads, along with our thanks when you make a contribution to support the Alternative Broadcast Ministry. And as a special bonus, we'll also include Jonathan's book, Your Time Is Now. which challenges you to move from inspiration to action. and boldly pursue the purpose God has placed before you. Together, these resources will equip you to live with clarity, courage, and conviction.
Take advantage of this special offer today at tonyevans.org. or call 1-800-800-3222. But don't wait. This is the final day we'll be bundling these two resources together in thanks for your donation. Again, that's tonyevans.org.
or call 1-800-800-3222. We'll get back to the final part of today's lesson right after this. On the Unbound podcast, Dr. Tony Evans hosts meaningful conversations with all kinds of guests. Here's a moment with hip-hop artist LeCrae.
So when you are 76 and you look back over legacy, what do you want that to say? I love to stand in the gap between hip-hop world and the church and translate the languages for one another. And if I could die being that bridge, I'm a happy man. Catch talks like these on the Unbound podcast. You can listen to the Unbound podcast with Tony Evans any time of the day or night on his YouTube channel or on your favorite podcast platform.
Right now, let's get back to part two of today's message.
So Jacob is down and out. Depressed with a blessing. Burdened with a blessing. Doesn't think he's going to make it with a blessing. He's haunted with a blessing.
He's fleeing in a fugitive with a blessing. And then, when he finally goes to sleep on the stone. That he put under his head. God gives him a dream. And behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching the heaven.
And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham, and the God of Isaac, the land on which you lie, I have given it to you and your descendants. There's angels streaming up and down the ladder. The ladder stretches from heaven to earth. The Lord is on top of the ladder, speaking promises down the ladder.
All of this is happening in a dream. And Jesus interprets the dream in the New Testament. when he had a conversation with Nathaniel. John chapter 1, verse 47 through 51 says, Nathanael said to him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come see.
Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him, and said to him, Behold, an Israelite indeed whom there is no deceit. Nathanael said to him, Jesus, he said to Jesus, How do you know me? Jesus answered and said to him, Before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, You are the Son of God. You are the king of Israel.
Jesus answered and said to him, Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these Verse 51 says, And Jesus said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, watch this. You will see the heavens open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. The two primary jobs of angels were perspective, messaging, and protection. Protection and perspective.
The Bible talks about protection. In Psalm 91:11, it says, I have sent my angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. And he's telling Jacob in this dream, it's not only for protection. It's also for your perspective. Because angels were messengers of God.
Wasn't it Gabriel that came to Mary? Letting them know where this baby is coming from. He's giving them perspective on what's going on. Wasn't it then when they went to the tomb, the angels came and showed up, and they had to let the Marys know that, hey, he's risen, he's not here. Let me give you perspective on what you're seeing.
Wasn't it the ascension in Acts chapter 1:11 when the disciples were looking up, and an angel showed up and said, What y'all looking at? He's gonna come the same way he's leaving, get to work. Giving them perspective on what they were looking at. And so he in this dream and he in this church is giving you perspective. You're not alone.
You're not what you feel. You're not the depressed that you feel. I know your headspace is in a hard place, but heaven is touching earth. I got you. And in the dream.
He goes from the latter which is the Son of Man. He goes from the angels that were giving him protection and perspective. And at the top of the ladder was the Lord speaking down the promises. That the promises of God are also embedded. and the blessing that he has.
These promises of God, he has protection, he has perspective, he has promises where God says, I'm going to give you a great nation through you. All the families of the earth will be blessed. I'm going to bring you back to this place and bless you like I got you. The same promises that let you know there's neither height nor depth nor life, there's no death, there's no angels, nor principalities, there's nothing that can separate you from my love. That if it's not good yet, God's not done yet.
It's promises all through the Bible. That he has got you. He's holding you from earth all the way to heaven, and he'll never let go. I'll never leave you nor forsake you. Promises upon promises upon promises.
It's embedded. In the blessing that you have.
So don't be a fugitive. Because in The blessing is your purpose, your provision. Your peace, your pardon. The promises of God, your protection, your perspective, your progress, your purity, your perseverance, it's all embedded in it. And Jacob has this dream.
Yeah. The Son of God. Angels The Lord's promise is in my life. Verse sixteen says, He woke up. I bet you he did.
We have to wake up. We're living in the last days. Yeah. Time is running out. We can't be living like fugitives.
We're the church of Jesus Christ. We can't be living as those who are not healed. or those who are not forgiven. But those who are saved and set free never again return to the yoke of slavery. We have the Son of God.
We have the angels on our side. We have the promises of God. We have to wake up to that reality. Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, Surely the Lord is in this place. Because in trouble, God is very present.
You have time in your life, or test in your life that became testimony. That's when you realize that God was there when you didn't think He was. When you have a testimony of what God has done, the hardest places is where He loves to show up the most. He woke up and said, Man, surely my God is in this place. Verse 17 says, He says, How awesome is this place?
How did this place become awesome? The place where he was depressed. The place where he had something but nothing. It became awesome because he found the revelation of God in the place where he was sunken down the most. This is where you find the revelation of God.
Many people are trying to run from the very place where God is going to use you. That's why my mom would say: your greatest ministry will come right out of your greatest misery. That's why it says here that God will bring you back to this place. And he said, Lord, I didn't know you were here. How awesome is this place?
And then he took the stone pillow. Oh, y'all not with me. Then he took the stone pillow, the Bible says in verse 18. The stone pillow he was laying on, he turned it into a stone pillar. and poured oil on it.
That means he made that place a memorial. That I'm going to remember. That God can do it then, he can do it tomorrow. That if God did it yesterday, He can do it again. Is there anybody that has a memorial in your life?
Where you look back at that place and you say, that's where I met God. You look back at that place and you say, That's where I believed. You look back at that place and you say, That's where God found me. He said, this is a memorial to me. And so he named the place Best of the money.
Bethel means the house of God. Bethel means the place of worship. He named a place that was somewhere but nowhere, where he was depressed, where he was out. And he had a dream of the faithfulness of God, the provision of God, the purposes of God, the promises of God. And he made a memorial to say, I will no longer live as if I'm unforgiven.
I'm gonna live out the blessing of God, and I'm gonna name this place Bethel. The house of God, the place of worship. Is there anybody that's in the house of God today? Is there anybody that's in the place of worship? Do you not have a memorial?
Can you not think back on the goodness of God? Do you not remember what He's done? Did He not save your life? Did He not bring you out of the hospital? Did He not bring your family out?
Did He not bring your child back? Did He not give you your marriage? Did He not mend your heart? Did He not make you right in your mind? Like, did He not do anything for you?
Do you not have a memorial? If you do have a memorial, you'll stand up and give Him praise and call the place Bethel. Because he's worthy to be praised. No matter what you're going through. He's worthy.
No matter what you're dealing with, he has promises. No matter what you're struggling with, he still has a perspective for you. And I want us just for a moment to act like it's Bethel because it is for us, and to act like this is a memorial and worship God in the building. Stretch out your hands and say thank you. Thank you, Lord.
For all that you've done. Thank you, Lord, for all you're going to do. Yeah. Pastor Jonathan Evans, with encouraging words on our identity, our perspective. and our promise in God.
Now, today's message was the final installment in his eight-part series, All Eyes on Jesus. Through these lessons, Jonathan has challenged us to lift our gaze above distraction. and fix our focus firmly on Christ. If you missed any part of this series or want the complete unedited versions of each message, You can receive the entire collection on CD, USB flash drive, or digital download. as our thank you gift when you make a donation to support this ministry.
and along with it, we'll send you Jonathan's inspiring book, Your Time is Now. which can help empower you to stop waiting and start walking boldly in obedience. Together, these resources provide both spiritual clarity and practical motivation for living out your faith each and every day. Request your copy today at tonyevans.org. or call 1-800-800-3222.
Our resource center is open 24-7. Again, that's Tonyevans.org. or call 1-800-800-3222. We'll come back with a final word right after this. What if you could step off a plane and step into history?
Living history, where stories you've heard for years come to life and take on new meaning because you're right there where they happened. Instead of telling your children about the resurrection, imagine standing with them in the empty tomb. Picture yourself on the Mount of Olives, in the Garden of Gethsemane, or exploring the old city of Jerusalem. You can do all this and more on the vacation of a lifetime and do it with Tony Evans when he hosts his Israel tour. You'll enjoy world-class accommodations and delicious meals as you tour the most beloved sites in the Holy Land.
There'll be teaching sessions with Tony where you'll learn about the history and significance of the places you visit, plus great music and worship. Best of all, you'll share an unforgettable experience that'll change the way you understand scripture.
Now's the time to make plans since space is limited. Check out the complete itinerary at tonyevans.org and make your reservation before it's too late. That's tonyevans.org. Oh. Many people assume heaven is reserved for those who manage to be good enough to make the cut.
But next time, Dr. Evans turns that idea on its head. and reveals what truly opens the door to eternity. I hope he'll join us.
