The lesser son, desperate for blessing, and man who wrestled with God. Jacob is a symbol of Israel’s struggle for unity with God. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of unity with God.
Today's Bible verse is John 7:38, from the King James Version.
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<v Speaker 1>Let us pray. He who believes in me, as the
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<v Speaker 1>Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of
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<v Speaker 1>living water. John seven thirty eight. Dear Lord, we know
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<v Speaker 1>that we can do nothing in and of ourselves. We
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<v Speaker 1>desperately search for purpose and fulfillment in other places, but
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<v Speaker 1>we come up empty. You alone satisfy us. From those
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<v Speaker 1>that believe in you, rivers of living water flow majestically
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<v Speaker 1>from them. You bring refreshment, life, and vitality to all
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<v Speaker 1>those who feel parched and starved for meaning. Refresh us today,
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<v Speaker 1>Lord Jesus, fill us to the brim and overflowing with
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<v Speaker 1>your spirit and your name. We pray, Amen. Thank you
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<v Speaker 1>for praying with me today. Stay tuned now for another
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<v Speaker 1>episode of Star Stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider.
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<v Speaker 2>Deception, tricks, half truths. All the sins Jacob had committed
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<v Speaker 2>to get ahead were catching up to him. He tricked
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<v Speaker 2>his father into giving him his blessing, he deceived his
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<v Speaker 2>father in law before fleeing with his daughters, and he
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<v Speaker 2>cheated his brother out of a birthright. Now his brother,
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<v Speaker 2>Esau was approaching with hundreds of men behind him. Years ago,
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<v Speaker 2>Esau had vowed to kill Jacob, and now it seemed
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<v Speaker 2>the time had come. Jacob prayed to the Lord for mercy.
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<v Speaker 2>He sent gifts of penance to his brother, but there
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<v Speaker 2>was no predicting what would come of it. Jacob looked
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<v Speaker 2>at his family with tears in his eyes. What have
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<v Speaker 2>I done? He thought he had acquired so much through
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<v Speaker 2>deception and flattery, but now none seemed worth it. His
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<v Speaker 2>name was Jacob, heel grabber. Everyone in the land knew
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<v Speaker 2>what that name really meant, deceiver. At that moment, he
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<v Speaker 2>wished he hadn't lived up to his name. He looked
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<v Speaker 2>at his oldest son, Reuben, and held his shoulders.
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<v Speaker 1>Keep the family safe, hear me.
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<v Speaker 2>Reuben nodded, and the rest of the family departed down
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<v Speaker 2>the valley. The further away they were from him, the better.
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<v Speaker 2>Jacob waited on a hill overlooking his brother's camp. He
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<v Speaker 2>stood over the ledge, unaware of the large figure behind
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<v Speaker 2>him waiting to pounce.
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<v Speaker 3>Hello and welcome to another episode of the Jesus Podcast.
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<v Speaker 3>I'm your host Ethan from pray dot com. If this
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<v Speaker 3>podcast has blessed you thus far, please take a moment
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<v Speaker 3>to leave a comment and review. Doing so will make
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<v Speaker 3>sure others discover these life changing stories and be sure
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<v Speaker 3>to download the prey dot Com app to hear the
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<v Speaker 3>Bible come to life, and make prayer a priority in
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<v Speaker 3>your daily walk with God. The Bible showcases many heroes,
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<v Speaker 3>men and women of valor, wisdom, and favor who accomplished
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<v Speaker 3>great things. However, as we read the Bible, we discover
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<v Speaker 3>that each character is deeply flawed, just like us. Their
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<v Speaker 3>lives are imperfect, and their journeys are filled with many
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<v Speaker 3>highs and lows. As we look closer at their stories,
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<v Speaker 3>we discover that each points us towards someone greater, someone
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<v Speaker 3>far more brave, wise, and favored. Today we'll follow a
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<v Speaker 3>pillar of faith Jacob. At this point in his story,
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<v Speaker 3>Jacob's past has caught up to him. He deceived his
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<v Speaker 3>brother and provoked him to wrath. Now he stands at
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<v Speaker 3>the precipice of judgment. But before he faces his brother,
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<v Speaker 3>he has to wrestle with God himself. Through Jacob's struggle,
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<v Speaker 3>we see a glimpse of our own relationships with God.
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<v Speaker 3>We're all wrestling with God in some way. We struggle
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<v Speaker 3>with doubt, fear, and pride. At the other end of
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<v Speaker 3>Jacob's struggle, he receives a new name, and the greatness
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<v Speaker 3>of his legacy is established. Let's immerse ourselves in a
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<v Speaker 3>cinematic retelling of Genesis chapter thirty two to discover how
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<v Speaker 3>Jesus is the greater Jacob.
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<v Speaker 2>Jacob stood over the precipice and looked down at Esau's camp.
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<v Speaker 2>He wondered what fate awaited him at the bottom of
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<v Speaker 2>that hill. Would his sins finally catch up to him,
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<v Speaker 2>would his brother respond to his kind gesture? Would God
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<v Speaker 2>answer his plea for mercy? Jacob considered these things and
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<v Speaker 2>turned around. A man stood behind him, his gaze intense
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<v Speaker 2>and challenging. Jacob peered closely at him, but remained silent.
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<v Speaker 2>There was something different about him. The ground around him
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<v Speaker 2>felt powerful, holy. He looked around and suddenly remembered where
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<v Speaker 2>he was Maha name, God's cap. Whoever this person was,
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<v Speaker 2>he was sent from God, or perhaps he was God.
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<v Speaker 2>This stranger walked closer, and Jacob removed his tomb. His
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<v Speaker 2>pace became quicker, and Jacob began running towards him. They
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<v Speaker 2>converged into the dirt and gravel, wrestling to subdue one another.
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<v Speaker 2>Jacob knew instantly that he was outmatched, but it did
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<v Speaker 2>not keep him from straying. If this man was God,
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<v Speaker 2>then Jacob had to fight. He had to contend and
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<v Speaker 2>accept the challenge of struggling with him. Jacob wrapped his
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<v Speaker 2>arms around the man's legs and drove him into the dirt.
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<v Speaker 2>He tried to make him submit, but the man rapped
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<v Speaker 2>Jacob with his legs and threw him to the left.
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<v Speaker 2>Jacob released himself and walked backward. The two of them panted,
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<v Speaker 2>priming themselves for another round. Jacob made the first move
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<v Speaker 2>and launched himself forward, but the man tripped him onto
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<v Speaker 2>the dirt and held him down. As he fought, memories
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<v Speaker 2>of all Jacob's sins flooded back into his mind. He
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<v Speaker 2>wanted God's blessing so badly he was willing to do
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<v Speaker 2>anything for it, even lie. But now as he rolled
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<v Speaker 2>into the blood and sweat soaked dirt, there was no
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<v Speaker 2>talking his way into a blessing, no lies, no religious babble,
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<v Speaker 2>just him and God struggling to gain an advantage over
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<v Speaker 2>the other. Jacob knew there was no winning, but that
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<v Speaker 2>didn't mean he would stop. The two of them wrestled
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<v Speaker 2>all night. Finally, when the man saw Jacob would not relent.
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<v Speaker 2>He placed a hand on his hip and puffed it
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<v Speaker 2>down in place. Jacob shouted in intense pain. It shot
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<v Speaker 2>through his hip and leg, but he didn't let go.
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<v Speaker 2>He grasped onto his leg, refusing to let him walk away.
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<v Speaker 2>The man looked at the sun's rays slowly peeking over
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<v Speaker 2>the mountains. Then he looked down at Jacob.
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<v Speaker 1>Let me go, the man said, the day has broke him.
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<v Speaker 2>Tears streamed down jacob swollen and dirty face. Never he cried,
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<v Speaker 2>I won't. The man tugged his leg away, but Jacob refused.
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<v Speaker 3>To let go.
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<v Speaker 2>Throughout the night, he had come to understand who this
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<v Speaker 2>person was.
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<v Speaker 1>Please bless me, Jacob.
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<v Speaker 2>Said, with tears streaming down his cheeks.
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<v Speaker 1>I won't let you go, and tell you bless me.
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<v Speaker 2>A smile appeared on the side of the man's face.
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<v Speaker 2>He looked again at the orange shoes of the rising sun,
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<v Speaker 2>then back down at the poor fellow clinging to him.
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<v Speaker 1>What is your name, the stranger asked, it's Jacob.
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<v Speaker 2>The man shook his head and placed a hand on
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<v Speaker 2>Jacob's shoulder. Your name shall no longer be Jacob. It
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<v Speaker 2>shall be called Israel, for you have struggled with God
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<v Speaker 2>and prevailed. Jacob looked up and slowly released his grip.
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<v Speaker 3>What is your name?
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<v Speaker 1>He asked.
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<v Speaker 2>The man wiped the sweat and dirt off his brow
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<v Speaker 2>and chuckled.
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<v Speaker 1>Now, why would you ask me for my name?
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<v Speaker 2>He extended his hand to help Israel on to his feet.
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<v Speaker 2>He blessed him and then vanished where he came from.
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<v Speaker 2>Israel limped back to the hill's edge and looked down
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<v Speaker 2>at Esau's camp. It was time to face his brother.
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<v Speaker 2>He limped down to meet Esau and the four hundred
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<v Speaker 2>men marching behind him. Israel fell to his knees in
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<v Speaker 2>honor of his brother. Esau ran, charging with passion, then
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<v Speaker 2>fell to the ground and hugged his brother tenderly. The
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<v Speaker 2>Lord had answered Israel's prayers through all the struggle in wrestling,
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<v Speaker 2>he had been blessed.
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<v Speaker 3>Could you feel the desperate tension from Jacob as he
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<v Speaker 3>struggled with his sin and shame? Could you feel the
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<v Speaker 3>battling of wills when he wrestled with the Angel of
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<v Speaker 3>the Lord. Until this point, Jacob's life had been wrought
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<v Speaker 3>with deception and shortcuts. He deceived his brother, father, and
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<v Speaker 3>father in law to gain favor in resources, But as
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<v Speaker 3>he struggled in the dirt with the Lord, there was
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<v Speaker 3>no tricking his way into a blessing. Ultimately, he was
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<v Speaker 3>forced into a desperate posture, begging for a blessing. This
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<v Speaker 3>place of desperation is a place we all must find
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<v Speaker 3>ourselves in. We want a blessing from God, but often
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<v Speaker 3>we want it on our own terms. We, like Jacob,
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<v Speaker 3>must realize that blessing is only ever given on God's terms.
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<v Speaker 3>Like Jacob, we can be consumed with proud self reliance.
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<v Speaker 3>Jacob was reduced to a place where he could only
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<v Speaker 3>hold on to the Lord. Jacob could no longer fight,
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<v Speaker 3>and that place of weakness wasn't the worst place to be.
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<v Speaker 3>Sometimes we need to feel vulnerable and exposed to truly
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<v Speaker 3>experience transformation. God violently shattered Jacob's ego and reminded him
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<v Speaker 3>that true blessing can't be gained without humility. Jacob's old
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<v Speaker 3>name was more like an insult. It meant trickster, the usurper,
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<v Speaker 3>or deceiver. But Jacob's new name was noble. It meant
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<v Speaker 3>someone who struggles with God and shares in his victory.
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<v Speaker 3>Now we will go on to a different time, but
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<v Speaker 3>the same place where another person wrestles to be vulnerable
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<v Speaker 3>with God.
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<v Speaker 2>Jesus leaned his back against the well and used his
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<v Speaker 2>hand to block the scorching sun of high noon. The
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<v Speaker 2>well was dug by Jacob himself long ago. It was
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<v Speaker 2>a sacred monument in a sacred place, causing all to
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<v Speaker 2>remember the significance of Jacob's faith in God. As Jesus pondered,
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<v Speaker 2>a woman approached carrying a bucket of water on her hips.
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<v Speaker 2>Her forehead was sweating and her face was somber. It
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<v Speaker 2>was awed for a woman to draw water in the
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<v Speaker 2>middle of the day. Usually all the women traveled together
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<v Speaker 2>before the son's harsh glare. Whoever this woman was, she
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<v Speaker 2>was an outcast among the other women. Jesus moved to
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<v Speaker 2>the side so she could draw water from the well.
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<v Speaker 2>As she poured water from the well into her bucket,
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<v Speaker 2>Jesus asked.
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<v Speaker 1>Would you mind giving me something to drink?
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<v Speaker 2>The woman paused and looked at Jesus, perplexed. You are
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<v Speaker 2>a Jew, she said sharply.
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<v Speaker 4>I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me
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<v Speaker 4>for a drink? Aren't you breaking a dozen laws? Chows
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<v Speaker 4>are not supposed to talk to Samaritans let alone. A
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<v Speaker 4>Jewish man speaking to a Samaritan woman.
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<v Speaker 2>Jesus shrugged and leaned over the well, looking down. If
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<v Speaker 2>you knew the gift of God and who I am,
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<v Speaker 2>you would have asked me to give you living water.
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<v Speaker 4>The woman peered at Jesus skeptically, Sir, you have nothing
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<v Speaker 4>to draw from this deep well. Where do you expect
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<v Speaker 4>to find living water? Our forefather, Jacob dug this well
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<v Speaker 4>long ago with his sons. Are you saying you are
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<v Speaker 4>greater than Jacob?
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<v Speaker 2>Cup A satisfied smile curled upon Jesus's cheeks. He gestured
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<v Speaker 2>to the well and said Jacob was great. Indeed, he
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<v Speaker 2>dug this well for a good purpose.
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<v Speaker 1>But whoever drinks from.
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<v Speaker 2>This water will become thirsty again. They will need to
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<v Speaker 2>come back again and again to draw from it. But
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<v Speaker 2>whoever drinks the water I offer, I'm.
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<v Speaker 3>Never thirsty again.
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<v Speaker 2>It will become a well springing up to eternal life.
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<v Speaker 2>The woman's skepticism turned to desperation. She had to spend
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<v Speaker 2>most afternoons drawing water in the hot sun to avoid
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<v Speaker 2>the other women.
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<v Speaker 4>Please give me this water so I don't have to
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<v Speaker 4>come here again.
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<v Speaker 2>Jesus responded kindly, saying, of course, go get your husband
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<v Speaker 2>to return here so I.
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<v Speaker 1>Can show both of you.
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<v Speaker 2>The woman immediately took a step back and looked off
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<v Speaker 2>to the side. I don't have a husband, she mumbled. Jesus,
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<v Speaker 2>keeping an unthreatening demeanor, responded.
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<v Speaker 1>You are correct to say you don't have a husband.
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<v Speaker 2>The fact is you've had five husbands, and the man
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<v Speaker 2>you currently live with isn't your husband at all. Jesus's
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<v Speaker 2>frankness disarmed the woman. She chose not to respond directly
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<v Speaker 2>to his statement and instead shifted the conversation.
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<v Speaker 4>I can see that you are a prophet. It makes
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<v Speaker 4>sense that you are here. Our ancestors worshiped on this
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<v Speaker 4>very mountain, but you Jews claim that the temple in
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<v Speaker 4>Jerusalem is the place to worship.
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<v Speaker 2>The woman did not know it, but she was quietly
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<v Speaker 2>wrestling with God. Jesus was engaging with her, gently, trying
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<v Speaker 2>to pole repentance and conviction out of her so she
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<v Speaker 2>could experience freedom. She tried to mask her insecurity with
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<v Speaker 2>religious babble, but Jesus planned to free her from herself.
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<v Speaker 1>Believe me, Jesus said.
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<v Speaker 2>A time is coming when people won't worship here on
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<v Speaker 2>the mountain or in Jerusalem.
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<v Speaker 1>Now a time is coming when true worshipers will worship
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<v Speaker 1>God in spirit and in truth.
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<v Speaker 2>Those are the people God seeks out for himself. The
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<v Speaker 2>woman's hands shook and her eyes were sh She felt
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<v Speaker 2>uncomfortable with her guilt, yet was drawn to talk more.
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<v Speaker 2>It was a divine wrestling between her spirit and flesh.
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<v Speaker 4>Well, when the Messiah comes, he will explain those things
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<v Speaker 4>and settle those debates, I'm sure.
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<v Speaker 2>The woman sighed, with a bit of somber hope in
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<v Speaker 2>her voice. Jesus looked at the woman intently and said,
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<v Speaker 2>I the one.
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<v Speaker 3>You have been speaking to everything.
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<v Speaker 2>The woman's eyes widened as understanding flooded her mind. She
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<v Speaker 2>was speaking to the one she had been hoping for,
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<v Speaker 2>The one who could redeem her and set her free
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<v Speaker 2>from her own sin and shame, stood before her, smiling.
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<v Speaker 2>She would never be the same. She ran to her hometown,
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<v Speaker 2>gathering everyone to behold the one who had given her
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<v Speaker 2>new hope.
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<v Speaker 3>Are you saying you are greater than Jacob? That's the
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<v Speaker 3>question this woman at the well posed to Jesus. She
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<v Speaker 3>had no idea who she was speaking to at the time.
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<v Speaker 3>We know that Jesus is not only greater than Jacob,
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<v Speaker 3>but he's the one who wrestled with Jacob on that
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<v Speaker 3>sacred hill. Jesus is the one who gave Jacob his
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<v Speaker 3>new name and reconciled him with his brother. Like the
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<v Speaker 3>woman at the well, Jacob struggled with pride and self reliance,
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<v Speaker 3>needing transformation. Jesus came to rid Jacob and the woman
0:15:24 --> 0:15:28
<v Speaker 3>at the well of their self reliance. Just as Jesus
0:15:28 --> 0:15:31
<v Speaker 3>wrestled with Jacob that fateful night and gave him a
0:15:31 --> 0:15:35
<v Speaker 3>new purpose, he also brought transformation to the woman at
0:15:35 --> 0:15:39
<v Speaker 3>the well. He slowly and lovingly revealed himself to her,
0:15:40 --> 0:15:44
<v Speaker 3>and she would never be the same. Like Jacob and
0:15:44 --> 0:15:47
<v Speaker 3>the woman at the well, we must struggle with God
0:15:47 --> 0:15:52
<v Speaker 3>to realize he alone is in control. Our attempts at
0:15:52 --> 0:15:57
<v Speaker 3>self righteousness, satisfaction, and blessing all fall short. When we
0:15:57 --> 0:16:01
<v Speaker 3>humble ourselves and cry out to God for blessing, He's
0:16:01 --> 0:16:05
<v Speaker 3>swift to restore. He is swift to restore, redeem, and
0:16:05 --> 0:16:11
<v Speaker 3>resurrect us. Jesus humbled himself on our behalf. He died
0:16:11 --> 0:16:14
<v Speaker 3>on the cross and rose again so that we might
0:16:14 --> 0:16:19
<v Speaker 3>be transformed. Like Jacob, Jesus wants to give us a
0:16:19 --> 0:16:22
<v Speaker 3>new blessing and purpose. He wants to take away our
0:16:22 --> 0:16:27
<v Speaker 3>sin and shame. He's done that in my life, and
0:16:27 --> 0:16:30
<v Speaker 3>he can do that in yours. In this way, we're
0:16:30 --> 0:16:35
<v Speaker 3>certain that Jesus is the greater Jacob. Join us next time,
0:16:35 --> 0:16:38
<v Speaker 3>as we hear the redemptive arc of one of Jacob's sons,
0:16:39 --> 0:16:42
<v Speaker 3>we'll see that through his life, all things work together
0:16:43 --> 0:16:45
<v Speaker 3>for the good of those who love God and are
0:16:45 --> 0:16:49
<v Speaker 3>called according to his purpose. Next episode, we'll discover that
0:16:50 --> 0:16:53
<v Speaker 3>Jesus is the greater Joseph
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