Jacob Wrestling with God - A narrative sermon

<p><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt;">A narrative sermon based on Genesis 32: 25-32 and Matthew 26: 36-46</span></strong></p> <p>My name is Jacob. I’m a twin. They say that even when I was in my mother’s womb I struggled with my brother. I came out holding onto his heal so they gave me the name grasper or grabber. The name sort of fits because for the first part of my life that’s just what I was like.  I knew that the only way to get ahead in life was to make your own way and your own luck. If a situation presented itself then you should grab it with both hands and never let go. Keep your wits about you and if other people give you a tiny opening, push your way in and get what you can.</p> <p><br />  When my brother came home really hungry one day after hunting or whatever it is he does out in the fields I was cooking some stew. Red lentels, some herbs, and spices, I recall. He asked me for some – he said he was “starving to death” and so half joking I said, “First sell me your birthright”. I was basically saying - Give me your share of the family inheritance and give me the blessing or the Promise that my Grandfather Abraham was given by God. God was going to make our family big, powerful and rich. I didn’t really expect Esau to take me seriously about the stew, but he did. I’m starving to death! He said, what use is all that to me? So I saw my chance, “swear to me” I said that you will give me your birthright and I’ll give you a big bowl of stew. And he did! I couldn’t believe it.</p> <p><br />  Maybe about 10 years later my dad Isaac decided to make the passing on of the blessing and the inheritance formal. Esau never admitted to Dad that he’d sold his birthright to me, but mum knew about it. She also told me that there was a prophesy that I would get the blessing instead of Esau. The trouble was that Esau was dad’s favourite. So mum and I cooked up a plan to trick Dad. We look different but we are twins so we sound alike and by this time dad was practically blind. So I disguised myself as Esau on the day