Genesis 35:1-5,

Genesis 35:1-5, August 17^th 2003

(Arise, Go and Dwell!)

And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. [2] Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: [3] And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. [4] And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. [5] And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

Arise: Speaks of moving up to a higher place. Move forward. Do not be satisfied with how you are living now. Look for higher ground.

Cast away (gods) position, power, prestige, possessions…

Clean up (wash in the blood of the Lamb)

Change clothes (worldly dress). Look not like the world. I was convicted recently about this, to dress like a pastor.

Go: To the place of blessing. This speaks of a way, a journey, a path: if you are not in the way you will be out of the way. Here is the proof, they forsook their:

Faith (All men have faith in something but the false gods must be forsaken). I had an experience recently with a Catholic family who not only needed Christ to save them but first needed to renounce Catholicism…

Fashions (earrings which spoke of voluntary slavery)

Fortune (these idols represented wealth in intrinsic value as well as rights of inheritance [expand on Rachel stealing her fathers gods and hiding them in the camels furniture])

Dwell: In the place of Promise. (Genesis 17:8, And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.)

A place of:

Altar of God: They had a place to worship.

Assembly God’s people. YOU NEED TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE GOD’S PEOPLE ASSEMBLE!

Abundance: This was the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey (the Word and blessings)

Action: In order to be in a place of action we need men of action!

Authenticity: The real Christian life. I want my Christian experience to be more and more authentic. I want to experience, to a greater degree, Christ’s life lived in me.