By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 35:1-15

God uses this week’s text to remind us that He is always faithful.

Jacob had been gone from home for what seemed like a lifetime and now God was calling him back. He was to go back to the place where God had first spoken to him and made the promise to bless him and continue the Abrahamic covenant through him.

Jacob prepares his household by ordering a removal of all the idols and a purification of every person. The first thing we see Jacob do here is prepare to meet with God. How much might be changed in our worship services if we spent time preparing our hearts to meet with God beforehand. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 33:1-15

It had been 20 years since Jacob and Esau had seen each other, since Jacob tricked their Father and stole Esau’s blessing for himself. There is a saying, “Time heals all wounds.” I can tell you that’s not always true.

I’ve seen people so full of hurt and hate toward someone else for so long they don’t even really know why anymore. It seems that over time the pain or the fear of what the other person might think keeps us from taking that first step. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 31:2-16

For 20 years Jacob had served Laban far from his own home. God had blessed all of Jacob’s work and shown him great favor. As Jacob prospered, Laban and his sons took notice and their attitudes began to change toward Jacob. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 29:16-30

So often we believe the lie that God can only use great people from great backgrounds for great things but that’s not true. 

God is pleased to use crooked sticks to draw straight lines. God chose to bless the nations through a broken, corrupted family. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 28:10-22

Having successfully stolen the birthright for himself, Jacob now leaves his family. He is sent by his father to go find a wife but sent by his mother to run far away from Esau’s wrath.

At this time when he would feel utterly alone, despairing, and confused God reveals Himself to Him in an incredible way that would change something in Jacob. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 27:18-29

Jacob’s very name denotes that he was a deceiver, a liar, and a “heel grabber.”

The text today demonstrates him living up to that name. The deception begins, not with Jacob, but with Rebekah. Jacob and Esau’s own mother overheard Isaac’s desire to bless Esau as his firstborn and favorite son and she began to devise a plan to steal that for Jacob. [Read more…]