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Genesis 42:36-38
Jacob refuses to let Benjamin go
Jacob loved Rachael
Joseph is gone
Rachael is dead
Ben-Oni = Son of my sorrow (trouble)
This son is costing her life
Her last breath was his first breath
Jacob names him Benjamin
Benjamin = son of my right hand
Jacob just lost the only woman he really loved
Jacob will not let Benjamin go
Jacob has been the ultimate helicopter parent.
It’s an unhealthy protection.
Did you know it’s possible to make an idol out of your children
Anything you put above God becomes idolatry.
Whatever you love the most, serve the most, spend the most time doing, seek the most, give the most to, and care about the most is your God.
Change has to take place in this family
Most change is not by choice but by force.
Health changes usually come by force.
Desperation forces change.
Genesis 43:1-15
Jacob gets desperate enough to finally let his son Benjamin go
Write this down: Benjamin was seed that Jacob was to sow in the midst of their need
Jacob was being tested by the Lord just like his grandfather Abraham was tested with a son he loved
You ready to go somewhere this morning?

Let Go & Trust
We all experiences tests
Toughest test is when the Lord says let go of something we love
In our flesh We tend to cling and clutch; possess and control
Keep our treasures close to our hearts
4 types of treasures
1. Possessions
2. Dreams
3. Career/Calling
4. Relationships
Remember in Gen 22 it reveals Abraham's treasure = Isaac
God threw a curveball
Biggest takeaway from Abraham life = Letting go of one thing after another but the Lord rewards each time
Hometown, Family, Best part of Canaan, Ishmael
Wish I could tell you that in life the Lord will not ask great things of you
God continually tested Abraham
Genesis 22:1-2
Imagine being Abraham
Is this really God?
Sacrifice doesn’t make sense
Extreme sacrifice really doesn’t make sense
When you make a decision to sacrifice the devil will play games with your mind
Sacrifice makes no sense in the natural
Extreme sacrifice
Mary’s Broken Vase
Mark 14:1-2
This is the context of the story; whatever you do remember this is right before the Passover
Mark 14:3
One of the ten?
When God does something for you that should cause you to open your home and life to him
That’s why you see people here lift their hands in praise because God did something
Verse 3 goes on to say, “a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
Expensive perfume = $120 for my wife
This perfume was extremely expensive
We will find out it was a years wages
Average wage = $40,000; that’s some expensive perfume
This woman made an extreme sacrifice
Mark 14:4-9

Her sacrifice came during the Passover week
Passover week = Israel was ordered by God to sacrifice a lamb
God would Passover the lamb
Israelites were sinful people like the Egyptians
God said, “I’m going to Passover your sin”
Have you ever had God Passover your sin?
You can’t help but thank him
Not only was it Passover season but somehow this woman knew that the Passover lamb was in the room
She didn’t care what anyone thought about her extreme sacrifice
She must have said, “If he can die for me, the least I can do is break a vase for him!”
Others may tell you it makes no sense
Ever wonder why farmers don’t cry when they bury seeds? They know they are going to see it again and it’s going to be even better
Remember Benjamin is a seed
What goes in the ground it never stays in the ground because when we sacrifice to Jesus dead things begin to resurrect
When dead things touch Jesus they can’t stay dead
Jesus does not do Resurrection; He is Resurrection
Elijah did resurrection; Paul did Resurrection
Jesus doesn’t do resurrection; He is Resurrection
Elijah did resurrection; Paul did resurrection
Jesus is Resurrection

Provision
Genesis 22:9-14
On the other side of your sacrifice and obedience is the provision that you need
Abraham went up one side of the mountain with the sacrifice; the ram who was the provision went up the other side and the two met at the peak
God is Jirah
God not only is our provider - He is Jirah
But he is the Lord who sees ahead and provides
Jirah not only means provider but the Lord who sees ahead
God saw ahead that Abraham would need a ram so he sent a ram up the mountain
God saw ahead that a drought would hit the Middle East and that Jacob’s family would need food so you know what God did? He sent Joseph to Egypt

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