Northland Church

Welcome to Northland!
Northland Church exists to glorify God as we participate in His mission of redeeming a people from all peoples by engaging neighbors and nations to be fully alive in King Jesus through the power of the Spirit.

NorthlandChurch.net

MISSION:

God is on mission to REDEEM a PEOPLE from all peoples to REFLECT His Glory in all spheres of life.

MAIN POINT:

Joining God on Mission = Journeying with Him in Redemption.

FIRST LEG:

Heaven’s Dream becomes a Heathen’s Reality.

SECOND LEG:

Understanding...
WRONG LOVE Wrecks, Wounds, & Wars
RIGHT LOVE Redeems, Renews, & Restores

THIRD LEG:

Understanding...
Life is unfair and at times we are unwise and ungodly—but God is always Faithful and True.

“Don’t give me anything,” Jacob replied. “But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them: Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages. And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored, will be considered stolen.” “Agreed,” said Laban.

(Genesis 30:31b-34)

Laban removes all the spotted/speckled goats and dark-colored lambs.

Life is UNFAIR!

WAYS LIFE'S UNFAIR:

• Overlooked/Bypassed
• Exploited
• Hurt/Wounded
• Neglected
• Deceived/Manipulated
• Victim of Injustice
• Results of a Fallen World

WHERE LIFE'S UNFAIR:

• Family
• Marriage
• Workplace
• Relationship (Friend)
• Societal/Cultural
• Financial
• Institutional
• Health

How will you RESPOND when life is UNFAIR?

Jacob’s Response to an Unfair World

✔️ Doesn't Complain
✔️ Goes to work
✔️ Works harder than before
✔️ Innovates (or learns)
✔️ Adapts; strategizes; discerns
✔️ Doesn’t give up; keeps moving

Laban changed Jacob’s wages 10x’s over a 6-year period.

(Genesis 31:7, 41)

At times, the unfairness we experience can lead to ungodly expressions.

It is one thing to work towards God’s promise; it is another thing to begin to work towards someone else’s punishment.

It is one thing to partner with God in His promise; it is another thing to play God executing His punishment.

The Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers . . . and I will be with you.” ....Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels, and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods . . . Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban . . . by not telling him he was running away.

(Genesis 31:3, 17–20)

Laban pursued Jacob for seven days . . . caught up to him and said, “You’ve deceived me and carried off my daughters like captives in war.”

Why did you do this?

Jacob answered, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.”

God’s Faithfulness to Jacob

✔️ Jacob grew exceedingly prosperous. (30:43)
✔️ God protected Jacob from Laban. (31:7)
✔️ God saw all that Laban did to Jacob. (31:11)
✔️ God cursed Laban by taking away... (31:9, 16)
✔️ God warned Laban in a dream... (31:24)
✔️ Jacob gave a powerful testimony. (31:38–42)

“I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night. This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times.

If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. BUT GOD has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.” (Genesis 31:38-42)

God is FAITHFUL even in an unfair world.
God is FAITHFUL even when we’re ungodly.
God is FAITHFUL even when we’re unwise.
God will ACCOMPLISH what He PROMISED!