Bless your children(Gen27:26~30)

Bless your children(Gen27:26~30)

²⁶ Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here, my son, and kiss me.”

²⁷ So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said,

“Ah, the smell of my son
    is like the smell of a field
    that the Lord has blessed.
²⁸ May God give you heaven’s dew
    and earth’s richness—
    an abundance of grain and new wine.
²⁹ May nations serve you
    and peoples bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
    and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.
May those who curse you be cursed
    and those who bless you be blessed.”

³⁰ After Isaac finished blessing him, and Jacob had scarcely left his father’s presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting.

 

Intro) someone did experiment with monkey to check if monkey has motherhood and fatherhood. Mother and baby monkeys are locked in the cage and heat the cage floor.  Mother monkey was jumping, because it was hot, but she didn't let baby go, she was holding the baby until the end. However, father monkey put down the baby and sit on the baby to above the heat. Of course, human and monkey we are quite different, but in parenthood seems like there are so similarities. There are all kinds of parents in this world, so today we are going to think about what kind of parent you are and share 3 advices to become a good parent.

 

Body)

a) Children want intimate relationship.

 

1. although it was not on today's text in Genesis 27:34 it ³⁴ When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me—me too, my father!” 

 In Israel first son receives blessing from their father, second son Jacob took his brother's blessing.  After Esau figured his brother took his blessing he cries, which is what Genesis 27:34 about.

 

2. Jew Rabbi Jesus Ben Chirac once said "Father's blessing builds son's family, and mother's blessing fills family with goods.”Yes, in Genesis 27:34 is cry of son who didn't get blessing.

 

3. Jack Frost author of ' Experiencing the Father`s Embrace' he was minister who succeed, but he had to bear the pain from his inner problem that he could not solve for long time.

Jack thought doing his ministry work was the best for him, but his pain from his father is now reflecting to his family. He says my father was in military and he was strict in many things, and forcefully cut my hair. All these hardship made me leave the house and started working in shop where they sell drugs, and became drug addict. My father came to the shop for many times, but I avoided him every single time. His father visited him more than 400 times a year but Jack rejected him all the time.

 

Jack didn't get his father's approval, and could not accept father's love. These things became his pain and he had to live with it. Later, with God's grace he became a pastor. However, he continued his ministry work, but he did not know about intimate relationship and he ended up giving same pain to his family.

 

 One day he could find God while he was in pain. Father of Jesus who gave everything he had and thinks about their relationship from Luke 15.

 

God told him that is not a story about son who failed nor sinned, but lovely story of father who wants to give endless grace, and have intimate relationship.

 

Today place called church could be where we get blessing, cure, miracle, but more importantly its place where we fix our relationship with God. Therefore, our biggest blessing is not material, but fixing relationship with God.

 

B) 3 Principles of how to make blessed family

1) We need affectionate contact.

 

Look at today's text verse 26-27 where Isaac blessing Jacob. This is how father blesses son. ²⁶ Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here, my son, and kiss me.”

²⁷ So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, “Ah, the smell of my son
    is like the smell of a field
    that the Lord has blessed.

 It's an appearance of old father is blessing son before he pass away. Although son is all grown up son is still son.

 

2. In Thunderstorm, there was a 4 years old girl who was in fear of thunder. When lightning stroke with thunder, a girl got off from her bed and ran as fast as she could and hugged her father.

Father said "Oh sweetheart don't be afraid, Jesus will always protect you." girl replied "dad, I know that, but now I need somebody who can hug me!"

This is where we can overlook. We know that we have to depend on God and raise the children, and that we have to raise our children as appearance of God, but work of parents is also very important.

 

What children need the most is contact (being together) with parent when they need them the most.

In today's text verse 26 Isaac says to his son like this,
“Come here, my son, and kiss me.”

And blind Isaac smells son, put his hand on son and blesses son.

Many of blessings in the bible occur with affectionate contact. 

In Genesis 28:9-10 it says ⁹ “They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father.

Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.”

¹⁰ Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

 

 Touching children with love and contacting is important principle of bible's blessing

 It is because through physical contact our spiritual energy transfer.

 

If we look at Mark 10:13~16 it says'¹³ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.'

 I hope there are many affectionate contacts occur in your family from now on. Love has to fill in the family. Spiritual leaders in our church should pet children's head, and bless them and give compliments. This is one way to form community of blessing.

B) Second, bless them verbally

 

In today's text, Isaac put his hand on Jacob, and also blessed him with language.
In verse 29 it says “²⁹ May nations serve you
    and peoples bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
    and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.
May those who curse you be cursed
    and those who bless you be blessed.”

 

'Power of words' this is important component for blessing, because this is matter of how to express it in words.

God called Abram and renamed him to Abraham, because God wanted him to be called as father by all countries.

 

Jesus called Simon and changed his name to Peter. This means rock. This means spiritual leader have power of blessing. Do you have faith? Do you believe the power of gospel?  do you believe God's blessing words came true? In fact, father who grew up in patriarchal Confucianism society weren't good at expressing themselves. They thought not giving cheering or blessing words are virtue, but this isn't right. Our children need to hear our encouragement, love to grow up good, because that will lead your children.

 

Today's obstacle in expressing love and blessing for family or children is 'pushing to next time'. Everyone is busy living, so there is no time to bless each other, but when child grows up and joins army or get married there won't be any opportunity to express your love and give words of blessing to your child. So, before it's too late express your love and give blessing to your child and your family.

 

 

C) Third, grant higher value and accept it.

Original meaning of bless is 'considering something valuable' In Hebrew original meaning of bless is 'get down and kneel.'

 

What is dimension of blessing child? It is accepting your children's nature and futuristic value. Look at today's text 27-28

²⁷ So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said,

“Ah, the smell of my son
    is like the smell of a field
    that the Lord has blessed.
²⁸ May God give you heaven’s dew
    and earth’s richness—
    an abundance of grain and new wine.

 

Towards your children we have to express and bless them precisely for special value.

Sometimes, we just throw words to them, but children hear prophetic words through parent's words, and in future it happens.

Some people regret that they couldn't deliver their word to parents such as 'I love you mom and dad, thank you etc' or some people loses lover and regret that they haven't told them 'you are the only person that I would met in next life.'

 

I hope your ｅxpressions of love will reach your family front of God from now on. 

 

Let's take a look at today's text verse 28-29.” ²⁸ May God give you heaven’s dew
    and earth’s richness—
    an abundance of grain and new wine.
²⁹ May nations serve you
    and peoples bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
    and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.
May those who curse you be cursed
    and those who bless you be blessed.”

 Indeed, as Isaac's word Jacob became great leader, and Jacob's 12 sons ruled Israel area. However, in today's text when Isaac blessed Jacob, Isaac looked into future and blessed him; therefore, blessing for special future requires 'wait in present'. Tell your children 'God wants to bless you.' as many times you can.

 

Con)

If then, what is the way to become a good father and mother? First, you have to cure your love with your true father (God), and work hard to know the love of his. Learn to take after the love of his, apply today's lesson in your life, and that is the way to become good parents.