Consider Jacob
God can take broken lives and turn them into something beautiful, revealing His character as the God who makes failures into princes of God.
K.P. Yohannan emphasizes the transformative power of God through the life of Jacob, a man who, despite his deceitful actions and failures, was chosen by God and ultimately transformed from a deceiver to a 'Prince of God.' The sermon highlights that God's identity as 'the God of Jacob' serves as a reminder that He can redeem and restore even the most broken lives. Jacob's story illustrates that God's grace is available to all, regardless of past mistakes, and that He can turn failures into vessels of honor. Yohannan encourages listeners to recognize their worth in God's eyes and to trust in His ability to change their circumstances.
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The list of names in Hebrews 11 underscores this truth. In this passage, men and women of great faith are noted--ones whom God Almighty approved. One might be shocked, however, to discover how many of them were restored spiritually following failures such as deception, drunkenness, adultery, idolatry and murder.
Consider Jacob. What a saga his life story is. From birth, God gave him a remarkable promise that he would be blessed and his older brother would serve him. With this kind of divine assurance, it would seem like Jacob would turn out to be the perfect saint. Instead, he became a crook who lied to his own father, stole his blessing and lived a life full of deceit. Jacob ended up wasting 20 precious years of his life.
I consider his biography one of the most interesting of them all. Here is why: Numerous times throughout the Bible, God reminds His people that He is "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob" (Exodus 3:15). In fact, in this same verse, God says, "This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation."
Toward the end of Jacob's journey, God changed his name, which means "deceiver," to Israel, meaning "Prince of God." So, why doesn't He say, "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac . . . and Israel"? How strange! How come He associates His name with a cheat who wasted two decades trying to do things his own way?
Through His name, His very identity, God wants to say to you and me, "I am still the God who makes failures into princes of God. I remain the God who takes broken lives--people with multiple divorces, sick in body because of sin, in prison for decades, labeled as losers, crazy folk nobody wants, outcasts with no hope--and turns them into something beautiful."
Sermon Outline
- Introduction to Hebrews 11
- Jacob's Life Story: A Saga of Failure and Restoration
- God's Name and Identity
- God's Ability to Make Failures into Princes of God
- Conclusion: God's Love for Broken Lives
Key Quotes
“I am still the God who makes failures into princes of God.” — K.P. Yohannan
“I remain the God who takes broken lives--people with multiple divorces, sick in body because of sin, in prison for decades, labeled as losers, crazy folk nobody wants, outcasts with no hope--and turns them into something beautiful.” — K.P. Yohannan
Application Points
- God can take your failures and turn them into something beautiful.
- You are not defined by your past mistakes, but by God's ability to restore you.
- God's love and restoration are available to everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances.