Welcome to this week’s message from our church, right here in the heart of our community. Today, Cornelius shared a powerful reflection on legacy, blessing, and the unwavering power of belief, drawing inspiration from the biblical account of Jacob’s final blessings to his grandsons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

Cornelius began with a relatable anecdote, a momentary scare involving a 97-year-old aunt who mistakenly believed she was nearing the end of her life. This lighthearted opening served as a poignant parallel to the main narrative: Jacob, at the ripe age of 147, propped up in bed, ready to impart his final words to his son Joseph and his grandsons.

What do you say at the end of a long life? What words of impact can you leave for the next generation? Cornelius pondered this question, highlighting the significance of Jacob’s impending blessing upon Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. He poignantly recalled the recent passing of his own father, underscoring the weight and potential significance of such final pronouncements.

While acknowledging the length of Genesis chapter 48, the passage detailing this scene, Cornelius focused on the serene and profound nature of the encounter. He referenced Rembrandt’s 350-year-old painting depicting Jacob blessing the two grandsons, capturing the essence of this pivotal moment. What is the lasting inheritance, the ultimate blessing, one can bestow upon the generations to come?

Cornelius then delved into key aspects of Jacob’s final words. Firstly, Jacob reminisced about the loss of Rachel, his beloved wife, a deeply significant event in his life. Secondly, he recalled his transformative encounter with God at Bethel, a moment that irrevocably shaped his journey. Meeting God, Cornelius affirmed, changes everything. Thirdly, Jacob spoke of the “walk” of Abraham and Isaac, emphasizing the foundational faith of their lineage. Here, Cornelius drew a powerful connection to the defining characteristic of Abraham’s life: his unwavering belief in God.

“Abraham believed God,” Cornelius declared, emphasizing the profound simplicity and power of this statement. He encouraged each listener to personalize it: “Cornelius believed God.” This act of faith, he asserted, is what unlocks God’s promises. He seamlessly transitioned to the teachings of Jesus, highlighting the central role of belief in the New Testament. He cited John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Amen.

Cornelius illustrated this further with the stories of Jairus, whose daughter had died (Mark 5:21-43), and Martha, grieving the loss of her brother Lazarus (John 11:17-44). In both instances, Jesus’s response centered on the imperative of belief: “Just believe,” and “I am the resurrection and the life. Do you believe this?”

This emphasis on belief extends to us today, Cornelius affirmed. God has a plan, purpose, promises, and blessings for each individual, especially new believers, and for the church as a whole, mentioning his personal connection to the promises for “MCF” (presumably the church’s initials). He passionately prayed for the people of Jordan, Thorpe, and Batemore, urging the congregation to believe in God’s power to save.

Addressing potential doubts, Cornelius encouraged listeners to “leave your buts out,” echoing Abraham’s unwavering faith even when faced with seemingly impossible circumstances – receiving the promise of a son at the age of 100. Abraham believed, Cornelius reiterated.

Moving on to the concept of blessing, Cornelius offered a practical definition: “empowered to prosper.” God doesn’t just hand out provisions; He equips us with the means, talents, and opportunities to thrive. He wants to bless us abundantly. Quoting Psalm 23:6: “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,” Cornelius shared personal experiences from Mozambique and Sheffield, testifying to the continuous flow of God’s blessings through all seasons of life.

Cornelius outlined three pillars that define this blessing: God looks after us, He protects us, and He leads us. This comprehensive care brings peace into our lives, a vital message, particularly for new Christians. However, he acknowledged that this doesn’t equate to an easy life. Drawing on his three decades of experience in Mozambique, he recounted tales of war, famine, and death, moments where coping felt impossible. Yet, in those very moments, God’s promise held true.

He then shared the powerful words of Isaiah 41:13: “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” This verse, Cornelius revealed, provided immense strength in navigating life’s challenges, likening life’s difficulties to a dense bush where the path forward is unclear. God’s promise is to take us by the hand and guide us through.

Contrasting God’s life-giving nature with the destructive intentions of the enemy, Cornelius quoted John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” It is¹ through Jesus, Cornelius emphasized, that we receive true blessing and step into the abundant life God has promised, a life unique to each individual.

He acknowledged the reality of “curses” and hardships that can hinder blessing, particularly within the local community of Jordan, Thorpe, and Batemore, drawing parallels to the hardships he witnessed in Africa. These negative forces, he explained, aim to diminish faith and prevent progress. Yet, the answer remains the same: Jesus. Through Jesus, we can overcome these obstacles.

Returning to the narrative of Jacob, Cornelius referenced a 1250 Middle Ages depiction of the blessing, highlighting the unusual detail of Jacob crossing his hands. This detail, he explained, is significant to the story. Jacob, partially blind, was guided to place his hands on Manasseh, the firstborn, and Ephraim, the second. However, intentionally, Jacob crossed his arms, placing his right hand, the hand of greater blessing, on Ephraim, and his left on Manasseh.

Cornelius explained that the names themselves hold meaning related to Joseph’s journey. Manasseh, meaning “forget,” symbolized Joseph’s overcoming of past hardships and the loss of his father’s household through the birth of his son. Ephraim, meaning “fruitful,” signified God’s blessing of productivity and prosperity in the land of Joseph’s affliction.

By crossing his hands, Jacob prophetically reversed the natural order. Affliction, symbolized by the firstborn, Manasseh, was moving backward, while prosperity and fruitfulness, symbolized by Ephraim, were moving forward. “Your pain is past,” Cornelius declared, interpreting Jacob’s action. “Your time of prosperity has come.” This blessing, he asserted, is for us too.

Even in times of pain and hardship, Cornelius reminded the congregation, God is present, echoing the recurring statement in the story of Joseph: “God was with him.” Just as God took Joseph through the pit, slavery, and prison, He takes us by the hand through our difficulties. The message of Genesis 48, Cornelius concluded, is one of hope: we will come out of our afflictions and difficulties. God has a blessing, a plan, and a purpose for our lives, and He will bring it to pass. The key, however, is to believe.

Bible References:

• Genesis 48: The entire chapter detailing Jacob’s blessing of Manasseh and Ephraim.
• John 3:16: The core message of salvation through belief in Jesus Christ.
• Mark 5:21-43: The account of Jairus’s daughter being raised from the dead through Jesus’s power and Jairus’s belief.
• John 11:17-44: The story of Lazarus’s resurrection and Jesus’s dialogue with Martha about belief and eternal life.
• Psalm 23:6: A declaration of God’s continuous goodness and mercy.
• Isaiah 41:13: God’s promise of help and reassurance in times of fear.
• John 10:10: Jesus’s purpose to bring abundant life, contrasting with the thief’s destructive intentions.

Transcript

Jesus Christ amen
The first one is a little story that happened a few months ago.
We got a text message from Sarah’s auntie who was 97
and she was in hospital and she said
I’m dying, I just want to say thank you for everything you’ve done and I want to say goodbye.
And that was it.
So Sarah was quite shocked.
She got a bit upset about it.
But then half an hour later she got a message saying from Seth George
saying there’s nothing wrong with her, she’s in hospital for the very first time
and she thinks she’s dying because she’s coming out.
But our story today is a bit like that.
Joseph was called to his father as his father was dying.
So his father was propped up in bed and Joseph went to his father to hear the last words he had to say.
So Joseph came to his father, hang on, came to Jacob.
Jacob was propped up and there you are at the end of your life.
Jacob was 147 years.
What do you say at the end of your life?
You have a few words still maybe when you are dying.
Where is the next generation?
His son and his two grandsons and Joseph sort of considered Joseph as the first born
and now he is going to say something.
What do you say for the next generation?
How can you still impact the next generation?
Your son or your grandson?
My dad died last year, he was 90.
He died suddenly so there were not many words said anymore.
But if you have the time, I’m sure Jeff would have some words to say.
Well, this picture gives a very beautiful scene actually of that chapter 48.
I’m not going to read it because it’s going to take too long.
But that chapter is very, very serene.
It’s Jacob there with Joseph coming and his son and it is a bit like this.
This picture is from Rembrandt, it’s 350 years old
and it is Rembrandt blessing the two sons Manasseh and Ephraim.
That’s what the story is about.
It’s just a part of it.
The last blessing of Jacob to his sons.
What do you give your last generation?
Now when we read that chapter 48, we can extract a few things.
Jacob speaks first of all, he speaks about Rachel dying
which was truly a big thing in his life.
It was his big love in his life so that was a big thing.
But then he speaks about Bethel, that he had that experience with the Lord in Bethel
which was a big thing for him.
Meeting the Lord in Bethel, it changed his life.
When you meet the Lord, I met the Lord and it changed everything.
Then the second thing, he talks about the walk of Abraham and Isaac.
The walk because there is where it started.
We have generations here.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and here he is going to bless Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim.
But he talks about the walk of Abraham.
If we think about the walk of Abraham, it was amazing.
Abraham had such a life.
The whole of Genesis, what we read about Abraham obeying God, being called by God,
receiving covenants, promises and he received the promise that he would get a son.
But if I think about that whole and read that whole scene of Abraham,
what really touches me and what I really take away from it is the next slide.
Abraham believed God.
From all of Genesis, I think the most important for all of us,
Abraham believed God.
It’s so powerful.
You can put your own name in there, you know.
Cornelius believed God.
I want that, you know, for everything.
I want to believe God for his promises.
For everything he’s spoken to me.
For the word of God.
I want to believe every word of it.
I do believe it, but sometimes I fail.
I want to believe it.
Everything he did.
And then we can take it forward to Jesus because Jesus really he encouraged and spoke a lot about just belief.
Just John 3 16 is what?
John 3 16.
Whoever believes, whoever believes will have eternal life.
Amen.
When we believe.
And there’s lots of those stories.
When Jairus came, his daughter had died.
And he came through the crowds to Jesus.
And there he said, Jesus, it’s too late.
You don’t need to come anymore.
Jesus turned around.
What did he say?
Just believe.
When Martha came towards Jesus because her brother had died.
And there he came and he said, if you would have been here, he wouldn’t have died.
What did he say?
I am the resurrection and the life.
Do you believe, Martha?
She said, yes, I believe.
Again, believe.
To trust him.
And that we can take forward to us today.
What about your promises, the promises you have?
Maybe you haven’t, you’re new, you’re a new believer.
God has a plan and purpose for your life.
Amen.
God has promises, has blessings for you.
We’re going to talk a little bit about those blessings.
But as well, God has blessings for the church, for MCF.
I pray at 146, I love the promises God has for this church.
Great things are happening.
And they’re ahead of us.
Do you believe?
Do you believe?
Hallelujah.
Only by faith we will get those promises.
They will, like Abraham, like Abraham, those promises came to pass.
Like today, because Abraham has moved away, Abraham is in heaven.
We are here today.
It’s up to us now.
Do we believe?
Those promises for Jordan, Thorpe and Batemore, for the people of Jordan, Thorpe and Batemore.
God will save each one of them.
We pray for them.
Do you believe?
You see maybe many buts, buts, we see lots of buts.
But leave your buts out.
Like Abraham, Abraham was 100 when he got the promise that he would receive a son.
He was 90, but he got it when he was 100.
Do you think that was normal?
You know?
Jeff, Jeff, you’re going to get a son.
So like, Pauline, Pauline.
Abraham believed.
Amen.
We’ll move on to the next slide.
Blessing, because God has blessings for us when we believe.
God has blessings for us.
Now, just the definition, there are many definitions of blessing, but a good one is empowered to prosper.
God wants to empower us to prosper.
He wants to give you a net to go fishing and say, on your way now.
He doesn’t want to give you just a load of money or a load of fish.
No, he wants to give you a job and the rest of it and the gifts and talents and say, on your way now.
He wants to bless you.
And blessings will be all over you.
If God says, I bless you.
Gil, next slide.
As God says, I bless you.
He will bless you.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.
It doesn’t stop.
When I went to Mozambique, I had seen God’s blessing on my life.
And there we were in Mozambique, among the poorest of the poor.
And I thought, maybe it stops now.
No, it didn’t stop.
Now we’re here in Sheffield and I think, is this the end?
No, it isn’t.
No, it continues.
All the days of my life.
All the days of your life.
It doesn’t stop.
Amen.
Next slide.
So there are three pillars which define that blessing.
And this is really like, I look after you.
He wants to provide for us.
He wants to protect you.
And he wants to lead you.
It is really a full package of peace upon your life.
And I think especially new believers, new Christians need to hear that.
God is really with you.
God really loves you.
And God really wants to bless you.
He wants to look after you.
He wants to protect you.
And he wants to lead you.
Does it mean that life is easy?
No.
Life has lots of difficulties.
I lived three decades in Mozambique and I’ve been through lots of difficulties.
And I can tell stories of war, of famine, of death.
We’ve been through a lot.
That you think like, I cannot cope with this.
I cannot cope with this.
And he said, no you can.
Can you do the next one?
I am the Lord your God who takes you with the right hand.
And says to you, do not fear I will help you.
Now this verse might help someone today.
Because it helped me to cope and to come through life.
He says, I will take you by the hand.
And I say, yes Lord I need to be taken by the hand.
Because I cannot cope, I cannot cope.
I take you by the hand.
And he says, don’t fear.
Keep on going, keep on going.
I will help you.
And life feels like a thick bush sometimes.
And we don’t see a way forward.
But he said, I’ll take you through.
It’s okay.
You’re going through.
Keep going, keep going.
Next one.
John 10, 10.
We already spoke about John 3, 16.
And already, Lara already mentioned this as well.
The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy.
But Jesus came to give life, life more abundantly.
It is all about Jesus.
It is really Jesus who will help us, bless us.
And take us into the life he has promised us.
And the promise he has for you and the life he has for you is different than the one that is for you.
And different from the one that is for me.
We all have a plan and purpose.
But there is another side as well.
Next one.
The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy.
There are lots of difficulties in life.
There are a lot of, there is curses running through.
When we look at Jordan, Thorpe and Batemore.
When I come from Africa and seen hardships and difficulties.
I’ve seen curses operating.
I know that curses are operating in people’s life and holds people from being blessed.
But again and again I say, Jesus, you need Jesus in your life.
And through Jesus, you will come through.
You will come through.
Don’t want to talk much about curses.
But know that they are there.
And they will hold you, withhold you from moving forward.
And the worst thing is, it wants to diminish your faith.
You know, it wants to weaken your faith that you will give up.
That you will not believe.
That you will give up.
Amen.
Next one.
I’m going back.
Still got three minutes.
I’m going back to Jacob.
This picture is about from 1250.
So this is a really old picture from the Middle Ages.
And it shows us very clearly Jacob blessing Manasseh and Ephraim.
Amazing that they made this picture.
And do you see something unusual here?
It’s got the hands crossed.
Well that’s in the story as well.
Because Jacob was a little blind.
And Jacob asked the boys to come forward.
Manasseh and Ephraim.
And now Manasseh and Ephraim, those two names, they speak about the life of Joseph.
Now Manasseh was the first born.
Next one.
Manasseh was the first born.
And when he was born, Joseph said, God has made me forget all my hardships and all my father’s household.
He has forget by having a new son, having born a son, new life.
He said, God, in the life, in the land of my affliction, he has given me a son.
He gives me joy.
He has forgotten, it has forgotten my hardships.
That’s the name Manasseh.
So Joseph really was dealing with his past.
This was his past.
And then he got a second son.
Next one.
And that’s Ephraim.
And then he said, now God has made me fruitful.
God has made me fruitful, productive, prosperous in the land of my affliction.
So now there is a sort of healing taking place in Joseph, in those two boys.
First it is really the affliction and the pain.
But the second one, now he sort of feels like prosperity has come to my life, blessing has come into my life.
That’s the second one.
And then, next one, we go back to this picture.
Then he is going to bless those two sons and normally the first born would get the blessing,
the first blessing and would get a double portion of the inheritance.
But in this case, Jacob, he turned them around.
He turned those arms around.
And he makes the first born, he makes the first, the second and the second, the first born.
Because affliction is now going backwards.
Prosperity, productiveness, fruitfulness is going forward.
And by crossing them he said, your pain is past.
Prophetically, I believe, he said, your pain has passed.
Your time of prosperity has come.
And I bless you two boys with this blessing.
Your affliction, your pain is passing.
But now prosperity, productivity, blessing has come.
So he has turned it around and that is often our lives.
You know, if you feel pain and you are going through hardship,
know that God is in that hardship.
Because even Joseph, in his difficulties, Joseph, when he went into the pit, when he went into slavery,
when he went into prison, it says it again and again, God was with him.
And he prospered. Right there, God is with him.
Like I said, even in your difficulties, God says, I take you by the hand and will take you through.
So even when you go through difficulties, know you are coming out.
You are coming out. You are not going to stay there.
And that is really the message of today of this Genesis 48.
That you will come out of your affliction. You will come out of your difficulties.
God has a blessing for you. He has a plan and purpose for your life.
And he will make it come to pass.
But believe. You must believe.
And that is the story of today.
And that is two minutes past quarter two.
Hallelujah.