Jacob gets fed up with the treatment he receives from Laban and decides to go out on his own.

1. Genesis 30:25-43

2. What are you fed up with?
• Politicians?
• The economy?
• Particular Relationships?
• Your Job?
• School?
Today we are going to look at how Jacob became
fed up with his work and his boss and how we
can learn from him how to deal with being
FED UP

3. Video – Cubicle

5. Let’s say something good about Jacob
• He’s patient.
• He’s a hard worker.
• He’s smart, industrious and creative.
• He fulfills his contract (keeps promises).
• He’s committed to his family.
• He remembers his roots.
• He believes and is committed to God’s
Promises.

6. I want out of here!
Gen. 30:25–26 (NET) 25 After
Rachel had given birth to
Joseph, Jacob said to Laban,
“Send me on my way so that
I can go home to my own
country. 26 Let me take my
wives and my children
whom I have acquired by
working for you. Then I’ll
depart, because you know
how hard I’ve worked for
you.”
• Jacob was ready to go
home?
– 14+ years working for
Laban with the payment of
two wives.
– He had nothing to show for
it for himself- a bad job.
• Do we want out?
– Your job?
– A contract?
– To just go home?

7. A New Deal can prolong our stay
Genesis 30:27–28 27 But
Laban said to him, “If I
have found favor in your
sight, please stay here, for
I have learned by
divination that the LORD
has blessed me on
account of you.” 28 He
added, “Just name your
wages – I’ll pay whatever
you want.”
• Laban’s motivation for
keeping Jacob:
– Not his daughters
– Not his grandkids
– Jacob is profitable to him
• Laban is willing to write a
new contract
• What will keep you in a
bad situation?
– Higher pay, promotion, job
description, new contract?
– Family obligations?

8. Unless things change, I’m out of here
Genesis 30:29–30 29 “You
know how I have worked for
you,” Jacob replied, “and how
well your livestock have fared
under my care. 30 Indeed, you
had little before I arrived, but
now your possessions have
increased many times over.
The LORD has blessed you
wherever I worked. But now,
how long must it be before I
do something for my own
family too?”
• Jacob’s complaint:
– I’m doing all the work
– You’re getting all the profits
• You were poor before I came
• You’re wealthy because of
me.
– When am I going to make
enough to support my family?
• Sound familiar?
– Are you blessing to your
employer?
– You in a job going nowhere?
– Worst, is your boss a family
member?

9. Let’s Negotiate
Gen. 30:31–32 31 So Laban
asked, “What should I give
you?” “You don’t need to give
me a thing,” Jacob replied,
“but if you agree to this one
condition, I will continue to
care for your flocks and
protect them: 32 Let me walk
among all your flocks today
and remove from them every
speckled or spotted sheep,
every dark-colored lamb, and
the spotted or speckled goats.
These animals will be my
wages.
• Jacob negotiated a new
contract for wages.
– He’d take the minority sheep
(spotted, speckled, dark
colored). Most sheep are
white.
– And the spotted, speckled
goats. Most goats are dark
brown or black.
– It’s very fair to Laban
• What can you negotiate?
– Pay raise, promotion.
– Change in job description
– Location
– Vacation time
How did Jacob come up with this idea?
Jacob tells us in the Chapter 31:10-12
10 “Once during breeding season I saw in a dream that the
male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled,
and spotted. 11 In the dream the angel of God said to me,
‘Jacob!’ ‘Here I am!’ I replied. 12 Then he said, ‘Observe that
all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked,
speckled, or spotted, for I have observed all that Laban has
done to you.

10. Keep you integrity, make it fair
Gen. 30:33–34 33 My
integrity will testify for me
later on. When you come to
verify that I’ve taken only
the wages we agreed on, if I
have in my possession any
goat that is not speckled or
spotted or any sheep that is
not dark-colored, it will be
considered stolen.” 34
“Agreed!” said Laban, “It will
be as you say.”
• Jacob cares about his
integrity to the contract.
– He has always kept to the
contract in the past
– He will keep to the new
contract.
• Negotiate in a way:
– You can maintain your
integrity
– You can fulfill the terms of
the contract
– That it is agreeable to the
boss

11. Start the contract with a clean plate
Gen. 30:35–36 35 So that day
Laban removed the male goats
that were streaked or spotted,
all the female goats that were
speckled or spotted (all that
had any white on them), and
all the dark-colored lambs, and
put them in the care of his
sons. 36 Then he separated
them from Jacob by a three-
day journey, while Jacob was
taking care of the rest of
Laban’s flocks.
• Jacob’s deal
– The wages only applied to
new born sheep and goats,
not those presently meeting
the negotiated standards.
– Spotted, speckled and dark-
colored sheep where
separated by three days so
Jacob couldn’t use them to
manipulate breeding.
• You’re negotiation
– Play fair

12. Do we take credit
for what God does?
Gen. 30:37–38 37 But Jacob
took fresh-cut branches from
poplar, almond, and plane
trees. He made white streaks
by peeling them, making the
white inner wood in the
branches visible. 38 Then he set
up the peeled branches in all
the watering troughs where
the flocks came to drink. He
set up the branches in front of
the flocks when they were in
heat and came to drink.
• God told Jacob that the
sheep and goats would be
born spotted and speckled
and off colored.
• Jacob only half-heartedly
believes God.
– He will attempt to manipulate
circumstances and make it
look like he caused it.
– It’s all pseudoscience.

13. When are we just
spinning our wheels?
Gen. 30:39–40 39 When the
sheep mated in front of the
branches, they gave birth to
young that were streaked or
speckled or spotted. 40 Jacob
removed these lambs, but
he made the rest of the
flock face the streaked and
completely dark-colored
animals in Laban’s flock. So
he made separate flocks for
himself and did not mix
them with Laban’s flocks.
• The result would have
occurred regardless of
Jacob’s attempts.
• The only wisdom is in
separating the flocks.

14. Do we form phony
cause and effect relationships?
Gen. 30:41–42 41 When the
stronger females were in
heat, Jacob would set up the
branches in the troughs in
front of the flock, so they
would mate near the
branches. 42 But if the
animals were weaker, he did
not set the branches there.
So the weaker animals
ended up belonging to
Laban and the stronger
animals to Jacob.
• Jacob was certain that his
scientific actions were the
cause of the results.
• Result: Credit is taken
from God.
• What pseudoscience do
we practice?
• What false cause and
effect relationships do we
form?
– In our work?
– In our relationships?
– In our self-healing?

15. Every Good gift is from God
Gen. 30:43 In this way
Jacob became extremely
prosperous. He owned
large flocks, male and
female servants, camels,
and donkeys.
• God prospered Jacob.
• He doesn’t deny that
God prospered him.
• But, his scheme makes
him and others think he
helped God.
• The testimony and glory
that should have been
God’s is diminished.
“In this way …”
Only in the eyes and heart
of Jacob.

16. God May Test Our Faith with Strange
Requests.
• It was strange to trust there would be more
spotted, speckled and off colored sheep and
goats.
• Moses was to hold up a pole with a serpent to
heal those bit by a snake.
• Elisha told Naaman to dip himself seven times in
the Jordan.
• God tells Isaiah to have Hezekiah apply a fig cake
to his sores to get well.
• But God did not inform Jacob to do something in
this text.

17. Lessons – When You’re Fed Up
• Be Patient – Jacob worked for 14 years
• Work hard
• Fulfill your contract (promises).
• Receive guidance from God before you make
changes (either in the contract or leaving).
– Jacob was told about the sheep and goats.
– Later, Jacob would be told to leave.

18. Lessons
• Go with a plan. Jacob had a plan when he
went to his boss.
• Be flexible enough to make changes in your
plans.
• Let God have the glory
– The Sheep and Goat plan was God’s means to
bless Jacob.
– It was also God’s means to testify of His
sovereignty to others.

19. Humbly Give Credit to God
1 Corinthians 1:26–31
26 Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and
sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many
were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position.
27 But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the
wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame
the strong. 28 God chose what is low and despised in the
world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is
regarded as something, 29 so that no one can boast in his
presence. 30 He is the reason you have a relationship with
Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and
righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that,
as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Even in Your Job, to your boss and to your family.