- PHC Kingston
- Mar 23
- 3 min read
Here are the main takeaways from this sermon!
1. The Danger of Pretending to Be Someone You Are Not
If you are going to be built to last, you cannot continue pretending to be someone you are not.
In Book of Genesis 27:11–12 and Genesis 27:16–17, Jacob disguises himself as Esau. His mother Rebekah even participates in the deception, covering him with goat skins so he feels like his brother.
This moment reveals something deeper than deception.
It reveals an identity crisis.
Many people don’t even realise when their identity crisis began. Often it starts in childhood, through expectations, comparison, or the desire to gain approval.
And the most dangerous part is this:
When you are in an identity crisis, you may not even know it.
2. The Question We Must All Face: Who Are You?
When you strip away all the pretences, who are you?
The person you hide is often the person you really are.
Ask yourself:
• Is that person saved?
• Is that person confident?
• Or is that person suppressed?
Another important question is:
Who don’t you want to be?
Sometimes we try to become someone else because we are uncomfortable with who we are.
3. Living According to a Name
Jacob’s name literally means “supplanter” or “one who takes the place of another.” And eventually, he begins to live according to that name. When someone plays the role of another person, it often reveals something deeper: They do not like who they are.
4. Comparison Creates Confusion
In Book of Genesis 25:27–28, we see a contrast between Jacob and Esau.
* Esau was physically strong, a hunter, a man of the field.
* Jacob was quiet and thoughtful, dwelling in tents.
Jacob had strengths.
But the problem was not his qualities.
The problem was comparison.
His father Isaac, favoured Esau. That favouritism created something inside Jacob, An emptiness. Meanwhile, Rebekah spent more time with Jacob and loved him deeply. This created a divided home.
And where there is comparison, there is often confusion of identity.
5. The Need for Acceptance
Many identity crises are really about acceptance. When a child feels that who they are is not enough, they begin to perform. Jacob put fur on his skin and clothes to imitate Esau because he wanted to impress his father. But if children must pretend to impress their parents, their confidence is slowly destroyed.
6. Pretending Changes Who You Become
When you pretend to be something you are not, something dangerous happens. You become worse than the thing you are pretending to be.
While trying to become Esau, Jacob became:
a manipulator
someone who took advantage of others
someone who deceived his own
The man who spent his life pretending finally discovers who he truly is.
7. The Cost of Identity Crisis
After deceiving Isaac, what did Jacob gain?
He lost:
His relationship with his brother Esa
His closeness with his mother Rebekah
His home
He became a man on the run because he was running from his identity, he ended up spending 14 difficult years working for Laban. When you try to become someone else, you can end up robbing yourself of years of your life just to gain acceptance.
8. Wrestling With God for Identity
Eventually Jacob reaches a breaking point. In Book of Genesis 32, he wrestles with God. And in that moment, God changes his name. Jacob becomes Israel. The man who spent his life pretending finally discovers who he truly is.
9. The Invitation of Christ
Many people are tired because they are exhausted from pretending.
And as Jesus Christ says in Gospel of Matthew 11:28:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
A tired person is often an angry person. A tired person is often a frustrated person. But Christ offers rest because Christ accepts you.
Christ has already died for you.
You do not need to live in an identity crisis because God renews your identity.
You don’t need to pretend.
You don’t need to perform.
In Christ, you can finally become who God created you to be.
