Jacob has served in Laban's house for some time (at least up to this point 14 years for his two wives). God has abundantly blessed Laban because of Joseph. Jacob was aware of this and he reminded Laban of it in verse 30. However, Laban acknowledges this as well as our text manifest.
Laban had learned by experience. Have you ever stopped to consider the many things that one learns by experience -- learn a fire is hot by experience; child learns how to walk by experience; learn how to ride a bike by experience; ladies learn how to cook, sew, iron, and change dirty diapers by experience; and men learn how to pretend they are busy when the baby has a dirty diaper.
Experience teaches is all walks of life. We learn where and where not to eat by experience. We learn that you cannot always judge a book by its cover by experience. We learn by experience that you never make a boast as, "I'll want do that."
Ponder the occupations that are learned by experience: carpentry, electrician, mechanic, wielder, and plumber.
I have learned as many of you have by experience that weight is easier put on than taken off. I have learned as many others have how sensitive a lady is about her age. Only experience can teach the blessings of having grandchildren.
Experience is indeed a good teacher. Oftentimes the lessons that it teaches are hard and difficult, but they are usually lessons that are not soon forgotten.
This morning I want to share with you some spiritual lessons that I have learned by experience---lessons that the Bible teaches but that I have learned through experience.

I. I have learned by experience that salvation is great
Gloriously saved ....... truth is anybody who gets saved is saved gloriously
Gracious saved..........truth is anybody who gets saved is saved graciously
"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.....?"
Great in its content
Great in its extent
Great in its intent
For years, I attempted to earn it and that in spite of what the Bible said. However, one Monday night I experienced salvation by grace.
Ephesians 2:8,9
Titus 3:5
A. Condition of man makes great salvation a necessity
Romans 3:23
B. Certainty of death makes great salvation a priority
Romans 6:23
Proverbs 27:1

Dr. Curtis Hutson went to see his physician and the physician's diagnosis was that he was terminally ill. Dr. Hutson's replied was, "Doc, all humanity is terminally ill."

C. Calvary makes great salvation a possibility
D. Coming to Christ by faith makes great salvation a reality
John 5:40 "Ye will not come to me that ye might have life."
Whosoever will may come!

Read recently about a surgeon who sat beside a young boy's bed as he talked to his parents about the next day's surgery. "Tomorrow morning," the doctor began, "I'll open up your heart...." Before he could finish they boy interrupted and said, "You will find Jesus there."
The surgeon looked up annoyed and continued, "I will observe the damage that has done when I get to the opened heart before me."
Again the boy interrupted, "You will find Jesus there, when you open up my heart."
The surgeon was physically tired and mentally tired of the lad's interruptions and replied, "I will find out if I can make you well when I open up your heart."
"But doctor, you will find Jesus there too, He lives there," the lad stated again.
With the lad's final words, the surgeon then left the room. Next morning after surgery the doctor returned to his and recorded his notes from the surgery. "Damage aorta, damaged pulmonary vein, widespread muscle degeneration. No hope for transplant, no hope for a cure." He stopped the recorder, "Why, why did God do this to this little lad? God has cursed him to an early death. Why?"
The Lord answered and said, "The boy, my lamb was not meant to be here long. He is soon going to be with me and will be comforted as you cannot imagine. His parents will one day join him."
The surgeon is now crying and his anger is growing, "You created that boy, and you created that heart. He'll be dead in a few months, and there is nothing I can do about it. Why?"
The Lord seemed to answer again, "The boy, my lamb shall return to me the Great Shepherd because he has done his duty. He death will not be wasted; for through it I will retrieve another lost lamb."
The surgeon put his face in his hand and wept. Later that afternoon the surgeon said beside the boy's bed and again his parents sat across from him. The boy looked up at the physician and asked, "Did you cut open my heart?"
"Yes," said the surgeon.
"What did you find?" eagerly asked the lad.
"I found Jesus there," said the surgeon rejoicingly.
You can find Jesus to if you trust his work on Calvary with your heart.

II. I have learned by experience that sin is grievous
Proverbs 13:15 "the way of transgressors is hard."
"Be sure your sin will find you out."
Can't do wrong and get away with it.
A. Sin will bring reckoning
Ecclesiastes 12:14 states that, "God will bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
Be sure your sin will find you out. You cannot do wrong and get away with it!
B. Sin will bring regret
Wasted years - wasted life of sin.

Take you farther than you want to go
Keep you longer than you want to stay
Cost you more than you want to pay

First day in sin is nicest day you will spend.

Once an inquiring reporter stopped at the courthouse steps to talk to a wrinkled patriarch. He noticed that the aged man had no glasses, no hearing aid, and evidently had all of his original teeth. "To what do you attribute your remarkable good health, sir?" asked the reporter.
"To the fact that I drink a pint of liquor a day, smoke three packages of cigarettes a day, and never go to bed before 2 a.m.," answered the wrinkled patriarch.
"That is remarkable, sir, and just how old are you?"
"Twenty-three."

III. I have learned by experience that serenity can be governed. Mass of humanity wants peace...but peace of mind does not come while feeding on the filth and the garbage of this world. Peace with God comes through salvation; peace of God comes through meditation and supplication.
A. Meditation (serenity through precepts)
Psalm 119: 165
Blessing comes to those who hear and heed the Word of God.
Peace of mind comes through feeding on the eternal Word of God.
1. Cleansing effect (Psalm 119:9)
2. Correcting effect

A baker brought bricks of butter from a farmer, but he felt he wasn't getting a full pound for his money. He had them checked, and they were short weighted. The farmer was arrested.
When the farmer stood before the judge to answer the charges of whether he had any scales or not, He stated he did but that he used the one-pound loaf of bread which he purchases from the baker as his weight.
Man today does allow the Word of God to correct them or be the standard; they just judge themselves by others, and this is a false measure.

3. Comforting effect - "This is my comfort in my affliction."
"Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
B. Supplication (serenity through prayer)
Philippians 4:6,7

IV. I have learned by experience that the sanctuary is grand
I am talking about the church. We hear so often, about what is wrong with the church; it is time we hear what is right with the church.
A. Has grand foundation
B. Has grand fellowship -- blood washed children of God
Hebrews 10:25

Three pastors got together for coffee one day and found all their churches had bat-infestation problems.
"I got so mad," said one, "I took a shotgun and fired at them. It made holes in the ceiling, but did nothing to the bats."
"I tried trapping them alive," said the second. "Then I drove 50 miles before releasing them, but they beat me back to the church."
"I haven't had any more problems," said the third.
"What did you do?" asked the others, amazed.
"I simply baptized and voted them in." he replied. "I haven't seen them since."

An old man walked to church every Sunday morning. A stranger asked him loudly, "Why do you continue to go to church? Soon you will not be able hear the sermon as you are gradually going deaf."
The old man answered, "Yes, each week I can hear less and less, but I can let my neighbors know whose side I on."

C. Has grand function - Preach the Gospel into the lost world
D. Has grand future

V. I have learned by experience that the Saviour is good
Psalm 34:8 "O taste and see that the LORD is good."
You truly only know that God is good by experience. The enjoyment comes before the illumination.
Nahum 1:7 "The Lord is good."
Psalm 25:8 "Good and upright is the Lord."
The greatness of the God rouses fear within, but the goodness of God encourages me to be afraid of Him.
Psalm 119:68 "Thou art good, and doest good."
Psalm 107:8 "O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness." It is the goodness of God is the life of the believer's trust.
A. God is good to provide
B. God is good to protect
C. God is good to preserve
"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy."
C. God is good to promote
I Thessalonians 4:13-18

VI. I have learned by experience that Satan is full of guile
"Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field." - Master of deception
A. Attempt to discredit the Word of God
B. Attempt to doubt the wisdom of God
C. Attempt to discourage in the work of God
C. Attempt to divide the workers of God

A fisherman could not swim, but he hooked a big one. In his excitement, he fell into the water. "Help, " he cried to his fellow fisherman.
His friend caught him by the hair, but his wig came off. He grabbed his arm. It was artificial and it came off as well. "How can I help you?" he asked, "if you will not stick together?"
Churches are perishing today simply because they will not stick together. Divided we fall; united we stand.

E. Attempt to deaden the worship of God
F. Attempt to distract in the way of God
1. By pretenders
2. By procrastination

VII. I have learned by experience that suffering is guaranteed
Philippians 1:29
Suffering should not be a problem over which we grumble, but a privilege in which to glory.
I Peter 4:14-16 admonishes us to "think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto: But rejoice,......"
A. Common sufferings
B. Carnal suffering --murder, thief, evildoer, or a busybody
C. Christian suffering
suffering that I experience simply because I am a Christian

VIII. I have learned by experience of the sufficiency of grace
II Corinthians 12:9 "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
A. Difficulty here (7,8)
1. Pressure which seemed unhelpful
2. Prayer which seemed unheard
B. Discovery here (9)
Sufficiency of grace (ample and adequate)
1. Grace is personal
2. Grace is plentiful
3. Grace is punctual
C. Doxology here (10)
Grace is sufficient to save, serve, and to suffer.

Conclusion:
What have you learned from experience? My grandfather used to tell me certain things that he had experienced and then he would conclude as he so often did wit the following comment, "Words to the wise are sufficient."

Will you heed from the things I have learned from experience?

Pastor Jimmy Chapman
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