“NOT FOR SALE”
HEB.12:14-17
IN GEN 25:29-34 WE FIND THE STORY OF ESUA SELLING HIS BITHRIGHT TO HIS BROTHER JACOB.
ESUA WAS A HAPPY GO LUCKY KIND OF GUY WHO WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THE PLEASURES OF THE WORLD THAN THE TEACHING OF HIS FATHER CONCERNING THE THINGS OF GOD!!
ESUA WAS 1ST BORN WHICH WAS DENOTED AS UNREGENERATED!
JACOB 2ND BORN WAS SIGNIFIED AS BEING BORN AGAIN!
AND SO NOW I ASK YOU THIS QUESTION, IN OUR WORLD OF SO MUCH BUYING AND SELLING, BEING RICH AND INCREASED WITH GOODS,
WHAT IS OF REAL VALUE??
WHAT DO WE HAVE THAT HOLDS IT’S VALUE?
A. HEBREW BIRTHRIGHT;
1. IN GEN 27:29 IT WAS A POSITION OF HONOR AS THE SPIRITUAL HEAD OF THE FAMILY.
2. IN DUE 21:15-17 THE BIRTH RIGHT HELD A DOUBLE SHARE OF THE FATHERS INHERITANCE.
3. IN GEN 49:3 IT GAVE A CERTAIN DIGNITY OF CHARACTER.
4. IN GEN 12:3 AS A DECENDANT OF ABRAHAM; THE BIRTH RIGHT WAS A COVENANT BLESSING.
B. A CHRISTIAN BIRTH RIGHT
1. ROM 8:15-18 WE HAVE THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION, AND WE BECOME HEIRS AND JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST.
2. IN EPH 1:4-14 HE PREDISTINED US UNTO THE ADOPTION BY JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF.
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, IT WAS GIVEN TO ONLY ONE PERSON IN EACH FAMILY.
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, IT GOES TO WHOSOEVER WILL.
WHAT THEN IS A CHRISTIAN BIRTH RIGHT?
1. PEACE
2. LOVE
3. JOY
4. REDEMPTION
5. JUSTIFACATION
6. SANCTIFACATION
7. AND A SOUND MIND!
ALTHOUGH JACOB DID WRONG IN DECEIVING HIS FATHER, HE STILL POSSESED A DEEP-SEATED RESPECT FOR THE THINGS OF GOD.
JACOB PRAYED AND REPENTED OF HIS WRONG DOINGS.
BUT HE STILL DESIRED THE THINGS THAT WERE PLEASING TO GOD.
STILL THERE WAS A PRICE TO BE PAID!!
THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE IN RECORDED HISTORY OF A HEBREW SELLING HIS BIRTH RIGHT.
AS WE READ IN ROM 9:13 AND IN HEB 12:16-17 WE CAN FIND THAT GOD WAS NOT PLEASED WITH WHAT ESUA HAD DONE!!!
TO SELL THE GOD GIVEN BIRTH RIGHT IS TO SIGN YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL DEATH WARRANT AND TO WRITE YOUR OWN EPITAPH!!
1. JUDAS ISCARIOT WALKED WITH GOD, SAW GREAT MIRACLES, WAS MINISTERED TO BY THE LORD HIMSELF, YET IN WEAK MOMENT HE SOLD OUT FOR THIRTHY PIECES OF SILVER.
2. DEMAS A COMPANION OF PAUL, SERVED GOD IN THE LIME LIGHT, BUT WHILE IN PRISON FORSOOK PAUL. HE FAILED TO REALIZE THAT THE BIRTH RIGHT WHICH BELONGS TO US IN THE TIME OF JOY, ALSO BELONGS TO US IN THE TIMES OF SUFFERING.
OUR BIRTH RIGHT SHOULD NEVER BE SOLD OR EVEN THOUGHT OF BEING SOLD OR GIVEN UP FOR ANY PRICE THAT THIS WORLD HAS TO OFFER!
REFUSE TO SELL
I KINGS 21:1-3
HERE IS A STORY IN WHICH KING AHAB CAME TO NABOTH AND ATTEMPTED TO BUY HIS PROPERTY.
AHAB WAS INTERESTED IN HIS GROWING KINGDOM, BUT NABOTH LOOKED AT THIS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, YOU SEE HE SAW IT AS THE INHERITANCE OF HIS FATHERS.
NABOTH LEARNED THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN LIFE THAT ARE SO PRECIOUS THEY DON’T DESERVE A PRICE TAG.
A LOT OF GOOD THINGS OF THIS WORLD HAVE THEIR APPRAISED VALUES, BUT THE VALUE OF A BIRTH RIGHT OF THE SAINT OF GOD CANNOT POSSIBLY BE APPRAISED IN TERMS OF SILVER AND GOLD.
WE MUST REALIZE THAT LIVING FOR CHRIST IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT IS FOUND IN THE WORD, BUT IT IS AN EXPERIENCE IN LIFE TO BE LIVED.
ANY PRICE WOULD BE TOO CHEAP FOR THE BIRTH RIGHT OF THE CHILD OF GOD.
IN ACTS 8:18-20 SIMON THE SORCEROR TRIED BUYING THE POWER OF THE LAYING ON OF HANDS;
BUT PETER SAID, YOU CAN’T BUY THE GIFTS OF GOD.
SAMSON LOST HIS CONSECRATION BECAUSE HE HANDLED THE INVALUABLE JEWELS OF GOD AS IF THEY WERE SIMPLY SHOOTING MARBLES!
UZZAH, WAS SIMPLY STRUCK DEAD ON THE SPOT WHEN HE PUT HIS HAND ON THE ARK OF THE COVENANT; AND HIS LIFE WAS SHORTENED FOR THE SACRED THINGS OF GOD JUST BECOME TO COMMON.
CHILD OF GOD; BEWARE!!
IN CLOSING;
THERE ARE LEGIONS OF DEMONS EVERYWHERE TRYING TO PERSUADE YOU TO SELL OUT, BUT YOU MUST HOLD ON JUST LIKE OLD NABOTH!!
WE MUST BE DETERMINED NEVER TO SELL OUT FOR ANY REASON!!
WHEN OLD SLEWFOOT OFFERS YOU ANY THING FOR YOUR BIRTH RIGHT; TELL HIM NOT FOR SALE!!
WHEN YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO AQCUIRE WORLDLY GAIN FOR A DIFFERENT WALK IN LIFE THAT WILL PULL YOU AWAY FOR THE HOUSE OF GOD, TELL THEM NOT FOR SALE!!
IF ANY ONE WERE TO OFFER YOU ANY THING, THE ANSWER SHOULD ALWAYS BE, NOT FOR SALE!!
STAND UP AND TELL THEM,
NOT FOR SALE!!!
