Some time ago (September 16, 2009), an article in The Washington Post began with these words: “The king folds her own laundry, chauffeurs herself around Washington in a 1992 Honda, and answers her own phone. Her boss's phone, too.” The article was about Peggielene Bartels, a secretary in the Ghanian embassy in Washington for 30 years. She grew up in Otuam, Ghana, a small city of about 7,000 before she came to the United States.
Then 30 years later, when the 90-year-old king of Otuam, Ghana, died, the elders performed an ancient ritual to determine the next king. They prayed and poured schnapps on the ground while they read the names of the king’s 25 relatives. When steam rose from the schnapps on the ground, the name that they were reading at that moment would be the new king – and that's exactly what happened when they read Peggielene's name.
So now Peggielene is a king! In Ghana, she has a driver and a chef and an eight-bedroom palace (though it needs repairs). She has power to resolve disputes, appoint elders, and manages more than 1,000 acres of family-owned land. I'm a big-time king, you know,” she told the reporter. When she returned for her coronation, they carried her through the streets on a litter, and she even wore a heavy gold crown.
Paul Schwartzman, the reporter, wrote, “In the humdrum of ordinary life, people periodically yearn for something unexpected, some kind of gilded escape, delivered, perhaps, by an unanticipated inheritance or a winning lottery ticket.” Well, Peggielene got the unexpected. (Paul Schwartzman, “Secretary by Day, Royalty by Night,” The Washington Post, 9-16-09; www.PreachingToday.com)
In so many words, that describes the condition of every believer in Jesus Christ. In the humdrum of ordinary life, we got the unexpected; we became kings in God’s Kingdom when we trusted Christ to save us from our sins. And by right of our new birth in Christ, we gained power and privileges that no one else has. Yet many believers don’t actually enjoy or utilize those privileges.
You say, “Phil, I want to utilize my privileges as a king in God’s Kingdom. How can I do that?” Well, if you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Genesis 25, Genesis 25, where we have the story of Esau, who had power and privilege in his family, but traded it all away for a bowl of stew.
Genesis 25:27-34 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (ESV)
He considered it worthless.
ESAU SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT.
He traded something of great value for a bowl of stew! You see, as the first-born son in his family, Esau was entitled to special privileges; but when he sold his birthright, he gave up those privileges.
First, he gave up the privilege of being a priest. The first-born son was especially consecrated (or given-over) to God. In families that didn't know the Lord, they carried this to the extreme and often sacrificed their first-born sons to their pagan gods. But in Esau's family, a good Jewish family, the first-born would be given to God to serve Him. He would have the privilege of representing his family before God as the priest of the family. Later on, that privilege would be transferred to the tribe of Levi in Israel (Numbers 3). But in Esau's day, the priesthood still belonged to the first-born. So when Esau sold his birthright, he gave up the priesthood.
More than that, he gave up a double portion of his father's estate. When the father's estate was divided among the sons, the first-born usually got twice as much as the rest of his brothers. For example, if there were 2 sons, the estate would be divided in thirds. The youngest would get one-third, and the eldest would get two-thirds. If there were 3 sons, the estate would be divided into fourths. The younger two would get one-fourth each, and the eldest would get two-fourths. And so on... The first-born's birthright included a double portion of the estate.
Now, for Esau, this estate included all of the Promised Land, the land promised by God to Abraham, Isaac, & their descendants. But in Esau's time, it was still only a promise. The only piece of land his father owned was a graveyard. All he had was a promise from God that he would get a whole lot more someday. And for a man like Esau, that promise didn't mean a whole lot. So when Esau sold his birthright, he gave up the priesthood; he gave up the promises of God.
And 3rdly, he gave up his power. He gave up his authority as head of the whole family. You see, in his father's absence, the first-born son had authority over his younger siblings.
But with that authority came the responsibility to provide for his mother till her death, and for his unmarried sisters until they got married. That's probably why he got a double portion of the estate – so he could provide for his mother and sisters.
Esau had it all! As the first-born, he had the power; he had the promises of God; and he had the priesthood. And yet, he traded it all away for a bowl of stew. After all, of what use was the priesthood for a man like Esau? What would he want with some unfulfilled promises? And why would a man like Esau care about the authority and responsibility of providing for his mother?
He was hungry, and he needed something to feed his face. He valued only the momentary pleasure of a full belly, so he gave up something of infinite value for a bowl of stew. Esau sold his birthright. Now, don’t you do the same.
DON'T SELL YOUR BIRTHRIGHT like Esau did.
Don’t trade away your privileges for momentary pleasures. Don’t exchange something of infinite value for cheap thrills.
For, you see, every believer in Christ has a birthright. Every believer in Christ has special privileges, because they are considered “firstborn” sons of God.
If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Hebrews 12, Hebrews 12, where we have the New Testament commentary on this passage in Genesis.
Hebrews 12:14-17 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. (ESV)
Like Esau, we as God’s children have certain “inheritance rights.” I.e., Like Esau, we have the right of the priesthood; we have the right of the promises of God; and we have the right of power and authority. But the Bible warns us here in verse 16, “See that no one…is unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.” My dear believing friends: Please don’t sell your birthright.
First of all, don't sell your priesthood. Don’t trade your opportunity for direct access to God for momentary pleasures.
For just like the 1st-born in ancient society, we have been set apart wholly for God's service and use. We have been especially consecrated and given over to him. Every believer has! That's what the word “holiness” means in vs.14. It means to be set-apart from sin unto God.
That's our position in Christ. God looks on those of us who have trusted Christ as “holy ones,” as “those who have been set-apart for His special use” (1 Corinthians 1:2; 6:9-11). Otherwise, according to verse 14, you would never be able to see him!
The moment you put your trust in Christ, God made you holy in His eyes. That's your position in Christ, but that's not always your practice, is it? That's why verse 14 says, “Strive for... holiness.” In other words, you ARE set apart for God's special use. Now, learn to behave like it. Let it make a real difference in the way you live your life.
In his book Leaving Home, Garrison Keillor tells a fictional story about a family from Lake Wobegon, Minnesota. Grace Tollefson married Alex Campbell back in the 1930s, a man who turned out to be a ne'er-do-well. They had three kids—Earl, Marlys, and Walter. One day Alex left Grace. Penniless, she was forced to move back home to live off the kindness of folks there, enduring the relentless "I-told-you-so's" of her mother.
It was humiliating. But one day they got a letter from a man in Philadelphia doing research on Scottish nobility, who asked who their ancestors were so he could look it up. Grace wrote the man back, and a few days later another letter came in the mail. Though the envelope was addressed to Mrs. Grace Campbell, the letter was addressed to "Your Royal Highness." In the letter the man wrote: "Today is the happiest day of my life as I greet my one true Sovereign Queen." He went on to say that their branch of the Campbell family was first in the line of succession of the House of Steward, the Royal Family of Scotland. Keillor writes:
[The line on the chart led] right straight to them: Earl, Marlys, and Walter. The Royal Family of Scotland living in Lake Wobegon in a green mobile home, furniture donated by the Lutheran church.
They were astounded beyond words. Disbelieving at first, afraid to put their weight on something so beautiful, afraid it was too good to be true, and then it took hold—this was grace, pure grace that God offered them. Not their will but His. Grace. Here they were in their same dismal place but everything had changed. They were different people. Their surroundings were the same, but they were different.
Years later, the youngest son, Walter, finds out the whole business was a fraud. But he never tells his mother or siblings, because thinking you are royalty, whether anyone else knows it or not, changes a person. At the end of the story, Grace is much older, and she says to her son:
Oh, Walter, what would I do without you? You're so strong. You're so good to me. You're a prince, you know. They can put a crown on a dog and call it a prince, but you are a prince through and through. They may not know it now, but they'll know it soon. Next year we'll be in Edinburgh with the bands playing and the flags flying and the crowds cheering. (Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, Viking, 1987, pp. 140-141, 145)
That’s the state of every believer in Christ. Only, its no fraud. 1 Peter 2 says, “You are... a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). And geavenly beings proclaim that believers are “a kingdom and priests to our God” (Revelation 5:10). That’s who you are as a believer in Christ!
Now, let it make a difference in the way you live your life even if your surroundings are the same. Don’t live like the world anymore. Instead, live like the priests that you are: come into God’s presence every day; commune with Him; and offer the appropriate sacrifices every day, sacrifices which Hebrews 13 identifies as “praise,” “good works,” and “sharing what you have” (Hebrews 13:15-16).
Don’t trade these in for wasted time on the internet. Don’t trade these in for the pursuit of pleasure and comfort. Don’t trade these in for the time spent chasing after wealth. Don't sell your birthright for a “bowl of stew,” so to speak. I.e., Don't sell your priesthood.
And second, don't sell the promises of God. Don’t trade your right to discover and enjoy all that God has promised you for the cheap thrills of this world.
For just like the 1st-born in ancient society, you, as a believer, have an inheritance! And just like it did for Esau, that inheritance includes the promises of God. They're promises given to you purely out of grace. You don't deserve them, but God delights in making promises to you, simply because He loves you.
That’s why verse 15 says, “See to it that no one misses the grace of God.” In other words, don't fail to claim God's gracious promises for yourselves. Don't fail to trust God to keep His word in your life.
All of us come short of the glory of God – none of us are perfect. But none of us need to come short of the grace of God – no one needs to miss out on enjoying His promises; and yet, so many do.
Pastor Clark Cothern talks about the time his mother kept saying, “After I’m gone, keep your eyes out for the gold.” His sister and he thought she was losing her mind; but, just in case, they kept their eyes open. After their mom went to heaven, they sorted through her things. They looked under drawers, behind cabinets, anywhere they thought she might have hidden some gold, but they didn’t really expect to find any.
Then Pastor Clark went to his Mom’s bank to get the life insurance policy from her safety deposit box. In a tiny privacy room, all by himself, he opened the long narrow metal box. Under the life insurance policy was a brown paper lunch bag. There was a rubber band wrapped around it which crumbled into tiny pieces because it was so old. He opened the crinkly paper sack, and there were two, 3-inch long rolls of gold coins. He laughed out loud.
That gold was still just as shiny as the day their mom had purchased it over 40 years earlier. And it was a lot more valuable than the day she had purchased it. It had been kept safe for her children as part of their inheritance. They didn’t do anything to earn it and yet it belonged to them. (Clark Cothern, “Joyfully Rescued,” Sermon Podcast, September 2019; www.PreachingToday.com)
That’s what every believer has in the promises of God! They contain wealth far beyond any amount of gold, so look out for the “gold”, so to speak. Don’t let it sit in a closed Bible all day every day. Open the “safety deposit box” of God’s Word, and discover your rich inheritance in God’s promises.
As I said last week, there are thousands and thousands of them, and they cover every area of your life; they take care of every need; and they are your birthright as God's child. Please, don’t trade those promises for other pursuits which have far less value.
Don’t sell your birthright. I.e., don’t sell your priesthood. Don’t sell the promises of God.
And third, don't sell your power as a child of God. Don’t trade your spiritual authority for the short-lived pleasure of sin
For just like the 1st-born in ancient society, God has given you authority as a believer in Christ. He has given you power over sin. He has given you the ability to keep the bitter root of sin from taking hold in your hearts.
That’s why verse 15 says, “See to it…that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble.” You see, you don't have to let sin spring up in your life like a bitter root. Instead, when you sin, all you have to do is confess it and forsake it. Admit it and turn away from it before it takes root in your life and destroys not only you but hurts those around you.
In an old Burmese parable, a little banyan seed says to a palm tree one day, "I am weary of being tossed about by the wind; let me lodge in your branches."
The palm tree said, “Sure! Remain as long as you like.”.
Soon the tree forgot all about its tiny guest, but the seed did not remain idle. Immediately, it began to work its roots under the bark and into the heart of the trunk itself. Finally, the tree cried out, “What are you doing?”
“I'm only the little seed you allowed to rest among your boughs,” the banyan replied.
“Get out!” shouted the palm. “You've become too large and strong!”
“I cannot leave you now,” said the banyan. “We have grown together, and I would kill you if I tore myself away.”
The tree tried desperately to shake itself loose, but nothing worked. Eventually its graceful leaves turned brown, and its trunk wasted away; but the banyan continued to thrive until its host could no longer be found. (Bible Illustrator # 3350, 6/1986.16)
That's the way sin works in your life. Like a little seed it seems harmless at the start, but if you allow it to take root in your life, it will destroy you.
Here’s the good news! Even though you might not be able to shake it off yourself, Jesus has already freed you from the power of sin through His death on the cross, so look to Him. Cry out to Him to save you from your sin. Depend on Him to root it out of your life before it is eternally too late.
Don’t be a victim any longer. Because Christ died for your sins and rose again, you have power over sin in your life. Please, don’t trade that power for a poisonous pleasure that is not worth the pain it brings in the end.
Don't sell your birthright, like Esau did. Don’t sell your priesthood. Don’t sell the promises of God. And don’t sell your power over sin. Instead, enjoy your inheritance rights as a child of God, and live like the king that you are!
