Don’t Wrong Your Birthright
Hebrews 12:14-17 (ESV)
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 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; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 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.
Greetings Patriots and disciples. This is Perry Greene of GodNAmerica. Thank you for listening in to this week’s podcast called, “Don’t Wrong Your Birthright.”
I recently read that in 2012, Dakoda Garren, a 19-year-old from Washington State was charged with stealing a rare coin collection worth at least $100,000. After Garren had completed some part-time work for a woman living north of Portland, the woman reported that her family coin collection was missing. Her collection included a variety of rare and valuable coins, including Liberty-Head quarters, Morgan dollars, and other coins dating back to the early 1800s.
Initially, Garren denied taking the coins, but then he started spending the coins at face value, apparently unaware of their worth. He and his girlfriend paid for movie tickets using quarters worth between $5 and $68 apiece. After the movie, they bought some pizza with the rare coins, including a Liberty quarter that may be worth up to $18,500.
Yahoo News reported, “Garren has been charged with first-degree theft and is being held in jail on $40,000 bond. Which, technically, is an amount he could easily afford if the valuable coin collection were actually his.”
Some people don’t appreciate the value of what they already possess.
As Americans who follow Jesus we are blessed with a double blessing. We have the spiritual blessings in Him and because of Him we are blessed in physical ways. Our spiritual blessings include our eternal salvation as well as our God-given Liberty here and now. But, just like Garren, many of us don’t appreciate what we possess.
In Genesis 25, Esau failed to appreciate the birthright he had. Because he was hungry and could not see in the long run he gave up his birthright to his brother, Jacob for the short-term satisfaction of a full belly. While we might criticize Esau or even feel sorry for him, the truth of the matter is that many are of us selling out today. People are giving up long-term blessings from God for short-term pleasures or desires.
I. What Did Esau Give Up?
First, he gave up the privilege of being the family priest.
The Patriarch of a family was also the religious leader. He would make the sacrifices on behalf of his family, just as Job did for his children (Job 1:5). The Patriarch had a great privilege and responsibility to lead his family to God.
Family has always been the key place to pass on faith.
It was true in the days of Jacob and Esau.
It was true in the days of Moses (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, ESV) 4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
It was true in the days of Joshua (Joshua 24:14-15, ESV) “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
It was true in the first century (2 Timothy 1:5, ESV) I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
It is true today. Jewish people see the home as a type of temple. Parents are the “priests” of the family they teach their children of God at the dining room table, a kind of altar where meals are shared not only with one another, but with God.
For centuries Jews have been persecuted by people all over the world but their faith has survived. It was not because of the temple – it has been destroyed (twice). It isn’t because of synagogues, they come and go. It is because of the families who take seriously their charge to instruct their children in the ways of God. Shouldn’t those of us who follow Jesus make such a commitment?
That same principle applies today as well for the followers of Jesus. Parents are responsible for their families. Father in particular are key to the spiritual formation of their children. Paul reminds fathers in Ephesians 6:4 (ESV):
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
This is only possible when dads remember that children are a blessing from God. They are a responsibility, but not a burden. Psalm 127:3-5 (ESV):
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
Second, he gave up the double portion of his father's estate.
Deuteronomy 21:17 (ESV)
But he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the firstfruits of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.
If a man had two sons his property would be divided into thirds. The firstborn son would receive two-thirds while the younger would receive one-third.
Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, were the double portion for Joseph who had been given firstborn status by Jacob. Rather than Joseph being represented in the Promised Land by one tribe, he had a double portion. Although Jacob had twelve sons, there would be thirteen tribes to occupy Canaan.
Third, he gave up power. He gave up his authority as head of the whole family. In addition to receiving the double portion of blessings, the firstborn had the responsibility of leading the family at the death of his father. It wasn’t just an opportunity for more money, it was a responsibility and an honor that would come to the one with the birthright of the firstborn. Esau gave that up for a bowl of stew when he could not control his hunger.
Today we have headship of families, too. Husbands are to lead their families as an imitation to what Jesus does for the church. Paul said it like this in Ephesians 5:23 (ESV):
For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
Husbands have a great honor and responsibility as “head.” It is important to the family, community, and civilization itself that husbands live up to their responsibilities. Yet, how many have sold out for lesser things?
Jesus asks a key question that ties in to Esau and us in Matthew 16:26 (ESV):
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
II. When we are born again, we are given certain birthrights.
We Have Spiritual Rights:
The Right to Eternal life – John 3:5 (ESV)
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
The Right to the Holy Spirit
Gift of – Acts 2:38
Sealed by – 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (ESV)
21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
The Right to be Called Children of God – 1 John 3:1 (ESV)
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. . .
The Right to Judge Angels – 1 Corinthians 6:3 (ESV)
Do you not know that we are to judge angels?. .
Right to come into the Presence of God – Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
We Have Earthly Rights:
Unalienable rights are available for all men. These are rights that come from God, not governments. They include: life, liberty, pursuit of happiness (seen in private property). We recognize these in the founding and framing documents of America. These are the rights for which our ancestors sacrificed their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor.” They gave or were willing to give whatever they had to in order to secure the “blessings of liberty to themselves and their posterity” (that includes us).
Yet, so many today are willing to toss these rights for a bowl of stew. A few trinkets here and there dazzle the eyes and the trade is made. A little cash and a promise of power and people sell out or give up their ideals and integrity.
What would you give up your soul for?
Again, we note Jesus’ question in Matthew 16:26 (ESV):
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
There are numerous stories through history of people that made deals with the devil. In exchange for their souls, Satan would grant them the desires of their hearts. One such story is of Guitarist Robert Johnson who was so talented, he became one of the most famous blues musicians in history. Supposedly he met the devil at the crossroads of a two highways and made the deal to become a great guitarist. He died at the young age of twenty-seven. Had the devil collected on his bargain?
Satan tried to make deals with Jesus in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. After His baptism, the Spirit of God led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted or tested by Satan. The devil made three attempts to sidetrack Jesus. Each time Jesus resisted by use of scripture. Jesus was the incarnate word of God who had existed in the beginning as God (see John 1). Yet, He was also fully man and often called Himself, “the Son of Man.”
The three temptations of Jesus in the wilderness could be summarized in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). But there was also another aspect to these trials. Satan was in essence offering Jesus the opportunity to avoid the cross. He would give Jesus all the nations of the world if Jesus would give up His soul to Him and worship the evil one.
Fortunately for us, Jesus resisted that temptation. He went to the cross because He knew that without that sacrifice humanity would be eternally lost. So He went and died, and rose from the dead for our sakes.
Yet, many would give up what Jesus did for us. For a few short-term trinkets some would give up the eternal salvation Jesus has provided. They would give up their souls – their very lives.
Natives on Manhattan sold it to the Dutch for a few dollars’ worth of beads or buttons in May of 1626. The initial sale, I understand, went to the wrong Indians. Eventually the true owners did sell the land so the Dutch could set up a trading post and trade with the Indians for furs.
For what would you give up your unalienable right of liberty?
We have Liberty or freedom in Christ as an unalienable right. During the American Revolution these and other verses were prominent in the pulpits of many American churches.
Galatians 5:1 (ESV):
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Galatians 5:13 (ESV)
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
We understand that in Christ we are free from the effects and control of sin. Romans 6:1-4 (ESV) is a powerful statement about how we live in Christ so that sin does not impede our lives and walk with God.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
I believe God also has placed in us the desire for freedom from the control of sinful people through what we call, “tyranny.” It was prominent in the eighteenth century and is alive and well today. Will we give up that unalienable right of liberty?
Benjamin Franklin said:
"They that would give up essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
"Security without liberty is called prison."
According to scripture, we are free to make our own choices in life. We can “choose this day whom we will serve” (Joshua 24:15). We have the right to choose to serve God or another. We have the right to decide how we will live. We have the right to choose what we will or won’t put in our bodies.
I am hearing a lot about incentives for people to get the Covid shot. I am not sure if it is actually a vaccine or something else. In the alternative news that I am watching, this shot is considered an experimental injection for which as yet we do not know the long-term issues. I saw recently that doctors in England are requesting a cessation of the shot for children because of the side-effects. But some people are getting the shots because they can get:
• A $10 grocery voucher
• Free Girl Scout cookies
• Free French fries
• Krispy Kreme Donuts
• Free Pizza
• Free Beer
• Chances to win $1 Million in state lotteries
Officials keep saying the shot is experimental, so we don’t know its ramifications or its complications. If this shot is dangerous it sounds to me like people may be selling their health, maybe their lives for a “bowl of Jacob’s stew.”
As we conclude, let me urge you:
Don’t sell out your position as a priest of God – 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Tom Matte – from Running Back to First String Quarterback – 1965
When I was a kid, I was a Baltimore Colts fan. Johnny Unitas was my favorite quarterback. In the 1965 season Unitas got hurt and then the backup quarterback, Gary Cuozzo was hurt. The Colts had to call on their running back, Tom Matte to become the starting quarterback. He had experience in college as a quarterback but was drafted to play running back for the Colts. He did a remarkable job, almost claiming the divisional championship over the Green Bay Packers. Matte was given the key position of quarterback for his team. He had a special role, while reluctant, he was able to perform his task well.
God had always intended for His people to be His priests – all of them. That did not work out with Israel, but in Christ we are all given the role of priests. We have a responsibility, even in our reluctance, to live up to God’s expectations of instruction and intercession as His priesthood.
Don’t sell out your promises from God – Enjoy your birthrights
I heard a story of an old Native American years ago, half naked and starving, wandered into a frontier settlement. He was begging for food to keep from starving to death. The townspeople graciously gave him some bread, and as he devoured it someone noticed a pouch hanging around the Native American’s neck. It was a small, dirty pouch attached with a brightly colored ribbon.
The Native American explained that it was a charm given to him in his younger days. He opened the pouch and displayed a faded, greasy paper. One of the townspeople picked it up and discovered that it was a regular discharge from the Federal Army! It was signed by General George Washington himself, and it entitled the bearer to a pension for life.
Do you know, that's the way some believers treat the promises of God?
Sometimes we treat the promises of God as mere superstition. Sometimes we treat them as a club membership. They are the promises of the Most High God! Whatever He promises is true and we need to trust those promises and act on them.
Don’t sell out your power over sin – Romans 6:14 (ESV)
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Power over sin entitles us to:
• Forgiveness of God
• Reconciliation
• Eternal life – now and forever
Don’t give it up! Until next time, Keep the Light Burning!
