TEXT: Genesis 25:27-34
TITLE: DON’T SELL YOUR BIRTHRIGHT FOR A MOMENT OF PLEASURE (Graduation)
St. Lucian was an odd bird, or so the story goes. It is said he was asked by his persecutors, “of what country art thou?”
He answered, “I am a Christian.”
“What is your occupation?”
“I am a Christian.”
“Of what family?”
“I am a Christian.”
Let me ask you a question: Do you treasure your relationship with Christ above all other relationships? Is Jesus more important to you than anything else?
For some I realize that this is a tough question.
I realize that not only for our graduates but for all of our young people they are at an age when everything moves and changes fast.
Tons of things are important to you and it’s hard to say from day to day which one ranks highest.
Today some of you are thinking about the end of school and of course graduation. Tomorrow you might be thinking about college and the future. The next day you might be thinking about a job. The next day it might be your girlfriend or boyfriend that’s on your mind. Another day your mind might be on that new car you want to buy. Before you realize it, Jesus has taken a back seat in your life; everything else seems to get your attention more than Jesus does.
Don’t think that as adults we are not doing the same thing. Today we are thinking about our jobs, later we will be thinking about going fishing or shopping. Tomorrow it will be about all the things around the house that we know needs to be done. We may even be thinking how we are going to pay for our children’s college. If we aren’t careful we also can push Jesus out of our busy lives.
Crowding Jesus out of your life is being disloyal to your faith but there is a deeper disloyalty that I want to talk to you about today.
What I want to talk to you about is when you as a young person, or you as a graduate or you as an adult become so distracted that you are willing to trade the riches of your faith for a bowl of artificial and momentary happiness.
In the Scripture we read we see that Esau did trade the riches of his birthright for a bowl of artificial and momentary happiness.
One day Esau came home from a big safari hunt where he found Jacob brewing some of that famous home cooked lentil stew. Esau was so hungry that he was willing to trade anything for a hot meal. He was convinced that he had to have something to eat or he would perish.
Have you ever heard someone say: “Mom, dad, I’ve just got to have it or I’m going to die.” Or, “I just can’t do without it. I’ll get it no matter what I have to give up or what it will cost.”
Esau did like a lot of people today, he thought with his belly. Instead of thinking with his head he let his passion or desire control his actions.
So you may ask, what did he trade? He traded his birthright. Now to you and me that might not seem like much but the birthright which was the inheritance to the eldest son was a big thing in Bible times.
The birthright: this was a privilege given to the first-born son of the family. The eldest son succeeded to his father’s rank and position as the head of the family or tribe. He became the leader at the death of the father. He also inherited a double portion of his father’s property.
Esau traded all of the privileges that were his inheritance for a short-lived moment of pleasure. Pleasure meant more to him than anything else.
The moral of the story is, you and I had better check out what’s really important before we make any hasty deals.
When Esau pigged out on Jacob’s famous recipe, he was making a decision that would affect him the rest of his life.
Daniel, Amanda and the rest of you as well, I want you to know that the devil and the world have a similar kettle cooking for you.
If you allow you appetite to get strong enough for the pleasures of this world, you will be tempted to cash in the riches and fullness of Christ for a morsel of temporary happiness.
There are a lot of young men and young women as well as adults who are trading their inheritance, their faith, the principles they were taught, in for a taste of the devil and world’s stew.
It looks good; It smells good; putting you tongue to the tip of the spoon for a sip lets you know it taste good, but oh, don’t be deceived it may taste good going down but eventually it will sour and spoil, maybe not immediately but eventually it will.
Don’t trade your faith; don’t trade your inheritance just for a moment of the devil’s or the world’s pleasure.
Let me speak to you kind of candid or bluntly for a moment.
There are young women who have given up their virginity and lost their inheritance for a moment of passion. It’s not worth it!
There are young men who have also surrendered their virginity and messed up their future because they have to raise a child now and support a wife, in the process they lost their inheritance only to satisfy their desires for a moment of pleasure. It’s not worth it!
Many young men and women have given up their future of happiness for a moment of pleasure by drinking alcohol or taking drugs. They gave up their inheritance. It’s not worth it!
Adults have done the same thing. Men have given up their inheritance for a moment of pleasure in pornography. Women have given up their inheritance because their husband wasn’t showing them the affection they needed and they gave their inheritance away for a moment of pleasure.
Many adults have given up their inheritance because of the pleasure money seemingly brings them. They have given themselves to making money at any cost in order to enjoy the ‘pleasurable’ things of life.
As you two graduate and as each one of you young people go on in life don’t forget your inheritance. In Jesus you have a wealth of eternal blessings being stored up for you. With Jesus as your savior and Lord, you have the promise of sharing in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
As you graduate and begin a new life the temptation to partake of the devils stew will be greater than ever before. The more you try to live by the principles that you have been taught the more tempted you will be to sell your inheritance.
You want have mom and dad to keep such a close watch on you, to monitor your moves and actions. But I plead with you, don’t forget the inheritance you have in the Lord, it’s yours if you don’t trade it in.
One of the truest followers of Jesus was the apostle Paul. He stayed loyal through; the most awful circumstances. At the end of his life he sat in a lonely dungeon, waiting to be beheaded, and wrote these words:
2 Timothy 4:6-8 – “(6) For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. (7) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (8) Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Notice what Paul said: “I have kept the faith.” That means he didn’t sell out. At the lowest moments he would not swap the splendor of being a Christian for a second’s worth of the devil’s lentil soup.
Paul had been promised an inheritance and he wasn’t willing to give it up for anything.
Daniel was tempted to sell his inheritance but listen at what he said: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank…” (Daniel 1:8).
It was a down time in Israel’s history when the songwriter wrote this song: “Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men” (Psalm 21:1).
Oh how I pray that this will not be true of my generation or of yours. Even if it means being an odd bird.
Maybe some here today have already traded their inheritance, then if you are willing you can get back in and still receive it if you will confess your sins and accept Jesus as Lord.
