Un-identical Twins
Text: Genesis 25:27-34
Introduction
1. Genesis 25:27-34
2. Illustration: It was at a family reunion that a lot of pictures were taken. When the lady took them to the photo place she asked if they could be touched up.
“Wrinkles and such?” “Yes” he said:
Well she said: “Could you take about 30 pounds off of me?” “Yes” he said: And she said: “Could you put them on my sister?” That is not what we call a united family.
3. This is the story about two brothers; twins in fact. However, they were anything but identical twins. We’ll call them "un-identical twins." They were different in:
a. Character
b. Mannerisms
c. Personal Interests
d. Desires
4. We shall learn something very important from them.
Proposition: From these two brothers we will learn what is really important in life.
Transition: First, let us look at two very different people.
I. Two Very Different People (27-28)
A. Esau the Wild Man
1. Our text tells us that "Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field..."
2. This fellow Esau was a cunning hunter, the outdoor boy, the athletic type. He is the one we would call the all-American boy today.
a. He went in for sports.
b. He went in for everything that was physical, but he had no understanding, or capacity, or desire for spiritual things.
3. Esau is rough, wild, free, boisterous, and exciting.
4. In addition, Esau was impetuous and often made rash decisions.
a. He lived for the moment and had no thought for the future.
b. If he were alive today, his motto would probably be "if it feels good, do it!"
5. He represents the person who:
a. Lives for momentary thrills
b. Has no time for God
c. Thinks that spiritual things are for when you get too old to do anything else.
B. Jacob the Gentle Man
1. Jacob, on the other hand, is quite different.
2. Our text tells us that "Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents."
a. What does it mean that he was plain?
b. The Hebrew word means "sincere, quiet, peaceful, pious" - New International Dict of OT Theology & Exegesis. Pradis CD-ROM
c. He was "a complete man, in the sense that he took seriously life’s ordinary duties." - King James Word Book
3. In other words, he was everything that his brother was not. He was:
a. Sensible
b. Peace loving
c. Perceptive
4. Above all, and contrary to his brother, spiritual things did mean something to him. He did:
a. Think about the future.
b. Consider the consequences of his actions.
5. He represents the person who:
a. Thinks about heavenly things before earthly things.
b. Considers how decisions will effect their future.
c. Even though they are not perfect, realizes that God has a plan for their life.
Transition: We live in a cause and effect universe. Now that we have seen the cause, let’s look at the effect.
II. Esau Despised the Things of God (30, 32, 34)
A. Esau Despised His Birthright
1. One day these two brothers were doing what the normally do.
a. Esau was out hunting game.
b. Jacob was home making stew.
2. Esau came to Jacob and said "Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint..."
a. Notice the impetuous nature of Esau: "Feed me."
b. He doesn’t say give me something to eat, he says "feed me."
c. The phrase conveys the idea of gulping down food. The Rabbis used it to describe the activity of cramming food down the throat of an animal (Ross, 450).
3. Notice also that he was more concerned about filling his fleshly desires than his spiritual ones. After he asked his brother for food his brother asked for his birthright.
a. A birthright was a special honor given to the firstborn son. It included a double portion of the family inheritance along with the honor of one day becoming the family’s leader.
b. The oldest son could sell his birthright or give it away if he chose, but in so doing, he would lose both material goods and his leadership position.
c. By trading his birthright, Esau showed complete disregard for the spiritual blessings that would have come his way if he had kept it. —Life Application Bible Notes
4. Look at what he says in response to a Jacob’s request. "Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?"
a. He shows no regard for the future.
b. He shows no regard for the spiritual blessings that come with this birthright.
c. He shows no regard for the things of God.
5. Verse 34 tells us what Esau really thought of the things of God when it says "Esau despised his birthright."
a. The word despised means "to treat it as worthless or to hold it in contempt" (Ross, 450).
b. He thought that the blessings of God was an even trade for a bowl of soup.
c. Heb. 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
d. He left God out of his life, his plans, and his thinking (Horton, 225).
B. Despising the Things of God
1. Illustration: Paul Newman has said, "The worst thing about our disposable society is that we can get rid of everything – even people."
2. While I agree with Mr. Newman on that subject, I can think of something worse than throwing away people, throwing away the things of God
3. We show contempt for the blessings of God when we consider spiritual things as optional.
a. The things of God are great as long as they are convenient.
b. The things of God are great as long as they don’t get in the way.
c. The things of God are great as long they don’t cramp my style.
4. We show contempt for the things of God by what we do.
a. Col. 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
b. When we push God aside because we don’t have room for Him in our lives, we show contempt for the things of God.
5. We sometimes show contempt for the things of God by what we say.
a. Prov. 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue...
b. The words we say do matter.
c. When we say things like "We’re just a little country church," and "that’s just the way we are," we are telling God that’s all we ever want to be.
Transition: Jacob, on the other hand...
III. Jacob Cherished the Things of God (31, 33)
A. Swear to Me
1. In Jacob we see a completely different:
a. Motive
b. Mindset
c. Desire
2. While his brother thought of how he could fill his belly, Jacob thought of the blessings of God.
3. When Esau asked him for some of his stew he said "Sell me this day thy birthright."
a. We see in this the value he placed on spiritual things.
b. He knew of the word that the Lord had spoken to his mother, that the younger would serve the older.
c. He was willing to do whatever it took to see the blessings of God come his way.
4. While this may seem sneaky on Jacob’s part, there was no deception. He laid all his cards on the table and his brother took it.
a. Illustration: When I bought my Gibson Hummingbird guitar back in 1982, the man I bought it from told me how much he wanted for it. In my response I did not argue with him or try and barter with him, I merely gave him what he asked. Now truth be told, it is worth at least 10 times what I paid for it. Some time latter I ran into this man and he told me, "You know you ripped me off for that guitar, don’t you?" I said to him, "I gave you what you asked for it!"
b. Jacob knew that the birthright he was asking for was worth a whole lot more than a bowl of stew, but he didn’t deceive his brother.
5. Even though he may have been a little sneaky, he showed how he cherished the things of God.
a. He was willing to face ridicule and the wrath of his brother in order to get it.
b. He was willing to risk the displeasure of his father who loved Esau more.
c. He was willing to alienate himself from half of his family in order to receive the things of God.
B. Cherishing the Things of God
1. Ps. 42:1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.
2. We need to be a little more like Jacob. We need to be willing to:
a. Risk Ridicule
b. Risk Displeasure of Family
c. Whatever it Takes
3. We need to cherish the things of God so much that we desire them above all else.
4. We need to cherish the things of God so much that we are willing to make Him the ultimate priority in our lives.
5. We need to make our time alone with Him every day as the most important thing we do all day.
6. Ps. 63:1 O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.
Transition: As Jacob did, so we must cherish the things of God.
Conclusion
1. We have seen the story of two brothers; twins who are far less than identical.
2. One despised the things of God, and the other cherished them.
3. The question we need to ask ourselves this morning is what kind of person are we?
a. Are we like Esau, and willing to throw away the blessings of God for things that will not last?
b. Are we like Jacob, and are willing to do whatever it takes to receive the blessings of God?
4. What’s more important to you?
