Watch & Listen

In this sermon, an Elder of our church, Kym Steele, begins a new sermon series on The First Letter of John. This series reminds us God is light, life and love. Fellowship with God is not a vague, nebulous experience. It can be an objective daily reality. In this sermon, Kym describes how the conditions for fellowship with God are to walk in the Light, the confession of sin, obedience to his commandments, and love for one another.

This sermon was delivered on Sunday, 7 April 2024.

Over the next five weeks, Pastor Ian and myself will be focussing on a series out of the epistle of 1st John.

The five topics will all revolve around one of the primary purposes of the letter being fellowship with God and each other.

This series follows on from the passion of Christ as we celebrate it through Easter – the death and resurrection of Jesus to save us from sin and to have fellowship with God.

• Other than in the heading there is no mention in the whole of the letter that identifies John as the writer.
• However the fathers of the faith all agree that it was John the apostle.
• Based on style, content and the use of phrases that we see in John’s gospel.
• John was by the time of writing the only apostle left so it wasn’t necessary for him to announce himself as we see in other letters eg Paul.
• It is believed that the letter were written around 80 – 90 AD.
• It is also believed that John was in Ephesus at the time of writing and directed these writings to the church there but also to other parts of Asia minor.

The letters were written towards the end of the first century so by this stage there were 2nd and 3rd generation Christians worshipping in various locations.

So why the letters?

There was an emerging problem in the church involving a belief called Gnosticism which was gaining more and more of a foot hold in the church and society and certainly so for the next couple of hundred years that had the potential to decimate the church.

Gnosticism is the belief that when we are saved it is our spirit that is saved and that our physical bodies are evil. Therefore it didn’t matter what we did in our bodies because they would die and only our spirit had any value and would take on a new celestial body when we died. So that led to all sorts of debauchery and sin in the felsh as we would call it. But that didn’t matter. They believed that knowledge was the way to God.

Now why is this important?

Because Gnostics did not believe that Jesus was incarnate, in other words He didn’t appear on earth in any fleshly form – he was a phantom spirit according to them.

So with this bit of information we begin to understand why John wrote what he did.

From verse 1 “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life….”

The “beginning” that John wrote about is widely held to be Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God..” and the gospel of John 1:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it…”

John puts an immediate stamp on the incarnate, bodily form of Jesus and His relationship to God. He says to his listeners and readers “what these dissenters and false teachers (antichrists) are telling you is rubbish – we have witnessed the events of Jesus ourselves.

Illustration: Air Crash Investigations – what they see, handle, hear and observe.

Illustration: My job as an auditor.

When we want to establish a truth we do it by providing supporting categorical evidence.
So now that John has established the authenticity of who Jesus is he begins to relate it to those he is writing to:

Verse 3 – what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

So John not only puts his stamp on the authenticity of who Jesus is through His relationship with His Father but he says in effect “hey don’t forget that we declared this to you as well, why? To ensure that fellowship exists between us but more importantly there is fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus.

John is communicating what he and the other apostles and believers witnessed concerning Jesus – he wasn’t hiding anything or keeping it a secret because he wants not only his joy to be complete v4 but also those to whom he is writing.

Communication is really important. I don’t know about you but at my place we all understand communication really well – I communicate with the cat, Mil communicates with her plants and our son Michael when he visits he not only talks our ears off but talks to himself if no-one else is listening!

Communication of these truths that John writes about is paramount in his mind and he wants his readers to come to the same conclusion about who Jesus is and that He did indeed come in the flesh.

But now from v5 he extends this truth to expand on light and dark. John says “this is the message we have heard and declare to you”

This expression he uses several times to reinforce with the church the fact that he was true to the word of the Lord in sharing the gospel.

It’s like John follows a simple process of putting together unfolding events:

Genesis 1 In the beginning God

John 1 The Word was with God and was God and became flesh and dwelt among us as light and the darkness didn’t overcome Him (my paraphrase)

! John1 We testify to who Jesus is: “And now I want to teach you further about light and dark when it comes to fellowship with God” and this John does without apology.

It is true to say that John doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the conditions around fellowship with God.

V5 God is light and there is ABSOLUTELY no darkness in Him.

One of the things that troubles me about our world and it’s inhabitants is that they are ever willing to blame God for all the disasters and death that take place – if God is real or exists why didn’t He do something about it? God caused this to happen!

I don’t buy it – do I believe the Word or the world?

“To suggest that God has a hand in causing bad things to happen would mean that there is some form of darkness in Him – not true

“There is absolutely no darkness in Him”

John 3:19-21 “This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it,[a] so that his deeds may not be exposed. 21 But anyone who lives by[b] the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

V6 says that “if we say we have fellowship with Him and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth”

That’s pretty heavy going isn’t it? We probably need to think more about what it is to walk in the light vs walking in the dark.

Light is good, pure, true, right, unashamed, clean. It’s a beacon in an otherwise dark world to which we can rely on and see.

Matthew 5:16 says “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

When we come into the light do we fear that there will be shame and guilt? No we get cleansed and purified by the blood of Jesus. He knows everything about us – do you think He will gasp as if He didn’t know when we confess our sin? No, all He wants is to have fellowship with us but that can only happen if we choose to get into and remain in the light of His glory.

V7 in our text “If we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

This verse is one that is referred to a “if/then” statement. It’s a Conditional statement or a condition with a promise

V9 is another “If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us”

V10 is another “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Let me share a few more

II Chronicles 7: 14; “IF My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; THEN will I hear from Heaven and heal their Land.”

Romans 10:9 – That if (condition) you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and (if you) believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, (then – result or promise) you will be saved.

John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

And there are many more.

Now why am I sharing these with you? – because the bible makes it clear that there are conditions to our salvation and life in Christ and that’s what John is describing her in the first chapter – there are conditions to having fellowship with God.

“If we say, we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

“If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

This is what darkness is about – a decision to not follow the truth or the life. Darkness is sinister, evil, fearful even wicked. It’s when most crime is committed, it’s often when those who would prey upon others hide in the shadows.

Paul talks about the sinful, dark nature in Galatians

5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But in Romans he declares:

8:13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

In other words our physical life must match our spiritual life. One commentator put it like this,
“Anybody can say “this is what I believe” but your behaviour needs to match your belief – if it doesn’t you’re a hypocrite”

Strong words but no stronger than those of John in this letter.

Our flesh wants to dominate our spirit life and it will if we fail to, as John put it
“confess our sins, knowing Jesus is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

I think that forms of Gnosticism are still alive within many churches. To many it’s about what they know and believe that they think will get them to heaven and don’t recognise that as Paul wrote to Timothy, “ they are holding to a form of godliness but denying its power”

John said in his gospel 4:23:

But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him.

If we want to have fellowship with God we need to heed the clear warnings of John when he says it can only happen when

We recognise that sin separates us from God

We are sinners in need of forgiveness

We need to walk in the light of Jesus and His salvation.

Is it fair that there should be conditions around having fellowship with God? Absolutely otherwise people will want to do it their way and demean the whole value of Jesus death and resurrection.

Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life, no-one comes to the Father but by me.”

What about you – are you confident that you are in the light of Christ the redeemer?

Have you given your whole life to Him?

Is your main priority having true fellowship with Him and those around you in this fellowship?

My prayer is that we as a fellowship would be united in thought and deed and not allow the enemy to influence and cause dissention and falsehood that would seek to destroy the body of Christ here at Narellan. After all it is Christ’s body, not ours. We need to shift our attention away from the pointless arguments about this and that

I like this song – I don’t

I like the order of service – I don’t

I like responsive readings – I don’t

I like…… and on it goes all the time we are looking downward to serve our carnal appetites and not looking to the light and truth to see what Jesus says about all of this – it is His church, not ours.
Does He need our help in running it? No, what He needs is our unwavering decision to not walk in darkness but in His light and allow Him to guide us by His word and Spirit.

It is up to us to be a light in and to the world and not be known for anything less than demonstrating the love and life of our saviour to a hurting world so they too can walk in fellowship with us and with God.

James 4:7 says, “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

John closes off this portion of his letter this way

“My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.”

There are conditions to having fellowship with God and we must ensure that we do all we can by the power of the Holy Spirit and the confession of our mouths to not allow anything that would break that relationship, not only with Him but with each other.

In this sermon, one of our elders, Kym Steele, reminds us Jesus wants us to be more influential by faithfully being who we are and by faithfully doing what we are called to do: follow Jesus, show love to our neighbour as we would to ourselves, and serve others out of the grace and mercy we have been shown by God.

This sermon was delivered on Sunday, 14 January 2024.

I don’t know about you but when I heard the term “influencer” being bandied about on social media a few years back I was immediately suspicious and dismissive.

I thought to myself “what jumped up so-called know it all is going to tell me what to wear, what books I should read, what lotion I should put on my skin to make it radiant (although that one did arouse some interest)!”

I mean, you now have everybody who has an Instagram, twitter, tiktock account posing as experts in a field based on ‘likes’ or what they think they know. So called “celebrities” have been at the forefront because they have been seen by promoters as people who have gained respect and integrity (for the most part) and so have been engaged by marketing companies on behalf of multi-national giants to “influence” the market to purchase a product or a service.

You can ask my wife about my thoughts on social media in general including Facebook and she will tell you that to this day I have absolutely no interest in it. But, consider this –

• The soccer player Cristiano Rinaldo has 440 million followers through his online presence
• Look at the meteoric rise and fall of Bitcoin most of it based around what social media gurus were saying about.
• Social media only has to post a photo of Elon Musk with a frown on his face and the market reacts!

The Australian government went so far as to ban “influencers” who were offering financial advice via their platform because none of them had any recognised qualifications or approval to offer such advice.

Definition of an influencer: a person or thing that influences another (e.g. “he was a champion of the arts and a huge influencer of taste”)

In Marketing

A person with the ability to influence potential buyers of a product or service by promoting or recommending the items on social media. “influencers can add serious credibility to your brand”

The story is told of a Christian writer being sent a letter by his publicist asking him for a list of “influencers” in his world. At the time he had never heard anyone call anyone else an “Influencer.” So he wrote to the publicist and asked what an “influencer” was and she said it is this, “Big mouths. When these people speak, others listen.”

She explained that influencers are people who lead. When they speak or exhibit a behaviour or buy a product, others follow. Think of people like Cristiano Rinaldo, Michael Jordan. Billy Graham or Bill Hybels or Rick Warren. So he sent her a list, and she wrote back, “I didn’t ask for your friends, I asked for influencers.”

In fact many publicists now refuse to take on clients who do not have an active, successful online presence which meets certain criteria set by them, no matter how good their writing content may be. Such is the shift away from traditional marketing.

Imagine having a product that researchers deem as something followers of Rinaldo would like – straight up they have potential access to 440 million of his followers if he endorses it.

So let me ask you a question – how many of you see yourselves as influencers – hands up.

We read in Matthew 5:13-16 the following:

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:13–16

God has placed us exactly where He wants us to be at this point of history of our world. We should never look back with regret and wish that we had exerted our influence differently to what is going on around us today. For God has entrusted to us a certain level of influence.

Influence is the power to affect how someone develops, acts, or thinks. We’re going to look at how God, just like He has entrusted to us our treasure, talents, time, and the truth, has also entrusted to us our influence. We are to be an INFLUENCER for the Lord.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 known as the Sermon on the Mount how we are to be as Christians, then He dives into how we are to be an influence in this world. Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the earth (v.13) and the light of the world (v.14).

This means that we’re preserving the culture as we illuminate the gospel.

We need to recognize the influence that God has entrusted to us. When you and I don’t steward our influence, we can negatively impact an entire nation just like in Numbers 13 and 14. The entire nation of Israel was negatively influenced by ten spies. As a result, Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years until that generation was wiped out and a new generation arose.

Another example was Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 10:6-8) where he sought counsel from the elders but did not listen. Instead, he was influenced by the people that he had grown up with. The nation of Israel split and they experienced great and painful consequences. When we listen to the wrong influence, we can jeopardize our future.

The story of the Samaritan woman at the well interacting with Jesus is a story of an influencer – how? In conversation with Jesus she came to a realization of who He was and did what? Ran to her village and shared her experience with all that would
listen such that they came out to meet Him – she was an influencer!

Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?

John 4:29

And then from v39:

Now many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of what the woman said when she testified, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. Many more believed because of what he said. And they told the woman, “We no longer believe because of what you said, since we have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior of the world.”

John 4:39–42

Even with her chequered past, she was an influencer for good.

WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE SPHERES OF INFLUENCE!

These can be roughly divided as follows:

Inner Circle – This would be your family, your closest friends, your spiritual family.

Intermediate Circle – This would be the people that you work with, your classmates, people who you share life with through your hobbies. People you have a good relationship with.

Outer circle – This is made up of acquaintances or dare I say it – social media friends.

Who are these people that God has entrusted you to influence? Whether we know it or not, every time we act or say something, we are either pointing people towards Jesus Christ or to the world.

Jesus says that we are the light of the world (v.14). You are so valuable because our world is in darkness and you have a purpose to shine in it. Light is seen even from a far distance and the smallest light can dispel the greatest darkness.

However, we have a choice. It is possible for somebody to actually put the light under a basket (v.15). As a follower of Jesus, you aren’t shining your own light; be an influencer for the Lord, not an influencer for yourself. Jesus tells us in John 8:12 that He is the Light of the world. Our world is in darkness and without Jesus we too will walk in darkness, stumbling and tripping because we cannot see.

To follow Jesus is to prayerfully ask “What would Jesus do or say in this situation?”. You will find the answer to that question in Scripture, and then to do it in His power. As we obey Jesus, He will be the light of our life, enabling us to see.

There was a time in the history of Israel when a plot was planned to annihilate them as a nation. God had placed Esther as queen during that time (Esther 4:14-16). Mordecai through a messenger said to her –

If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s family will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.”

Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.”

Esther 4:14–16

Esther was confronted with a decision to be a light requiring much courage. Esther requested that prayer and fasting be done.

To be an influencer for the Lord, you always have to cover it in prayer because we’re influencing people for the Lord. Those prayers gave Esther the strength to make that decision to be a light to her people and their nation was spared. God delivered Israel through Queen Esther’s intervention to avert disaster for the Jews. When we act like light, we point people to Christ, our Great Deliverer.

Don’t just focus your time and energy on your outer circle of influence. The greatest impact often happens in your inner and intermediate circles. That’s where salt comes in. Light is something you see at a distance. Salt impacts when it comes into contact with the object. You have a direct impact in their life because they see you up close.

They can see and experience the joy, peace, faith, and the power of the Holy Spirit that is in your life. Salt preserves; it imparts flavour. When your life is “salty”, when you’re full of grace, truth, and humility, it attracts people just like salt makes people thirsty.

Your “saltiness” makes people thirsty for the Lord. God has given you exactly the influence you have so that you can exercise it for His purpose. How? Have meaningful conversations:

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

Colossians 4:6

The Bible tells us our speech should be seasoned with salt. We should be able to say what a person needs to hear during that time. To know what, how and when to say something is a “God thing”. So, you need to be in prayer; you need to be filled by the Holy Spirit to be salt in the world.

Never underestimate where God has placed you! Just like the girl in 2 Kings 5:1-3 who was taken as a captive and slave in a foreign land. She used whatever influence she had to point her master to someone that could heal him. God used her to heal Naaman physically and spiritually.

A word of warning in Matthew 5:13. Salt is an amazing compound but impurities can make it tasteless and useless. So don’t let any impurity enter into your life, otherwise you may lose your ability to influence people towards Christ.

How to Influence People for the Lord?

• Pray
• Rely on the holy spirit
• Enter into their world
• Model authentic Christlikeness
• Continue to journey with them, walk beside them
• Don’t rush

We need to also ask though – Who is influencing you? What are you watching, reading, listening to? Where are you spending your time? Who are the people you are “following”? Who is in your inner circle?

We don’t have it within ourselves to be salt and light no matter how good we are as persons. But Jesus entered into our world. He entered as a human being. The gospel is that He paid for the penalty of our sins, so that He could be in the centre of our lives if we allow Him (John 3:16).

Maybe our inner circle of relationships is broken or you’ve blown it with your intermediate circle. You haven’t been a salt and light. You can change course by giving your life to Jesus.

If you humble yourself, admit your need to be forgiven of your sins, you can become a new creation because of Jesus. Surrender your life to Him and become an influencer to point others to our Saviour today. Repent and seek forgiveness for those times when you know you haven’t been an influencer for Jesus.

In closing, let me ask you a few of questions –

1. Do you recognize your spheres of influence? Who are the people in your inner, intermediate, and outer circles?
2. How are you influencing them? Are you pointing them towards Christ or the world?
3. What do you need to do differently as a result of this Sunday’s message? How will you apply it in your life this week?

Matt 5:16 Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Jesus believes each and every one of us is an influencer. Not just pastors and leaders, but each of us. Preachers and Bible readers are agreed on one thing about “salt” and “light” in our passage: they might mean any number of things, but the one thing they do mean is that salt influences everything it is added to and light influences darkness. They make an impact.

Jesus doesn’t urge us to become influencers. He says each disciple, by virtue of being a follower of Jesus, already is an influencer.

Jesus wants us to be more influential by faithfully being who we are and by faithfully doing what we are called to do: follow Jesus, show love to our neighbour as we would to ourselves, and serve others out of the grace and mercy we have been shown by God.

The greatest influencer in the world had none of the trappings of social media – He was a carpenter from Nazareth and yet he changed history more than any other. Our calendar is based on his life. Our symbols of hope are based on his death but what does he offer us?

Since his birth he has more than 2.4 billion followers making Christianity the largest religion in the world and making up one third of the total population of this planet. The number is still growing so why is Christianity and the word of Jesus so popular even today? His key messages don’t date and have a lasting influence and relevance.

Ponder where you have an influence. What kind of influence do you have and can you have? How does the call to a steady faithfulness prompt you to see a long-term deepening influence? Where could you learn to have “more” influence?

You are an influencer, you are on the front step, you have a “product” that everyone needs and that’s a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The best part is that it is free – no gimmicks, no credit card details required, no sign-up to receive…., no scams.

Just the love, joy and peace of Jesus transforming them no matter who they are or where they’re from. You are an influencer!!

So let me ask you the question again – how many of you believe you are an influencer? Hands up.

Pray with me:

Our Father, I accept the incredible grace of being salt and light, however the influence is understood, and know that you have called me to extend the kingdom work of your Son into our world by being what you want me to be and doing what you want me to do – to be an influencer for you.

What a privilege to be captured into and for the your kingdom!

In your mercy awaken me and sharpen me as your instrument of love, justice, peace, wisdom and grace. In your mercy, hear this prayer, through Christ our Lord, Amen.

In this sermon, one of our elders, Kym Steele, asked are we missing the value of our inheritance and birthright given to us by God? We are reminded in the New Testament that we are children of God so that we can be glorified the same way Jesus was. We have the ability to become co-heirs with Christ.

This sermon was delivered on Sunday, 7 January 2024.

Where in your family are you placed? Firstborn, second born, third born or lastborn? Being born as a first born in a family is the biggest privilege one can ever have depending on the culture you come from. In Hebrew culture, and a number of others, every first born in the family is valued and regarded as the parent or leader of the family in the absence of the parents or should the father die. It had with it enormous blessing materially and spiritually.

Typically that’s not something we do in our culture and certainly with a multicultural country like ours, it no doubt varies from household to household.

In our family like many others we will our possessions equally to our children. But this is based on material things.

This story from Genesis is probably one of the saddest examples of someone who has no regard for their birthright. From the very beginning of his life, Esau was racing his brother Jacob to favouritism.

The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob.

Genesis 25:25-26

Esau was born first and even though they were twins, he became legal heir to the family birthright which included, among other things, being heir to the Covenant between God and Abraham. This birthright was a link in the line of descent through which the Promised Messiah was to come.

As the twins grew older it is said that Isaac favoured Esau because of how manly he was and Rebekah favoured Jacob because of his gentleness. I can only imagine that Isaac and Rebekah’s choices spurred on the rivalry between the two brothers.

Do we play favourites with our kids? It’s hard not to sometimes.

Let’s look at this narrative a bit closer –

Esau was loved by his father and was a skilful hunter. It was because of Esau’s skill as a hunter and Isaac love for wild game that caused Isaac to love the eldest son more – v28

Later in Genesis though we read of Esau rising to the occasion in showing kindness to his brother even though Jacob manipulated him twice – first with a bowl of stew and second when in collaboration with his mother Rebekah, Jacob tricked his father into passing the inheritance that was due Esau to him.

This morning I want to touch on the incident of Esau selling his birthright and see if we can glean any insight and application for our lives.

Scripture

When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb. The first one came out red-looking, covered with hair like a fur coat, and they named him Esau. After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel with his hand. So he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

When the boys grew up, Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman, but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home. Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field exhausted. He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, because I’m exhausted.” That is why he was also named Edom.

Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”

“Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?”

Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to Jacob and sold his birthright to him. Then Jacob gave bread and lentil stew to Esau; he ate, drank, got up, and went away. So Esau despised his birthright.

Genesis 25:24–34

Let’s Make Some Observations

Firstly, there was a physical advantage to the BIRTHRIGHT

The Birthright was a double portion of the family inheritance plus more.

The amount would have been very large depending on the family and in the case of Isaac, it was substantial.

In fact we know that what Esau eventually received was great according to Genesis 36:6-7 which records that the family, livestock, and property of both brothers was so great that the land could not support them both and Esau moved to another area.

More importantly there was a spiritual advantage to the BIRTHRIGHT

• Esau would have become the Patriarch and Priest of the home after his father’s death.
• He would have been chief of the chosen family and heir to the promise of blessing. He would have been able to invoke the blessing of Abraham, regarding the threefold promise (Gen 12:1-3)

The Lord said to Abram:

Go from your land,
your relatives,
and your father’s house
to the land that I will show you.
I will make you into a great nation,
I will bless you,
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt,
and all the peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.

Genesis 12:1–3

So the Birthright was not just a trivial moment passed down from generation to generation, but had significant physical and spiritual blessing that were connected to it.

Our text tells us that, unfortunately Esau despised his birthright – now that’s serious. That means he held no regard for his birthright at all to be so flippant about it. Did he think that Jacob was only kidding? Was it some kind of joke that his twin brother would ask such a thing. Why did he have such little regard for it. Did he think that his birthright was secure no matter what he did?

Esau probably should have realised that something was up when he knew that Jacob’s name means “Supplanter, or follower behind”

Lets Make a Deal

Anyway, we are told that Esau comes in and is famished from a long day of hunting, but no reward of game.

Jacob says, Esau, brother of mine, firstborn of my father and holder of what I want…LETS MAKE A DEAL – my paraphrase.

What happens – Esau chose the physical over the SPIRITUAL He chose the now over the promise.

• He gave into the cravings of his hunger
• He valued the stew more highly then his birthright
• For that reason he was called a godless person.

And make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for a single meal. For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, even though he sought it with tears, because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance.

Hebrews 12:16–17

Esau chose the PRESENT over the FUTURE.

He tossed away future reward for present gratification. And don’t forget, he and his brother would have been raised as people of the promise. They would have known what it was to have fellowship with God and known that there was a divine future for them!

Jesus was tempted to do the same wasn’t He? in the desert by Satan. He was hungry and the devil said you can make these stones bread. Jesus could have fulfilled his physical desire for food in an instant but would have forfeited His future Glory. Esau succumbed to his flesh and forfeited his future.

In a fraction of a moment a tummy was filled, but a promise was lost. ESAU MADE A DEAL AND IT WAS A BAD ONE!!

Now let’s talk about…

Our BIRTHRIGHT AS A CHRISTIAN

Physical Inheritance

God is the God who heals, protects, delivers, saves, anoints, upholds, walks beside us as Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Amen!!

Spiritual Inheritance

I AM an heir according to the promise made to Abraham

The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8:16–17

I AM saved by grace through faith:

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8–9

I HAVE an incorruptible inheritance:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

1 Peter 1:3–4

As a result of this –

I will walk by the SPIRIT and not by the FLESH

I will live in the promise of my inheritance and not in the present of my life

Our lives are always full of some kind of struggle. The enemy is always tempting us to act upon our flesh, just like Esau’s desire for food, it caused him to make a rash decision that changed his life.

I must determine everyday that I will walk in the blessing and provision of my birthright, given to me through my adoption into the family of God through the blood of Christ on the cross of Calvary.

We need to head the words of the Apostle Paul when he says,

Working together with him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive the grace of God in vain.” For he says:

At an acceptable time I listened to you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.

See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation!

2 Corinthians 6:1–2

Even though Jacob had been appointed by God to receive His promises and carry on the line of Abraham, he acts selfishly, running ahead of God to secure the birthright, manipulating Esau. This trait follows Jacob throughout life. He sometimes schemed, connived, and deceived to secure the best in life (what God had promised) instead of waiting on God to provide. He had a way of trying to “help God out” from time to time. As he aged, he was eventually forced to grow, mature, trust, and rely completely and totally on God.

Let me ask you this this question. How often do you miss God’s blessings or get yourself in a bind when you try to “help God out”? How do we learn to fully rely on God and trust in His plan? But more importantly are we missing the value of our inheritance and birthright given to us by God as a result?

Isn’t it wonderful to read in God’s Word that, even when we as humans can make a mess of life, that He still has given us guidelines to live by?

Are we missing the value of our inheritance and birthright given to us by God?

We are reminded in the New Testament that we are children of God. Why?

So that we can be glorified the same way Jesus was. Jesus was nothing like Esau – he didn’t despise His birthright nor the responsibilities that came with it – including dying on the cross for our sins. We have the ability to become co-heirs with Christ.

Conclusion

What value have you placed on your birthright and inheritance promised by God?

It was too late for Esau. He had already made his decisions, and even though he cried out to his father – there was nothing that could be done. He despised his birthright, counted it as nothing.

Don’t miss the value of your inheritance and birthright given to you by God! Today, if you are not a co-heir with Christ, you can be.

We need to be aware that the time will come when it is too late; no matter how many tears we may shed, the consequences of the choices we make may be irreversible. After Esau lost the blessing to Jacob, he sought to get it back, but it was too late.

Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord. Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many. And make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for a single meal. For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, even though he sought it with tears, because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance.

Hebrews 12:14–17

The writer reminds the Hebrew Christians about the eventual remorse of Esau. He was sorry for what he had allowed to slip away. He looked for a way to undo it but there was none.

Do you know the value of what you have from God – don’t abandon it.

We are at the beginning of a new year.

This is a great opportunity for us to re-dedicate our lives to Jesus and pursue Him this year in all that we do.

If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour then today is the day to set that right.

Could we all please stand and bow our heads while I pray. My first prayer will be a prayer of re-dedication.

Then I will ask for anyone who wants to know the love, joy and peace that only a personal relationship with Jesus can bring to raise your hand and I will pray a second prayer for you.

Prayer of re-dedication

Heavenly Father, I choose this day to rededicate my life to You. I commit my heart, my mind, my words, my actions, everything I have, and everything that I am to You. I purposely draw close to You and I thank You that you draw close to me. In Jesus name – Amen.

And now with every eye closed, there is an opportunity for those who don’t know Jesus as Lord to give their life to Him. If that’s you then a prayer of confession will be cast on the wall behind me. Lift up your hand and follow with me as I pray this prayer with you.

Prayer for Salvation

Heavenly Father, I come to you in prayer, asking you to forgive me of all of my sins. I confess with my mouth and believe with my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. And that He died on the Cross at Calvary that I might be forgiven and have Eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you right now to come into my life and be my Lord and personal Savior. I repent of all my sins and will worship you all the days of my life. I confess with my mouth that I am born again and cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

I ask you to send the Holy Spirit into my life, to fill me and help me to walk faithfully and become the person that you created me to be. Father, thank you for forgiving me of all my sins and for saving my life in Jesus mighty name. Amen.