Brothers to the Bone Gen 25:24-34

In days of D.L. Moody and Charles Spurgeon and the other great traveling evangelists. There was a young traveling preacher who was just starting out. He was singing to himself as he walked along the road one day of his way to the county fair to open air preach. Redeemed, Redeemed, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

A crusty old man who was with in ear shot, ear shot gets closer and closer the older you get Lol, begin singing along. They sang together. The young evangelist wanted to witness to the poor old guy because he look as if his life had been hard and he needed to feel the freedom of salvation that Christ offered. But the man in his youth was afraid. What will he think of me. Will he be offended since I am so young and he is so old. The rough old guy did not look particularly friendly either. Finally... the thought of the gentleman spending eternity in Hell and he being responsible for not sharing the gospel gave the young man the courage to ask.

Say mister, have you been redeemed?

They locked eyes, the question was asked and now a choice had to be made.

As you know the biggest choice you can make in life is the choice to believe in Jesus. Choices are important to God. The ability to chose, is part what it means that we are made in God’s image that is how important choices are to God.

The struggle is real and one of the greatest struggles in life is the struggle to make the right decisions.

Life is a series of choices.

Obedience to God is a series of major and minor choices in the right direction.

Our choices can critically impact not just ourselves but others. We have a story today about two brothers to the bone who made some choices and their choices affected them for life and even the generations who followed them.

Through out the book of Genesis the older serving the younger is a theme.

Build the charters… Esau - the original Redneck

a reckless man who did not plan for or care about the future. He was born a rambler. Not only the original redneck but the prototype outlaw. Ike Clanton.

Jacob - Mom-ma's boy

He stayed at home to scheme and take over the family. He was always ready to be their to shoot his shot. Always looking to the future and for a good deal even if it means taking advantage of someone else.

Civilized, well-behaved, and healthy (ways quite can be translated)

Professional gambler. - Doc Holiday

Just reading between the lines it seems like Isaac wanted Jacob to be more like his big brother.

Narrate the story of the stolen birth right.

Jacob was cooking up more than stew. The word of hunting zayid sounds like cooking zid. Even though it appears that they are doing different activities untimely they are both out playing their own selfish game.

That stew has my name on it! (exausted could be parched, thirsty, or faint)

Sunday School misconception the “Esau was starving to death” Not really accurate, Esau did not see the importance in planning for the future and he lived his life reckless as such.

He despised responsibility. Lived for himself and not for others. He did not have his family in mind. Reminds me of King Edward the 8th. He abdicated his responsibility. That was for his mistress this is for food.

Jacob cooked up a steal of a deal.

Transition: Spoiler alert… the story only goes down hill from here as we will see in the next few weeks. Jacob really does take advantage of his brother.

The sin of favoritism can damage a family. Isaac & Rebekah are responsible for setting up the dysfunction between their two boys. (Verse 28)

More spoiler alerts: In time this sin betrayed them as well. Isaac would be deceived by his taste for wild game and Rebekah would see her “stay at home” boy propelled from her fleeing for his life.

Genesis shows us that from the very beginning of history God has used broken families and broken people.

Is your Family broken? Are you broken? God can use you. God wants to use you.

Our appetites can cause us to do things in the moment that we will regret for a life time.

Esau was not going to die if he did not get the soup this is rather a case of a man being driven by his appetites. This is the sin that we as men need to be weary of.

He gave up long-term blessing for short-term gain.

before we judge him don’t we do the same? Is their not some cherished sin that we are unable to part with for the sake of the kingdom? Is their some momentary appetite that you count greater than the kingdom?

We trade in our birthright everyday. How often do we really live for eternity? Jesus talks about Selling your soul. It is the same concept.

Mark 8:36 CSB

For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life?

Sin causes us to trade in what God created us to be for a moment of pleasure.

Jacob is not to different than his rotten brother. He will untimely get what he has wanted through one stratagem or another. He will steal the birth right with the help of his mother but it will be a lifetime before he is able to enjoy it.

(Story about the rotten boy who got his Father-in-laws permission but not his blessing. Should have worked on the issues that other people saw in him but he married her anyway. Later his wife left him because of his cheating and abuse. Last I say him on Facebook he looked like he had 400,000 miles put on him and few oil changes)

Jacob’s life lesson is that when we are faced with a struggle we may be tempted to take the shortcut instead of waiting for God to work.

Satan’s shortcuts don’t work. They may be shot, but they don’t take you where you want to go. They promises much but deliver little. They promise a shortcut into the promised land but leave you with 40 years of wilderness wandering.

And in our story here they promises an easier and quicker way to acquire a blessing but they leave you running for your life.

These brother were not only brothers to the bone but they were also rotten to the bone.

Now to connect this to Jesus. I was thinking about how Jesus is different than Jacob and Esau. Heb 12:2 tells us exactly who Jesus is and what He does for us.

Hebrews 12:2 CSB

keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus regarded his birthright. He did things in God’s time and was obedient to His Father. And the blessing that Jesus received is one that we also can receive.

Philippians 2:6–8 CSB

who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.

It is about choices. Jesus was faced with a choice and He choose the cross. He choose his birthright and by choosing it He choose a blessing not just for Himself but for all of us.

By the way the Hebrew word for blessing and birthright are sound almost the same. (bekora - birthright, Beraka - blessing)

Choose to be faithful to your spouse. Choose to keep your family in church. Choose to read your Bible daily. Choose to do the right think at work. Choose to forgive others. Choose to be a peacemaker and not stir up drama. Choose to love God. Choose blessing over sin. Choose to be patient and not speed up what God is doing by lying about your experience or income.

Unlike these brother who were rotten to the bone you can choose to accept God’s blessing in God’s time.

Choose God’s blessing and not sin and choose it in God’s time.

Finish the Story:

Locking eyes together the young evangelist wanted the old traveler to make a choice.

Yes, I have been redeemed.

When when if you don’t mind me asking?

About 1,900 years ago. Jesus made the choice to die for me. sad to say I have only just recently chosen to believe in Him.

The choice has been made. Now days it was 2,000 years ago that the choice was made. So now the choice is yours.

Choose God’s blessing and not sin and choose it in God’s time.

Closing Prayer

When talking about choosing in God’s time ...

2 Corinthians 6:2 CSB

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!