The Battle Between Brothers

In the movie “Johnson’s Family Vacation”, Cedric the Entertainer and Steve Harvey played the role of insecure brothers who were competing with each other in life. Every family reunion, they would try and one up each other. One despised his brother because he was the favorite during his child hood. The other because he found his value in the amount of trophies he can gain over his brother. They were both going through an identity crisis and could not even properly lead their own families. Today’s message is entitled “The Battle Between Brothers.”

Subject: The Life of Esau and Jacob

Theme: A Study of the Life of Esau and Jacob

Proposition: A study of the Life of Esau and Jacob, will persuade us to walk in our God given identity

Genesis 25:21–26 ESV

21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” 24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

I. The Impulsive Brother

Genesis 25:29–34 ESV

29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) 31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

A. The State of SC offered my grandfather to buy a segment of his land to build a new bridge. His close friend was so intrigued by the amount that he was offered and uncut my grandfather when he was under the influence of alcohol. To this day, when my grandfather walks into his back yard, he is bombarded by the loud noises of trucks and cars speeding past his yard on this large bridge. I wonder how many of us in the room are living our lives like Esau, dominated by impulse!

B. The bible encourages us to not be like Esau and to live consecrated to God.

Hebrews 12:16 ESV

16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.

The birthright was an inheritance of a double portion of the father’s wealth. Esau traded this to Jacob for one moment of hunger. Do not sell your dignity to someone or something for a single moment, because God has an eternal prize in store for you!

II. The Deceitful Brother

Genesis 27:18–23 ESV

18 So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” 20 But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him.

A. One time I was finishing up a paper for during my undergrad and I was referring to a video necessary to complete the assignment. I went to YouTube and started watching the video and suddenly a notification that said I needed to update my Adobe flash player. I was bummed and clicked on the notification. Soon enough, I found out that it was a malware virus. A malware virus, deceitfully poses itself as the real link of what you are trying to download in efforts to spread its disease throughout the computer.

B. Jacob’s insecurity was that he found his identity in stealing other people’s blessings because he did not believe that God had a predetermined destiny for him. You and I don’t have to be shape shifters for God to bless us! When we know that God loves us and will take care of us, we will not have to manipulate others to be successful.

C. I wonder how many of us listening to this message have been deceiving ourselves and God in order to make a name four ourselves. I want to encourage you that God has an inheritance for you that will not require you to scheme or scam to get it.

III. God’s Point of View:

A. Maybe you have been like the impulsive brother making irrational decisions based on your temptations.

B. Maybe you have been like the deceitful brother who didn’t trust God’s destiny for himself, so he took matters into his own hands.

C. Maybe, you have been both.

Today, I pray that God encourages you today! I pray that you will know who you are in Christ, and will be led by God’s Spirit to teach you who you are in Him.

Genesis 32:22–32 ESV

22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

A. Jacob’s prevailing is not that he defeated God but that God allowed him live, sparring his life.

B. Can I appeal to you that the reason you are living life deceitfully is because you are wrestling, not simply with God, but with the person whom God created.

Somehow, Jacob ends up in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11:21

Hebrews 11:21 NRSV

21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, “bowing in worship over the top of his staff.”

He is mentioned as one of great faith, because God redeemed Jacob and changed his name.

God Refers to himself as the God of Jacob rather than the God of Israel. God is showing his people that He is merciful and will do for them what they cannot do for themselves. He will be their God who gives grace in times of need. He is showing them that He is the God who keeps his promises in through the fallibility of mankind.

Exodus 3:14–15 ESV

14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

“FROM CRISIS TO CHRIST”

2 Corinthians 5:16–17 ESV

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.