Sermon Prep Outline | Genesis 25:20–34

All of That For A Bowl Of Beans?

Birthright Or Beans? Genesis 25:20-34

Opening Remarks: Glad to be here. I’m thankful you all came tonight. Good to see some familiar faces here. This will be our last Ignite for the school year, we’ll start back up in August.

We are going to have a good time, but right now is the most important time of the night. It’s also the time when we like to tune out and think about other things, but I’m asking tonight that you don’t. Be resolved to tune in, because I believe the Lord wants to work in our lives.

READ This is a familiar passage to most of us, but don’t let the familiar make you miss the lesson. Esau made a terrible trade. And teenagers like yourselves make the same kind of decisions all the time. Something of great value gets traded for something worth very little. We’re going to work through this, but before you do, I’m going to pray and ask God to help us have open hearts. Would you give the Lord permission right now to work in your life over the next few minutes? He will if you’ll give Him permission.

Introduction: How many of you are seniors? With it being so close to graduation and with senior banquet recently, my mind has been on “Most likely” statements. So, I looked some up…Most likely to become a TikTok star?Most likely to become a millionaire? Most likely to have the most children?Most likely to break a World Record? Most likely to become a politician? Most likely to join the army? Most likely to go to space? Most likely to end up in jail?

Esau was most likely to be THAT guy. The one every one liked, the popular one, most likely to be the most manly man… Or hairy man…

Vs. 25 – Esau’s name means “hairy.” When Esau was born, he looked like a bear rug from day one. • By the way, some of you guys think you look like that…You think you are ready for a moustache or a beard but you’re really not. If you have to shine a flashlight on it to see it you’re not ready. • Esau didn’t have that problem. He was hairy.

Vs. 27 – Esau was also a hunter. • The Bible says he was a cunning hunter – which literally means he knew hunting. • You know guys that like too. They’ve never talked to a girl but they’re a deer whisperer. • That was Esau. He knew how to hunt. He was so good at it that the Bible says that’s what his father Isaac loved about him.

Vs. 27 calls him a Man of the field. • That just sounds manly. Especially when you think of the fact that it says Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

Historically, people have viewed Esau as a man’s man and Jacob as kind of a mama’s boy. Esau was the popular one, Jacob was kind of the weird loner one… Isaac loved Esau because he brought meat home, Rebekah loved Jacob. But be careful of making assumptions about these twin brothers.

Jacob Was A Homebody The phrase “Jacob was a plain man” doesn’t mean there was nothing special about Jacob. “Plain” is the same word translated “Perfect” when God described Job in Job 1:8. God said to Satan, “My servant Job (is)...a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil.” “Perfect” means “complete” or “whole.” It doesn’t mean Job was sinless, but he wanted the things of God. And I believe Jacob did too. It doesn’t mean Jacob always did things the right way, but he at least valued what God valued. At the same time, Esau seems to be searching for something different.

Esau Was A Man Of The Field He had things going for him, he would’ve been the popular one. But when it comes to the things of God, he could take it or leave it. To be a man of the field meant he was restless. He was searching for something new. Something different. He wasn’t content to follow his parents’ lead. He wanted something new and exciting. You might call him an adrenaline junkie. He was the guy drinking 2 Red Bulls on the way to every youth rally. Always had an energy drink in his hand. He was the first guy in the youth group to get a motorcycle. He was the risk taker. He was a man’s man because he didn’t play it safe and no one told him what to do.

He left the setting in which his parents had raised him in order to be fulfilled with something else. Esau was the kind of guy that said, “If I want it, I go get it.” Our culture may value a young person that says, “I do my own thing,” but if you’re not careful, that mindset will cost you more than you want it to. Because you tend to value less what’s familiar so you can experience something new.

Jacob Sod Pottage - vs. 29 Pottage is lentil stew. Lentils are similar to peas or beans. This was bean soup. A bowl of beans. How many of you like beans? Just by the look of some of you, I wouldn’t want to be around while you’re eating beans. I don’t mind beans. They’re fine. It’s not a steak from Texas Roadhouse, but it’s fine. You wouldn’t see someone eating beans and think, “What I wouldn’t give to be eating that right now.” Now if it was a steak and mac n’ cheese and a sweet roll? I would kill for that. But beans? That what makes this story so strange.

Esau “was faint” which means he was exhausted. He comes in from hunting and hasn’t eaten, and when he smells those beans cooking he loses all grasp of reality.

Vs. 30 – “I’m exhausted, I’m starving. Feed me with that red stuff you’re making. From that day he was referred to as “Edom,” which means “red.” This event was so defining for him that it changed his name. We’ll talk about that later. Right now, all Esau can think about is how hungry he is. So hungry in fact that he thinks he’s going to die (vs. 32). He’s like a teenage guy. I remember when I had just graduated high-school, i got invited to help out with a 5th and 6th grade boys activity. I thought this would be the perfect time to assert my dominance so I challenged all of those boys to a pizza eating contest I though I was doing good because I at 10 pieces of Papa Johns but then I look over, and this 6th grader has just put down two pizzas, 16 pieces and he is opening another box… I gave up at that point! But, Esau thinks he’s dying, so he says, “I’d do anything for that right now.”

Vs. 31 – So Jacob says, “Okay, sell me your birthright.” Jacob is not doing right. God has already promised that Jacob would receive the family inheritance and that he would ruler over his older brother Esau. If God promised that, there was no reason for Jacob to force this. But he does, and Esau takes the bait. But I want you to understand what this means.

The Birthright Before you can understand the significance of Esau’s choice, you need to know how big of a deal the birthright is. It was the oldest son’s prized possession. It made him the head of the household. In that culture, the birthright meant everything.

Possessions - The oldest son would receive twice as much of the family wealth as any other brother. The birthright meant more of God’s blessings.

Influence - The receiver of the birthright made family decisions. He became the family leader. The birthright meant authority and influence.

Priesthood - The receiver of the birthright was the spiritual mouthpiece for the home. He led them in spiritual things.

Legacy - Because of a promise God made to Abraham, Jacob’s grandfather, this family’s birthright was different than every other birthright. This family was promised land, a large family, wealth, and someday, the promised Messiah. This family’s birthright meant a connection to Jesus Christ.

Jacob and Esau both knew what the birthright meant. They knew it was extremely valuable. But Esau says, “Give me beans, I’m dying.” I’ve heard teenagers say things like, “I’m so hungry I’m literally dying.” I don’t think you have a literal understanding of the word “literally.”

Esau is being dramatic. It doesn’t change the fact that his flesh does something to him that our flesh does to us all the time. It makes us think if we don’t give it what it wants that we won’t survive. So, for a hunger pain, a momentary discomfort, Esau despised:

His Possessions,

His Influence,

His Priesthood,

And His Legacy

Esau was willing to trade all of that for a bowl of beans. He was willing to give up wealth, influence, spirituality, and a connection to Jesus Christ for a bowl of beans.

Maybe if he was getting something significant in return - a country, an army, a fleet of ships, all the power he wanted...maybe – but all he got was a bowl of beans. BEANS.

He was willing to trade something of immeasurable and eternal value for something of the smallest sliver of temporary value.

The Birthright Was His Future It was all the best things God could have offered him. The beans represent his flesh. A temporary urge. He was willing to trade his future away for a momentary urge.

He gave up land, influence, spirituality, and all that his family had been promised, including Christ, for one meal. And we would say, “He’s crazy!” Except we make these kinds of trades all the time.

We All Have A Birthright And We All Have Our Beans Your birthright might not include God’s covenant with Abraham, but there are some things that God desires for every one of us.

For Esau It Was His Inheritance Esau wasn’t the only one with an inheritance at stake. Most of you have parents and a church from which you’ve inherited some pretty important things.

Doctrine, Your belief about God - Bible based

Standards - Reflect God’s holiness

Commitment - Strong and right

For many of us raised by godly parents in a good church, that’s our birthright. And I thank God for it. But young people are trading that birthright for beans in droves. I’m talking about young people just like you who have been raised to believe in God, with parents who love God and in churches who are doing their best to please Jesus.

So why are you thinking about ditching it as soon as you turn 18? I’m telling you, anything tempting you to give up the inheritance you’ve received by God’s grace is a bowl of beans.

The Party lifestyle that’s so tempting? Beans. Ask the prodigal son. Don’t think everyone in that far country living it up on the weekends and drinking and partying and being loose with their bodies is having the time of their lives. It’s beans. It’s fleeting. Momentary. It’s not as fulfilling as you think.

Don’t give up what you’ve been raised on for beans. Your parents and your pastor are wiser than you think. I would say the same about myself but that seems kind of self promoting… Don’t give up what you’ve been taught for something so insignificant.

Influence – Esau despised his influence on other people. God has placed you in this generation to make a difference in this culture.

And young people like you are giving up their spiritual influence for beans all the time.

Some of you have the ability to influence this youth group to do right, but you’re more concerned with being cool. It’s beans.

As soon as you get out of high school, you’ll look back on your quest for popularity and think, “That was stupid.” It’s beans.

Some of you older ones ought to stop trying to be so cool and edgy and decide to take a stand and be a leader in our youth group. Take one of the younger kids under your wing instead of treating them like they don’t matter. Invest in somebody. Help them feel like part of the group.

Influence means you make a difference. But not many young people leave a spiritual mark at their school or in their youth group or in their church. You can change that trend.

Instead of living for beans like popularity, being cool, being edgy, borderline rebellious, acting like you’re above the church stuff, decide you’re not going to be like everybody else and you’re going to leave a spiritual mark on this youth group, on your siblings, or in your school.

Tell people about Jesus Christ. I look back on my high school years and there were guys I never told about Jesus and I would give anything to go back and be a witness.

Stop living for beans. Embrace your birthright. Make a difference in your generation.

Priesthood – Esau despised his priesthood. He was more interested in eating than walking with God.

The most important thing you can do is have a relationship with God. Don’t trade that for beans.

Most young people stay up too late and wake up too late to have a real relationship with God. It’s beans. They live based on momentary urges. They sleep their way through their teen years and miss out on a relationship with God.

Or they video game their way through their teen years. Or they basketball their way through their teen years. Or football, or baseball, or soccer their teen years away.

They work their way through their teen years.

Listen, I’m not against those things, if there is a balance.

But Esau let beans define him. This choice was so prevalent in his life that God changed his name from Esau to Edom, which means “red.” He became known as “Red” because of this choice. His new name was beans.

You are known for something. What matters the most to you defines you. If people could associate one word with your name, what would it be? What’s on your name tag? Basketball...Girlfriend… Boyfriend…Taco Bell...Call of Duty… Instagram…

What should your name tag should say? Loves Jesus. Walks with God.

A priest walked with God, spoke to God, heard from God, and told others about God. How many of those things are evident in your life?

Walks with God? Speaks to God? Hears from God? Tells other about Jesus? Or is it CUTE? FUNNY? WORKS? BALLER? POPULAR? LADIES MAN? Compared to a walk with God it’s all beans.

Legacy The saddest thing of all was that Esau despised his legacy. His connection to Jesus Christ. He didn’t care about it. Your connection to Christ is the most important thing about your life.

Romans 8:29 says we are meant to be “...conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Our birthright is to be like Jesus. The most important thing, the highest calling you and I have is to be like Jesus Christ. So listen, you can work hard. You can be the best student. You can be liked and popular. But your highest calling is not to be any of those things. Your highest calling is to be like Jesus Christ. The most important you’ll ever do is to let God work in you to constantly pursue to be like His Son. Don’t trade that for beans.

We have all kinds of pursuits:

Make money

Drive a nice truck or car

Live comfortably

Having a great job

Marry the perfect spouse

Go on great vacations

Play professional sports

Listen, the pursuit of those things isn’t wrong in itself, but if you ever get to the place that those pursuits are more important to you than becoming like Jesus, you’re living for beans. The Beans smell so good. They seem so important in the moment. It’s all you can see and smell and want. Especially right now when you are about to graduate or even that you can’t wait to get older and graduate…

We All Have A Birthright, And We All Have Beans, And We All Have A Choice Between The Two.

So let me ask you… What is the one thing that will most likely keep you from pursuing God’s birthright? What are you most likely to trade your future for?

Purity

Birthright – Be like Jesus Christ. That means holy and pure.

Beans - A wrong relationship with the opposite gender or entertaining lustful thoughts and entertainment.

Your future is at stake. Your purity will affect God’s ability to use you. It will affect your relationship with your future spouse. It will make you miserable. And it’s temporary. Esau got hungry again. Impurity does that too. The flesh can’t be satisfied. You’ll soon be looking for the next big thing. Don’t trade your future for a bowl of beans.

Service

Birthright - Give your life to serve God

Beans - My plans, make money, live a fun lie

We need young people willing to set aside the beans and live to make a difference for God. Billions of souls have died and gone to hell, so why is only a small percentage of young people giving their lives to serve God? I believe it’s because of beans. Don’t trade your future for a bowl of beans.

Salvation

Birthright - Salvation. It’s God’s will that every person receives Christ and becomes conformed to His image.

Beans - Too proud to admit I need to be saved. I don’t want that right now - I’ll wait for when I’m ready.

Some of you have come to a lot of Ignites now and you’ve heard the gospel presented very clearly. You know that you aren’t saved but you’ve been putting it off…

No beans are worth the risk of dying and spending eternity in hell. Jesus died for your sins. All you have to do is admit your sin, by faith receive His payment for your sins on the cross, and gain eternal life. Are you telling me there are beans out there worth more than eternal life?

Don’t trade your future for a bowl of beans.

What’s your bowl of beans? What is going to cause you to miss out on God’s best for you life? We all have that thing that tempts us the most.

Is it being popular? Fitting in? Making money? A besetting sin.

Hebrews 12:16-17, “Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”

Years later, when Esau wanted to be blessed by Isaac, he couldn’t be. Because years before he decided to live for beans.

God’s ability to bless me at the end of my life is dependent on how well I choose between my birthright and the beans.

How many of you want to stand before God at the end of your life and have Him bless you? It doesn’t start when you’re old. It starts when you, as a young man or a young lady, say no to the beans and yes to the birthright.

Be a young person that is willing to say no to that which matters little so that you can enjoy the life God has laid out for you.

Conclusion- I am going to ask you to bow your heads and close your eyes. I am not going to give a formal invitation or even treat this time like I normally do… I just want to ask you, what are you trading God’s best for your life for right now? Is it entertainment? Is it popularity? Is it a sinful habit? It’s all beans and it is not worth the regret you will have in 5 or 10 years.

Maybe you don’t know if you are saved and you have been putting it off. Don’t wait tonight because you are embarrassed, or worried about what people think. Come talk to myself or Mrs. Brielle. Don’t trade forgiveness of sins and eternity in Heaven for a bowl of beans.

I am just going to ask you to take a minute to pray right there in your seat and ask the Lord to help you see an area in your life where you might be trading beans for His best in your life and to help you to seek to be like Christ above all else. I’ll give you a minute to pray and then I’ll pray and we’ll move on for the night. So take some time to pray tonight.