An Appetizing Faith

Introduction

Well, good morning!

If you have a Bible and I hope that you do, open ‘em up with me to Genesis 25…Genesis chapter 25.

This is our last week in the second part of our Genesis sermon series. We’ll come back to Genesis at the end of 2025, looking at the life of Jacob…and then in 2026, looking at the life of Joseph.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our time studying the life of Abraham…how God worked through him…how God used him to bring about Jesus, and ultimately our salvation. I hope you’ve been able to learn a little bit about God, His character, how He works to bring us grace and mercy…how he sees our sinfulness and how He sets some a part, all for His glory.

If you were with us last week, as we started this chapter, you’ll remember that it was kind of like reading Abraham’s obituary, right? Like it was a recap of his life…but if you remember, what was Moses purpose here?…in writing this chapter? It was to point us back to the sovereignty of God, right? To show us, that everything God says and everything God plans, its all certain…He’s in control.

And listen, as we come to a close on this chapter and Abraham’s legacy…we see kind of a weird ending. Most of us, we know the story. We know about the selling of the birthright…the older, selling his birthright to the younger, right? And while this is a narrative…while its a true account of something that actually happened…the point here, its not shifting to something else…the point, its still about the sovereignty of God. We’re seeing an out pouring of God’s sovereignty.

The first 26 verses, we saw God’s Will announced…we saw all of Abraham’s other sons, they were sent away…they weren’t heirs of the promise. They weren’t heirs of the blessings that God promised to Abraham. They’re not heirs to the covenant promises and so they’re sent away. And then, of course we keep reading…we see Isaac is the one that received the blessings…he’s the one that receives all that Abraham had. Isaac’s the sole inheritor…he’s the sole heir…and not just in Abraham’s blessings but in God’s covenant promises as well.

In the beginning parts of Genesis 25, we’re seeing God announce His will…He announces His plan, His divine degree that would take place. Moses was showing us God’s sovereignty in all that happens, but especially when it comes to human redemption.

Of course, if you remember, Isaac and Rebekah…as the channel of blessing moves from Abraham to Isaac…we saw it take them 20 years to get pregnant. We read about Rebekah being barren, very much like Sarah was. Isaac prays for his wife…God grants him the request…and we see her bear children, right? And while these kids were in her womb, we saw that even then they began to struggle…a violent struggle. So much so, it caused her to go to the Lord. And when she went to God, God gave her a prophesy. He said that there were two nations in her womb…and that these two nations, one was stronger than the other (He’s talking about Esau and Jacob)…and He said that the older would serve the younger. Esau would serve Jacob…Esau the older, the stronger…he would serve the younger, the weaker, the cheater. It was a prophecy…He wasn’t just looking into the future, God degreed that Esau would serve Jacob and that Jacob would receive His blessing…He was declaring that He chose Jacob. It was about God’s sovereignty.

And even when we saw the two boys born…Esau, he came out first…he was red and hairy (those two words combined in the Hebrew, they sound like Esau…but we’re gonna see a little bit more today about why he’s named Esau)…And then we saw Jacob come out, grabbing Esau’s heel. Jacob the supplanter…Again, another sign of what God declared…it would happen exactly as He deemed it so.

And so listen, as we finish up this chapter today, its very easy to get distracted from the main point of the passage because Moses’ writing style changes a little bit here. The point of the passage this morning, it’s still pointing us to God’s sovereignty…Everything that God declared earlier, its happening because of His will.

But listen, what I wanna focus on this morning, as we keep God’s sovereignty the main point, its why God’s sovereignty’s so important in our lives. A lot of us wanna argue about free-will and our ‘right’ to choose…but guys, this passage, it shows us why we need God’s sovereignty…it shows us what our free-will minus the sovereignty of God leads us to. Our free-will, even when we’ve been chosen by God, it naturally pulls us away from God.

You see, if we simply chose to come to God on our own…if God’s plan of salvation in our lives were up to us…what this story shows us, we would always chose contrary to God and we would always make everything about ourselves. You see, because of our nature (our sin nature), we tend to think with our gut, right? We tend to think with our worldly appetites…which oftentimes cause us to miss out on God’s blessings. When we operate by our appetites, we forfeit what really matters. That’s the main idea of the sermon this morning and that’s why God’s sovereignty in our lives is so important.

And so, if you’re there with me, let’s stand together and read, starting in verse 27:

Genesis 25:27–34 (ESV)

When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

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

Thank you, you can be seated.

[Prayer]

If you’re taking notes, I have three points for us this morning…number 1, our appetites cause us to exchange grace for personal gain…number 2, our appetites cause us to exchange righteousness for pleasure…and then number 3, our appetites cause us to exchange the eternal for the immediate.

And so, if you have your Bibles open, let’s start with this first point.

I. Our Appetites Cause Us to Exchange Grace for Personal Gain (vv. 27-28)

Why is God’s sovereignty in our lives so important? Because our appetites cause us to exchange grace for personal gain.

When your god is your gut…when your appetites rule you…when your cravings determine your actions, you exchange grace for personal gain.

Look at how all this plays out with Isaac and his sons.

Verse 27:

Genesis 25:27–28 (ESV)

When the boys grew up (there’s not a definitively amount time that’s passed here). It says, When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter…

You gotta think they’re at least in their teenage years…maybe in their 20’s or their 30’s at this point. And listen, Esau being a skillful hunter, that’s not necessarily a compliment here. Up until this point in Genesis, people that have been skillful with weapons haven’t been characters that have been complimented.

You might remember Nimrod…it said he was a mighty hunter in Genesis chapter 10. Of course, Nimrod, he would go on to set up the area of Babylon which would lead to the Tower of Babel.

Another person, that was skillful with a bow, according to Genesis chapter 21, was Ishmael. And so, you have two godless characters that are characterized as skillful hunters or skillful with a bow, and now we have Esau…And we’re gonna see, Esau, he’s not much different than the other two.

It says [Esau] was a a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. (He’s a home body…a momma’s boy).

Verse 28:

Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob…We’re not told the reason why Rebekah loved Jacob, it must just be a maternal care for her son…it doesn’t seem malice in any way. If it were, I would think that Moses would’ve reported it here just like he did with Isaac.

BUT…pay attention to this, the reason Isaac loved Esau, its very important here…its very important to the events that play out.

Guys, why does it say Isaac loved Esau?…It doesn’t say because Esau was his son…Isaac had multiple sons. He loved Esau, not because he was his son…he loved Esau because of his game. In other words, he loved Esau because of the benefit it brought him…the personal gain. And so, he showed favor toward one son because of what that son could do for him…his love wasn’t a godly love, his love was a carnal love, right? It was a fleshy kind of love. “What can you do for me?” And listen, that kind of love isn’t being complimented here. It’s actually gonna be the same kind of love that Esau follows.

Isaac loved Esau because of what Esau could do for him…and guys, I hope you’re seeing the lesson here…it shouldn’t be so. We shouldn’t love someone based on what they can do for us. It’s a godless way of functioning…its a godless way of living. It creates distortion and dysfunction in the family and in our relationships…it creates conflict in the church. You see, we shouldn’t surround ourselves with people that just benefit us.

It’s no different in your workplace, right? People shouldn’t be promoted because they benefit the boss in some way…they shouldn’t get a raise because they benefit someone else…that’s a godless way of living.

Guys, we’re called to love people the way God loves people…we’re called to love people based on the image they’re made in, right? Which, of course, is the image of God!

The Bible says that God makes it rain on the just and on the unjust.

Listen to what Jesus says in Luke chapter 6, verses 32 through 33:

Luke 6:32–33 (ESV)

“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

In other words, if you love someone because of what they can do for you…then you got what you were after. But listen, if you love someone that can’t do anything for you, they can’t reward you…but God can!

And so, if the economy of your love means that you get something from a person, you’re not gonna get anything from God for that love. You’ve already been rewarded.

Verse 33:

And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

That’s how Isaac loved Esau.

Listen, it’s easy for us to condemn this kind of behavior in other people…I mean doesn’t it just infuriate you when you find out the senator you voted for voted for some kind of bill because of the kick back they got? I mean doesn’t that upset you? Didn’t they show some kind of favor toward something because of the benefit they received? They’re not voting according to something they said they’d do, they’re voting according to something that benefits them.

You know why we’re still having issues and discussions about things like abortion? It’s not because people actually believe they’re doing right by aborting babies…Romans 1, it says people know right from wrong…Guys, it comes down to money. These people and these organizations, they send millions upon millions of dollars to these politicians to vote these bills down so that these other people can continue profiting…In our sin nature, we exchange grace for person gain.

But look at what Jesus says in verse 35 and 36:

Luke 6:35–36 (ESV)

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

We’re called to love the way that God loves. We shouldn’t love based on benefit…

But Isaac loved Esau…WHY? Because he ate of his game…When your god is your gut, you exchange grace for personal gain.

Shouldn’t Isaac have loved Jacob just as well? Shouldn’t he have loved ‘em both equally? They’re both his sons, right? I mean, didn’t we see Abraham plead for Ishmael…didn’t we see his love for Ishmael? Jacob wasn’t a hunter…Jacob was a home body…Jacob was a momma’s boy…he wasn’t a manly man. (And I know what some of you are thinking…he sounds a little bit like me…you’re not wrong.) But guys, how godless is that? How evil is that?

We just saw God lay out this prophecy, right? That the older would serve the younger…that the blessing would go through Jacob, not Esau. Did Isaac believe God, did He trust God? Did he commit and submit to God’s Will? NO! He didn’t…and guys, it shows in the way he favored Esau.

And listen, all of this, it stems from a place of sin. Isaac was concerned about himself…Isaac was concerned about his personal gain…his reputation. “What are people gonna think about this sissy, momma’s boy leading my people?”

Guys, what we’re gonna see, because of Isaac’s distrust in God…because of His sin nature, it’s gonna lead to family dysfunction…its gonna split his family…But understand this, Isaac’s sin…it doesn’t change God’s sovereign plan…it just causes Isaac to lose out on the blessings of God…that’s all. He personally gained through Esau’s game, right? But listen, he lost out on God’s blessing to him through Jacob…the man that God’s promise would continue through.

You see, when your worldly appetites become the god of your life…you begin to exchange God’s grace or His favor…you exchange those things for your own personal gain. And guys, without the sovereignty of God in your life and in your salvation, that’s where you’re always headed because of your sin nature.

II. Our Appetites Cause Us to Exchange Righteousness for Pleasure (vv. 29-32)

Point number 2…our appetites cause us to exchange righteousness for pleasure.

Look at verse 29 with me again.

Genesis 25:29–32 (ESV)

Once when Jacob was cooking stew, (there’s nothing special about this stew…he’s just cooking stew)…Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat…(that’s a command…that’s not a request. In fact, there’s a word that’s untranslated here in the Hebrew, it’s now…

“Let me eat [now] some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!”

And so, its repeated. He’s been working in the field…he’s exhausted…he smells the stew and he demands, “Give me some of this…let me eat.” Literally it means, “Let me devour greedily,” in the Hebrew.

And what’s interesting here, in the Hebrew, he doesn’t say, “Let me eat some of that red stew.” He says, “Let me eat some of that red stuff.” He comes in…he doesn’t even know what’s in the pot. It smells good and so he just wants it. He says, “Let me devour some of that red stuff greedily.” He sounds like a brute…like a barbarian. “Whatever it is…give it to me and give it to me now…and I’m gonna devour it!”

Esau’s in a pretty vulnerable position isn’t he? It says he’s exhausted…he’s in a physically weak place…and so spiritually, he’s totally yielded his willpower over to his appetite. Because he’s hungry.

You see, this is something that’s been true since the fall of man. Be careful when you’re exhausted, physically…emotionally…spiritually. Be very careful…because when we’re exhausted we become vulnerable to our appetites…we’re especially vulnerable to indulging ourselves. We’re especially vulnerable to exchanging righteousness for pleasure.

“I wanna feel better. I feel down, I feel exhausted…I wanna feel better. And so, there’s this laundry list of things I can do that’ll give me a real cheap hit…a quick, cheap high…it’ll improve my mood a little bit.”

And so, when your god’s your gut, you’re very quick to exchange righteousness for pleasure. For cheap thrills…for cheap pleasures.

“Let me eat some of that red [stuff now]” It says: (Therefore his name was called Edom.) That’s interesting!

So, when you combine the words ‘red’ and ‘hairy’ those words in the Hebrew sound like Esau. But when you think of the word red…the word ‘red’ in Hebrew is the word “adom (ad-dome)”…very similiar to the sound of Edom (E-Dome). And so, Esau, he’s forever remembered not just because of his red, hairy appearance…he’s also remembered as ‘the red stew man’. He’s always gonna be remembered as a man that threw everything away for a cheap thrill, for that red stuff…”Whatever that was…I don’t even know. I don’t even know if I’m gonna like it. I just know that its there…I know that its ready for me right now. And so, I’ll do whatever I have to for it.”

Guys, see Esau’s example here…your foolishness…your folly…it’ll follow you. Esau has forever been known as Edom…as the red stew man. I mean, wouldn’t you rather be remembered for your victories? Don’t you think Esau would rather be remembered as a skillful hunter? His name doesn’t mean that…it reflects his sin instead. His name, its ‘Red’…and not because that was his appearance…it was because of his greed. He was sooo ready to eat ‘whatever that red stuff’ was.

Our foolishness, it’ll follow us. When our god is our gut…when our appetites lead us, it’ll cause us to exchange righteousness for pleasure.

It continues in verse 31:

Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.”

While you’re hungry…while you’re weak and depleted…when you really really want this…demand is high, supply is low, right? You’re gonna pay me a premium price.

Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?”

Don’t we do the same thing? We’ve worked all day…we come home, maybe we had to skip lunch or whatever…we come home and we say, “I’m starving!” For those of you that haven’t been to a 3rd world country, I just wanna let you know…you don’t understand hunger the way other people know hunger.

I want you to reflect on Isaac again for just a moment. Remember that he’s the one that received all that Abraham had, right? He’s the one that God blessed. He’s wealthy, he’s blessed…Do you really believe that Esau’s experiencing a life threatening hunger here in this account?…NO! Is he hungry? Sure…but guys, he’s not starving to the point of death. If that were the case, he certainly wouldn’t have had the energy he had to work the fields, right?

Esau said, “I’m about to die.” I mean, isn’t that just a grossly overstated case? You see, what’s happening here…Esau’s god, it’s his gut…its his own appetites, literally…He was hungry, and so he allowed his appetite to tempt him to overstate his need to be satisfied. And so, understand what’s happening here…in his mind, he was able to completely justify this very stupid decision.

And guys, see the point…we do these same kinds of things all the time.

You ever hear a person make the dumb excuse, “Well, I just wasn’t getting enough affection at home!…That’s why the adultery happened.” Really? And so, your appetite’s stirred… you’re not getting enough affection and so you decide to violate a covenant you made with God and with your spouse? And then you try and justify it?

Or maybe its something much simpler…maybe you’re not spending time in the Word…you’re not spending time with God…maybe you’re not as connected to the church as you know you ought be…you tell yourself, heck maybe you tell other people, “Well, my life’s just so hectic…it’s busy. I mean, doesn’t God want me to support my family? Wouldn’t He rather me make that the priority versus all these other things?” For record, for those that say that kind of stuff, you have no problem going to that football game or making time to go hunting or whatever…its just your appetites ruling you. It’s causing you to exchange righteousness (what you know to be true…what you know to be good for you) its you exchanging that for cheap pleasure.

And listen, remember the audience Moses is writing to…these Israelites they had just witnessed God do amazing things…they watched Him enact 10 plagues, right? They watched him part the Red Sea. He allowed them to walk through it on dry ground…destroyed the armies of Egypt. He even led them by fire at night and a cloud by day…What became their greatest concern when they got to the other side? It was food and water, right? If you know the story, they were willing to go back into slavery again just to get what they thought they needed. For record, God supplied their needs. But guys, their focus, it wasn’t righteousness…it wasn’t pleasing God…it was about pleasing themselves.

I mean, isn’t that the same thing Jacob does by taking advantage of Esau’s position? He’s seeking something good…but doesn’t he go about it in the wrong way? Can’t you see its about his own personal pleasure here as well?

And notice this too…I’m not exactly sure what all’s wrapped up in this birthright. We know this child got a bigger inheritance…we know they received the family’s wealth, right? But also, notice, in this case…Jacob’s asking Esau to give him something that only God could give. Part of this birthright, its was about God’s promises, right? You remember that? It’s about God’s seed coming from whatever child received the blessing. And so, not only is Jacob attempting to receive something unrighteously, by taking advantage of Esau…but understand what Esau’s giving up here.

Both of these boys, their god, it’s their gut…and it causes them to exchange what they know is good and right for their own personal pleasure.

That’s the second point.

Romans 8:13–14 (ESV)

For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

If we live by our appetites, we’ll die because of those appetites. The only way we can put to death those appetites, its by the Spirit of God, through His sovereignty, in our salvation and in our sanctification.

III. Our Appetites Cause Us to Exchange the Eternal for the Immediate (vv. 33-34)

Which leads us to the third and final point…why’s God’s sovereignty so important? Because if He’s not sovereign in our lives, our appetites’ll cause us to exchange the eternal for the immediate.

Look at verse 33 and 34 with again.

Genesis 25:33–34 (CSB)

Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to Jacob and sold his birthright…

That gift that only God could give…that which was sacred, he exchanged it for that which was secular.

[He] 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.

It says he ate, and he drank, and he rose, and he went his way…That sounds identical to the Israelites at Mount Sinai after Aaron made the golden calf for them. It says that they sat and they drank and they rose up to play. Their god was their appetite.

Listen to what it says in Philippians chapter 3:

Philippians 3:17–19 (ESV)

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

Is that not Esau to a ‘T’? He’s not thinking about the God of Abraham and Isaac. He’s thinking about his stomach. He can’t hear the leading of the Lord over the grumbling of his gut.

And so, what’s he do? He pawns off that which is priceless.

You ever been to a pawn shop. I’ve personally never pawned anything off. But here’s what happens. If you bring in something that’s worth $200, you’d be lucky if you walked out with $120. You see, when you pawn something off, you’re always gonna get less than what you turned in.

Esau pawned off his birthright, something only God could give…something priceless…something that would ensure prosperity and blessings for all eternity. And what’s he pawn it off for? Some of that red stuff. And what’s funny here, verse 34, it tells us exactly what this stew was…it was bread and lentil stew. There wasn’t even an ounce of meat in that pot. It’s a bowl of red beans…a bowl of red beans, for a gift that only God could give.

Guys, see Esau’s example here…see where sin takes us. Paul said, don’t let your belly’s rule you…don’t let your appetite’s rule you. Instead, look at what the rest of that passage says:

Philippians 3:20–21 (ESV)

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Guys, there’s nothing you can sell the grace of God for, that’ll ever be worth it. Not adultery…not cheap pleasure…not dishonest advancement. Nothing is better than your body being transformed to be like His glorious body. Look at what it says…your citizenship, its in heaven…you get to await a Savior. Nothing’s better.

And listen, what sin does, it makes us think that the here and now, its so much greater than what we’re promised. Jesus doesn’t promise this life will be easy…but He does promise something greater…something better…something eternal.

The question is, “Are you gonna listen to Paul…are you gonna be driven by your appetites…by the things of the world? Are you gonna let those things here and now, the things that give us those quick highs…those small bursts of happiness…are you gonna let your belly rule you? Or are you gonna let Spirit of God in you transform you into something so much greater?”

Guys, the reason God’s sovereignty in our lives is so important…the reason God’s election or His choice of us in our salvation is so important…its because if God’s not sovereign over those things…we don’t really have anything. Because on our own…we’re sinful…and the desires of our hearts, they’ll always choose our appetites…(For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, right? None seek Him, no not one!)…On our own, sin rules us, and our appetite dictates our actions. We can’t see the eternal, because we can’t get past the present. It’s impossible for us to trust God in things like our perseverance because mentally, we’re still living in the present.

Guys, let me remind what Paul says in Romans 6:14:

Romans 6:14 (ESV)

For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

As believers, as people who’ve turned to Christ and placed our trust in Christ…you see, we’re under grace. We may still experience the darkness of the world…we may still even fall into our temptations from time to time…but the difference now, because God’s chosen us…because He’s given us grace (something completely different than what we deserve…Guys, grace can only be given by someone else…its not something we obtain on our own…Grace, in this case, can only come from a God that’s chosen to give it through His own sovereign will as He choses those to receive it)…But listen, because He’s given us grace, because we live under grace, as believers…sin has absolutely no power over us anymore.

Now, you have freedom in Christ…you can do whatever you want, and you’ll never remove the salvation God’s given you…but guys, as a genuine believer…pay attention to what Paul’s saying in Philippians…because of the Spirit in you, you’ll no longer care so much for your gut…for you belly…you’ll be led by the Spirit…something only possible because of Jesus.

You see, through Jesus, you begin to care about His grace and His righteousness, things you know bring Him honor and glory…you begin to care about eternity…trusting Him in what He promises. He gives you freedom from your sin nature and gives you a whole new perspective on real, satisfying life.

Closing

Listen, in closing…I’ll just keep this quick…what’s leading you right now? What’s driving you?

Is it your belly?…Or it is the Spirit of God in You?

Every head bowed and every eye closed…

If you’re a believer, do you care about God’s glory more than your own personal gain? Do you care about righteousness…doing the right thing over your own pleasure? And listen, do you look forward to eternity, trusting in God’s promises to you…or do you trade that in to ground yourself in the present.

If you’re an unbeliever here this morning…understand that without turning to Jesus…without placing your faith and trust in him…your nature, your sin nature (which lives in everyone of us), that nature, it’s gonna cause you to choose all the things that pull you from what’s good for you. And eventually, that sin nature, it’s gonna end with your death…its gonna create a permeant separation between you and life.

But guys, in God’s sovereignty…understand that you’re here now…understand that you’re hearing the gospel message now because He’s placed you here, in this place. There is a way to overcome sin, its through the person and work of Christ. You see, Jesus, He’s not just any man…He’s God. Jesus became man, He lived a life as a man, perfectly…He went to the cross to pay for man’s sins. He wore the weight of our consequences. And listen, the Bibles says that all we have to do…its repent (or turn to Him) and confess that He’s Lord and that He raised from the dead. You do that…and that alone, and you receive salvation. And with that comes eternal life…and power over sin now.

And so listen, whoever you are…whatever’s on your heart right now…you take this time…and I’ll close us in just a moment. If you need me, I’ll be down front.

[Prayer]