Increasing Food Prices

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 118

Psalm 118 ESV

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. All nations surrounded me; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly, the right hand of the Lord exalts, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!” I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord. The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Scripture Memorization: Genesis 50:19-20

Genesis 50:19–20 ESV

But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Scripture Reading: (Gideon) James 1:12-18

James 1:12–18 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

Sermon:

Good Morning Church! I was Glad when they said to me, let us go and worship in the house of the Lord!

I was especially glad. Every Sunday. Let's be honest, but this Sunday in particular it is true. As I think on another year of my life, another year of God's blessing and goodness... One of my greatest blessings is his church here with you all. I mean that as someone who is ministered to by this church. But also I mean this in the joy and privilege of of sharing the gifts God has given to me with you. I mean it si terms of being able to open God's word and and share with you what I have learned, what insights the Holy Spirit has given me over the course of the week. I'm blessed beyond measure, and I love to be able to be here with you.

Especially because you guys put up with my own … unique … point of view. The things I think are funny and clever, and maybe it's just me, but you put up with it. So, we've titled the sermon today, “increasing food prices.” This seems to be a hot button topic nowadays. Probably It seems like it's always that way. The topic of conversation is often the cost of a price of eggs or a loaf of bread… Well, this morning, we're going to go back in time and go look at what is, in my estimation, the most expensive meal ever purchased?

And, while I can't prove that monetarily, it could be that there's someone who paid more monetarily for for some meal at some point in history. In terms of Eternal weight in terms of the spiritual cost, there's an eternal cost in many ways to the the purchase of the meal we'll be looking at today that I would say makes it by far the most costly meal ever purchased.

We are in Genesis chapter 25, verses 29-34 this morning.

To remind us where we are, we have moved past the time of Abraham. Abraham is now dead and buried, and we are looking at the life of his son, Isaac. And in particular in the life of of Isaac. It's very interesting. The focus at the very beginning is not as much on him largely. Here at the beginning at least, Isaac is, in many ways, a bridge from Abraham to Jacob. Jacob who was a twin. The younger twin, the heel grabbing twin. We looked at that last week.

Last week, we saw the birth of these twins and, and I noted, I tried to note at least, that that many of the things hinted at and shown and explained to us in the birth of these twins will play out in their lives to come. Esau was a hairy red child. It's interesting that color red will come into play again. Jacob a heel Grabber who is reaching after things that maybe aren't his. That will also come into play today.

Let's read the story of Esau selling his Birthright. For a bowl of stew and some bread. Let's read God's word this morning. Genesis chapter 25, verses 29, and following.

Genesis 25:29–34 ESV

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.

These are the words of the Lord for us this morning. Let's open our time together with the word of prayer.

Oh Lord, our Lord, how Majestic is your name in all the Earth! We thank you and praise you for you are high and lifted up The Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth. The one who knows all things, the one who holds all things. We thank you for you allowed us to be called your children. Not just children, but your sons given the birthright that comes with that title. We thank you for this precious gift. Help us to hold on to and cherish it. Thank you for your son, the one who knew no sin, who became sin that we might find Redemption and forgiveness. We thank you for the Holy Spirit, the Comfort and the helper, the one who works within us drawing us to repentance, teaching us who you are and what you've done, giving us precious gifts. May we walk in the truth of all that you are and all that you've done. It's in Jesus name that we pray. Amen.

Well, this is truly a very interesting story.

A Story of:

And we should look at it as a story and understand it using the tools that we would understand any story with. I sometimes fear that calling it a story means some people will think that it is a work of fiction, something made up. That is NOT what I mean. In fact, this is a very important story that had to happen at some point in history. The prophecy was: “One shall be stronger than the other. The older Shall Serve the younger.”

And in order for that to come about, the older serving the younger ,certain things have to take place. And so in some sense. This is a story that had to happen. This needed to occur in order for the prophecy that was given to take place. The the birthright had to be transferred and somehow in some way from the older who it was his Birthright by birth to the become the birthright of the younger… Who... the Birthright was his, not by birth order, but by prophecy... the prophecy that the Lord had given to Rebecca.

And so this story had to take place. Though I don't know if it had to take place in the way it did. This is ultimately how God has ordained and orchestrated all things. And so, as we look at it, I'd like to approach it in a fairly particular way. I'd like to explore the details of this story through through three different we would say “narrators” in other words, through three points of view as we read through this story. Doing this I believe will help us understand what exactly is going on.

And we were to start with Esau. I would say that from the point of view of Esau this is a story of desperation.

“DESPERATION”

Note desperation in quotation marks will get to that. But that's how it's presented from him. We open up the passage.

Genesis 25:29 “Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted.”

It's a long day of work. A long day of tiresome, difficult, Toil. This is done in the hot sun. Not with air conditioner. There's no modern toiling in the field. He didn't just hop in a huge like farming tractor with air conditioning and a radio. Just go around… No, this was back breaking manual labor.

And he's exhausted. He comes in from a long day of work. He’s sweaty, filthy. And he walks in and smells the aroma of what may be his favorite food. I don't know. He acts like it, that’s for sure. He's acting like this is it.

For me if you're ever curious. Green chili wontons from either Farley's or Cattle Baron are My favorite food in the whole world... For Esau, it's lentil stew. Doesn't sound great to me but I guess He loved it. He comes in, he says. Let me have some of that red stew. In the English it's hard to get across the the emphasis that he gives that comes in the original language because there's like repetition, and he's extra emphatic. So its give me some of that red stuff that that red stuff there, the give me that. That's what I want. I need that that food right now. Give it to me. Because, as he says, he is exhausted.

Esau is agreeing with what has just been said. In verse 29, I'm tired. I'm hungry. That red stew, right there, I need it now. We can see the the desire in his heart and and what he feels is desperation. For when Jacob says it's going to cost you your Birthright. What does Esau say? “I'm about to die!”

Now, most commentators universally agree. He was not about to die. He spent one day working in the field and he was hungry. This is hyperbole. Esau here is talking like David often talks... with exaggeration for emphasis. I'm about to die. I'm starving to death. That'salso tragically the language we use, right? How many of us have said, I'm starving! Next week as we have the potluck cooking in the back and I am preaching you all will feel a similar sort of desperation… Will David ever be done? I’m Starving! Or maybe when you said that as a kid. The hope is taht when you said it you had someone older and wiser than you who would come and say, no, you're not starving. There's children elsewhere in the world who are starving. You're just hungry.

Here, Esau is living this out. He's, he's acting like he's so hungry that there's nothing in the world that he needs more than this one bowl of stew. This is why I put desperation in quotation marks. He's not really desperate. He would survive. And, in fact… in all likelihood, had he gone and washed up and waited till his family's there and come back in, they would have had a family meal together, and he could have eaten this same meal if he would have just been patient. But he's so hungry, so driven by the desperation that he feels in his hearts. And the the tragedy here. And the lesson. We should probably learn from Esau. We'll learn more as we come to the end, but here, just in this idea that he's so desperate becomes the picture of instant gratification. He has no patience. He's desperate, he's hungry, he's starving. He's been working in the field all day. That is, he smells this red stew… red stew thatt becomes for him his nickname.

“Therefore, his name was called Edom”. Edom means red. And I, I think this is just a pun all over his whole life, like he was born. He came out red, his body like a hairy cloak. He came out red. He sells his Birthright for some red stew. So everyone's like this guy has an obsession with red. Let's just call him that. This is how nicknames are often gathered. It's what we look like what we do, what we have an affinity for. And often not in a flattering way...

We'll do some self-deprecating things here… when I was in high school. I played basketball. And I wasn't necessarily the most athletic… Couldn't jump the highest. It wasn't the fastest, but there was one thing I was really good at... those of you that that know basketball will know what this is: I was good at taking a charge. For those of you not too basketball savvy… To take a charge is to be fouled… usually in a painful and violent way… This is a foul that's on the offense, so it's an extra valuable thing to do in basketball. If you can take a charge, they lose the ball and whatever points that they would get, and they get a foul. And then you get possession of the ball. Charges are good things And it became my sort of calling card. I was good at and got playing time as a sophomore with the varsity team because I could take a charge. It's basically just having some guy bigger and stronger than me run into me and collapsing. And my nickname in basketball became “sock at 70”. Because the joke was when I would take a charge, I would just kind of crumple and flop around, and they said I looked like a sock hung out of the window, going 70 miles an hour down the Highway. It's a very visual nickname that was my nickname. Not all nicknames we we want. But they describe us in a way.

Here Esau, his name is Edom red because he's desperate for Red stew. He'll give up everything for that stew, that one, this stew, that one give me that that right there, that red stew!

I'm exhausted, I'm desperate. I'm tired.

For Esau, there's a story of his desperation. But really, that's just a lack of patience. A lack of waiting. And a mind that might not be set on the important things.

The next point of view, we can take. Is that of Jacob? And from Jacob. This is not a story about desperation. So much is a story about taking advantage of someone's perceived desperation or, we could say, this is a story of scheming.

Scheming

Jacob is a schemer. And it starts at the beginning. Jacob was cooking stew as Esau comes in from the field. Wait a second! Jacob, why weren't you out in the field as well. He probably should have been. They had servants. They had people who could make the stew for them. Jacob it seems knew that he wanted to do this. Because as soon as Esau comes in and says I want that stew. Jacob knows what he wants as well. Sell me your Birthright. There's no waiting.

It's as if this plan has been in the works. Jacob knows Esau's temperament. Jacob knows Esau's lack of Forward Thinking. Jacob knows likely that this is Esau's favorite food. So, he's scheming and planning. Esau's in the field, I'll cook some stew. I know what he likes. And what he's desperate for and that, as usual, his brain's not working as well as it probably should. And his, his mind is not set on the things that it should be. That's when I'll pounce. So he has to sell his birthright... now. Esau says. “What is a Birthright to me?” And instead of Jacob saying, oh, you know what brother? You're hungry. Here's some stew. He says: “Swear it to me now!”

The picture here is is almost comical. He is a sleasy car saleman Dont worry, just do it, no time for Doubt every concern he might have, just sign it. Just sign it, just sign it. Don't worry about that. Just sign it. You start to interject… Let me just read this. No, no, you don't need to read it. Just sign, just sign it. Just sign the contract. Swiftly, Jacob says, swear to me your birthright. He's, like, I'm hungry. What's good a Birthright if I'm dead? Jim, then don't worry about it. Just swear it. Now, just swear it right now.

This is the scheme.

In some sense, we could say we shouldn't be schemers. That's true. I don't think we should go around being schemers being. Creepy used car salesmen. We should not go around taking advantage of people.

But in other sense, just being honest here… If Esau is willing to pay the price? Isn't that ultimately on him?

And the answer to that is honestly that It's a lot messier than that. There's more than just one person to blame here. Jacob. Knew what he wanted. And he was willing to do what he needed to get it. We rightfully look and say. Yeah, it's kind of scuzzy. Maybe, don't be like Jacob in this regard. But ultimately this Birthright was his by prophecy. So it gets a little messy. We call it scheming. If we were to sit down and ask Jacob, what were you doing like, you know, I was just trying to get what was mine And Esau… well, I knew the way he thought I knew the way he operated. He's my brother, after all.

And that could be the end of the story if that's all we knew. We just knew the two brothers. We saw Easu and think: well, Esau was wrong. Because he didn't think ahead. Jacob was wrong because he's a schemer.

But it's interesting what the Bible says. And when the Bible tells us something we should listen and when the Bible even hints at something, or implies something… we should also listen. So, there's this principle that, I think, is important to understand. We believe the Bible is the sole Authority for life and godliness. And that all things at all times Scripture speaks to them. Now. It will take wisdom and discernment for us to understand how to apply what the Bible says to every situation, but every situation scripture speaks to, I believe, from the bottom of my heart. And so, what scripture says, we believe. but what the Westminster divines called the right and necessary inferences that come from Scripture, those are also important.

Also, as we read through what scripture? As we take from scripture truth. The way that pans out in the future is also what scripture teaches. It's the what we call the necessary inference of what scripture teaches is also truth. So, verse 34 becomes very important

Genesis 25:34 “Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way."

So immediately after the meal. If we were to pause time and again, ask Jacob and Esau. Both of them would be happy with what took place there.

Esau eat eats and drinks and is on his Merry way. I said, this is the most expensive meal in the history of mankind. We're gonna go to Esau and say, hey, are you satisfied? Do you think this was a fair purchase? Yeah.

Jacob, I don't think we have to ask.... Do you think you do you think this was a good deal for you? Jacob, yes, of course. It was.

But the verse continues...

Thus Esau despised is Birthright.

The third point of view, the Heavenly point of view, is that this is a story of despising.

Despising

And the despising all comes from Esau. And this is what makes us interesting. I think for us, if we if we didn't have verse 34, and I would say this is a story about despising, but yeah, Jacob obviously despised Esau. He took advantage of his brother. That's not scripture's point of view. Scripture's point of view is Esau is the one despising something and what he despises is his Birthright!

And this becomes the great tragedy of Esau. This becomes the great heartbreak of this whole story.

Esau. Didn't think he was getting ripped off because he didn't think his Birthright had any value.

Whatever. Just take it. What good is a Birthright to me? If we go back and read what he says, “I'm about to die of what use is a Birthright to me”.

If we actually take this apart, what he's saying is more profound and more heartbreaking than just. I'm so hungry, I'm going to die. This is one of those things people say, and there's two levels of meaning, and both of them apply. On one hand, what it is pointing out his desperation. But the other is this: Esau has no frame of reference or way to calculate or understand that God's blessings are are greater and bigger than even his life.

His grandfather, Abraham, knew that. The book of Hebrews tells us that Abraham knew and understood God's promises were greater. He set his Hope on a city whose foundation and Builder is God. He put his hope in promises that after him, long after him, his children's, children's, children's children's children, would grow into a great and mighty Nation. Esau's Father, Isaac, when we saw him before he had a wife he was out in the field, praying, contemplating on the promises of God and looking forward to the promises of God that he would be blessed and be a blessing and from him would come a great nation.

The birthright that Isaac was looking forward to was one that would continue after he was dead and gone. And so, Esau. Despises that.. Bedcause, what good is a blessing to my children and my children's children's children? I need something NOW. What good, Esau is saying, are the promises of God? Ultimately, this is what Esau despises, and ultimately, this is the tragedy. Of this story.

Esau Does not care. About God's promises.

As I sat and thought, okay, what's the lesson for us to learn From this story.

There's a part of it that's yeah. Don't be Esau. Just give away the the blessings you have for something temporary and small. To use New Testament Pauline language, don't trade Small, Earthly, tangible pleasure for the Eternal weight of Glory.

There’s part of it where we look at Jacob. Yeah, sure, part of the lesson is. Don't go around taking advantage of people. It's a good scriptural principle. But lets be careful here.. because Jacob's never condemned for this. But that is besides the point.

Ultimately the lesson is: don't despise the good promises of God.

How do we do that? Well so many ways. There is a foundational way that we see in the people around us… We see this happen. I was watching… I'd fallen down the YouTube Rabbit Hole. I was watching a street evangelist who was out interacting with with people on the street.

One young lady asked him a question: They ask them a question. They said, well, if.. What if someone evil… what if someone like Hitler had repented. Would God forgive them?

And credit where it is due, The street preacher preacher didn't back down from difficult question, he said. If they truly repent it, God would forgive them. This person laughed. They said, then I don't want that God. This person's point of view is that they're more righteous, and they're better than God because they know some people don't deserve forgiveness. This person despise God's promises. That if anyone? If anyone? Confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God raised him from the dead. They will be saved. They despise God's promises. so that is one way that we can see it… we see his promises for life and redemption and hope and healing and think that we know we are not or someone else is not worthy, we place outselves in the place of judge and despise the good promises of God...

But there are other ways: So often despise God's promises. What are his foundationally? promises of salvation, hope, healing a future? Part of that we fell that God's promises that maybe aren't as great... And maybe they feel not as great. Maybe that's the better way to say this.

Jesus says they hated me. Don't be surprised when they hate you also.

Paul says, I've been crucified with Christ. It is thou now, therefore, no longer I, who live. But Christ, who lives in me? Jesus told us to TAKE UP OUR CROSS AND FOLLOW HIM

Paul; said that Daily, we must discipline our body daily. We must put in the work of being his.

But the end result of this is eternal life.

We so often despise God's promises because as Bonhoffer would say we desire cheap grace rather than costly grace.

but for me this week I would like to take you somewhere else. As i thought on and contemplated the promises of God that we despise I thought of the book of Acts… So lets look quickly there, specifically chapter 2

Peter in Acts chapter 2. In the first great sermon of the church, Peter preaching at the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit has come and empowered Believers. They are speaking in languages, understandable by all who are around them. But they're acting a little crazy, and every one else around is a little confused… like, I think these people are drunk. But why is it that they're speaking in our language? Everyone from around the world has come for the senses. Why are they speaking in our language?

Peters response is that it is Because we're not drunk. This is what was prophesied. He goes in all these prophecies. He's preaches the gospel Christ crucified. And the crowd is stirred. By his sermon.

Acts 2:37–39 “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

This promise is for us. For children's for everyone who will believe? If you believe in Jesus, you will be. Saved. But we think so temporally. We don't set our mind on Eternal, important things. repent, be born again, see the precious gift of Jesus. he is more than enough for all that we need. We think we need salvation AND… but has already given us everything we need!

Yet we despise God's good and precious promises. Salvation and eternal life is not enough…

Don't allow this story of despising be a story about us.

May we rest him, trust him, and hold on to tightly all of the precious promises of God.

Let's pray