"What Use Is a Birthright to Me?"
(Mid-week message for House Church and individual use: preached 8/22 – 8/28/2021)
“Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?”
(Genesis 25:32, ESV)
Introduction
Thanks be to God that you have taken the red pill! (An allusion to the famous scene in the movie “The Matrix.”)
“Any right, privilege, or possession into which a person is born, such as an estate descendible by law to an heir, or civil liberty under a free constitution.” (Webster, Noah. Birthright. Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary unabridged, 2nd ed. William Collins + World Publishing co., Inc., 1978, pp. 186-187.)
“I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” – Esau, the firstborn son of the great Patriarch Isaac, and grandson to Abraham, that greatest patriarch of all, : Esau, the inheritor of earthly blessings… and nothing else!
This is the story of how he lost everything – that mattered.
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.[e]) 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. (Genesis 25:29-34, ESV)
I. What use is this birthright of precepts?
- Freedom
“And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.” (Psalm 119:45)
A. Ability
“Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.” (Psalm 119:27)
B. Wisdom
“I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.” (Psalm 119:99)
II. What use is this birthright of prayer?
A. God is gathering.
“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” (Psalm 56:8)
B. God is giving.
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7)
III. What use is this birthright of praise?
“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11)
A. The right life.
B. The complete life.
C. The eternal life.
D. The wrong life: “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” (1 Timothy 5:6)
IV. What use is this birthright of preaching?
A. Promise given
“For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.” (Luke 21:15)
B. Promise fulfilled
“And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.” (Acts 6:10)
V. What use is this birthright of power?
A. Power promised to accomplish your mission
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28:18)
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
B. Power received to accomplish your mission
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:4)
“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31)
VI. What use is this birthright of peace?
A. Peace with God.
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)
B. Peace of God.
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
C. Peace with others.
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:18)
VII. What use is this birthright of being a prince?
A. You are the prince!
“And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” (Genesis 32:28)
B. Yours is the heritage!
“But the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.” (Deuteronomy 32:9, ESV)
“He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.” (Psalm 111:6)
C. You will reign on the earth!
“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:10)
D. You will reign a thousand years!
“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6)
E. You will reign forever!
“And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 22:5)
OUTLINE:
“What Use Is a Birthright to Me?”
(A Message to Members of the Body of Christ)
“Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” (Genesis 25:32, ESV)
I. What use is this birthright of precepts?
II. What use is the birthright of prayer?
III. What use is the birthright of praise?
IV. What use is the birthright of preaching?
V. What use is the birthright of power?
VI. What use is the birthright of peace?
VII. What use is the birthright of being a prince?
WORSHIP:
National Anthem of Israel – Beautiful Version (English Subtitles)