The Birthright of the Redeemed:

Lessons from Esau, Jacob, and the Sons of Israel

NOTES FROM A SERMON PRESENTED BY DR. GREG SLOOP AT THE KANNAPOLIS CHURCH OF GOD. FOR VIDEO OF SERVICES, GO TO THE CHURCH WEBSITE, HTTP://WWW.KCOG.ORG, AND CLICK ON THE LIVESTREAM LINK TO VIEW LIVE OR FOR A REPLAY OF THE SERVICES. YOU MAY ALSO WATCH LIVE OR A REPLAY ON the DR. Greg SLOOP FACEBOOK PAGE. FOR AUDIO OF THE SERVICES, GO To THE WEBSITE, kcog.org, AND CLICK ON THE MEDIA PAGE.

May 21, 2023

November 14, 2021

29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom.
31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”
33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.”
So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Genesis 25:29–34 (NKJV)

• Qualities of the Birthright
  • The Birthright is Precious and Valuable
  • Do Not Take the Birthright for Granted
  • Don’t Let Your Flesh Get in the Way of the Birthright
  • The Birthright Can Be Lost or Taken From You
  • You Can Be Replaced!

14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.

Hebrews 12:14–17 (NKJV)

17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

Hebrews 9:11–15 (NKJV)

5 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright; 2 yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s—3 the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

1 Chronicles 5:1–3 (NKJV)

• The Passing of the Birthright
  • Birthright and Birth Order (Reuben)
  • The Loss of the Birthright Because of Sin
    • Reuben’s Fall
    • Genesis 35:21–22 (NKJV)
    • 21 Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 22 And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it.
    • Genesis 49:3–4 (NKJV)
    • 3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
    • 4 Unstable as water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it—He went up to my couch.
  • Being Called to the Birthright (Joseph)
  • Saving the Nation and Leading the Nation
    • Joseph’s Ascendance
    • Genesis 48:21–22 (NKJV)
    • 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”
  • Being Chosen for the Birthright (Judah)
  • Bearing the Savior of the Nation
    • Judah’s Call
    • Genesis 49:8–10 (NKJV)
    • 8 “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;Your father’s children shall bow down before you.
    • 9 Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
    • 10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

• Takeaway Thoughts
  • Jesus is the Firstborn Among the Redeemed. He is our older Brother.
  • Because of Christ, we have a birthright!
  • We can be saved because of Christ.
  • We can serve because of Christ.
  • Don’t treat your birthright casually. Treasure it and live in it!