“MORTGAGING ETERNITY”

GENESIS 25:19-34

19  These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham was the father of Isaac,

20  and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean.

21  Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.

22  The children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it is to be this way, why do I live?" So she went to inquire of the LORD.

23  And the LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger."

24  When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb.

25  The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau.

26  Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27  When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.

28  Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29  Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished.

30  Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!" (Therefore he was called Edom.)

31  Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright."

32  Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?"

33  Jacob said, "Swear to me first." 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.

Don’t feel sorry for Esau. I repeat don’t feel sorry for Esau. You see he doesn’t deserve any sympathy whatsoever. That’s because he made what can only be described as an indubitably dumb decision.

His predicament reminds me of a conversation that FDR had one evening while hosting a banquet at the White House. FDR was greeting the guests as they arrived for the banquet.  He began to wonder if people were really paying attention to what was being said.  So, he decided to find out. As each guest shook his hand FDR smiled and said, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” Without really thinking about it people responded by saying things like, “That’s nice,” and “You’re doing great.  Keep up the good work.”  That’s the way it went until FDR came to one of the foreign diplomats. “I murdered my grandmother this morning,” he said again. That startled the diplomat who didn’t know what to say. So, he just nodded his head and said, “Well, I’m sure she had it coming to her.”

Esau got what was coming to him.  He got exactly what he deserved.  I mean what was he thinking? The decision he had to make that day was a no-brainer! The choice was between a bowl of chili and his birthright. I don’t care how hungry Esau was that day. It was a choice between filling his tummy now versus the privilege and prestige of being God’s chosen people. And what did Esau do? In the end he went with his tummy and the rest as they say is history. Esau turned his back on his birthright.

By the way, that’s exactly what God said would happen. Before the brothers were born, God told their mother Rebekah that the elder was going to “serve the younger.”  Neither of the brothers, however, covered himself with glory that day. Jacob showed himself to be a master manipulator who couldn’t be trusted.  Esau. On the other hand, showed himself to be a single-minded simpleton who couldn’t see anything beyond his empty stomach.

Neither of the brothers was a pillar of virtue or a paragon of goodness. Esau, however, is the one we’re going to focus on this morning and that’s kind of scary. It’s kind of scary because I know Esau. In fact, I see him every day.  He lives here in town. You probably see him from time to time as well.  Sometimes you see him in the coffee shop. Sometimes you see him driving along Route 128. Some of you may even work with him. Actually, you may be looking at him right now. You see I know there’s a little bit of Esau in me. Maybe you see a little bit of Esau in yourself as well. Like it or not, Esau is alive and well in our superficial super size it, SUV, shop till you drop society.

Unfortunately, a lot of people today think the way Esau thought that day. The only thing that mattered to Esau was the bowl of chili. The only thing that really matters to a lot of people today is getting ahead and getting what you want.  So, you grab for all gusto you can get.  After all, he who dies with the most toys wins. Right?  That approach to life can been seen in the way a yuppie reacted after he was involved in a serious car accident.  Actually, do they still call young urban professionals yuppies?  Oh well, after the accident this young urban professional found himself lying along the side of the road. When the EMT’s arrived they quickly rushed to give him the medical attention that he needed. “Don’t worry,” they said reassuringly.  “You’ve been in an accident. Your car is totaled, but we’re going to get you to the hospital as soon as we can.”  “Oh no,” the young urban professional wailed. “My BM’er, my BM’er, my poor BM’er.” The EMT’s couldn’t believe it. “Hey,” they said, “You’re lucky to be alive. You’re lying here with one arm missing and you’re worried about your BMW?” “Oh no,” the young urban professional wailed, “my Rolex, my Rolex.”

Now most people aren’t that bad.  Esau wasn’t that bad either. Still the only thing that mattered to him that day was that bowl of chili.  In the same way a lot of people are convinced that acquiring and accumulating material thins is what life is all about. If that’s the best way to live your life, however, then I’ve got a question. Why are so many people today wrestling with feelings of loneliness, hopelessness and a sense of meaninglessness?

The answer is simple.  It’s because the key to life won’t be found in that bowl of chili.  It will only be found by being faithful to your birthright.  Esau’s birthright was to be one of the fathers of the chosen people.  His birthright was to lead his sons and daughters down the path to the Promised Land. Your birthright is in the promise of that heavenly banquet that’s waiting for you in God’s kingdom. It’s in the promise that because Christ lives you will live also.

You weren’t created for sushi, cell phones and a really smooth bottle of Chardonnay.  You were created for everlasting love and eternal life.   You were created to love and be loved. That is your birthright.

A woman seemed to understand that one day when she went into a gift shop that sold religious items.  While she was browsing she noticed a display of hats right next to the register.  All of the hats had the letters WWJD printed on them. “What do these letters mean?” she asked the woman at the register.  “Well,” the woman at the register said. “The letters stand for ‘What Would Jesus Do.’  They’re supposed to help you avoid making rash decisions.  You remember the letters and then ask yourself what Jesus would do if he were in your shoes.”  “I see,” the woman said as she stood there holding on of the hats.  Finally, after thinking about it she put the hat back. “Well,” she said, “I don’t think Jesus would pay $22.95 for one of these hats.”

When you’re faithful to your birthright you live your life differently. Your values are different. Your hopes are different. Your dreams are different. You even approach life’s problems differently. You also realize that the person who wins isn’t the person who dies with the most toys. The person who really wins is the person who gives away the most toys.

One man got the message to remember his birthright in a rather unusual way.  It happened many years ago when people spent their evenings listening to the radio.  One evening the man sat down in his comfortable easy chair to listen to a program of sacred music.  The program was live. So, when everything appeared to be ready, the announcer made his introductions. Unfortunately, one of the tenors wasn’t ready. So, the venerable old conductor refused to raise his baton. He just stood there and waited. Because of that the only thing that was being broadcast was complete silence. After what seemed like an eternity, the announcer became impatient. Unfortunately, he forgot that his microphone was still on when he grumbled, “Get on with it, you old goat!”  People at home didn’t know what to think. Well, a few days later the radio station got a letter from the man who had been listening to the broadcast from the comfort of his easy chair. Instead of being upset, he thanked them for the faux pas. The man explained that he’d been in a rut and wasn’t doing much of anything with his life. So, when he heard the words, “Get on with it, you old goat!” he took it as a personal message from God to make some long overdue changes in his life.

“Get on with it.” That’s the message that you hear when you live your life the way Esau lived his life. That’s the message that you hear when you decide that there’s nothing more important in life than that bowl of chili. The message that you hear when you’re faithful to your birthright is very different. That’s when you hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.  Enter into the joy of your master.”  Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

July 10, 2005