Well last week our text was Hebrews 20. Versus Twelve through Uh 12 through 14. There we saw four things to combat discouragement. Four things for us to do. to renew our commitments to Christ.
to maintain the direction that we began from the day of our conversion. To develop good relationships with other people and to grow in holiness. Today, moving on to the next. verses that follow We are going to see four dangers to avoid. Last week, four things to do.
This week, four things to not do, four things to avoid. allowing to come into our lives. And in the flow of the text, this continues from last week's text. Last week we were Concerned with how to persevere in the Christian life like a race. We grow weary.
We get tired. What can we do to shore up our strength and to keep us going? In the way that we should go, and the four things to combat discouragement were part of that. But today we come to four things that are even more serious, I think, than discouragement. And they must be known.
and avoided very, very deliberately if we're going to thrive in our Christian sojourn. And so today, four dangers to avoid. for dangers that ruin churches and ruin professing Christians. And they are these. Number one, beware of an empty profession.
A counterfeit profession of faith. Number two. Beware of bitterness. Number three, beware of sexual immorality. And number four, Beware of irreverence.
Look at verses 15 through 17 in Hebrews chapter 12. 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. Lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one mor morsel of food sold his birthright 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. First of all, beware of an empty profession. I think this is far more common than many people realize. I think it is encouraged by Defective approaches, defective perspectives on Christianity. in our day.
And we're told here to look diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God. What is the grace of God?
Well, the grace of God is the grace of salvation. Titus 2.11 says, for the grace of God that brings salvation. has appeared to all men. And Preeminently, the word grace in the New Testament is in reference to salvation.
Some even argue that all references to grace pertain to salvation. I'm not quite sure. that I can sustain that, but certainly the majority of them. Grace is God's unmerited favor to undeserving sinners who cannot save themselves. And God, therefore, in mercy...
Brings the grace that works in our lives and brings us to salvation. And so. When we are told, looking carefully, lest anyone fall short of the grace of God, what we're talking about is looking carefully, lest anyone fail to be saved, lest anyone fail to arrive in heaven when they die. And he's writing to professing Christians. He's not writing to people who are known to be unconverted.
He's writing to people who have made a profession of faith, and yet there is this danger. Of having made a profession of faith that falls short of saving faith. An empty professor. Look carefully, lest anyone fall short of the grace of God.
So The grace of God is what brings salvation, and what does it mean to fall short of the grace of God?
Well, it means to fail to exercise saving faith. It is talking about people who are involved in Christian things, involved in Christianity. But without the new birth. People who Believe in the Christian religion. People who Identify themselves as Christians, people who are members of churches, and many of them are involved in the churches of which they are members.
People who think of themselves as Christians, but in fact are not true Christians, because Their profession of faith is one that falls short. of the grace of God, that is the saving grace of God. They will come If they do not If they do not acknowledge this need and come to Christ in true repentance and faith, They will come too late. to the door of salvation. They will be left out.
in the day of salvation. Remember Christ's parable about the ten virgins? Five had prepared themselves for the coming of the king and They had their oil in their lamps and their Lamp's wicks were trimmed and they were ready. for his coming. Five dallied around and paid attention to other things, and then suddenly The cry came out.
Behold, the king comes. And they said, oh, oh, we haven't prepared, we need oil. And they Tried to get some from the five prepared virgins, and the five prepared virgins basically said: it's not possible for us to share. our oil with you. You've got to get Get that for yourself.
You've got to get salvation for yourself. You can't get it from me. You can't get it from anybody else. You've got to take care of that individually. And so.
They went to do that, and while they did, the door was shut, and when they came back, they knocked on the door, but it was too late. Looking carefully. Lest anyone fall short. of the grace of God. To whom is this warning directed?
Well, it is directed both to individual church members about themselves as well as individual church members. in regard to fellow believers. First of all, it is a warning for all of us to examine our own lives. Looking carefully. This tells us that we need to inspect our hearts regularly and carefully before the Lord.
You recall the words Of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 13 in verse 5, where he said, Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless Indeed. You are disqualified.
Who's he writing to? the Corinthian church. Who's he writing to? The members of that church, who's he writing to? Professing Christians, professing church members.
What is he saying to them? Examine your hearts. Be sure that you have truly been born again. Be sure that your profession of faith represents the new birth. and that you are not merely professing something which is not true.
A similar warning to that in Hebrews. or the words of the Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 1.10. Therefore, brethren, Be even more diligent to make your call. And election Sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, following the list of seven qualities that he said we are to add to our faith.
virtue and knowledge and so forth. Brethren, be even more diligent to make your call. You say you have been called by the Spirit of God. to salvation, to believe in Christ. Make your call and election.
Peter wasn't embarrassed to talk about election. And he's writing to people who believed they were the elect of God because they had made a profession of faith. But he said, you better examine yourselves. Be diligent. to make your Professed call.
And your Professed election Certain. Because if there is not Fruit coming from your profession of faith. If you don't have any concern for these seven qualities that he said Christians are to add to their faith, if that is of no concern to you at all, then in almost Almost certain likelihood, I don't know if that's a good way to put it, but it's almost certain that. Your call is not the call of the Holy Spirit of God to salvation, your claim to election is actually not so. How does one tell if one is and one of the elect of God.
By the evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life. God doesn't tell us who the elect are, that's reserved to him. But when he brings people to acknowledge their sin and to repent of it and to cast themselves upon Jesus Christ for salvation, and when the new birth occurs and there's a change of direction, a change of desires, and a desire to serve the Lord, to please him, to honor him with your life. Then these evidences are the evidences of salvation. They are, in fact, the evidences of election.
But look diligently. To make your call. And election. Sure.
Well, isn't that what the writer of Hebrews is saying here? In verse 15 of chapter 12, looking carefully lest anyone Fall short. of the grace of God. Do not rest upon a past decision. as your assurance of salvation.
So many are taught to do that. I hear it. Even yet from time to time. Usually on the radio.
Somebody who comes to the end of a sermon and issues an invitation, as it's generally called. And they say something like this.
Now, If you have never done this before, ask Jesus Christ to be your Savior.
Now, if you've ever done that before, you don't have to do it again. But if you've never done this before, ask Jesus Christ to be your Savior. And if you do, you will be assured of eternal life. That doesn't sound like what the writer of Hebrews is saying. That doesn't sound like what the Apostle Paul is saying.
That doesn't sound like what Peter is saying. You can't rest upon a past decision alone. Obviously, if God works in your heart, Shows your sin. humbles you before the Savior, shows you your need of Christ. And by his working within you, you call out to him for salvation.
Quote, make a decision for Christ. Of course, that decision is a work of the Holy Spirit in your heart, and the evidence that it is, is in what follows that. It's not because you raised a hand. It's not because you walked in aisle. It's not because you prayed a prayer.
It is because the Holy Spirit has regenerated you. It is because you have truly been born from above. And if that's true, there will be evidence of that in your life. And if the evidence isn't there, don't be deceived by a counterfeit. Profession of faith.
Be sure you have evidences. Of spiritual fruit, a changed life An individual Professing Christians, individual church members are to examine themselves in this regard, and individual church members are to. Look to those around them, to their fellow church members, to help them in this regard as well. Because in every church, there are undoubtedly some. Who have made a profession of faith but have not yet been born again.
And there is no question that in American churches today there are many, many, many unconverted church members. Only God knows the exact number. I have read opinions and estimates of some men. I have Read more than one opinion. In regard to how many members of Southern Baptist churches are unconverted, And some godly men in Who's Life I I I'm pleased to endorse and to be Um to give them honor.
have have estimated as high as three quarters. Of the members. of the average Southern Baptist Church. have never been born again. Yeah.
Who knows? It may not be that high, hopefully not that high. But they're a lot. Suppose it's only 25%. It's a lot.
I remember how surprised I was years ago walking into a. the um building of a Southern Baptist church.
Someone wanted to show me the building and it was a beautiful building. And there was a board, for their attendance board. And it said something like this. Um I think they actually posted the number of members in the church and it was around 3,000. The um The Secretary, who was showing us around, was so proud to announce that they had just passed their 3,000th member.
The board indicated Another number, I forget what that was, but that number was around 1,000. And then it indicated the attendance at Sunday school the last Sunday, and it was like 300.
Now, obviously, you can't get every member in church on every occasion.
Some are sick and so on and so forth, but 3,000 members, and only one-tenth of them show up for Sunday school. And maybe a few more than that are present for church. Does that occur to you that something might be amiss? Looking carefully. List anyone Fall short.
of the grace of God. There are many unconverted church members. There are some in this congregation today who would give testimony. that you became a member of this church thinking you were saved and then under the preaching of God's Word you came to true repentance and the Holy Spirit brought true regeneration. You were saved after you were a member of Beacon Baptist Church.
Thank God for that. That's one of the things that That God does brings people to churches where the word is proclaimed and to show them their. False profession of faith to cause them to realize that they've never been born again, so that they might understand that in time to repent. and trust Christ. Because some glide along without any spiritual disturbance until They die and it's too late.
They go as professing Christians and as active church members. into the fires of hell. Look diligently. Look diligently that that doesn't happen to you, and look diligently to the people around you. Give attention to them.
Help them when you see some who are fellow church members who don't give evidence. Or, at least, not strong evidence of genuine conversion. Get to know them, talk to them, help them. point them, show them. All that you can.
for their souls' welfare.
So number one, Beware of a false confession of faith. Number two, beware of bitterness. That's also found in verse 15. looking carefully, lest any one fall short of the grace of God, and then this, lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble. And by this many.
Become defiled. A root of bitterness. Springing up. Causing trouble. and defiling many.
What is the root of bitterness? This is a reference, no doubt, to Deuteronomy chapter 29. And Moses is getting the children of Israel ready to go into the promised land. They are. on the east side of Jordan, in the land of Moab.
They're getting ready to cross over. And he's reviewing. Many of the things that were covered with them at Mount Sinai, but that goes back 40 years.
So this is a new generation. And he says in verse 18, he's reviewing these things for this reason. Deuteronomy 29, 18, so that there may not be among you Man or woman or family or tribe. whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations and That there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness Or Wormwood. That's what the writer of Hebrews is drawing from, and of course, he's writing to.
Hebrews who are professing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but as Hebrews, they would be very familiar. With the Old Testament scriptures, and they would know this text in Deuteronomy, and so that would come back to mind when. The writer says, lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble. and by this many become defiled.
So what is a root of bitterness?
Well the word wormwood is its translated in the text in Deuteronomy that I read a moment ago. means deadly poison. A root of bitterness is something that produces poison, that is, poison to. Spiritual life to spiritual health. It is inward hostility towards some aspect of the truth of God's Word.
Something that this person Does not believe because They don't like it. And Because they chafe against it. And Struggling in that fashion over a period of time creates great bitterness within. And A bitterness, it's like a poison that is poisoning their system, their. relationship with God and will spill out others eventually.
It's a doctrine or practice of God's Word that is rejected and opposed. It could be any number of things. Take the Bible teaching on the sovereignty of God.
Now, in the first place, nearly every Christian says, I believe in the sovereignty of God. But then, when you start defining it in certain areas, they say, well, no, no, I don't mean that. I don't believe that God's sovereign in that area. And it takes a while. I don't say that everyone who doesn't immediately embrace the full sovereignty of God.
Has got a root of bitterness within them, but I am convinced. that people who Who become aware of that doctrine and don't like it, and because they don't like it, they reject it. Not because they truly think it's not taught, but they reject it because they don't like it. are are very subject to developing a root of bitterness. Part of the Part of the Area of the sovereignty of God and salvation is the doctrine of unconditional election.
That does not sit well. with people. You know that. Many of you found that very difficult. in former days.
But As you looked for it as you thought about it as you wrestled with it As you kept returning to the Bible and to what it says. You finally became convinced that this is, in fact, what the Bible teaches, and you surrendered to it. Which is probably why you're here instead of instead of a another church that would not embrace that doctrine. But there are people Who Wrestle with it. And come to believe it could be true.
They don't, you know, but they're not sure. But they're not even willing to consider it. I don't like it, therefore I won't believe it. And so, what I'm saying is, there may be people who don't believe the doctrine of election in whom there is no root of bitterness, but there are people who. having confronted the doctrine and been confronted with it and being being challenged to examine it.
And Rejecting it not really because It's not what the Bible teaches. It's not what they want the Bible to teach. And they're determined to insist that that isn't what the Bible teaches when clearly it really does.
So that creates a turmoil inside and sometimes will produce. a root of bitterness. And on and on and on it goes. any aspect of of Bible doctrine, Bible instruction, that people Become aware of and then are unwilling to surrender to. may produce a root of bitterness, a poison, a spiritual poison within them.
that can and eventually will affect others as well. What does this bitterness produce?
Well, the Bible tells us it produces trouble. lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, cause trouble within the person who has it. Cause defilement. He goes on to say, and by this many be defiled. The word defiled is derived from a Greek word which means to give color by painting or staining.
Here's something that's white, you paint it blue. You have. changed the colour. Dramatically. You've covered up what was there with something that's different.
And that's defilement. When you take something that Is Revealed to you in the Word of God, and because you don't like it, you find some way to cover it. Maybe you scratch around until you. Find some texts that you think you can use to cancel out the ones you don't like. But the Bible doesn't contradict itself, so you haven't really done that.
What you've done is. is appropriate misappropriated. text to cancel Other texts.
So you've changed the color. of what God's Word says. You've stained it, you've painted it. You have defiled it. You have In your mind reconciled yourself to something that you disagree with by pronouncing a different A different doctrine, a different meaning than what the Bible actually means.
And that's what bitterness produces. It produces defilement. It produces false doctrine and sinful practices in regard to to the Word of God. And how widespread is this danger?
Well, evidently, it does become widespread. It says many. By this springing up, causing trouble, by this many become... defiled. It defiles the person who develops.
This poison this bitterness within and they eventually will defile others to the extent that they are able.
Some reject truth from the Bible and they will just fall away and disappear from Churches that teach the truth that they don't. desire. But others Well Stay In place in order To try to undermine, in order to try to defile, in order to try to persuade. others in the congregation to come to their defiled understanding, misunderstanding of scripture. rather than to continue to believe what they have come to believe.
And if they do not stay, for one reason or another, they leave, they may stay in touch with. the church in one way or another. to arouse discontent and to produce defilement. That's easier today than ever because of Facebook and other internet connections, people. Can leave a church and then spend the rest of their days snipping and sniping and.
Raising questions and trying to create discontent and to criticize And People that are determined, evidently, to bring as many others along with them in the defilement. That has occurred within them, the poisonous error that has occurred within them. And when you see that kind of conduct being employed, being involved in that is a pretty good signal that that person has a root of bitterness. If you've come to a different conclusion, just go your way quietly. Why are you trying to spend?
Why have you suddenly decided that your mission in life is to to persuade as many people as you can. to disbelieve what They believe, to make them unhappy in their church, to raise criticisms and questions about. what they are learning from the Word of God. What causes a person to act like that. Root of bitterness.
Beware. A root of bitterness. that springing up causes trouble. And by this many become defiled. There's a third thing to avoid, and that is sexual immorality.
For the text goes on in verse 16 to say, lest there be any fornicator. Lest there be any fornicator, we'll stop there. Fornication is the word as it's translated here. And the Greek word that underlines it, that is translated fornication. is a broad word that speaks of any and all sexual immorality.
In art English use of the word fornication today, we generally mean something. like a category of sexual activity that is not adultery. Maybe premarital sex, so we call it, we have another name for that. We can't call that adultery, we call that fornication. But in the biblical use of the term, any Sexual activity outside of the bonds of marriage is fornication.
That's the big umbrella term. And then one of the subcategories under that is adultery, which involves, of course, specifically. Sexual activity by someone who is married with someone who is not their marriage partner. And so under fornication you have Premarital sex. Under fornication, you have Same sex.
Activity. Under fornication, you have anything, any sexual activity that does not fall into the category of the undefiled marriage bed. Remember what the writer of Hebrews said? The marriage bed is honorable in all things and undefiled. But fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
And so You need to be careful, to look carefully, lest there be any Fornicator.
Now the question in regard to this text is Does the writer of Hebrews use this term fornication As a A form of spiritual immorality, spiritual. Um straying. or actual physical sexual immorality. Because it is true, as you know, that in the Old Testament, the straying of Israel to the worship of idols instead of Yahweh, the true and living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. is regularly characterized as adultery.
These are my people. They have become my wife. said Jehovah God, And yet they are straying from me. and are worshipping idols and that is characterized as Adultery spiritual Adultery. Is that what the Rite of Hebrews is talking about here?
Well, you have to realize that pagan worship. almost in every case involved sexual immorality, physical sexual immorality. Involved. temple prostitutes and so forth involved Sexual immorality in relationship with that pagan worship.
So When God is accusing Israel of adultery, when they go to worship other gods. In nearly every case, and perhaps all cases, we really can't be sure, it probably combines both ideas. It is spiritual adultery to worship another God but the one true God that you are. that you are bound to, that you are committed to. And that you have pledged yourself to, like a marriage pledge, that you will be faithful to this God and this God alone, the one true and living God.
But having gone astray to Pagan worship, you have almost certainly become at the same time involved in pagan Uh Idol worship immorality, idol immoral idol worship.
So that both are involved. In fact, that that's the big draw so often among pagan idolaters. is that their worship Sanctions Sexual immorality is part of their worship, and so people are. not only allowed but actually encouraged and even instructed to enter into sexual practices that their sinful heart desires. that are contrary to the word of God, but in this religion, It is allowed, it is practiced, it is sanctioned, it is required.
Yippee ya yo ka ye. I can be religious and I can indulge my sexual, sinful desires at the same time. Therefore, I've come to the conclusion. that this text in Hebrews is no doubt talking about actual physical fornication, physical immorality. I take this to be literal.
Lest there be Any fornicator.
Now, who is this immoral person, lest there be any fornicator?
Well, it goes on to say, or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. And so this May be indicating that Esau was. a an an immoral man. A fornicator. The Old Testament does not record that about Esau.
It records that he married two Canaanite wives, and that didn't please. his parents and so he married another a third wife that was Um was of the family at least of in the line of Abraham. Though not through Isaac and Jacob. But it doesn't record Esau going out and having sexual relations with those who were not his wives. But Jewish writers unanimously declared that Esau was an immoral man.
Are they correct? I don't know. Where did they get the information? I don't know. So It's not clear whether this text in verse 16 is joining together Fornication.
and profanity. to the man Esau, or whether it's giving one category something to beware, namely fornication, And then a second category of something to beware, namely profanity, which is attached to Esau. I don't know that I can answer the question of that. That particular relationship, but I'm not sure that it matters as far as the warning of the text. Because the text is just simply saying to professing Christians, to people who are in churches, watch out for fornication.
Beware of that. It's a constant problem. This is addressed to Christian Professing Christians in general, whether Esau is such an example or not. This is a constant problem to be fiercely avoided. And how widespread is this problem in our day?
And by my experience and observation, I would say it is exceedingly widespread. Widely practiced. Widely tolerated, within Many may be the great majority of American churches. Sad to say. Most Churches, most Pastors.
Are afraid to say anything about it because there's so many people in their congregation that are involved in it. And they Risk angering them if they bring this up and remind them that this is not acceptable to God. And they risk having these people leave their church, wouldn't that be a terrible shame? If they don't repent, And Let go of their immoral practices and leave the church instead, or get rid of the pastor, or both. I think you, if you don't already know this by your own.
experience and observation, I think you would be astonished. At how many members of churches, most of the churches in America. How many of those members are involved in adulterous relationships, sometimes with people right there in the church. And it's known. But nobody will say anything.
Nobody will confront it. Nobody. dares to speak out and say this ought not to be. But the writer of Hebrews said, This is a serious danger. to you and to your churches.
Looking carefully. lest there be any fornicator. We've got to be aware that this is a great danger. to Christians and to churches. And the Bible is clear that it ought not to be tolerated.
Remember how Paul dealt with this in the Corinthian church, in 1 Corinthians chapter 5. The church had a man. in the church, who's a member of the congregation. who was living with his stepmother. And this was known and it was ongoing.
And Paul deals with it in 1 Corinthians 5, and he Proclaims to the church, declares to the church that they need to put this man out of the church if he will not repent. and leave off this relationship. And Paul's greatest Condemnation is not to the man who's doing it, though obviously he's included in Paul's condemnation, but his greatest condemnation is to the church that allows it. How dare you allow such a thing in your church? This should not be tolerated in churches of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is grievous. sin before God and a grievous debauchery of testimony before the world. And you Stand silently by and tolerated, and pat yourself on the back that we are. We are very tolerant in our church. Aren't we loving and tolerant?
Watch out. Immorality It's a great snare. There must be dealt with, it must be avoided. For indeed, dear folks, how can we confront the sins of society if we? are willing to tolerate those of our own.
We shouldn't be allowing these A transgender Boys pretending they're girls to be playing in women's sports and playing in our locker rooms. No, we shouldn't. But neither should we be tolerating members of churches who are living immorally and continuing as. as active, qualified members of our church. How can we point out the sins of the world and Call for change when we're not willing to deal with our own sins and bring about change.
I warned you to prepare for this in the email I sent out. I said this is one of the warning passages in the book of Hebrews. It is. It's a strong one. We've got to be Serious about it.
And then the final one is to beware Irreverence. And you might think, well, whew, we finally come to something that I'm sure it's not good, but it's not going to be quite so bad. But that's the idea of the profane person. lest there be any fornicator. Or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.
What is a profane person? A profane person is one who lacks awareness or lacks respect for things spiritual. who lives entirely for things temporal, rather than those things which are eternal. And who's an example of this? Clearly, Esau.
Whether he's an example of a fornicator or not, we do not know, but he's clearly an example of a profane person. In fact, his profanity is described, and we read about it in Genesis. Twenty Five. He's Who for one morsel of food sold his birthright? He didn't value his birthright.
And what was his birthright?
Well, the birthright was the special privileges that came to the firstborn son. In the line.
Well, in in Jewish society in general. But And and in the Even in the other societies around Israel in that day. But particularly it was a special matter be through through Abraham, because the the Call of God upon Abraham that involved eventually the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah. was part of that birthright. Abraham passed on that premise of God, that covenant, that birthright, to Isaac.
And that now became his. And Isaac passed it on. Two. Jacob, but Esau was the firstborn, not Jacob. But God had already declared that the elder shall serve the younger and that Jacob was going to be God's choice for this, but Esau saw So lightly esteemed.
The privilege is a birthright. that when he was hungry he was willing to give it up. For a meal of stew. For a bowl of soup. You say that's incredible.
Well It might be an extreme example. But I tell you, there are millions of people. Who will Trade serious concerns about spiritual and eternal matters for. The immediate gratification of pleasure. Yes, I know that I ought to give attention to my soul's salvation, to my relationship with God, but.
First, I've got to Continue enjoying this. First, I've got to continue to pursue that. First, I've got to. to pursue these other things that I delight in, I enjoy, and I know that that they need to change and and should change if I come to Christ. I'm not going to do that.
I'm going to continue my sinful. pleasure rather than give attention. to eternity. How foolish is that? Everybody's going to die some day.
What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? In that day, you'd give anything in exchange for your soul. But In the immediate you might be trading your soul salvation for something that is Not much more valuable than a bowl of soup, like Esau did. It may be your Enjoyment of immorality. It may be other pursuits.
that you know are contrary to the word of God. And yet you're not willing to give those up, at least not yet. You're acting like a profane person. who values temporal things more than spiritual things. It is in the verge, on the verge of great danger.
Esau squandered eternal benefits for immediate gratification. And the serious consequence of that was that having made that decision, he. did not find an opportunity to reverse that, did he? That's what verse 17 is all about. For you know that afterwards, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected.
For he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. How do you explain that?
Well, the word repentance means a change of mind. On the day that Esau was hungry and smelled Jacob's Stew. His His decision, his his The the Decision of his mind was I want that stew, I need it. Why, if I don't get that right now, I'm going to die.
Well, of course, that isn't true. And he knew that, and everybody knows that, but that's the way he felt. This is the most important thing in my life right now. I would I need that, and I want that more than I want my birthright.
Well, some years passed. And he began to question that decision. Maybe I gave up my birthright too easily, too quickly. Maybe there are Good pudding. great advantages attached to my birthright that I'd like to have back.
But He couldn't get them back. You remember? The uh Jake The uh two boys were brought to him one after another through the conniving of of Rebecca, goodness gracious, we don't won't go into all of that. But anyway, Esau put his hands upon Jacob, who he thought was Esau, and conferred the birthright and the blessing to him. And then Esau came in.
and found out that He'd been tricked once again by that deceiver Jacob. And that his father had given the birthright to his brother. And he cried and he begged, Oh Father, Don't you have something for me, too? And his father said, Well, I can give you a blessing, but I can't give you the blessing of the birthright. That's gone.
It's too late. It can't be reversed. There's no repentance. There's no change of mind. There's no change of consequence here.
The act is done. The consequence has already come. You. You don't have it anymore. I don't know if Isaac was aware that Jacob had, that Esau had sold it for a bowl of stew or not, but.
At any rate, he knew I Isaac knew. He knew that what had taken place there was was the will of God. that the birthright should go to the younger, not to the elder. even though that wasn't his choice, but that was God's choice. And there was no changing that.
It was done, it was too late. And all of Esau's tears couldn't bring it back. Esau changed his mind about his birthright. He wept at the prospect of losing it. But there's no indication that he acknowledged his sin.
There's no indication that he surrendered his will to God. We see sorrow, but it's for the sorrow for the consequences of his folly. not that he so grievously sinned against God, And because of that, there's no change of consequences. It's too late. It's been done.
It's over.
Well, all of this teaches us the need for regular self-examination. We should be doing that day by day. We should be doing that in connection with the Lord's table. That's one of the purposes for it. And that's one of the reasons why the Lord commanded that we observe it.
And that's one of the reasons why God's people ought to make it a priority. It's a time of self-examination. And furthermore, we need to look out not only for our own spiritual welfare, but for the welfare of others. That's a whole subject in itself, and we'll save that for another day. And finally, this is a reminder of the dangers of delay.
If God has shown you something in your life that needs attention today, I beg with you, I plead with you, don't put it off. Don't delay. The potential consequences of your delay. are so great Deal with it now. Shall we pray?
Father, seal this passage of truth to our hearts today, we pray. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Okay.
