Redeemer Reformed Church of Oklahoma City

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. –Genesis 25:29-34

The Tree of the Knowledge of God and Evil, i.e., the Tree of Judicial Knowledge, stood before Adam. He would someday be ready for it, but not yet. Satan tempts them to hurry up and take the authority quickly. They did. It is sin to take even what the Lord has for us before he gives it to us, and it is costly.

Jacob is destined, like Adam, someday to have the authority. Satan comes along and offers a shortcut. God has already promised that “the older shall serve the younger.” But Jacob felt clever enough to snatch it before he was ready for it. This was sin, and it was costly.

Esau was willing to exchange what is of eternal value for a brief moment’s pleasure. He scarfed it down, jumped up, and left without a thought. It was costly. We would have room to criticize him if we didn’t do the same thing every day.

One of these men regards the blessing of eternal value less than a bowl of soup, and the other treats it as a commodity to be bought and sold. Which one should the Lord save? That answer proves that the grace of God is synonymous with the sovereignty of God.

Instead of a Jacob or Esau, what we have is a Savior whose birthright was to be equal with God and superior to all in creation. Yet he did not grasp it greedily or early, but freely gave himself up for others. He washed feet, touched the sick, and ate with sinners. While his people trampled underfoot their birthright, he bought it back with more than silver or gold: he bought it with his own precious blood, and that was costly.

And that’s the gospel! Come hear it preached and enacted in the supper with Jesus this Sunday.

The related hymns we’ll sing are:
Come, Christians, Join to Sing
The Beatitudes
Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us

Our Community Lunch is this coming Sunday following the worship service. For more information, click here.

Sunday school for children (in Genesis) and adults (in Galatians) is continues. Coffee and other treats are served at 9:15, teaching begins at 9:30, and we break to get ready for worship at 10:15. 

Visitors are always welcome!