Movies and other story-forms are like mirrors. They show the best and worst of man—our ambitions to do good and our appetites to do evil. In Wall Street starring Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen, billions of dollars of stocks are sold daily. So are the souls of the young, ambitious, and talented men with greedy appetites. The most quoted line inin Wall Street is a reflection of appetities:
"Greed is good." Gordon Gekko
Appetites like greed may be the engine that drives free enterprise according to Gordon Geeko, but it bankrupts men of more than money seen in the demise of the young intern, Carl Fox. Souls and spiritual blessings can be robbed. Not everything has a buy/sale option.
But we live in a time when it seems everything is for sale. On the on-line marketplace site—eBay—people have sold a town for $2.5 million; the fingernail clippings of a serial killer for $10.00; and an entrepreneur even advertised "Nothing! Absolutely Nothing," for sale. He got six bids, and “Nothing” sold for $1.03 which might seem pricey, but the shipping, naturally, was free. An atheist even offered to go to seven worship services of the highest bidder. He got $500. He joked, “I thought my soul would be worth at least a grand.” All kidding aside, the movie Wall Street does prompt the question: Are spiritual blessings for sale?
Who gets the blessings of God? How does appetite factor in?
Appetites—we all have them: the things we just can’t say no to. They are, in a way, our price tag—chocolate, power, popularity, stew. You see it on eBay, and you’ve got to have it. But one thing is not for sale—the promises of God.
In Genesis 25, we see what can happen when some appetites meet the promises of God. A set of twins—Esau and Jacob—will have to decide for themselves the value of the blessings derived from the God’s promise. Only one brother will be in a position to carry on the line to bring to pass the unprecedented covenant promise of the Seed—the God-Son who will save and bless all mankind. This promise is seen in The Seed: The Greatest Story Ever Told.
In Genesis 25: 29-34, we will see who gets the blessings of God—the one who manages the portfolio of his appetite. Today’s text offers three tips: First, don’t sell out to your appetites because appetites can trade short-term gains over God’s long-term blessings. Second, don’t sell out to your appetites because appetites can undervalue resources and undermined relationships. Finally, don’t sell out to your appetites because appetites can reflect your careless relationship with God.
As you continue to observe Lent, reflect on your appetites and the promises of God. What’s more valuable to you. Here’s an most important insider tip: God’s promises—it’s not about eBay but obey.
First, don’t sell out to your appetites because appetites can trade short-term gains over God’s long-term blessings. Esau placed more value in the immediate gratification of his flesh over the blessings of God. We see the sale of the century and the priority of Esau in verses 29-30:
Now Jacob cooked some stew, and when Esau came in from the open fields, he was famished. 30 So Esau said to Jacob, “Feed me some of the red stuff - yes, this red stuff - because I’m starving! Gen. 25:29-30
Esau’s appetite distorted his reality, and sense of value. He wasn’t starving. He was impatient. “I want it now” has moved many people to make some bad deals.
The prodigal son wanted his inheritance now rather than later. So, he left home and squandered his blessings because he couldn’t handle them. We saw what was important to him. Short term gratification distorts value.
We all have natural appetites that, left unchecked, can be opportunities for bad deals and misplaced priorities. We see what was important to Alex Murdaugh. Born into a rich legal dynasty, the silver spoon he inherited did not feed his appetite for the millions he stole from his law partners, the addiction to opioids that followed; or justify the unexplained murders surrounding his name. Recently, he was found guilty of the brutal double murder of his wife and son and was handed down two life sentences. He did not value what he had.
Appetites say a lot about a person and their values. Immediacy can cloud your valuations.
A job entered in too hastily can result a miserable career. Your health is too valuable.
A relationship entered in too hastily can result in a fatal attraction. Many a “can’t wait” relationships have turned into “can’t wait to get out” relationships. Your love is more valuable.
A church-pastoral leadership entered in too hastily can result in, not the shepherding of the flock, but the fleecing of the flock. Many churches have selected wolves in sheep’s clothing because of their appetites. They wanted what they liked, not what they needed.
Church, as you continue to observe Lent, reflect on your appetites and what you value more than the promises of God. Esau placed more value in the immediate gratification of his flesh over the long-term blessings of God. Don’t let immediacy distort your reality. Don’t let your appetite sell you short of the blessings of God. They aren’t for sale. God’s promises—it’s not about eBay; it’s about obey.
Second, don’t sell out to your appetites because appetites can undervalue resources and undermined relationships. Esau chose his brother over God. And he got the short end of the deal. We see that in verses 31-33.
31 But Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die! What use is the birthright to me?” 33 But Jacob said, “Swear an oath to me now.” So, Esau swore an oath to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.
First, by swearing to his brother to sell the birthright, Esau was choosing man over God. That is always a losing proposition. In Hebrew culture, the birthright meant the first-born son would get double of their father’s inheritance. If the father were worth a million, the birthright son would get $500,000; the rest of the siblings would split the balance. In today’s supermarket, a can of Hormel chili costs $2.12. You do the math. Who got the better of the deal? Esau didn’t because Esau chose to make a deal with man over God.
Second, this appetite-driven deal was not a good deal because it undermined the relationship between brothers. Normally, the younger would serve the older birthright brother. Now, the order has changed. Esau will forever serve his younger brother. They will forever have enmity between them. The family will never be the same.
Selling out to your appetites and choosing to make a deal with man over God has always been a bad deal. Samson choose his relationship with Delila over God. He opted for the sensual pleasures of the present and ignored his lifelong Nazarite vows to God to never cut your hair, never drink alcohol, ever touch dead things and to be holy. He broke all four. It costs him his freedom, sight, and life. In the end, he was able to kill many Philistines, but his choosing Delilah over God was a bad deal. He got the short end of the stick. Many are the fallen who chose appetite over the promised blessings of God
Ex-Hillsong Church pastor Carl Lentz was fired from his duties for "moral failures", accused of sexual abuse by a woman who worked for his family as a nanny. Bill Hybels got the short end of an appetite deal. The former pastor of Willowcreek, a powerful Chicago-area mega church, resigned after a series of sexual misconducts claims in 2022. So did Evangelist Tony Alamo who was found guilty of transporting a juvenile across states lines for sex.
Church, as you continue to observe Lent, reflect on your appetites and what you value more than the promises of God. Don’t sell out to your appetites because appetites can undervalue resources and undermin relationships.Esau choose his brother over God in selling his birthright. He loss possessions and a peaceful relationship with his brother. He got the short end of the deal. Don’t let your appetite sell you short of God’s blessings. God’s promises—it’s not about eBay; it’s about obey.
Finally, don’t sell out to your appetites because appetites can reflect your true relationship with God. Esau had little regard for God and His promises. We see his true feelings about God’s promises in verse 34:
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out. So, Esau despised his birthright. Gen. 25:34
The Scripture says “he despised” the privileged position as birthright son. One of the meanings of “despised” is to be careless about. It’s a reflection of his lack of concern for his relationship with God. God knew the carelessness of the older twin and that He would have to reorder things. He foreshadowed a reordering when He spoke to Rebekah in verse 23:
23 and the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will be separated from within you. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” Gen. 25:23
Esau could not be entrusted to be the seed standard bearer of the Abrahamic Covenant that represented the larger promise to the Seed- Son who will crush the head of the snake in Genesis 3:15.
So far, The Seed, had survived the Cain-Abel murder, the Noah flood, the Sodom and Gomorrah fire, the Sarah experiment to help God out. The Seed survived the Isaac test. There was no way God would jeopardize The Seed in the hands (or stomach) of one who valued a can of $2.12 Hormel Chili over the Son of God. So, God did a new thing: God reversed the norm—the older will serve the younger. He would allow the treachery of Jacob because he cared about the covenant promises more. Jacob obeyed God’s sovereign will. By this reordering, God was also making a statement about Himself. He is the God of sovereign grace. He will choose who will carry on through the line of men, the promise of the Seed. The Seed lineage will not be chosen by man’s natural order or merit (or lack thereof), but by God’s unmerited favor.
God’s grace has always been sovereign over His promises and His choices:
· God’s grace chose Moses, a murderer, to lead His people out of Egypt, not that he was a great leader, but he was graced.
· God’s grace chose David, an adulterer, to be the earthly representative of the eternal King, not that he was holy, but who had a heart for God.
· And God’s grace chose Jacob, a trickster, to be the line by which the Lion of Judah—Christ—would come, not that Jacob was holy, but that he showed he valued the birthright.
Church, as you continue to observe Lent, reflect on your appetites and what you value more than the promises of God. Don’t sell out to your appetites because appetites can reflect your carelessness in your relationship with God. Is it about you and your appetite or is it about the grace of God despite your performances, practice, and predilections as His child and church? Don’t let your appetite sell you short of the promises of God’s blessings. God’s promises—it’s not about eBay; it’s about obey.
CONCLUSION
In Gordon Gekko’s Wall Street world, greed is good. And in the universe of eBay, you can buy and sell anything. You can sell a bottle of nothing for $1.21, a town for $2.5 million and an atheist’s soul for $500. You can sell almost anything—almost. But when it comes to the promises of God, it’s not eBay, but obey the sovereign will of God. In God’s marketplace, greed is not good. God’s grace is.
Comments