“Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field and he was famished. So Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me some of that red stew, for I am famished.’ Therefore his name was called Edom. Then Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ Esau said, ‘Look, I am about to die; of what use is the birthright to me?’ Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me this day.’ So he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. Then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.” Genesis 25:29-34

“Pursue peace with all men, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord, watching diligently so that no one falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness spring up to cause trouble, and many become defiled by it, lest there be any sexually immoral or profane person, as Esau, who for one 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.” Hebrews 12:14-17

We may consider this account insignificant but, in fact, it has a message of great significance to every Christian today.

As Isaac’s firstborn son, Esau had the birthright, a double portion of the inheritance. And, in Esau’s case, the birthright included the blessings given to Abraham and Isaac which included not only the promise of the land on which they sojourned but of the Seed through whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed, the coming Messiah and Savior of the world (cf. Gen. 12:3; 22:18; 28:14).

Yet, Esau valued his birthright so little that, for a single meal when he was hungry, he sold his birthright to Jacob his brother. For one serving of food which satisfied him for only a few hours, Esau gave up blessings that extend into eternity!

The sacred text concludes the account with the words: “Thus Esau despised his birthright.” The word “despised” doesn’t necessarily mean he hated it or loathed it but that he regarded it to be of little value or worth — of less value than a hot meal when he was hungry.

As Christians — believers in the Lord Jesus Christ — we have an eternal inheritance awaiting us in heaven. It is “an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that does not fade away, kept in heaven for you” and made sure to us by the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, from the dead (1 Pet. 1:3,4).

Jesus, Himself, told us that He is preparing a place for us to be with Him in the mansions of His Father’s house (cf. John 14:1-6). By His innocent sufferings and death, Jesus won for us and all people complete forgiveness for all sins and a place with Him in heaven. His resurrection is proof that our eternal salvation is won and that the gates of heaven are open to all who look to Christ and His cross in faith.

Yet the Scriptures also warn us of the dangers of sin and its deceitfulness when it says: “… lest there be any sexually immoral or profane person, as Esau, who for one 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” (Heb. 12:16-17; cf. Gen. 27:30-40).

And how often it happens! Those for whom Christ died — those who have heard of His blessings of forgiveness and life everlasting and who have, for a time, even trusted in His name — for the brief and passing pleasures of sin give it all up and despise their heavenly birthright in Christ Jesus! They count Christ and the eternal salvation He won for us by His atoning sacrifice on the cross of such little value that they risk it all to indulge in their own sinful longings and desires!

Then, when Jesus returns on the Last Day to bless all who have placed their trust in Him with life eternal in the mansions of His Father’s house, they will cry, “Bless me, even me also” (Gen. 27:34).

But there will be no blessing left for them because they did not trust in Jesus or count the blessings He won for them by the shedding of His holy and precious blood of any value — they traded all for the pleasures of this world which pass away with their use. Thus, the blessings offered and promised in the Gospel will be taken from them forever!

This is a warning for us as believers not to esteem the grace of God lightly — not to risk it all or sell our birthright in Jesus Christ to enjoy the temporary pleasures of this world.

To take them for granted or to consider the blessings of the Gospel of such little value that we risk them all for the passing pleasures of this world is a grave danger to our souls. How do we know that God, who has so graciously called us to faith, will again rekindle faith in our hearts when we deny our Savior and reject the Holy Spirit’s work in us?

Christ shed His blood on the cross to redeem us. Let’s not trample His precious blood under our feet and count it as an unholy thing, lest we bring the wrath of God upon ourselves (cf. Heb. 10:29)!

And, for those many times we have not treasured the blessings of God which are ours in Christ Jesus, let’s turn to the counsel of God’s Word:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. … If anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 1:9: 2:1,2).

“Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18).

Dear Lord Jesus, forgive me for despising my birthright in You — for failing to take hold of and treasure the forgiveness and life You won for me by Your innocent sufferings and death in my stead. Graciously bless me with Your Holy Spirit and restore to me the joy of Your salvation. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.]

“Be sure that you not do your charitable deeds before men to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Therefore, when you do your charitable deeds, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do your charitable deeds, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deeds may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” Matthew 6:1-4

People like to be recognized for their charitable deeds. Though they may not literally sound a trumpet, people and businesses do tend to toot their own horns, so to speak, when they give a gift to the poor or to the community so that all will see their goodness and generosity. They like to be honored before men and have their acts of kindness published abroad for all to note and see.

But what does Jesus say about doing charitable deeds? “Be sure that you not do your charitable deeds before men to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Therefore, when you do your charitable deeds, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward” (Matt. 6:1-2).

If we do charitable deeds to be seen and recognized by men, that is our only reward. Why? Because deeds done for the glory of God the Father are not motivated by the desire to glorify ourselves. Deeds done for the glory of God are motivated by love for God and the desire to please Him and do His will. They flow from faith in God’s mercy and forgiveness, faith in His acceptance of us for the sake of Christ Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death on the cross in our stead.

If we do good to be seen and glorified by men, we have our reward, but it’s not from God. If, on the other hand, we seek the glory and praise of God who created us and sent His only-begotten Son to redeem us, our works will be done for Him.

Thus Jesus says, “But when you do your charitable deeds, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deeds may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Matt. 6:3-4).

Christians are not to give to be recognized by others here in this world, but for the glory of God. They do not give to gain a tax deduction or a prominent position in the church or community; they give because they love Him who first loved them and sent His Son to die for them. They do not make a show of their gifts and donations – not even letting their left hand know what the right is doing – they do their charitable deeds quietly and often anonymously, seeking no reward from men. But God the Father, who sees and knows all secrets, the Bible says, will reward them openly.

And so, we ask ourselves, “Has our giving been right? Have we given and worked to be seen and recognized by others? Or, have we given and done charitable deeds solely for the glory of God, motivated by love for Him and thankfulness for His grace and mercy toward us in Christ Jesus?”

Dear Father in heaven, forgive us for our self-centeredness and our desire to be seen and recognized for our good works. Forgive our sinful hearts and cleanse us for the sake of Christ Jesus, who loved us and willingly went to the cross to glorify Your name and accomplish our redemption. Fill our hearts with love for You and the desire to glorify Your name in all that we say and do. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.]

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.’” John 8:31-32

Where can we find the truth? How can we know and be assured of forgiveness for all our sins and a place in God’s everlasting kingdom? Jesus answered those very questions when He said to the Jews who believed in Him: “If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”

Like the Jews of Jesus’ day, we may not think of ourselves as slaves and servants of sin? We may not consider ourselves bound by anything because of our religious upbringing. But Jesus says otherwise. Jesus tells us that all who commit sin are the servants of sin and that the servants of sin will not abide in the house forever – only a son will abide forever (v. 24; 34-35). As Ishmael was cast out and Isaac received the inheritance, so it is only the sons of the kingdom who will receive the eternal inheritance of heaven (cf. Gen. 21 and Gal. 4).

As servants and slaves of sin – conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity (Psalm 51:5), whose hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9), and who are inclined to evil continually (Gen. 6:5; 8:21) – we cannot free ourselves or make atonement for our own wickedness (cf. Psalm 49:7-9). Only God the Son can set us free and give us a place in His eternal kingdom. And this He did when He bore the guilt and punishment of our sins, suffered and died in our stead, and then rose again on the third day (cf. John 3:14-18; Rom. 4:23-25; 1 John 2:1-2).

Jesus urges us to remain in His Word so that we might know the truth and that, through faith in the truth, He might make us free. It is in His Word that we learn the truth (cf. Rom. 10:17). His Word reveals to us our sinfulness and the hopelessness of our condition. But it also reveals to us Jesus, God’s Son, and our Savior, who fulfilled all righteousness for us and then, on the cross, paid in full the just punishment for our sins and the sins of the whole world (cf. 2 Tim. 3:14-17; Rom. 3:19-26).

Through God’s Word, we see that for Jesus’ sake, God is merciful and forgives our sins and accepts us as His own dear children when we trust in His Gospel promises and place our hope in Jesus and His cross (Eph. 1:6-7). Through the Word, God reaches out to us with love and forgiveness and offers to us sonship and a place in His eternal kingdom through faith in Christ Jesus, the Son.

When we continue in Jesus’ Word and are His disciples, the Holy Spirit, working through that Word, reveals to us Jesus – who He is and all He has done for us. The Holy Spirit gives and assures to us forgiveness, sonship, and life everlasting – of a place in heaven – all through faith in Jesus’ name. When we remain in Jesus’ Word – the Bible – the Holy Spirit reveals to us the truth about ourselves and the truth about Jesus our Savior, and that truth will set us free.

Of ourselves, we are sinners and under the judgment and wrath of God. But, through faith in Christ Jesus, we are forgiven and adopted sons of God and are free indeed!

It is as St. Paul wrote to the Galatians (Gal. 3:26-29): “You are all sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, and there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Grant, O Lord Jesus, that we might remain in Your life-giving Word, learn the truth, and be made free through faith in You as our God and Savior. We ask this for the sake of Your blood, shed on the cross for our sins. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.]

They brought to Him a man sick with paralysis, lying on a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven you.” Matthew 9:2 (Read v. 1-8)

In private confession and absolution, and each Sunday in corporate worship, sinners confess their sins to the Lord God and look to Christ Jesus and His cross in faith for the forgiveness of sins; and, the pastor announces unto them the grace of God and, in the stead and by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, forgives the sins of penitent sinners.

“But who can forgive sins but God alone?” some may ask.

This is what the scribes asked within themselves when Jesus forgave the sins of a man, sick with paralysis. They thought Jesus was guilty of blasphemy because He, seeing the faith of this paralyzed man and his friends, said to the man, “Son, be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven you.”

Of course, anyone can say the words, but if they lack the authority to forgive sins, those words are but a deception, a lie, a sham.

But Jesus proved His authority to forgive sins. He said, “‘For which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven you” or to say, “Arise and walk”? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’ – then He said to the paralytic, ‘Arise, pick up your bed, and go into your house.’”

And, what happened? The paralyzed man “rose and departed to his house.” Jesus’ proved His authority to forgive sins, and He proved that His words to this man were indeed true. This man’s sins were forgiven! He could depart in peace.

And what about the words of your pastor when he hears your confession and points you to Christ Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death on the cross for the sins of the world and tells you to “go in peace; your sins are forgiven”?

He may not be able to heal the sick or raise the dead, but Jesus did, and it is Jesus who commands him to preach “repentance and remission of sins” in Christ’s name (Luke 24:47).

It is Jesus who commands His disciples and His pastors to forgive the sins of penitent sinners and to retain the sins of the impenitent as long as they do not repent. He told His disciples, “If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained” (John 20:23). It is Jesus who said, “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 18:18).

And notice that pastors do not forgive – or baptize, or administer the Lord’s Supper, or even preach – in their own name and by their own authority. Rather, it is “in the stead and by the command” of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus healed the paralyzed man, proving His authority to forgive sins. Jesus even rose from the dead, proving the sufficiency of His sacrifice on the cross to satisfy God’s just wrath against all sins (cf. Rom. 4:23-25; 1 Cor. 15:1ff.; John 1:29). Certainly, He who paid for our sins with His blood and then rose again from the dead on the third day has the authority to forgive the sins of all who look to Him in faith.

So, when you confess your sins to God – whether in corporate worship or in private confession – and the pastor, based on your confession and your profession of faith in Christ Jesus, announces unto you the grace of God and proclaims to you that your sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, you can depart in peace, in good cheer, for indeed your sins are forgiven by the Lord Jesus Himself – He has the authority to forgive sins! (Cf. Luther’s Small Catechism on Confession.)

O gracious and merciful God, forgive our sins for Jesus’ sake and grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may believe and rejoice in the pardon and forgiveness won for us by our Lord Jesus Christ and promised and assured to us in Your absolution spoken by the pastor. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.]

When the Pharisees heard that He silenced the Sadducees, they came together. One of them, who was a lawyer, tested Him by asking Him, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:34-40

“Which is the greatest commandment in the law?” Jesus answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

And, indeed, this is in accord with God’s law which commands us: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God. The LORD is one! And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 6:4-5).

Jesus also said (Matt. 22:39-40), “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

St. Paul wrote in Romans 13:8-10: “Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not give false testimony, You shall not covet,’ and if there are any other commandments, are summed up in this saying, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love works no evil to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (cf. Lev. 19:18).

If we did love the LORD God with all our heart, soul, and mind, would we worship or serve any other God but the true God? Would we abuse His name and neglect to use it rightly in ways that give God glory? Would we despise or neglect His Word and the services of His house?

And if we did genuinely love our neighbors as ourselves, would we disobey our parents and others in authority over us? Would we do anything to hurt or harm our neighbor? Would we seek to use our neighbor or his or her spouse to fulfill our own selfish and sinful desires? Would we speak evil of our neighbor or gossip about him? Would we covet or take our neighbor’s property or goods?

Therefore, obedience to God’s commandments requires true love for God and our neighbor and, without such love, our obedience is nothing but a sham (cf. 1 Cor. 13:1ff.)!

The question is: Do you love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind? And, do you love your neighbor as yourself?

We might claim to love God and neighbor, but have we truly kept all of God’s commandments in our thoughts, desires, words, and deeds? Our failures to keep God’s commandments are proof of our failure to love God with all our being and to truly love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves! And without perfect love for God and neighbor, God’s law curses and condemns us as guilty sinners, deserving of the eternal punishments of hell (cf. Gal. 3:10; Rom. 3:19-20).

And that, of course, is why we need Christ Jesus. He “was in every sense tempted like we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). He loved and honored His Father in all His thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. He prayed and gave thanks even when it appeared that there was not enough (cf. John 611). He loved God’s Word so much that, at the age of 12, He stayed behind in Jerusalem to learn more of it from the teachers of God’s Law (cf. Luke 2:46). Praying “not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42), “He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8). And Jesus certainly loved His neighbor – each and every one of us – because “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

And, our Lord Jesus Christ paid the price and made atonement for our sins that we might have pardon and forgiveness through faith in His name.

The Bible tells us that “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2; cf. Gal. 3:13; 4:4-5; Rom. 4:23-25). Therefore, when we confess our sins and look to Him and His cross in faith, He forgives our sins and cleanses us from the guilt of our unrighteousness (cf. 1 John 1:8-9; John 3:14-18; Psalm 32:1-5).

So, when we consider the commandments of God to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind and to love our neighbor as ourselves, we see by His commandments our sins, our shortcomings, and the just wrath of God upon our sins. But when we see Jesus’ perfect obedience, His genuine love for God and neighbor, and His great love for us – a love which moved Him to take the guilt and punishment for our sins and make full atonement, rising again on the third day – we look to Him and His perfect sacrifice on the cross in faith, trusting that in Him we have forgiveness and in Him we have life.

God grant that we repent of our self-centeredness and lack of love for God and neighbor and that we look in faith to Christ Jesus and His holy life in our stead and His bitter sufferings and death for our sins and the sins of the world. And God grant that we, as a fruit of our faith in Christ Jesus, begin to truly love God and our neighbor. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

[Scripture is taken from the Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]