The handling of spiritual gifts shows a person's character. What people do with the gifts of God, how they treat them shows whether they are people of the Spirit or people of the flesh. Yet even people of the Spirit can have their struggles with the flesh.
As God's chosen people we must be on our guard. We must show reverence and respect for the holy things God has placed in our lives. We ought to honor God by treating the spiritual blessings in our hearts and our lives carefully.
1. Esau Despised His Birthright. -v.34
What a sad commentary on this man. The Birthright was a blessing reserved for the firstborn. It made him an inheritor of blessings from the father, his father Isaac. It gave preeminence over the father's other sons, in this case Jacob. Although determined by birth order, the father would impart this blessing to the oldest son, just before he died.
Hebrews 12.16-17 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward as you know, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could bring no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.
Spiritual blessing which come from parents or position, blessings which come from being part of God's Forever Family, the Church, are not to be cast aside for anything. I fear many believers in the United States are coming ever so close to putting themselves in Esau's position. We honor our fallen soldiers this weekend. They preserved the right and freedom for us to do what we are doing this morning- worshipping God. Too many take this so lightly today. There are countries today which prohibit this or at best monitor all who attempt to do this.
I Corinthians 6.19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you Whom you received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
Don't despise the things which are precious and so priceless. Watch out for temptation. Flee to the LORD. Get out of there like Joseph.
In Zechariah 4 we are warned about:
2. Despising the Day of Small Things. Zechariah 4.6-10
This could be a message all by itself! Again it is the Word of the LORD to Zerubbabel from Zechariah which he received from the LORD. Zerubbabel was the governor of Jerusalem.
The temple mount was a heap of rubbish and ruin. The temple was about to rebuilt. First the mountain needed to be cleared of the remains of Solomon's temple and the refuse the people carried out there. Most onlookers thought it was impossible. People look at the work of the church today like that. "Who despises the day of small things?" Those who lack faith, those who have no spiritual vision, those who forget the mighty things God has done in His Word and in their lives.
In a time when bigger is better, in a time of superstores and mega churches...
Do not despise those seemingly young, insignificant, unimportant people and things. God uses these to feed the multitudes. Remember the boy's lunch?
If you looked in my garden this Memorial Day Weekend, where Lucy and I have planted vegetables,
you would say, "Not too impressive." There are sprouts there. The red lettuce (seeds Margot gave me) was so small and undetectable it almost got turned into another try of some vegetables Lucy was going to plant. But alas yesterday I saw something and there was a whole row all coming up- it blended in with the dirt almost. I could have lost something that will be wonderful in a month.
Finally...
3. Do Not Treat the Prophesies With Contempt. - I Thessalonians 5.20
Despise not the prophesies. These are utterances of God through man.
*The Word of God, the Bible. II Peter 1.20-21
Jesus Christ is the Word of God. The Bible is the written word, He is the Word become flesh.
*Words of exhortation and warning and help for the future.
God prepares us for what is ahead by speaking through others at times, not all the time, some of the time.
Mainly it is done through His written Word but sometimes, at times when we need it, we received a word from the LORD through someone.
Do not despise the blessings of God, the day of small things or the Word of God.
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