As a kid, I had a huge collection of “Hot Wheels”. I loved those cars! Occasionally, I would trade reluctantly with my friends. Afterwards, I would evaluate my trade. Sometimes I would be pleased and other times, I would kick myself and regret the trade I had made. I remember, when I was about 14 years old, I was in Mexico with my Dad. We went to a huge two story flea market. I found a silver ring that I really liked, it was cool. It had a braid of silver overlapping a silver ring. It was two pieces in one. I just had to have it. Well, in Mexico bartering is a common buying experience. When I was looking at the ring the seller told me all the great qualities of the ring and why the price on it was so good. Knowing he was trying to get the most cash out of me, I reasoned with him about why the price was too high. In the end, I bought the ring at the price I wanted to pay. I was ecstatic! At age 14, I experienced my first bartering purchase. I was so proud of my accomplishment. On the bus ride back to our hotel, I discovered that I didn’t make the best deal after all. After wearing the ring a few hours, the alloy’s mixed in the silver had turned my finger green! It wasn’t as valuable as I thought, I ended up with a bad deal!

Today, I want us to look at a bad deal made between two brothers; Esau and Jacob. Let’s read (Genesis 25: 19 – 34.

Esau gave up his birthright, not thinking it through. He did not analyze the value of his birthright compared to the bowl of red stew that would immediately satisfy his need. He was hungry, the stew looked good and his need was most important. Esau’s birthright had a great deal more value than the stew!

We don’t consider birthrights, today, as being of any great value as they did in Biblical times. In Biblical times, a birthright had a lot of advantages and responsibilities, such as:

1. The first born son would become the head of the family or in charge. What he said goes.
2. The first born son would have full charge over the family and its property.
3. The first born son would be responsible for the welfare of the younger sons, as well as, the widows in his family.
4. The first born son was the one who received the “Birthright Blessing”. This meant that they received the blessing of a covenant relationship with the Lord. God dealt directly with the head of the family.

Esau’s birthright had so much more value than a pot of stew! That definitely was a bad deal that he made! You may be thinking of some of the bad deals you may have made in your life. Generally, bad deals are a result of selfishness or coveting. Many people make horrendous deals. Deals of destruction, such as fornication, adultery, pornography for the price of immoral mental consumption, failed marriages, seared consciences. Some have gambled away their income at the price of sacrificing family financial security and needs. Some have embraced drinking to the excess of becoming an alcoholic at the price of their health and personal credibility. We could go on and on listing bad deals that people have made in their lives.
I have made some horrific “bad deals” in my life, as most of us have. Likewise, many of us have made some fantastic deals that have had a very high price attached to it! Like surrendering our whole life for eternal life through faith in Jesus, our Savior! Two extreme prices were paid for this deal and we got the best of the deal.

Let’s look at some of the things we received in this deal. Turn to Romans 8:1.

We are no longer condemned for our sin, but justified through faith in Christ.

The deal’s price: Give our life to Jesus that we may no longer be condemned! Bonus deal thrown in: Receiving the Spirit. Well worth the price!

Another thing we received is found in Romans 8:17.

When we are willing to suffer for representing or standing for God, we become “joint heirs” with Christ! Well worth the price!

We can know the will of God!

The deal’s price: We have to be a living sacrifice. That means dying to our wants, desires and personal preferences. We must give every area of our life to God. We have to choose to not be conformed to the ways of this world. Then we will be able to know the will of God or the plans of God for our lives! Well worth the price!

After reading these Bible passages we can see clearly that God has made great deals for us! We didn’t have to bargain with Him. When we make the deals, we have a tendency to not always get the best deal possible. So, by accepting our loving and wise Creator’s deal, we are guaranteed to receive the best possible deal we ever could receive. And there is one more bonus thrown in with this deal that we quickly mentioned before. Turn to Philippians 3: 7 - 11.

When we read Romans 8:1 earlier, we saw that we received the Holy Spirit as part of the deal.

The Spirit provides us with the “power of His resurrection”. This is the part of the deal that will help us live our life the way God wants us to.

That same power that raised Jesus from the dead, as we celebrated last Sunday…lives in us!
So, don’t make a bad deal and live in the sin of the world by rejecting Jesus as your Savior. And don’t trade your spiritual birthright for the temporal things of this world. Instead, accept the best deal you could ever get. Die daily to yourself to obtain the birthright of growing in the knowledge and power of Jesus in your life!