Young Guns Jacob/Esau/John the Baptist

Young Guns Jacob/Esau John the Baptist

This series takes on such a cool feel to me for when you begin to talk about young leaders who are dangerous to hell, dangerous to the Devil, dangerous to everything evil and destructive that fires me up like no other.

Genesis 25:27-34 (NLT)

"As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home. [28] Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob. [29] One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. [30] Esau said to Jacob, "I'm starved! Give me some of that red stew!" [31] "All right," Jacob replied, "but trade me your rights as the firstborn son." [32] "Look, I'm dying of starvation!" said Esau. "What good is my birthright to me now?" [33] But Jacob said, "First you must swear that your birthright is mine." So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob. [34] Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn."

• A birthright was a special honor given to the firstborn son.
• It included a double portion of the family inheritance along with the honor of one day becoming the family's leader.
• The oldest son could sell his birthright or give it away if he chose, but in so doing, he would lose both material goods and his leadership position.
• By trading his birthright, Esau showed complete disregard for the blessings that would have come his way if he had kept it.
• Esau traded the lasting benefits of his birthright for the immediate pleasure of food.
• Esau exaggerated his hunger. "I'm dying of starvation!" he said.
• The pressure of the moment distorted his perspective and made his decision seem urgent.
• He acted on impulse, satisfying his immediate desires without considering the long-range consequences.
• We can fall into the same trap.
• When we see something we want, our first impulse is to get it and we can exaggerate its importance in the moment.
• We can avoid making Esau's mistake by comparing the short-term satisfaction with the long-range consequences.
• We often experience pressures like Esau did.
• For example, when we feel sexual temptation, a purity vow, a marriage vow may seem unimportant.
• Maybe you haven't prepared for a big test and cheating seems like now the only option you got, resisting that urge builds character, cheating destroys it.
• Maybe you choose to do things feeling as if no one is looking, no one is paying a attention, no one cares.
• When I begin hearing that voice immediately I rebuke it knowing that I will know, I will see, I will experience the pain, shame and guilt of doing wrong and that it will disappoint my God.
• Perspective is everything.
• Your attitude and the way you regard life, your calling, your relationships, and others is everything.
• Getting through that short, pressure-filled moment is often the most difficult part of overcoming temptation.
• Ask God to help you see life from His perspective and to help you resist making Esau-like choices.
•  Instead of selling our birthright we need to embrace it.
• Embrace that God has called, destined, and designed you for this purpose. 
•  It's choice not chance that determines your destiny in life.
• My birthright is what God has planned for me.
• It's what He has designed, blueprinted, and planed for me.
• This is so special to me.
• This is something I will protect even if it were to cost my life, my birthright.
• My freedoms, God's exceptional purpose through me.

 

Illustrate here: Blue Prints. 

• God has constructed me in such a manner and He built everyone of us with great thought, with great design, with greatness deposited inside of each area of our lives.
• Why would I ever disregard, dismantle, or destroy that?
• I wouldn't trade that for anything this world would ever have to offer.

 
Speaking of that another Young Gun comes to mind named John the Baptist.
 
Luke 1:8-17 (NLT)
"One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. [9] As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. [10] While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying. [11] While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. [12] Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. [13] But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. [14] You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, [15] for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. [16] And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. [17] He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly."

• Filled with the Holy Spirit within his mothers womb God had a plan for this Young Gun.
• While Zechariah was in the "House of God" representing and serving the people of God an angel came and spoke to him about his family.
• God is personal, His design is personal, His plan is personal, His presence is personal, His dream and mission for you is personal.

 
John 1:6,7 (NLT)
"God sent a man, John the Baptist, [7] to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony."
 

• You talk about being blueprinted, the scripture stated that "God sent a man" I love this God sent, John went.
• We need to have this mindset built into our psyche that we will hear from God, then do what He says.
• Don't make excuses, don't waste time, don't procrastinate, just execute.
• Execute His plan for us.

 
John 1:17,32-37 (NLT)
"[17] For the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. [32] Then John testified, "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. [33] I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' [34] I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God." [35] The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. [36] As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, "Look! There is the Lamb of God!" [37] When John's two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus."
 

• A great leader of God will always point all to Jesus.

Next month at Youthrock: