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COME TO JESUS
by Pastor Mike Fortune
March 9, 2013
The Greatest Gift
- Don't trade your birthright (Hebrews 12:16-17; Genesis 25:27-34, 27:32-41; Matthew 24:45-51)
- You've been adopted (Hebrews 12:18-22; Exodus 19:12-13; Exodus 20:20; 1 John 4:17-18; Romans 8:15-16)
- Proclaim grace! (Hebrews 12:23-24; 1 Peter 2:9)
*Hebrews 12:16-24 (NLT)*
16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his
birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17You know that
afterward, when he wanted his father's blessing, he was rejected. It was
too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears. 18You
have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness,
gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. 19For they
heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God
to stop speaking. 20They staggered back under God's command: "If even an
animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death." 21Moses himself
was so frightened at the sight that he said, "I am terrified and
trembling." 22No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living
God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a
joyful gathering. 23You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn
children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself,
who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the
righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. 24You have come to
Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to
the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for
vengeance like the blood of Abel.
*Genesis 25:27-34*
27 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!" (This is how Esau got
his other name, Edom, which means "red.") 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.
*Genesis 27:36,38,41*
36 Esau exclaimed, "No wonder his name is Jacob, for now he has cheated me
twice. First he took my rights as the firstborn, and now he has stolen my
blessing. Oh, haven't you saved even one blessing for me?" 38 Esau pleaded,
"But do you have only one blessing? Oh my father, bless me, too!" Then Esau
broke down and wept. 41 From that time on, Esau hated Jacob because their
father had given Jacob the blessing. And Esau began to scheme: "I will soon
be mourning my father's death. Then I will kill my brother, Jacob."
*
Matthew 24:45-51*
45 "A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the
responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.
46 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job,
there will be a reward. 47 I tell you the truth, the master will put that
servant in charge of all he owns. 48 But what if the servant is evil and
thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' 49 and he begins beating the
other servants, partying, and getting drunk? 50 The master will return
unannounced and unexpected, 51 and he will cut the servant to pieces and
assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.
*Exodus 19:12-13*
12 Mark off a boundary all around the mountain. Warn the people, 'Be
careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Anyone
who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death. 13 No hand may
touch the person or animal that crosses the boundary; instead, stone them
or shoot them with arrows. They must be put to death.'
*Exodus 20:20*
20 "Don't be afraid," Moses answered them, "for God has come in this way to
test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning!"
*
1 John 4:17-18*
17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be
afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because
we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear, because
perfect love expels all fear.
*Romans 8:15-16*
You received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we
call him, "Abba, Father." 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm
that we are God's children.17 And since we are his children, we are his
heirs.
*1 Peter 2:9*
9 You are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very
own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for
he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.