神的主宰完成祂拣选的定旨
首先，我们需要来看以扫轻看并出卖长子名分（创二五30-34）。神要给祂选民的长子名分，包含三件事：彰显神、代表神、以及有分于神的国。我们都已蒙拣选，在祂的形像里彰显神，用祂的管治权代表神，并且有分于祂的国。今天神实际的国是在教会生活中。藉着我们的重生，我们都得着了长子名分，无论在今日的教会中，或在将来的国度里，都可以在祂的形像里彰显祂，在祂的管治权里代表祂，并且有分于祂的国。
以扫因着贪爱物质的享受，也就是贪爱世界和属世的享受，就轻看他的长子名分（来十二16-17）。出卖长子名分的人，不该责怪买的人。虽然雅各狡猾的买得这名分，但以扫是甘心出卖的。这交易不是单靠一方就能作成的。许多重生的基督徒就像以扫一样，轻看他们的长子名分，贪爱属世的享受，不关心神长子名分的宝贵。今天多半的基督徒都是这样。他们不关心彰显神，代表神，也不关心活在教会生活中神的国里。因此，当国度来到时，他们不会有分。在他们今日的生活里，他们已经出卖了长子名分。因着享受物质的事物，他们轻忽并轻看了他们的长子名分。他们若关心神的彰显、代表以及国度，他们必会留在神今天的国度－正当的教会生活里。
我们何等感谢主，祂把我们带进教会生活中。在这里，我们实际的在神的国里；在这里，我们正在操练如何彰显神并代表神。在神实际的国里，我们正享受我们的长子名分。若有甚么事阻挠我们彰显神，或妨碍我们代表神，我们就不快乐。若有甚么事使我们离开正当的教会生活，我们就感觉不愉快。如果你这个基督徒，不在神今天实际的国里操练彰显并代表神，你就很可能是轻看长子名分的人。要小心！我们不该轻看我们的长子名分，为一点物质的享受就放弃了长子名分。反之，我们必须轻看今天世上的一切。没有一件事像我们的长子名分那样宝贵。没有一件事比彰显神，代表神，并有分于神的国更有价值。我们若留在教会生活中，享受我们的长子名分，我们就要有分于要来的国度，在那里我们要为着祂的旨意彰显祂并代表祂。这就是我们的长子名分。但愿我们都是今日的雅各，而不是今日的以扫。我们应该为着主的拣选赞美祂，并且为着祂的变化感谢祂！
信息重点：以扫轻看长子名分，为了一碗红豆汤失去了长子名分。今天神赐给我们长子名分，使我们能彰显神、代表神并有分于神的国。
应用祷告：主啊，保守我的心，不被世界和属地的享受吸引。使我珍赏并持守你所赐给我的长子名分，学习彰显你、代表你，并活在你的国里。
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Jacob’s Experience — Being Dealt With (6) — Gen. 28:3-4
God’s Sovereignty Accomplishes His Purpose of Election
First, we need to consider Esau’s despising and selling of the birthright (Gen. 25:30-34). The birthright that God intended for His chosen people contains three things: to express God, to represent God and to have a share in God’s kingdom. We have all been chosen to express God in His image, to represent God with His authority, and to have a part in His kingdom. Today God’s practical kingdom is in the church life. Through our new birth, we have all received the birthright — whether in today’s church life or in the coming kingdom, we can express Him in His image, represent Him in His authority, and have a share in His kingdom.
Esau despised his birthright because of his craving for material enjoyment — that is, his craving for the world and earthly pleasures (Heb. 12:16-17). The one who sells the birthright should not blame the one who buys it. Although Jacob cunningly purchased it, Esau willingly sold it. Such a transaction cannot be completed by one party alone. Many regenerated Christians are like Esau — they despise their birthright, craving earthly enjoyments and caring nothing for the preciousness of the birthright God has given them. This is the condition of most Christians today. They do not care about expressing God, representing God, or living in the kingdom of God within the church life. Therefore, when the kingdom comes, they will have no share in it. In their daily lives today, they have already sold their birthright. Because they enjoy material things, they have neglected and despised their birthright. If they truly cared about God’s expression, representation and kingdom, they would remain in God’s kingdom today — which is the proper church life.
How thankful we are that the Lord has brought us into the church life! Here we are practically in God’s kingdom; here we are being trained in how to express and represent God. In God’s practical kingdom, we are enjoying our birthright. If anything hinders us from expressing God or obstructs us from representing God, we are unhappy. If anything causes us to leave the proper church life, we feel uneasy. If you as a Christian are not practicing the expression and representation of God in His practical kingdom today, you are very likely one who despises the birthright. Be careful! We must not despise our birthright and abandon it for a little material enjoyment. On the contrary, we must despise everything in today’s world. Nothing is as precious as our birthright. Nothing is more valuable than expressing God, representing God, and having a share in His kingdom. If we remain in the church life and enjoy our birthright, we will have a part in the coming kingdom, where we will express Him and represent Him according to His will. This is our birthright. May we all be today’s Jacob and not today’s Esau. We should praise the Lord for His choosing, and thank Him for His transformation!
Message Focus: Esau despised the birthright and lost it for a bowl of red bean soup. Today God has given us the birthright so that we may express God, represent God, and have a share in God’s kingdom.
Prayer: Lord, guard my heart from being drawn to the world and earthly pleasures. Enable me to cherish and hold fast to the birthright You have given me, to learn to express and represent You, and to live in Your kingdom.