by Mike Benson

When we go over the produce section of the local grocery, we carefully inspect the fruit, don't we? We thump the watermelons. We smell the canteloupes. We gently squeeze the tomatoes. We visually examine the grapes.

Surely none of us would purchase a piece of fruit without first engaging in some sort of thorough examination, right? And yet, how many of us accept religious doctrines and practices without the same kind of scrutiny?

On one occasion Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit...Therefore by their fruits you will know them" (Matt. 7:15-17, 20).

Dear reader, before you "buy" what a preacher says, make sure you inspect it critically (cf. Rom. 16:17; 1 John 4:1). You wouldn't want a bitter piece of fruit, would you? Think about it.

by Mike Benson

Esau returned home exhausted from his hunting excursion in the field. Driven by hunger, his first thoughts turned to the all-you-can-eat buffet at "the Tent Dweller's Restaurant" (Gen. 25:27). The Record says, "And Esau said to Jacob, 'Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary'" (v. 30). The Hebrew phrase translated, "feed me", means let me swallow or let me gulp. Table manners didn't matter to Esau; he simply wanted his usual /1 hearty meal of red lentil soup. /2

According to the waiter, the "current market price" for the soup of the day was one birthright. "But Jacob said, 'Sell me your birthright as of this day'" (v. 31). The hunter's need for sustenance was so intense that he agreed to the exorbitant price (v. 32). Jacob offered his elder sibling a bowl of soup on the condition that Esau would make an oath /3 before God as to his intentions. Esau consented and the two brothers exchanged destinies over a single meal. Call it a Patriarchical "power lunch".

The birthright referred to the right of the first (born) or "primogeniture". It was typically /4 bestowed upon a man's eldest son and included at least three factors: 1) a double-portion of the father's estate (Deut. 21:17), 2) the responsibility of providing for the families' physical welfare, and 3) spiritual oversight of the entire clan (Gen. 18:19; cf. 22:9; 26:25; 35:1).

Sadly, the only aspect of the birthright that absorbed Esau's thinking was the double-portion (cf. Gen. 27:31). He was a man of "the here and now" and attached no value to the eternal aspects of his inheritance. Note: "And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright" (Gen. 25:34). It is interesting to observe that Scripture judges Esau's conduct — not Jacob's. /5 The word "despise" means to disesteem. It is elsewhere rendered disdain or condemn. Esau underestimated his heritage. It would have not only given him possession of Isaac's property, but it would have put him in the ancestral line of the Promised Seed (cf. Gen. 12:1-3; 17:1-8; Gal. 3:16)! /6 Commenting on this occasion, the Hebrew writer said, "Lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright" (Heb. 12:16—emphasis mine, mb). To "profane" something is to make that which is sacred common or temporal. This is exactly what Esau did; he bartered away his hallowed birthright for a simple bowl of red soup.

"How foolish," you might say. How foolish, indeed. Brethren, how many of us are guilty of quite the same thing today?

. How many of us trade time with our wives and children for our vocation? We exchange our eternal lineage (cf. Prov. 22:6; Eph. 6:1; 2 Tim. 1:5) for temporal wealth and prestige.

. How many of us trade a thorough study of the Sacred Word for hours of watching television?

. How many of us trade Sunday evening communion with the Sovereign God of the universe for a football game (i.e., the Super Bowl) on Sunday night? (Ironically, some "shepherds" of the local flock even move or cancel worship services for such an event)! Shades of Esau!

. How many of us trade Lord's Day morning worship for late-night activities Saturday evening?

. How many of us exchange entertainment and recreation for the opportunity and privilege of serving needy saints?

. How many of us trade involvement in secular service organizations (e.g., Kiwanis, Rotary, etc.) for the honor of teaching a Bible class in our home congregation?

. How many of us trade the blessing of a generous contribution for excessive credit card debt?

Beloved, we like Esau, have a sacred birthright (Rom. 8:16-17; Heb. 12:23). And when we fail to live up to its demands and privileges, we forfeit the inheritance our Father wants to bestow upon us (cf. 2 Pet. 3:9).

Esau paid far too much for the soup of the day. What about YOU, dear child of God? Will you cherish your right of the first, or will you despise it (Matt. 16:26)?

/1 Evidently he had eaten Jacob's soup before. v. 29 /2 Lentils referred to the edible seeds from a plant pod. /3 An oath was a promise made with a solemn appeal to God to render judgment in the event the promise was not accomplished. /4 Exception—1 Chron. 5:1,2 /5 Jacob had the right goal, but not the right method. He tried to "help" God (v. 23) along by his own actions. /6 Note: "Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob..." (not Esau). Matt. 1:2

by Mike Benson

Question: "I receive a weekly copy of a local church bulletin. One recent issue announced, 'The youth group would like to extend a big thank you to all those who have been so supportive of the youth group's fund raisers for their mission trip this summer to Mexico. To _______ and _______ _______ for allowing the youth to use their yard for the rummage sale, to all those who donated their time, rummage items, and money to the sale, also to all those who have purchased calendars or simply donated money — THANK YOU!!' Are these activities Scriptural?"

Answer: You have communicated a concern pertaining to the Lord's church. I appreciate the manner in which you stated your question. Since the New Testament of Jesus is our sole guide in matters of faith and practice, we must go there for the answers you seek. Please consider the following points (1 Thess. 5:21):

1. The work of the church costs money. It is appropriate that the brethren who worship with the congregation you mentioned focus some of their energies on finances. A local church cannot effectively carry out its mission without some form of currency. I appreciate one Bible student's thoughts on this matter. He writes,

"Let me share an experience with you. On June 2, 1940, a little girl was born to us. She cost us money from the moment she was born. As she grew from [infancy] to girlhood, she cost even more — her dresses and shoes were more expensive, and we had to have the doctor through all those childhood diseases. She was even more expensive during her school and teen years. She needed long dresses to go to parties. When she went to college, we discovered, along with other parents, that all the college expenses [were] not listed in the catalogue. Then after graduation she fell in love and married. She was married in a church wedding and that too cost a lot of money. Then, five months after her marriage she suddenly sickened and within a week she was dead. She hasn't cost us a penny since the day we walked away from her grave. As long as the church is alive she will cost money, and the more alive a church is, the more money she will cost. Only a dead church, like a dead child, is no longer expensive" (emphasis mine—mb). Cf. 2 Cor. 8-9; Phil. 4:15-17; Gal. 2:9-10; Acts 11:27-30; Rom. 12:8; 15:25-27; 2 Thess. 3:6-15; 1 Tim. 5:16.

2. These brethren are also to be commended for their emphasis on missions (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16). People who have been truly impressed with the grace of God in their own lives are compelled to share their spiritual fortune with those around them (2 Kgs. 7:9; Jer. 20:9; Rom. 1:14-16; 1 Tim. 1:12ff). The fact that this congregation plans to teach the Word in Mexico is indicative of their priority for lost souls (Matt. 18:11; Luke 15).

3. It is encouraging to see that young people are actively involved in efforts to publish the Gospel. When the youth of the church are involved in evangelistic outreach, they learn that Faith is much more than some narrow intellectual pursuit; they also begin to see it as that singular force which not only affects people today, but for eternity.

4. Whenever the Lord tells us something should be done (e.g. generic command) without informing us as to how to do so (e.g. specific command), we are at liberty to decide which method is most expedient (cf. 1 Cor. 10:23). For instance, had Noah simply been told to build an ark out of "wood", the aged patriarch might have chosen any number of different types of lumber for his boat project (cf. Gen. 6:14). Had the children of Israel simply been told to "transport" the Ark of the Covenant, they might have moved the sacred chest in a wide variety of ways (cf. Ex. 25:12-14; 2 Sam. 6:3; 1 Chron. 15:16). Had Jesus simply told us to use "food" during the communion, we could offer a wide "menu" of edible items today (cf. Matt. 26:26ff). Likewise, had Jesus simply told us to "give", we could employ any number of capital-raising ventures for obtaining money for His work. Bake sales, suppers, bazaars, car washes, garage and calendar sales are all effective means of raising funds. However, Christ has, in fact, specified but one method for financing the work of the church. Note—

"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: on the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come" (1 Cor. 16:1-2; cf. 2 Cor. 9:7).

WHEN we should give, WHO should give, HOW we should give and HOW MUCH we should give is clearly set forth in the Scriptures. We are therefore under Divine obligation to obey the Savior's will in this particular realm (Col. 3:17; Matt. 17:5; John 12:48). Monies to carry out missions were not solicited from unbelievers in the first-century church (3 John 7); nor should they be now. The New Testament condemns "making merchandise of the word of God" (2 Cor. 2:17—ASV footnote). "The church of the Lord is to stand in contrast to such efforts. We must not charge the lost for the opportunity of hearing the Gospel. ...It is a privilege and responsibility of those who have obeyed the Gospel to support evangelistic work" through freewill giving (Mike Vestal, "A Greeting and a Commendation," Studies in 1, 2, 3 John, Sixth Annual Denton Lectures, Dub McClish—editor, 283)

"There is nothing which so quickly wins men to a sympathetic hearing as the realization of complete unselfishness on the part of those who bear the message to them: and it is absolutely requisite that in all missionary efforts the missionaries be wholly independent financially and materially of those to whom they preach" (Guy N. Woods, "New Testament Law of Missions," A Commentary on the New Testament Epistles of Peter, John, and Jude, 362).