This story about Jacob and Esau is very well known. I’m sure you remember how Jacob dressed in hairy goat’s skin and his brother’s clothes, and went to his father, Isaac, pretending to be Esau. Isaac asked Jacob very pointedly, “Are you really my son Esau?” In response to this, Jacob told a terrible lie, and said, “Yes I am.” He lied and deceived his father. He made his father believe that he was actually Esau. He did that so that he could trick Isaac into giving him the special blessing that was rightfully Esau’s.

Was this right of Jacob? Of course not! He lied! He lied to get something that wasn’t his. He stole from his brother.

Now, let’s look at Jesus Christ. He acted in a completely different way than Jacob did. He too was asked if he really was who he said he was. Pilate asked him if he was really the King, the Christ. If Jesus had lied, like Jacob, and said no, then he might have been released and then he would not have been sent to the cross. But Jesus told the truth, even though he knew that it would mean that he would have to go to the cross and suffer hellish agony. Christ gave up everything to suffer on the cross. Because of Jesus’ suffering and death, we are now loved by the Father as his children. Jesus told the truth to give us these wonderful blessings.

Jacob lied to steal the blessing from his older brother, but Jesus told the truth to give blessings to us, who are his brothers and sisters.

We, like Jacob, often steal and lie. We might waste time in the bathroom so that we don’t have to do the dishes. We might lie about whose turn it is in a game. Yet, because Jesus told the truth and never lied, we can now be forgiven and blessed by God.

Reflection with your child:

Do you remember to thank the Lord for the blessings you receive because Christ told the truth?

Source: Sermon by Rev. H. Alkema