Ephesians 1:11
Our Wonderful Inheritance
Intro: This morning we are considering the 4th
Statement in our Series on the In Christ Statements found in Eph 1-3
A) First was 1:3 Blessed w/ Every spiritual Blessing in the Heavenlies in
Christ – Overall Statement – Many Blessings – all available – those
in Christ
B) 2nd Began to get more specific 1:4 – Chosen in Christ – The Blessing of ELECTION
1) 3rd
1:7 In Him We have redemption – In
Christ Redeemed / Forgiven
C) Today we come to statement #4 - Eph 1:11 In Him also we
have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him
who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
Have you ever seen the look on Someone’s face who has won –
Publishers Clearing house / Lottery / Who wants to be a Millionaire
A) It is a
look that communicates – My life as suddenly been Changed forever { Look of Amazement & Happiness
B) As a believer in JC I can understand that feeling – Because In Jesus
Christ I have become the recipient of a remarkable treasure
1) Because I belong to Jesus – I am a beneficiary of Incredible wealth
C) In the gospel of John Ch. 3:35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into
His hand
D) Heb 1:2 We are told that God has appointed His Son to be the Heir
of all things
E) Now the reason that is significant to us is this:
Paul declared in the Book of Romans CH.
8:16-17
16
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,17
and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
Now put all of that together and it is a startling reality:
A) God has
given everything to His Son – He has appointed Jesus to be the Heir of all
things { He has made up Joint Heirs w/ Christ {
Wow !!
B) Let’s
consider this morning the NATURE of our INHERITANCE
There are two
aspects – PRESENT & FUTURE
1) Lets
consider first the present aspect- Present Blessings
C) There are many things that we could talk about –
I want to Focus on
3
things
#1 In Christ we are recipients of ABUNDANT LIFE !!!!
John 10:10 I have come that
they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
A) Meph. – Lame
Crippled –
afraid living in fear / hiding out – All Changed one day – Because of who he
was related to – Jonathan
1) David and Jonathan’s PACT – when throne Kind to
my Heirs
B) Meph becomes as one of
David’s sons – All the blessings of the Palace - Because He was in
Jonathan - A part of Jonathan
1) We become as God’s Son –Joint heirs – because we
are in Christ
C) Recipients of Abundant life !!!–
Not just surviving, barely making it from
day to day, but a life filled with joy and peace and love.
1)
Those are the three great provisions, the daily elements of our inheritance in
Jesus.
D)
An abundant life, speaks of a life
filled w/ excitement & adventure.
1)
I was reminded of this while in Hungary last week: Looking at all that the Lord
has done there – 18 Churches – Bible college
E)
I was reminded that I was able to be on the ground breaking of what God has
done there : 1st team – Never imagined
{ Sense there is More to come
That
is the Beauty of this life - It is filled with constant expectation of what is
coming next.
A)
As I look back on almost 30 yrs of
walking w/ the Lord, & I realize I could not have chosen a more exciting
life than the one God has given me.
B)
Sometimes it is dangerous, sometimes it hurts, but it is filled with a sense of
adventure. That is what Jesus means by "the abundant life."
#2 In Christ we are the recipients of Abundant Resources
A) When I was
in High school – I went out for the Basketball – team
{ Upon making the team I inherited two things : 1st was A uniform
B) I will
never forget taking that home and trying it on – wondering who wore that before
me – Who else played in that Jersey { good /
bad
C) I also
inherited a tradition – of winning – my school was known for it’s athletic
achievements – winning teams
1) Basketball was one of
it’s better sports
D) So those
were two things I inherited for making the team
1) But the skills of the person who played before me
– or the tradition of the School – could not help me
to be a better basketball player
E) See I did
ok as a basketball player – But I lacked in 3
important areas – Height / Speed
and Jumping ability { But I could shoot
1) There was nothing magical about that Uniform –
But from Christ we receive all the Resources needed to be
Successful people in the Kingdom of God
A) Think of it
this way: Bill Gates has for 9 straight yrs topped the Forbes list of the
worlds most wealthiest men – worth 46 billion
B) Lets say that Bill Gates – called you & said – go into Business
together
1) You bring your assets & resources & I
will bring mine – Lunch you show up w/ 1,000 dollars – put on the table – He –
46 Billion
C) In essence By placing us in Christ – and
making us Joint Heirs that is what God the Father has done w/ us
1) Partnership
together : Your Resources – I will bring mine
D) Show up w/ our talents – Play guitar / Sing / Broom/ Chair/ -
draw
Great I will take it
1) Problems / Fears/ Insecurities/
E) God Brings : Abounding
grace / Unlimited Power / Awesome Wisdom
Incredible Strength / Unending peace –
And so it doesn’t matter what situation that we find
ourselves in / what trial what difficulty / what obstacle
A) God is
going to supply us with what is needed to accomplish the task
B) God is going to meet our need with a supply from
His resources – that will enable us to do exactly what He
wants us to do in that situation
Phil 4:19
19 And my God shall supply all your
need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus
C)
Result is an AWESOME CONFIDENCE FOR LIVING !!!
#3 In Christ we are the recipients of Abundant Security
A) Isaiah
54:17 – No
weapon formed against you shall prosper
B) Anything that comes into our lives has to pass thru
the protective hand of our Father – Jn 10 No one snatch us from Him / Rom 8 Nothing separate
us
1) Weapons are formed against us – but they don’t
prosper – Because In Him we are Protected / we are secure
C) Paul put it this way: 2
Cor 4:8. We
are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in
despair;9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed –
Now let us turn to consider the Future aspects of our
Inheritance
Turn our attention toward Heaven / Eternity
1 Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy
has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead,4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not
fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
A) Now I want
us to consider 5 things about the Future aspect of Our Inheritance { 1st
Given a New Home !!!!
John 14:1 "Let not your
heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's
house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also
B) Prepare a place for you: Earth 6 days – Heaven
2,000 yrs
1) Paul said indescribable –
C) The Bible doesn’t tell us a lot about Heaven –
1) I think it is possible that the Lord doesn’t tell
us a whole lot about what Heaven looks like is because HE KNOWS we
couldn’t handle it
D) He knows That if we knew exactly what it was
going to be like we couldn’t think of anything else !!! ( All Consumed) –
Worthless
1) Almost like – if you know what is for Dessert – You really don’t want to eat dinner { THANKSGIVING
C) Restaurants – don’t show you the dessert Tray before dinner – a lot of us wouldn’t
order the main course ( 2 of those / 3 of these )
1) So Because what we do here is going to determine
& play a part in our involvement & enjoyment in eternity
D) The Lord doesn’t want us to see this life as merely a formality – something we just
have to get thru so we can get to the Good stuff
2nd Aspect of our
Future Inheritance: We are going to experience a new Joy CS
Lewis called Joy the serious Business of Heaven
A)1 Peter 1:8 Talking about the Joy of heaven &
seeing the Lord he described it as a Joy that is inexpressible & full of Glory
B)
A joy that is beyond our Human Capacities to Comprehend & enjoy
C)
Psalm 16:11 In his Presence is fullness of Joy
3rd
Aspect of our Future Inheritance/ We are going to be given a New Hat
A)We are going to be rewarded – Crowns
from the Lord
Now maybe you have never stood in the
winners circle before
B)Never won the race at the track meet – never won
the spelling bee / you didn’t win the beauty contest or the talent show / Chili
cook off
C) Your little sister beats
you at Checkers { A-1 loser } Hands
D) Listen
you will stand in the winners circle in heaven
1) Your day is coming – what the world has over
looked { Your father in heaven has seen
E) What the
world has forgotten Your father in heaven has
remembered
Heb 6:10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of
love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the
saints, and do minister.
A) He doesn’t forget and He is going to reward you –
What was done in Secret shall be rewarded openly
B) In 1 Cor 4:5 Paul puts it this way: 5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time,
but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in
the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's
praise will come to him from God.
C) This is awesome to me – that when it comes to giving
Praise & honor and Recognition – God doesn’t delegate the Job
D) Pres Bush might Send VP Cheney or Colin Powel or
one of his aids to Congratulate someone on a great achievement –
1) But God doesn’t send an Angel / Doesn’t send Gabriel { He doesn’t have an angelic
spokes person
E) No according to Paul – God Himself is going to
praise His Children
Jesus will say – Well
done .. Good & faithful servant – enter into rest
4th Aspect of our Future
Inheritance : We will have a New Perception
1 Cor 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.
Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
A) Everything
that doesn’t make sense now – will then
Every question answered
B) Also We are
going to be like Jesus - 1 John 3:2-3
2 Beloved, now we are children of God;
and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is
revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
5th
Aspect of our Future Inheritance – Given New Bodies – Turn to 2nd
Corinthians 4 :16 – Thru Chapter 5
A) New Bodies
{ No more pain / No limitations{ time/
space / No more flaws - bald
hair / crooked teeth straight
B) No more
Weight problems { eat and not gain weight–
C) Spirit as a
Guarantee – Serious
1) Engagement
ring –
D) Means more
to Her – Longing
E)
Discontentment – Listen – Longing for heaven
Longing for
intimacy w/ God