My
Incredible Inheritance
Praise
be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has
given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, 5
who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the
salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Pet. 1:3-5 (NIV)
Three Buddies discussing death and one asked the group: What would
you like people to say about you at your funeral?
First, thought what would I want them to say? He said, "He
was a great humanitarian, who cared about his community."
Second one said, "He was a great husband and father, who was
an example for many to follow."
The third and final fellow thought and finally said, "I hope someone says, Look, he’s
moving!!"
1. Most men see only a hopeless
end, but the Christian rejoices in an endless hope. Gilbert Beenken
2.
Those
who know Him have a witness in the Word and inside of their own selves
3.
The
promise is of a real physical resurrection of Heaven and a renewed body.
4.
Promise
is based on “inheritance” (acquired possession based on
relationship = covenant)
5.
“By
God’s mercy…new birth to a life of hope through Jesus’
resurrection.
Several
incredible attributes of the believer’s inheritance because of
Christ’s resurrection
1- The Believer’s
Inheritance In Christ Is Never Ending.
1- “Living” –
Life without death. (Immortal – Hope with a heart beat)
2- Everything in us cries out
for immortality. (Aging process)
3- This is not true of the
animals!
4- There will be no more
separation. (Do you have treasure in Heaven?)
2- The Believer’s
Inheritance In Christ Is Unspoiled.
1- Literally- pure and free from
any deformity (What if it was
never-ending but spoiled?)
2- Illus. Use the various places
I’ve seen unspoiled by man.
3- It also means that the force
or vigor of life is unimpaired.
4- Heaven is a pure place for
pure people. (A holy place- most would hate it, but not as much as they would
hell!)
3- The Believer’s
Inheritance In Christ Is Never Fading.
1- Never diminishing – not
losing quality
2- Like perennial flowers that
don’t die back with the seasons.
3- The second law of
thermodynamics (entropy) will be stopped altogether.
4- There will be no more
weakness, sickness, etc.
4- The Believer’s
Inheritance In Christ Is Kept in Heaven.
1- Talking about location
– Heave , There is no better place.
2- Literally- to guard, protect
by a military guard, to prevent hostile invasion.
3- Protected by God’s own
power!
4- Illus. Unlike returning to
find possessions looted! (Life without God)
5- The Believer’s
Inheritance In Christ Is On It’s Way
1- It is on God’s timetable. These promises are as sure as
God is!
2- “apokalupto”-
reveal to uncover, to disclose, to make bare
3- The Inheritance is being kept
in Heaven to be fully revealed at the 2nd coming Jesus.
4- Every one of us is about to
enter eternity and some eternal reward, but what is it?
These promises are based on “inheritance” (acquired
possession based on relationship)
It is through the “new birth” man enters into this “living hope”.
Jesus answered and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God. Jn 3:3 (KJV)
Email openarms@openarmsbaptist.com Web Site openarmsbaptist.com
4 ¶ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no-one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:1-9 (NIV)
13 ¶ Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord for ever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words. 1 Thess 4:13-18 (NIV)
Rom 4:25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (NIV)
Rom 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (NIV)
Php 3:21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (NIV)
Eph 5:14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (NIV)