A Guarantee

Sermon for 3/15/2009

Ephesians 1:13-14

Introduction:

Phineas could not sleep. He was up before the sun. He had his bag packed, and he was downstairs, ready to begin the day. The year was 1820. Phineas was finally to see an island- his very own island.

Phineas had received the island as a gift from his grandfather. As a baby, Phineas had been given the deed to an island in Connecticut called Ivy Island. At an early age he had heard about his island from his parents. They would joke with Phineas and beg him not to forget them when he became wealthy. Phineas had grown up dreaming about his island and anticipating the day when he would see it. He would have his own property, build a fine house, run a farm, and raise some cattle.

If you owned an island, wouldn’t you want to see it? Of course, and Phineas begged his parents to take him to see his island. Finally, his father agreed. In the summer of 1820, the father and son began their trip to see the island that belonged to Phineas.

Once they started the trip, Phineas kept asking “Are we close? Can we see it from the top of the next hill?” His father kept telling him that they would soon be there.

Finally, his father pointed to a wooded area and said, “It’s located just beyond those trees.” Phineas jumped from the wagon and raced to the trees. Without hesitation he entered the woods and ran through them to see his island. He eventually came to a clearing. At last he could see his Ivy Island.

What Phineas saw stunned him. His Ivy Island was nothing more than 5 acres of snake infested marshland. He had been told for years that his island was the choicest land in all of Connecticut, but it was worthless. It was just a joke- a cruel hoax. Phineas turned and looked at his father, who was roaring with laughter.

Phineas did not laugh. He never forgot the feeling. The sense of loss lingered. He never completely recovered. In fact, Phineas grew up to make a business of deceiving people.

You probably know Phineas as P.T.- not a landowner, but a promoter. He made famous the phrase, “There’s a sucker born every minute,” and he spent his life showing how true that statement is. Phineas became P.T. Barnum of Barnum and Bailey Circus fame.

Story from Max Lucado’s Book "He Still Moves Stones"

WBTU:

A. I feel that pain, don’t you! You might not have been promised your very own island, but you were counting on something, weren’t you?

B. Took marriage vows and now have a terrible scar.

C. Gave your best years to the company. You trusted them.

D. We live in a world of broken promises and shattered dreams. This world promises us “islands” that disappoint us.

E. It is not that way with God. God never makes a promise that He does not keep. (Heb 10:23) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

F. You can’t fool me, I want a guarantee! How can I be 100% sure?

G. Last week we talked about our inheritance in Jesus Christ! Is it just Pie in the Sky?

H. We have a written guarantee and that is the Bible!

I. Some might say, "But I want to feel that guarantee deep in my spirit and soul!" Okay, let’s talk about that!

Thesis: God guarantees His people an incredible inheritance that will bring glory to God forever.

For instances:

I. The Ground of our inheritance

A. In this section of Scripture, Paul is emphasizing being in Christ. In fact, the phrase “in Christ” occurs in some form 9 times in the immediate context of 1:3-14. Being in Christ makes all the difference. It is the ground of our inheritance.

B. How does a person get into Christ and receive the promise of the inheritance?

1. (Rom 6:3 NIV) Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?(Rom 6:4 NIV) We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

2. In baptism we take a trip to Calvary. Just as Christ said on the cross, “It is finished,” in baptism our former life is finished. In baptism we join Him in the tomb. In baptism we join Him in resurrection to new life.

C. Remember two things:

1. Outside Christ- (2 Th 1:8) He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.(2 Th 1:9) They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power