Hope Laid Up For You

d. To the Thessalonians he wrote: “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; So that we glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure,” 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4.

B. Partakers of the inheritance of the saints of light. Here we have it.

1. It was through their faith, love, and walk; these saints were made worthy.

2. God made them (Paul and the saints) at Colossae meet or (worthy).

3. To be partakers of the “inheritance of the saints in light.”

4. The “hope set up for them (us) in the heavens.” What is this hope set up for us in the heavens? Besides the gift of eternal life, the saints have a home in heaven laid up for them. Observe--

a. A mansion in heaven. Jesus said: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, also believe in me. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may also be," John 14:1-3; Hebrews 11:8-10; Hebrews 11:13-16.

b. A promised crown.

1) Crown of life. James wrote: “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him,” James 1:12.

2) Crown of righteousness. Paul wrote: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing,” 2 Timothy 4:6-8.

3) A crown of glory. Peter wrote: “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away,” 1 Peter 5:4.

c. An inheritance:

1) Of the saints in the light, Colossians 1:12.

2) That is “Incorruptible, and undefiled, and fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,” 1 Peter 1:3-4.

3) Among “all them which are sanctified,” Acts 20:32; Acts 26:18.

d. A white robe. John wrote: “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!... Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from? And I said to him, Sir, you know...So he said to me, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb...for the Lamb...And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes," Revelations 7:9-17. We have collapsed the text for brevity.

NOTE: Song of the church: Mansion, Robe, and Crown. These are the blessing promised unto the saints of light.