Laying Claim To The Family Fortune Series

October 24, 2010

Morning Worship

Text: Luke 15:11-31

Subject: Your Inheritance

Title: Laying Claim to the Family Fortune

Does anyone here today have a copy of your family tree? How far back can you go? Is it something that is important to you? One thing that I have noticed in the nine years that we have been here, Palmyra has more family reunions per capita than any other town in the United States (not scientific but my own observance). I mean it seems like there are Begley reunions and Johnson reunions and Harlan reunions and more Harlan reunions and it seems that the whole summer is just full of reunions. I admire families that do that. In my family I think that, to my knowledge, there has been one family reunion on the Rickman side and one on the Treadway side (my Mom’s family). That’s all I remember. Yet, in spite of that I am always searching and talking to others, looking for a connection to my past. I don’t know why but I just want to have a connection to my ancestors.

Just this last week I received a picture of my great grandparents on my Mom’s side. I didn’t even know that it existed until my aunt sent it to my Mom. Now it is mine. None of my other brothers and sisters seem to be too concerned about it, but I am fascinated by my family’s past. My great-grandfather’s name was Belv – I guess that is short for Belvedere. Great G’ma’s name was Martha. This is the little bit of history that I know about them. They were born in the middle of the 1800’s – not sure the date, Died in the 1920’s. Great Grandpa was well to do. He owned several farms and when each of his children was married he gave them each a farm with a home on it. One daughter received a home in town. Each one received an inheritance before their time.

This is the last sermon in the Series, “What God Wants” and the focus comes from Colossians 1:12-13, 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

This is the point I wanted to get to today. You have an inheritance awaiting you today and it is up to you to lay claim to that inheritance.

Lord open our hearts to receive the anointing that teaches us according to 1 John 2:27, 27As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

In Jesus’ name I pray… Amen!

I. YOU CAN ASK THE FATHER FOR YOUR INHERITANCE. 11Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, ’Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. Was it wrong for this young man to ask his father for his share of the estate? In this case if the father chose to give him the inheritance (which he did) he would have full use of the property. He could spend the money any way he wanted but as long as the Father was alive he could not transfer the deed to the property – it couldn’t be sold. Turn over to Luke 11. Do you know that when you pray you need to be specific in your prayer? God answers specific prayer specifically. John 15, 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. Mark 11,24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Luke 11, 11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" When you ask God for something that He has promised you, it will be the real thing – no counterfeits. Now, it may be that one of the reasons that some don’t ask for their inheritance is that many Christians think that the only inheritance they have coming is that which is guaranteed them in the next life. Ephesians 1:14, 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Do you see that? … guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession… Now I want you to see one more thing in our passage today before we move on. It was the younger son who had the nerve to ask his father for his inheritance, but the older brother benefited from it as well … So he divided his property between them. I want you to remember this for a little later. But for now consider this, when you ask for what you know is already yours from the promises that God has given you others will benefit from it as well. You can pray for healing for others because you know God has promised it. You can pray for salvation for others because you know that God wants them saved. You can stand as an intercessor for the needs of others because you know that God has set you as an intercessor on earth – a go-between between the Father in heaven and people on earth. You have an inheritance and it is yours for the asking.