Psalm 33:1-12
v. 12 Chosen - Inheritance of God
Introduction:
Last month we have learned the ‘Love of God’. This month we will be meditating the “Election of God” according to the understanding of John Wesley. Wesley felt that the idea of absolute unconditional predestination by divine decree was inconsistent with God’s justice, as well as his love and goodness. Therefore God grace and our response are counted. God has chosen you as his own inheritance.
Inheritance means legacy, birthright and bequest. Israel God’s inheritance means God’s own property (Joel. 2:17). All the nations are his heritage (Psalm.24:1, 82:8, 2:8). We are God’s inheritance. Holy Spirit is the guaranteed that we are his inheritance (Ephesians.1:14).
1. Inheritance because he has created you:
The Lord has created you and me. He has formed us fearfully and wonderfully, he had knit us together, he formed our inward parts, he knew even before our substances were formed. He is God of Omni-potent (Psalm.139:13-18).
God spoke to Moses and said they are my people (Exodus.3:7, 10; 5:1, 8:1, 9:1). Once we were not his people but now we are his people because he has redeemed us and made us his people.
God has chosen that you will be his own inheritance (Deuteronomy.7:6, Psalm,.135:4). He has brought you from the ends of the earth (Isaiah.41:9). My chosen Jeshuran (Isaiah.44:1-2). Jeshuran a pet name for God’s people also means ‘little righteous people’ or the upright and pious people. It’s an honorable name given to God’s people.
Now the Lord says ‘you are apple of my eye’ (Zechariah.2:8). ‘I have carved you in my holy hands’. You are more than a sparrow, everything in your life is measured, counted, taken care. You are precious in the sight of the Lord (Matthew. 10:29-31). In John he says that ‘I have taken care of them whom you have given as mine’ (John.17:11-12).
2. Inheritance because He sought you and saved you
Luke.19:10 say ‘the son of came to seek and save the lost’.
Jesus went to Bethsaida and looked down and found a man lying on the sick bed for 38 long years. No one was there to help him, all were busy, all were merciless, and all were heartless and ignored him. But Jesus sought him and saved him. Not only Jesus healed him from his sickness but gave him salvation from his sinfulness (John.5:2-9).
Jesus entered Jericho to save a government officer who was dishonest, deceiver, rude and rich – he was none other than Zacchaeus. Jesus sought him and spoke to him and brought him into the kingdom of God.
Jesus went to the country of the Geresenes to seek a precious soul who was caught by the demons. Jesus had to fight with those spirits by fasting and prayer. He redeemed him and made him whole, made whim as normal human being.
You can’t easily cast out demons or the demonic forces which are within you. We are mostly good but many at times the evil within us sprouts and grows and becomes thorn to us and to others. Unknowingly we are caught into that and became slave to those things in life.
Jesus taught the disciples to fast, pray and bind the forces of evil not only around you but within you, then you can redeem the people who are under the demonic control (Mark.9:29).
For so loved the world, to the extent of no one should perish, none to be lost. When we lost inn sickness he came to us and healed us, when we were leading our life under the influence of demonic forces he came to us and redeemed us. When we were rude, ruthless Jesus came to us and taught us what love is and how we need to love one another. We are his Inheritance.
He came into his own but his own did not accept him (John.1:11).
3. Inheritance because he bought you with his own blood
You are acquired and redeemed to be his heritage (Psalm.74:2). He obtained the church by the blood of his own Son (Acts.20:28, Titus.2:14).
We are made white in the blood of the Lamb, white refers to saintly life, blameless life, and spotless life (Revelation. 7:14). We are given the blood of Jesus to conquer the world and satanic forces. We are no more defeated army. We are victorious people.
The king Ahab wanted to take the inheritance of Naboth. So Ahab asked Naboth to hand over that property to him. Naboth says, “the Lord forbid that I should give you my ancestral inheritance”(1 Ki.21:3). But in few days he was killed by Jezebel group and took the property. Though Naboth shed his own blood to save his own inheritance but not able to enjoy the inheritance.
The same way Satan came to Jesus and he wanted to exchange the souls of all with the beautiful kingdoms and powers (Luke.4:5-8). Jesus also denied like Naboth denied to Ahab. Naboth was killed to save his property.
Likewise Jesus was crucified; shed his own blood to save his inheritance. Now Jesus wants enjoy with his inheritance through worship, through communion, through fellowship in church.
Read: Colossians 3:12-17 talk about the attitude of the elected, characteristic of the elected community. ‘You are God’s chosen holy one…’
