THE GUARDED INHERITANCE
Text: I Peter 1:3 – 9
The story is told about three unlikely men who guarded a missionaries home . “Tears glistened in the eyes of the Salvation Army officer Shaw who was a medical missionary who had just arrived in India, as he saw three shackled lepers. The Army was taking over this particular leper colony. These three men had manacles and fetters binding their hands and feet, cutting their diseased flesh. Captain Shaw turned to the guard and said, “Please unfasten the chains.”
“It isn't safe,” the guard replied, “these men are dangerous criminals as well as lepers!”
“I’ll be responsible. They’re suffering enough,” Captain Shaw said, as he put out his hand and took the keys, then knelt and tenderly removed the shackles and treated their bleeding ankles and wrists.
About two weeks later Captain Shaw had his first misgivings about freeing these criminals; he had to make an overnight trip and dreaded leaving his wife and child alone. His wife insisted that she wasn’t afraid with God being there. The next morning when she went to the front door, she was startled to see the three criminals lying on her steps. One explained, “We know the doctor go. We stay here all night so no harm come to you.” That’s how these dangerous men responded to an act of love. Christ came to set fettered people free.” (James S. Hewett. Ed. Illustrations Unlimited. Nashville: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1988, pp. 118 - 119). In today’s world, it may seem unlikely that criminals would show appreciation.
We know that Christ died for His enemies as well as His friends to set them all free from the bondage of sin. Those who believe in Jesus are heirs to the gift of eternal life. It is ironic that there are so many who are chained by sin that think of themselves as free.
We have a living hope, a guaranteed inheritance and the understanding that we are studying for what some call “finals” --- their final exam when they will receive the goal of their faith namely their salvation.
LIVING HOPE
How do you define hope? 1) Heirs: Most of the time we think of hope as something that we anticipate, like the items in the reading of a will. It is said that “the Bible has more than 250 references to the inheritance, a clear sign that everyday conversations about legacy took place in ancient life as well.” (David L Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor, eds. Feasting On The Word. Year A, Volume 2. Louisville Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010, p. 388). 2) Misplaced treasures: I have known people who are heirs that have disputed the terms of a will feeling like one was favored over another. Material things are nice, but they cannot save us.
What does living hope look like to you? 1) Creeds, Mottoes and mantras: Many people live by a motto, manta or creed that expresses something about what they believe and possibly how they operate. 2) Captive hearts: I once saw a guy who had what appeared to be a motto painted on the back of his jacket that said, “A victim of life”. 3) Tattoos: Sometimes those creeds or mottos even take the form of tattoos. A story is told about a guy who questioned an oriental tattoo artist somewhere in Asia if there were really many people who got something so pessimistic as “Born To Lose” tattooed on them. The tattoo artist answered in broken English, “Before tattoo on body, tattoo on mind.” 4) Proverbial wisdom: Proverbs 23: 7 reminds us that as a man thinks in his heart, he is. Could that be one of the main reasons that Leviticus 19:28 says that tattoos were forbidden? Tattoos were thought of as markings that pagans were superstitious and connected the way the grieved the dead. 5) Satan’s goal is defeat: Regardless of whether or not someone has a tattoo, motto, creed or mantra, Satan’s goal is to defeat you in your heart and defer your hope. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (ESV). Satan spiritually stalks Christians daily hoping to magnify doubt, increase despair and defeat belief.
Jesus came to set the prisoners free! Tattoos are used by gangs as a symbol of ownership. There are many who got a tattoo to exhibit their allegiance to a gang of ill repute who later abandon the gang life. Many of them are left with unwanted tattoos. In East Los Angelos, Father Greg Boyle is founder a director of Homeboy Industries which is a tattoo removal service of physicians who are trained to remove tattoos for former gang members free of charge. Even though tattoo removal is a painful process involving a laser there are over a thousand names on the waiting list for tattoo removal at any given time. Every person on the list “… represent[s] a life that longs to be free and is willing to endure the pain to seize freedom.” “Perhaps the imagery of tattoo removal can evoke a renewed sense of our blessed assurance. Like former gang members who have had the marks of a former life removed, so our sins are blotted out by the blood of Christ. They are remembered no longer. (copied and paraphrased from: Craig Brian Larson and Phyllis Ten Elshof. gen. eds. 1001 Illustrations That Connect . [— Jill Carattini, “A Slice of Infinity,” rzim.org (June 23, 2006)]. Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2008). This kind of feeling of having the “former life removed” is what I Peter 1:3 describes as a joyful time ---“a new birth” wherein we have become a new creation.
FAITH TESTING
What do you call it when your faith is being tested? Some call faith testing a time of hardships, trials or tribulations. Some even call it a trial by fire. Consider Romans 5: 4-5 GNB (4) endurance brings God's approval, and his approval creates hope. (5) This hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to us.
Do you believe that our God will do everything to help us find Him even through trials? God’s love is so great for us that nothing could ever keep us separated from His love (Romans 8:39).
Thomas Andrew Dorsey was a black jazz musician from Atlanta. In the twenties he gained a certain amount of notoriety as the composer of jazz tunes with suggestive lyrics, but he gave all that up in 1926 to concentrate exclusively on spiritual music. “Peace in the Valley” is one of his best known songs, but there is a story behind his most famous song that deserves to be told.
In 1932 the times were hard for Dorsey. Just trying to survive the depression years as a working musician meant tough sledding. On top of that, his music was not accepted by many people. Some said it was much too worldly—the devil's music, they called it. Many years later Dorsey could laugh about it. He said, “I got kicked out of some of the best churches in the land.” But the real kick in the teeth came one night in St. Louis when he received a telegram informing him that his pregnant wife had died suddenly.
Dorsey was so filled with grief that his faith was shaken to the roots, but instead of wallowing in self-pity, he turned to the discipline he knew best—music. In the midst of agony he wrote the following lyrics:
Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand.
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light;
Take my hand precious Lord,
lead me home.
If you live long enough, you will experience heartache, disappointment, and sheer helplessness. The Lord is our most precious resource in those hours of trauma. “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble” (Ps. 9:9). Tom Dorsey understood that. His song was originally written as a way of coping with his personal pain, but even today it continues to bless thousands of others when they pass through times of hardship. (Ted Kyle and John Todd. Compilers. A Treasury of Bible Illustrations. AMG International, Inc. [1995]; Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 2005, QuickVerse). . God will give us the strength we need for every trial because His grace is sufficient for any trial (II Corinthians 12:8 – 10).
SALVATION
How do you define salvation? 1) Eschatology, futuristic and realized: Do you define it as both the now and not yet? We have faith for the present as we look forward to the future when the “clouds will be rolled back as a scroll as we will bear no more pain (as the hymn “It Is well” puts it) realizing the reality of our guarded inheritance. 2) God’s guarantee: The Apostle Paul put it this way : “God has given us of His Spirit a deposit guaranteeing what is to come” (II Corinthians 5:5). 3) Staying alert: 2 Timothy _1:14 says “Guard the good Deposit given through the Holy Spirit indwelling in us”. Now why would Paul tells us that God is guaranteeing our salvation until our time comes unless there is a chance that Satan would attack our hope? We cannot share hope if we do not possess hope. 4) a Process? : As one pastor (James MacDonald ) put it, “Salvation happens at a moment in time---but salvation is demonstrated over time”. (The Complete Guide To Christian Quotations. [James MacDonald. “Are You Saved?” sermon 2008.] Uhrichsville, Ohio: Barbour Publishing Inc., 2011, p. 394). We know that the new birth comes to us through Jesus Christ on account of His vast mercy (I Peter 1:3).
How does our salvation serve as a witness to others? Everything we do as Christians serves as a witness. You might think of it as a witness stand in a court room. Others are watching how well and how poorly we serve as witnesses of this “new hope”. In the words of Beth Moore, “Satan never wastes a fiery dart by aiming at a spot covered by armor. The bull’s eye is located dead center in our inconsistency. That’s where the enemy plans to bring us down” (The Complete Guide To Christian Quotations. [Beth Moore. Daniel 2006.] Uhrichsville, Ohio: Barbour Publishing Inc., 2011, p. 394). The trials we encounter can show us where these “inconsistencies” and weaknesses are. Besides Jesus pleads our case for us (Romans 8:34). We should never slight how important our witness is because we may be the only Jesus that some will ever see!!!!!! We believe without seeing because we know the day will come when we will get to see the One in Whom we have believed when our work on earth is done. The one thing we want to hear Him say on that day is “well done!!!”!
Aren’t we God’s poster children? As God’s children, we are models of God’s love and providence---God’s poster children!!! “… dare we present the Christian faith like a recruitment poster that talks about the “perks” of being a church member without letting people know that one’s life is on the line for following Christ?” (Craig Brian Larson and Phyllis Ten Elshof. gen. eds. 1001 Illustrations That Connect . [— Rubel Shelly, “Discipleship Is Serious Business,” PreachingToday.com]. . Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2008). Remember Officer Shaw in the Salvation Army that we mentioned at the beginning? Didn’t he exhibit a compassion that was Christlike to some prisoners? Didn’t God’s love take a chance on you and me at Calvary? We were not saved just for our own goals for preservation, we were called to salivation to reach all of the people we can for the kingdom. Satan wants to lie to would-be believers that “they were born to lose”. God wants us to reach them so that they will not wander. God wants them to be born again!!!! In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
