Illus: The man who owned the city’s newspaper had three sons. He offered ownership of the paper to the son who could write the most sensational headline using no more that three words. These three sons went to work and came up with the most bizarre headlines they could imagine.
• Everyone knows that former President Reagan bitterly opposed communism during his career. The first son’s headline was, “Reagan Turns Communist.”
• Everyone knows that Khomenini hates Christianity, so the second son concocted this headline: “Khomenini Becomes Christian.”
• But the third son inherited the newspaper when his headline was submitted using only two words. He wrote, “Pope Elopes.”
Fortunately we do not have to earn our spiritual inheritance by sensational works. God’s grace is sufficient.
But what is so sad in the church today is that many have almost lived their entire lives and have not come close to discovering what they have in Christ.
Illus: These remind me of this elderly gentleman who was very poor. One day a man who knew something about social security was talking to him and brought to his attention that he might be entitled to money that he had never received. He asked the man what he meant. The man explained to him that he had worked beyond retirement for many years and had not drawn any social security during that time. He suggested he go down to the local social security office and put in for it. He did and he was pleasantly surprised in a few weeks when he received a check for five thousand dollars.
The elderly gentleman went to the man who had told him he was entitled to this money and told him what he had received. The man told him to go to the social security office and make sure that all that was his. He did and they even signed a piece of paper that told him it was his.
In a few weeks he received another check, but this time it was for ten thousand. He also took that check to the man who had told him about the money he was entitled to receive. The man told him to take that check, as he had the first, to confirm he was truly entitled to it. He did, and again they signed a document stating it was his.
In a few more weeks, the elderly gentleman again told the man who had told him of the money, that he had received another check for five thousand dollars. This time the man who had been receiving all these checks told the fellow, “You know, I have heard people fuss about Social Security all my life, but I like it!”
This time when the elderly gentleman went down to confirm this was his money they again told him IT WAS HIS, but from that time on he would only be receiving monthly checks like other retirees.
Listen, if that elderly gentleman had never investigated what the man told him that he might be entitled to this money, he would have died never knowing all that money was his!
But a far greater treasure is available. And it is a far greater shame that many die IN CHRIST never knowing what they have IN CHRIST.
So that will not happen to us, let us continue to work our way through the book of Ephesians and discover what we have IN CHRIST.
I. LOOK AT OUR REWARDS.
Look at Eph. 1:11. We read, “IN WHOM also WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”
When we think of inheritance we think of temporal things. Especially in this age. This is the age of materialism.
Illus: If you listen to people talk, about all the conversation is about THINGS! That is, much of the conversation today is about cars, campers, guns, fishing rods, boats, houses, clothes, etc.
Many Christians today, living in this age of materialism, spend the whole week talking about these things and perhaps have not talked about the Lord all week.
Again, this is the age of MATERIALISM and when we think of blessings, we think of material blessings. One of the reasons we think of BLESSINGS from a temporal perspective is because of some of the television preachers.
Illus: Television preachers know they are under pressure. Listeners have a remote control in their hands and with the touch of a finger can turn them off if they say something Joe Public does not want to hear. So week after week the television preacher tells the public that it is the WILL OF GOD that they...
-Wear the best.
-Drive the best.
-Live in the best.
-Boat in the best.
-Camp in the best.
-Fly the best.
-Eat the most expensive, etc.
They tell the listeners exactly what they want to hear because they want them to tune in again next week.
But, when it comes to BLESSINGS the book of Ephesians does not mention a one of these things. Why? Because it tells us of blessings we have IN CHRIST as Christians and those blessings are SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.
Again, I would like to go on record as saying the greatest blessings in life are SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.
God wants to bless us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places with Christ Jesus.
Illus: I do not believe all the television preachers put together can give you one verse of scripture to prove that God wants you to drive a Rolls Royce. That is, you can not find one scripture that says, “Thou shalt not drive a Ford!” Why? Because I really do not believe God is concerned about what brand of shoes you wear, or what kind of car you drive.
Sinful man is the one who places emphasis on material things, NOT GOD!
The book of Ephesians tells us of our INHERITANCE that we have IN CHRIST. WHAT KIND OF RICHES HAVE WE INHERITED?
Look at verse 3 again, “...who hath blessed us with ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS in heavenly places IN CHRIST.” Paul is telling us that our TRUE RICHES are SPIRITUAL RICHES “...IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHIRST.” “SPIRITUAL RICHES” ARE THE BEST RICHES WE CAN POSSESS!
WHAT IS THE GREATEST SPIRITUAL BLESSING WE CAN RECEIVE? Look at verse 11. We read, “IN WHOM also we have obtained AN INHERITANCE...”
Illus: Suppose you received a telegram telling you your rich uncle recently died and left you all of his riches. Would that excite you! Sure it would! You probably would have a hard time sleeping tonight because you would be thinking of how you were going to spend that inheritance.
Well, I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS, AND SOME BAD NEWS FOR YOU:
• The bad news is that your rich uncle did not leave you a thing - NOT A THING!
• The good news is that THE LORD LOVES YOU and HE LEFT YOU AN INHERITANCE.
Look again at verse 11. We read, “IN WHOM also we have obtained AN INHERITANCE...” WHAT IS OUR INHERITANCE? To understand this, we have to understand that the word “inheritance” is translated from the Greek word “eklerothemen,” which means, “HERITAGE.”
In order to illustrate, let me take this object that I hold in my hand and place it in this sack. This is the best way I know to illustrate that OUR INHERITANCE is that we have been PLACED IN CHIRST!
The very GREATEST INHERITANCE any person could receive is to become THE VERY POSSESSION OF GOD!
God takes every person who is saved and makes that believer HIS OWN HERITAGE and POSSESSION.
God has all wealth in His hands, all of the universe, all galaxies, but did you know that He has chosen us to be His greatest treasure?
Illus: Have you ever walked through a house where someone had valuable antiques? The owner was very proud of them all, but he had one that was especially his PRIDE and JOY.
THIS IS THE BELIEVER’S INHERITANCE! AS BELIEVERS WE ARE HIS MOST PRECIOUS GEMS! Look at...
- Deut. 9:29. We read, “Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm.”
- Deut. 32:9. We read, “For the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.”
- Isaiah 43:1. We read, “...I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.”
Let me show you at least two things about this inheritance.
A. Look at His POSSESSION. WHY DID THE LORD CHOOSE TO MAKE US HIS INHERITANCE? Look at verse 12. We read, “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted IN CHRIST.”
This verse tells us WHY WE EXIST! We live in an age in which millions of people do not even know WHY they are here. They think they exist for various reasons, such as:
- Some think for POWER. They could never get enough.
- Some think for WEALTH. They could never get enough.
- Some think for MATERIAL THINGS. They could never buy enough.
But, the Bible tells us that we exist for “...THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY...”
Why has God chosen us? Look at the word “predestinate” in verse 11. That is, it has been pre-determined that believers are to bring praise to God’s name!
- You should live each day so as to bring praise to His holy name!
- You should use the talents He has blessed you with in such a way that they will bring praise to His name.
- You should so use your time each day that He has given you to bring praise to His name.
- You should use your financial resources to bring praise to His name!
This is why we are here - to bring “...THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY...”
God took the likes of us and loved us and sent His only begotten Son to die for us so that we may have eternal life, and in return He expects us to BRING GLORY TO HIS NAME!
Illus: Sometimes we will hear a sinner say, “I am too big of a sinner. God couldn’t save me!” Listen, the fact is, the bigger the sinner the Lord saves, the more glory is given to Him. If we were righteous, and worthy of the kingdom of God already, this would not bring glory to His name.
When God takes a low-down sinner, like any one of us, and saves him, the very least that sinner can do is spend his life praising God and giving God glory for His greatness.
Illus: In the gospel we read of Jesus and the Samaritan woman. She had lived a very wicked life. Everyone knew her reputation. But, when the Lord saved her, the whole town came out to see this Savior who had saved this wicked woman.
God saves the likes of us and it brings glory to His name. Ephesians 1:6 says, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
I Peter 2:9 says, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”
HOW DO WE RECEIVE THIS INHERITANCE? Look at the last five words of verse 12 and at verse 13. We read, “...who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed...”
When sinners place their trust IN CHRIST, they become children of God. We become the INHERITANCE OF GOD.
Now listen, if we are the APPLE OF GOD’S EYE, HOW DOES GOD PROTECT HIS INHERITANCE?
B. Look at our PROTECTION. Look at the last part of verse 13, and at verse 14. We read, “...ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
Look at the word “sealed.”
Illus: Have you ever watched a professional moving company moving valuable furniture. They do all they can to protect it. That is, they seal it with boxes and soft blankets.
Notice that the Bible says of the believer, “...ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.”
Then notice another word, in verse 14, the word “earnest.” Paul wrote, “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
The Holy Spirit is given to the believer as his assurance of his salvation.
Illus: When you buy a home, one of the things you may have to do is make an “earnest” payment to hold it so another buyer can not purchase it. The earnest money is not FULL PAYMENT, but it is guarantee that the rest is yet to come.
God has given us His Holy Spirit. He is our EARNEST that the rest is yet to come IN CHRIST!
We are His cherished possession and are sealed by His Holy Spirit! That is why...
-Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”
-II Cor. 1:22 says, “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”
Conclusion/Summary:
I. LOOK AT OUR REDEMPTION. (IN CHIRST #3)
II. LOOK AT OUR REVELATION. (IN CHIRST #4)
III. LOOK AT OUR REWARDS. (IN CHRIST #5)
Once there was a very wealthy man who had a lovely wife and son. He also had an art collection that equaled some of the best art galleries in the country.
As years went by his wife died. Then, to make things worse, his only son also died.
Later, when the man died leaving no heirs, art curators from around the world began to come to his place to buy some of the fine art he had refused to sell in the past. When they arrived they found out that all the valuable art would be auctioned off at a public auction.
The day came for the auction and the auctioneer held the first piece up for bid. It was a portrait of the man’s son. The curators laughed because they had come to buy the expensive art and the first piece offered was the portrait of the wealthy man’s son which had no real value.
Not a single bid was offered for the portrait of the wealthy man’s son.
Finally a servant that had served the wealthy man for many years bid $20.00 for the portrait. All the other bidders were glad to have that transaction complete so they could bid on what they craved to have.
However, after that one, single bid, the auctioneer said, “All the bidding is closed!” Everyone protested, saying, “Wait a minute. We came here to bid on all of the valuable portraits!”
The auctioneer said, “Yes, and you had your chance, but you chose not to bid.”
They said, “Yes, but you closed the bidding as soon as the servant took the first portrait.”
The auctioneer replied, “Yes, that is correct. That is what the will states, ‘He who gets the son, gets it all.’”
And spiritually speaking, this is true, HE WHO GETS THE SON GETS ALL!
