Our Incredible, Immortal Inheritance

Consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us the references to a scale plot had trouble he was not some pie-in-the-sky out he was stoned, mistreated, misrepresented, abandoned, criticized, maligned abuse shipwrecked, you name it.

He had an instant I have calculated that if I put all of that on one side of the scale. It is as wide as a feather compared to the is going that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. Isn't that an amazing thought. You are the recipient of an inheritance that God has prepared.

So the question then becomes, what have you inherited.

Would you like to know will keep listening. This is wisdom for the heart. Today Stephen Davey begins a series from Romans eight called from groaning to glory, start out today with this lesson entitled our incredible immortal inheritance money tell you story came across a Bertie Adams.

She was 71 years old. She died she died in West Palm Beach, Florida, 1976. The corners report declared the cause of death is malnutrition from all appearances she was a pendulous forgotten woman unwanted by family who no longer cared. She lived the destitute kind of life one police officer who inspected her apartment, declared to be a veritable pigpen trash stench old clothing. Not much furniture.

Bertie would bag from the back doors of her neighbors homes for food to go over close from the mission and from the Salvation Army but as officials sifted through her pile of rubble and belongings to find some kind of identification that would connect her do a family they discovered two keys in these two keys let officials to to safety deposit boxes at two different local banks.

What they discovered was almost unbelievable.

Had one bank they found in her container more than 700 AT&T stock certificates financial securities and bonds, not to mention cash amounting to nearly $200,000.

At the second bank. They open her container and discovered no certificates or bonds just stacks and stacks of cash $600,000 to be exact. CBS radio reported that the estate would be inherited after they had completed their discovery process. Her estate would be inherited by a distant niece and nephew, neither of whom dream they would be the heirs of so much.

Can you imagine being that nephew would getting a phone call your aunt Bernie died yeah okay the one my family never wanted around while she's left you her well what her wealth. You and your sister going to inherit her state of more than one million dollars misers may be strange people, but they make wonderful ancestors. Imagine being in error or an heiress to a fortune. Well, that's what Paul has to inform us in this chapter, and let's pick it up in verse 16 as he reveals to us that we are heirs to a family fortune.

He writes in verse 16 the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. But there's more. If children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs. Christ the first thing he tells us we have inherited are the things of God.

In verse 17 he says we are heirs of God, what is he mean there. The Greek expression could be understood. Two ways this could be a subjective genitive or objective genitive and I want to bore you with a great lesson but it does matter if Paul is using a subjective genitive. He is saying we are heirs of God, meaning we have inherited everything that God alone, which is a lot if it's an objective genitive God being the object of this genitive, it simply means we have inherited God. We don't even need to decide which one.

Paul has in mind because both are true and both are substantiated in Scripture, subjectively God's family fortune were told desire just as Boaz transferred the benefits of his family fortune a Ruth so that she because of her marriage to him enjoyed all that he had.

She no longer had to glean in the field because now the fields were so also God is transferred the wealth of his family to the bride of Christ which we are but you know as well as I do that the value of an inheritance is determined by the worth of the want to bequeath the right, depending upon the wealth of the one who bequeaths the estate.

Do you, your excitement level will go up, maybe down.

If you are my air and I died tomorrow you get a mortgage and a stack of bills and a pickup truck is radiator just started leaking on Friday. That's what you did enjoy it might bequeath to you at 3000 books. Sawyers consider this guy does nothing. He possesses everything and he is chosen to give it all to you and me. That's the subjective side of the objective side of the God is not only the source of this inheritance.

He is the chief and special prize of the inheritance we inherit God we get God out of all this John on the island of Patmos heard a loud voice from the heavenly throne, saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and he shall dwell among them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be among them. Revelation 2013 David Rd., whom have I in heaven with you and earth has nothing I desire besides you, my flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my inheritance.

My portion forever. Psalm 7325 and 26. We not only inherit everything that belongs to God. We inherit God. David would write it in your presence.

Oh God is fullness of joy at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 1611, Paul writes we are the heirs of God, but he also goes further in saying in verse 17 we are also fellow heirs. We are co-heirs with Jesus Christ.

What is that mean that doesn't mean is Ken Copeland and others erroneously teach.

We are now little Christ's.

We are now little God's blasphemy.

We are now equal in deity to Christ equally divine, knowing he simply means that we will receive by virtue of our joint inheritance with the son of God, all the blessings that the father is given to the son he now shares with us. This was important to know because to the Romans listening to the reading of this letter may be reading it themselves they wouldn't of assumed that by virtue of being children they would receive an inheritance Roman father in that day could choose not to give anything to his children. In fact, as we learn he can adopt someone out of another family place that one in his family and give him everything but you also wouldn't assume the same Jew would know that the firstborn would receive a double portion and the other siblings would split the remaining among themselves. Perhaps in our own culture, the inheritance would be known as something that children would receive from the father and the mother in their estate and they would sort of divided depending on the number of children but that isn't the idea here, none of those three ideas fit Paul was talking about something different.

You don't inherit 1 millionth or however many believers there will be 1 billion of heaven. You inherited all you do not inherit 1/10 refraction of the kingdom you inherit the kingdom you do not inherit a little bit a sliver of of immortality you get all only God and his power in that dimension can so give in that way, but that's what Paul is saying to give you some more things outside of this text in the will go back to the text we inherit as heirs of God.

I mentioned it earlier, but let me say secondly that the believer inherits heaven similarity know that will sure you do your going to heaven if you place your faith in Christ. What is that mean to be in heaven what are you doing heaven if I had to take out a sheet of paper and asked you to write everything you can think of it you going to do in heaven.

What would you write it run out after one paragraph.

Well, that's the way to worship God gabba what is that me a lot of noble remorse of God and witnessing a lot. I know that okay sing a lot were to play harps and fly around a little bit. Well, okay no I don't think so working to talk to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and meet all the characters of the Bible. That's great to spend time with all the relatives and family members and friends who know Christ and really just talked to what how are you to talk to Abraham how you talk to your relative for Christmas is enough for many of you right easy to sit around and saying it doesn't mean that just because you go to heaven. You know now how to sing. I prefer some of his not be in the choir right does that mean that just because you're there no can mean that he would listen would mean the audience.

Certainly God is were told we would enjoy it. In fact, John writes as if he were in the audience listening. The truth is we hardly know anything about heaven.

The only things we do know outside the physical description of the John records and he gives it and we can grasp that we can talk about miles and we can talk about pearls and Jasper and Emerald and we can understand pavement of gold to some degree, but what we do what we only know among other things, what we don't know we will do we know we will not is at work experience death. We will have no pain will have no tears will have no sorrow will have the suffering will have no night. Certainly those are true, but what else so we can really know, like Paul, who'd been given a personal vision of heaven wrote to the Corinthian believers. He said I have not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered the heart of man, what God has prepared for those you love and you can imagine it, you can't comprehend it.

And even though I have been there and I have seen it. My vocabulary can express it. This is your inheritance. I will tell you that there are some myths about heaven, we went on to get in discussion my disbelief let me deal with a few one myth is that there will be no more time but I will then teach that the popular hymn speaks of the moment when the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be what no more will rhyme with a I'm sure. Certainly, the heavenly city receives its light from the glory of God. Revelation 2123 there will not be darkness or nights.

We know that there shall be no night there.

Revelation 2125 but this doesn't mean that heaven will be a place where time is unknown, or were things will not be done one after another that we will plan for an event that we will prepare for some exciting moment of worship. In fact, the events of heaven recorded in the book of Revelation actually require a sequencing of events one happening after another, we read that the kings of the earth shall bring into having the glory and honor of the nations. Imagine that we sort of thing. Everyone is getting the same as any nations and rulers given or delegated right by God brought into heaven.

What event what pageantry like we've never seen. Furthermore, were told that the tree of life has 12 kinds of fruit quote yielding its fruit every month.

There months without a moon needed fact it's implied in the fact that little bear fruit every month.

12 fruits would indicate the experience and the existence of the year. See the idea of spending eternity sitting around talking contradicts as if it is going to be this blas� experience. It also contradicts the idea of eternal service to God.

We will serve them. What we know about serving what we are told that music will play a prominent role.

We will sing some of us will listen, but that will be prominent in this eternal paradise and we can only imagine that both musical and artistic activities will be accomplished and performed with unbelievable excellence before God and the host of heaven leadership will exist in heaven, and responsibility. John's description of nations and rulers walking in the light of the Lamb indicates that Wayne grew them a wonderful theologian and I keep a systematic theology which is about the thick and if I go tomorrow you can fight over.

I keep it nearby. Every once in a while I'll pull it off.

I pulled off this week to read what he wrote about heaven and he wrote these intriguing words, people may serve God by working up a whole range of investigation and development of the creation by technological creative and inventive means, thus exhibiting the full extent of the excellent creation in the image of God. Just imagine a thousand years of the kingdom on earth. Preceding the new heaven and new earth. Imagine the loss of our human nature that's given the sin no more greed, corruption, no more lying. Imagine business and that kind of world we can only imagine right, but imagine the inventions. Imagine the technology millions of people are ruled over by the Lord's bride. We know so little.

We will continue to learn because we will not equal God and knowledge only. He will remain a mission which means we will continue to explore, as it were, and see the connection between our creative God and his creation.

So how do you say you say like this, I hasn't seen nor has ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man which God has prepared for those who love this is your inheritance. Third, you will inherit the throne and rule with Christ, we do know that means either barely but Paul did remind Timothy that we will reign with Christ were not given a full explanation were given a few clues that tell us that our authority will extend to exacting judgment, along with Jesus Christ at the end of the world. It's an amazing thought that the believer will actually inherit the right and the ability to judge at the end of the world and that's what the Bible teaches. Paul wrote to the Corinthians were taking one another. The court they were suing one another. They were unable to resolve issues among the body and he said to them, these interesting words. Have you forgotten that the saints will judge the world. Do you not know that the saints will judge the angels prescription six, 200. Imagine that Peter tells us that rebellious angels or demons have been committed to pit some of them until the judgment is second Peter 24 and Jude adds the thought that rebellious demons or angels, having become demons as we know them have been kept by God quote until the judgment of that great day. June 6 were not told how but we are told that we will be involved with Christ seated on thrones.

As judges, which is implied in Revelation 20. In addition to what we've already read judging the unbelieving world pronouncing judgment upon the demonic world. Perhaps one demon at a time. Can you imagine that moments we will judge the world, we will judge the angelic world. We know the demonic fallen angelic world and perhaps the implication is the angelic world and followed continually after God.

We will evaluate their ministry to God. Can you imagine the day when we judge the unbelieving world. We judge the Hitler the Stalin we judge those who mock God, we may judge your boss or your neighbor who hates God and hate you but can you imagine the terror of that day. Can you imagine the awful responsibility of your inheritance meeting or on the throne with Christ and you will meet out the judgment and the holiness and the exact due to that one should that not determine the way we live now for in a way, in a sense, we now express his judgment and his holiness bar live below that day, when we extend and support and defend the righteous judgment of God upon all humanity. We are heirs to that. This is your due. We will also inherit not only heaven and the throne to rule, but we will inherit a transformed earth, a new heaven and a new earth paradise regained.

Revelation 21 and the beauty of God's creation is going to be ours to explore and to travel throughout, and discover in the learn and to connect in amazing ways. Now we have the fullest faculties of unblemished natures and minds to see how it all works in the learn from our creator.

How we fit altogether. It's really amazing.

Jesus Christ gave his followers. The promise is very first recorded sermon that his followers would inherit the earth.

You inherit the planet.

Imagine that we get earth to CS Lewis wrote it this way. Amen heaven and you get earth thrown in. Amen. Earth and you get neither. I don't know how much real estate you own it. I got my little lot you got your lobby a little half-acre acres of me got to maybe 10 or whatever and we sweat to get so much more right now. When one day you're gonna have the title deed to the entire planet. People ask you how much land do you want just going to the whole planet, which state what continent I just haven't received the title be that's coming going to inherit the planet. We have inherited. Furthermore, temporary trouble go back to verse 17, where Paul says we indeed suffer with him so the we also may be glorified with him.

The word if you begin that phrase can be rendered since suffering is a fact. Paul says we will inherit temporary tribulation.

Jesus said in John 1633 in this world you will have trouble. But take heart take courage. I have overcome the world.

You see, knowing that were headed to this kind of inheritance makes a difference in how we handle the trouble the world how we handle earth is dependent upon how much we think of heaven. You will have trouble. That's the kind of perspective.

The pole seems to move to the very next verse in verse 18 for I consider that his luggage of my eye, I calculate I logically conclude that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us that word compared is a Greek word that refers to weights and measurements the references to a scale. Paul says in his mind. I have a scale and I placed all my troubles on one side and Paul had trouble he was not some pie-in-the-sky optimist. He had real trouble.

He was stoned, mistreated, misrepresented, abandoned, criticized, maligned, abused, shipwrecked, you name it.

He had it, is that I have calculated that if I put all of that on one side of the scale. It is as light as a feather compared to the glory that is going to be my Christ, I am convinced Paul writes that no matter how painful and difficult life gets, it cannot compare to the glory coming Ray Steadman put it this way.

He said the hurts are going to be followed by the hallelujahs. Amen. They'll go ahead, ma'am, you know, you might start something great. The hurts of earth to be followed by the hallelujahs of heaven. Why, because you are an air God. So no matter how much you hurt. There is a hallelujah coming. There is glory around the corner and it has a way of spilling back into the prison pulses. I gotta tell you this, I heard the story I thought was so funny important young man was visiting Amish country in Pennsylvania, and you happen to see an old Amish couple coming out of the store, walking over to get in their horse drawn cart and he ran over to them and he said I'm sorry to interrupt you and bother you, but I've always honored to meet an Amish couple the woman got elbowed her husband in the ribs and said what'd he say he said he wanted to meet us. She was hard of hearing, and young men went on. Do you have a farm nearby. Oh, oh yes he said we have many acres that we have been farming all of our lives and she read to him again what'd he say he wanted to know if we live nearby men were on the young man's again children living with you and the old farmer said all yes we have seven sons and three daughters. Many of them live around the sum live with us and she interrupted him. What did he say he wanted to know if we have family nearby young man said well you know I got a confessed you actually dated hummus girl once was a long, but I did her once, but she was so bossy and wanted to tell me what to do and never would let me make up my own mind again. The wife interrupted her husband. What's he saying now he thinks he knows you that story does not fit my sermon, but I wanted to stuff that some it was worth it. What you really know what we know we are hard of hearing, and our hearts are hard, and cluttered in our minds stuffed with things you know about your benefactor what you know about your inheritance. We can even begin to grasp one corner of the tapestry of our eternal experience. We are like little children at the edge of the sea with our little buckets, and our little shovel and were not hope to capture just a little bit, but we won't for the most part we have to wait, but in the meantime, we should develop Paul's perspective of dealing with earth because he knows he's headed for heaven. John Piper commented on this text he wrote it this way. Picture this life is a journey on your way to receive a spectacular inheritance. This will protect you from idolatry. This will make your burdens lighter. This will quiet your murmuring peers away John Newton, the author of amazing Grace. Amanda lived a person century plus I got commented on this. He illustrated by saying, suppose a man was going to New York to take possession of a large estate which he had just inherited.

It was a vast and wealthy estate which had a huge home, complete with gardens and a staff of men and women to keep it all up, but a mile away from the city's old carriage broke down shoving it broke down, which obliged him to walk the rest of the way that whole mile. What a fool. We should be to think that should we see him on that mile-long walk he would be wringing his hands and blubbering out all the remaining mile will my carriage is broken. All my old carriage is broke in my carriage is broken, no matter the injury trial, the abandonment, the loss trail the abuse, the ridicule illness, suffering, pain, glory is just around the corner.

We are moving from the hurts of earth to the hallelujahs of our incredible mortal inheritance. Thanks for joining us today. This is wisdom for the heart. With this sermon. Stephen began a four-part series called from groaning to glory. Today's message is called our incredible mortal inheritance will be bringing you the rest of this series.

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