Our Inheritance

START TIMER****

Good morning brothers and sisters, its good to be with you all again.

For those of you who haven’t met me, my name is Tim, and I serve as a pastoral resident at The Orchard in Barrington.

Its a privilege to serve you all through the ministry of the Word for one more weekend. Glad that Pastor Tom arrived safely from his trip, I’m sure with wonderful testimonies to share.

Would you all pray with me as we begin?

I rejoice in your word like one who finds great treasure...

Our short Series has been entitled, Inheritance.

We are discussing the glorious reality in Scripture that both WE and GOD inherit something,

Both WE and GOD RECEIVE a heritage: a rich estate, a precious possession received at someone’s death.

Last week we answered the question, “What is God’s inheritance?”

We discovered that while God owns the whole universe

He has a special Portion within it!

A treasured possession that HE Himself looks forward to enjoying for all eternity.

And what is it?

US!

God’s People!

In Christ, WE are God’s invaluable “property”,

bought with the blood of His Son.

And therefore, your worth to God is immeasurable.

NOW we turn to the question, “What is our inheritance?”

What do we Christians receive as our rightful heritage from God?

Upon trusting in Christ crucified and rejecting sin,

What do we permanently own and possess,

now and in the life to come?

Is the inheritance we receive,

as the reward for our faith,

GREATER than the cost of our faith?

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said: “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.”

The call to follow Jesus,

is a call to lay down our life.

To kill our pride, our wordly ambition, our sinful pleasures.

To die to sin and the sinful world around us.

To take up our cross daily, and share in Jesus’ sufferings.

Being a child of God is no walk in the park.

You may have asked yourself, “Is it worth it?”

Is the Christian life really worth it?

Is the GOD of the Bible worth it?

Our goal this morning is to SEE from God’s Word that the answer to these questions is a MEGA YES.

Being a Christian is GLORIOUSLY worth it.

Before we answer the question: WHAT is our inheritance?

Let us review the 7 Scenes from last week, that follow a cycle throughout the Bible:

1. Inheritance Created - Gen 1 God Creates Humanity

Adam and Eve are formed by God, dwelling with Him in unbroken harmony and peace.

2. Inheritance Forsaken - Gen 3 God Casts Out Humanity

Adam and Eve rebel against God, breaking fellowship with Him; they’re cast out from God’s presence.

3. Inheritance Promised - Gen 12 God Calls Abram

God makes a covenant with a man, to make him the father of a holy nation.

Through his offspring, all the nations--disinherited because of sin--would be blessed.

4. Inheritance Created - Ex 19 God Establishes Israel

God begins to fulfill His promise to Abraham: He rescues his offspring from slavery, makes them into a great nation, that is set apart for God! And He brings them into the Promised Land.

5. Inheritance Forsaken - 2 Ki 21:14, God Casts Out Israel

Because of centuries of rebellion and idolatry, God forsakes His heritage Israel, giving them up into the hands of the Assyrian and Babylonian kingdoms.

6. Inheritance Promised - Isa 54, God Promises Restoration

The many prophets sent to stubborn Israel prophesy hope in the midst of disaster, renewal in the midst of ruin.

7. Inheritance Recreated - Eph 1 God Recreates Humanity

With the coming of the Promised Messiah, God begins a new creation. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Church is formed, a Jew-Gentile Possession of God.

Quote 1 Pet. 2:9.

We are GOD’s Possession, God’s Inheritance.

So, what is OUR inheritance, our blood-bought portion as saints?

What do we have to look forward to enjoying, now and for eternity?

Isaiah 54 tells us.

Our inheritance is:

God

The last verse tells us:

“This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord

and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

Isaiah 54:17

THIS—meaning all the promises of this chapter,

revolving around God Himself,

is our heritage,

the same word for inheritance.

Let us consider:

2 Ways God is Our Inheritance

Number 1:

(Slide: 2 Ways God is Our Inheritance - subpoints)

1. Through the death of Christ, you are wed to the greatest Groom.

Isaiah 54:5-6 “…for your Maker is your husband… the LORD has called you like a wife...”

Look with me at v.5:

“For your Maker is. your. HUSBAND.”

The chosen people of God, throughout the OT prophets,

are called God’s Bride

The prophet Ezekiel describes God’s wedding to Israel in a vivid scene in Ezekiel 16: (SLIDE)

Ezekiel 16:8

“When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love... I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine.”

The offspring of Abraham,

oppressed and enslaved in Egypt,

were like a vulnerable woman taken advantage of.

God describes Himself

as her Fierce Prince,

Who rescues her,

helps her heal and flourish,

and offers his hand in marriage.

But now in Isaiah 54, we hear the SADNESS of what happened to this marriage.

Israel is described in three ways: (Slide)

1) A Barren Woman v.1

2) A Widowed Woman v.4

3) A Divorced Woman v.6

Firstly,

A Barren Woman (Slide)

Isaiah 54:1 (ESV)

“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear;

break forth into singing and cry aloud,

you who have not been in labor!

For the children of the desolate one will be more

than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.

The chapter begins with the call of God, to His barren Bride.

His childless wife.

4X God emphasizes the depressing state Israel was in:

She is called the “Barren One”, “who did not bear children”, “who had not been in labor”

“Desolate”.

Israel was unfertile, unfruitful.

Rather than knowing the blessing of God, in bearing much fruit for His Kingdom

Israel was fruitless.

Instead of multiplying disciples who reflected God’s image to those around them,

She was like a neglected plant,

withering and lifeless.

There are seasons like these for the Christian.

When you feel like whatever you set yourself to accomplish… fails.

When all the ways you used to bear fruit,

sharing the gospel

singing praises

praying and meditating on the Word

seeing wonderful progress in your fight against sin,

Seem to come to a stand-still.

As though, like a barren woman,

no matter how hard you try,

no matter all the counsel you get and investigation you do,

you remain childless.

The temptation for us when we are in desolation,

is to give up.

To give in to discouragement,

to hold back from spiritual disciplines,

from Church,

from God.

We’ve tried, and it has felt ALL in vain,

- fruitless in reviving our desert-hearts

But GOD speaks to His Barren wife,

God speaks to you barren Christian,

words of living hope.

He says,

“SING, O barren one!”

“Break forth into singing and CRY aloud!”

You may not see it now,

but a great harvest is coming,

Spring is near, with the rains of heaven,

making the desert of your life,

a lush Garden.

God says to His Barren Wife,

To the Church in her seasons of dryness,

“ENLARGE the place of your tent” v.2

“Let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;

DON’T HOLD BACK.”

Your Husband is saying,

“My LOVE, TRUST me,

There is going to be a FULL house,

a FULL Kingdom,

filled with children born by you,

spiritual children,

who will help make this world like Eden again.”

The second image used to describe God’s Bride,

is as:

2) A Widowed Woman

A Barren Woman,

A Widowed Woman.

Israel was widowed.

“the reproach of your widowhood...” v.4

Israel’s faithful Husband died--

at least, died to her.

He was very much alive —

but to her lived experience, God was as good as dead.

His felt absence left her gripped by fear,

Feeling no comfort, no warmth from her Spouse

Only cold indifference

As far as she was concerned,

the path ahead for her was a solitary one,

with shattered dreams,

shame, and shadows of what once was.

To God’s Widowed Woman,

To those of YOU feeling widowed,

God says,

“FEAR NOT, for you will not be ashamed;

Be NOT confounded, for you will NOT be disgraced; for you will FORGET the shame of your youth,

and the reproach—[the disgrace]—of your widowhood you will remember no more.” (v.4)

And THIS is why you need NOT be anxious or afraid.

Why you can be ASSURED that every tear of yours will be wiped away.

v.5 “FOR your Maker is your Husband…

the God of the whole earth He is called.”

Your Maker, Church,

the LORD of heaven and earth,

Is Your Husband.

The Lord Jesus Christ, who IS the Holy One of God,

is your Redeemer.

The one fashioned you in your mother’s womb,

Who caused you to be born again

The One whose blood paid your ransom,

Who redeemed your life from the pit of hell.

Like Boaz, spreading his wings over Ruth,

Jesus your Redeemer has betrothed you to Himself,

Making a covenant of love that cannot be broken.

Because of his once and for all death on the cross,

all hostility with God has been dealt with;

and because of His resurrection from the dead,

He lives to make intercession for you.

Barren Woman

Widowed Woman

The third way God’s people are described, is as:

3) An Abandoned Woman v.6 (Slide)

Isaiah 54:6 (ESV)

For the Lord has called you

like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,

like a wife of youth when she is cast off,

says your God.

God’s Bride is described here

as a deserted wife,

a young bride cast off,

abandoned by her lover.

The one who had found her when she was young and longing for rescue,

Who had provided her safety and a beautiful home,

Who wondrously showed his strength as her Rock and Her Defender

was gone.

He had left.

Leaving her with overwhelming grief,

guilt

bitterness

and trauma.

Israel was “grieved in spirit”,

feeling like God had rejected her altogether,

left her dry, with no hope of return

Sometimes, the Christian life can feel like this.

At the time we need God most,

He seems most distant.

When we’re under great hardship,

we cry out to him

all we hear are crickets.

Instead of the quick embrace of a loving Husband,

the tender voice of an understanding spouse,

we seem to hear the doors of heaven slam in our face, and silence...

That’s how the psalmists felt on multiple occasions,

David, the king after God’s own heart

Jeremiah, the godly prophet

the mighty man of God Elijah.

And that’s how holy men and women of God throughout church history have felt,

during what’s called “the Night of the soul”.

The seasons of our spiritual journey

when Christ, our Bridegroom seems to desert us.

To cast us off to be overtaken by sin, doubt, and fear.

This may be where you are this morning, brother and sister.

You feel like Jesus has left you, even divorced you.

Like he has sent you away and wants nothing to do with you any longer.

With Psalm 13 you cry,

“How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?”

But brothers and sisters in Christ,

though our Lord may discipline us,

though he may withdraw His sweet felt-presence for a time,

He is the greatest Groom earth has ever known.

Though his ways and dealings with His beloved Wife

may be hard for us to understand,

On this side of eternity,

THIS we KNOW to be true:

Our feelings of desertion are but for a brief moment in the span of eternity.

vv.7-8

“For a brief moment I deserted you

but with great compassion I will gather you.

In overflowing anger for a moment

I [may hide my face from you]

but with everlasting LOVE I will have compassion on you.” says the LORD, your Redeemer!

The trial you are enduring,

though it may feel endless,

will soon be eclipsed by overwhelming compassion,

and everlasting LOVE.

This light momentary affliction,

is preparing for you an eternal WEIGHT of glory beyond all comparison,

as you look not to the things that are seen,

but to the things that are unseen.

And in the unseen realm,

The Lover of your soul, Jesus Christ,

Holds you tight, keeps you in the shadow of His wings,

and is working all things together for your good.

So family of God,

take courage!

Through the death of Christ,

You have been wed to the greatest Groom, whose covenant with you shall not be broken,

whose loyal love endures forever.

Your Maker, the God of all the earth,

is a Husband powerful to heal and to renew,

His Barren woman

His Widowed woman

His Abandoned woman.

Number 2: A SECOND way, God IS our inheritance.

2. Through the death of Christ, you are adopted by the greatest Father. (Slide)

“All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.”

Isaiah 54:13

v.13

“All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.”

Here the barren Bride of God,

who has been restored to wonderful fruitfulness,

is assured of God’s fatherly instruction.

ALL your children, the Spirit says

Not only the religious leaders,

Not only the preachers and vocational missionaries,

ALL your children,

All who are born of God,

Shall know the voice of their Heavenly Father.

They shall by counseled by God,

like a good dad,

giving his son much-needed advice about how to be good husband,

a good steward of his time and money.

In the old days,

God’s special revelation and Holy Spirit was restricted to a select few

but in these last days,

in these days of the New Covenant,

every child of God will KNOW God, hear God,

be taught personally by God.

The Lord Jesus Christ quoted this verse when teaching to the crowds.

He said,

John 6:44–45 (ESV)

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him… It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—

Jesus says, quoting Isaiah,

“THEY [ALL God’s children] will be taught by God.”

And to clarify,

“Everyone who has HEARD and learned from the FATHER,

comes to me.”

What Jesus is saying is this:

God the Father SPEAKS to His children,

And TEACHES His children,

and ALL of His instruction drives them to me!

If you are a Christian today,

it is because God the Father SPOKE to your heart,

and CALLED you to Jesus.

God the Father Himself,

introduced you to His SON,

Like a father, who speaks up his son,

to his lovely girlfriend,

whom he would LOVE to have as a daughter-in-law,

The Almighty Father of the universe,

Wooed you to Jesus.

And He Himself betrothed you two together,

in a covenant of peace that cannot be broken.

Though afflictions and storms may come,

and all human comforters may fail you,

God your heavenly Father,

stands with you.

He Is FOR you,

and He will keep you to the end.

THEREFORE, the prophet can say,

“GREAT shall be the peace of your children.”

GREAT will be your:

Peace in the midst of oppression,

Peace in the midst of terror,

Peace in the midst of conflict,

Peace in the midst of persecution and accusation.

NOTHING can separate us from the LOVE of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!

With a Father greater, stronger, and more committed to your well-being,

than you can fathom,

truly you have a GLORIOUS inheritance.

This morning, you may be hearing the voice of God,

convicting you of your sin,

and convincing you of the beauty of Christ

and the love of the Father

If that is you,

simply confess to God your sinfulness,

confess Jesus Christ as Lord,

believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,

after dying for your sins

And you too,

will become part of Jesus’ Bride, in a MARRIAGE that cannot fail,

with a FATHER whose power prevails.

(Pause)

So in sum,

we have seen how for us Christians, GOD is our inheritance.

Through the death of Christ,

we are WED to the greatest Groom.

and adopted by the greatest Father.

Although we must face many trials and sufferings on the path to glory,

HAVING F, S, and HS as our PORTION,

gives us every reason to REJOICE.

to SING to the Lord,

to HOPE in His promises,

to ABIDE in His love,

and to REJECT every lie and accusation of the enemy.

We ARE God’s BELOVED Inheritance,

and HE is OURS.

Let’s pray.