The Glory of Our Inheritance
Joshua chapter 18 and we continue looking at this book and if you're in new with us, if your guest with us, or you've been out for a little while. Just let me bring you up to speed we've been looking at this book of Joshua because we as a church say we want to know what it takes to have a faith that moves forward and in the Book of Joshua, we see the people of God having enough Faith to move forward constantly as their face with challenge after challenge. They just keep moving forward but here as we get to chapter 18 A. We've seen the moving forward a lot and yet we keep hearing the job's not done yet. They haven't finished the task and in in in chapter 18 We get a glimpse into that and we see that Joshua who's leading. The people of is real kind of says, alright, let's call a timeout and let's take stock of where we're at as we pick up the story in Joshua 18, and we see the people of God having come to this place where they need to stop and kind of reflect take taken to get a good look at how they're doing on their tasks their task was to to conquer the land to take the inheritance that God had promised to them that's their task and now they're Doing that, but where are they at in process? Let's look with them as they stopped and if they take stock let's do so as well chapter 18 looking at verse 1. Then the whole Congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting their the landlady subdued before them there remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose in teratons had not yet been apportioned. So Joshua said to the people of Israel, how long will you put off going in to take possession of the land which the Lord the god of your fathers have given you provide three men from each tribe and I will send them out that they may set out and go up and down the land they shall write a description of it with a view to their inheritances and then come to me they shall divide it into 7 portions Judah shall continue in his territory on the south and the house of Joseph shall continue in their territory on the North and you shall describe the land in seven divisions and bring the description here to me. I will cast lots for you here before the Lord. Our God would you guys pray with me this morning?
Father is we come to your word. And as we take stock with Joshua and the people of Israel about their progress Lord, I pray that we would take stock of our own lines. Father of that to which you have called us of the task you have given us of the passions that you have given us for your kingdom. I pray that we would take stock and look at it what we've done that you've empowered but also god consider what yet remains to be done. But father most of all, I pray that in this season that we can get busy and we can get I just distracted. I pray that our Focus would be on what it is that you give us through Christ. I pray that our Focus would be on his sacrifice his life. Father that we would take our eyes off of ourselves for a bit and consider the one who gave himself for us. It's in Jesus name we pray amen. Joshua 18 in this little section here at the very beginning his has it struck me as something that's really interesting. It's really interesting that you don't worry. We're moving pretty good clip through the book and only five of the tribes have done what God Said to do seven of the tribes. I have just not done the task from contacts. We know they just been hanging out in land. It's already been conquered land that was given to one of the other tribes and the Seven tribes of just been sitting there for lack of a better way of putting it. And Joshua who's been given charge of the people who has we saw two weeks ago is old and very advanced in years. He's getting tired of waiting. So he calls the people together and he says, how long are you going to put off? Taking what is yours? How long are you going to put off doing what it is? The Lord has asked you to do.
Joshua Is calling the people? to finish the task Joshua is telling the people of God to be about the mission of God. Joshua says get your eyes off of yourselves and get your eyes on finishing what God told you to do. How the hell does he go about?
motivating the people for that task. How does he set them on this path of action? How does he move them into fulfilling what God has said to do. He says a point three men. Who will go out and describe the land? Appoint three men who will go out there and look at the land.
now that doesn't seem like it's going to work because this is what Israel is tried several times already. Remember that's why the whole Wilderness wandering came about because Moses sent 12 guys in to check out the land and 10 of them came back and said we can't do it. We can't go in and do what God told us to do. And so the people have got had to wander for 40 years while that faithless generation died out. And then Joshua as they're going into the promised land again after 40 years. He sends men into spy it out, but here it chapter 18 18 chapters later 7 years more likely. They're still seven tribes that haven't done it. Why? Why does Joshua again go to this task? Just send some guys out there to get a look at the land. Here's the thing. a lot of times when the people of God art about the mission that God gave them. It's because they've lost sight of the why they've lost sight of why they're to be about that. Joshua send these men out with a very different perspective. The former people that he sent out. He sent them out to spy out. The land now spies have a very distinct purpose one of our pastors here, I learned a lot from Dan but one of the things he taught me was SWAT. Do you know this SWOT some of you know what that is. I was clueless Dan had to teach me a SWOT analysis. He says we got it. We got to do a SWOT analysis A SWOT analysis as you look at your strengths your weaknesses and then the external opportunities and threats that you may face. That's spying out the land. What are we good at? What are we not good at what are the opportunities ahead of us? What are the threats from outside of us? That's what they're looking at. That's what the spies were looking at. Joshua doesn't send them out to spy the and this time he sends them out and he says here's what I want you to I want you to describe the land. I want you to really look at it and just get a sense of what it is that God is offering to you. I want you to be full of the just awestruck nature of the gift that God has given you I want you to go see how good the land is. I want you to know where the water is Flowing crisp and clean. I want you to know where the grass is growing deep. I want you to know the land described it to me and describe it to your people. You're not doing an analysis. You're not looking at it in terms of a problem to be solved. I want you to see it for the Glorious thing that it is describe the land to me. Last week I asked you guys to join me in prayer after the sermon and asked you to pray one thing. Does anybody remember what that was?
You can shout it out.
What is it that God is calling you to do. What is the one thing that you would say God has given you a passion for and we looked in in chapter 14. We looked at this man Caleb and Caleb said give me that mountain a very specific task that God had planted a vision in his heart for a passion for and he says God give me that and I said, what is it that's burning inside of you Christian. What is that thing inside of you? Christ-follower that you're looking at you saying God give me that allow me to share the gospel with this person. Allow me to see my mom gets saved. Allow me to impact my community in this way. Allow me to take the gospel to someplace. It's never been what was that one thing that you pray if you work here? last week That's okay. You can tune me out for a bit and pray and ask God right now. What is that one thing God you're calling me to do. But here's the problem we pray that we say God. What is my one thing? What is it that you want me to do? What is that passion that you put inside of me for your kingdom a passion for advancing myself a passion for getting more stuff for me. But what is that thing that is outside of me that is invested in the Kingdom of Heaven. What is that thing? We pray that prayer and some of you God said this is what I want you to focus on. This is what I want you to do.
But what's to say? The seven years from now you're not going to still be sitting here saying, yep. That's what I want to do. What's going to prevent you from being like these seven tribes who are sitting there saying? Yep, that's what I want to do and yet you haven't done it. I don't think that me standing up here and browbeating you and making you feel guilty is going to accomplish anything.
I think that because it didn't work for Joshua. I think that because it doesn't work for me. When my wife has something she needs me to do. Well, we won't go into all that.
I don't think that and I don't think it would honor Christ for you to do what it is that God is calling you to do because some guy up on a stage show that you're for a half hour to you about things. Here's what I want to do today. I want to like Joshua and the Israelites. I want us to turn our attention from the thing that God has put in our hearts that passionate he's giving us for his kingdom and I want to look at why that even matters. Why does it matter what is it? Let's see. The glory of this thing that God is doing because every single passion that God gives his people every single desire that he give them for furthering his kingdom is not in and of itself the goal. I want to see churches started in southern Utah. I want to see Church plants. I want to see disciples made. I want to see no Community without access to the truth of Christ.
But what if that happens? What is God intervenes in in 20 years? There's no Community without access to the gospel is my life now purposeless in meaningless. What if I die and it hasn't happened yet? What's my purpose wasted was my life unfulfilled? No, because the goal the passion the thing the the desire that God has given us his driving us to something greater. Just like Israel was given an inheritance Church. Did you know that you are given an inheritance? Did you know that it is one of the major themes of the New Testament that the church has been given an inheritance Israel? You look at the Old Testament. You read Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy. Joshua Judges. The whole Testament is obsessed with the inheritance that God has promised to Abraham and to his descendants. It's the land its Canaan. Church, do you believe that God has given you an inheritance?
Do you ever think about that?
Some of you do some of you don't some of you were like, I don't really want to move to Israel. It's not what I'm talking about. It's not a land. It's not a geographic location that God has promised his New Covenant people. That's not the inheritance Instead. The Inheritance is something much much much greater. And more glorious than I think sometimes we even dare to think. So today. I want to set your passion the thing that you feel called to do. I want to set that in a y I want to set that in a larger Vision what it is that God is doing with all of reality not just what is he doing with you and to do that we're going to be looking at a lot of scripture when you hear that some of you are tempted to check out and to glaze over and Sue ignore this but don't more important than anything. I would ever say the commute cumulative weight of every single word. I ever preached will not compare with the weight of a single word of scripture. So here today the vision that God has the inheritance that he has for you the Christ follower. This is your inheritance turn with me and I'm going to ask you to turn with me and I want you to follow along. We're going to look at 1st Peter. 1st Peter chapter 1 verses 3 through 9
1st Peter chapter one verses 3 through 9
blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great Mercy. He has caused us to be born again to a Living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is imperishable undefiled unfading kept in heaven for you who by God's power are being guarded through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last times in this you rejoice though now for a little while if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials so that the tested genuineness of your faith more precious than gold that perishes though. It is tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Don't you have not seen him you love him though. You do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with Glory obtaining the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. Did you catch Peters his words you catch his feeling? Now and I've been sick this week and so my voice I don't think it's quite up to the task. But you see the words there. Do you feel like Peter feels the joy of this inheritance the sheer amazement at the glory of what God is offering to his people. How does he describe that inheritance? It's imperishable.
Doesn't fail. It doesn't rot. It doesn't rust. It doesn't get old. It doesn't break its imperishable undefiled you and I know nothing. That is not defiled. You and I have no concept of what this phrase undefiled even means because even the greatest Joys that we experienced are tinged with sadness. The greatest things that we experience are tinged with the sin that invades every aspect of Our Lives. Put the inheritance that's waiting for you. is undefiled Not even a hint of broken is not even a hint of Darkness not even a hint of sin. That is what is being held out to you. It's imperishable. It's undefiled. It is unfading this inheritance that you're being offered is not really good on day one kind of losing its luster by day 100 and just old hat by day 1000. How many if you have a favorite band
How many of you hate music and life with it? You have a favorite bands. They have a new album that comes out. I've done this you go you get the album you listen to it 30 times and you can't stand it. You don't listen to it for another year. They're your favorite band you love their music and yet it just loses its Lester over time. A new toy kids Christmas is coming. Some of you were going to get toys at Christmas. next Christmas You won't even remember the toys you get this Christmas. Things in this life tend to fade. They tend to lose their luster Peter says look The Inheritance that's waiting for you. It's unfading. It's as good 10 billion years and as it is on day one. It doesn't get better. It doesn't get worse. It's just so glorious. You can't even imagine it that is inheritance that is being offered to the people of God. That's what is waiting for you what you turn to Ephesians now? Turn to the book of Ephesians.
Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians gepc General Electric Power Company, if you need help, that's what I have to do. Mentally every time I'm looking for these books.
Ephesians chapter 1
Church, this is good stuff.
Starting verse 3 blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places. Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him it in love. He predestined us for adoption as Sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious Grace with which he has blessed us in the Beloved in him. We have Redemption through his blood the Forgiveness of our trespasses according to the richness of his grace which he lavished Upon Us in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as the plan for the fullness of time. This is the plan To unite all things in him things in heaven and things on earth in him. We have obtained an inheritance haven't been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of will his will so that we who were the first to Hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory and him when you heard the word of Truth The Gospel of your salvation to believe in him. We're sealed with the promised Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory Who have you obtained an inheritance in? If you are a follower of Christ, if you have acknowledged Jesus is Lord believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you have an inheritance with Christ and that inheritance. Is a sure thing. It is a sewer thing. Did you catch that? We were been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, which inheritance that one that is imperishable undefiled and I'm fading Paul says you haven't experienced that yet. But if you are in Christ, if you have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit if the holy spirit is empowering your life, you know, the reality of that inheritance. It is a sure thing. This isn't a roll of the dice. This isn't I hope I win. I hope I do enough good stuff. I hope I can impress God. I hope that he will love me because I do this that or the other.
You have been called according to his purpose predestined in his grace. Sealed with the Holy Spirit. Your inheritance is a sure thing.
That's amazing.
That's phenomenal imperishable undefiled unfading. Seward The Inheritance that is coming a life with God in Christ for all of eternity where in there's no suffering where in there's no death where in there's no pain where in things the day after the day after the day after are just as good as they are today Peter said though you face trials now Paul says you've been sealed in the Holy Spirit.
No matter what you experienced today. You have hope for tomorrow no matter whether or not I would say you have the passion to do the thing that God has told you to do whether you succeed or fail in that today. There's always tomorrow and there's the hope that you have in Christ. Your inheritance is an assured thing. Look at Romans.
I don't have a cute acronym for this one. Sorry, it's a few pages to the left.
Romans 8
Romans 8 and it's not going to be on the screen. So I hope you're turning there because I'm going to read a little bit more than I had on the screen.
I want you to look at Romans 8 verses 12 through 17.
So then Brothers we are debtors not to the flash to live according to the flesh for if you live according to the flesh you will die. But if by the spirit you put to death the Deeds of the body, you will live for all who are led by the spirit of God are sons of God were you did not receive the spirit of Slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as Sons by whom we cry Abba Father the spirit himself Bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and if children then heirs Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him the spirit that seals our inheritance is the spirit that gives us adoption that brings us into out of rebellion against God and not just into submission to him but into his family not just into the family but into the will What do you think God's will looks like? Here, I'll tell you it says Jesus gets everything. God's will says Jesus gets everything if you don't believe me. You can look at Hebrews 1:2. You want to look at Hebrews 1:2 and we got that one on the screen. I think long ago it many times in many ways God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. But in these last days, he has spoken to us by himself his son who he appointed the air of things. That's what God's will looks like. And Paul in Romans just said you are fellow heirs with Christ.
What is it? What is this inheritance that's being offered to you. You've been adopted through the Spirit by grace through faith in Christ sacrifice on your behalf. You've been adopted and now you're made an error and your heirs with Christ and Christ is to inherit all things brothers and sisters. What does that mean? You are to inherit?
all things
Why do you think it is? If that's the case, why do we get so distracted by the things of this world?
Why do we think you know what? If only I just had a little bit more money. Only I had that car that house or that job or whatever.
You will inherit all things with Christ.
All of creation God is in extending his invitation come and join in the joy of the master. Come into eternity and explore the creation. not in fear
But as the air.
All the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace church The Inheritance you're called to is so much better than the things of this world. Don't let false. Hope don't let cheap Joy. Don't let temporary pleasure steal this site from your vision. all things
recognize though that there are obstacles in the path. There are obstacles in this the path to this inheritance book of Galatians.
Galatians chapter 5
I'm going to start reading in 16 Galatians 5:16.
But I say walk by the spirit What Spirit the spirit that gives you add option is Sons of spirit that seals your inheritance, but I say walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh for the desires of the flesh are against the spirit and the desires of the spirit against the flesh for these are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things that you want to do. But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident sexual immorality impurity sensuality idolatry sorcery and Matisse Drive jealousy fits of anger rivalries the division Envy drunkenness orgies and things like these I warn you as I warned you before that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God, but the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace, patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness self-control against such things there is No law and those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires if we live by the spirit, let us also walk by the spirit. Let us not become conceited provoking one another envying one another. Paul says throughout his writings. Look this is the inheritance promised to the Saints. But you can take your eyes off of it. You can miss it. You can get distracted. Don't do it. I warned you don't do it. how how do you not fall into those things you seek? The Lord You Remember The Inheritance you then seek the Lord to look at Isaiah. We're going to go back to the Old Testament, Isaiah 55.
Isaiah 55
And I want you to look at verses 6 and 7.
Seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near let the wicked forsake his way. Let the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord that he may have compassion on him and to our Lord for he will abundantly pardon.
Some of you when I read that list in Galatians you thought there's no hope for me. I'm on the list.
Yeah, the reason why Paul give such a comprehensive list is because we're all meant to see ourselves on the list to recognize that each one of us falls short. None of us is worthy of this inheritance that God is offering to us. And God In His Infinite mercy, and Grace still says seek me. Turn from those things repent of those things believe in me seek me, and I will surely pardon you.
Church the gospel is not work really hard and hope you've done enough for God to forgive you. Ed and I I run foul of this sometimes in my preaching when I talk about those things that Christ is calling us to do I want to set the record straight those things that God calls you to do those passions that he gives you the desires for his kingdom. I don't want you to look at those is Burns or I have to do this so that God loves me. I want you to see those as I want you to see that as entering into the work of the kingdom of getting to join in The Inheritance before you inherit it. I'm getting to have a purpose and a meeting for your life, but don't take away that you work to earn God's favor because every single one of us is on that list in Galatians, and if you weren't on that list. Well done, there's others list.
There is no one righteous. No, not one. We all fall short of the glory of God. None of us should receive the inheritance as a son or a daughter. We all should receive the punishment of rebels and yet God says seek me.
I want you to understand this church. I want you to get this.
Did the kingdom of heaven is worth you giving up everything for? I want you to understand that the Kingdom of Heaven is worth working hard for.
But I want you to understand. Did the grace of God? Is what grants you entrance to that Kingdom? Jesus Christ the son of God came to Earth Philippians 2 says he emptied himself. He did not consider equality with God anything to be grasped. Go to be held onto instead. He came as a servant and we think about that this time of year, even though even though I set the record straight. We're pretty sure December 25th was not Jesus's birthday.
Even so this time of year, we we stopping we think about Jesus came to Earth and it's easy when we see the cute little manger scene with the cooing baby. It's easy to forget who that is. This is the one who had equality with God and chose to become a servant chose to die for us to purchase entrance into the kingdom. Church, I want you to see your inheritance is not based on what you do what you do flows out of the inheritance. You've already been given for the joy set before you so last week when you prayed that prayer or this week if you weren't here last week and you prayed God. What's my one thing? What's that thing that you want me to be passionate about I want you to ground that in the proper reality.
Did Jesus? Paid the price Jesus redeems your life. Jesus gives you that purpose. And if you are faithful to Christ and if you follow that passion.
And you fail. To accomplish it. Or doesn't happen on the timeline that you want. rest in this you have an inheritance that is imperishable undefiled and unfading. this morning If you think boy that sounds great. I want an inheritance like that.
Here's what I would tell you. Don't try to earn it yourself.
There is no other name given among men by which we may be saved then the name of Jesus.
And the scripture says if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart. You will be saved Like a Prayer phrase that you will be sealed for the inheritance of the sons of Light.