The Greatest Inheritance

Ignite July 2021 Title : The Greatest Inheritance Intro / Announcements Since it's a men's event I want to share a little about a recent 'man' trip I took two of my boys in Michigan - Irons Michigan - Little Manistee River - anyone ever been? Great trail - about 25 miles (we didn't complete all of it) - little Manistee river - brown trout fishing, hiking, watched guy movies... went to a little place called Dawn's breakfast and gun shop. :) This guy trip thing Started with my oldest son about 9 years ago - initially meant to have the 'talk' - Just being honest - AWKWARD - probably not the best experience. Used a pre-packaged study, which was fine - scheduled some time away for the man weekend and plowed through it. I don't think it was stellar, I don't think my son thought it was stellar. About 6 years ago took my middle son - didn't use a pre-packaged program - a little less awkward, but probably not phenomenal - great hanging out with him 1:1, but something was missing. Fast forward to this year - youngest turning 16, - felt this urge to do it different - less about the talk (boys are learning way earlier FYI - have the talk EARLY!). Tried to go deeper - took my middle son and found this great list - the shift of boys to men (not the music group)...Great list... 1. Boys want it easy, men embrace difficulty 2. Boys care about themselves, men consider others 3. A boy's story is all about them, a man's story fits into a larger picture 4. Boys are captains of their own fate, while men surrender to a King 5. Boys think about now, men embrace eternity Tyson, Jon. 2020. Primal Path: Fathers and Sons. New York. Isn't that a great list - I thought it was a great list too, but I wanted to go beyond just talking points plucked from a book. I wanted something deeper, I mean it was my last shot - I wanted to focus on ..."Their inheritance". Oooo... that's a big topic....Not just talking about money or a house - When you only get one shot I needed to be much more clear on passing something down to my sons, but something that would actually be an inheritance that they could use now AND they could share with their family in the future. That's the inheritance I was trying to go after.... let's talk about inheritance for a minute - get's talked about in odd ways sometimes.... Table discussion : Share a definition, and insights or experience, regarding the concept of inheritance with your table. Good experiences, not so good, if your younger what your expectation is for an inheritance if you have one, especially if you have older family members at the table :) - come up with a definition at your table (Don't Google it)... Inheritance a: the act of inheriting property b: the reception of genetic qualities by transmission from parent to offspring c: the acquisition of a possession, condition, or trait from past generations1 Genetic qualities are inherited - my boys are tall - blond hair.... God willing they will inherit something of worth (money, property, etc) - but notice in the middle of that definition - I want to pass on a trait - a distinguishing quality of who we are - to my sons - not just genetics. Who we are as Huffman's - would like some of the greatest things I've learned and passed down to go beyond just 1 generation. So TOGETHER, on man weekend, we developed a list of 'who we are' as Huffman's. A list of 4 values that are an inheritance - that can be used now, but also shared in the future. Personally, I think they are pretty powerful. Are they perfect? No...but meaningful. want to see them? Too bad. - I won't share those - they are private, between my boys and I and our future generations. But when I consider that list - those items were paid for by hard work - by making a lot of mistakes and learning lessons - in that list is 48 years of experience, sweat and tears but something deeper as well. When I look deeper - those items were born from an inheritance that I received. That someone else paid for. Let me explain - At 24 years old I was a drinking, success driven, relationship mangling, selfish leader, willing to do whatever it takes to get to the next level in an organization - because that is generally what the world demands right? - you eat what you kill. Felt like the inheritance I was working on is something I'd be able to tangibly give my kids when I died.... When Jesus entered my life, and when, over the last 20 years realized what it took to make Jesus the Lord of my life, the inheritance in Christ that I had access to there was a radical shift in perspective. I gained access to an inheritance that I couldn't work for, rather someone else paid completely for it - Jesus paid for it. When I look at the four things we came up with on man weekend - ZERO of them would have been on that list 25 years ago ZERO. None of the things on the list are out of my own strength, what I built, to physically pass down. The success of man weekend rode on the inheritance I have access to when I said yes to Jesus Christ, my spiritual inheritance - and when I use THIS BOOK to guide my life. These aren't just things that when I die my boys get access to -they are things they we get access to now - as an inheritance from God to pass on to generations ahead. Godly inheritance - Bible talks a lot about how following God grants you access to an inheritance of the Lord.... Few examples: Ephesians 1:11 (ESV): In him [Jesus] we have obtained an inheritance... Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV): Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. Psalm 37:29 (NIV) 29 The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. 2 Matthew 5:5 (NIV) - Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Big Idea - An inheritance from others (or one that you build) can be a great thing, but a Godly inheritance is a game changer - can change trajectory of your life - can change generations - can make a DEEP IMPACT NOW and in eternity! Tonight, I want to share about our Godly inheritance and a few things I've learned and God highlighted when I recently read through the account of a man named Caleb in the book of Joshua. Going to be in the book of Joshua - about 1/3 of the way through a paper bible - Joshua chapter 14 Background * Israelites - God chooses them and promises them their own land. INHERITANCE! Promised land! Slavery under Pharaoh, but God uses Moses to set them free to go to the promised land. * Moses - They get close - sends out 12 spies to see the promised land. Two (Joshua and Caleb) report "it's great and we've got this!", the rest... it's SCARY! Big people... wander for 40 years... ugh! * Moses dies, Joshua takes over and Joshua leads Israel into the promised land (Book of Joshua) - lots of battles ensue - but they receive their inheritance and the land gets divided * 45 years later! Joshua 14:6-14 6 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.' 10 "Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said." 13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.3 I cannot underscore the depth of what this scripture tells us about Godly inheritance.... I want everything the Lord has promised - if He's promised it, I want it - Psalm 23 - the Lord prepares a table before my enemies - I imagine that table set with all of the gifts and promises and comfort and strength available to me, the promises he's made and the inheritance I have access to - I want it all! [PRAY - We want everything you have for us God... EVERYTHING] A Godly Inheritance... 1) Never fails, fades or loses value We need to go back a little in Caleb's life - Caleb was among 12 spies that got to see the land that God had promised as their inheritance. They saw how amazing it was. Here's their report... Numbers 13:27-28 (ESV): "We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. Numbers 13:30 (ESV): But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it." Some of you know this story, but the Israelites ended up not going - wandering in the dessert 40 years because 10 of the 12 spies spread the news about all of the challenges and rumors and ended up talking the Israelites them out of taking the land that God promised, because their fear was greater than the promise they saw. Question: Have you ever let fear stop you from pursuing something from God?.... (Too long as a guy - worship - didn't want to raise my hands, thought longs times of prayer were goofy. Didn't understand the spiritual gifts). Let fear get in the way for too long - wandered... missed some things! So let's go back to Caleb - and slow this account down - For 40 years their inheritance that God promised was in their mind - Imagine Caleb - SAW THE LAND! It was great - flowing with milk and honey - way better than in captivity and slavery - God had promised it - yet 10 other guys talked the entire nation of Israel out of their inheritance! Had to wander with the 10 guys still around him - had to be frustrating - and now here he is 45 years later - 85 years old.... And he wants the inheritance that God promised through Moses. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions - So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. The promise withstood 40 years of other people building on it, battles, storms, Israelites wandering.... But the promise remained, it never changed... The hill that was promised - his inheritance - was still here - see that's the thing about God's promises an inheritance.... What God promises never fails...Joshua says it this way... Joshua 21:45 (ESV): Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass. 1Peter 1:4 - In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.4 God's promises (our inheritance) for us...every promise He has made when we confess that Jesus is Lord is up for grabs. It's like a hill that we can take - Every gift he promised that we had access to - it's ours... It's Not just eternal life - things we can use NOW! Promises (inheritance): Eternal life - John 10:28-30 Holy Spirit - John 14:15-17 Gifts of the spirit - 1Cor 12 Fruits of the spirit - Gal 5:22-23 Sermon on the mount - inherit the world...The world (Matthew 5) - blessed are the meek - inherit the world 34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. Throughout scripture promise after promise of our inheritance that we can have access to now, as well as a promise to eternal life. Those sound amazing doesn't it? So here's a question : Why are we working so hard on for an inheritance outside of the promises of God? Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV): Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Realized 9 years ago - the worlds view of inheritance and how much you should have never stops growing - I was very successful at a local hospital - as I continued to grow in my position and in my salary the voices around me just reiterated that there was always more - new strategies - bigger opportunities.... Realization after thinking about leaving the area for bigger opportunities that the hamster wheel of the world will always spin you in the direction of "more" and what you end up with to pass along is work ethic, exhaustion and things that moth, and rust destroy. Doesn't mean that being successful is wrong, or making money is wrong - those are great, but when I was chasing those things I was never truly fully satisfied - always tempted with more. Doesn't mean you need to quit your job, or not take the promotion - But when you flip the script of the world and see the value of a Godly inheritance, I finally realize what contentment is - we can grab ahold of something that the world can't steal, it never fades, rusts or loses value. My father-in-law (Ken) passed away a few years ago - great man. Great position at Kimberly Clark - for majority of his life his focus was on financial stewardship. Made INCREDIBLE decisions. End of his life had a will - he distributed his 'stuff' -nice of him. Not complaining Did not have a massive amount of things - old mower, wood splitter, boxes of....things.... Majority of physical possessions can't use - had to toss. Moth and rust destroyed. You know One of the best things he passed down - at 85 he decided to get baptized. :) - Tenacity to continue to go deep in his faith! Mark 8:36 - What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?5 God's promises and inheritance are better than I could have imagined - Jesus paid for those! FOR ME - FOR YOU! That's the inheritance available - always satisfying - I want to focus on and we get access to those things now and later! Eternal life and gifts and promises now. A Godly Inheritance... 1) Never fails, fades or loses value Other thing I see with Caleb 2) Demands wholehearted dedication 13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.6 We only get glimpses of Caleb's story - wandered for 40 years waiting to inherit the land he was promised - 5 years of battles with Joshua to kick people out of their inheritance / land! And Caleb is declaring that for those 45 years he has walked wholeheartedly - That's a high standard! Ever experienced something doing something half-hearted (be careful...)? Can be frustrating! McDonalds this week - ordered.. came out with food without drink - could tell this young man really wasn't into his job.... Came back with my medium coke and laughed.... Silly me... it was right by your food and just didn't see it.... Movie "knives out" - dysfunctional family - each just wanted the inheritance! Don't live wholehearted and dedicated - just in it and hope to get the benefit.... You cannot half-hearted follow God and get the inheritance you think you deserve [pause] - that's a bold statement, but let me give you some clarity... Let's go back to Caleb - The Israelites had to wander for 40 years after they messed up and didn't take their inheritance - so once they were done wandering around how many of them got in to get their inheritance? All of them? Nope. Numbers 32:11-12 Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob-12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.'7 Think about that - To get the promise, to get the inheritance, it requires something on our side - let me say it another way - You cannot trip into the kingdom of God half-heartedly (on earth) and expect to get everything God has promised in heaven. We MUST start living wholeheartedly. If you doubt this, or you want more scriptural evidence then read Jesus' sermon on the mount starting in Matthew chapter 5! Read it slowly - devour the words and when you do what you'll walk away with is a reality that God's words didn't change - if you want everything God promised, then live wholehearted... Bonhoeffer - "The devil temps us in the sin of spiritual pride, in that he deceives us about the seriousness of God's law and of God's wrath. He takes the word of God's grace in his hand and whispers to us, "God is a God of grace, he will not take our sins seriously." Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Creation and Fall: A theological Interpretation of Genesis 1-3 (New York: Macmillan, 1959) 143. We're going to wrap up by looking at what wholehearted living for God really means.... But let's chat at our tables... Table Discussion: What does it look like, in your own words to follow the Lord wholeheartedly? !! let's go beyond the fluff... let's get real - what does it mean as MEN to live wholeheartedly for the Lord? Wholehearted 1: completely and sincerely devoted, determined, or enthusiastic 2: marked by complete earnest commitment: free from all reserve or hesitation8 Genesis 17:1-2 gives us some indication - When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." 9 Only a few people in scripture were referred to as wholehearted - SEVERAL kings in the OT 2Kings 20:2 - Hezekiah 2Chron 6:12 - Solomon - although he also flipped and it is noted that he did not fully follow the Lord 1Kings 11:6 2Chron 15:17 - Asa Psalm 119:80 - David Isaiah 38:3 - Isaiah Jesus - Read the Gospels :) Caleb.... We get lulled into thinking that we get access to the great stuff without paying attention to the thing that it takes to get it. It takes wholeheartedness, but the benefit (go back to point 1) is so worth it! So here is the challenge questions - What areas of your life are not wholehearted?. I'm examining this - I want everything Jesus paid for! I want access to the promises that I can have access to now - and I want eternal life - I do not want to be separated from my creator in Hell! So what areas are we not living wholehearted? * Relationships - it's more about you then it is about God and loving your neighbor. How are our relationships with the women in our lives? * Finances - Do your finances reflect a wholehearted dedication to God? * Time - What is our time going to? We aren't done with Caleb yet and his wholehearted following of God.... Caleb gets the hill on the land he's promised, but there's still work to do.... Joshua 15:13-15 13 In accordance with the Lord's command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah-Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) 14 From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites-Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai, the sons of Anak. 15 From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). 10 Caleb was 85... how easy would it have been to get the land and look at the kids and say - ok kids - you go get it... NOPE! Caleb still "young at heart" - he had to continue to battle people out of his land - imagine that - he was still convinced after 45 years of wandering and battling - still had battles to face - but he was going to wholeheartedly focus on God to get the inheritance that was promised. Later in the account of Caleb, he is able to give away portions of his land to his daughter - as an inheritance. EXACTLEY what was promised - 45 years... Caleb hung on to a promise, had faith that the promise was still good, lived wholeheartedly to secure that promise and fought through battles.... BECAUSE IT WAS WORTH IT.... The battle is worth it... for us today - we have access to the greatest gifts and inheritance of all time - the battle is worth it. Invite the worship team back up, stand, pray - mid way through we are going to pause and pray... don't mentally check out - Go all in - wholehearted because God's not done.... A Godly Inheritance... 1) Never fails, fades or loses value 2) Demands wholehearted dedication 1 Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003). 2 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ps 37:29. 3 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Jos 14:6-14. 4 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 1 Pe 1:3-4. 5 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mk 8:36. 6 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Jos 14:6-14. 7 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Nu 32:11-12. 8 Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003). 9 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ge 17:1-2. 10 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Jos 15:13-15. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ 1