Praying with Paul: We Have an Inheritance

Intro:

Ephesians 1:18 NKJV

18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Tonight, we will continue a study entitled, [Praying with Paul.] The subject of my message is [We Have an Inheritance.]

Last year we established that everything the Early Church did was built on the foundation of prayer. They communicated with God and He answered.

I have often wondered what it was like for the Apostles. Most of them knew Jesus while He was alive. Take Peter for example, he was in Jesus’s inner circle. He knew Him personally.

He remembered Jesus as a person, but trusted Him and spoke to Him after the resurrection as the Risen Savior. I would say Peter prayed in a way none of us could really understand.

Paul on the other hand, he was alive while Jesus lived, but we have no record of any conversations between Jesus and Paul before Jesus ascended to heaven.

Saul of Tarsus would have known about Jesus’s:

reputation

ministry

and following

But everything we know about him tells us that he would have despised everything Jesus of Nazareth stood for and believed.

It was not until a few years AFTER the resurrection of Jesus that Paul even had an encounter with the Lord. But that is not to say Paul did not know Jesus.

Once God saved Paul, he dove headfirst into the waters of salvation. God responded by giving Paul revelation.

Galatians 1:11–12 NKJV

11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Beyond Paul’s teachings, we see that he had personal encounters with Jesus. Those times with the Lord fueled his desire to pray and seek God.

When someone has genuinely experienced God, it will cause them to want to pray and spend time with Him.

Thankfully, Paul wrote some of the prayers he prayed. So far this year, we have spent time looking at how Paul prayed for the Ephesian church.

He wanted God to give them wisdom and revelation.

Wisdom being knowing how to apply God’s word to our lives.

Revelation being a supernatural understanding of God’s word.

Then Paul prayed that God would increase their hope in the calling God had on their lives.

Now, we see that God gave His people something important— an inheritance. Let’s spend a few minutes looking at our inheritance.

I have three points, [What we Possess], [Who we Praise], and [What we Protect].

Let’s begin

1. What we Possess

Ephesians 1:18 NKJV

18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

When we think of the riches, we must think of something that costs us a lot.

I looked up riches in the Thesaurus and here were some similar words—

wealth

money

property

gold

assets

plenty

fortune

substance

treasure

Before we attempt to estimate what God is worth to us, we should first recognize what we are to God. We mean everything to Him. A relationship with humanity was so important that He gave HIS ONLY begotten Son for us.

We possess a relationship with God, through Jesus, being drawn closer by the Holy Spirit. The weight of our relationship with God should get our attention.

We mean so much to him. Therefore our relationship with Him is better than all the riches of the world.

Remember the old song, I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather be his than have riches untold. Then to be the king of a vast domain or be held in sin’s dread sway, I’d rather have Jesus than anything, this world affords to bear.”

Our lives are so much richer because we have a relationship with Jesus. It is to our benefit to sit back and think of how our lives have been enriched by the Lord.

Doing so will cause to appreciate Him that much more.

What do people do with riches?

Do they put them out for everyone to see?

Do they handle them in a hasty manner?

No, people protect their riches. They lock up their fine jewelry, they put important documents in a safe deposit box, they seal their investments to ensure they are safe.

Likewise, we must protect our relationship with God. We should never cheapen what He has done for us by a lack of appreciation and giving him proper place in our lives.

Salvation is a prized possession. We should always put God first, He enriches our lives.

Paul wanted God’s people to have the spirit of wisdom and revelation, that we might know the hope of our calling, and realize the riches, what we possess.

2. Who we Praise

Ephesians 1:18

Glory. Greatness, splendor, majesty.

It is interesting that God gives us the riches, but He gets all the glory. We are enriched by God’s grace. But the glory belongs to the Lord.

ONLY God is worthy of ALL GLORY!

Isaiah 42:8 NKJV

8 I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.

Isaiah 42:12 NKJV

12 Let them give glory to the Lord, And declare His praise in the coastlands.

Glory belongs to God, because He stands forever enthroned in a place of honor. There is a reason Jesus closed out His prayer, for thine if the KINGDOM, the power, and the GLORY, forever, and ever amen.

The glory of God is the atmosphere of heaven. The whole earth is full of His glory. In the New Jerusalem, we will not need a sun, or moon, or stars, for the glory of the God will enlighten the city.

What then is our response to God’s great glory?

Our response to God’s glory is to take time and glorify Him.

We should GLORIFY Him. Glorify means to positively acknowledge, recognize, or esteem one’s character, nature, or attributes.

Every time we praise and worship God, we are glorifying the ONE who is worthy of ALL praise and glory.

We should take time every day to glorify God for who He is and for what we possess.

Paul wanted God’s people to have the spirit of wisdom and revelation, that we might know the hope of our calling, and realize the riches, what we possess, of

3. What we Protect

Ephesians 1:18 NKJV

18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

We are enriched because of salvation

We glorify in the one who possesses all glory

But Paul added one more element to this passage— the riches and glory of our inheritance.

In Scripture an inheritance was, property that changes ownership to a descendant (especially to a firstborn male) upon the death of a parent (usually the father).

I am thankful for salvation, we do not deserve what God freely gives.

But now Paul discusses an inheritance. What more could the God of the universe give us? Why would He see fit to bless us with an inheritance?

It has been a part of His plan all along. Paul was not the first to mention our inheritance?

Deuteronomy 9:29 NKJV

29 Yet they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out by Your mighty power and by Your outstretched arm.’

1 Kings 8:53 NKJV

53 For You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”

Psalm 33:12 NKJV

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

We see a theme. We are God’s inheritance. He intends to have us forever!

But God will also provide something for His people beyond this life.

What then is our inheritance?

We will inherit a new home where we will spend an eternity with Him.

We will inherit a new body, one free from all sickness, disease, aches, pains, or corruption.

We will inherit a new life, one spent in the presence and glory of God forever.

There is a place called heaven and it is real. There is also a place called the New Jerusalem and it is real.

But if that is our inheritance in the FUTURE, what do we do about it now?

We have to guard this inheritance. I read this story that makes this point,

“A millionaire died and a young couple had been employed to care for the property until the probate court could deliver it to the inheritors. An indifferent or disinterested observer might not discern the riches of its glory. To him the house might be just a house, the dishes just dishes, the furniture just furniture, the cars just cars… but the caretakers knew better. To them the house was than a house. It was an elegant mansion. The dishes were more than just dishes. The were valuable imports. The furniture was more than just furniture. It was elegant, antique, exquisite. The silverware was the finest sterling, and the cars were amongst the best made by men,. THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE YOUNG COUPLE WAS TO GUARD THE INHERITANCE. The must protect it from vandals, preserve it from deterioration and maintain its excellence. Their knowledge of its true value made their sense of responsibility all the greater.”

We mean so much to God. We must protect our relationship with God, so that He will have eternity with us and we will have eternity with Him.

Close:

What do we possess? An enriched walk with God because of salvation!

Who do we praise? The only one who is worthy of all glory and honor.

What do we protect? Our inheritance.

Remember, WE are the inheritance and we will receive an inheritance.

But when will we receive our inheritance?

Do we have to wait until we die and go to heaven?

Ephesians 1:11–14 NKJV

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

We will receive our FULL inheritance when we die, but until then, we have the Holy Spirit— who is the down payment of what is to come.

The Holy Spirit gives us a deposit and a foretaste of what awaits us in heaven.

In heaven we will have full freedom of sin

but the Holy Spirit convicts of sin on earth

In heaven we will have total healing

but the Holy Spirit has the gifts of healing

In heaven we will have unlimited power

but the Holy Spirit pours out God’s power

In heaven we will be fully alive

but the Holy Spirit sends revival

In heaven we will never have another problem

but the Holy Spirit provides comfort

In heaven there will never be another conflict

but the Holy Spirit provides peace

In heaven there we will never be sad

but the Holy Spirit gives joy

In Him, we have everything we need.

SO I stand with Paul and pray for us to remember:

we possess the rich and free gift of salvation

we praise the ONLY one worthy of glory

we will guard and protect our inheritance until Jesus comes